Ensemble of The Lovesick Lambs of Lombardi | Photo by Nate Colitto
I’d never seen a piece of commedia dell’arte before now. I’ve read about it, of course. Like Brecht, Greek tragedy, and Shakespeare, it’s part of the Theatre History 101 package. It always sounded like something that would irritate me. And I was right! But that’s not the art form’s fault, it’s just not my bag. That said, I do greatly admire what this young and ambitious ensemble have put together as scrappy writer-performer-producers.
Though I struggled with it, The Lovesick Lambs of Lombardi, presented by Cooped Up With Tom, is a whole vibe and this charismatic troupe is fully committed to its nonsense. The enthusiasm is undeniably infectious and I did, by the end, find myself falling under its spell. I’m not entirely sure if my sensibilities were simply beaten into submission or if the later material, with the caricatures more fully established, was genuinely more compelling. Continue Reading