Le
Petomane Theatre Ensemble presents A Concert-ed Effort
Review by Rachel White
Entire contents are copyright © 2013 Rachel White.
All rights reserved.
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| Le Petomane members in A Concert-ed Effort. Photo – Julie Dingman Evans. |
Dressed in pastel polyester jumpsuits a la 1970, on
a stage filled with multicolored instruments, Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble
delivered a night of their old oddball hits spanning the length of the group’s
career. There’s no acting here – it’s all music and charm – and none of the
outfits are commented on or relate to anything that’s going on onstage. They simply
provide a uniform and accentuate the quirky tongue-always-in-cheek
pseudo-obliviousness of the players.
With the exception of Five Things, I wasn’t very familiar with Le Petomane’s work, so I
didn’t have a context for all of the music, which may have added to the
experience. The songs did make me curious, however, to see these shows combined
with the music, as the lyrics and ideas are compelling. The audience was obviously
enthusiastic and familiar with the work and seemed to be applauding as much in
support of the group as in remembering.
It’s a fun evening, especially if you like song comedy.
But more than that, it feels like a show created just for the fans. An outsider
might not get as much out of it, but there is no doubt of the company’s skill –
comically, vocally and musically. They know exactly what they’re doing, and
they do it with a twinkle or, in the case of Gregory Maupin, with deadpan
seriousness.
The songs are drawn from many of the group’s shows
dating back many years. There is a tribute song to Ned Beatty from Derby Carol; “Magic Baby Pool” from 5 Things; as well as songs from Ka-Blam and The Lesser Tragedy of Pamman, among others. There
is a duet with a monster played with perfect sincerity by Kyle Ware, growling
in harmony with Abigail Maupin, much to the delight of the audience.
The music styles cover anything from emotional
comic ballads to rock songs. There are electric guitars, some banjos, key
boards, drums and whatever the players can make sounds with. The stage is
filled with instruments, which is visually fun and differentiates this show
from your typical concert. It was easy to see it more as a musical review.
Scott Anthony and Brian Lilienthal were most able accompanists. The group does not typically use a large band
behind them, and it was fun to see the players pick up instruments and begin to
play as needed. It gave the piece a deceptively spontaneous feel, though the
ensemble is obviously extremely tight.
A Concert-ed Effort
May 31 and June 1, 2013
Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble
The Bardstown Theatre
1801 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
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