Girls Weekend gone wild packs a punch of hilarity and racy fun. Director Katie Nott once again knocks another production out the park as she brings out the best in her cast as they breathe life into this fun farce written by Karen Schaeffer.
It was a packed opening night for the Kaatza Lakeside Players' production of Girls Weekend inside the Lake Cowichan Centennial Hall on Feb. 13, which Nott announced was one of the best first night turnouts the Players had seen in years. Heart shaped decor set the mood for those looking to add the right kind of drama to their dates this Valentine's weekend. There was a choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks to sip on with snacks while enjoying the silliness on stage, while those who pre-booked had the opportunity to enjoy dinner and community theatre on the annual day dedicated to love starting at 6 p.m.
"To wine and friends" was the toast that Dot (Nicole Malone) makes to her friends Carol (Gina Galway), Meg (Nikki Berry), and Meg's daughter Ellie (Ayla Halusiak) for what she intended to be a 'Girls Only' weekend of drinking, book reviews, high times, and gossip lowdowns at her cabin in the woods in the middle of a snowstorm. She is ready to go all hard night with the ladies but her gal pals each have a plan of their own.
Meg has been smiling a lot more lately thanks to her new young beau Stephen (Graham Fielding) but her bestie Dot knows him a lot better than Meg has been letting on. Carol and her boyfriend Rick (Jon Degner) are trying to get pregnant and when she finds out she is ovulating, timing is everything so she devises a way to sneak him in for some hanky-panky, however the girls have already been ribbing her on how loud and Rick are in their love-making. Ellie has plans to make some noise of her own at a karaoke bar with Bubba (Benji Nott) who she met in town. Hilarity accelerates as the three ladies try to get Dot to gas out early as they each come up with a plan to sneak out and sneak in their fellas that is just a little too similar.
There are moments where older audience members will feel like its a weekend with Bernie, as Malone hits the mark with her physical comedy. It is a hoot to watch these girls have fun. Things get interesting when Meg opens the door to Sheriff Tom Lane (Duncan Rhoades) who she tries to ply with coffee and pie to cover up some of the cabin tomfoolery before he heads back out to brave the storm.
The chemistry between all the actors is top notch, and while the ladies deliver non-stop laughs from start to finish, some of the best comedic moments are when the men make their cameos. The entire cast hits the mark better than Cupid with an arrow.
You don't have to be in love to enjoy time with the 'girls' this Valentine's Day weekend, you just need to love to laugh. For those who did not pre-book dinner, the Feb. 14 performance will start at 7 p.m. There will also be a 2 p.m. matinee and a 7 p.m. performance on Feb. 15. Doors for the matinee will open at 1:15 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. for the 7 p.m. performance.
Tickets for Girls Weekend can be purchased in person at the door on Feb. 15 or through thelakesideplayers.ca.
