Previously on Drag Race, we had big glittery balls and acted like these were all new challenges when they weren’t. [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race: Walk Like a Queen
Theater Review: “Cabaret” and “Casa Valentina”
“We have no troubles here. Here, life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful.” These reassuring words, spoken by Alan Cumming’s cunning Emcee, are intended to make us feel as though everything is going to be just fine. After all, anything goes at the Kit Kat Klub in Roundabout Theatre Company’s flawless production of Cabaret . But we are all too wise and know that it is only the beginning of the end. It is 1920’s Berlin and Hitler’s regime will soon seek to create their master race, obliterating anyone who is not of them.
This haunting production is back once again at Studio 54, where it stands in perfectly marvelous form. Wait a minute! Isn’t this same revival that was just on Broadway a few years ago? Yes, savvy theaterlovers, it is . It opened in 1998 (first in the former Henry Miller Theater and later to Studio 54), where it ran for almost 6 years and took home 4 Tony Awards.
What prompted Roundabout theatre to bring it back to the Broadway stage is a curious question. Nonetheless, if you missed it the first time around, you’d be foolish to “sit alone in your room and not hear this music play.” Directors Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall must be running on the basic principle that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, for everything that made their last revival such a long running hit is fully intact, giving the show a timeless and relevant place in the canon of musical theatre.
Cumming returns to the role which brought him numerous awards and critical acclaim. It feels as if he never left as he skillfully works the audience and slinks around like a poisonous serpent watching his victims writhe with ignorance. The debacherous underbelly of Berlin’s nightlife is simply too decadent to deny. With Cumming as our guide, we won’t forget that–until is too late For all that he represents, there were times when his Emcee induced goose bumps and chills.
Film star Michelle Williams’ opens like a broken-winged sparrow in her portrayal of Sally Bowles, which is exactly what is required of the role. This Broadway season was packed with solid performances from leading ladies in musicals so the pool of competition was deep. But it is a shame that Williams was not even considered for this impressive Broadway debut.
Tony voters were not blind, however, to the always solid and reliable Danny Burstein and Linda Emond. Their Herr Schultz and Frauelin Schenider, respectively, are touching and tenderhearted.
I saw this production in 1998 on a trip to New York City–two years before becoming a New Yorker. At the time, it was the best show I had ever seen. Of course, I had only seen a total of five Broadway shows. 16 years have passed and I have attended countless productions on Broadway. I maintain that few shows have matched the genius of Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall’s Cabaret. To miss it again should be verboten.
Inhibitions are left behind not only at the Kit Kat Klub, but also in a 1960s Catskills, NY resort called Casa Valentina, the setting for Harvey Fierstein’s new play of the same name. Fierstein is no stranger to writing characters who enjoy donning a dress. From Torch Song Trilogy to Kinky Boots, his campy characters have paraded around in ladies wear without shame or restraint. At Casa Valentina, the dynamic is completely different. Based on an actual resort, the play centers around George/Valentina (Patrick Page) and Rita (Mare Winningham), a straight couple who host gentleman wishing to break from the confines of masculinity. Surprisingly, there isn’t a whiff of homosexuality in any of the men; At least not from the outset.
What Casa Valentina offers these gentlemen is an escape from their routine life. Charlotte (Reed Birney), clad in exquisite and smart 1960’s fashion observes upon her arrival that women have “bubble baths and beauty”, while men get saddled with too much responsibility. (This was the sixties, don’t forget!).
We soon learn that Charlotte is the manipulative antagonist whose mere presence draws division from her fellow housemates. She is intent on starting a political organization that would grant protection for straight transvestites. It sounds like a winning proposal until she insists that the group adamantly exclude homosexuals. Stage stalwart John Cullum, who adopts the pseudonym Terry, delivers a tender and hilarious speech in favor of their participation. On a side note, if you’ve ever wondered what John Cullum looks like in drag, picture the scariest generic grandmother you can muster and compare it to Cullum’s female alter-ego. It is truly stupefying.
Joe Mantello’s intelligently directed work was nominated for 4 Tony Awards including a nod for Birney and Winningham. A startling omission, however, was Tom McGowan’s scene stealing turn as Bessie, a plus sized gal who, in her own words is “so pretty I should be set to music.” McGowan is best known for his recurring role as the station manager on TV’s Frasier. Here, he adds a much needed lightheartedness to this generally serious work. Near the end of the play, in an exchange with Rita, he offers a meaningful explanation about why he seeks comfort at Casa Valentina.
