Theater Reviews

Feb 2, 2008 - It's as if we never said goodbye; fan worship of Mae West in Bruka's "Dirty Blonde"

By Jack Neal

“Because obsession grants the patience to really fine tune the details.” It’s a quote in Bruka Theatre’s “Dirty Blonde” program that’s a clue to what was missing from Bruka’s “Dirty Blonde” opening night – the time for, not just the patience for, fine tuning.

Claudia Shear’s play with music was written as a Claudia Shear off-Broadway starring vehicle. Shear has a love for the iconic qualities of Hollywood sex goddess Mae West that glows through every word of her terrific, if somewhat skewed, play. What Shear was able to propel through laughs and tears into a loveable and profound portrait of West via a selected group of fixated fans, Bruka’s production is struggling to match.

Mary Bennett plays West and West wannabe Jo, an aspiring actress with baggage. Scott Beers plays Charlie, a film archivist with his own baggage, who’s closeted obsession is to inhabit the West persona and quite possibly her clothes. Through Jo and Charlie and their fixation on the Depression era star, the Mae West story emerges in a series of flashbacks. It’s the luminous invention of Mae West and the revelation of the struggling lives of Jo and Charlie that makes “Dirty Blonde” more than just another dead-star encounter of a weird kind.

Supporting actor Brett Andres provides a series of portrayals that throw more light on the blonde bombshell that West created, then kept her entombed for life in a world of her own making. Playing Mae’s long divorced husband, plus her gay hairdresser, costumer and makeup wizard (in addition to three other chaps) Andres is a chameleon actor of seemingly infinite faces and personalities. He is especially winning as the ultra-hip and ultra-gay Ed Hearn, creator of a thousand looks and quips.

While Bennett plays just two roles, Mae and Jo, Beers and Andres play the important men – drag queens, muscled boxers, a vaudeville partner, an elegant director who teaches Mae not to act, but be herself - in Mae’s life. All three are excellent.

With what should be minimal confusion, “Dirty Blonde" bleeds from one scene to the next in quick (or should be quick) succession. It’s the should-be quick successions that are dragging “Dirty Blonde” into the lurching mini doldrums directors avoid like the plague.

Music director and pianist-collaborator Bill Quinby is on stage throughout, but does not yet have the comfort level necessary to fill the gaps with the musical underscoring and transitions that fill voids. It’s an odd omission. Lewis Zaumeyer’s attractive set, “Dirty Blonde’s” marvelously theatrical poster, the suggestive clothes, the flamboyant hair, the Technicolor make up, David Simpson’s “I’m-ready-for-my-close-up” lighting, all evoke the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, but not the show’s sounds. Missing are transitions of recordings from Mae West movies, or Quinby’s ability to tie scenes together with silent-film style piano moods.

The show’s few musical numbers are still not comfortably set or precise, something that would raise the presentation to the ranks of theater that’s as professional as Bruka’s goals. La Ronda Etheridge has directed. She has elicited solid to excellent performances from her players. Bennett is especially convincing and touching as the aging Mae West. Ditto Scott Beers who is convincing throughout, but at his best when Charlie reveals his true nature in one short, poignant scene. Andres, too, is fine as he touches with sensitivity all the characters he plays.

The challenge for Etheridge’s direction as “Dirty Blonde” plays on, is to tighten the show’s pace and fill the play’s many transition gaps with reminders of an era. When that happens, Bruka’s “Dirty Blonde” may turn out to be the hit it could be.

“Dirty Blonde” can be seen at 8 p.m. February 1 (the performance reviewed), 2, 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28, 29 and March 1, and 2 p.m. February 17 (2008), at the Bruka Theatre, 99 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada. For information call 775-323-3221 or go on line at bruka.org.