Phantom Menace: KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park: Live!
Reviewed by David Noble Dandridge
Script Adaptation by Jim Ousley
Presented by Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre
Science Fiction had a huge resurgence in the late 1970s thanks to a little movie called “Star Wars.” The TV movie “KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park,” inspired by the KISS Marvel comic book that re-cast the rockers as part-time super heroes, was supposed to be KISS’ answer to “Star Wars.” The band, however, hated the movie for its cheesy special effects, bad dialogue and hackneyed plot about a mad scientist. However, the film has developed a cult following among KISS fans and bad movie connoisseurs alike. A no lesser authority than Gene Simmons has called the film KISS’ own “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”
That makes it perfect fodder for Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre, who’ve done their share of Ed Wood adaptations. Magic Smoking Monkey is theater for people who enjoy yelling back at the screen during bad movies. But instead of making fun of a movie from the outside, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” style, they make fun of the movie from the inside by subtly or not so subtly exaggerating what was already ridiculous about the film’s text and execution.
Aaron Orion Baker (who like much of the cast may be familiar to Riverfront Times readers from a recent cover story on pick-up artists) plays Devereaux, the mad inventor who, for reasons I’m still foggy on, wants to stop KISS from playing a concert at the amusement park where he designs the animatronic attractions. Ultimately he unleashes a series of KISS look-alike androids to wreak havoc on the park. KISS, endowed with super powers consistent with their face make-up, must defeat Devereaux’s army of robots so that rock & roll can prevail. No, seriously, I’m so not making this up.
Baker’s scenery chewing and over acting is hilarious. He brings such joy and pathos to Devereaux that you almost root for him to win. Chris “Mr.” Jones, a veteran of the Non Prophet Theatre Company’s long running sketch show, “The Militant Propaganda Bingo Machine,” has a whale of a time mimicking Gene Simmons’ theatrical growl. Collin Preciado does some scene stealing as Ace Freely. Jim Ousley’s decision to play Paul “Star Child” Stanley as effeminate seemed like a weird choice (my sister, a KISS fan from way back, was upset by this) but he gets points for accurately capturing Paul’s stage moves during the music numbers. Ben Ritchie isn’t given much to do as Peter Criss, and perhaps appropriately for a drummer, kind of disappears. According to legend, all of Criss’ dialogue in the movie was dubbed by another actor, a comic opportunity that Magic Smoking Monkey doesn’t take advantage of.
One behind-the-scenes story from the movie’s troubled production that does not escape so easily is the fact the Ace Frehley was so often absent from the set that in some scenes he’s played by his stunt man. This is very effectively parodied toward the play’s end. Perhaps the best part of the show is the Guitar Hereoesque energy the actors create while lip syncing KISS songs, which is unbridled, dumb fun.
The play opens with two 70s commercial spoofs and a short parody of “The Star Wars Holiday Special,” the latter of which is notable for actress Julie Layton’s drug addled take on Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia.
One note: Those of you suffering under skyrocketing gas prices, trying to get the most out of your entertainment dollar may feel that the $15.00 ticket price is a little stiff for a show that, even with three opening sketches, runs well under an hour. I attended the 10:30pm performance and even after chatting up director Donna Northcott and a couple cast members after the show was back in my car by 11:35.
“KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park: Live!” continues through May 3rd at the Regional Arts Commission Theatre, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and 10:30 pm. For information, call 314-361-5664 or visit www.stlshakespeare.org.
David Noble Dandridge can be reached at: radiclwraith-theatre@yahoo.com