Fierstein’s drama showcases the often seen theme of personal freedom and individual choice, but it delves deeper. While we may be unrestrained to be who we are and what we wish, it is rarely without consequence to those nearest to us.
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is short-term anti-retro viral treatment to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection after potential exposure. GREAT NEWS! Though how available is this new breakthrough treatment? Recently I encountered a hellish fight to get my hands on these health saving drugs and it made me ask why it was so difficult to actually get my hands on these essential drugs? Locked in the middle of the age old battle between the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies I found myself very frustrated and nervous as my 4 day emergency supply was running out and I STILL had not been able to get my prescription filled. Each pharmacy told me my insurance wont allow them to fill, and I had to get from a specialist pharmacy, i.e the pharmacy they had a contract with (nothing special about that). If I were a passive individual I wonder if I would have been able to get the drugs in time, as it happens I put up a fight and got an emergency override authorized by a doctor at St. Luke’s Hospital. As someone who grew up in the United Kingdom I was horrified by the battle for health I was forced into, there may be waves of improvement in access to medicare but the access to the medications are still somewhat turbulent. Given how important these drugs are in the fight to reduce the numbers of men being infected with HIV I would have thought they would be available in many places without struggle fight or song and dance to obtain. Then my pharmacist told me how much they cost, $2ooo average for the medication, which even though I have insurance (which I pay a tonne for) I was still kicked in the teeth one last time with a charge of $40, I guess for the paper bag from Duane Reade.
The fact is young men are at risk of HIV as surveys show they take more risks, do not understand the long term complications of living life ‘positive’. One friend of mine remarked, “I believe young gay men take risks as they did not see how destructive HIV is and was to people”. Is this the case that as a result of better medications and quality of health and life for HIV men now, younger gay men do not see visual signs of difficulty so unwittingly risk themselves. Another friend of mine who lives life positive said on the subject, “Life is much simpler negative” so even with modern drugs we should still be vigilant in reducing the numbers of negative to positive transmissions, starting with advocating for PEP, and getting it in the heads of young gay men that if they felt at risk to go and get the PEP medications asap (within 72hrs).
Jason Schneidman- The Men’s Groomer on Dove & More!
Jason Schneidman on The Oscars, Superbowl and Dove!
Nothing gets bigger for someone when they are invited to work on two of the biggest events of the year- The Superbowl and The Oscars. For Jason Schneidman, this is just another day in the life of one of the top men’s hairstylists in the world. Jason has had quite the year in 2014, from styling Oscar nominee Jonah Hill (Wolf Of Wall Street) to Superbowl show stopper Bruno Mars and so much more. Now he sits down with Manhattan Digest to discuss his crazy year that he has had and also his involvement in my personal favorite for men’s haircare and grooming Dove Men + Care. Take a look!
So how have things been since I spoke to you last, what have you been up to in 2014?
Everything has been great – can’t complain! 2014 started off with a bang between styling Bruno Mars for the Superbowl and Jonah Hill for the Oscars. It has been a real blessing.
You did Jonah Hill at the Oscars this year, which is huge seeing as he was Oscar nominated for “Wolf of Wall Street”. How was that experience?
It was a great experience. Jonah is an awesome dude, and a pleasure to work with. It was just so exciting to be a part of the journey with him.
On top of the Oscars, you did Bruno Mars at the Superbowl, which is gigantic beyond anything. How did you get that gig and what was the experience like? Was it hectic?
Bruno Mars is one of my frequent clients. I am so grateful to work with such talent. He is so down to earth and cool. I was honored he asked me to go out to New York with him. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. The energy was just high and it was such a rush being backstage. My main concern was to make sure every hair on his head laid perfectly to last the whole performance.
What is your favorite style for men this coming summer?
I am a huge fan of guys growing out their hair for the summer. Men with long hair are finally starting to stand out and I love it. I have always had long hair and felt different, but it is starting to trend. I think it creates some mystery and a little bit of edge. Shoulder length or longer hair is amazing on guys right now because it allows you to put your hair up in a top knot or a man bun. I wear the man bun myself and get a lot of compliments from both men and women. My celebrity inspiration is Jared Leto. One of my homies, Chase Kusero gave Jared his fresh summer look with the ombre.
