The Return of Vaudeville

The Return of Vaudeville presented by Dreamcatchers Theatreworks at the Producers Club May 28th was one of the most exhilarating, fun, and unique experiences I have had at the theatre in some time. Between the talented performers on the stage and the ice cold bottle of Yueng-Ling in my hand only $4! it was a night of twisted and utterly bizarre performance that left me grinning and talking about it to anyone who?d listen all Memorial Day weekend. Starting off the evening our M.C., the delightfully ostentatious Nelson Lugo, warmed the audience up by performing an act called ?The Human Blockhead?. It consisted of a 6 inch spike, a hammer, and the man?s nose. The act itself forced more than a few bodies to squirm in their seats while simultaneously laughing hysterically at the strangeness of it all. The fact that Mr. Lugo performed this feat it was no trick with such showmanship and glee set the tone for the next 90min of amazingly entertaining spectacle. ?The Amazing Amy? performed an act called ?Jedi Yoga: Stretching from a Galaxy Far, Far Away?. Not only was this an incredible act that would be right at home with any "Cirque Du Soleil" show, but it was inspiring. ?The Amazing Amy? truly lives up to her moniker. Over 55 years old and in as good or better physical shape as anyone I have seen, this woman is a testament of what one can achieve with the human body, and the best argument on the practice of Yoga I have ever seen or heard. Plus the entire routine was choreographed to the score of ?Star Wars?, making Jedi Yoga a memorable piece indeed. Much could be said of every act. The singers had the audience enthralled, clapping along with the music. The sideshow of ?Honor Amongst Thieves? had us stupefied with each member of the troupe presenting his or her own peculiar talent. A man escaping from a Straight Jacket the way Harry Houdini used to. A woman walking, barefoot, up a ladder made out of razor sharp swords, and another man juggling two pins and an actual Machete that he used to shave himself with while Juggling. All this and I haven?t even mentioned the ?Bed of Nails?. It was a great night filled with things that I imagine no one in attendance had seen before. The combination of so many different acts together on one stage was truly a Return to the Vaudeville of old. It felt like lightning in a bottle. It was cool.