Set in 1929, the story is of a struggling family from Alabama at the start of the Depression. 
Hopes are dashed when a wealthy relative dies and leaves them not the dough they need but an old Nash and a bit of advice: “Culture in hard times does real well.” They seek financial salvation through the vaudevillian success of their son George. George has been possessed by the spirit of The Frog – a former midget, tap-dancing vaudevillian entertainer murdered by and now out for revenge against his one-time double-act partner. The adult George re-lives this nightmare childhood in a 90-minute tour de force which involves a cast of eccentric characters. All played by just one actor.
One man shows present all sorts of problems, the chief one being of how one performer can hold an audience for an entire 90 minutes. Don’t worry. You are in for one fabulous roller coaster of a ride and the driver of your train is that consummate artist Jay James-Moody. The quirkiness of the storytelling, the appeal of the music and the skill — not to mention the personality — of James-Moody make for an entrancing combination and you will enjoy every dip and climb and sudden twist! In cahoots with director Michael Ralph, and a lighting and set design by Ben Brockman, Herringbone is a show which defies genre. The 3-piece orchestra aint half bad either!
In anyone else’s hands is could be a disaster. In the hands of the Squabbalogic lot, it is a stunning theatrical experience.
Nuff said. Get a ticket. Fast. This deserves a sell-out and extended season.
Please Note: The show was reviewed at a preview
Kate Stratford – On The Town
