First off, I took some notes during the play but now realize that I can use none of them. Naughty! is not obscene, but it's full of foul language. It's not inappropriate, but if you are easily offended, you'll be easily offended by Naughty! That said, it's a fine musical theater work of mad genius by composer/lyricist Leo Schwartz and bookwriter Jeremy Kareken. The direction by Shifra Werch is artful and subtle.
Naughty! is a musical set at the funeral of Emmet Taylor Farkas with chairs for four mourners and a coffin center stage. Farkas' will is read at the start of the service. He has left all of his fortune of $4 million to his assistant, Frank, played masterfully by Kevin M. Grubb, provided that Frank mounts a production of a I, Farkas a compilation of Farkas' musicals. Farkas was an attorney who unsuccessfully wrote musical theater. His last wish is to have his plays produced.
Frank hires some actors, himself, Micheal (Alcolu Lyman), Patti (Samantha Siroky), and Lisa (Ann McGregor) and sets out to produce the musical. It consists of a historical remberance of Farkas' life through 7 failed musicals with 42 different roles that include Sex Ed for the Home Schooled, Lassie Gets Euthanized, A Tourette Syndrome version of Peter Rabbit, Don't Read the Waffle Iron Helen Keller and others. They are mostly very funny and all uniquely clever. There are so many scenes and characters that you'll need to see it twice to remember them all. Each real life actor plays many parts, Siroky is very charming as Helen Keller, a pregnant teen, and many others. Lyman does a fantastic gay Beaver Cleaver with expression and stuff. McGregor plays a spot on washed up grande dame of the NY theater scene with style and grace hired for I, Farkus. She is Helen Keller's over-doting mom, a bunny, a jive talking, afro wearing woman, Beaver Cleaver's therapist and many other roles with enthusiastic accents and dialects for each.
I have yet to mention the singing and music, it's really good. Actors that sing well are much more common than musicians that can! (I see a lot of bands.) All of the actors in this show can sing very well and even better together. Siroky and McGregor have a great duet as Helen Keller and her mother. The actors are accompanied by Mark Nelson on piano, Tim Ipsen on double bass and Leo Pena's drumming.
This play within a play works and it's full of very smart humor. Perhaps the largest laugh of the night was Lyman's character taking center stage as the actor Michael. He is having some life changing revelations only to be very subtely upstaged by Grubb as Frank continually interupting and taking over his moment in the spotlight. This is a great musical comedy, you can't go wrong seeing it!
Naughty! runs thru April 23rd on Fridays and Saturdays at National Pastime Theater, 4139 North Broadway Ave.
Chicago, IL.
Phone: 773-327-7077 | 733-327-7422
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