Even if you’re not a country music fan, you will love Always … Patsy Cline at North Coast Rep. Of all the great shows I’ve seen there, this is hands-down my favorite and I’m tempted to go see it again.
From the minute Katie Karel comes onstage as Patsy Cline, she has the audience rapt. She is so personable and her performance feels warm and intimate as she makes eye contact with audience members and captures Cline’s distinct mannerisms.
The story is based on the real-life friendship between Cline and a fan, Louise Seger. They met one night at one of Cline’s shows and kept up a correspondence for years, until Cline’s death in a plane crash at the age of 30.
Cathy Barnett, who plays Seger, is an absolute delight. She is hilarious and down-to-earth, and her fan girl-ness for Cline is infectious. Every single person who has ever taped a celebrity poster on their wall will relate.
Texas born-and-bred Seger talks directly to the audience and makes plenty of running jokes about San Diego. “You know how you go honky tonkin’ and do line dancin’?” she asks, enthusiastically, with her Southern drawl. Remembering where she’s playing, she rolls her eyes, adding, “Oh, you must be surfin’ and doin’ the yoga.”
Of course, the music is a star in itself, and Karel does a beautiful job with the Patsy Cline songbook, singing all her hits like “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces” and “Sweet Dreams.” The band often gets in on the act beyond just providing the music, and they are adorable.
Creator Ted Swindley and director Allegra Libonati have crafted the feel-good show of the season, and I can’t encourage you enough to go see Always … Patsy Cline before it closes on December 30.
This two-woman show is a tribute to female power and friendship and I guarantee you will be “Crazy” about it.
Photo credit: Aaron Rumley
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