Raccacloon
Reviewed by Bryan Boodhoo
The vibe of Raccacloon is silly fun.
This student-led production started its life as a 20-minute play as part of York University’s playGround Festival in February 2025, and the current version of the show runs just short of an hour.
The premise of the show is that Brandon, part of a talking raccoon family, dreams of being a clown and even takes on the name Raccacloon. His parents disapprove, and Raccacloon takes to the streets, where he meets the human Italian restaurant worker Fettuccine.
Raccacloon and Fettuccine then take off on a quest to find Fettuccine’s father, or, if they are unsuccessful, go back to Fettuccine’s hometown of Las Vegas.
The ensemble dance numbers in this piece are notable. The cast brings a lot of energy and polish to them. I wish there were more of them. These are the parts where they shine.
Between the dance numbers, the plot proceeds in an amusing way. There is some smart doubling. I particularly liked the varying portrayals of Fusilli and Bruce.
However, sometimes it’s unclear why so many people are on stage at the same time, and the actors can, at times, upstage each other, taking away from the main action of the play.
Still, Raccacloon is a fun romp which clearly shows a large degree of preparation and dedication. I’m very excited to see what’s next for these talented students.
Event Details
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Genre: Theatre—Comedy, Dance, Circus
Run Time: 50 mins
Venue: The Westdale
Playwright
Bethany Robert
Director
Jesse Lewis
Warnings
Coarse Language, Other
Depictions of Smoking (Marijuana)