FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009
GET HERE EARLY.
On stage 8pm. Tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door.
8901 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca 90069
310-652-4202
www.whiskyagogo.com

Ireland got real small, real fast for mike got spiked, who bagged themselves a top 30 single and international five-star reviews for debut album Caveat Emptor within a couple of years of their formation in late 2002.

 

America beckoned for the schizo-rock four-piece, and a slot on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour alongside the likes of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and The Dillinger Escape Plan strengthened their conviction.

 

Subsequent support slots with Anthrax, Head Automatica, Biffy Clyro and Kerbdog showed them they were well able to take on the best in the business, and so began an 18-month American odyssey that took in 42 states, 130,000 miles and more than 300 shows.

 

Now based full-time in the USA, they are signed to Los Angeles management company Associated Talent Management, who also boasts the likes of The Dead Kennedys on their roster.

 

Relentless touring, record sales topping 11,000 units, hundreds of thousands of MySpace plays and a top 10 slot on the Warped Tour's official download chart have predictably helped the band turn the heads of record labels.

 

But rather than put out on the first date, the band is still flirting outrageously with the labels hovering nearby, having turned down a couple of deals last year.

 

Having finally parked the van for a couple of months to write their second album - slated for release by 2009's end - the band members are now preparing themselves for an all-out assault on minds and ears in the US and beyond.

www.mikegotspiked.com and www.myspace.com/mikegotspiked

When Couples Lose .... Lawyers Win
World Premiere
a kate west review

music, lyrics & book by Erin Kamler
directed by Rick Sparks
musical direction by David O
at Hudson Mainstage Theater
6539 Santa Monica Blvd
Hollywood , CA 90038

running Saturday, Feb 14 – Sunday, Mar 29
(preview February 5)
contact (323) 960-1056 or
www.divorcemusical.com

The best way to deal with a divorce is from a distance. In the midst of the
raw newness, when dealing with a former love as immovable and unfeeling
as stone, you are swept away rudderless in a sea of pain. Photo albums
are surreal; suddenly you're looking at two strangers, and all those
years together washed away in an instant. You are turned inside out and
your heart floods your head, so that thinking coherently is no longer
possible and you just need to go crawl into that hollow cave of grief
until you can deal with normal life skipping by once more. When all
that is over and done with however, maybe you can finally laugh about
it. Maybe even sing a little. Or hey, even write a musical.

Fresh from divorce number two, Playwright Erin Kamler (heard recently on
NPR's "All Things Considered"), did just that. Frustrated with the
merciless way divorce lawyers pick apart once-precious memories, Kamler
(three-time winner of Stephen Sondheim's Young Playwright's Festival)
voiced her own post-romantic experiences in song. The result? "Divorce!
The Musical" premieres at The Hudson in Hollywood, a town very well
acquainted with liquidating marital assets. On Valentine's Day, no
less, exclamation point and all.

Rick Segall and Lowe Taylor are Rich and Penny Hughes, a bright-eyed, optimistic young couple excitedly
singing wedding vows at the top of the show ("Till Death Do Us Part"),
only to be arguing in a marriage counselor's (Gabrielle Wagner) office
a mere three years later (i.e. the very next scene). It can happen that
fast. And seems to, more and more lately, especially in our current
economic crisis. But back to the show.

The Hughes couple drifts further and further apart, until the money-hungry lawyers devour every
last morsel of property. Rich and Penny try their best, like awkwardly
attempting to move on with one-night stands in a hilarious musical
number "Rebound Sex" which still resonates with the pain of lost love.
The lawyers grow progressively more evil and in spite of having every
intention of keeping things civil, the couple also succumbs to petty
revenge. In between flashy dance routines, the actors sing poignant
lyrics on dead love ("There Were Good Things").

Director Rick Sparks and Musical Director David O create some memorable scenes, such
as a game show version of divorce mediation. Erin Kamler's lyrics are
universally real, hitting home with various audience members (you can
always tell the divorcees). Rick Segall is a strong and fervent lost
lover, the ex-husband struggling to make sense of his life. Lowe Taylor
balances perplexity, horror, despair and longing seamlessly. The two
work quite well together, jumping from all the different ranges of
emotion, playing off each other exactly the way ex-lovers would. The
singing is plentiful and good, especially noted in Taylor's passionate
voice. The rest of the talented ensemble, Gabrielle Wagner, Leslie
Stevens and Gregory Franklin, play the various friends, lawyers and
even parents, in and out of the couple's public break-up. Yes, one of
them ends up back with the folks. Will the torture never end?

