Photos by Maatology (FIRST PIC), STRAY DOG THEATRE (CAST PHOTOS) and Playbill (Pic of Charles Busch)
YOURS TRULY holding the flier to "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom."
Directed by Stray Dog Theatre's Artistic Director Gary F Bell, "Vampire," which is currently staged at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Ave. until June 24, tells the tale of two immortal lesbian vampires, Succubus (played by Sarajane Clark) and The Girl (played by Xander Huber) who have an antagonistic relationship from their days meeting at Sodom during the Biblical days, the Golden era of Hollywood in the 1920s and 30s and during the aerobic craze in the 1985 in Las Vegas.
Told in three vignettes, each scene has its own story of how the two vampires survived throughout their periods. The first, during Sodom, the story told is how The Girl, a virgin sacrifice, becomes a vampire from The Succubus' villainous bite.
The second scene is how Succubus, who is now a diva film screen actress, La Condesa, and The Girl, who is now La Condesa's film rival, Madeleine Astarte', encounters a "bearded" Hollywood couple, King Carlisle (played by Victor Mendez) and Renee Vain (played by Greta Johnson) and is met by a gossip columnist, Oatsie Carwe (played by Rachel Bailey) who turns out to be a vampire themselves.
The last scene is how The Succubus, who is now a down on her luck chambermaid, Scrofula, who cleans a rehearsal studio in Las Vegas where Madeleine, who is now a big star, is rehearsing her successful stage show make amends and are working together in the stage show.
"Vampire" is very nonsensical, but in a good way. It is a lot of fun as the production doesn't take itself seriously as it parodies the sexuality of vampires, the camp of Old Hollywood and the commercialism of the 1980s. Although some of the jokes said by some of the cast didn't all land (e.g., the joke about Mahalia Jackson got a late laugh response) but, a highlight, is when Mendez, who is in his King Carlisle role, decried, " Drag is a perfect tradition!" The audience erupted in cheers and clapped, hence the current state of politics with LGBTQ culture.
Of the three vignettes, the Hollywood scene is the strongest of the three as it gives more dimension to each of the characters and could be lengthened into an actual play.
Additionally, if you are a fan of films such as "History of The World Part 1," "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane," and any aerobicized video star of the 1980s (or even the episode of The Golden Girls when the main characters had gone to a gym in their jazzercize outfits), you will definitely will be a fan of this production.
Also, kudos to Bell who cast some of the roles "non-binary" having male actors play the female roles and vice versa. The standouts were its two main leads Clark and Huber who were able to perform different roles throughout with its vintage costumes and gowns (designed by Colleeen Michelson) and quick costume changes and still maintain their roles.
Playwright, Charles Busch
It would be interesting if the original writer of "Vampires" playwright Charles Busch could create a fourth scene like an updated version of "Vampires," showing where and how The Succubus and The Girl would be in our current age of the electronic/social media/reality show era.
Hmm, we can only be so lucky if that occurs!
VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM BY CHARLES BUSCH
STRAY DOG THEATRE
PRESENTED AT TOWER GROVE ABBEY
2336 Tennessee Avenue
Runs until June 24
For tickets go to https://www.straydogtheatre.org/
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