Review: The Vindictive Vice President

The indie-go-go fund-raising pitch for The Vindictive Vice President

Romping with The Players

by Valerie Cardinal

The Vindictive Vice President, or The Detectivorial Sleuthings of

Messers Moarcock and Morgenstern in Regards to the Heinous Murder of

Mr. Ingolbladt is a cute, farcical romp. It opens well, with a nicely

written and funny murder scene. The play then turns into a full scale

investigation by bumbling detective Nathaniel Moarcock and his (maybe

a little too) capable assistant Valerie Septimus Morgenstern as they

try to track down the wealthy Mr. Ingolbladt's murderer.

I almost wish that Kyle Mcilhone had pushed his Morgenstern further

into farce; he was alternately the straight man to Moarcock's

silliness and a goofy flibbertigibbet, two radical sides that were

sometimes a little jarring. Travis Martin was deliciously evil as the

not-too-subtle fiend Vindictus Vindictum Vindictus, but I suggest he

not eat his words so much. Fellow word-eater Derek Johns gets

away with it as a Cockney security guard, if only because he does it

with such joy and enthusiasm that it just works.

However, my favourite remains Liana Bdewi as secretary Lactacia

Norternbottom, who really throws herself into the silliness of her

character and also gets many of the funniest lines. The writing itself

was also quite witty, although I found some of the jokes were slightly

groan-worthy, and one bit of physical comedy left me feeling a little

uncomfortable. However, this show was obviously a hit with its roaring

audience in the nearly full-house this evening, its opening night. While definitely a

student production, The Vindictive Vice President was an entertaining

and light way to pass the time with a show that doesn't take itself

too seriously.

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