"You don't understand
I'm in so much pain
And it hurts that I
Have to explain
That it just isn't right
To take another life.
Just because Bill
Wants a body on his wife."
From "Head: The Musical," sung by the bodiless character, Jan.
Sometimes, things are so bad they are good.
"Head: The Musical," playing at Beowulf Alley Theatre, is one of those times.
The take-off of the 1962 B film "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" is chockfull of campy characters, ridiculous situations and over-the-top songs. How can you not love it?
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The play is written and directed by Kevin Fry (who also stars, thanks to an actor who had to drop out late in the rehearsal process). Like the movie, the story is about Dr. Cortner, a mad scientist who tries to find a body for his fiancée after she is decapitated in a car accident. His plan is to transplant her head onto the right body - that would be one with just the right curves.
All in all a good plan, unless, of course, the body he wants is yours. But the heady Jan is pretty appalled at her one-time love's evilness (just because she's missing a body doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings).
The play lifts dialogue straight from the movie (truly, why not? - it could not be improved upon, campily speaking). The musical adds a lot of sex and four-letter words to the script.
The Beowulf production at last Friday's opening was a little rough, with some technical glitches such as a wayward movie screen dropping down, and music (which is canned) sometimes overpowering the singers.
And the pacing was way too slow. It didn't help that Fry decided to make it two-acts. A play like this needs to move like lightning - we don't want much time to think about what we are laughing about.
But the pacing problem should work itself out as the play goes on, and it'll be the hoot it's meant to be.
There are some deliciously excessive characters in this, such as Evan Werner as Seductra, one of the candidates for a body for Jan. Seductra is all glittery and sexy and male. And Werner is divine.
So is Jim Klingenfus as Dr. Cortner's assistant (and victim) in the mad doc's transplant experiments. Klingenfus hasn't been on stage in some time - it's clear he ought to pick it up again. He has a keen sense of the macabre, and the audience felt his delight in his character.
Kristina Sloan did the bodiless Jan proud - some impressive eye acting there - and the rest of the cast, Fry, Lucas Rodriguez, China Young, Scott O'Brien and Tashiana Holt, all had so much fun with the production that it was contagious.
Mickey Nugent could be a genius - the choreographer threw in some fancy footwork for the actors and made them look as though they had been hoofing it for years. And Sheldon Metz's set design of a blood-stained laboratory was downright clever.
"Head" needs some polishing. Once it gets it, it'll be a campy delight to which you can't wait to introduce your friends.
review
"Head: The Musical"
• Presented by: Beowulf Alley Theatre and Small Fry Productions.
• Playwright: Kevin Fry.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays through May 29.
• Where: Beowulf Alley, 11 S. Sixth Ave.
• Tickets: $23; $21 if purchased online.
• Reservations/information: www.beowulfalley.org/html/tickets.html or 882-0555.
• Running time: About 1 hour, 50 minutes with one intermission.
• Et cetera: Language and sexual situations make it appropriate only for mature audiences.
Contact reporter Kathleen Allen at kallen@azstarnet.com or 573-4128.
