The Gold Dust Orphans Take Flight in 'The Gulls'

The Gulls

Book by Ryan Landry, Directed by James P. Byrne, Set Design by Mike Brisbois, Lights and Sound by Dr. Byrd and Captain America, Costume Design by Scott Martino, Choreography by Samantha Brior-Jones, Wigs by MR. TIM of Newton Highlands, Stage Manager Ken Bayliss, Credits by Tom Yaz, and everything else by Mama Rose

CAST: Penny Champayne, Melanie Daniels; Chris Loftus, Mitch Brenner; Olive Another, Lydia; P.J. McWhiskers, Kathy; Ryan Landry, Annie Heywood; Gene Dante, Neil E. Graham, William York, Naked Ned, Mayor McCheese, Robin Banks, Bananas Foster, Liza Lott, Fruit Cocktail

Performances through May 30 at Machine, 1254 Boylston Street, Boston

Friday and Saturday night at 8 pm and Sunday at 5 pm

Tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/107459

It may not have half the suspense or horror of the late, great Alfred Hitchcock's thriller The Birds, but Ryan Landry's The Gulls has ten times the humor, an array of colorful characters, and a Provincetown setting, showing once again that the Gold Dust Orphans know how to play to their adoring audience. Shamelessly purloining the skeleton of the screenplay, Landry decks it out in riotous drag regalia on the likes of Penny Champayne in the Tippi Hedren role of Melanie Daniels; Olive Another as Lydia, the mother of all mothers; P.J. McWhiskers as Kathy, the little sister with a major glandular problem; and himself, channeling smoky-throated, sexy Suzanne Pleshette as the schoolteacher Annie.

Chris Loftus wears the pants as Mitch Brenner, the local hunk and veterinarian to whom falls the task of figuring out how to deal with the suddenly attacking avian hordes and the tantalizing Ms. Daniels, who may be the catalyst of the cacophony of caws. Police Chief Warren Tobias (Mayor McCheese) tends to blame the whole thing on suspected homosexual activity, but most of the denizens of the local Mayflower Diner just want the attacks to stop. As New Englanders, they exhibit a certain amount of stoicism, except for Robin Banks, whose panic-stricken character is hysterical in both senses of the word.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, in this adaptation Melanie and Mitch meet in a Boston pet shop where he hopes to purchase a pair of gulls (love birds in the film) as a birthday present for Kathy. Later, Melanie drives the life-size gulls (Liza Lott, Fruit Cocktail) to Provincetown to deliver them personally to the little giant - er, girl. Mitch and Kathy are both smitten with Melanie, but Lydia mistrusts her and is threatened by her son's interest in the stranger. Mother is anything but welcoming, so Melanie ends up staying with Mitch's ex-girlfriend Annie, despite the fact that they both have the hots for him. In short order, the town comes under attack by gulls, crows, blackbirds, and even armed pink flamingoes. No one is safe, including some members of the audience (your intrepid reporter, seated in the front row, suffered a glancing blow to the side of the head from a low-flying winged object)!  

While the story is not original, the showing and telling of it soars with good old-fashioned low tech props and scenic design by Mike Brisbois. The Orphans are masters when it comes to figuring out how to effect visuals that would cost a fortune on a mainstream stage or screen, and The Gulls is no exception to that legacy. Their press material boasts that over 1000 birds appear in the production, and they animate them by placing them on poles and wires, having the cast members carry them, and by creative staging under strobe lights. Suffice to say, the attacks take on an authentic quality, and all hell seems to break loose when the birds swoop down the chimney of the Brenner's house just prior to intermission. You really have to be vigilant to observe all areas of the stage as the Orphans make good use of every inch of their space, but the spotlight will often lead your eye to where it needs to be. Even a radio gets hit with a spot when important news bulletins air. Lights and sound are courtesy of Dr. Byrd and Captain America.

Scott Martino's costume design and wig maven Mr. Tim of Newton Highlands evoke the original Melanie in their designs for Penny Champayne, and truly make P.J. McWhiskers' turn as the bizarre, gargantuan Kathy a very funny sight gag. Melanie wears a form-fitting kelly green suit, topped by a stylish beehive 'do. Kathy wears extra long knee-hi socks and clunky platform shoes, a plaid pinafore, and employs numerous bobby pins to hold her long hair in place. Lydia favors shift-style dresses and a bouffant coif. The pet gulls sport feathered bird-wing outfits over gold lamé tights and white caps with pointed beaks. For some reason, most of Mitch's clothes are polyester and often mismatched. Maybe they want to confirm that he's not gay, the aspersions of the police chief notwithstanding.

There are so many little details that make The Gulls fun and entertaining. Where else can you see life-size gulls doing a time step? Incidental recorded music during scene changes includes "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and many other bird-themed songs. However, the biggest asset is the talented cast and their willingness to go all out, sacrificing their bodies to the diving, pecking, feathered fiends for your comedic pleasure. You only have a couple more chances to see it, so make your Memorial Day weekend memorable. The Gulls is a hoot!  

 

 

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