What do you think men do wrong when it comes to style that you think could be improved?
I think one of the biggest things men are doing wrong when it comes to styling their hair, is using products that makes their hair look stiff. I recommend style pastes instead of hard gels to avoid this look. Personally, I love pastes because they’re versatile—and they can make a cut look edgy and nonchalant or cool and sophisticated. They’re perfect for the messy look, such as the style I did for Rob Lowe at the Golden Globes this year, but can also be used to create a very sleek style, like the style I did for Hugh Jackman at the Academy Awards last year. Plus, you can easily re-apply the product to refresh your look, which is crucial for the guy on the go. Gels and sprays, become crispy and flakey when re-applied, which is definitely a “don’t”.
Why is Dove Men+Care the best of all the products out there?
I recommend Dove Men+Care to my clients because I use it, it’s proven to make hair 3X stronger…and it’s made specifically for men. That means it is really effective at combatting common hair concerns from dandruff or oily hair—and adds moisture but doesn’t way the hair down. The product formulas are infused with caffeine, too, to help make men’s hair thicker looking—which pretty much every guy benefits from. My favorite is the new Aqua Impact Fortifying Shampoo. It’s enriched with ocean minerals and it makes every shower feel like a day at the beach, which keeps me centered even when I travel.
What are you hopeful for in the future?
Such a difficult question! I have so many exciting moving pieces in my life with my clients that I wish I could share. I am hopeful for new opportunities and look forward to continued collaboration with Dove Men+Care.
Want to know more about Jason and his fantastic business? Log on to his official site & twitter for more info.
Theater Review: Violet
Sutton Foster solidifies herself as one of musical theatre’s most valuable assets in Roundabout Theater Company’s new Broadway production of Violet. Based on Doris Betts’ short story “The Ugliest Pilgrim”, it was originally staged Off Broadway at Playwrights Horizon in 1997. Last year, the Encores! series remounted a concert staging at the New York City Center with Foster in the title role of Violet. It received rave reviews and Roundabout quickly added it to their season after a last-minute postponement of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing. I suppose they wanted to delay the presumably inevitable theatrical equivalent of watching paint dry. But fear not, erudite theater goers! You’ll have your opportunity for high brow British intellect in the fall when Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Cynthia Nixon revisit Stoppard’s treatment of melancholy matrimony.
But this review is not about my indifference towards Tom Stoppard. Let’s get back to Sutton Foster. This two-time Tony award winner has earned yet another Tony nod as she continues to win over audiences in this simple and beautiful musical by Brian Crawley (book and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (Music).
Violet tells the story a young disfigured girl who embarks on a journey from her southern home to the midwest. Desperate, she searches for a spiritual healing from a snake oil televangelist . It opens with both Violet’s older self and younger self and we soon learn (via a flashback) what has caused the disfigurement. While playing in the barn, she gets too close to her father’s woodpile. Her father (Alexander Gemignani) is chopping wood and the ax handle flies off, hitting his daughter in the face. Although they seek medical assistance, it is from a shoddy doctor and Violet is left with a permanent scar that renders her permanently marked for life. During her trek, she meets two marines, Flick (Joshua Henry) and Monty (Colin Donnell), both of whom offer invaluable life lessons into the burden she bears. Eventually, she comes face to face with the Preacher (Ben Davis), a personality she has only known through a television screen. With eager anticipation, she quickly realizes that his healing powers are nothing short of hocus pocus and flim flam .
Foster has an innate ability for layered performances. With her youthful, versatile looks, She can do “sweet girl next door”, or she can portray the commanding “no-nonsense straight shooter”. Here she gives us both in a beautiful soul clinging to hope and committed to success. Her voice is in top form and Jeanie Tesori’s country twinged score lends itself well to Foster’s effortless vocal chops.
Speaking of vocal chops, let us not overlook Joshua Henry and Rema Webb, both of whom, in their individual rousing gospel numbers, are strengthening the faith of existing believers and offering proof to the skeptics. Henry (Flick), delivers a show stopping statement of confidence and independence to Violet in “Let It Sing”. Later, Webb (Lula Buffington), gives every ounce of soul she has in the stirring and inspired “Raise Me Up”. She ends it with an air of insistent sass. Lula is quick to remind the preacher, “I’m Singin’ for the Lord. Not for You. For the Lord!” Amen, sister! Lucky for us, we get to watch and listen to both of these powerful performances.
