REVIEW: Eating Raoul
Eating Raoul stars Jessica Holton Breed and Anthony Sofie (right) as Mary and Paul Bland with Gregory Adam (center) as Raoul.
Eating Raoul is a twisted tale of the American dream. Based on the 1982 cult-classic film, Mary and Paul Bland want to open a restaurant and go to extreme lengths to make their dream a reality. In a desperate and murderous effort to obtain cash, the Blands lure swingers into their apartment, snatch their money and kill them. As the cash pile grows, so does the pile of dead bodies. Devious janitor Raoul offers a solution for a cut of profit. But can this partnership continue for long?
I have mixed feelings about Eating Raoul. The beginning of this show left me largely uncomfortable. It is a dated show ideologically. It was difficult to root for the woman who only weakly protested unwanted sexual advances because she was married and to root for a couple justifying their murderous rampage because their victims were “perverts.” After getting about a third of the way into the show, for whatever reason, it was easier for me to just sit back enjoy the show for what it was. Perhaps it had crossed a certain line of outrageousness and was simply too odd to take seriously from an ideological standpoint. Eating Raoul is definitely quirky and has its humorous moments. The performances are earnest and lively and the show is relatively fast paced; it didn’t drag on like some musicals. The end is predictable, based on the title, but it didn’t matter. Eating Raoul is quirky entertainment and with the following deal options, you don’t have much to lose to check it out for yourself!
DEAL ALERT #1: October 13th is “pay-what-you-can” night and all tickets are in your budget no matter what it is.
DEAL ALERT #2: Goldstar offers discount tickets to select performances
DEAL ALERT #3: Student/educator tickets are available for each performance. 2 tickets per valid ID; $16 per ticket, cash only; available only at the New Century Theatre Box Office beginning 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the performance; rush line forms outside of theatre; student/educator must be present with valid ID at time of purchase; resale or transfer of rush tickets is strictly prohibited and all tickets are subject to availability.
Eating Raoul is at the New Century Theatre in Minneapolis through October 26, 2014. Tickets start at $25