Kirsten Vangsness (Photo by J Doyel Photography)
Reviewed by Julyza Commodore
Outside in Theatre and the Los Angeles LGBT Center
Thru October 30th
Set in 1887 in High Court of Knobbs end, Lottie Platchett Took a Hatchet is set around the murders of Lottie’s father, Josiah Platchett (Ryan Garcia) and stepmother, Barfa Platchett (playwright Justin Elizabeth Sayre). Lottie (Kirsten Vangsness) is the suspect on trial for the murders. But did she really take the hatchet and kill them both?
Taking a play that’s a campy theme-and-variation on The Beatle’s song, “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” director Jessica Hanna presses the gas peddle full-throttle towards raunchy absurdism. The show’s lunacy is both the point and the centerpiece of its fun.
Poor Lottie: an almost 40-year old virgin who has the hots for her father. Her only friends in the world consist of her brother, Pansy (Tom Lenk), disowned by dad for being homosexual, and her bevy of doves. Guilty of murder or not, Lottie is quite the interesting woman. The play itself resides two steps over the edge of sanity, and doesn’t shy away from running all the way there, into the abyss, with its boundary-pushing jokes and daring comedy. Performed in this intimate space, the squeamish have no place to hide.
If you’re looking to laugh and have your mouth agape often, this is the show for you.
Outside In Theatre and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, 1125 McCadden Pl, Hollywood, Fri.- Sat., 8 pm; Sun-Mon., 7 pm. Running time is 60 minutes with no intermission. https://ci.ovationtix.com/36684/pro
