theatre review - GREATER TUNA - The Palms Theatre - April 30, 2015

Alan Craig and Devon Nickel
(photo: Toni Kallen)

"Greater Tuna...allows us in less than two hours to meet twenty of the residents of Tuna, Texas, the third smallest town in the state. Old and young, male and female, they represent a group of mostly charming yet small-minded people, who are firm with their beliefs and set in their ways. The fun of the play is that all twenty are played by two men. The production at the Palms Theatre has two expert actors, Alan Craig and Devon Nickel, both skilled in their abilities to make each character unique, with a distinct voice and mannerisms that bring out the sweet satirical nuances of the play.  The show is set around radio station OKKK, with many of the characters either working for the station, calling in to the show, advertising on it, or listening to it. While there isn't much of a plot, there is a continual stream of new and interesting characters, many of whom you end up caring about. The other beauty of the play is that it intertwines the characters with references in the dialogue to other townspeople you've already met or will meet later. Characters come back and go throughout, so it isn't just a string of monologues with characters you never seen again....The result is a sweet homage to life in a small, rural town that at times is also a biting satire.  Craig has performed this part before and it clearly shows, with his effective portrayals of each character...While this is Nickel's first time acting in this play, he is just as good, throwing himself into each role with a senseless abandonment....While Greater Tuna is more of a "slice of life" play that lacks a more in-depth plot as well as an ending that wraps up the events with a clearer message, it still amounts to a fun-filled parade of crazy small-town characters. The Palms production is full of love and laughs and has two actors who expertly bring the inhabitants of Tuna to vibrant life." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)