Shakespeare, Aerosmith a clever mix

Dink O’Neal

With dependably high levels of comic shenanigans and unparalleled

skill at skewering legendary rock bands, the Troubadour Theater

Company unleashes “The Comedy of Aerosmith,” at the Falcon Theatre in

Burbank.

Calling upon his tried-and-true formula, director Matt Walker,

surely one of the Southland’s premiere comedic actors as well,

hilariously fractures Shakespeare’s tale of mistaken identities, “The

Comedy of Errors.”

Anchored by actors Larry Poindexter and Travis Clark as twin

masters, as well as Beth Kennedy and Guilford Adams as their

respective twin servants, this production sails through some of

Aerosmith’s best known hits.

Walker, playing the Duke of the San Fernando Valley, kicks things

off with an exposition-laden parody of “Home Sweet Home,” which fills

us in on the birth and tragic separation of our two sets of lead

characters.

Poindexter displays a nice set of vocal pipes with a rock star

rendition of “Crying.” Both he and Clark sport black vinyl pants that

had the female audience members swooning. Meanwhile, Adams and

Kennedy, playing a combined IQ of about 45, energetically race around

the stage providing gymnastic pratfalls and improvisational take-offs

from the script.

Supporting players are in top-notch form. Joseph Leo Bwarie as

Aegeon, father to Poindexter and Clark, is remarkable in voice and

character. So too are Audrey Siegel as a dominatrix-like Courtesan

and Lorin Shapiro as the Abbess, a cross between Dr. Laura and Joan

Rivers.

Eric Anderson ably fills the role of Dr. Pinch, a frenetically

spastic soothsayer, while launching his rendition of “Living On The

Edge.”

The Rag Dolls, a collection of female ensemble members, clad in oh

so very little, round out the proceedings with bawdy demonstrations

of choreography credited to Lorin Shapiro. Musical director Eric

Heinly and his stage-right band provide their usually excellent back

up to the troupe’s offerings.

I probably should reiterate that this is definitely an evening of

entertainment for mature audiences.

So, reserve your tickets, book a sitter for the kids, grab a bite

at Bob’s Big Boy, which according to one of the characters is

“Yummy,” and enjoy a raucous evening of debauched fun.