Reviewed by Joel Beers
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group at ZJU Theatre
Through Nov. 30
RECOMMENDED
It’s a beautiful morning on the farm, particularly the sun-dappled turkey pasture. The grass is lush, the sun is shining and food is plentiful. Prayers are directed to Turkey Jesus for blessings bestowed, and the sight of wild turkeys on the horizon carries the illicit promise of more secular pursuits.
All seems right, except it isn’t. Although Momma Jerry the Preacher (Theresa Ford) seems constant in her faith and life on the pasture, her right-winged acolyte, Momma Patty (Gina Rizzo Bishop), is far more interested in the impending arrival of the libidinous wild turkeys, while Patty’s chick, Margarite (Elise Walters), dreams of taking winged flight and escaping the farm to soar in the Milky Way. Meanwhile, Momma Jerry’s chick, Ezekiah (Katherine Allee), is a malcontent whose faith is shattered by the rarely spoken of disappearance of her sister and a thousand other turkeys a year before.
Doubts and longings converge and are ameliorated when the Wild Turkeys arrive, and love blooms, specifically between the hatchling, Christine, and Eric (Luca Fiore), the ringleader of the Wild Turkeys. This ignites a passion in Christine to discover more of the wonderful farm that surrounds the turkey pasture — only to stumble upon the horrific fate of those disappeared turkeys. This plunges the turkeys into armed revolt against the unseen masters hellbent on processing their way to turkey genocide.
Along the way, there is plenty of turkey fornication, supplication, consternation and contemplation. But amid the gobbling, clucking, pecking and preening, and even though what we’re watching is so preposterous (this a musical in which live human beings are dressed as turkeys, after all), there is an undeniable heart and surprising emotion in this 50-minute spectacle.
There is also an impressive amount of feeling packed into Ian Michael’s book, lyrics and music, which incorporates everything from jazz, blues and showtunes to rap and even the occasional operatic nod. The book and lyrics are concise, wringing implausibly deep characterizations from most of the brood with/using very few words. The nine-person cast, directed by Denise Devin, up to the challenge.
Whether engaging in turkey threesomes, pondering existential questions, dreaming of winged flight or rooting themselves in spirituality or the freedom of the rootless life of the wild turkey, each of the main turkeys displays a finely drawn characters, with the actors 100 percent committed to the moment and the material.
And the less said about the two dog-cops (Julia Linger and Bennett Patera, who also double as lustful wild turkeys), the better. Performances as profane, savage, cruel and blisteringly funny as these need to be experienced, not read about.
The show, amazingly, never descends into camp or silliness. Everything, from the orgies and worship to the rebellion and turkey love, is played seriously but without compromising the absurd comedy and heartfelt songs.
And while even woke turkeys armed to their wobbly necks truly stand no chance against the forces of consumption that birthed, fed and will eventually stuff them with dressing and slaver them with gravy, there’s a profound message in this ridiculous saga: that even as the end of the world is apprehended, there is still time left to love.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood. Fri.-Sun., 8:30 pm; thru Nov. 30. http://ZombieJoes.Tix.com Running time: 50 minutes with no intermission.
