Leave it to a former "Daily Show With Jon Stewart" correspondent to twist a situation, which on face value could be predisposed to sheer melancholy, into a wry satirical commentary on the poorly operated Los Angeles penal system.
Lauren Weedman just wrapped a limited engagement of her one-woman show,
Bust, at the REDCAT Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, having successfully weaved her semi-biographical experiences of volunteering at a prison into a hysterical romp between the façade and reality of this diverse fame-hungry town.
As she prepares to take this theatrical success on a tour around the country this fall, Weedman had a chance to explore her often-narcissistic confessions in front of an audience all too familiar with the flipside of Hollywood. The REDCAT's experimental nature proved a good choice for Weedman as both writer and performer, and the show's director Allison Narver, as an open mind is necessary to fully enjoy the piece.
Having spent time attempting to do good amongst female prisoners, some in prison for more serious crimes than others, by easing their experiences once released, she spends much of her time phoning local shelters for these lost ladies. Ironically it is Weedman who comes off more detached from reality than those she seeks to help, proving to be quite inept and giving advice to the troubled inmates, and consistently breaking the rules laid out by the volunteer group leaders.
Rule number one: never reveal personal information. Rule number two: make no promises to the inmates you cannot keep. It does not take Weedman long to shatter the house rules and become inextricably linked to the various hookers and violent offenders.
Between her far from routine visits to the Twin Towers facility, Weedman sporadically finds herself auditioning for screen work, as far too many do in Los Angeles. Seemingly finding a cathartic solace in her volunteer work, her reason for doing so is a perfect tone setter for the comedic evening, as she declares it was her desire to do something that was not about her that ultimately led her to the act of "nobility."
Weedman is a master at impersonations, tackling a handful of wildly creative characters throughout the performance, with her best work coming out of assuming the roles of her fellow volunteers, many appearing slightly more deranged than could be expected of the prisoners. With such unstable folks acting as volunteers, it is no wonder there is such a lack of reform going on in the legal system.
Aside from the volunteer group, which similar to Fight Club is the new late night thing to do, the show hits a humorous high point in a sauna scene Weedman ends up in while conversing with a kooky friend.
With an extremely antsy personality, Weedman is a satirical queen of the stage, bursting onto the scene with a vivacious energy.
Narver could address the rather schizophrenic scene changes, which tend to lead to more confusion than laughs. Visually however, the show is nicely complimented by the geometric lighting designed by Jessica Trundy along with Mark Nichol's sound design. Creating a taped off design for Weedman to militarily walk along when entering the prison is a clever use of the stage, which the set's original design credit goes to Carol Wolfe Clay.
For more information on Weedman, visit
www.laurenweedman.net.
REDCAT,
the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, is located at the corner of W.
2nd St and S. Hope St., inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex.
Tickets can be purchased at the REDCAT box office, by calling
213-237-2800 or by visiting www.redcat.org.
Photos by Steve Gunther, courtesy of CalArts.
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