|
Sordid Lives I honestly don't know if the comedy in Sordid Lives would receive the same roars of laughter in cities outside of the South, but I grew up in a small Texas town, and some of those odd citizens in Winters, Texas (where the play takes place), are also in Kerrville where I born. Del Shores' comedy may be a little "out there," but I swear it reflects some of my very own relatives. I feel that I shouldn't spoil the rich fun that awaits you by describing the plot in too much detail, but this is a story about a gay actor who is having a session with his 27th therapist who relays that his grandmother has died and he refuses to go to the funeral. How she died is tacky - but so damn funny! We meet the relatives and friends of the deceased woman, and learn how they cope with not only her death, but other issues that swirl around this southern family. This includes adultery, a mink stole, smoking, sex, sexual preferences, and other issues. Uptown Players deserve a standing ovation for sticking to the original script, as is. There are some pretty vulgar words and situations in the piece. But instead of toning it down, thus killing the author's concept and intention, they boldly kept it all - resulting in a howling production. This past season I have observed some truly outstanding work from some of our women directors within this artistic community like Susan Sargeant (Three Tall Women, Look Homeward Angel, The Countess), Cynthia Hestand (The Importance of Being Earnest), Cheryl Denson (Sundown); Debbie Davis (Once Upon A Mattress), Linda Leonard (The Goodbye Girl), Guiena Bennett-Price (Once On This Island), and the late Josephine Abady (Abyssinia). I now add Andi Allen to this list. This actress/playwright/director has created one of the funniest comedies of the season, hands down. Allen earns commendations for giving a balance to the various forms of comedy that are presented on stage. Some actors portray their roles with over the top abandonment, and that works perfectly for this production. But she also has other actors who are more natural and organic, and that also works beautifully for this production. So you have two techniques of comedic acting in one production, but they balance each other and give the comedy much more impact. Allen has set the pace and tone to click at a delicious speed, but there is damage by the scene changes and the dullness of the country songs that Bitsy Mae sings during the changes. In their defense, the Kim Dawson Theater is small and intimate with no fly space, and hardly any wing space to speak of, so this does call for some difficult scene changing. The songs from what I was told by a colleague, are in the script. But they seem to be anti-climactic. Allen's choices for songs used in the quick blackouts are much funnier and fresher than the ones weakly written for the play itself. Within this show's brilliant cast are some hilarious actors, and one performance in particular that is a downright comic powerhouse. One of those hilarious performances is Angela Wilson as Lavonda, the tramp of the family. Wilson adds a tone of bitchiness to her fits of anger towards her family that is just knee slapping hysterical. Lavonda is very aware of which buttons to push on her sister, and the way this actress creates comedy gems from those moments is wildly funny. Wilson simply gives a scene stealing, barrel of laughs performance. Latrelle Williamson is the only good one in this wacky family ... well, according to her anyway. This role is played to perfection by Lisa Hassler. Of all the characters in this show, the role of Latrelle has the most dynamic arc written into it. Hassler succeeds in causing the audience to roll over in laughter and to shed tears from her loving portrayal of a mother who truly does love her son. With this character, Hassler is both poignant and extremely farcical. Donald McDonald is G.W., a man who has two wooden legs and is the cause of the death of Latrelle and Lavonda's mother. McDonald is a comical riot as the lover who lost his mistress. While some of his comments towards his wife and minorities might cause the audience to boo him (but in a good way!), McDonald's comic craft is winning enough for his character to be forgiven. Well, maybe just a little. Steve Lovett has two roles to play with, thus creating two characters who earn their own basketful of laughs. Lovett is a mixture of Bert Lahr and Ernie Sabella with his character work as the feebleminded Odell, one of the bar patrons who seems to have told the same stories over and over again, as well as having an obsession with red string. The second character is Rev. Barnes who wears a toupee that would make Burt Reynolds run for the hills. Lovett is explicitly hilarious in both roles. Ted Wold portrays Earl 'Brother Boy' Ingram. Wold is 6'2" with a body built like a football player's. I comment on this because Brother Boy happens to be a transsexual who is so obsessed with Tammye Wynette that he dresses like her, and he tries to make his life resemble that of the country legend. Oh, I almost forgot, Earl is also gay. With his makeup, blond wig, lime green silk pajamas, and white see-through overcoat with marabou lining, Wold resembles the love child of JoAnn Worley, Angie Dickenson, Boris Karloff, and Charo all rolled into one. The actor appears in act two dressed in a black Spanish senorita outfit. This role can be played over the top, but instead Wold goes for a more natural, organic, and honest approach to the role, resulting in an outright splendid performance. I have seen this actor in other roles, but here he has taken one hell of a challenge. He has the audience laughing, but then has their hearts as well when Earl defies the doctor's orders and takes a stand for himself and his life. Wold's work in this role is fragile, affecting, and uproarious. Also in the cast delivering excellent performances are Nye Cooper as Ty Williamson and Allyn Carrell as Sissy Hickey. Cooper's role for the most part consists of monologues that reflect on Ty's difficult connection to his family back home and his journey on coming out of the closet. Cooper's best scene work comes at the end with his mother (Hassler). Cooper and Hassler both display genuine affection and love as mother and child. This scene is really the only true dramatic scene of the evening, and Cooper is deeply moving in it. Carrell's Sissy is trying to stop smoking and it is her house that is the holding place for all the food being delivered from the mourners and family members. Carrell achieves some great comic moments as well. But the one comic powerhouse performance of the evening is that of Robyne Gulledge. Gulledge is Noleta Nethercott, the wife whose husband (McDonald) cheated on her, with the whole town finding out. Gulledge's makeup for each of her scenes creates huge waves of laughter on its own. Her makeup for her second scene looks as though it was done by Divine after drinking a bottle of vodka. Gulledge uses her face and body to achieve the best laughs possible. This actress is always on - from the minute she walks onto the stage, she holds your attention like a prisoner. Even her stage business is hysterical. Watch her attack the buffet table, or when she signs the condolences book at the funeral home. She is a comic tornado, and you will love the trip she has in store for you! It should be noted that Adam Dill's costumes are some of the finest trailer park trash this side of Waco. From the red fringe jacket, to the leopard print top, to Wold's outfits, to the boxer shorts, even right down to Gulledge's fuchsia two piece outfit that has tacky silver sequin stars and appliqués, Dill's costumes are great comical subtext for the characters. Andi Allen and her cast have in their hands one of the funniest productions I have seen this season. Sordid Lives plays through June 30 at the Trinity Rivers Arts Center. Call 214-219-2718 for tickets. Sordid Lives by Del Shores CAST |
