DEATH IS A CABARET OL’ CHUM (REV Theatre Company): 2017 Fringe review

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.

Guns aren’t lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live

.—”Resumé” by Dorothy Parker

Death-is-a-Cabaret-Ol-Chum-1200x1800 (1)Dare to take a deadly decadent stroll among the residents at Laurel Hill Cemetery to witness a mesmerizing cabaret featuring the haunting talents of Rudy Caporaso, Sandy D’Oria and Hannah Wolff, directed by Rosey Hay, with musical arrangements by Rob Borchert.  Pre-show cocktails with funky funereal names are available at no extra cost and may prove helpful for some uncertain souls to face what is to come.

In misty darkness, from between the tombs and obelisks the singers saunter eerily into view. And what a sight they are! Gothic garb including wide satin hoop skirts, hats that tower, plumes, black satin ruched skivies and other cool horror-esque couture. Caporaso’s costuming is to die for, and his killer choreography kicks things up too! This trio know knows how to entertain!

Caporaso starts the show off with the opening musical number “Cemetery Blues“ and also solos on a superbly sinister rendition of “Spooky”, “Dance While the Sky Crashes Down”, “Saint James Infirmary” and the incendiary “Love Me Or I’ll Kill You” among others.   A few of the tunes Wolff gives her glorious voice to are “Miss Otis Regrets”, “Haunted” and Dorothy Parker’s poem “Resumé”:

D’Orio’s strong singing rings out among the markers during “Skeletons”, “Blue Angel”, “Bang Bang” and the mortifyingly amusing “Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair”.  Group numbers include “Circus Apocalypse”, a fantastic version of “Video Killed The Radio Star”, “Boneyard” and the show terminates with all, performing to perfection, the closing number “Enjoy Yourself” (while you can…). REV Theatre Company makes certain you will with this dead on, completely energetic cabaret created by Rudy Caporaso!

[REV Theatre Company, Laurel Hill Cemetery, 3822 Ridge Ave.] September 13-16, 2017; fringearts.com/event/death-cabaret-ol-chum

 

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