Hunter Gathers (Theatre Vertigo) Grade B+

by Peter Sinn Narchtrieb
Directed by Tom Moorman

Cast:
Pam   .....   Karry Ryan
Richard   .....   Mario Calcagno
Wendy   .....   Brooke Fletcher
Tom   .....   Joel Harmon

sez says ... here is something we have decided-- You Can Count on TheatreVertigo.  This band of actors choose the best plays around to produce  --and they add plenty of heart and heat to these great plays when they stage them.  What more can you ask of any company?  Ok -- so they are not National Theater of England level master actors--but they are GOOD.  And, they seem to always come up with exceptional works: nothing hum drum is going to get on their stage.

And this is certainly true for their latest: Hunter Gathers.  What a ride.  A simple story about two couples, 30- somethings, who meet for an annual dinner..but what a dinner.  From slaughtering their own lamb for dinner--so the meat will be truly fresh... to the discovery that each members of the dinner party seems to be at a different stage in human evolution, the story moves into territory too often ignored.    The beast in men that seeks to determine who is the ALPHA-dominant male. The imperative to procreate.  Meanwhile suppressed sexual desires--and not so suppressed sexual desires are let loose --while we, as an audience, are left to ask just how good  is it to be "close to nature".   Plus there are plenty of laughs to go around.  All four actors do yeoman service to their characters --one being more fun than the next.  Highly recommended. We give thanks for for a great show.