Heartwarming though it is, Violet could benefit from a trim. With no intermission, the nearly two-hour show suffers a few sluggish moments. Some of the flashbacks are a bit incoherent and not all of the songs are essential to moving this trip along. Still, it is a crucial reminder that our obsession with nips, tucks, Botox, and plastic surgery mean nothing if our emotional priorities are not in check.
Violet is now playing on Broadway at the American Airlines Theater, 227 W. 42nd street between 7th and 8th avenues. For tickets, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org, call 212.719.1300 or visit the box office.
All that DUFF in Retrospect: The Druid Underground Film Festival 2014
Last week the Druid Underground Film Festival played at Anthology Film Archives for a two night engagement. Created by Billy Burgess in a punk venue in Los Angeles back in 2006, The Druid Underground Film Festival provides “a traveling powerhouse of the most bizarre and provocative films on earth!”
But what does ‘underground film’ mean? ‘Underground’ is the type of word that provokes strong expectations, but those expectations will vary person to person. Underground implies both independence and some significant degree of obscurity; it’s rarely used as a pejorative but the implication is that it should be. With increased accessibility of the Internet, is anything truly ‘underground’ anymore?
In 2011 I attended the Alternative Film and Video Festival in Belgrade, a festival for ex-Yugoslavian and international experimental film. Each year during the festival the festival hosts hold a panel discussion where they discuss the semantics behind their choice of the term ‘alternative’ to describe the particular type of movies they show.
The problem is, many forms of experimental filmmaking are no longer really ‘experimental’ in the sense that the filmmakers making them are drawing from a rich tradition of specific cinematic techniques. Or to call it ‘amateur cinema’ implies that it’s unprofessional even though the original term ‘amateur’ meant ‘lover-of’ or lover practitioner instead of trade practitioner. ‘Independent’ cinema has not only been taken by more or less American groups of non-studio feature length filmmakers, but the dimunization ‘Indie’ refers to a genre of youth stories featuring specific tropes.
Sometimes it’s called ‘non-narrative’ or ‘anti-narrative’ cinema even though some of it has a narrative. Sometimes it’s ‘subversive’ cinema even if it doesn’t particularly subvert any real or theoretical authority. Bryan Konefsky of Basement Films in Albuquerque calls it ‘undependent cinema,’ as in cinema released from the dependence of market, genre, or other established forms.
So anyway, what the hell does ‘underground’ even mean? It turns out that this two day event was bookended by two found footage films (actual found footage, not the horror movie subgenre popularized by cheap disposable income teen money seeking substudios), the first by Billy Burgess himself and the second from a Massachusetts VHS mixup collective called The Whore Church. These presentations could be considered the thesis statement and conclusion of Burgess’ programming tastes respectively.
Burgess’ Self Defense and the Occult for Teens and Law Enforcement is a mashup of Christian, instructional, law enforcement, cult movies, and related content featuring witches, troubled teens, and a fairly linear progression from outright existential anxiety to mystic world destruction. The story itself is fun, but Burgess’ selection of content (self-professed to be administered by a mixture of drunkenness and instinct) is pretty much like his curating of the festival as a whole: a sort of glorifying abject attraction to sensationalistic sub- or countercultural communities.
The Whore Church Mixtape Vol 1 is very similar, except that Night II turned out to be more explicit (perhaps even pornographic) than Night I, and so was this found footage film to Burgess’ own.
What do Christian hymn singers with baby voices for self-accompaniment, witch-hunting police officers, suicidely depressed teens, prurient pornography, movie monsters made of slime and torn skin, rednecks destroying cars and furniture, and television advertisements for clairvoyant ambulence chaser lawyers have in common? A hugely orgiastic celebration of pure excess.
Which would all be silly and even merely overstimulating if it weren’t for the fact that occasionally you can tell that the subjects featured in the films represent what some people actually feel, believe, or even do in real life. ‘Real life’ being somewhat of a misplaced term here, being that each of these people and communities represented all seem to live in their own warped geography of reality, whether they consider themselves to be the authority or anti-authority. Fear of witches isn’t significantly different than fear of communism or fear of youth, hence ‘witchhunt.’
