Uncomfortably Live featuring Paper Machetes
Joff Schmidt | CBC News | Posted: July 21, 2017 6:45 PM | Last Updated: July 21, 2017
Rocking songs brought down by stilted and - yes, uncomfortable - dialogue
Rating: ★★
Company: Karenina Productions
Genre: Musical
Venue: 4 — Pantages Mainstage
Paper Machetes are actually a pretty great band, as it turns out. Their fringe show? Not so much.
Uncomfortably Live follows the trio as they perform a live-streamed concert and are interviewed by an unseen host, unpacking some of their considerable baggage on the way.
The good news is the songs are great — soulful, catchy rockers let the very talented trio (Christy Taronno, Danny Nguyen and Anton Voronin) show off their considerable musical chops.
The banter between songs is stilted and — yes — uncomfortable. There were some unfortunate technical glitches on opening, but even without that, leaden pacing and awkward dialogue between tunes sink the show. The music is there, but the script and performances both need a lot of tightening.
Paper Machetes are actually a pretty great band. Their fringe show? Not so much. - Joff Schmidt
It had the potential to be a thoughtful and fun rocker, but ...Paper Machetes doesn't quite cut it.