Go see The Snides of March. From beginning to end, this satirical revue is a hoot. Double Exposure's stars, Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen are at peak performance in this show as are fellow performers, Morgan Brayton, Penelope Corrin, Trevor Devall, and Peter New. Director Jonathan Ryder, keeps the pace as fast as the one-liners.

This production has something for everyone in the 30-or-so skits. There are spot-on, "hilarious impressions, fast-paced multi-media sketches and hysterical song-and-dance routines."

The show opens with "Beware the Snides of March" which warns the audience and sets the tone by concluding, "We'll do anything to make you laugh." The song, Kitsilano Woman features the three female performers in a delightful skit and song routine highlighting their shallowness as they meet in Starbucks. As they strut off stage, one says to the others, "Let's get drunk and do yoga." Another replies, "Can we get a coffee, first?" The first speaker answers, "Of course."

Playing her guitar, Ms Corrin sings a nonsense song as Sarah McLaughlin naming a long list of well-known stores and products.
The show ends with The Big Ferries, a production number telling of the trials of travel across the Georgia Straight. Words appear on the screen at the back of the stage and the audience is encouraged to join in the final chorus.

Outstanding impressions are Mr Robertson's rendition of Bill Van Der Zamm reciting the poem, "The Curse of the Great Zamm Bino." In rhyming couplets, we learn of the scandals and demise of BC premiers Mike Harcourt and Glen Clark. We're also reminded of Glen Campbell's incident in Hawaii.

Mr Robertson as news anchor, Bill Good, and Ms Cullen as Pamela Martin, give stunning performances over a news item about testing a new type of condom on unsuspecting CBC employees. She doesn't ever hear the word "condom" and goes off on frequent tangents producing roars of laughter from the audience.

Mr New gives delightful, recurring on-screen impressions as Mike McCardell. In one skit, he's so wrapped up in his story that he's unaware that he's wandered way out of the city onto a country road.
As Bard on the Beach's Christopher Gaze, Mr Devall is brilliant. He's sinister, verbose, and in character with many characters. In one skit, he's fired for refusing to let a drive-through customer order a Big M. To thespians, uttering the name of the Scottish king, is bad luck. In another scene, sprouting Sonnets on the Sidelines, he reduces three ditsy cheerleaders of the BC Lions Felions to tears as they rush off stage.

A pair of gun toting, Skytrain Cops appear in a couple of sketches. In one, they shoot "a usual tax-paying church-goer" suspected of not paying for two zones. The voice-over to the ad on the screen, "Skytrain Cops: For Your Protection."

A tender relationship between Burglar Jerry, and Neil, the disembodied voice of the Alarm Force begins when Jerry attempts to steal a car. Red lights flash and the one-liners flow. They agree to meet for a date at a restaurant. More jokes follow.

You'll need to see the show to learn about Chunky and the Trainer, CBC of Tomorrow, Da Vinci: Queen of England, and the many other merry skits in this great show.

© 2006 June Heywood