NOVEMBER 10, 1995
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 25
Hardy Boys meet Christopher Street in Ridiculous style
Murder at Minsing Manor A Nancy Boys Mystery Ridiculous Theatrical Company New York City
Reviewed by Barry Daniels
We're in Levittown, New York, in the 1950s. Bob Anderson and Buddy Brady, two teenage boys in pajamas are watching their favorite late-night TV show, "Fear Theatre," hosted by local celebrity Marius Minsing. The boys are eating huge bowls of various
Glory Holden with the two Nancy Boys.
cereals with names like "Frosted Buzz Bombs" and "Sugar Slabs." They masturbate with the help of dirty magazines, Playboy for Buddy and one featuring muscle men for Bob.
Minsing stages elaborate and violent death scenes as a signoff for his program. After the boys watch him get into a coffin whose lid is covered with huge spikes, there is a news flash announcing that the stage trick backfired and that Minsing was "accidentally"
killed when he closed the coffin.
This is the prologue for the latest Ridiculous Theatrical Company production, Murder at Minsing Manor: A Nancy Boys Mystery, two hours of fabulous nonsense that follows the boys' attempts to solve the mystery surrounding their idol's death. The sublimely convoluted plot takes place at Minsing's Manor House, an eyesore in suburban Levittown, decorated with pink flamingo lamps and furniture featuring body parts that get involved in the action-the sets by Tom Greenfield display his usual flair for the supremely tacky.
Writers Michael and Richard Simon, in their first effort for the Ridiculous, have put together an hilariously queer parody of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries as well as a sharp satire of suburban America circa 1955. Their inventive, off-centered sense of humor is supported by the rapid pace of Chuck Brown's direction.
The company's artistic director and grandest diva, Everett Quinton, is peerless as the world weary, hard drinking, slightly hysterical Glory Holden, the late Minsing's companion. She's an "over the hill transvesite prostitute,” who has a way with double entendres and a taste for strapless gowns. Designer Kay Voyce has provided Quinton with a hot pink crinoline frock for the first act, and a slinky black number with pedal pusher slacks for the second. He is accessorized with a fortune in dime-store diamonds and bleached blonde wigs by Zsamira Ronquillo.
Quinton is ably seconded by Lenys Sama the baby-faced sailor of last year's
Carmenas Zarah Zine, a role that nearly steals the show. After his twin sister's death Zine has assumed both his and his sister's personas, becoming a truly split personality, dressed half as a man and half as a woman. With a theatrical brilliance typical of the Ridiculous, Zine wears costumes split down the middle. He even manages to perform two parts of a three-way in the porn film Minsing had been making.
The rest of the company has mastered the Ridiculous style. Tom Deroesher is adorable as the overzealous and slightly over-the-edge police officer, Joe McCarthy. Jason Williams gives the dumb hunk bodyguard Pig Marrano a sweet goofiness. He is hopelessly smitten with his porn film co-star, Zarah Zine. Grant Neale has just the right demented edge as FBI investigator Buck Amge.
The authors have included a clear sense of
(a-ke-shun) a growing together of parts
Accretion
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what it meant to be queer in the 1950s. Bullies Eddie (Wifredo Medina) and Marty (Dave Murray) represent what boys were supposed to be like, and they indulge in queer baiting and bashing of the Hard(ly) boys, Bob (Cory Lipiello) and Buddy (Christa Kirby). As Bob gradually comes to understand his own queer-"My father told me not to read Proust"he is helped by Glory Holden to understand that, although he may be different, he will not be alone.
ness-
Murder at Minsing Manor is vintage Ridiculous Theatrical fare. It is hopelessly deranged and relentlessly droll, filled with sexy double entendres, bad puns and dressed up like Saturday night on Christopher Street. It is playing Tuesday-Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 7 pm at the Actor's Playhouse in New York. Tickets are $27.50 and can by reserved by calling Tele-Charge at 212-239-6200.
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