Planet Earth Theatre's Vampire Lesbians of Sodom
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 6/30/00
(out of )
The work of zany
playwright Charles Busch is making a return to Planet
Earth Theatre this season, and this time, a faithful retelling
with two wonderfully over-the-top leads helps Greg London's
production of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom soar like a thirsty
bat.
The second-longest nonmusical run in off-Broadway history began in The Limbo Lounge, a tiny bar on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Originally produced on a budget of $36, the show quickly attracted a devoted cult following. The one-act comedy, which starred the author in drag as the leading lady in its initial run of 2,024 performances, is a devastating parody of various show-biz genres, from Biblical epics and silent films to glitzy Vegas floor shows. Starting as the Sodomite's offering to the lesbian Succubus, the Virgin Sacrifice follows her creator through history, bitchily seeking to undermine her adversary.
Mr. London has paced this 55-minute offering at a dizzying clip. Nothing here is extraneous or underplayed. Everything, from the initial sacrifice of Jim Asimenios' Virgin to Neil Cohen's hissing Succubus, to the final confrontation in the rehearsal hall of Vegas hotel, runs a three-minute mile. If anything, the quick pace of the show might leave some who are not keeping up confused, although there's not enough depth to this hilarious presentation to become completely lost. Mr. London has also done a great job in casting his leads, both of whom commit to their roles wholeheartedly.
As the older Succubus, Mr. Cohen is a consummate drag artist. His snake-like vocal offerings and slinky tawdriness are wonderful. His is a campy sexy so important for the movement of the show. His interaction with Mr. Asimenios is believable, even as the speedy delivery denies it some of its layering, especially during the initial seduction. He ages his creation perfectly, and even has a bit of time near the end to add some welcomed nuance to his role.
Mr. Asimenios' is a deep-voiced Virgin who seems uncomfortable in the initial, more innocent role, but soon makes up for it as he changes personas throughout the millennia. By the time he brings Madeleine to the Vegas Strip, he offers an older, bitchy hoofer that would make Bette Davis proud. The only thing that's missing throughout is a real sense of connection with the Succubus. It's hard to believe the absolute depth of revulsion and passion between them.
The five men and two woman of the ensemble all get their moments to shine. Great cameos come from Denny McNamara as silent movie star-with-a-secret King Carlisle, Monika Casey as potential victims Renee and Tracy, Jourdan Alexis Green in her hilarious dual roles that give equal opportunity for gender-bending, and Ian Carter in his roles as butler Etienne and pouting chorus boy Danny.
This is the perfect summertime fluff for Planet Earth, as Mr. London seeks to re-establish it as a company willing to offer productions out of the mainstream. His decision not to include the oft-linked Busch creation Sleeping Beauty, or Coma as a curtain opener, instead giving two presentations an evening is a wise one, since this is a play that is made for the late-night production milieu.
Production Details:
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom by
Charles Busch
Planet Earth Theatre, Phoenix
(602) 252-8497
June 30th - July 16th, 2000, with 8pm & 9:30pm shows on Friday
& Saturday nights.