It’s opening day of the Mad Duckling Theatre’s performance of “Bunnicula” directed by James Engberg. The air is filled with the excited whispers of children. Colorful blankets are spread out on the grass, children are perched on their parent’s laps and peanut butter sandwiches and juice bottles have been brought for a snack.
“Bunnicula” begins with help from the audience to awaken the Harold the dog. Half of the audience members are told to make “rain” by clapping on their thighs, while the other half get to be the “wind” by rubbing their hands together. Together, the audience is then instructed to make a loud boom, the “thunder.” After a couple of tries, Harold wakes up and so “Bunnicula” begins.
The play is cleverly acted by Joe Doyle (Harold), Melissa Walther (Chester the cat), Sarah Shull (Bunnicula the vampire rabbit), Steve Wehmeier (Mr. Monroe), Joseph Oyala (Toby) and Sarah Ragle (Pam). It uses humorous dialogue and songs to hold the children’s attention and to keep them laughing. The suspense is heightened each time by a backdrop of a piano playing when Bunnicula escapes from her cage. Children gasp out loud and point to Bunnicula as she scurries over to the fridge and drains the veggies of their lifeblood: vegetable juice.
Chester the cat gets the wrath of Mr. Monroe after he discovers her taunting Bunnicula with a steak. Chester had read that in order to kill a vampire one must stab them with a stake. She was only trying to save the Monroe household from the blood thirsty rabbit but finds herself in trouble. Harold the dog only taunts her and laughs when she is caught. He has the most witty dialogue of the bunch; referring to a pet’s habit to “leave a small surprise on the floor” and recreating Michael Jackson’s infamous “Thriller” moves. Children laugh because it looks funny and adults laugh because, well, it’s Michael Jackson.
A highlight of the play is the interaction between the two siblings, Toby and Pam. They first appear onstage wearing hideous ’80s clothing and are every parent’s nightmare with their hyperactivity. They fight and scream and argue over who gets to name their new pet. Eventually Mr. Monroe interrupts his children’s screaming and chooses the name Bunnicula. Throughout the play, Toby and Pam add a playful element to the story.
The cast of “Bunnicula” does a great job not only of acting with full energy, but also of engaging the audience members. Chester and Harold frequently venture into the audience, allowing wide-eyed children a chance to see them up-close and bringing the play closer to the audience’s world. They also ask audience members if they have seen Chester when she runs away and connect well with the children. “The bunny did it,” one little girl pointed out when the Monroes find their drained white vegetables in the fridge.
“Bunnicula” is just under an hour long but that hour feels like it goes by much quicker. It’s a humorous and engaging story that children will enjoy, and adults will enjoy as well as a result of Harold’s more grown-up humor.
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