The Color Collective
Reviewed by Dana Martin
The Complex Hollywood (Hollywood Fringe Festival)
Through June 23rd
The world seems a little bit brighter at The Complex Hollywood. The Color Collective is a vibrant, scrappy, rough-around-the-edges variety hour of comedy. Comprised of a diverse group of energetic, lively young performers, the show is fresh and clever, featuring strong voices and plenty of room for laughs.
Reminiscent of the 90’s T.V. show In Living Color, The Color Collective is a blend of sketch comedy, stand-up, music and dance derived from a spectrum of experience. The show clips along nicely — nothing too long or drawn out. All of the evening’s bold and cheeky sketches are written by members of the company. The performers bring palpable excitement and infectious energy into the room; you can’t help but have a good time.
Some of the evening’s highlights include a hilarious, irreverent burlesque act performed by Bonnie He. A sketch entitled “Real Men” finds a group of bros catcalling women with respectful comments, only to high-five each other obnoxiously, with hulking and grunting. The catcalled women are still not amused. Comic Christine Little’s too-short 5-minute set is funny and authentic. Kim Tillman, literally a star in the making, plays the guitar and sings like an angel.
Royce Shockley hosts the evening with warmth and humor, though his transitions feel abrupt; he sets the tone for the evening and can certainly use more stage time. The show needs a bit more technical coordination as its pace and structure heavily depend on crisp blackouts and several projections throughout.
The Color Collective is a vibrant, lively evening of theatre. The stories told are funny, fresh and necessary. Go, have some laughs, and support these talented young artists. They’ll even hand you a drink when you get there. Win, win.
The Complex Hollywood (OMR Theatre), 6468 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Performance times vary; through June 23rd. https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/5183. 60 minutes with no intermission.
