Review: STREEP TEASE - A Very Funny All-Male Homage to Meryl

STREEP TEASE: MERYL STREEP MONOLOGUES PERFORMED BY AN ALL-MALE CAST/by The Streepers/directed by Ezra Weisz/Macha Theatre/thru November 15, 2015

In his STREEP TEASE, Roy Cruz has created an entertaining, all-male revue of Meryl Streep interpretators using actual (or actual-esque) dialogue from Ms. Streep's many films. With minimal use of props and just a hint of costume enhancements, this talented nine-membered Streepers perform some side-splitting scenes with a few serious ones thrown into the mix. Some Meryl Streep roles just seem more than ripe for parody, er, homage.

STREEP TEASE, fairly smoothly directed by Ezra Weisz, opens with The Streepers hysterically reciting various reviews (some good, some not so) of the movies they will be doing scenes from. Then Cruz starts off nailing the sly slings and sharp arrows of Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada."

Chris Pudlo deliciously enacts the cray-cray of Mary Fisher from "She-Devil," transforming a single blanket into her cloak, a straight jacket, a big skirt, and most impressively, a cunnilinguist.

Ryan Fisher plays up Sophie's empathetic dilemmas in "Sophie's Choice."

Matthew Nouriel's over-the-top gestures and heightened accent elevate his uproarious Margaret Thatcher from "Iron Lady."

The most striking departure from a Streep script would have to be William-Boy Jenkins as Helen Archer from "Ironweed," (now set in Compton) winningly singing hip-hop with a Supremes-esque back-up trio.

Matthew Bridges scores as the most successful of the 'played straight' dramatic scenes in his series of progressive vignettes as Joanna Kramer in "Kramer Vs. Kramer." Bravo, Bridges!

Joel Scher deftly utilizes his spot-on, over-the-top histrionics as the pill-popping Violet Weston of "August, Osage County."

Teddy Margas seems to have the most fun in a nun's habit as the authoritive Sister Aloysius Beauvier in "Doubt."

Cruz smartly saves the best scene for last. Ryan O'Connor incorporates his hearty and infectious laughter in his riotous re-enactment of the snatched Gail Hartman in "The River Wild." Gail Hartman's trapped with her husband and their two abductors on a four-man raft uncontrollably hurling down a wild river. This thrilling clash with the waters receives hilariously simulation by a pair of two-men teams undulating yards of blue fabric (the roaring waves) and another pair spritzing the four squeezed into a tiny wading pool with spray bottles and ultimately with a bucket of water (the splashing river). Too, too funny!!!

The casual dig to Mz. Streep's most recent non-triumph "Ricki and the Flash" - priceless!

www.streeptease.net

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