Basically, the Druid Underground Film Festival makes the argument that boiling under the surface of culture are subcultures, one and all ready to pop… or preferably explode. And yes, most of the films are fictional, but those that are fictional often function in and of themselves as attacks on the overhead pressure of non-underground society. When not fictional, such as the Jan Soldat film ‘Law and Order’ featuring an aged S&M couple who’ve been together in East Berlin since before the wall fell, it just punctuates the fact that much of the content shown is not as much wish-fulfillment fantasy as perhaps some people would want it to be.
Most of the footage was lo-fi, either being shot that way or an accident of the copying and compression for presentation. There were a couple stand out technical films that only serve to make the whole presentation feel weirder. One was Clown Town, an Expressionist film either shot at a very low frame rate or possibly even stop-motion animated (of live actors) that leads an uncanny motion quality that will fuck your dreams. Another was the viral video “Danielle”, the compositing production where a woman ages from infant to elderly in five minutes (featured at the end of Night II after a series of videos that seemed to be about creeping fatality, more or less).
Thus as proclaimed by the mixtapes, the films Billy Burgess likes to select exist at the intersection of commingling spheres of alternative realities, whether those realities stem from histories pagan, punk, cult cinema, horror, or even anti-communist.
Fortunately, it’s not quite over yet. The Druid Underground Film Festival will be continuing at Spectacle Theatre in Brooklyn May 28th for the long form shorts program. You still have a chance to watch Satanists and sex fiends release some of that workaday pent up frustration you’ve been emotionally snowballing.
Oh, and Billy Burgess gives away prizes. Though it’s unclear whether these would be the sorts of prizes you really want to win.
Last Week Tonight’s Formula Works For Oliver
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Sundays at 11 Eastern on HBO
It’s amazing how late night TV sometimes ends up feeling like the royal family, with a particularly strong emphasis on lines of succession. Leno gave way to Fallon, Letterman will give way to Stephen Colbert. The reason I mention this is because tonight’s show was the end result of what could have easily been a situation that turned into a Leno-Letterman like squabble. After John Oliver’s strong run as guest host of The Daily Show (while Jon Stewart went off to direct a movie), HBO swooped in and gave him a megabucks deal to host his own Daily Show like show. This both tamped down any long term questions of who would succeed Stewart (which would now be reopened courtesy of CBS picking up Colbert) and gave a rapidly rising star (who has had an increasingly strong body of work over the past few years) a payday in line with what he deserved.
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver follows a mix of political satire and talk similar to what one would expect from The Daily Show. Both shows open similarly, building around commentary on recent news, though Last Week Tonight? tends to take a slower, more measured approach. It first two acts work similarly (with the second act tending to be a little more focused on one story), before switching to a pre-taped interview in the third segment. The act breaks are composed of pre-taped videos often presented in as an aside (with topics such as John McCain tells the same joke six times in six different places).
So how is Last Week Tonight? Well first and foremost, it tends to be consistently funny, if a little quieter than you’d expect. In lieu of the loudness you get from a Stephen Colbert type, the show instead focuses on Oliver’s razor wit, sarcasm, and flabbergasted reactions to stupidity. The show uses small pieces of original video (there was a funny parody video ripping on the Oregon health markets inability to register a single soul despite blowing $250 million dollars in taxpayer funds on the site), though generally the action never strays far from Oliver, even during the show’s briefer interview segment.
If there is a flaw to the show, it’s that it can become monotonous at points. The act breaks are incredibly short and while Oliver’s style is very easy going, he’s only the only presence on the screen for the vast majority of the show. The act breaks themselves are also incredibly short (maybe 15 to 30 seconds in length, maximum) This is in comparison to The Daily Show, which has a longer interview segment and various correspondents in addition to commercial breaks in order to better break out the show.
The Final Verdict: Last Week Tonight works because it takes much of the Daily Show formula and applies it to Oliver’s own style. The end result is a strong half hour of TV that’s perfect for winding down an otherwise intense Sunday evening of TV. This show has quickly bumped up into watch this territory, as it is a great nightcap to HBO’s powerhouse Sunday night springtime lineup.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap: Silicon Valley of the Dolls
Previously on Drag Race, some straight people got married and Joslyn did her man’s make up with tin foil, causing her to go home. Everyone grabs their fake boobs in solidarity. Bianca’s already writing her postcards from Hawaii. [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap: Silicon Valley of the Dolls
Theater Review: The Realistic Joneses
Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses is far from conventional Broadway fare-and what a relief! What is perhaps the quirkiest show to play the mainstream is also one of the funniest, most profound, and well-acted pieces of theater this season.
