Five Stars
Try to envision When Harry Met Sally starring Michael J. Fox and (a much
younger) Lily Tomlin.
That's the general - and generally very good - feeling of Toothpaste and Cigars,
a lighthearted look at unrequited love and a lovely friendship.
In this case, Wallace meets Chantry (yep, a made-up hippie name) at a party,
and they instantly connect over word play. They become friends, and learn
a great deal about each others' movie preferences and previous experiences.
They even wrestle and smack one another from time to time, eat out and chat
online.
It's all fun until somebody gets hurt, and even then it's fun.
The success of this very funny play, written by TJ Dawe and Michael Rinaldi
(who stars as Wallace, too) comes in the rapid-fire dialogue; you're always
waiting to see where the banter between Wallace and Chantry will go next.
You may learn a few things you didn't really want to know, like the condition
of John Wayne's bowels before his death.
Eww. But you also learn a thing or two about friendship.
Joanne Paulson
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
