We Give It
9
10outta
Scissorhands – A Tribute Reprised, with Good Reason
Over by Los Feliz, Rockwell Table and Stage is one of those venues that’s often on my list to see if there’s anything going on. The menu’s decent, sure, but the venue downstairs often hosts acts of all kinds that are worth keeping an eye on: drag shows, burlesque, Jeff Goldblum’s jazz band and the occasional musical parody of popular films.
Weren’t You Just Here?
Currently they’re hosting a limited encore run of 2018’s popular adaptation of Edward Scissorhands by The Fuse Project, and it’s worth checking out. Director/writer/executive producer Bradley Bredeweg has reassembled the team and crafted a delightful retelling of the seminal Tim Burton classic, fueled by clever arrangements of pop hits and some bloody good performances from the cast. You can find our review of last year’s rendition here, or read on for my own. Or both. Either way, the upshot’s going to be that this is a show worth taking a date or out-of-town visitor(s) to for a fun holiday surprise.
One of an ever-growing number of well-regarded musicals at the venue, Scissorhands more or less follows the plot of the 1990 film. Rather than being a blow-by-blow recreation, however, it keeps some of the more iconic scenes while filling in the gaps with musical numbers that keep things moving and let the performers strut their stuff. The result is a full-length production that should satisfy regardless of whether you’ve even seen the movie it’s based on. Though, it certainly does help.
Edward, Dear. I Think He Prefers Edward
Let’s start with the cast. It’s always great when you can’t spot a weak link in a performance, particularly an indie one, but Dionne Gipson (playing the Inventor) truly stands out as a strong point with her stellar vocals. Her first solo number, an arrangement of “Dream On,” makes it clear to the audience that they’re in for a treat. Meanwhile, Jordan Kai Burnett’s portrayal of Scissorhands (aka Edward) himself is spot-on, replicating the perplexed mannerisms of Johnny Depp’s original performance as faithfully as his costume while lending a well-trained voice to Edward’s singing numbers. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t also give mention to Ryan O’Connor’s hilarious turn in drag as snarky Helen, whose performance is likely a fan favorite.
The truth is, though, that I could just keep going. Each cast member gets their own moment in the spotlight and all manage to stick the landing. Sometimes these moments come in fairly straight-faced numbers that follow the original story. Others, such as Daisy Egan’s (playing Esmeralda) wild, show-stopping, and gloriously gay delivery of “Like a Prayer” add in some additional humor and commentary for the show.
Hey! Now You’ve Done It.
Gregory Nabours also deserves a shout-out as Scissorhands’ musical director and arranger. The song list spans decades, going as far back as Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” (1973) and as recent as Bad Wolves’ 2018 cover of “Zombie” by the Cranberries. Twists here and there to the lyrics and style make sure the songs fit in with the overall narrative and stand out as one of the show’s best qualities.
The choreography developed by SaraAnn Fahey also helps. Rockwell is not always an easy space to perform in; the small stage in the exact center of the room requires the shifting of focus through different facings (and often has performers leaving the stage entirely) to make sure nobody in the audience feels ignored. Fahey and Bredeweg do an admirable job of working around this, and while you won’t necessarily have a good view of all the action, you’ll get most of it to one degree or another. I did find a couple scenes were almost completely obscured from where I was sitting, but it never meant more than a couple minutes of moving to get a better look.
Can I Bring Him to Show and Tell?
There are a few other nice touches throughout, like the butter-smooth crooning of David Terry during the pre-show, or the themed cocktails available specifically for Scisshorhands audiences. But like other shows from Fuse Project, the play really is the thing. With shows running through January 5th on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 12:30pm, time is running out to catch the reprise of one of 2018’s indie theater highlights.
Tickets range in price from $25-$45 per person, and are available on the Rockwell Table and Stage website here or through the show’s Facebook page. Note that the venue has a two-item-minimum policy for shows, so be prepared to grab a bite and/or drinks while you’re there. You can also follow Scissorhands on its dedicated Instagram account here.
