Event Sun Oct 04 2009

Review -- Stripped: An Unplugged Evening With Marilyn's Dress @ Gorilla Tango Theatre

Of the dozen or so people in the audience on opening night, I am fairly certain that I was the only one not personally connected to the band through the bonds of blood, friendship or commerce. The band, starring Jeremy M. Eden as front man Talon St. Lee, Dan Eden as bassist Cyrus Long and Kevin Kirchman as Brodie the Roadie - who doubles as a guitarist, was originally conceived as a homework assignment for a high school film class in 2002. Onstage, it unfolded like a post-Thanksgiving dinner skit designed for an audience of family members, and although uneven, it had some genuinely inspired moments.

Who among us haven't thought up names for rock bands we'll never actually bring to life? Not only does Marilyn's Dress have a great band name, they also have an oeuvre of fictional albums with titles like: Receding Tan Line. For a fake band, their lyrics and playing skills aren't half bad, but their real strength is in the pre-recorded spots shown intermittently throughout the act. In a send-up of MTV Cribs, Talon St. Lee shows a film crew around his 660 square foot apartment, and Cyrus Long stars in an instructional video on how to play bass, aptly titled: Cyrus Long Teaches You How To Play Bass.

Some of the best moments of the performance came in the form of ad-libbed dialogue. During a Q&A segment midway through the show, Talon St. Lee answered the question of what his favorite song is with "O Canada," and when asked whether he was a real blond - further clarified by Cyrus Long as meaning that the "carpet matches the drapes," his answer was an off-the-cuff "I have hardwood floors."

Talon St. Lee's all-purpose British accent is a little too derivative of Spinal Tap, and although it did lead to a decent joke - once it was revealed that St. Lee's hometown is Pittsburgh he chimed in with "if Madonna can get away with it surely I can," it seemed like a long way to go for a punchline, and I couldn't help thinking that he'd be funnier without it.

Brodie the Roadie had the best stage presence of the group, his understated delivery and quiet punchlines coming off naturally despite his background role.

The performers had made their exit and were standing outside the theater by the time I left the building. "Thanks for coming," I heard one of them say as I made my way to the Blue Line, and it sounded genuine. It is a testament to the cultural life of this city that there is room in the music and theater scene for a show like this, as well as to the courage of the performers in bringing the show to the stage. We should all be so brave.

Marilyn's Dress is performing at the Gorilla Tango Theatre on Saturday nights at 10pm through October 17, tickets are $10. For information and tickets call 773-598-4549 or visit Gorilla Tango Theatre.

— J.H. Palmer / Comments (0)