Fringe NYC Review
Interfaith Understanding with The Rev. Bill & Betty
Off-Off-Broadway, Comedy
Runs through 8.29.10
The Robert Moss Theatre, 440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Rik Sansone and Jen Ryan in Interfaith Understanding. Photo by James Alexander.
BOTTOM LINE: At Interfaith Understanding with The Rev. Bill & Betty, sketch comedy meets YouTube.
Interfaith Understanding with The Rev. Bill & Betty is the imagined public access televangelist show of serial widower Reverend Bill and his newest wife Betty. The theatre audience is taken to be the live studio audience, and this taping is complete with "commercial breaks" where comedy videos are played.The show gets off to a rough start with an awkward, poorly paced, and not-too-funny video before Rev. Bill and Betty enter. From there, Interfaith Understanding improves and laughs are found in both Rev. Bill and Betty's outrageous Christian views and in the show's "commercials." By far, the high point of the show is the video advertising a new cereal: Cunt Flakes. Unfortunately, jokes like this are few and far between.
Rev. Bill and Betty are equally offensive to Jews, gays, Christians, Southerners, Muslims, and women, but most of all they are offensive to comedians. Technical malfunctions of every shape and size aside, I had the distinct feeling that the script was just barely memorized. The whole performance seemed under-rehearsed. Sound cues weren't timed, entrances were missed, and both the Rev. Bill and Betty stumbled over jokes and words alike.
For fans of sketch comedy who have a tolerance for the inevitable unfunny lulls, Rev. Bill and Betty have a joke or two up their sleeve if you can wait for it. If you are easily turned off by cheap, clumsy humor, take a pass on Interfaith Understanding and turn your dial to a different station.
(Interfaith Understanding with The Rev. Bill & Betty plays at The Robert Moss Theatre, 440 Lafayette Street, 3rd floor, between Astor Place and E. 4th Street, through August 29th. Remaining performances are Monday 8/23 at 3:15pm, Thursday 8/26 at 7pm, Friday 8/27 at 2pm, and Sunday 8/29 at 1:45pm. For more information visit www.revbillandbetty.com. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door, and are available at FringeNYC.com, by calling 866.468.7619, or in person at FringeCENTRAL, located at 1 East 8th Street at 5th Avenue. There is NO LATE SEATING for Fringe NYC shows.)
my bad! I was at the first and third shows, yes there were tech problems on the first night but it's FRINGE . the third was solid, almost sold out and LOTS of laughs!
Interfa ith Understanding with The Rev. Bill & Betty is a mock cable access show on the Really Christian Broadcasting Network that, we're told, has just been picked up by Manhattan public access. Reverend Bill and Betty are excited to reach more sinners. During the show we learn that Reverend Bill and Betty are not as perfect and pure as they seem. We are also reminded of how ignorant religious zealots and fanatics can be.
The show has the format of a television show. After each segment there is a pre-recorded commercial break. The videos that make up the commercials range from funny—some funnier than others—to not so funny. I almost wished that some of these were performed live. During the "TV show," Reverend Bill and Betty go over different temptations that are out there.
Rik Sansone and Jen Ryan absolutely shine as Reverend Bill and Betty. They are a great duo. They are both extremely energetic performers with great comedic timing. They carry the show very well. They really embody the characters they are portraying. They also do a really good job showing the humanity of their larger-than-life characters.
Interfait h Understanding is written by Martin D. Hill. The script has very funny points. I liked the way that the characters were written and the quirks that they had. The premise was also fun. Some jokes, however, felt very redundant. It seemed like the ignorance of the characters was a running gag throughout the show and after a while that gag stopped being as funny. The audience that I was a part of seemed to really enjoy the show a lot.
The costumes by Aughra Moon are fantastic. I loved that Betty is done up in purple from head to toe. Reverend Bill's costume of yellow and gold really complements Betty's costume and seems really appropriate for this preacher to wear.
Interfaith Understanding is a really fun show, and though sometimes the gags fall a little short it is not the fault of the talented cast. Sansone and Ryan deliver really solid performances, under the direction of Leonard Jacobs. They will make you laugh and maybe even question and reconsider your faith just a little.