Firecracker Follies One Hilarious 4th of July Romp

Rated: 10 stars & stripes 

 

 

(congratulating Miriam Nelson)

 

That irrepressibly zany team that brings you the annual Fruitcake Follies in December presented for the very first time - hopefully, it will be an annual event - Firecracker Follies @ the Cavern Club Theater @ Casita del Campo in Silverlake. Believe me, folks, this democratically liberal revue turned American history upside down and rightside up and gave brand new meaning to the anthem "This Land Is My Land". With devilishly creative James Gray and the one and only drag impresario Momma at the helm, how could it be anything less than a total camp, an irreverant sendup a la National Lampoon and Monty Python of our great heroes and heroines and all we hold sacred as Americans?! So much PR is put out there to make us feel guilty about the war, the recession, the environment and taking advantage of our freedom, it's about time we just laid back, blamed everyone else for what's happening and had some sheer fun with it all!

With a cast of 7, a tiny budget and little time to rehearse, it is truly amazing how well the production looked. To be truthful, the production calibre/professionalism was far greater than many Equity outings at 4 o 5 times the price. These guys really know how to put on a show and keep the laughs rolling aplenty!! Joining Momma and Gray - for what was affectionately labeled an experiment in bad taste that goes well - were adorable Kendall Rose, screamingly funny Eric Seppala and special guests Miriam Nelson* and fiddler Chris Pendleton** who played "the orchestra". In a delightful 3-part monologue as a Civil War soldier who deserted, crossed the border to Canada and fled back again to California, David Levesque hit the mark. How his name went from Pinkney to Pendejo - you can surely imagine, as no feelings were repressed here in his 3 letters home to mom. It was straightforward underplaying that garnered Levesque a pack and a half of belly laughs.
Nelson - nicknamed the Marni Nixon of tap - of course, tapped and tapped - a true inspiration at 91. She is still a stunning creature! And Pendleton was hilarious fumbling to find just the right patriotic song to accompany a scenario at Gray's chiding command as narrator. She put up a sign at one point that said Union Break, left the stage, came back sipping a margherita and had an audience member hold her glass and scratch her back before she began to play again. Funny stuff by a very funny lady who hardly uttered a word!

As to the leads, Momma of course - forever the scene stealer - played Miss Liberty, Amelia Earhardt - aviatrix, not dominatrix!-, Mrs. Lincoln - waiting at Ford's Theatre for Act II, Rosa Parks - sitting down - what a hoot!, and Daniel Boone, not in a coonskin but mink cap, among a bevy of other characters. Her costumes were a delicious array of excessively sequined red, white and blue. Gray - also dapper in glittering red, white and blue - narrated, with book History For Dummies in hand, the historical glimpses that included not only song and dance and blackout sketches, but a couple of very cute films. One to the "Song of Freedom" showed all Americans arrested or emprisoned - like Martha Stewart, Robert Downy Jr., O. J. Simpson or Michael Jackson, and another about a typical 4th of July picnic where Momma again took the spotlight as she ate her way through burgers, corn on the cob, several cherry pies etc in what seemed one fell swoop.
Rose made an irresistible girl scout selling cookies, Betsy Ross, a delightful stewardess on Orville and Wilbur's first flight and Seppala had several great moments including a boy scout reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, as Uncle Sam, Davey Crockett, Wonder Woman and Ben Franklin, replete with electrocution.
In one wonderful sight gag Seppala played FDR, walking out his own wheelchair due to lack of proper wheeling room, with Rose as Annie singing "Tomorrow" (remember the scene from Annie?) and yet another with Rose and Seppala misinterpreting Lois and Clark for Lewis and Clark.

Toward the end Momma led her Momma's Glorious Singalong; the finale even included a makeshift fireworks display with handheld sparklers. No holiday stone was left unturned.

This was a terrific evening of bravado and camp that was SRO and sure to return next season. More than once we were pleasantly reminded that we were watching a show about Americans in the basement of a Mexican Restaurant. When December comes, be sure to get tickets early to The Fruitcake Follies which sells out fast and furious, once again @ Casita del Campo, Cavern Club Theater in Silverlake!

*Dancer/choreographer Miriam Nelson's new book My Life Dancing with the Stars may be purchased at amazon.com

** Chris Pendleton's comedy CD Funny Fiddle may be purchased by visitng her @ www.funnyfiddle.com