Review: WOLFGANG AMADEUS GROUNDLING - A Classic Symphony of Laughs For Your Honest Enjoyment
By: Gil Kaan Feb. 06, 2017
WOLFGANG AMADEUS GROUNDLING/written by The Groundlings/directed by Alex Staggs/Groundlings Theatre/thru March 31, 2017
The Groundlings' current laugh-packed Friday & Saturday night show WOLFGANG AMADEUS GROUNDLING had their sold-out house howling at their collective expertise in mining comedy gold from the most un-amusing of situations - divorce, alcoholism, being laid off, impotence, embarrassing parents. The talented Groundling members pretty much play everything straight with few punchlines, with but loads of truthfully funny circumstances.
Alex Staggs seamlessly directed his very gifted cast of eleven comedy masters at a sharp pace covering fifteen skits short of two hours. As in The Groundlings' practice, the writer of the skit usually takes the lead in it, with the others in the troupe providing more than able support. Teamwork to the max, as quite evident in each of the ensemble letting their co-performers shine when they are not centerstage themselves. Every one of these fantastic performers had their individual, as well as, collective moments to shine.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS GROUNDLING opened with "Jabs," the versatile Allison Dunbar as the lawyer wife to Eliot Schwartz' pathetically whipped househusband.
Josh Duvendeck and Kiel Kennedy reveled next in "Sportstopia," as two fast-talking sportscasters struggling with their mid-life crisis. Duvendeck dyed his hair blond and Kennedy acquired a naval piercing.
Patty Guggenheim will definitely be in demand for the next four (or possibly eight) years with her definitive impersonation of Melania in "Women in Business." Decked out in a classy white ensemble accessorized with lots of bling, the Melania look-alike nailed the slow-accented cadence of her speaking voice, with frequent interjections of "Help me!" sprinkled not so subtly in her speech at the women's conference. Then Duvendeck silently appears at her side as her son Barron. Have to wonder how much is 'parody' and how much is real.
Dunbar led a family gathering in "Quitter," as she accused her newly sober cousin (winningly played by Andrew Leeds) as a quitter - of alcohol. More ironic than funny ha-ha here. Payoff came in the car crash sound effects ending this skit. Nice reversal of arguments against AA.
In "Role Playing," Schwartz comfortably essayed a husband that indulges in his wife's sexual fantasies, with himself pretending to be one of his friends having sex with her. This secret between the husband and wife slips out in the presence of three of their friends - one of whom was never considered a sexual partner, even in fantasy. Duvendeck as the unwanted fantasy lover plays it completely straight in this sketch, eliciting some serious "Awws" from the audience. Perfect ending to this sketch (won't give it away!) A new terminology learnt from this sketch - "cum gutters." Too funny!!!
Dunbar and Ariane Price go way over the top as any popular reality 'star' does in "Keeping Up With the Babosians." These two, dressed to the hilt with jewels and brand name labels, offered to 'coach' a more-than-willing audience volunteer how to be one of them to great improv-ed affect.
Lyric Lewis used her 'blackness' to maximum effect as she 'teaches' the white Heidi Gardner how "Black don't crack." Gardner has a dry skin condition giving her a nickname of "Croissant."
Leeds and Greg Worswick charmingly accessed their Broadway show, song-and-dance abilities to spoof the jock journalist world of "Get the Story."
Leeds shows his country boy sensitivity in a crop top and shorts in "The Player" with Schwartz as the much older former Super Mario model lusting over him.
In "Sandy Bilton," Laird Macintosh commands centerstage (well, in front of the stage, actually) as the psychic Bilton who's right only 41% of the time.
A strong choice as the second act opener, "Coyote Cantina" has the fascinating pairing of Worswick as a slurring, hardly upright drunk in the restaurant parking lot maybe listening to the detailed bedpost markings history of a disenfranchised office worker embodied by Dunbar. Great ending to this sketch!
The show smartly closed with "Starving." Dunbar and Lewis, as teenagers, are practicing a dance in their classmate Guggenheim's bedroom. When Guggenheim' parents (Worswick and Gardner) invited themselves in to view their choreography, situations took an hysterical turn. What a perfect ending (with Worswick and Gardner in their best interpretative dancing) to a funny, funny, funny show!
The always incredibly smoking Groundling Band (Greg Kanaga on drums, Larry Treadwell on guitar, and musical director Matthew Loren Cohen on keyboards) started the raucous evening off with a head-banging rendition of a classic Mozart medley. As I've said before, the Groundling Band has got to be the only time I would ever wished that the very efficient set changes to take their time, so that more of their musical magic could be heard. Yeah!!!
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