Curtain Calls

There is another two person revue currently being performed locally. This one can only be seen Wednesday evenings (at least through the month of July) at The Fan Club. Nobody's Business If I Do is the title of this showcase for the talents of J. Allen. Collier and James Plumb, who, incidently, both sing, dance and generally carry on.

A satirical, sometimes cynical, look at, first America and then Germany during the 1930s and 40s, Nobody'd Business If I Do makes some right on target observations of the growing decadence in the world. This decadence, which is especially vividly portrayed with the Hitler years in Germany, makes up most of the second half of the revue and is very powerful. Utilizing songs, both familiar (Remember) and obscure (Class from the Broadway show.Chicago) with some original stuff, to punctuate some of the social comments that they make in the skits.

The revue also features some rather bizarre and unconventional drag routines which includes Mae West and one of a wonderful pre-World War II German cabaret singer whose attire (what little there is of it) and use of a chair are reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich's Blue Angel classic. That some of the material is often bitter and morose, is true, but, there is much that is camp and wonderfully corny, especially

some of the Mae West predickable dialogue such as; "Miss West, how do you keep your youth?" "Oh, I send him a check twice a week!" or "What is the difference between a hormone and a vitamin?" "You can make a whore moan, but you can't make vitamin." Enough, already!!!

In the Germany segment, which is really the best portion of this revue (they should try to mix some of it into the first section), they cleverly combine the songs Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Sondheim) with Kurt Weill's Mack The Knife (from The Three-Penny Opera) to illustrate the bloodiness of that period in history. Maybe a little heavy for superclub cabaret (perhaps the two revues should swap homes?).

That Messrs. Collier and Plumb are attractive and talented is evident, what is more, they are bright and aware and are wonderfully tuned-in to the art of satire. What they and their material could most benefit from at this time would be a good and objective director that could guide them, without destroying their originality, into a crisper, better balanced and more effective presentation. I think they are two young men to be watched.

In Boston recently to promote her latest film, Escape From New York (currently playing at the Sack Cheri Complex), which was directed, co-authored and scored by

Brad Jones and Lanie Zera

by Paul McMahon

At the Next Move Theatre (playing in repertory with Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly) is a two person mini-revue entitled Take Two!, with Brad Jones and Lanie Zera.

Both proven talented perfomers, particularly Ms. Zera, who has appeared in nearly every production done by the Next Move (comedy, dramatic and/or musical), it is the majority of the material that prevents this revue from living up to one's expectations. Some of the skits and especially a couple of the songs (The Last To Fall In Love by John Forster and Ted Drachman is truly lovely) are very entertaining, but, on the whole, most of it just does not make the grade despite the efforts of Mr. Jones and Ms. Zera. In fact, one gets the impression that they try to over compensate for the mediocre material by exerting extra sheer energy in hopes of putting it across.

Performed without an intermission (one way to keep an audience captive), the pace, as directed by Stephen Rosenfield, is kept quick which helps. A cabaret atmosphere would probably be to the advantage of this show, were it available. The three piece combo (sometimes augmented by Mr. Jones' fine saxophone playing) is another plus factor. Alas, the major fault is the comedy material, which the program credits to having been "developed through an ensemble process... The creative efforts of all its (Take Two!) participants, as well as a variety of other Next Move artists." Maybe there is something to the old adage, “Too many chefs spoil the stew."

David Bowie is...

Just a Gigolo

R

RESTRICTED

KIM NOVAK DAVID HEMMINGS MARIA SCHELL CURT JURGENS

BINDER 1 REQUIRES ACCOMPANYING PARENT OR AOUL GUARDIAN

AS THE PRINCE

MARLENE DIETRICH

NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE

STARTS FRIDAY

2:00, 3:55, 5:40, 7:45, 9:45, also Fri. & Sat. at 12 Midnight

Orson Welles

1001 Mass. Ave., Cambridge 868-3600

14 Esplanade July 29, 1981

James Plumb and J. Allen Collier

Adrienne Barbeau

Photo by Paul McMahon