Rock 'n Ridicule
It’s hard to top the ridiculousness that abounds in Washington D. C. so the writers and cast of “Rock ‘n Ridicule” have had their hands full shaping a show that has shifted beneath their feet with each successive news cycle. An intrepid couple from our nation’s capital, Nicholas and Karen Zill, moved West in search of cool-headed audiences for Zill’s musings on the current state of the State. They found multi-talented actors and an exceptional band to expand on the Zill’s original sketches with musical numbers essayed by Howard Bennett.
Some of the individual episodes and their attendant songs are quite clever: The opening, “Barak Around the Clock” is hard to top. And “Beat the Press” is especially funny. Impressive impersonations are plentiful showing the personalities we love to hate (Natascha Corrigan as Sarah Palin, for instance); a very good Barak Obama (Derek Reid) who is even better as Tiger Wood; and a winsome Martha Stewart (Courtney De Coskey), just ‘cause. Louie Sadd provided the show stopper of the night with his rendition of George W. Bush. For all his expertise, though, the character’s presence now seems beside the point.
Which leads me to the central problem the show grapples with: it is extremely difficult to stay current with patter that is set in stone. Even the updates (“Tea Summit” for example) are not as pungent as they might be. Perhaps the source of my uneasiness through even the funniest sketch is the notion that the writers attempted to make the comedy even handed. In my view, trying to satisfy all sides necessitates pulling back on comic punches. Good satire needs to tell us something we already know but were too polite to relate.
However, I hope that the crew of very accomplished singers and performers will have another chance to favor us with a production. The cast that director Rob Otey has assembled demonstrates that Los Angeles is blessed with truly amazing (and I never use that word lightly) actors and musicians who should be working all the time.
"Rock ‘n Ridicule” completes its run on Sunday, April 25th at the Acme Comedy Theatre, 135 N. La Brea Blvd., Los Angeles 90036. For more Acme Comedy Shows phone (323) 525-0202 or online at www.acmecomedy.com.