Search - Greater Tuna on DVD

It is with heavy heart that I doth rate.

thomasbc | Kents Store, VA USA | 12/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I SO wanted to award them 5-stars like all the rest of the reviewers, but the DVD version of this classic play just doesn't meet my expectations.

My wife and I absolutely love the Tuna trilogy (Greater Tuna, A Tuna Christmas, and Red, White and Tuna). We first saw Greater Tuna on our honeymoon while in San Francisco fifteen years ago and have seen others perform it several times since. We have seen Joe and Jaston (the originals) perform A Tuna Christmas and Red, White and Tuna twice each. Every time we see any of these three shows, we absolutely laugh our a$$e$ off! The writing is simply sheer genius.

I was incredibly psyched to learn that the first two shows had finally been released on DVD and rushed to buy them. I popped one into the player and that was when my heart sank.

Don't get me wrong. The play and the performances are absolutely stellar! I am so glad that they got these performances recorded for posterity (the third one, Red White and Tuna, MUST be done as soon as possible before the opportunity is lost)!

The one star docking from the perfect five is due to the really shoddy DVD packaging and presentation. There are ZERO extras included on the disc. NOTHING! There isn't even an information insert inside the cover of the DVD. The show itself is just a straight copy of the VHS video recording transfered to DVD. Period. No remixing or remastering; any flaws on the VHS video transfered to the DVD playback. Shame on them. They could have created something for the ages, but no.

Still, this is an incredible show and well worth the investment to own. My wife and I will watch these shows over and over now and never tire of them. If they ever do come to their senses and remix and release some "collector's editions" with lots of extras (and they should, by all means!), then we'll probably jump on those as well. We love them that much!"

A Much Loved Treasure- finally available

W. Dorsett | Seattle, WA USA | 08/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometime during the 80's, I stumbled into a theatre in Los Angeles where this show was playing and was completely won over by the citizens of Tuna, Texas. Later there was an hour long version on HBO that I was lucky enough to tape and currently still resides in my dwindling VHS library.
This version goes back to the much loved and still touring stage play "Greater Tuna" This is a filmed version of the classic stage play. 20 years later, it has lost none of it's hilarity.
The entire population of Tuna Texas are portrayed by American Treasures Joe Sears and Jaston Williams. The Tuna trilogy- Greater Tuna, A Tuna Christmas and Red White and Tuna have a fierce and almost cultish following throughout the country.
This is an excellent character study of the citizens of a small town in Texas, even though there is a murder mystery- the characters who reside in Tuna grab the spotlight and the performances by Mr Sears and Mr Williams are unforgettable, they deserve the long list of awards they have received for these plays.
Even though the show pokes fun at small town life and Texans in particular, the shows are extremely popular in Texas, anyone who knows anyone from a small town will find something to identify with.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. I love these shows so much that I would let the cast stay at my house when they are in town and I make my parents get a hotel room.
Get that tour back to Seattle boys! But I'll be happy with the DVDs until I can see it live onstage yet again."

Get your Kleenex - cause you'll laugh so hard you'll cry!

Get What We Give | Georgia | 06/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this gargantuanly funny play during its first run in Atlanta, before it made its way to Broadway and before the actors achieved their fame. Joe Sears and Jaston Williams have definitely created one of the most hilarious shows ever to grace the boards. This video is a lived filmed version of one of their shows.What makes this show funny is the characters and their believability. Why should this be seen as unique and deserve such high praise? Because all the characters in this play from Texas' third smallest town (Tuna, Texas) are played by two actors who manage to morph almost instantly into different costumes and personnas. In short, you've got two quick change artists performing some of the most spot on real performances you'll ever see on stage or film.Sixteen characters are portrayed by these fine actors and some you will come to love and other you will lovingly hate. The show tells the story of the a couple of days of the interwoven lives of the citizens of Tuna, Texas. There's murder and intrigue, but it's all on the light side as we weave our way through this interesting world to discover who the murderer is.You have Dee Dee Snavely, Bertha Buemiller, Aunt Pearl Burriss, Stanley and Charlene Beumiller, Vera Carp, Reverend Spikes, Petey Fisk, not to mention a pack of dogs and more than one "bitter pill". There's many many others that will have you rolling onto the floor off of your couch.The show was apparently lengthened after pre-Broadway run, though no one who didn't see that version will know. If you're wise, you'll also check out the two other shows in the trilogy: "A Tuna Christmas" and "Red, White, and Tuna".You'll laugh till you cry - I promise!"

Welcome to Greater Tuna, TX, population 24

R. Kyle | USA | 01/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The "Tuna" plays are possibly the funniest live performances I will ever hope to see. It's not just the quips between the two man cast of Jaston Williams and Joe Sears, but seeing the dynamic duo dash around changing costumes during acts.

Yes, Greater Tuna has a population of 24 and Joe and Jaston have played most of those residents on stage. You have everyone from DeeDee Snavely with her cigarettes and used weapons store ("We guarantee every weapon in this store to kill. If it doesn't, come and get your money back") to gentle Petey Fisk, who'd do his best to save the lemmings.

What are you going to miss if you don't see this show?

The four books Tuna wants to ban--and why
What Tuna calls their volunteers to aid shutins
Sharlene Bumiller's award winning poem dedicated to her home town
Just who killed Judge Buckner and what was he wearing when he was found dead?

All this and more can be had viewing this two-man play. It is one of the funniest I have seen.
"