Land of the Dolls

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Land of the Dolls at the Bug Theatre marks the end of an era. Land of the Dolls is the last theatrical production for Paper Cat Productions. From here on in, it will focus as an Independent Film Company.

A parody of ’60s razzamatazz Hollywood expose, Valley of the Dolls by Jaqueline Susann, Land Of The Dolls written and directed by Paper Cats executive producer Kristine Hipps sports a highly talented cast. Letting their hair down in more ways than one to cavort and romp on stage, throwing inhibitions, if they had any to begin with, to the four winds. All 12-cast members appear to be having the time of their lives exaggerating their technical theatrical skills, with freedom and silliness.Paper Cat has several really good productions under their belt, and it seems a shame they turn out their lights on live theatre with a raucous out of date production of this manner. Parodies on Valley of the Dolls began with theatres that wanted to establish a cutting edge reputation even before the book was published. From Saturday Night Live to every would be comedy club, to struggling theatre companies, the issue of steamy booze, broads, pills, and sex has been beaten death ever since. Having fun at the expense of Hollywood goes back even further when Hollywood was still rocking in the cradle.

With a cast that includes Andy Anderson, Amber Bogdeweicz, Dave Brandl, Michelle Hanks, Sara Hardesty, Hipps, Janine Kehlenbach, Robert Kramer, Phil Newsom, David C. Riley, Susan Scott, and Kenny Storms, it seems Paper Cat could have made its final bow with a huge paper Meow rather than raucous kitty litter. Don’t get me wrong; there is absolutely nothing wrong with pointing the finger at Booze, Broads, Sex, and Drugs, laughing up the sleeves, frolicking amongst the sleaze, creating clownships of hysteria all in the name of having a good time. Once a horse has been beaten to death, there isn’t much more one can expect.

The addition of cinematography with the expertise of Riley, definitely adds to the lampooned tongue-in-cheek production. Hipps, Bodae Black and Tiffany Smythe designed a set that screams its trump card with large brazen posters, boxes and platforms allowing the production to move smoothly through its paces in a variety of places the play consummates its action.

Many of the actors play several roles, showcasing their talent especially Kramer, Riley and Scott.

The predictable plot follows Lana (Hardesty) to Hollywood, finding a job at a talent agency, sent to the wolves by smug Bellview, (Brandl) to get a contract signed by uptight, demanding egotistical, Stella (Hipps) who demoralizes any audition that even smells better than her. Lana is swept off her feet by woman marauder Tiger Bedfellow (Newsom), Belleview’s partner. Even though Stevie (Kehlenbach) has been thrown out of the auditions on her ear by Stella, Lana and Tiger take her under their wing to transform her into a star. And, oh, the pressures of becoming a star lead to “climbing that very high mountain to the Baby Dolls,” depending upon them for life itself.

And so it goes, each one tormented and coaxed up the mountain to lust after those wonderful pink pills that make everything seem rosy, at the expense of egos, greed, and fame, which everyone thinks they want, until the get it, then they want it go away.

Brandl makes a brief appearance as Jack Benny, a small token role that could have been blown up. Except for his one reference to Rochester, one never would have known who he was.

The few moments given to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis by Kramer and Storms had the potential of being highlights, but they missed, succumbing to the obvious goofball stab at cheap humor.

Land of the Dolls is a could-have-been. It certainly carries the talent to have been something memorable. Instead it goes for the obvious cheap jokes, and vaudevillian stage romps, giving excuses for over acting cartoon characters. If you are young enough to have missed all the hoopla over Valley of the Dolls, if traipsing through the desert of booze, drugs, and sex is new to your psyche, if laughing for the sake of laughing without sound reason is what you’re about, then by all means you will get a kick out of Land of the Dolls. If you want to bid Paper Cat adieu as a theatrical company, this is your last chance. It is a truth their expertise will be missed on the boards.