In 1956 there weren’t many plays about lesbian bars. But
there was a thriving trade in lesbian pulp fiction, read enthusiastically (but
usually privately) by both straight men and lesbian women alike. And now
Diversionary Theatre and Moxie Theatre have teamed up to put on Patricia Kane’s
send-up to that literary genre with this hilarious play with music.
An amusingly butch and very blunt Jo Anne Glover leads us into the steamy den of lesbian love as our narrator Terry Logan who is moving to Chicago. Her gay-dar quickly hones in on the sugary sweet, conscientiously polite, and extremely girly Pepper played perfectly by the effervescent Jennifer Eve Thorn. Pepper happens to work at a bar in Chicago called “The Well,” a little hole in the wall place with live musical cabaret in the evening attended mostly by women “of a certain ilk.” But Pepper is not the girl for Terry. The former is in love with popular cabaret performer Winny (a nice performance by Terri Park in the more serious role of the show). Unfortunately, Winny doesn’t think she’s of that certain ilk yet. As for Terry, she’s perfectly willing to have a fling with Bing (as in Botta-Bing), with the sultry, street-wise, but sad Jessica John heating up the stage. But Terry’s true desire is for the mysterious, seemingly unattainable Miss Vivian – a rich widow who owns the bar played, and played with coolness yet vulnerability by Liv Kellgren who runs her bar with a combination of strictness and tenderness. Though primarily a comedy, it includes some solo musical numbers by the cast as they take the stage of the cabaret, and despite not having much if any experience in musicals, they do a fine job both vocally and stylistically. The show is rich with clichés and melodramatic moments, capturing the flavor of lesbian pulp fiction (I mean, or so I’m told…), coming in the way of over-the-top poses taken from various book covers and several magnificent sound effects brought together by Jason Southerland. Definitely something to see for some fun and unusual theatre. Or if you just want to see some of San Diego’s greatest actresses make out with each other.Performs through June 11, 2006.
~ Cast ~
 Sarge, Esther Nitz (Winny): Terri ParkTerry Logan: Jo Anne Glover Eleanor Rousch (Pepper): Jennifer Eve Thorn Eva Malone (Bing): Jessica John Vivian Blaine: Liv Kellgren Directors: Jason Southerland and Delicia Turner Sonnenberg Vocal Coach: Leigh Scarritt Scenic Design: David Weiner Lighting Design: Chris Walsh Costume Design: Shulamit Nelson Sound Design: Jason Southerland |