[ssba]

The Mermaid Wars

Reviewed by Pauline Adamek

Skypilot Theatre at Studio Stage

Through June 28

In Adam Hahn’s new play, making its world premier at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival, the world is in crisis. Mermaids have risen from the sea and plunged humankind into a seemingly interminable war. As the scientists and military spend decades searching for an effective defense to their mysterious powers, each U.S. president slowly goes insane.

Regrettably, SkyPilot’s production squanders an intriguing premise and the commitment of a large cast with a muddled storyline, weak and unfunny dialogue and poor direction. Nicholas Leland has evidently instructed his cast to play their roles “big,” aiming for broad humor, but what we get is a spectrum of hammy overacting. Nevertheless, Anthony Backman is good as the increasingly unhinged Vice President, and Kerr Lordygan is amusing as an ornately gesticulating and poetic scientist.

Hahn’s dialogue desperately strives for laughs, but scenes such as those where female rivals call each other “whore” and “jizz bag” just come across as misogynistic, whereas the rest of the story does not. The scaffolding that comprises the set (designed by Leland) is too tall, cramming the actors’ heads into the rafters and making for laborious scene changes.

The menacing presence of the exotic mermaids is a good device, with numerous scantily clad creatures writhing and impressively pole dancing on the scaffolding, smirking and glowering in the shadows. Hailey and William Straube designed the mermaid costumes, while all the other actors look as if they raided their own wardrobes.

The play’s saving grace is Jennifer Hogan as Caroline, a character who opens Act 2 with a quiet and engrossing monologue.

Skypilot Theatre at the Studio Stage, 520 N. Western Ave., Hlywd.;

https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/2173