It is a heart-weary piece, and at barely an hour and a half, it felt like
some of the characters might have been fleshed out a bit more. For
instance, the do-good lawyer (Leslie Stevens) is seduced to the dark
side a tad too quickly and the couple never does make it to court,
which might have made for a grander climax, so to speak. But altogether
it's a remarkably fun show, in spite of the bitter story. The gist of
the show is clear - don't count on happy endings. This is definitely a
tough look at divorce (is there any other way to look at it?) and
though short, it is well written and oh, so very real. In the end, the
couple is able to hold on to parts of the relationship and the memory
of how it felt to fall in love in that 'till-death-do-us-part kind of
way. Is it possible to remain friends with your ex? Probably not in
this show. But anyone can relate to the feelings laid bare here. We've
all been there, right?

So it's not quite the typical Hollywood feel-good, but the music is very good, the cast is wonderful and it's
all too true. Happy Valentine's Day.

directed by Michael Mayer
music by Duncan Sheik
book & lyrics by Steven Sater
based on the book by Frank Wedekind

at the Ahmanson Theatre
Center Theatre Group
135 North Grand Ave, Los Angeles 90012

contact 213-628-2772
www.centertheatregroup.org or
www.springawakening.com
running October 29 - December 7, 2008

The hip multi-Tony-award winning (including Best Musical) "Spring Awakening" comes to Los Angeles at last, straight from Broadway. Likened to be as freshly liberating as Jonathan Larson's rock 'n roll version of "La Boheme" ("Rent") over a decade earlier, the show presents the tragedy of teen angst as universal truth, in any era. Based on the controversial 1800's German play by Frank Wedekind, the story encompasses all that is painful about growing up restricted and inhibited by misguided social morals.

Like the original, "Spring Awakening" the musical is set in 1800's Europe, where boys and girls know very little of each other and their need to express themselves leads them down some dark paths. Accompanied by a fantastic musical score by Duncan Sheik (lyrics by Steven Sater), generational German oppression gives way to pounding rock, eliciting wild cheers from audience members. The seriousness of the dialogue contrasts wonderfully with the free-spirited and raucous musical score, when the actors burst into song, filled with desperate emotional intensity. Abortion, homosexuality, masturbation, rape, suicide and lots and lots of plain old sex and lust are some of the striking issues this piece explores. So prepare yourself for some heavy heartaches (complete with adult language) and leave the young kids at home.

Christy Altomare is the fresh-faced Wendla, who wants to know where babies come from. Her Mother refuses to tell her, feeling that it is not a proper topic for a young lady. Blake Bashoff (most recently on television's "Lost") is the tortured Moritz, who keeps having sex dreams and is humiliated by them. Melchior (Kyle Riabko) is his confidante and classmate, who attempts to help him understand what's happening, while pursuing Wendla. Steffi D is slightly off vocally as Ilse, the runaway, and Martha (Sarah Hunt) confesses dark family secrets in "The Dark I Know Well". The arrogant Hanschen (Andy Mientus) and the innocent Ernst (Ben Moss) explore feelings and Otto (Anthony Lee Medina) lusts after older women. Angela Reed portrays all the adult women and Henry Stram all the adult men and everyone heartily stomps and belts their hearts out.

The music definitely makes the show. Among other thought-provoking gems, the women sing the sweetly lyrical "Mama Who Bore Me" as a plaintive lament over their ignorance of how life works. The school boys sing "The Bitch of Living" (also a popular You Tube video from the 2007 Tony Awards) on the unfairness of adults and school and life. A couple's first sexual experience happens with the beautiful "I Believe" and the ensemble sings "The Song of Purple Summer" to finish the show on a powerful note. Each song is another cry of help from youth stemming directly from the perplexity of censorship. Choreographer Bill T. Jones has the cast leaping and gyrating to the dramatic score, in sync with Michael Mayer's intriguing direction. The cast members often sing out to the audience in lone spotlights and some lucky audience members get to sit directly on stage and witness the excitement close up. A spare set conveys several locations, with a few chairs and a slowly swaying hay loft. Scenic Designer Christine Jones creates a towering stage wall, with eclectic pieces haphazardly strewn about. All this effort in production puts all the focus on the fierceness of feeling.

