Review by James Judd 

Miss Richfield 1981 takes the stage belting “I Love Rocky Road” to the tune of “I Love Rock and Roll,” decked out in a candy striper costume. It’s a fitting entrance for a show that turns out to be equal parts sugar rush and memento mori.

Now in her 24th year performing in Provincetown, Miss Richfield has spent recent seasons tackling socially relevant themes, from social justice to cancel culture to a show called There’s a Pill for That, which examined our dysfunctional relationship with medicine and with our equally dysfunctional medical system. That progression has led her to You Can’t Have Ice Cream When You’re Dead, which trains its sights on the biggest subject of all—death. The ice cream is more than a bit. She works in some genuine history lessons—did you know Rocky Road was created during the Great Depression to bring cheeriness to the suffering masses? Did you know that China was mixing snow with flavors long before the Italians perfected gelato? The sweetness delivers something bracingly direct. We die once, the show insists, but every day is a new chance to live.

I’ve been lucky enough to catch this show twice this season, something I love to do, because it lets me see how a piece evolves over a summer. The first outing was amazing. I couldn’t identify anything to improve upon. I returned wondering whether she could sustain that level, and I can happily report that she does. The exposition at the top is tighter and clearer now. The story of how ice cream and death became her metaphor for living life to the fullest is more sharply delivered. But that’s splitting hairs in a show that was already a success. In all my years watching Miss Richfield, I’ve never seen her have an off night. Never. It’s a track record that stands up against any comedian working.

I’ve long tried to figure out how she stays so consistent in finding the funny in her crowd work, and this time I noticed something. She’s really bossy. Stand-up. Sit down. Stay here. Don’t move. Any comment from the people she pulls onstage that strays from her narrative gets shut down fast. Yet you never stop to think how controlling she is, because she keeps everyone laughing, even the people she’s pushing around the stage. For anyone who studies comedians, it’s astonishing to contemplate, if you can wrap your head around it while you’re laughing.

You come for the comedy and leave gently reminded of your own mortality, and oddly grateful for it.

Miss Richfield 1981 performs in You Can’t Have Ice Cream When You’re Dead at the Post Office Cabaret, 303 Commercial St., Provincetown, several nights a week at 8:30 p.m. through September 19. For specific dates, tickets ($44 – $54), and information call 508.487.0008 or visit postofficecafe.net.