NoHo LA review

NoHo LA Review

Soap Scum

By Don Grigware

Are you a soap opera fanatic? Do you savor tales of bizarre sex, craziness and excessive greed? Would you like to participate in creating the stories and make them even darker and more insane to suit your perverted tastes? Soap Scum gives you this golden opportunity. Soap Scum: Soap Opera Comedy Improvisation plays weekly every Thursday night at the Whitmore/Lindley Theatre in NoHo.

The show is a sheer delight with a very talented cast. The scenario is Hidden Valley, California at the fictitious Rancho Hospital and Rehabilitation Clinic where the staff of doctors and nurses are as looney-tunes as the patients - "not so nice people who all have great hair."

Leading the pack is Maddy St. Michael as Dr. Mammary Lane, who had the biggest chest before Sierra Nevada-Belmondo came to town. Sierra, played spitefully by Wynne Cooper, just happens to be the ex-wife of Dr. Jake Belmondo (James Ross), the middle-aged womanizer who has to cope with repeated threats to his life.

Then there's Dr. Brick Stone (Jason Bowers) who thinks he's God's gift to womankind. Brick practices medicine without a degree and sells Amway products to patients on the side - and overcharges them.

Outstanding among all of these characters is Nurse Chastity Belt, played by Renee Graham, who just happens to have one small problem - she is addicted to killing the patients, with a special craving for newborns. Reminding one of a young Lonnie Anderson, Miss Graham is a knockout and one terrific comic actress.

Adding more mischief to the madness are Leana Benson as Bubble Girl, Dick Valentine as Dr. Jett Black (proctologist who almost made gynecologist), Richard Abraham as "Nebraska" Black, and Cal Gibson as Private Dick Fair. On occasion, Sheri Goldner guests as Maria Conchita Consuela Conchetta Chaquita Juanita Lopez. Get the picture?

The most amazing part of what happens within the scenes is that nothing is rehearsed and the audience throws out words, fruits and vegetables, movie titles, and even emotions that the actors must play. There are musical scenes and my favorite, a game called new choice. A buzzer is sounded, the leader calls "new choice" and the actor must go back and change his statement to take the scene in a completely different direction. It keeps the actors on their toes and all are up to the challenge! This is a truly fun experience whose storyline evolves from week to week! Don't miss it! And check out their website for weekly plot updates: www.wearesoapscum.com

July 19 NOHO LA