Granted, George Reinblatt's merciless send-up of this Hollywood horror isn't wedded to a musical score of equal distinction. And yes, the late-night cult cachet that Evil Dead aspires to is frankly ripped off from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. But outfitted with its undeniably original Splatter Zone, ED is s-o-o-o-o much fun, a happening with its own twisted identity.
Hinton Battle and Christopher Bond have co-directed and choreographed with absolutely inspired crassness, grossness, cheesiness and bloody excess. The design team is altogether on the same page, from the elaborately rigged set to the alien makeup to the chainsaw carnage.
All this wedded to a loutish bestiality that even death doesn't extinguish. I believe it's Scott who solemnly observes, after his slutty girlfriend's untimely demise, "I've got some Shelley on my shoe!"
Another favorite moment occurred toward the end of intermission, when a theater attendant tossed out ponchos to patrons seated in the Splatter Zone. Like feeding time at the zoo.
Opened:
November 1, 2006
Ended:
February 17, 2007
Country:
USA
State:
New York
City:
New York
Theater Type:
off-Broadway
Theater:
New World Stages
Theater Address:
340 West 50th Street
Phone:
(212) 239-6200
Genre:
Musical
Director:
Hinton Battle & Christopher Bond
Review:
Critic:
Perry Tannenbaum
Date Reviewed:
February 2007
