Gregory Littman, Matthew Tyler and Tina Preston (photo by V Cate and Sharon Yablon
Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre
Through Sep 24, 2023
Writer/director Sharon Yablon premieres a horror-comedy homage to their passion for Vincent Price movies: Lobelia, a twisted gothic play set in the Hollywood Hills, playing at Zombie Joe’s for two weekends only.
A neurotic young man called Evers laments his loneliness to his long-faced butler Kenneth, though the character’s credited names seem to be rarely (if ever) in use. As the two converse, more and more troubling secrets come to light. These revelations come to a head when Evers learns the truth about his mother and is forced to reckon with why it was kept hidden.
The madness lasts just shy of an hour, and the narrative moves quickly; the perpetual plot twists keep the audience guessing, sporting a casually unhinged dynamic and an almost anti-humor approach to the chaotic comedy. Though this ZJU show is light on props and is completely contained to the theater’s black box space, the enthusiastic commitment to pantomime attempts to create the sense of a mansion with winding secret passageways. The strange postures and mannerisms from all three characters add an almost experimental feel, further disjointing the sense of narrative.
Savvy Price enthusiasts may detect nods to films such as The Last Man on Earth and House of Usher, though fans and strangers alike may find themselves bewildered by the play’s increasingly deranged developments. The mystery unfolds via the conversation of numerous unreliable narrators, and though it shapes up to be a pretty standard horror narrative, the ride travels from abstracted defecation and a birthing scene to flatly delivered sexual anecdotes and a rather confusing queer subplot. The butler’s monotone is a strong foil to Evers’ dreamy ramblings, manifesting a gentle yet unattached maternal energy, but the entrance of the corrupted Lobelia creates an imbalance that ultimately feels overly nonsensical. Chaos connoisseurs may enjoy the jolts and unabashed moments of perversity; others may prefer to wait for something more grounded.
Full disclosure: This reviewer has a pre-existing friendship with ZJU’s general manager, V Cate.
ZJU Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood. Fri.- Sat., 8:30 pm, thru Sept. 24. www.ZombieJoes.com Running time: 60 minutes
