All Hail HRH, Queen Lesli Margherita!!

All Hail the Queen(Hail yes!)/Lesli Margherita/Level 3 in Hollywood/Tuesday, June 8

Good cabaret comes in a variety of forms, but I haven't had this much diverse and perverse fun since Divine Madness in the late 70s when the Divine Miss M - Bette Midler - performed live at the Greek. That's right, All Hail the Queen - what can I say, is one-of-a-kind multi-presentational craziness with its mega talented leading lady Lesli Margherita, a rare and individual entertainer.

This gal is beautiful, can act, can sing and is funny. Genuinely funny, because she knows how to make fun of herself as well as everyone around her. There's enough attitude to start a war and the royalty in attendance - audience, that is - just eat it up. What's not to enjoy? There are two screens behind for hysterical pictures - like one of little Lesli with a cow, two fab backup singers - Robin DeLano and Teresa Marie Sanchez, a five-piece chamber orchestra, all fabulous as well: Brett Ryback on keyboard, Matt Smedel, keyboard II, Brian Reardon on guitar, Nick Schaadt on bass and Brian Boyce on drums. There are also three bodyguards/dancers: Ray Garcia, Robert Laos, and Jeremy Lucas, who run in and out throughout the 80 minute set with props and other treats.

Brian Beacock serves as puppeteer of a second Lesli, a sort of Miss Piggy, that provides two hilarious segments, including a great duet with Ms. Lesli on "Nobody Does It Better". Other song highlights include: "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves", "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid - with some terrific visual comedy(more below) -, "Rainbow Connection", "I Am Changing" from Dreamgirls - with a silly, literal twist -, "Fever", "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart", "I Had the Time of My Life" and "That's Life!"

Director Lauren Bass does an admirable job filling the large space and keeping the show moving without a glitch. With Margherita's expertise at funny banter, that comes across for the most part impromptu, there's never a dull moment. Voluptuous that she is, she pokes fun at the roles she is always chosen to play - sluts and whores, comparing herself to Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch, does a screamingly raucous takeoff on Ariel from Mermaid wearing not C shells, but D shells over her breasts and camps it up continuously with her backups, her mate Ryback at the keyboard - they even fight verbally -c,mon she's a drama queen, her fans expect it. In one terribly fun segment, Margherita lists three ways to ensure that you will win a Laurence Olivier Award - which she won a few years ago on the West End for Zorro: lie about your nationality - as a gypsy she was supposed to be Spanish and not Italian, wave high the American flag and three: Bantees. Chodem. If that doesn't make sense, keep repeating it and voila!

This is one outrageous, rip-roaring, fiercely original entertainment. Is HRH Margherita worth it? Hail yes! Did I waste my time? Hail no! Would I go back for more? Hail yes!

 

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