Shadowbox After Dark
Shadowbox
Easton Town Center
Columbus, Ohio

by Rick Brown

While sitting inside Shadowbox’s performance space before the show, chatting with servers, I sensed an underlining weariness in many cast members. Perhaps they were a little short handed on this evening, although the service was certainly excellent as usual. No, I believe the karma reflected more of a “Hoopla Hangover”. After performing their holiday show almost every night for 5 or 6 weeks, then beginning another run a mere 5 days later, who could blame anyone for some fatigue. And quite frankly, I doubt a lot of audience members noticed, or ever consider the amount of effort involved. (Unfortunately this at times is also true of theater critics.)

But after covering this fine troupe of entertainers for so long I was confident that once After Dark began…the actors, musicians, and dancers of Shadowbox would be as dynamic as ever. By the middle of the opening number…J T Walker III’s soaring, scorching version of Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” I knew so. Mr. Walker not only channeled The Artist Once Again Known as …well…you know…with his swagger, but displayed a vocal prowess punctuated by a funky falsetto.

The music for Shadowbox After Dark leans heavily on 1980’s rock. House band BillWho? (one of the best outfits around), with Noelle Grandison on lead vocals, belted out Michaels Jackson’s “Beat It” brilliantly…no small feat. Stephanie Shull shone brightly on Journey’s “Lights” giving the tune more class than it might deserve. And Nikki Fagin captured the sultry, sensuality of Sade’s 80’s hit “Smooth Operator” seamlessly. An ensemble version of U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (led by the singing of Steve Guyer and choreographed by Katy Psenicka) was a nice closer for Act I. But I was most surprised, and delighted with Jennifer Hahn’s “All Around Me” by Flyleaf. I’d never heard of this tune or the band. Yet Ms. Hahn made it the standout tune of the evening, using her grace and eloquence without sacrificing her rock sensibilities.

Like 1980’s rock music, all was not great. Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film”, despite Amy Lay’s obvious talent, is as much a video as music…maybe more so. It showed. And Motley Crue’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” is way too one-dimensional for musicians the caliber of Mary Randle and BillWho? 80’s Hair Bands’ music…while some in the crowd might appreciate…does not hold up well.

Many of the new sketches in After Dark are wonderful. Shadowbox’s writing (which they lampoon hilariously in video snippets throughout the show) just keeps getting better. Opening the show is “Construction Guise”. J T Walker III plays Phillip on his first day at a construction site. His co-workers school him in the fine art of catcalling. The twist here is that these hardhats are masking their pain through sexist commentary to women strolling by. “Kama Suesstra” is a spoof of the Kama Sutra translated into the language of the late, great Dr. Suess. You might be surprised to discover just how dirty your own mind might be. Also a standout is “Love is a Battlefield” where a couple involved in an argument are coached by their seemingly subconscious “war rooms”. Jimmy Mak and Amy Lay do a fabulous job keeping the surreal premise and staging believable. This was my favorite skit of the show. The writing and presentation is impressive and fall down funny.

Of course a few sketches need some tweaking…and I’m sure that will happen. Shadowbox productions are fluid yet flexible. Favorite characters always please a crowd. But if their lines are good the actors don’t need to lean on characterization so much. Evidence of this is in the closing sketch “The Newly Unwed Game” where couples are competing for a generous breakup, except that Puck (David Whitehouse) and Misty (Amy Lay) Duck have it all backwards. Okay, thematically it’s preposterous. But with the clever writing and the physical humor of Ms. Lay and Mr. Whitehouse, it not only works, but becomes preposterously hilarious. Both these fine comic actors display an exuberance and physical dexterity that is amazing. While Whitehouse, who in many shows is the King of Pratfalls, here mocks would be rappers with awesome aplomb. Simultaneously, Ms. Lay is sashaying in a vulgar ballet of sorts. Strutting then flopping, posing, pumping and posturing in promiscuous promise…all the while teetering atop spike high heels.

Shadowbox After Dark closes with a torrid rendition of Robert Cray’s “These Things”. With Julie Klein belting out the blues, guitarist Matthew Hahn heated the house with his incendiary guitar solos. A “hand the pick to an audience member and have them strum the strings while Mr. Hahn played out a lick” was included mid song. This kind of schlock makes any respectable guitar player cringe. But I understand the value of making a crowd feel a part of things. And with the strength, quality and range of Ms. Klein’s vocals interplaying with the superbly soulful cries emanating from the guitar in Mr. Hahn’s capable hands…all was quickly forgiven.

Shadowbox After Dark runs at Easton Town Center until March 6th. For more information please go to www.shadowboxcabaret.com