(RAHWAY, NJ) -- The words "comedy" and "Game of Thrones" may seem an unlikely fit, especially to fans of the popular HBO series who know it to consist of serious themes, tumultuous scenes of violence and adult content. However, it's exactly this combination of opposites that produces the laughter-inducing show Graeme of Thrones, which will be performed at the Union County Performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage on March 21 at 8:00pm.
A parody with an equally as funny back story, Graeme of Thrones takes the shock value of its source material in an entirely different direction. Audiences will laugh the whole show through at the ridiculousness "Graeme" and his friends unwittingly unleash, and Game of Thrones fans will be delighted by the references to some famous scenes.
The framework of the show is that Graeme, played by Ali Brice, is a super-fan of Game of Thrones. Being a super-fan, he knows the ins and outs of the series written by George R.R. Martin, and he doesn't think the television show has quite captured the spirit of the books. He enlists the help of his best friend Paul, played by Michael Condron, and his school-crush Bryony, played by Libby Northedge, to recreate the series faithfully. Graeme has also heard that a famous theater producer is in the audience, so their recreation needs to be absolutely perfect to impress him. Of course, that doesn't stop the three from disagreeing on stage on how best to impress him. The three actors tenaciously set out to perform every role themselves. Their effects are literally just enough to get by, contributing to the overall "home-made" feeling. The earnest nature of their endeavor, along with the vigor with which they portray sensitive material (for example, using nude colored full-body suits to portray nudity) captures and satirizes the spirit of stereotypical "geek" culture to tremendous comedic effect. As an added dose of irony for fans, cast member Michael Condron is an actual actor from Game of Thrones; he played Bowen Marsh. Like Game of Thrones, the intended audience for this performance is adults.
Tickets for Graeme of Thrones are $30 (general admission) and can be purchased online at ucpac.org, over the phone by calling (732) 499-8226 or in person at the box office. Box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 5 PM, with extended hours of 11 AM to 8 PM on Thursdays. The Union County Performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage is located in downtown Rahway at 360 Hamilton Street and is easily accessible to major roads and public transportation.
