People’s Light presents Jennifer Childs and Scott Greer’s Two Outta Three

Premiered by 1812 in 2021 and currently running at People’s Light in Malvern, Two Outta Three chronicles the unmooring the long-married pair experienced when their only child, Lily, went away for college. The phenomenon of becoming empty nesters is endlessly relatable, and Childs and Greer approach processing it in the way they know best: through song, dance, and a dash of irreverent humor. The sketch-heavy evening harkens back to the vaudeville-style revues that made 1812’s name, with more than a touch of pathos thrown into the mix.

Funny and wistful

Costumed by Leigh Ivory Clark Paradise in deliciously matching throwback costumes—the blue brocade of Childs’s poodle skirt matches Greer’s shiny waistcoat—the pair frame themselves as a longtime triple act who must learn once again to perform as a duo. It doesn’t always go smoothly. Singing a sweet rendition of “You’re the Cream in My Coffee”, they step over each others’ words and argue over who gets to deliver a punchline. They can’t always remember who’s the comic and who’s the straight man. Performing dance routines prepared by Melanie Cotton, they feel keenly the absence of their missing partner.

The overflow of humor avoids mawkishness in a topic that could quickly turn sappy and weepy. Yet Childs and Greer still allow for a touch of wistfulness. Although they never mention their daughter by name, they recall the familiar journey that parents take as they prepare their children to enter the world. Diapers and playdates give way to dances and debate clubs, and suddenly these two find themselves center stage, where they’ve always been most comfortable, still grappling with a sense of loss. The genuinely moving moments sneak in between the laughs.

Learning by living

Running just over an hour, Two Outta Three is the right length to make its points without overstaying its welcome. Some skits do continue for slightly too long—a vamp where Childs and Greer act out the same first date from three different perspectives gets a little restless—but the charm of the performers consistently keeps the crowd engaged.

At the end of the day, it remains unclear whether Childs and Greer have figured out what it means to enter this new season of life. Maybe that’s the point. To be a parent requires constant evolution, the same as being an artist. This double act is learning by living.

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