Production Play " Blake Da Musical "

[Guest rohale]

I've always believed that it's important to throw good taste to the four winds every once in a while. I think it's not only healthy but psychologically crucial to plunk a person's better intentions and offcourse political correctness in a lock box, go out, and have a good laugh over something with absolutely no redeeming value.

 

Something in the form of a production play like " Blake Da Musical ", the naughty, nasty runaway little hit that began it's life in Southern California at the Grove Theater Center, then found fame in Burbank and has now returned to it's birthplace, where it officially ended it's run this past weekend.

 

I saw this show very recently and for someone like myself I absolutely believe in the healing power of laughter-rip snorting, guilty pleasure, and offcourse the age old routine "I cant believe they said that". I felt I owed this much to myself and see this dang thing before it lands in New York and those snotty East Village theatre hipsters pretend that they discovered it.

 

Here we go for the meat and maybe controversary. Blake is about actor/killer/innocent has been Hollywood actor and his turbulent relationship with his wife, Bonny Bakely, for whose murder he was tried and acquited. It's the brainchild of Rick Batalla who wrote the book, co-wrote the songs with Henry Phillips, co-directed and stars Kevin Cochran and stars as the titular little ball of hate.

 

Those who remember Batalla from his years with Troubadour Theater Company probably have an inkling of his talents. He was always the most watchable member of that manic ensemble. In " Blake ", Batalla's gifts are fully uncorked, and he's nothing short of amazing. He explodes with the frenzied yet focused energy of Jim Carrey or Rowan Atkinson, quite possibly Jack Black and Lenny Henry. He shares their ability to deliver cartoonish emotional extremes without losing his head on the character of his story.

 

Not that the audience is supposed to take this world very seriously. For what it's worth, " Blake " resides in the shrill, ironic musical-theater universe shared by " Bat Boy ". Batalla isn't particularly inerested in the dark, subterranean labyrinths of Blake's psyche. The actor's tough childhood adn roller coaster career seemed like fair game for " Blakes " comic slings and arrows.

 

Being the musical as it was, various songs and one titled " Who's More ", Robert and Bonny cheeringly compare their sad, sordid pasts, each one trying to top the other with increasingly hair-raising tales of hellish childhoods. I felt like it was some perverted parelelled-universe doppleganger of the classic " Anything You Can Do " from " Annie Get Your Gun ".

 

The song " Whose More " is typical of the crotch-grabbing humour and breezy profanity that has helped define " Blakes " score. There are quite a good number of songs. Some interesting titles like " Mail Order Porn ", " Lady Dyslexia " are amongst others which sadly are a tad too distasteful to mention. If there is a message in the mayhem, it's that screwed up people seem to gravitate to one another, and the consequences are never pretty.

 

That truism is captured brilliantly in a scene at Vitello's restaurant, the San Fernando Valley diner where they shared their last meal together. The couple yo-you back and forth between panting desire and murderous hatred, and pity the unfortunate who get caught in the crossfire ( a waiter does with hilarious results, sadly tragic though ).

 

Everbody in the smallish cast has loads of fun, but it's a generous ensemble, nobody goes overboard, and the practice remains zippy throughout. Molly Benson steals her share of scenes as the garrulous adn resolutely unlovable Bonny, as does Vince Cefalu as Fred The Cockatoo bartender ( anone remember Baretta ) who holds the keys in the plot in his sneaky talons .

 

Kate Danley provides the crucial cameo as a very special kind of Godmother; Travis Clark and Bob Simpson show great comic range in a number of supporting roles.

 

Phillips leads a burning hot rock trio of guitar. The songs themselves defy the ludicriousness fo their titles, thanks to the guitar solos and the bands on the the nose tightness.

 

If " Blake " suffers from a shortcoming, it's the ending. It feels a little abrupt adn unfinished. A marked contrast to the rest of the evening. To be fair, if the show takes off and indications are producers in other cities around the United States seem interested. Then there'll be plenty of opportunities for Batalla adn company to tweak and polish it. For me " Blake " has the potential to be a cult classic, and the concept fo celebrity-crime musical begs for an encore. To that I have two words for someone like Batella: Michael Jackson. Now that's a pitch for an idea. If there is ever a Brit version, I can just imagine the late great Spike Milligan turning in his grave.

 

Rohale