REVIEW; RIGHT ON TARGET NEW 'FORBIDDEN' PACKS THE USUAL PUNCH.Byline: Julio Martinez Special to the Daily News ``Forbidden Broadway'' began in 1982 as a simple supper club cabaret act to give creator/lyricist Gerard Alessandrini a showcase for his talents and the opportunity to ``find an agent.'' Now it has become New York's longest-running musical comedy revue. Firmly established as a staple attraction on Broadway itself, this deceptively simple revue is returning to L.A. for the first time in six years. You don't need to be a Broadway musical theater fanatic to enjoy Alessandrini's immensely entertaining latest incarnation of ``Forbidden Broadway,'' but having a passing familiarity with such fare as ``Annie,'' ``The Lion King,'' Hal Prince's ``Show Boat,'' ``Cats,'' ``Rent,'' ``Ragtime ragtime: see jazz. ragtime U.S. popular music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries distinguished by its heavily syncopated rhythm. Ragtime found its characteristic expression in formally structured piano compositions, the accented left-hand ,'' etc., certainly doubles the pleasure. The ever witty and insightful Alessandrini is the undisputed master of theatrical satire and his skewering glimpses of the inhabitants
The game is based loosely on the concepts from SameGame. of the ``Great White Way'' are ably represented by the amazing talents of Susanne Blakeslee, Jason Graae, Gerry McIntyre, Christine Pedi and pianist John Randall. Constantly updated to reflect the most current absurdities to be filtered through Alessandrini's jaundiced jaun·diced adj. 1. Affected with jaundice. 2. Yellow or yellowish. 3. Affected by or exhibiting envy, prejudice, or hostility. jaundiced Adjective 1. psyche, a properly irreverent tone for the evening is established as Gerry McIntyre's opening number is interrupted by two cell phone-wielding audience members (Pedi, Graae), who launch into an impromptu critique of the performance, ``Everyone Thinks They're a Critic'' (to the tune of ``Everything's Coming Up Roses''). Alessandrini's satirical bullets are unerring un·err·ing adj. Committing no mistakes; consistently accurate. un·err  ing·ly adv. . Pedi spotlights Andrea McArdle's one-role ``Annie'' career, bemoaning, ``I'm 30 Years Old, Tomorrow.'' As the title character, Graae sums up the ponderousness of ``Martin Guerre'' by proclaiming, ``Martin Guerre! This show's a mess, just like my hair.'' Graae and Blakeslee, enshrined in Alvin Colt's grotesquely overblown headdresses, offer a hilarious lament on the weighty costumes that have been thrust onto the ensemble members of ``The Lion King.'' (``Can You Feel the Pain Tonight?'') Choreographer Phillip George proves a more than complimentary ally to Alessandrini's wit as he offers dead-on parodies of Bob Fosse's signature dance work in ``Chicago'' (performed to perfection by Graae, McIntyre and Blakeslee as an undernourished Bebe Neuwirth) and a hilariously inventive union of ``Cats'' and ``A Chorus Line.'' George then takes on Matthew Bourne's all-male ``Swan Lake,'' made memorable by the witchy antics of Graae and McIntyre. George's highlight effort, however, is his all-German salute, incorporating Alan Cumming's debauched de·bauch v. de·bauched, de·bauch·ing, de·bauch·es v.tr. 1. a. To corrupt morally. b. To lead away from excellence or virtue. 2. Emcee (Graae) from the 1998 revival of ``Cabaret'' into the saccharine sac·cha·rine adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of sugar or saccharin; sweet. ``So Long, Farewell'' finale of ``Sound of Music,'' featuring Blakeslee, Pedi and McIntyre. The individual talents of this fine ensemble are well showcased in their rip-roaring impersonations of some monumental Broadway icons. Pedi captures the gravel-voiced persona of Elaine Stritch lamenting her lost career (to the tune of Rodgers & Hart) and the reedy reed·y adj. reed·i·er, reed·i·est 1. Full of reeds. 2. Made of reeds. 3. Resembling a reed, especially in being thin or fragile: rapture of Carol Channing, thanking ``Dolly'' for being a girl's best friend.'' Blakeslee is dead on as fragile-voiced Sarah Brightman and in tribute to Barbra Streisand's monumentally selndulgent ``Back to Broadway'' album. In the second act, Pedi's Ethel Merman instructs Graae's Michael Crawford on what it is to actually have a voice, to the tune of Irving Berlin's contrapuntal con·tra·pun·tal adj. Music Of, relating to, or incorporating counterpoint. [From obsolete Italian contrapunto, counterpoint : Italian contra-, against (from Latin classic, ``You're Just in Love.'' Bradley Kaye's simple cabaret revue setting, sequined se·quin n. 1. A small shiny ornamental disk, often sewn on cloth; a spangle. 2. A gold coin of the Venetian Republic. Also called zecchino. tr.v. curtains and all, provides a perfect backdrop for Alessandrini's inspired shenanigans shenanigans Noun, pl Informal 1. mischief or nonsense 2. trickery or deception [origin unknown] . The facts --What: Forbidden Broadway Y2K See Y2K problem and Y2K compliant. Y2K - Year 2000 L.A.! --Where: Tiffany Theater, 8532 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. --When: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through May 28. --Tickets: $37.50 to $39.50. --Our rating: Four stars. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Clockwide from center: Christine Pedi, Jason Graae, Susanne Blakeslee and Gerry McIntyre in ``Forbidden Broadway Y2K L.A.!'' at the Tiffany Theater.'' |
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