The overall mood of the piece is bleak indeed, but the strong passion and desire in the actors voices fills us with light. And the majority of the company is strong indeed. Afterward, you might want to sit down with your teenagers and set them straight on a few things. Even in this modern era of openness, they still may have a lot to learn, since, as depicted in the show, it doesn't matter when your adolescence takes place. It's all in the title. And a MUST see.

Impro Theatre presents
Jane Austen Unscripted
a kate west review
directed by Dan O'Connor
and Paul Rogan
produced by Matthew Quinn

running
Fri, Oct 10 – Sun, Nov 16
Fri, Sat 8pm
Sunday 7pm

Theatre Asylum
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
contact (323) 960-7753
http://www.improtheatre.com

Cast and Company: Patrick Bristow (special guest), Tracy Burns, Kari Coleman, Lisa Fredrickson, Brian Jones, Stephen Kearin, Lauren Lewis, Brian Lohmann, Nick Massouh, Jo McGinley, Dan O'Connor, Edi Patterson, Jennifer Riege, Paul Rogan, Carla Rosati, Michele Spears, Mollite Taxe, and Floyd Van Buskirk.

Impro Theatre specializes in presenting rapt audiences with such impressive improvisational feats as "Dickens Unscripted", "Tennessee Williams Unscripted", "Shakespeare Unscripted" and even "Sondheim Unscripted". The latest presentation, "Jane Austen Unscripted", is equally noteworthy, complete with gorgeous period costuming and language. Directors Dan O'Connor and John Rogan lead the brilliant troupe in bringing the celebrated author's sensibilities to life, as it were.

Company members take a couple of suggestions from the audience and spin an entire Jane Austen styled original play. One hundred percent improvised, the complex plot unfolds, hearts are won, witticisms flung and poetry recited, all in perfect synchronicity. Yes, amazingly enough, the actors are making up the entire dialogue right under your very eyes. It's like watching a Jane Austen movie that delivers a clever wink to the audience. The accomplished actors also gently acknowledge the occasional transgressions in ad-libbing, turning funny situations into even more humorous turns. The time flies by and when you are transported back to your modern era, you will want to come back for more.

The company treats their revered authors with the deepest respect, creating lines befitting the original works. Theirs is definitely an original spin, but seemingly lifted from what might have been written. Consummate professionals through and through (look up their long list of credits) , the players will make you laugh and then inspire you to read the classic works for yourself. What will they think of next? We can't wait to find out.

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
a kate west review
music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
book by Hugh Wheeler
directed by John Doyle
at the Ahmanson Theatre
Center Theatre Group
135 North Grand Ave, Los Angeles 90012
playing March 11 - April 6, 2008
contact 213-628-2772 or www.centertheatregroup.org

The much-talked about Tony-award winning new Broadway production of "Sweeney Todd" has arrived in Los Angeles. John Doyle (the same director who brought the new version of Sondheim's "Company" to New York) directs Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed operatic piece about a bloody barber this spring.

Sweeney Todd (played by David Hess), a long-suffering British barber (formerly Benjamin Barker), whose wife and child were cruelly stolen from him by an abusive Judge, returns to London years later to wreak revenge and falls in with his mad match Mrs. Lovett (Judy Kaye). In this take, the Greek-like tragedy is accompanied by stylistic orchestration and staging which, while certainly innovative, tend to take away from the raw emotion and passion of the story's essence.

The cast is strong, especially Lauren Molina as Todd's lost daughter Joanna and Judy Kaye as the nutty meat pie maker Mrs. Lovett, who takes in Todd and inspires him to start slaughtering people ("A Little Priest"). Frustrated over not being able to reach his nemesis the Judge, Todd grows even more reckless ("Epiphany") and it sends him closer and closer to the edge, until the final destruction consumes all. There are some inexplicable casting choices, such as Pirelli, the outrageous rival barber, being played by a woman (Katrina Yaukey), and while it is interesting that every cast member plays a musical instrument, it is also a gimmick that steals some richness from the original piece.

