“Miserable Lesbians” at East to Edinburgh at 59E59 Theater C
“Miserable Lesbians” at East to Edinburgh at 59E59 Theater C Written and Directed by Sandro Monetti Music by Michael Daniel Lyrics by Michael Daniel and Sandro Monetti Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
Storm the Prison for Wretched Lesbians! Free the Lezzers from the Jodi Foster Wing! So chants the well-meaning straight Nair-do-well Jean Jackman (Anthony Wemyss) as he rallies the “troops” to free imprisoned lesbians who, twenty years since the start of the French Revolution, still do not have civil rights. Surely the man who helped bring down the oppressive absolute monarchy of King Louis XVI at the infamous barricade can free a few lesbians from the local hoosegow. Does this sound like a parody of “Les Miserables?”
Parodies are meant to be thought-provokingly awful and Sandro Monetti’s new musical “Miserable Lesbians” succeeds in its delicious awfulness as it prepares to move from 59E59’s East to Edinburgh Festival to the veritable Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
The uber-talented cast of six works hard (despite their self-deprecation) to bring utter shame to the doorstep of the warhorse of a musical and movie it - and the short film of the same name – parodies. Cosette, for example, becomes Courgette Chapman (Katie Amess); Eponine is remodeled Eppynine (Laura-Beth Hill); Javert ripens into Gavrob (Kerstin Alm); Mme. Thenardier becomes Mme. Bonham Carter; and Marius Pontmercy converts to Marius Redmayne (Nadia Wit).
As with all parodies, “Miserable Lesbians” has an undercurrent of seriousness: the message here is that a self-proclaimed boring and awful musical (it is neither boring nor is it awful) can highlight the need for equal rights for the LGBT community and the universality of legal gay marriage despite recent legal advances witnessed in the United States, England, and Wales.
Or just perhaps “Miserable Lesbians” is just a parody of a musical, a movie, and even of itself. Either way, Edinburgh Festival Fringe audiences will have tremendous fun with this well-conceived, well- directed, and well-performed edgy new musical.
MISERABLE LESBIANS
The cast includes Kerstin Alm, Katie Amess, Laura-Beth Hill, Sandro Monetti, Anthony Wemyss, and Nadia Wit. The creative team includes Vocal Coach Summer Watson; Choreography by Tyler Jade McManus; and Executive Producers Orlando Wong, Dave Byrn,e and Heidi Byrne.
East to Edinburgh runs for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 28. The performance schedule varies. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets to each East to Edinburgh show range from $10.00 - $20.00 ($7.00 -$14.00 for 59E59 Members). “Miserable Lesbians” has its final performance on Sunday July 28th at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $12.00 and can be purchased by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.59e59.org.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Saturday, July 27, 2013
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