January 16th, 2020

Oh My  Gosh!

Have you seen this?  It should be required viewing for all women - at least women of a certain age.  Hilarious doesn't even begin to describe it!

I admit that I had my doubts. Taking something medical that, while it is perfectly normal, is also frankly rather ugly and unpleasant (to put it mildly) and making it into a musical?  A musical comedy?  I just couldn't picture it.  But I went. And holy cats, I laughed. I laughed a lot!

The entire audience did.  In fact, they didn't just laugh, they roared with laughter. 

I've always heard that laughter is the best medicine.  And this was the best sort of medicine.  Instead of whining and complaining,  the  hot flashes, the sleeplessness, the brain fog and irritability were hysterically funny.  And everyone in the audience (95% women of that certain age) understood it in a very personal way.  We identified.  And then we laughed even more.

I have always admired performers.  Those people who are willing to stand on a stage, in a spotlight, in front of a large group of people and risk looking foolish.  What  if the line that's supposed to be funny doens't get a laugh?  What if, when the music stills and you throw your head back to reach for that high note and project your entire heart and soul into it, what comes out isn't the note you were hoping for?  What if you forget your lines, your cue, your mark?

Actors, comedians, musicians, singers, they are all such risk takers.  You never know how your audience will respond but they are still brave enough to get out there.  I admire that.  Perhaps it's because I am not a risk taker myself, but regardless of the reason, I have always thought that performers were courageous souls.  And these four ladies put it all out there and every note, every word, every swing of the hips and silly face that they pulled was a bullseye.    Direct Hit.

It was a single set show that was augmented by frequent prop changes.  Just one set design but wowiewow what a great design.  The sets at Venice Theatre always knock me out and this one did not disappoint either.  

And then there was the music.  We all already knew the music.   It was the words that were changed to suit the storyline.  Here are a few of the musical numbers just by way of example:

• "My Thighs" - (to the tune of: My Guy)
• "Don't say nothin' Bad about my body" - (to the tune of: Don't say nothin' bad about my baby)
• "Sign of the Times" - 
• "Stayin' Awake/Night Sweatin'" - (to the tune of: which of course we know as Stayin' Alive)
• "My Husband Sleeps Tonight" - (to the tune of; The Lion Sleeps Tonight)
• "The Great Pretender" - 
• "Sane and Normal Girls/Thank You Doctor" - (to the tune of: Thank you Rhonda)
• "Lookin' for Food" -(to the tune of: Lookin' for Love)
• "Hot Flash" - (to the tune of: Heat Wave)

The choreography for the musical numbers by the way, was brilliant and these ladies pulled it off perfectly!

The audience actually got a little rauccous now and again.  They did identified with the music, the story, the characters, and occasionally someone would yell something from the audience a la Rocky Horror Picture Show.  That part I didn't appreciate, but I guess it's also an indicator of how dang good the play was!

I will say this, while the vast majority of the audience was women, the few men that were sprinkled through, laughed right along with the rest of us.  Now that I think about it, I guess they've been through the Menopause wars too, just once removed.  Still Counts!

Don't just take my word for it.  There was a write-up in today's paper that completely agreed with me.  There was a whole lot of talent on that stage last night and if you have  not yet seen this play, if you aren't lucky enough to live near us here in Venice...run, don't walk, to your nearest performing arts center and BEG them, if you have to, to put this play on.

This one is definitely a Don't Miss.