Broadway can too often be an outlet for celebrity heavy hitters, clocking in some legit stage time between projects. This can work to a degree; It brings people to the seats and put smiles on the faces of producers. Sometimes though, film and television actors can fall flat when there is no camera to catch their nuanced close ups. This season has challenged that perception. We need not look any further than Bryan Cranston’s rousing portrayal of LBJ in All the Way , Michelle Williams’ heartbreaking debut as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, or Tyne Daly’s flawless performance in Mothers and Sons to prove that Hollywood is delivering the goods this year.
The praise continues with this top notch cast, directed with precision by Sam Gold. Toni Collette (Jennifer), Michael C. Hall (John) , Tracy Letts (Bob) , and Marisa Tomei (Pony) star as two pairs of neighbors living in Small-town, USA. Jennifer and Bob are reserved, discontent, and guarded. Bob is suffering from a medical condition which helps explain his slightly caustic but winning demeanor. His “glass half full” outlook is perfectly pessimistic. “I don’t think anything good is going to happen to us”, he says, “But, you know, what are you going to do”. His wife matches his defeatist attitude with her wry observations. Upon defending husband Bob’s name during a conversation with John, she states, “I like it. It’s easy to remember. I think dyslectics find it comforting.”
Meanwhile, John and Pony bring a fresh-spirited naiveté to their cynical new friends. Both seem delightfully dim on the surface yet, like Jennifer and Bob, they continually search for deeper meaning “out there”. All of our players are searching for a greater purpose in this existential new dramatic comedy. Thanks to Eno’s crisp writing and humorous observations, there is a realness to their quest that will be instantly relatable to anyone living a human experience. When the curtain falls at the Lyceum theatre, you’ll be glad you decided to keep up with these Joneses.
The Realistic Joneses is now playing on Broadway at the the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th street (between 6th avenue and Broadway). For tickets, visit www.telecharge.com, call 212.239.6200 or go to the box office.
Theater Review: The Mystery of Irma Vep
From the moment I saw The Mystery of Irma Vep I knew it was destined to become one of my all time favorite comedies. I had first been introduced to it in 1995 while working as a house manager at Allenberry Playhouse, a small regional theatre close to my native home in south central Pennsylvania. Each night I was scheduled to work, I would grab a seat in the back and eagerly await the performance. During the 4 week run, I must have watched it at least 10 times and I would still howl with the audience as though it were the first time I was seeing it.
Another servicable production was presented in 2007 at New York’s Urban Stages. Again, it left me in stitches. So I was filled with absolute glee when I heard that Red Bull Theatre was reviving this 1984 gem from the genius mind of Charles Ludlam. Under the accomplished direction of Everett Quinton, Ludlam’s partner and original co-star, this 30th year anniversary production is every bit as outrageous and deliriously joyful as it should be.
The “penny dreadful” is a two person camp-fest which references countless classic films from Nosferatu to Wuthering Heights. Lady Irma Vep has died and her widow, Lord Edgar Hillcrest (Robert Sella) has taken a new love, Lady Enid Hillcrest (Arnie Burton). Jane Twisden (also played by Burton), is the head maid at Mandacrest, the estate on which they reside. She is not all enamored with Lady Enid and constantly compares her with the former lady of the house. Werewolves abound, drunken truths are revealed, and a trip to Egypt follows. There is delicious humorous value in all of it.
It is understandable why Ludlam was hesitant to immediately grant the rights to his show after the original 1984 production became a smash hit. In the hands of less skillful performers, it could be a complete train wreck. But Burton and Sella are both on point and manage to pull off the quick changes with tireless dexterity and sangfroid.
Shows with this caliber of wit are rarely seen and Red Bull Theater must be applauded for not only blessing us with this milestone production, but for executing it with the highest level of quality it deserves.
Mystery of Irma Vep is now playing through May 11th off Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street (between Bleeker and Hudson). For tickets, call 212-352-3101, visit www.redbulltheater.com or visit the box office (hours vary).