Forget all those drab history lessons you sat through at school. Those were aimed at kids who were smart enough to, say, pick up a pen at least. Theatre 99’s history lesson is aimed at a much lower intelligence level — complete imbeciles.
Well, not really. While audience members do become the butt of some well-meaning jokes during this show, the cast (Greg Tavares, Caleb Usry, and RW “Smitty” Smith) do grant them the intelligence to spot references to movies, TV shows, and local historical facts. Covering the colonization of Charles Towne through to the modern mores of the backyard barbecue, the performers leap from one skit to another with a speed that would leave morons drooling with befuddlement.
The set is basic, the props homemade, and the sound cues haphazard, but Tavares, Smith, and Usry revel in its low-budget charm. Some of the trio’s bantering slows the pace down, but not enough to sabotage its subject matter. Not interested in Queen Anne’s War? Don’t worry! There’ll be another, bloodier conflict along in just a minute!
The show’s been around for six months but it still seems spontaneous, with many laugh-out-loud funny moments. And unlike some of Theatre 99’s edgier offerings, Morons has a broad appeal — it’s not just for local history buffs.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF CHARLESTON FOR MORONS •Piccolo Spoleto’s Piccolo Fringe at Theatre 99 • $15 • May 29 at 5 p.m.; June 4, 10 at 2 p.m.; June 7 at 4 p.m. • Theatre 99, 280 Meeting St. • 554-6060
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