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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Reviews WRONG. / Zombie! Presented by Finnigan Productions Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley Entire contents copyright © 2009, Craig Nolan Highley, all rights reserved. I admit to experiencing some trepidation before going to see these two new plays from Finnigan Productions. The only other show I had ever seen from this company was 2007’s My Daddy's Name is Big Oil and I was quite frankly underwhelmed by it. I have always heard good things about Finnigan, however, so I was ready to give them another try. It pleases me to say that not only was this production a vast improvement, but the second half of this show may be the best piece of original Louisville theater I have ever seen! The first act, WRONG., is not really a play but a collection of sketches. Some work better than others, and not all of them are very rewarding, but they certainly live up to their title. The best of these are "Knittas," involving street gangs obsessed with yarn; "Bortion Cookies," a mock TV commercial for a new contraceptive confection; and "The Escalator Plays," in which a woman is stuck on a broken-down escalator at Oxmoor Mall. When these skits work, they are hysterical. When they don't, well, they are still good for a chuckle. The real highlight of the evening, though, and the real reason to get out and see this show, is the second act: Zombie! It's billed as a dark comedy, and there are a few uncomfortable laughs, but it really plays more like a horror film, with a very dramatic story. The setting is right out of George Romero: the dead have begun rising and feeding on the living. One family has managed to barricade their home against the hordes of the living dead, and one woman will go to extremes to keep her family together. To tell any more than that would give away too much, but suffice it to say the story is almost as moving and poignant as it is scary. Perhaps scary isn't really the right word; unsettling seems more apt. Throughout the play there is one zombie on a chain right smack in the middle of the audience, and even though you know it is all make-believe, it is still unnerving to be so close. It is an effect made all the more powerful when the small theatrical section of the Rudyard Kipling becomes overrun by zombies later in the show; I don't think I have ever been kept in such excruciating suspense during a live production! A very strong cast brings all of this to life, with some especially strong work by Tad Chitwood, Amy Lewis, Susan Linville, Corey Long, and Todd Zeigler. The whole thing is cleverly staged with minimal scenery under the skillful direction of Brian Walker for WRONG. and Gil Reyes for Zombie!. If you love live theater and are dying to see something unique and original, you absolutely have to see this show. You will be talking about it for days after!
WRONG. ZOMBIE! Performed at the The Rudyard Kipling 422 Oak Street 502-636-1311 www.finniganbeginagain.com Starring George Robert Bailey, Kate Barry, Derek Carpenter, Tad Chitwood, Briana Clemerson, Sarah East, Laura Ellis, Amanda Fulkerson, Kelly Kapp, Amy Lewis, Susan Linville, Corey Long, Kirsten Merritt, Taylor Milks, Kimberly Peterson, Christopher Petty, Michael Roberts, Anthony Survance, and Todd Zeigler; voices of Gabe Bullard, Stan Cook, Susan Sweeney Crum, Kristin Espeland, Rick Howlett, and Julie Kredens.
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