By Jennifer Beasley.
A sweet and romantic premise that borrows from the glam of 60’s TV couples.
As MICF 2026 is now fully in the swing of all things comedy, it is nice to find a duet, in particular the frenetic style of Robyn Reynolds, now wedded to the gentlemanly talents of Chris Nguyen.
Opening the show in black suits, Nguyen suave in a black bow tie, with a rear screen displaying ‘Romantic Comedy’ in black and white, it’s easy to see the inspiration to those other powerhouse married comedy couples, Sonny and Cher, but mostly, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, who were also the first interracial couple to grace American TV.
With this in mind, I could see the relationship to those other power duos. Reynolds is red headed, with glorious creamy skin, and the same zany energy of Lucille Ball, while Nguyen has that calm reserved presence, much like Arnaz had. In other words, Nguyen is the straight man to Reynold’s chaotic world.
When this works during the show, it hits the high notes. Reynolds dominates the stage, really, she is MADE for it. Yet when Nguyen shines, quietly, evenly spoken, he lands the strongest jokes. His observational wit pierces the audience as he reframes the male comedians’ trope of wifely complaints, to one where his partner is centred in his life, even to a murderous degree!
Comedy gold and I was surprised Nguyen didn’t do more.
Which brings me to the discrepancies I found with this show. Although there are high notes – some good songs, a great send-up of Reynolds’ laundry skills with audio and visual recordings, and a little bit of audience interaction – there are too many inconsistencies and flat spots in the 60-minute run time. The energy feels uneven and unrehearsed. Even the final skit with the magic mushrooms is jolting and repetitive.
This is one of those shows that will only improve with time as this loved up couple find their meter on stage. Great fun and an enjoyable evening.
Romantic Comedy – Robyn Reynolds & Chris Nguyen is playing at Trades Hall, 6:00pm (Sunday 5:00pm) until 19th April 2026
