You don’t need to be a die-hard fan of the ’80s to have a side-splitting evening with THE GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE, at the Performing Arts Center downtown. It’s fun for all ages and genders – over 18. It’s a very raunchy spinoff of its namesake sitcom that ran seven years with 180 episodes.
THE GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE brings the ladies to the current century, with Blanche (Vince Kelley) and Rose (Adam Graber) being the owners of a very successful seniors dating app (“CreekN”), Sophia (Christopher Kamm) under house-arrest pending trial as a drug dealer, and Dorothy (Ryan Bernier) still single and not sure what will happen next. If you’re not up-to-date on sexual innuendos or acronyms, you will miss out on numerous one-liners in the show, although there are plenty of other one-liners and slapstick physical comedy to make your sides hurt.
If you’re wondering about the names, yes, this show is cast cross-gender (men play women or women play men). As a fan of the original show, I wasn’t sure if the cross-casting would detract from the tribute and was happy to find that these gentlemen did their homework on these roles.
The writing by Robert Leleux is fast-paced, witty, and not only pays homage to the series, but to the actresses who originated the roles and their careers. It breaks the fourth wall (includes the audience in the conversation) regularly, and heaven forbid your cell phone goes off during the show! Director Eric Swanson has taken full advantage of this over-the-top script for comedic opportunities.
The show opens with Dorothy and Sophia arguing as usual. Bernier and Kamm probably look most like their counterparts out of the cast, and the definitely have the mannerisms. Like the series, Bernier is the straightest of the roles and on the receiving end of most quips and the comedy going on around the house. He gets his moments, and he definitely plays it up when he does. Kamm shuffles like an old lady, and his makeup is very well done to age him.
Then Kelley (in 3″ stillettos) and Graber enter, and from then on, Kelley is a scene-stealer. Even though he looks least like his counterpart in physical build, if I closed my eyes, I would swear it was Rue McClanahan onstage. Eyes open, and he had all of her sultry moves and mannerisms. Graber does a fabulous job with the Saint Olaf inflections and language. Not to mention that he’s pretty hilarious when he accidentally gets stoned eating one of Sophia’s cheesecakes meant for the seniors at Shady Pines.
There is a fifth cast member, Jason Bowen, who plays three male roles. The first is as Stan, Dorothy’s ex-husband who just never seems to go away. The second is as Burt, Dorothy’s young paramour who she met on CreekN! Lastly, he is a mirror version of Rose in her stoned state, entering and leaving through the refrigerator. He fluidly interacts with the comedy onstage, as any cameo role would in the TV series.
If you like parodies that are full of inuendo and laughs, you will enjoy THE GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE.
THE GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE is at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts October 1st-6th. Ticket prices vary based on show and seating. For tickets, go to fscjartistseries.org or call (904) 632-5000.
by Cessy Newmon
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