Cathedral City, CA
What kind of comedy is this?
First: it’s British humor. And if you’re not familiar with the language, the style, and the rhythm of British comedy, you may have a hard time tracking the show at first. Sometimes it’s not even the “joke” as much as the way the dialogue is written and delivered. If you’re not familiar with bits of English history, theatre, the arts, or certain cultural references and types of characters, some of it may be lost on you. But wait, you will still be well entertained.
What is very apparent—whether you catch every line or not—is the importance of physical comedy. And physical comedy can be both very funny and very dangerous at the same time. In this case, the knees-to-the-groin stuff, the grabbing, the slapping, the hitting, the punching, and the repeated falling… It’s demanding. Door-banging, people falling down stairs, constant squirming or tantrums on the floor—this is not “light work.” And the actors, by the way, seem completely at home with that requirement. They commit to it like it’s a sport.
I do not have a funny bone in my body. I leave that up to my husband, who is quick on the reply, and very effective on stage. He says that it’s all about timing. And that is what makes comedy hard to pull off. That’s where this kind of comedy becomes even more impressive: timing. In a straight play you might not notice the timing of the dialogue, but here it’s everything. A comedy can crash and burn when the timing is off. It’s like a badly dubbed foreign film—when the voice doesn’t match the mouth, it becomes a distraction.
In this play, characters often speak directly to the audience, and sometimes need the audience—to come up on stage, hold something, and be part of the bit. And that can be a disaster for a comedic actor, because you never know what a person is going to do once they’re in the spotlight. When it works, it’s hilarious—because the audience is now part of the show. You feel like you’re in on it. When it doesn’t, well the show must go on. Honestly… it makes me a little nervous when they start pulling people out of the audience. That’s why we never sit in the splash zone.
During the show, there were times we were scratching our heads. And then there were other times when it could not be funnier. The audience becomes part of the experience. No fake laugh track. What’s funny to one person…may not be to the next. Case in point. The person next to us was cackling like a hen, laughing so loud their teeth just about fell out. Another person, laughing so hard they started hyperventilating, so much that I thought they were going to have to stop the show. That’s the truth of comedy. It’s personal. And British comedy especially can feel like that: you either lock into the frequency… or you don’t… and then suddenly you do again.
The best way I can describe this play—and British humor in general—is by comparing it to British television comedies I watched as a kid. Benny Hill, with all the antics and the sexual escapades that showed up constantly, the running around, the falling down, the frantic pacing. And then there are moments that feel like skits that either influenced—or were influenced by—one of my favorites: Monty Python’s Flying Circus. As a kid it took me a while to understand that it wasn’t an actual circus. It was British humor disguised as a circus. And when you compare it to a circus, that goes from one act to another—from one scene into another it starts to feel like sketch comedy.
And that’s where it lines up with American television too—shows many people in our audience will remember: Laugh-In, The Sonny and Cher Show, and of course The Carol Burnett Show with that regular cast of characters—Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence. That same feeling of, “Here comes the next skit. And now the next one. And on and on. Some funner than… and some fall flat.
This production has a large cast of characters—so many that it almost becomes part of the fun just tracking them all. You’ve got a dead person, a waiter who could have been right at home in the Coachella Valley, the father of the bride, his solicitor, romantic couples—actually two—and a character who can only be described as having every type of social and mental health issue, turned up to maximum volume, who talks as fast as any New Yorker I’ve ever met, while also falling down, slapping himself, flipping personalities, and carrying a sexual drive that can only be described as erratic. I could go on. There are so many characters in this production, and they are all fully committed to their roles.
I hope I haven’t spoiled it for you. But honestly, all I’ve really done is describe the goings-on—not the underlying (often loose) story arc… if there even is one. It’s exactly what you would expect from something like Saturday Night Live. You’ll be right at home. And if you find yourself saying, “I didn’t understand a word they said,” or “I think that skit-scene went on a little too long,” wait—because the next scene may be the one that hits your funny bone with a sledgehammer. I haven’t mentioned the songs and the dancing. You will have to hear, and see that for yourself.
As far as the cast, the direction, and the production value: it was on par with what I have come to expect from CVRep—exceptional and well played. Just corralling the different characters, the British dialogue, the physical comedy—can become a director’s nightmare. But if that was the case it doesn’t show. And that’s a sign of great directing. The cast, and crew as well did a wonderful job creating a night of entertainment, distraction, humor, and little bits of wonderment.
If you go, go willing to let it be what it is: British farce at full throttle—a show that doesn’t ask for your quiet appreciation so much as your full attention and a willingness to let yourself laugh. Even when the jokes and antics are flying past you at a full run.
If you asked me if we had a great time, I’d have to say: just like Saturday Night Live—yes, with funny bits, and some not so funny bits.
But if you asked me if I’d go see it again, I’d have to say: of course. There’s so much happening so fast, I know I missed half of the best bits. That second time round would feel like discovering the show all over again.
CVRep info: location, run, showtimes, tickets
Coachella Valley Repertory (CVRep)
Address: 68510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (corner of Hwy 111 and Cathedral Canyon)
Run dates: January 14 – February 1, 2026
Performance times (CVRep season schedule):
- Wed: 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
- Thu & Fri: 7:00 pm
- Sat: 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
- Sun: 2:00 pm
Talkback Thursdays (for this production): Jan 22 and Jan 29, 2026
Tickets / contact:
- Phone: (760) 296-2966 ext. 101
- Email: boxoffice@cvrep.org
- Online: tickets via CVRep site (“Buy Tickets”)
About the Author
Marty Treinen is the co-founder of Creative Core International with Wesley Spencer. They co-developed Universal Creative Intelligence™ (UCI), a groundbreaking framework that teaches people of all ages the creative, emotional, and cognitive skills needed for lifelong success. An author, artrepreneur, arts/museum educator, and project leader, Marty draws on a decades-long career spanning fine arts, theater, film, design/architecture, and museum education.
Their mission is unwavering: to restore creativity, personal agency, emotional intelligence, focus, and human responsibility as the foundation of education, leadership, and community life.
As a columnist for The Palm Springs Tribune, Marty covers theater, film, visual and performing arts, human-centric AI, arts education and cultural events throughout the Coachella Valley. His reviews are known for their honesty, authenticity, clarity, and deep respect for the power of the arts, to enhance our lives.
service.to.others.cci@gmail.com