by: Stanley Allan Sherman © September 8, 2014
Created by: Hew Parham and Craig Behenna
Directed by: Craig Behenna
Performed by: Hew Parham
From Australia
Giovanni is a very different type of show with its own sense and style of humor. Hew Parham character is very strong and he is at his best when he goes between his Italian waiter character breaking what seems as the wall of the over the top waiter. It seems like they have managed to pull every possible Italian joke you can imagine. Music is use through out the show and he uses it well for the most part. Although sometimes it seems to get in the way. One thing that is nice is Hew does not let the music control him.
Opening the show is really nice giving away Italian biscotti pastry as people come in and Hew is setting up. Talking with the audience as he is setting up. One really nice touch is how he goes though the house cleaning under the seats, picking up trash. It is a very character driven show with rapped fire verbal jokes, flavoers and stories. Sometimes with the put on Italian accent you cannot understand what he is saying. Hew’s flirting with the ladies works well, getting lots of laughs, especially from the ladies in the house.
Director Craig Behenna, I would have like to see him give the show a better flow and rhythm. After a while the show seems to have the same rhythm over and over again. There seemed to be a lack of a dramatic line for most of the show. One note to the directors who I believe was sitting in front of me, only because after the show he was putting away the props on stage after the show. Please do not turn on your cell phone to take notes, it blinds everyone behind you every time you turn it on and we stop thinking about the show as we are distracted by the blinding cell phone light. For the talented Hew Parham this show is a nice beginning. I hope the direction can take him much further in the future. He is fun and entertaining to watch.
There was no program, so I cannot credit the costume or other elements. There was a lot of music used, none of the music in the show I am able to credit the musicians for in this review.
Next shows that are part of the NY Clown Theater Festival www.bricktheater.com/clown
Friday, September 12 @ 10:30 PM & Saturday Sept 13 @ 8:30 PM