Bushtits, Shih Tzus and Private Dicks

Regina Fringe Festival

4.5 Stars

There’s an art to slapstick comedy – the characters need to be strong, the script tight and the physical movement rehearsed to perfection.

All of this was present in one of Regina Fringe’s most original offerings, Bushtits, Shih Tzus and Private Dicks. Written and performed by talented character actors Melissa Dorsey and Trevor Matheson, this is a slapstick homage to film noir that was unequivocally the funniest piece of theatre I have seen all year.

Dorsey’s characters are strong, switching in an instant between an elderly landlady/young boy/damsel in distress/yappy shih tsu. Matheson is a genuinely likeable actor, whose deadpan delivery of what should have been groaners kept the audience laughing throughout. The script was brilliantly written and the intricate staging brilliantly executed.

The plot – at times unabashedly silly – was peppered with local references, which delighted the Regina audience. The audience participation was done well, and not forced (which is an issue in other shows). Both actors appeared to be having just as good a time as the audience, and this is a quirky, genuinely fun show that should not be missed!