Monday, August 10, 2015

Fringe Festival 2015: "The Famous Haydell Sisters Comeback Tour"

Day: 9

Show: 42


Category: Musical Theater


Created by: The Famous Haydell Sisters

Location: Nomad World Pub

Summary: Country music sister duet team Mattie and Maybelle Haydell reunite after 20 years.

Highlights: I love country music (or at least what country music used to be), so this comedy/music show about two country singing sisters is right up my alley. Plus it's in a bar - just what I needed for my 42nd Fringe show! Mattie and Maybelle (I'm having a hard time finding their real names, or maybe these are their real names?) are funny and sing great harmony on these campy country standards - the patriotically pandering song, the bitter break-up song, the broken-hearted love song. There's not much of a plot, although the sisters do work through some issues in their relationship, mostly just funny songs that sound sweet despite the double entendres, with some silly banter in between. How can you not love songs like "Your Broken Heart is No Excuse for Being an Asshole," "Seven Seconds is Too Short a Ride," "Wrangler Butt," and the spiritual "YOLO." And these ladies know their country music, with jokes about Chris Gaines and Lyle Lovett's sudden marriage to Julia Roberts. I found the Haydell Sisters to be thoroughly entertaining, and hanging out in a bar with them was just what I needed on the final afternoon of Fringe.