Christopher Durang consistently provides us with an oblique look at life and relationships. Through his eyes we see and hear a different reality. North Park Vaudeville offers up six examples of Durang's strange look at life.
The Book of Leviticus Show gives us an example of what can really go wrong on a public-access channel on cable television. Lettie Lue, the on-camera talent, and her husband Tommy, cameraman (Kathryn Kelly and Joel Georges), are presenting their first in a series of programs following their interpretation of the Bible. Lettie has interpreted that homosexuals and adulteresses should be disposed off. Kelly is a delight as she explains the Bible. Georges' script calls for a few words. Summer Golden (Grandma) is practically comatose throughout much of the production. John Anthony Delgado and Kathleen Masse, the victims, are limited to muffled pleas of mercy.
Gym Teacher, could be subtitled The Teacher from Hell. Joey Georges is sickeningly humorous as a scurrilous seventh-grade teacher of a mixed class. He speaks in adult language about adult subjects in a totally over-the-top sexist rap. Good performance.
Not My Fault has John Anthony Delgado, as boozing husband Jack, to Kathleen Masse, Marge. Jack is sick, unbalanced with a warped sense of reality. Delgado does a good job of twisting the minds of the audience. Together, Jack and Marge are reminiscent of many of Jerry Springer's guests, i.e., a constant rant and scream session. We meet Jack's lush mom, Selina (Kathryn Kelly) and his brother, Harry (Joey Georges). One has compassion for Margie and disdain for Selina and Jack. Sadly, many of us have met their counterparts.
John and Mary Doe is a chain of consciousness beginning with John's (John Anthony Delgado) monologue about the death of his wife (Kathleen Masse). We meet their three children, John Jr., John the second, and Johnna (Joey Georges, Kathryn Kelly, and Melynda Frye). John is a fabricator of stories, not necessarily truths. He does have a bit of a mean streak.
Naomi in the Living Room has a totally whacked-out mother, Naomi (Summer Golden) being visited by her cross-dressing son, John (John Anthony Delgado) and his lady, Johnna (Melynda Frye). Naomi, who is five short of a six-pack, totally terrorizes Johnna and is not particularly decent to her son. She screams a lot and in this intimate theater, that gets to be a bit too much.
The Doctor Will See You Now is a bit of an indictment on the medical profession and an intrusive federal government. Mr. Wilson has come to see Dr. Murgatroyd (Kathryn Kelly) in follow-up consultation. The Nurse (Kathleen Masse, in her funniest role of the evening) seductively brings him to the doctor. His minor aliment has been misdiagnosed as VD. Thus, it is incumbent upon the nurse to begin notifying everybody that he is a carrier and a danger to society and self. To make things worse, at least for the audience, a woman singer (Melynda Frye), in fright make-up, counters the action with singing that defies description. Delgado's portrayal of an utterly put-upon patient is quite good. Kelly's officious nonreceptive doctor appears all too believable.
As always, an evening of one-acts can be, and usually is, fun. My major complaint - one I've made often - is that in the intimate settings, the cast tends to project to the rear, as if the theater had forty rows rather than five. That said, several performances made my evening.
