ADDED NOTE: Kendell Hinds replaces Victor Sho for this performance and the following week.
50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL (The Original Parody of the “50 Shades of Grey” phenomenon). Marines’ Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA. For tickets visit www.shnsf.com or call SHN Audience Services at 888-746-1799.
Plays through July 28,2013 with ADDED PERFORMANCES due to popular demand Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m.
50 SHADES! The Musical redefines the three Rs.
In the days of one room school houses (meaning gentler times) the three Rs refer to Reading, (w)Righting and (a)Rithmatic. For the three Rs to describe the musical 50 Shades! The Musical you must use Raunchy, Risqué and Ribald and for good measure you could add Trashy and Tacky. The dialog, songs and dances fit all those adjectives but the uproarious response of the opening night audience suggests it is wonderful. All the seats remained filled after the intermission.
The show is a parody of the novel “50 Shades of Grey” written by E. L. James that describes in explicit detail BDSM (Bondage, Dominance, Sadism and Masochism) practices through the exploits of Christian Grey (Chris Grace), a rich, handsome well hung tycoon, and Anastasia Steele (Amber Nicole Petty), an innocent virginal college student. Whips, chains and handcuffs play a prominent role in their dominant-submissive relationship.
In this parody the whips, chains and handcuffs are all there but Christian in this show a rotund, short Asian with a wicked sense of timing, a great singing voice but the red spandex wrestling outfit reveals less than gigantic private parts. A cod piece would have helped but that would have diluted the parody?
It all begins with a trio of women (Jessica Kemock, Emily Eden and Spencer Rose) at their book club meeting finally deciding ton review “50 Shades of Grey.” As they discuss passages from the book the characters come to life in song and dance. The nine member cast, with the exception of Christian and Anastasia double in other roles. One of the funniest is Nick Semar as Jose the sexy and persistent Mexican who is hot for Anastasia’s body. The dance group of Matthew Nolan, Caroline Reade and Victor Sho do not have much to do but they do it with energy. They are the ‘eye candy’ with beautiful bodies especially Reade as the “Inner Goddess” dominatrix, bare chested Kendell Hinds (replacing Nigerian Victor Sho for one week) with six-pack abs and tall handsome ladies’ man Mathew Nolan.
The lyrics are bawdy and delicious with the music being played by an onstage three piece band of electric-piano, guitar and drums. The song titles are only partially suggestive of their “mommy porn” but you will get the idea what they convey especially “There is a Hole in Me” (that has to be filled), “Red Room of Pain” and “How Much Can I Take?” Not content with parody of ‘the’ book, the authors also take swipes at “Phantom of the Opera” (“Follow Me Into the Night) and “Le Miz” (“50 Shades”).
The finale combining “How Much Can I Take” and “Hole Inside of Me” and riotous curtain call led to an uproar of appreciation from the audience. All this compressed into 90 minutes including the 15 minute intermission to allow the audience to visit the refreshment bar and point out to each other this point or that just in case they missed the innuendos. Actually innuendos were few and far between with in-your-face dialog and lyrics.
It may not be for the couple from Des Moines or the residents of San Francisco Retirement Home but the denizens of San Francisco will flock to the show.Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.
