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A CurtainUp Review
Virgin Mary, Make Mine a Double By Amanda Cooper
Virgin Mary, Make Mine a Double is sub-titled A Very Lea Christmas, and indeed it is. Writer/performer DeLaria leads the audience and her back-up band (drummer Barbara Merjan, pianist Whitney Ashe and Bass player Matt Hughes) on an honest (thus twisted) journey through her holiday-infused mind. It is impossible not to laugh. Everything DeLaria does is hysterical and even she cannot help but laugh at herself at times. This is a jazzy cabaret show that has oomphn instead of plot. Sure, there are sketches in which DeLaria "saves Christmas" by singing and cheering up Santa, but the only connection between this and the "Whack a Butt Plug" song is DeLaria's train of thought. Though her thinking can become silly, dirty, ridiculous, and offensive, she is a most loveable stage presence. Her interacting with the audience confirms her stellar ability for improv. The Belt Theater is decorated for the holidays to an ironic extreme. Underscoring this irony is a large vodka bottle placed on the piano from which DeLaria often takes gigantic swigs (it's water). If you have any animosity towards the holiday spirit, or even just towards the commercial traditions of Christmas, Virgin Mary, Make Mine a Double may be just what Santa didn't order.
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Mendes at the Donmar Our Review At This Theater Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie and Video Guide Ridiculous!The Theatrical Life & Times of Charles Ludlam Somewhere For Me, a Biography of Richard Rodgers The New York Times Book of Broadway: On the Aisle for the Unforgettable Plays of the Last Century 6, 500 Comparative Phrases including 800 Shakespearean Metaphors by CurtainUp's editor. Click image to buy. Go here for details and larger image. |