Review: Greed
I saw Greed, a comedic play about looking for happiness in the wrong places. It’s been brought here to Montreal by Weeping Spoon from Perth, Australia. The piece is centered on Hubert, a lovable office loser, hated by his peers and superiors who, gosh, just wants to be accepted. If this sounds like well-tread territory, you’re damn right. As the play opened, I became worried that I’d be watching some trite re-hashing of a tired formula. And in some ways, it was. The lovable loser buys a quick fix that makes him a hero but then loses it and falls hard. There’s the girl who wants to be loved but is ignored and the boss desperate to make his business succeed. This isn’t exactly Glengarry Glen Ross (nor is it trying to be!). So while the plot is pretty familiar territory, it’s what this endearing bunch of Australians do with it that ultimately saves the show.
The story is told out of sequence, a device that is used to alter contexts as we watch scenes a second time through. It’s well done and breathes life into the show. The five actors (sorry, I don’t have names) all bring a great energy and enthusiasm and are pressed into multiple roles that requires some clever staging that works out beautifully. The cardboard props were delightful. It’s oh so very Fringe to see cardboard cut-out computers as props and moving boxes as sets. But these have an above average production value that prevents them from looking cheap. Instead, they enhance the looney tone of the play.
There are some great moments to see here, especially Wendy’s transformation from loser to vamp which is staged brilliantly. My favourite sequence is a series of escalating injuries that results in gifts being given and then promptly withdrawn. The pacing is pefect and the delivery men have these great walks and personas that really make the scene.
Overall, it’s a fun show to watch (and hopefully, they’ve fixed the tech problems that plagued my viewing) so if you’re up for a light and charming comedy, this one will fit the bill.
This show gets a: Recommended. (Their last show is today at 2:30pm!)
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