Maxine
Lapiduss' uproarious satirical revue, "Situation Tragedy"
(subtitled "Observations on 10 Years in Hollywood with Bongos")
is the type of show that can drive a critic crazy. How does one
find an adjective strong enough to describe the deliriously giddy
pleasure that audiences will derive from this one-of-a-kind entertainment?
Where has this extraordinarily gifted new singer/actress been hiding?
To those in the television industry, Lapiduss has undoubtedly been
well-known as a accomplished sitcom writer during the past 10 years
and most recently as a consulting producer on the "Ellen"
series. Prior to her years as a behind-the-scenes creative force,
however, she had several years of experience as a stand-up comic
and cabaret entertainer in New York and on tour. Now she is making
her belated L.A. performing debut with this devilishly clever and
warmly personal comedy/music revue, scripted by Maxine and her sister
Sally Lapiduss, which takes a whimsical look at Maxine's adventures
as an out-of-the-closet lesbian in the entertainment industry, her
relationships with family and friends, and some general spoofery
of various aspects of the L.A. scene. If you can imagine it, Lapiduss
looks like a cross between Bonnie Franklin and Barbra Streisand,
and her sense of humor falls somewhere between Joan Rivers and Rosie
O'Donnell, but she has a uniquely captivating style of her own.
She pokes devastating fun at such diverse targets as Liza Minnelli's
umpteenth comeback, censorship on TV, the nerdy earthquake expert
Kate Hutton, the musical "Rent", and lesbian relationships.
She also changes the lyrics to well-known songs to created wicked
parodies, a la "Forbidden Broadway." Then, when you've
just about laughed your guts out, she slyly segues to a poignant
mood, relating heartwarming stories about her parents' relationship.
She receives yeoman support from five excellent performers and a
fabulous five-piece female band headed by composer/arranger Allison
Cornell. The production is impeccably polished, including crackerjack
lighting, delightful choreography, and superb direction. If I can't
find the proper adjective to describe Lapiduss' auspicious local
debut, perhaps a simple but emphatic verb will suffice -- GO!!!
