PowPAC shows two comedic slices of life

When is the last itme you saw two one-act comedies so interrelated that they seemed more like kissing cousins than two strangers standing on opposite sides of the gate?

What is especially appealing with the back-to-back billing of Poway's Performing Arts Company's "laundry & bourbon" and "lone star" is that James McClure's one-acts complement each other. You could see one, but you'd be missing the whole picture.

Neither play is sprinkled with an abundance of "cussing," but in some spots the language might appear "harsh and abrasive to some" said the play's director, Jeannette Thomas, "but i left it intact to remain true to the characters and author."

For those willing to take a gamble, PowPAC Thespians are known for their professional delivery of adult situational comedy. "laundry & bourbon," and "lone star" are a direct bull's eye in humor, with dialogue that tickles the funny bone and reflects the best and worst of relationships without the candy coating.

"laundry & bourbon" is strictly from a woman's viewpoint, giving Nicole Stevenson as Elizabeth, Erin Tice as Hattie and Heather Knight as Amy a venue to complain about the ups and downs of life.

While Elizabeth's husband Roy is off with another woman and trying to adjust to life after Viet Nam, it's Hattie who listens and offers comfort. When prim and proper Amy appears, Elizabeth and Hattie know she's ready to tell all the town gossip.

At the core of McClure's work is the inevitable message: Life is full of changes. How to deal with it and what to do about it could be a serious enough matter on the outside, but for the women, and later for the men in "lone star," life isn't so serious or mistakes so grievous that you can't laugh about it -- then move on.

While Elizabeth is caught up in wanting to repair her relationship with Roy, Hattie is taking a respite from the care of her three children and Amy enjoys rubbing her country club membership in the noses of her friends. "laundry & bourbon" reminds us that a chuckle at life is a healthy dose of comedy.

Although the PowPAC women serve up a tasty plate of comedy, their male counterparts, Randy Howell as Roy, Jonathan Sachs as his brother Ray, and Tom Raftery as Amy's husband, surpass the women.

Howell and Sachs are the epitome of an older brother (Roy) and a younger brother (Ray) sharing the facts of life, showing how to enjoy a good beer and reminiscing about the women in their life.

Sachs is the "straight" man, more serene than the boisterous Howell, but his ho-hum delivery and superb timing lays the pathway for Howell's guy-we-love-to-hate character, which Howell takes full advantage of.

Older brothers aren't always wiser or more experienced, as "lone star' reveals, but one of roy's gems, "There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. The Army teaches you that, "becomes food for thought for ray.

Roy shows Ray the right way to drink beer: take a sip, try a bite of chocolate candy, then add something salty, like popcorn to enhance "the experience."

Tickets are $10 per person for general admission, or $8 for students and seniors. PowPAC is located at 13250 Poway Road in the Liverly Center. Call (858) 679-8085 for reservations.