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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Pornozombies
Also see Gil's review of Bye Bye Birdie
Matt Casarino's play follows Detective Karla as she investigates a strange threat to the country—zombie porn. Evil scientist Dr. Hadfield has created a serum that reanimates the dead, bringing them back to life with a heightened sex drive. Hadfield documents the zombies' activity for science and distributes the videos to the local video store where they gain a large following. Karla makes it her mission to stop Hadfield and save the country. Though we're not quite sure that the country really wants to be saved. With a humorous narrator as our guide, Casarino has crafted a fairly witty and satirical play, with some very funny lines and situations. He also mixes in several references to the cautionary tale movies of the 1940s and 1950s that served to warn society of natural threats to the country, like Reefer Madness, which warned of the evils of smoking pot. However, the play does drag just a bit with some unnecessary moments for a few of the secondary characters. Fortunately, Director Damon Dering has found a cast more than willing to let their inhibitions go and their inner zombie and/or porn star out. Laura Anne Kenney does a nice job of showing us the determination Detective Karla has in stopping Hadfield, as well as her lack of good detective skills. She easily gets across Karla's no-nonsense attitude. While her rough detective accent comes and goes, she wrings plenty of laughs from her fairly straightforward dialogue. Doug Loynd, who also designed the costumes, is having a blast as Hadfield, easily portraying the disturbing side of this mad scientist as if it's completely natural and everyone else is crazy. Aaron Blanco, who was sullen and on the edge as the racist ballplayer Shane Mungitt in Nearly Naked's last show, Take Me Out, is showing his comic chops, giving a superb take on the Narrator of the piece. He is dapper in his dark suit and tie, with superb enunciation, and relishes his lines, especially his continual warnings to the audience. In the supporting cast, I especially liked Stefan Jorgensen's Sherman, the young, nerdy man who becomes enamored with Detective Karla and ends up helping her thwart Hadfield. Jorgensen brings a sweet and charming likability to Sherman. Brock Palmer gets plenty of laughs in the few parts he plays, including the Police Department Clerk who often points out Karla's shortcomings when it comes to her detective skills. Palmer generates chuckles just from his comical facial expressions and looks. Ryan Toro has fun as the Video Store Clerk as well as a hysterical turn as a very sex crazed zombie with a wandering tongue. I'm surprised Toro's tongue didn't also receive a credit. And, I guess since there are a few references to Bette Midler, Toro also gets to sing the chorus of "Wind Beneath My Wings," which he does in humorous drunken fraternity brother fashion. Dering keeps the action moving swiftly along and has effectively staged the scenes throughout the small theatre. He lets his cast do an appropriate amount of mugging but never lets them go so far as to chew the scenery, all of which works perfectly with Casarino's script. I especially like how Dering has the narrator popping up all over the place throughout the show. And, while not all of the jokes land completely, Dering has appropriately prepared his cast in case that happens, especially Blanco, with them ready to give the audience a look of disapproval if they utter a groan instead of a laugh. Eric Beeck's set design is seemingly simple when first viewed, but it provides several surprises in how it opens up to reveal various locales. Loynd's costumes are in line with the satirical nature of the show with Sherman wearing a bow tie, sweater and thick glasses, naturally, and Loynd himself wearing an oversized doctor's smock and giant goggles. P Swartz's sound design includes the immediately recognizable and hilarious use of "boom-chicka-wow-wow" porno music. While The Pornozombies isn't exactly a great play, it is a fun, humorous satire, with numerous laugh out loud moments and a cast more than game to bring the zany characters and situations to life. While this is an "adult" show, there is only one scene with simulated sexual activity, and it's the funniest moment in the show. The narrator gives plenty of warning before it happens, just in case anyone decides they can't take it and want to leave the theatre. I strongly urge you to stay. The Pornozombies runs through May 10, 2014, with performances at Phoenix Theatre's Hardes Little Theatre at 100 E. McDowell in Phoenix. Tickets can be purchased by calling (602) 254-2151 or at nearlynakedtheatre.org. Written by Matt Casarino Cast:
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