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The Golden Truffle
Created by Artistic Director Jim Lasko
Original Music and Lyrics by John Fournier
Co-Directed and Art Directed by Frank Maugeri
Co-Directed and choreographed by Vanessa Stalling
Produced by Redmoon Theater
At Redmoon Central
1463 W. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL
Call 312-850-8440 X111, tickets $35 - $45
(All tickets include a four-course truffle tasting by Vosges Haut-Chocolat.)
Wednesdays through Sundays at 8 PM
Saturdays at 3PM & 7 PM
Seated lounge and pre-show cash bar open early
Running time is 2 hrs, 10 min with intermission
Through June 18, 2006
Redmoon’s The Golden Truffle is an adventurous spectacle that unfolds into a worthy musical
7 Musical numbers
5 Movie Stars
1 Chef with a meat cleaver
Redmoon Central, a large black box, high ceiling space is a perfect place to stage a musical, especially one with a large two-tiered set, an upper level orchestra platform complete with booth seating with tables, ala old fashion night clubs. This space is wonderful for Redmoon’s stylized staging featuring stellar lighting, imaginative gadgets, flying objects and unique contraptions including a bicycle wine opening apparatus.
Redmoon’s creative team never lets up offering many unpredictable gimmicks, funny shtick and cute asides with much audience involvement that thoroughly engages us.
The musical contains a bouncy score by John Fournier that includes pop-rock tunes, old-time vaudeville and burlesque melodies and haunting ballads with clever lyrics each depicting one of the five nominees aspiring to win the coveted “Golden Truffle Award.”
Lead by the funny Seth Bockley as the Emcee, we are introduced to the award show featuring truffle chocolate and the five entertainers all eying the award. Tom Lynch is the Comedian who wears a sound effect machine like an accordion. He is a corny old-time Borscht Belt unfunny comic trying to hold on. There is the Torch Singer, Julie Du Grandepre, whose sensual singing enchants us. Tim Heck is the vain Leading Man who nicely sings and does a worthy tap routine. Halena Kays, the ventriloquist Children’s Performer who treats us to some cute moments with her monkey puppet. She steals the show with her clever, self-written bits. Lindsey Noel Whiting, as the Child star, delivers enough childhood angst to emote empathy. The rich vocals and deft tap from Ryan Gardner’s Broom Man and the zany madness from the Chef, Rick Kubes, offered a glimpse into frantic world of burlesque.
The Golden Truffle is a funny, tuneful musical with excellent dances, terrific comic bits, loads of unpredictable spectacle that wins us with its freshness, manic energy and polished staging. This show will keep you looking about in anticipation of the next wild and exciting event. The show sings well, sounds great and delivers enough humor to satisfy. If you’ve never seen a Redmoon production, then get to Hubbard Street soon to be dazzled by this innovative troupe. And the chocolate is darn good too!
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed May 5, 2006
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