REVIEW from Suburban Apologist: NOBODY LOVES YOU AT HORIZON THEATRE

March 30th, 2017

Keely Herrick

Is there anyone in America who couldn’t use a few hours of deliciously silly, frothy fun right now? If you have a love-hate or love-to-hate-watch relationship with reality TV shows like “The Bachelor,” then you won’t want to miss Horizon Theatre’s goofy good time of a musical, “Nobody Loves You.” Running through April 30, 2017, the lovable cast makes this one-act romp perfect for a date night or a get-together with friends.

The premise of the show is similar to the Lifetime drama “Unreal,” in that it goes behind the scenes of a reality television dating show. In this instance, Jeff (Patrick Wade) is decidedly not a fan of the genre, but when his girlfriend dumps him to try and find her real love on the show, he follows her to try to win her back. Of course, she does not make the cut, but his curmudgeonly attitude makes him an unlikely star. Along the way, he falls for a producer of the show, and they both struggle to avoid getting drawn in to the televised drama.

It’s hard to imagine a more committed cast, whether it’s the femme fatale Megan (Jennifer Alice Acker) trying to seduce the uptight Christian (Ben Thorpe) in a heart-shaped hot tub, or the superfan Evan (Austin Tijerina), delivering a frenzied Twitter song from a fuzzy rolling chair. The host of the show, Byron (Brad Raymond), centers the production with his lush voice and strong comedic timing. Of course, if the central love story doesn’t work, then the show wouldn’t be very effective, but it’s easy to believe that Jeff is quickly smitten with the gorgeous Jenny (Jeanette Illidge), and their duets (“So Much to Hate” and “People Are Stupid”) are believable and funny.
It’s also always impressive to see what set designers do with the intimate space at Horizon, and this brightly-colored confection by Moriah Curley-Clay and Isabel Curley-Clay is like another delightful character in the show.

A good time delivered by some of the city’s most talented comedic actors and singers — everybody can love that.