With its simple set, simple costumes and a simple cast, Icarus Falling's production of the two-person show, "Parallel Lives" proved true the old proverb "less is more," as actresses Laura Croff and Sara Frank played 18 characters combined.
Dressed in black, Croff and Frank changed their accents and headgear to warn the crowd the scene was changing.
The set was equally as sparse as the cast, featuring only a pair of benches and a wire frame which displayed the various hats the women wore throughout the course of the show.
Both Frank and Croff were phenomenal. From pot-smoking angels planning the dawn of man to a pair of old women at their first feminist rally, the actresses were hilarious and convincing in every role.
Despite its feministic approach, the two-hour production was able to capture nearly every aspect of humanity - including creation, dating and religion. Playwrights Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney deserve high praise for attempting such a feat, but the true applause goes to the brilliant and schizophrenic actresses for pulling it off.
At first glance, the candid show is simply good-natured, sidesplitting fun. But Najimy and Gaffney spell out the show's underlying theme at the end for those determined to leave the theater with a message: No matter how dire a situation may be, everyone has the potential to change it, to become whatever he or she wants to be.
The location of the production was perfect, as it added to the intimacy and exposure the show demanded.
At 402 S. Washington Square in Lansing, there were few chairs available for audience members, but not a bad seat in the house.
The production was theater in its purest form. There were no costumes, no special effects, and definitely no artificiality. It was about a connection between the characters and the audience.
Perhaps more importantly, the show was about having a good time. From tampons to eyebrow waxing, "Parallel Lives" is for anyone who's unafraid of all things taboo and prepared to wet themselves a little when they laugh.