This production plays more like a stylistic concert version of a once-dimensional and multi-layered musical. The actors literally play out to the audience and do not make eye contact with each other or connect, leaving us even more disconnected. The essential horrific barber chair is missing and the blood and gore is also representational, with the actors donning red spattered white jackets when killed and red paint poured from bucket to bucket. The violence is so stylized in fact, that it distills and objectifies the intensity we should feel.

The music is still Sondheim great ("The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", "Johanna", "Green Finch and Linnet Bird") and the voices all Broadway quality, but the stories don't always come across and if you bring a friend who has never seen the show, he/she may be lost. For instance the "By the Sea" number where Lovett conjures up such delightful visions for the disillusioned Todd would read better with more nuance as would sweet Tobias (Edmund Bagnell) reassuring Lovett that nothing will harm her ("Not While I'm Around"). Every relationship, from the dueling barbers ("The Contest") to Anthony (Benjamin Magnuson) pursuing Johanna in "Ah, Miss" and "Kiss Me" and Todd grimacing through "Pretty Women" with the Judge would be better served with more interaction between the players.

The set is one towering piece on the back wall where the actors take props they need from time to time - another stylization, along with a not-too-subtle interchangeable coffin. To those not familiar with the story, it is about retribution and vengeance and how bitterness corrupts the victim more than the aggressor. It is a dark and tragic tale and the opera-like score deserves an epic-like production, in emotion and visual riches, but this modern minimisation diminishes the overall effect and may leave many cold and untouched.

Pairing quirky film director Tim Burton ("Pee-wee's Big Adventure," Nightmare Before Christmas") with Stephen Sondheim's darkly bloody musical "Sweeney Todd" seems like the perfect macabre fit. And for the most part, the movie works fairly well. But there are a few lapses. Primarily, much of the main cast do not come from Broadway or sing professionally. As theatrical genius Sondheim creates complex, discordant scores, this presents a bit of a challenge.

Johnny Depp is Sweeney Todd (formerly Benjamin Barker), a long-suffering British barber, whose wife and child were cruelly stolen from him by the envious Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). He returns to London years later to wreak revenge and falls in with his mad match Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). The Greek-like tragedy unfolds more and more bleakly as the story goes on and Burton knows quite well how to provide a somber and terrifying mood in spite of some musical shortcomings.

Depp takes on this musical challenge gamely, and is a black demonic Todd, indeed. Although his voice is less Broadway and more pop, it works for him and his wretchedly tortured misery pervades all nicely. Weak link Helena Bonham Carter on the other hand, is grossly miscast. She sings pathetically weakly ("The Worst Pies in London" and "A Little Priest") and her subtle performance does not fit the grotesquely extreme character of Mrs. Lovett, the psychopathic meat pie maker (Broadway fans will remember Angela Lansbury bawdily booming her little heart out). She looks nightmarish enough, but needs to be much bigger in order to posses the role of someone who can so strongly influence the demon barber of Fleet Street. After all, she needs to convince Todd to butcher people for pies (not that he needs much convincing in his crazed state).

The supporting roles are all fine, such as Alan Rickman's brooding and lecherous Judge Turpin and audiences unanimously delight in Sacha Baron Cohen's outrageous rival barber Signor Adolfo Pirelli. The young and rambunctious barber's assistant Tobias Ragg, earnestly played by Ed Sanders, is a special highlight of the film (sweetly singing of Pirelli's magical elixir and "Nothing's Going to Harm You" in devotion to Lovett). Jayne Wisener is all right, if a little wispy and airy, as Todd's lost daughter Johanna ("Green Finch and Linnet Bird") as is her love, Anthony Hope (Jamie Campbell Bower). Timothy Spall is a properly slimy henchman to the Judge as Beadle Bamford.

Musical theater purists may protest some of the necessary cinematic changes, such as cutting the operatic opening number which sets the tone for the stage show and basically narrates the story in the grand old fashioned style of ancient tragedy. But since the film medium is one of narration in itself, we don't need such heralding. The rest of the tunes are intact, including Depp's eerie introductory "London", the weirdly delightful "By the Sea" Mrs. Lovett sings to Todd, in foolish hope of a normal life. The makeup, costumes and set are quintessential Burton and most of the acting is quite strong. Again, the main problem is the inconsistent singing.

