Theatre Review: Up To No Good

Note: This review was posted on the KC Stage review system.

“I Love You, (We’re F*#ked)”, written, directed, and produced by Kevin J Thornton (part of the KC Fringe Festival). First produced 2011. (Seen July 30, 2011.)

Despite the title, “I Love You, (We’re F*#ked)”, by Kevin J. Thornton, is not a raunchy show. In fact, if anything, it’s a sweet combination of music, storytelling, and some comedy.

While the music was a little too loud for my tastes, it’s the songs and the storytelling where Thornton succeeds. Telling the tales of growing up in Indiana the ’80s, where if you don’t know Silver Spoons you may be at a little loss; then on to the 90s where he moved to LA and where I got the immortal line, “Don’t draw a line for me: I will cross it”; then on to the 2000s, where it got a little political and some of the stories tie together; then onto a tale of his recent breakup.

This was not at all what I was expecting — and I was happily impressed at the piece as a result.

Thornton is a good singer — in fact, I will be downloading his album, as the songs are sweet and sad at the same time, that kind of angsty schmoop I love. And his stories all tie together, from Ricky Schroder to running into the boy he had a crush in high school when Bush was running for the second time, and almost all the stories surround the concept of “love’s a bitch, but you should do it again”.

The comedy is okay, but by far the weakest of his act — rarely did I laugh out loud. It seemed forced, as a way to break up the stories and songs.

It was a pleasant hour that went by quickly. If Thornton can just turn down the amp a little and work on the stand up routine to be a bit more natural, this could be a real winner of a show.

The 2011 KC Fringe Festival is over, but you can see (and buy) his act via iTunes and DVD over at www.kevinjthornton.com (note: link no longer active).

Read all of my Fringe reviews here.