THE JERSEY DEVIL (Berserker Residents): 60-second review

berserker-residents-jersey-devil-reviewThe three troupe members of the FringeArts-famous Berserker Residents will do pretty much anything to get a good laugh out of the audience. Their recently re-installed THE JERSEY DEVIL (first seen in the 2007 Fringe Fest), about the legend of the Pine Barrens monster, is full of slapstick, ridiculous costumes, and shouting. As the ringleader of this three-ring circus explains to the audience, “She came, like all monsters do, from a simple American home!” This remark about the Jersey Devil is not the only one rich with social commentary.

This show really is like no other. First, the memorably insane introduction: It includes Jenna Horton as a much-too-young-and-good-looking-to-be-believable grandma-age, strung-out adult performer, and one of the worst fake-Jersey accents that this New Jersey native has had the torture of hearing.

Lines like, “You are but lambs in this land…they don’t want you to know…” referring to the church, the government, and the devil in all forms, are delightfully woven throughout. There is professional miming, and unprecedented energy. Then comes a little scare, or two. But if you do not care for overtly offensive, campy skits, do beware, like we all should, of THE JERSEY DEVIL. October 30-November 2, 2013, berserkerresidents.com.

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