If you are looking for the perfect date night with your spouse or significant other, put Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus Live at The Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret at the top of your list.
This stage production is based on author Dr. John Gray’s best selling book Men Are From Mars, Women Are from Venus: A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships. The book is described on its website as “a practical and proven way for men and women to communicate better by understanding and respecting the differences between them.”
The one-man show is part theatre and part standup comedy routine, sprinkled with the wisdom of the original book. In the end, the show leaves you sore from laughing and ultimately understanding the opposite sex a little better.
Gray himself, makes a few appearances by way of video recording which also includes some funny animations to illustrate the points he makes.
Both my husband and I had benefitted from the knowledge in the original book prior to marrying 22 years ago. I often have credited the lessons from it with helping us to better understand one another and have a strong marriage. Needless to say, when I heard this show was coming to town I was quite excited to see how it would translate to the stage. The show was not all of what I expected but I was not at all disappointed.
Amedeo Fusca gave a hilarious, high energy performance that had the packed house laughing, clapping and at times even cheering. Fusca, a Pittsburgh native, and Point Park University graduate did an excellent job integrating things truly Pittsburgh into the show. He included references to our beloved Penguins, Steelers and even pierogies which made the show feel all the more personalized to the audience.
His tales of his own journey in navigating his relationship with his wife from their first meeting through the trials of marriage brought the lessons in Gray’s book to life in a very personal way.
Unlike your typical theatrical performance, the fourth wall was nonexistent in this production. Fusca interacted freely with the audience which gave him the opportunity to utilize his excellent improve skills. Each ad-lib was met with uproarious laughter from the audience.
By the end, I told my husband who I took along as my date, that it was a show I would happily see again, even if he did laugh a little too hard at some examples of how women behave. We also pointed at each other or nudged one another multiple times as things said on stage rang true of ourselves, each other, and our relationship.
The whole Cabaret experience, including pre and post-show as well as the intermission, was accentuated by the precision of venue’s staff that kept patrons’ drinks filled and other needs tended to like a well-oiled machine.
If you are looking for a fun night out filled with a lot of laughs, I highly recommend the show but, make sure you leave the kiddos at home. There is a good deal of adult content which is not appropriate for the little ones but not too bawdy for the more reserved adult.
Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus Live runs now through October 14. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.pittsburghclo.org.
Photos courtesy of the Pittsburgh CLO.
Linda Harkcom is a freelance writer whose writing has appeared in most newspapers in South Western Pennsylvania. She has covered the theatre seen in Westmoreland and Fayette County for almost 10 years. Having raised two actors, she is the author of DearTheaterMom.com where she gives advice to parents who have children in or thinking of entering the entertainment field. She is also the editor of WPAEntertainmentnews.com a new blog focusing on entertainment in Western Pennsylvania.
Categories: Archived Reviews