Aaah! Rosebud!

Thunderbird Theatre Company's unabashedly goofy homage to that sled at the heart of Citizen Kane is most enjoyable when the physical silliness is at its peak. When, for instance, heroes and villains duke it out with stale Italian bread (all in the name of appeasing one very evil toy of wintertime), the audience can't help but laugh along. In these slapstick moments, it's hard not to get sucked up into the world of writer (and radio news personality) Peter Finch. But in this two-hour-plus evening there are also several scenes low on shtick and heavy on dialogue. In those chatty interludes, the play lags and the glaring disparity between actors with true comedic chops and those without becomes painfully apparent. Still, there is something delightful and infectious about Finch's story and the cast members' willingness to throw themselves into whatever nonsense they're called upon to perform. Bring your rowdy friends who can't get enough broad, cheesy humor, and you're in for a night of frothy fun.