CREENA DEFOOUIE
nytheatre.com review by Chris Harcum
August 13, 2008
Theatrical jack-of-all-trades couple Charlotte Barton-Hoare and James Hoare bring Creena Defoouie to the Cherry Lane Studio as part of this year's FringeNYC after trotting out its humorous madness to several stops in London, Toronto, and the Edinburgh Fringe. This compact, quirky piece is packed with a lot that will be appreciated by fans of macabre and mystery genre spoofs. Those who enjoy offbeat British humor will not be disappointed either.
Creena Defoouie is a counselor and homicidal maniac at Rambey House, a "home for nutters." When several of the inmates go missing, Superintendent Hardon comes to investigate. His bumbling hunt for clues puts him in a comedic dance of bewilderment with Creena. The intrigues deepen as we meet an overweight patient, Kenny, who has grotesquely bad teeth, and Mary Annabel Defoouie, Creena's late sister. Will Creena's killing spree ever satisfy her need to avenge her sister's death?
Charlotte Barton-Hoare and James Hoare play all the parts with dark delight. They banter, they dance, they fight, they goose the audience, and the play off of one another with precision. While I walked away hoping for a bit more energy from the performances and clarity in the story, I found this piece to be delightful. It is obvious this multi-tasking duo have spent some quality time with this piece in front of many audiences. When loading up your tray at the Fringe buffet, Creena Defoouie makes a great midnight snack.
