Review: LIVE IN 3,2,1… at Tour De Force Productions

It’s 1936, and at the RCA Studio at Rockefeller Center, Reggie Grant (Alexi Lewis) is preparing for RCA’s first live television broadcast. It’s set to be huge. Celebrated director Harold Parris (Matt Sunderland) is at the helm and two big-screen A-listers will star: heartthrob Texas cowboy Chance Adams (Danny Walker) and diva Ilona Varga (Morgan Voellger). But then…the equipment breaks and the stars are nowhere to be found. Once they arrive, it becomes clear that no one quite understands what “live” means (i.e., no cuts, no second takes). What’s more, the All-American Chance Adams turns out to be British, and the diva known for her songs can’t sing. To top it all off, a reporter (Maddy Gourlay) is on hand to witness the whole thing. With less than an hour till showtime, will Reggie be able to pull it off?

David Bareford’s LIVE IN 3,2,1…, now running at Tour de Force Productions, makes for a delightfully fun evening at the theatre.

The show is packed with gags: people trip over cords, get locked in rooms, and swap the prop whiskey for the real thing. The production also weaves in multimedia elements and a live stream of the “broadcast” itself, with a screen showing exactly what the camera captures while the fiasco unfolds just out of frame. That second angle raises the stakes for the performers, since every on-camera moment has to land exactly right. All of this plays out on the Chapel Theatre’s small stage, where 10 actors share the space with set pieces, a wardrobe rack, large props, and a camera, and still manage to get into multiple fights. Physical comedy on this scale demands split-second technical and logistical coordination. Director Meghan Daaboul keeps it all running like clockwork, and the cast and crew pull off quite a feat. 

The performances are strong across the board, and I’m leaving some people out only for space. As Reggie, Alexi Lewis is the glue that holds everything together and the more-or-less calm center of all the mayhem. Danny Walker masters multiple accents as Chance Adams, and Morgan Voellger throws some truly excellent temper tantrums as Ilona Varga. Maddy Gourlay stands out as Charlie Wright, the fast-talking reporter who speaks only in “slanguage,” as does Brandie Sylfae as Edith, Ilona’s perpetually put-upon publicist. Meanwhile, Matt Sunderland pulls double duty as both Johnny, the tech guy, and director Harold Parris.

LIVE IN 3,2,1… is genuinely funny, and frequent roars of laughter filled the theatre. I recommend it especially to fans of I Love Lucy–style comedy. You can easily picture this play as an episode of that show.

LIVE IN 3,2,1…runs through October 24 at the Chapel Theatre in Milwaukie. Details and tickets here.

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