SF Follies
Move over, Beach Blanket, and make room for the new kid in town. "SF Follies," the satirical revue of our beloved Babylon by the Bedlam sprung from the brain, loin and other body parts of John Bisceglie, is San Francisco’s latest must-see phenomenon on the only-in-San-Francisco to-do list.
Not what you fear when you walk into the dowdy cubicle known as the Actors Theatre. (Is a theatre really a theatre if it has fewer toilets than my home?) Yep, the Actors Theatre is one of those cramped little funky sanctuaries that would make Anne Frank bitch about the accommodations.
But any such bitching and moaning quickly evaporate beginning with the opening razzle-dazzle number and has vanished completely by the show’s end some 90 minutes later. The program brags that 30 pounds of glitter were used in the creation of the sets--and that doesn’t begin to cover the balloons, tassels, plumes, sequins and enough lights to tan George Hamilton just a shade darker. Toss in the madcap costumes, a singing and dancing ensemble of 15 irrepressible performers and their tambourines and you begin to have an idea of the kind of energy you’ll be rubbing elbows with in this walk-in costume closet.
The Follies plot is straightforward, compact, and should appeal to anyone who ever dropped acid in history class or at least thought about doing so. Events, iconic landmarks and colorful characters from San Francisco’s past, present and future are lampooned with virtually nary a nod to political correctness, modesty or good manners. Lovingly lampooned, but lampooned nonetheless.
How politically incorrect is this ruffling of the feathers? Well consider the tale begins with a laugh at the obliteration of the Ohlone natives by the incoming Spaniards and winds up with a destitute couple from the Midwest living in the streets as a bag lady (Jujuana ShaRon Williams) croons to San Fran Mayor Gavin Newsom (post grad Stanford hunk Brett Hammon) for "Cash Not Care" to maintain her in the style (and live-in shopping cart) to which she has become accustomed. In between we are assured that the difference between that annual parade they put on in Pasadena and the one we have on Market Street is that in theirs they use roses and in ours we use pansies.
(Rim-shot!)
The Follies web site lists 283 local references it says are skewered in the show. That is only slightly overstating the case as many are barely mentioned in passing -- Willie Brown is given a virtual pass, and he’s just the sort who’d be ticked off about not being a real target -- but those who do get it really get it, with the ensemble nailing one great caricature and song parody after another. Local movie critic Jan Wahl, she of the legendary hats, is portrayed as the old amusement park scary funny Laugh Sal -- a rendition enough to dredge up repressed childhood nightmares. The ubiquitous parking meter cops are captured with a hysterical parody of Gilbert & Sullivan’s "I’m the Very Model of a Modern Major General." The assassinations of George Moscone and Harvey Milk are glossed over with only a sad mention -- and then bursting on the scene to provide hope are "Wonder Woman" Diane Feinstein, joined in a kind of Charlie’s Angels/Mod Squad fantasy with Congressional cohorts Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi.
The Sutro Tower, Golden Gate Park, the SF Ballet, other theatre companies -- all get skewered. The best song of the evening is Newsom’s explanation of his success with a glib and gleeful rendition of "Pop-u-lar" from "Wicked."
And then, just before the last hooray send-offs, the entire mood changes. A beautiful wordless piano rendition of "I left My Heart" is played with flickering black and white footage of many of the events and characters of our past. Not a word of commentary, just workers going about the serious business of raising the Golden Gate Bridge, denizens of opium dens smoking away the hours, buildings and dreams crumbling in dust in the 1906 quake.... Eloquently, wordlessly, the audience is taken to tears not of sadness but of sincere love for this mad, mad place we call home.
Well done.
Is this the new "Beach Blanket Babylon"? Well, no. There’s only one "BBB" and that’s a pretty hugh glitzy bar to grab for. But here’s hoping this production survives its hardscrabble roots and becomes a longtime staple.
Hard to believe they can cram it all into just 90 minutes and that matchbox stage. But then, you still don’t know how you’re surving with your cat and two dogs in your posh $2,000 a month 600-foot studio.
Welcome to San Francisco.
"SF Follies" plays at the Actors Theatre, 855 Bush St., Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees Sundays. Open seating tickets are $33-$40. (800) 838-3006. www.sffollies.com.
