[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Bucket of Blood: The Horror Comedy Cabaret – a wickedly funny, musically thrilling adaptation of Roger Corman’s cult classic.
I had the distinct pleasure of seeing this absolutely brilliant show last weekend. It’s a developmental reading, or rather ‘singing’ of this extraordinary adaptation of Roger Corman’s cult film Bucket of Blood. A neat little row of phenomenal talent on the tiny stage of the charming Nitecap in Burbank, wonderful songs, and the riveting story of a weirdo busboy at a nightclub full of wannabe artists deep in the beatnik L.A. of the 60s, cool Daddy O.
Walter Paisley, the strange and creepy busboy with his yearning eyes all over a cute waitress co-worker, longs to impress her with his clay sculpture. But he’s terrible at it. One night, while he toils away at his clay, he hears the landlady’s cat stuck in the wall once again. Trying to free the cat, he accidentally kills it with a screwdriver. Yet, while trying to figure out how to dispose of its body, his eyes rest on his large pile of clay. The rest is history, as they say, and his first masterpiece, Dead Cat, carries him on to fame, if not fortune.
But as his art is taking off, he must continue to find more animals to kill and entomb. Dogs, snakes, they all become his victims. But just how far will he go for his art and for the girl of his dreams?
It’s a gorgeously wicked story, and this adaptation, with its incredible songs, phenomenal performers, and the best live jazz quartet I have ever heard, transforms this gem of a venue into the perfect way to spend an hour or so.
I love to see shows while they are still being created like this. It’s so incredibly helpful for the artists to feel the room as they perform. To get feedback, to see the faces of an audience as they pour everything into something new. The energy exchange is vivid and real, and the audience feels like a part of the journey. It’s just such an innovative thing to do, to include everyone.
The cast really is superb. The girls are icy and bold, the men weedy and cool and poet beatnik-y. All so brilliant and perfect for their roles. Really wonderful casting in fact! Ari Stidham, one of the producers as well and the director, narrates the story and I loved that. Some of the very best musicals have narration. Rocky Horror, Little Shop of Horrors. It means you can skip the mostly unnecessary and boring exposition and get right to the juicy bits. And the songs can fill in for motive and intent too, which these do wonderfully.
Bucket of Blood: The Horror Comedy Cabaret Is a genius idea perfectly executed, if you will pardon the pun. Love, love, loved it!!!!
So be a cool cat and swing on by the Nitecap this weekend to check out these happening kids and their far out tunes. Not sure that’s all the right era…but I tried!
Support our local talents and show them that musicals are alive and well in beautiful downtown Burbank!!
Tickets:
Where:
The Nitecap
2200 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank
When:
June 26 and 27, and July 3 and 5
Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 2pm
The Bucket of Blood Team
Book and lyrics by Dustin Waln and Nick Flyn Lehr
Directed and adapted by Ari Stidham/
New arrangements by Ethan Furman
The Cast
Alex Lewis
Andrew Metzger
Jasper Lewis
Kris Bramson
Tal Toker
Trevor Alkazian