Rootin’ tootin’, swashbuckling good time had by all at Sex T-Rex double feature Sex T-Rep

Sex T-Rex opened its hilarious, action-packed Sex T-Rep at the Storefront Theatre to a full house last night, with a double feature line-up of Watch Out Wildkat! and Swordplay: A Play of Swords.

Sex T-Rex is: Conor Bradbury, Julian Frid, Kaitlin Morrow (co-producer), Seann Murray (co-producer) and Daniel Pagett; with director Alec Toller and stage manager Katherine Belyea.

Watch Out Wildkat! A classic tale of revenge in the wild west takes a supernatural turn as Wildkat (Morrow) sets out to kill the man that killed her Pa (Pagett). As she tracks the varmint down, she meets the Devil (Bradbury), who has a hold on her Pa. Forced to make a deal with the Devil to save her Pa’s soul, Wildkat becomes his hired gun as the two set off to hunt down Spider (Murray), who is threatening to usurp the Devil. And when you make a deal with the Devil… Add some hysterically inept prospectors (Bradbury, Frid, Murray and Pagett) and you got yerself some high noon, good, bad and ugly good ‘ole times.

The cast does an outstanding job with this cowboy adventure, with the whole gang playing multiple roles. As Wildkat, Morrow is a driven, ruthless and formidable fighter with both fists and gun, her singlemindedness is tempered only by her good heart and love for her Pa. Bradbury is hilariously devious as the shape-shifting, and oftentimes befuddled, Devil; a creature who loves the boozing and shenanigans, but not so happy to forced into some hard work in order to defeat his enemy. Murray is diabolical as Spider, a terrifying and cold presence, and unbeatable at the poker table; and he gives a great comedic turn as the toothless prospector Curly. Frid is a riot as the interrupting, poncho-wearing Lonesome Cowboy, the narrator of this tale; and Pagett is hysterical and the grinning, ineffectual star-hatted Sheriff.

Watch Out Wildkat! is a rootin’ tootin’, sharp shootin’ good time.

Swordplay: A Play of Swords. Video game meets The Princess Bride meets The Three Musketeers meets Game of Thrones meets every other swordy thing you’ve ever seen. When his beloved Princess Pimpernel (Morrow) is abducted by the evil Baron Thorne (Frid), fallen knight Barnabas (Bradbury) sets out to rescue her. With the assistance of brother in arms Salvatore (Murray), the two face great odds and, outnumbered, battle their way into the Baron’s stronghold. But the maiden in distress is not what she appears to be, and when the two knights come face to face with a former comrade, things really get bent. Sword fights, magic, vintage video game graphics and a dragon – and did I mention that it’s all framed in the present day, as Grandpa (Pagett) plays an old video game with his sick granddaughter (Morrow)?

Once again, the cast does an awesome job with the genre. As Barnabas, Bradbury is channeling Oliver Reed from The Three Musketeers; a haunted man struggling to carry on when he’s lost everything he held dear, but ultimately unwilling to give up the fight. Murray’s Salvatore is very Inigo Montoya, a passionate Spaniard and master swordsman, loyal to his friends and death to his enemies. Morrow’s Princess Pimpernel is a combination of Cersei and Daenerys; cunning and fierce, she is not as helpless as she appears. Frid is deliciously evil as the manipulative Baron Thorne and later – as an even more dangerous foe to our intrepid heroes, using magic and fire to confound and defeat all who stand in his path. And Pagett is hilarious as the warm-hearted, smart-ass Grandpa – taking a page from Peter Falk’s book – and the neglected, put-upon servant Igor, a man of low self-esteem who just needs a kind word now and again.

Swordplay: A Play of Swords is a swashbuckling, magical trip of camaraderie, good vs. evil an old-school gaming.

Both shows draw inspiration from pop culture, genre film and TV, and a child-like sense of fun – and the playful, imaginative storytelling, and use of props and cinematic staging adds to the laugh out loud good times.

But wait – there’s more! Popcorn, booze, awesome Sex T-Rex merch (including gatch) and super friendly folks. And the program includes fun and handy cowboy and swordplay quote generators!

A rootin’ tootin’, swashbuckling good time was had by all at Sex T-Rex double feature Sex T-Rep.

Sex T-Rep continues to March 27 at Storefront Theatre. It’s an intimate space and a very popular company, so advance booking is strongly recommended. Book tix online; both shows run every night, and you can book one show for $20 or both for $30.