The constant blood and gore absolutely define Todd's character and as do the dire consequences of one's action. Abject life and death lessons are to be learned here. If you approach the film as a specific adaptation of a certain work, of Burton's version of a Sondheim story, it can work for you. Go with someone unfamiliar with the musical, without prejudice, so you can see it with fresh absurdist eyes. No plot giveaways here, just prepare yourself for deep tunnels of horror.

Directed by
Tim Burton

Produced by
Richard Zanuck
Walter F. Parkes
Laurie MacDonald
John Logan

Written by
John Logan
Christopher Bond (story)

Music by
Stephen Sondheim
Hugh Wheeler

Cinematography
Dariusz Wolski

Editing by
Chris Lebenzon

Starring
Johnny Depp ... Sweeney Todd
Helena Bonham Carter ... Mrs. Lovett
Alan Rickman ... Judge Turpin
Timothy Spall ... Beadle Bamford
Sacha Baron Cohen ... Signor Adolfo Pirelli
Jayne Wisener ... Johanna
Jamie Campbell Bower ... Anthony Hope
Laura Michelle Kelly ... Beggar Woman
Ed Sanders ... Tobias Ragg
Anthony Head ... Ballad Ghost
Peter Bowles ... Ballad Ghost

A Tuna Christmas
a kate west review
written by Jaston Williams,
Joe Sears & Ed Howard
directed by Stan Zimmerman
at Theatre Asylum
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Hollywood 90038 (west of Vine)
contact (323) 960-7753 OR www.plays411.com/tunachristmas

running December 6, 2007 - January 6, 2008; tix $25-$50

Twenty-two Texans celebrate Christmas. Sounds like the punch line of a joke. But it's actually part of the well-known Greater Tuna trilogy of characters centered around Tuna, Texas, created by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard. Currently playing in Hollywood, "A Tuna Christmas" is the most suitable Tuna incarnation this holiday season.

Former Groundlings company members Patrick Bristow (from "Showgirls" and "Ellen") and Mindy Sterling (from "Austin Powers") are the sole two cast members, playing all roles (check out the world renowned comedy sketch/improv troupe on www.groundlings.com). Their obvious background in character work serves them well in this multi-character show. Patrick Bristow especially has many real and poignant moments embodying what might have been routine southern characters in less capable hands. He doesn't just "do" characters, he actually becomes the person he portrays and does an amazing turn reflecting an entire history in just a few lines. And he manages to make them unique and interesting each time. He is truly a joy to watch.

The creators Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard have built practically a whole franchise around these quirky Texans and while the writing is good, Director Stan Zimmerman can stand to cut some scenes down, as they tend to run a bit long. The story centers around an annual yard display contest, with each townsperson vying for the perfect holiday light set up. A mysterious Christmas Phantom gums up the work, causing mischief and consternation among the populace. The show begins with two Disc Jockeys, Arles (Sterling) and Thurston (Bristow), introducing some tidbits about the town and bringing in the odd and end villager, such as Didi (Sterling) who sells used guns for a living. Sterling also showcases Petey, an earnest humanitarian, weary of taking in every Yuletide pet castoff.

Bristow's best character is Bertha, mother to three unruly children, including delinquent Stanley (Sterling). She tries to make a nice holiday for her family while keeping peace with her crazy neighbors, not an easy feat with the rich eccentric Vera (Sterling) taking pot shots at her and loveable wily Aunt Pearl (also Bristow) defying local law. Bertha is heartbreakingly and endearingly deserving of a nice man to take care of her after her lowlife husband disappoints her time and again. Bristow's swaggering Sheriff Givens is quite amusing as well, as are the slightly trashy but fun waitresses Helen and Inita (Sterling and Bristow) forced to work the holidays at the local diner.

Bristow and Sterling clearly find joy in recreating slices of Texan life and in working so intimately together. Their countless costume changes, characters and accents are impressive to watch, as are the many gender-bending forays. It's an entertaining show, but again, runs a bit long. It is definitely a different kind of holiday show though, and worth a look to see these consummate professionals at work. So come back soon y'all, ya hear?

http://www.katewestreviews.com/2007/11/support-our-writers.html