PINEAPPLE CLUB by the company (Robin Henderson Productions). At Factory Mainspace. July 8 at 7:30 pm, July 10 at 9 pm, July 11 at 1:15 pm, July 12 at 11:30 pm, July 14 at 7:30 pm, July 16 at noon. See listing. Rating: NNN
Anyone hoping Robin Hendersons latest creation, Pineapple Club, will have the same high energy and camp as her 2016 Fringe hit Dance Animal will be disappointed. None of the 2016 cast returns and the collection of comic dance, skits, live music performances and monologues has stop and start pacing and no overriding theme.
The show begins well with a comic dance number where the three-member cast Paul Barnes, Jonathan Shaboo and Pascale Yensen interpret David Bowies Space Oddity in moves alternating between athletic angst and balletic frivolity.
Yet all other comic dance is connected to verbal skits. Of these the best depicts an adverse physical reaction to any mention of 2016 which causes the hearer to flail wildly to Boogie Wonderland. Generally, however, too many routines depend on acting, not dance, and therefore do not play to the casts strength.