Photograph by Tony Isbell
Wakey, Wakey
Germantown Community Theatre, 3037 Forest Hill-Irene
Performances through July 17th
What ever happened to the great cinematic romantic comedy? Where are the Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullocks of today? How about the dynamic duo of Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey? The enemies to lovers, the friends to lovers, the love at first sight? The world desperately needs a solid rom-com, and I’m afraid the movie gods are against us. So I’m taking things into my own hands — movie gods, be forsaken — and starting the rom-com renaissance right here — five things to do, be forsaken. You’re welcome. And we’re starting strong with a revamp of the classic How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: How to Lose a Guy in Five Ways.
And what are the ways in which to lose a guy? Well, first up: Be annoyingly chipper. All the time. Toxic positivity is how you break a person. Start each day with “Wakey, wakey, eggs, and bakey.” Text it, shout it, sing it. Do whatever it takes to make this person dread waking up. But, in the end, when the relationship falls apart and the love interest comes back to win over our protagonist’s heart, you know what they’re gonna say? Wakey, wakey, don’t go breaking my achy breaky heart. Cut to credits.
That’s actually where Will Eno got the inspiration for his play, Wakey, Wakey. Yeah, that’s a bold-faced lie, which our protagonist has to get used to telling convincingly in the plight to lose this guy. But while we’re talking about Wakey, Wakey, let me just say this play will have you laughing, crying, and contemplating, as it touches on themes of love, life, and death, with protagonist Guy reflecting on his life after waking up with the thought: “Is it now? I thought I had more time.”
Catch this heart-warming and heart-breaking show, put on by Quark Theatre, this weekend and next. Performances will run Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. through July 17. Tickets ($20) can be purchased online. A reception with the cast will follow each performance.
Photograph courtesy joe bob's drive-in jamboree
Joe Bob’s Drive-In Jamboree 2022
Malco Summer Drive-In, 5310 Summer Avenue
Friday-Sunday, July 8-10
I think in one of our ways to lose a guy we have to pay homage to a classic: Grease. The scene: Our protagonist strands the love interest in a drive-in, only for him to burst into song about being branded a fool. But does this deter him from following our protagonist to the ends of the Earth? No, of course not, but does it bruise his ego just enough? Oh yeah. Don’t believe me. Well, why don’t you head on over to the drive-in this weekend and see if you can get stranded? Hmm, scratch that ’cause even if you’re all alone at the drive-in this weekend, you’ll probably have a grand old time. After all, film commentator Joe Bob Briggs is having a big old Drive-In Jamboree.
The drive-in movie festival opens with a screening of Halloween III: Throwdown, where the cast and crew of the film will confront Briggs about his long-standing opposition to the movie. Saturday night will feature two cult movies presented with Briggs’ comedic commentary. Sunday, Briggs will honor untraditional filmmakers and award one of them with a Hubbie Award (an engraved Chevy hubcap).
Oh, and at the Hilton Memphis, jamboree-attendees can enjoy a fan convention during the daytime hours on all three days, with celebrities, vendors, panels, photo ops, and more. See the full schedule here.
Purchase tickets here.
courtesy john roberts
The Watchers, oil on panel, 36x48", 2021
“Nothing Ever Goes Unseen” Open House + Artist Talk with John Roberts
David Lusk Gallery, 97 Tillman
Saturday, July 9, noon-3 p.m.
When it comes to tricking a guy into breaking up with you, you gotta think outside the box, but the best way to get to know your target is to observe him constantly, be able to predict his every step before he takes them, and learn the nuances of his personality and use it against him. If you need a role model, look no further than the ghosts who haunt you. And if you don’t believe in ghosts, fair enough, we’re here for rom-coms after all, but I’ll have to turn you to John Roberts’ show at David Lusk Gallery. His work is all about his family members of days past watching him from the great beyond, and his paintings show the level of attention to detail our protagonist will have to capture.
See Roberts' works for yourself; they’ll be on display through July 31. This Saturday, the gallery is hosting an open house with an artist talk at 1 p.m., so if you want first-hand insights about the work and the artist, you’d best be there.
Photograph by Rick L on Unsplash
E.T. 40th Anniversary Screening
Black Lodge, 405 N. Cleveland
Saturday, July 9, 6:30 p.m.
In honor of the original How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, we have to adopt an animal in our reboot without the love interest’s consent, but we can’t out-right copy it. So no dog. I’m thinking bigger — like out-of-space bigger. Let’s make this sucker extra-terrestrial. Heck, let’s make it a crossover and have our couple adopt E.T. I mean, talk about a layered plot. Though, I’m not sure how to bring E.T. back here since he seemed pretty intent on going home in that movie from 40 years ago. Aha! I got it! We How to Lose a Guy Him but in reverse. The best way to figure that out, of course, is to observe and watch him in his only documented visit to Earth: E.T. (the movie). And it just so happens that Black Lodge is screening the film this Saturday for free. (And they’ll be serving up special E.T. food items that any Reese’s Pieces lover would love and that just might lure our extra-terrestrial friend back to our planet.)
photograph by memphis made brewing co.
Drafts and Laughs at Memphis Made
Memphis Made Brewing Co., 768 S. Cooper
Saturday, July 9, 7:30 p.m.
As we all know, every good rom-com has a healthy dose of romance and comedy, and if we’re gonna go all out on this movie, we have to do our due diligence and research what it takes to make this movie not good but great, so great that it kickstarts our rom-com renaissance. As someone who spends most of her hours with a dog named Blobby, I have no idea where to start with the romance side of things, but we can get started on the comedy side as early as this weekend at Memphis Made Brewing Co. where the Comma Comedians will present some of the best standup comedians from the Mid-South free of charge.
