Planting seeds

By MEGAN GRUMBLING | February 24, 2010

Finally, Potter launches a full-blown farce about American superficiality in A Cartoon Marriage. Moved by a live-more-meaningfully episode of Dr. Carole, Babs (Oliveri) tries to engage her ESPN-glued husband Gary (Denis Fontaine) in a "how we live" conversation. Turns out she's ready for more than just a conversation, and invites in the Tammy Faye Baker-ish "agent" Alice (Beth Chasse), who tries to scam the couple into adopting teenage Ursie (Shawna Houston) from "Something-stan." Though the script could stand considerable cutting for the sake of pacing, it's an outrageous send-up. A nice touch comes when Alice's partner Dirk (Ted Kelleher) brings in their "realtor" and "appraiser": two sock puppets, named Snively and Megabuck.

Megan Grumbling can be reached at mgrumbling@hotmail.com.

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