How Ridiculous!

Ridiculous! The Theatrical Life and Times of Charles Ludlam is one of the most gossip-filled biographies you’re ever likely to read. Author David Kaufman prides himself on having tracked down seven of Ludlam’s lovers, who provided “remarkably candid” details of their volatile relationships with the theatrical pioneer. Over 150 interviews with members of Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company, friends, relatives, and devotees serve as further raw material for this comprehensive, offbeat, yet highly entertaining read.

The founder, company playwright, director, and lead actor of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, Charles Ludlam was a man of many talents. With a theater aesthetic that mixed bawdy humor, over-the-top characterization, and outrageous parody, Ludlam captured the attention of critics and audiences alike. He eschewed labels and didn’t want his performances to be viewed as “gay theater” or “drag shows.” In fact, his work with the Ridiculous included teaching classes in commedia del’ arte forms and penning several children’s shows.

Kaufman depicts his subject as an egomaniacal genius driven by an overwhelming need to be successful and loved. A Catholic upbringing and dysfunctional relationship with his father are given as factors that determined many of Ludlam’s neuroses. While Kaufman’s armchair psychology is sometimes dubious, there is no doubt that Ludlam’s life was full of passion and contradiction. He was fiercely competitive, a demanding director and above all, a consummate artist.

The book traces the arc of Ludlam’s life and career from his formative years to his early days and his eventual break with John Vaccaro’s Playhouse of the Ridiculous, his first mainstream success with Bluebeard, his signature role as Marguerite in Camille, and his relationship with longtime companion and theatrical protégé Everett Quinton. It concludes with his death from AIDS complications and his subsequent memorial service. Each chapter is rich with details about the genesis of Ludlam’s plays, plot summaries, critical reaction, and backstage gossip.

Ridiculous! does not simply focus on Ludlam; at times, it seems to be more a history of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company. Kaufman spends pages and pages describing how each member came to the group, when he or she had sex with Ludlam, when people had affairs outside of the group and with whom, and how all of this related to the work they were doing with the company. Believe it or not, most of the information is relevant to the subject at hand, and it’s refreshing to read a biography that deals so candidly with the ways in which sexual dynamics play out in the world of the theater. Apparently, sex with Ludlam was almost an initiation rite for new members of the company; Kaufman quotes Ethyl Eichelberger as saying “You had to sleep with Charles, or he didn’t trust you.” (There are times, of course, when Kaufman goes a bit overboard with sexual details. For example: Was it really necessary for him to tell us that Ludlam’s cat was impregnated by “a big white tomcat” that came through the open window one night?)

Numerous celebrities and other luminaries make cameo appearances throughout the book as they enter Ludlam’s sphere of influence. The dancer Rudolf Nureyev was an early fan, helping the Ridiculous gain a following during the company’s first appearance in London, which was not well received by the critics. Divine attended a party with Ridiculous cast members and it was rumored that s/he would appear in an upcoming Ridiculous project, but that never happened. During an engagement in Chicago, the company met Charles Busch, who describes an “All About Eve” moment he had backstage as he helped the cast strike the set and costumes following a performance of Camille: “Somebody tossed Camille’s ball gown to me; and as I was holding it up, I noticed Charles watching me with this odd look. I put it down very quickly.”

Ludlam influenced many lives and careers, and Ridiculous! sometimes reads like a Who’s Who of the New York arts scene in those days; in turn, the book also covers Ludlam’s own artistic influences. Stage Blood was Ludlam’s adaptation of Hamlet, while Der Ring Gott Farblonjet was a three-and-a-half-hour adaptation of Wagner’s entire Ring cycle. The playwright also drew from his life experiences and that of his company; many of the parts he wrote were for specific members of the Ridiculous such as Black-Eyed Susan, Lola Pashalinski, Bill Vehr, John Brockmeyer, Mario Montez, and many others. Certain of Ludlam’s works also depended upon the cast’s ability to improvise, and lines they contributed during rehearsals and performances often wound up in the final scripts.

The excessiveness of the book (460 pages, not including the introduction, notes, and index) is perhaps an apt tribute to Ludlam, who was not known for skimping when you could go all-out. Kaufman’s dishy tone entertains but he also provides invaluable descriptions, commentary, and historical data on one of the most original and important theater artists of the last century.