Greta is tired of the corner preacher loudly condemning her in public, and she wants him stopped. She convinces Rod to take care of it. With the help of his henchman Stan, Rod kidnaps the preacher, takes him home, and locks him in ropes and chains in their humble, stinky abode. Greta's young, sexy daughter Celie, scorchingly played by Lauren A. Nelsen, takes a liking to "The Prophet", and attempts to protect him from her step-father's abuse. Rod's lust for his step daughter is palpable, but Greta keeps him in line.
Mardi Gras, in it's traditional form, was out of the question because of the storm. So Rod, his "family", and his buddies steal some rot-gut, slap up a decoration or two, toss on some beads, and have a "party". Greta gives Rod a plastic Mardi Gras Crown, and half a bottle later, things get dicey. Greta feels it's no fun trying to have a party with a bound and gagged minister sitting there, and she wants him done away with in any case. By the time the bottle is empty, Greta cajoles sexy Celie to do a strip show and lap dance for Rod; she extracts a promise from Rod to give Celie whatever she asks for, and after a molten sex-dance, Rod is forced to pay his due by disposing of the "prophet".
This dramatic play clearly parallels the biblical tale, "Salome", and carries with it all of the treachery and intrigue that the original yarn contains.
The technical aspects of this show are formidable: The wardrobe (complete with the mandatory stained wife-beater t-shirt) was perfectly executed. Lugie Smith did a great job of organizing a very complex array of props; Michael Maio's original music and sound effects put us right in the New Orleans culture, and set the scenes perfectly. Denise Devin choreographed a steamy and beautifully rendered "Salome" dance, enticingly performed by Celie (Lauren A.Nelsen).
Sweitzer and company solidly portrayed this story with energetic, focused acting performances that could play in any large venue. Sitting mere feet from the actors in Zombie Joe's intimate (to say the least) theatre is like being right on the stage with the action. There is a powerful connection between the actors and the audience that is usually only hoped-for in most theaters. At Zombie Joe's you feel like a voyeur, spying on dramatic action right there in your face, as close to the actors as the actors are to each other!
Call Zombie Joe's at 818-202-4120, or visit zombiejoes.com to get tickets to "Blood Water", which plays every Friday night in February at 11pm. A little over an hour long, it's a perfect capper on an evening in the NOHO Arts District.
BLOOD WATER
Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group
4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood
FRIDAYS at 11pm,
JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 24, 2012
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Website: www.zombiejoes.com
Contact Zombie Joe: 818-202-4120
Reservations (818) 202-4120
Tickets: $15
