On October 2, 2003, Our Endeavors Theater Collective opened a near-perfect production of Charles Ludlam's mid-1980s comedic suspense thriller, The Artificial Jungle. It is set in a family owned-and-operated pet shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the kind where the owners live behind the shop, a hodge-podge of paraphernalia featuring a prominent screen which doubles as an aquarium when it is backlit.
Chester Nurdiger (Andy Long), a nebbish of a mama's boy, and his sex starved, sultry wife Roxanne (Lainie Simonton) run the store with the help of Chester's mother, Mrs. Nurdiger (Patrick Johnson). A frequent customer and weekly domino partner is Frank Spinelli (Frank Mendez), a New York beat cop. The opening scene where Frank attempts to return a 'talking' parrot that won't is a classic comedy sketch that is absolutely hilarious. (And small wonder, since Long is half of the sketch comedy duo (along with David Lugo) of Lugo and Long.)
Into all this mayhem enters Zachary Crane (David Goodwin), a drifter, to reply to the "Help Wanted" sign in the pet shop window. There is instant chemistry between Zachary and Roxanne. The events that transpire as they plot to take out an insurance policy on Chester's life and arrange to cash in on it are high camp in the inimitable Ludlam style.
Production values of Our Endeavors' version of The Artificial Jungle are some of the best I've seen in years in any theater. Beginning with the opening credits projected onto the screen and the great mood music to set the film-noir tone, and carrying through in the sets, lighting, sound and costumes, along with the campy performances, all the elements of this show meld into a superb production.
Long is the quintessential nerd and milks the script for every possibly laugh. His only fault - and it's not minor -- is shouting too much instead of talking. In the intimate space at the Bath House Cultural Center, Long doesn't need to project to the back of the house, since it is not that far from the stage.
Simonton is perfectly cast as the duplicitous, plotting vamp, slinking across the stage in four-inch spike heels. Her love/lust scenes with Zachary are side splitting.
Goodwin is superb as the tough, predatory hood (think gang member in West Side Story.) Mendez makes the perfect foil amidst all the madcap mayhem, though Patrick Johnson steals the show as Mrs. Nurdiger. Johnson appears to be well over six feet tall and weigh at least 300 lbs. Just to watch him duck every time he exits or enters a doorway or behold him in drag, sporting a trim blonde hair-do and his Act II mourning outfit (Roxanne and Zachary's plot succeeds) of a voluminous black dress with large white polka dots, topped by a black jumper-style apron over layers of crinoline -- is a show stopper.
Artistic director Scott Osborne's set design elements are perfectly suited to the small stage. Christina Vela's staging flows smoothly and effortlessly. Kristine Koury's costume design and Tristan Decker's lighting are some of the best I've seen on local stages all year.
Karen Bower Robinson's choreography is excellent and well-executed by Dream Roxanne (Alicia Spinoza) and Dream Zachary (Oscar Fernandez) in their dance sequence in Ludlam's wink and a nod to Finian's Rainbow and Oklahoma!.
Our Endeavors' staging of The Artificial Jungle is a polished production and a must-see if you appreciate the value of camp. Rarely have I seen this genre done better.
