Cabaret Terrarium: Wanna Stroke a Frog?

Cabaret Terrarium is written by Richard Harrington and Chris Kauffman. Harrington (Gustave – the cabaret singer) and Kauffman (Nhar – the “pantomeeme”) are funny guys.  If the framing story is never quite as good as the various parts that go into it, and if occasionally Gustave’s songs get one note, and the piece is a smidgen too long, there are still laughs aplenty in this offering.

They are, however, often stifled by the Cabaret Terrarium’s big device – the wooden frogs, and it’s a pity in some ways.  I sensed the audience trying to respect the conceit of the frogs (a killer hunts Gustave, human noise will give him away, if we stroke the frogs in place of laughter/tears we can help save Gustave) but I know this crowd would have enjoyed laughing more. The most freeing part, a lesson in how to cover someone else’s laughter with loud frog noise felt marvelous and I had trouble containing my laughter, for a while I stopped trying – it felt good!

Kauffman’s Nhar (imaginary or not) is superb, a real crowd pleaser, he knows how often a bit can be recycled, how to change it up, and the sheer variety of his responses mixed with a killer dead-pan look is a joy.

Talented and fun – don’t over think this one… just enjoy! (Stroke the frogs, sure, but don’t be afraid to laugh!)