A Christmas Cactus at Little Fish Theatre

Will Call - Recommended

"...Director Gloria Iseli sets the pace at full speed and the cast sustains it. Brandzel is prickly as a cactus but her soft interior is not hidden for long. The hyper Streng is always fully charged and her voice projects as though she's performing at the Staples Center. Hampton relishes his part as the wrongly convicted and has an eye for the matronly Adelaide. McCormack, judging by his name, is of Irish lineage but he does a perfect Ramon Ramirez. He'd make a most desirable American citizen – if only they let him. The tall, athletic Mattingly is a kick, drunk or sober, as Cactus' ardent, wannabe boyfriend. Last but certainly not least, Lewis' shtick as a befuddled, old lady who doesn't know what's going on but gets right into the spirit of things, is delightful. Think of A Christmas Cactus as a respite from shopping, rushing, cooking and other stress-related holiday activities."