THRILLPEDDLERS KNOW HOW TO THRILL

Lee Hartgrave reviews
April 17, 2009

THRILLPEDDLERS KNOW HOW TO THRILL

LET ME TELL YOU, THE THRILL IS IN HIGH SPEED AT THE HYPNODROME THEATER ON 10TH STREET.

This time they have whipped up a really quirky evening of four classics from the horror vaults. The absurdly enjoyable evening is about as guilty as pleasure gets, starting with “Private Room Number Six”. A very attractive and sexy woman visits a man who is robust, drinks too much and is basically a crowing boor. He is a domineering male who becomes dangerous when he drinks too much. And the woman that he intends to abuse turns the tables on him. She has other plans for his family jewels. Both in his pants and his checkbook. Creepy yes, but the exhilarating acting keeps you on the edge of your chair as the play creeps you out. It’s Cat and Mouse – and it doesn’t go where you expect it too.

The great thing about the “Thrillpeddlers” is not only the great acting -- it’s the atmosphere of the Theatre. The minute you walk in you feel like you have stumbled into some old Castle that needs repair. Then of course there is the piano that people can play during intermission. That is if they know how to work a piano that has the ancient music rolls that play themselves. You just have to sit there. Never seen one? Then that’s another reason to buy a ticket. You’ll also discover other wonderful things. Like the sections of the Theatre that are designated “Psychiatrist office, or The Architectural Office. “Each one has unique views” – says the greeter as he explains the advantages of each section.

The next play: “Tics, or Doing the Deed” is quite a show and a jazzy crowd pleaser. And, I do mean JAZZY! Men will be men and will generally sleep with anything. Well, in this upper class house – not only do the men sleep around (even with servants) but the women do as well. Yes, everyone in this house is ‘needy’. The fun of this story is that two of the men have a strange tic about their habits after having sex. One cannot speak for Ten minutes. And strangely enough another man – a Doctor gets a strange Tic in his right leg after having sex. His affliction also lasts about 10 minutes. This show is one of the funniest that I have ever seen. It’s exciting fun – with an out-of-this-world cast. It couldn’t be better even in 3D!

THE HEAD HUNTERS is really scary. Some may even close their eyes as the danger in the jungle becomes really bizarre. The lesson that you will learn from this intriguing play is that “sometimes it is better to travel alone” A man has disappeared, and his family begin to look for him. They know that he was on an excursion in the Jungle. They fear for him and begin to search. What they find – will horrify them. ‘The Head Hunters’ was written in 1958, the peak era of men’s magazines.
Let me tell you – this is intense and chilling stuff. Powered by great breakout performances.

THE DISCIPLINE is laugh out funny. Nuns are not immune to sexual drives. This play has a horny man who works at the nunnery. He has convinced the Nuns that sex will make them more spiritual. Heck, he is already saving the Mother Superior – so they might as well take a ride on the “Thing down there”. And when the handsome dude comes into to the room with a huge impression sticking out from under his pants – the nuns have no choice but to raise their habits and let him ‘save’ them. Some of the fun is done behind a screen where the lighting makes the manhood look enormous. I think everyone in the audience was turned on. Especially at the end – when by some magic, huge penises were floating in front of the audience and headed right for an open orifice. So keep your mouth shut. Scary, but exciting. I’ve never seen anything like it and haven’t laughed so much in years. They should make a movie of this and put it on “You Tube” – I predict billions of hits. Everyone was ‘Pleasured”! You know what I mean?

You must see these plays. Once you go to a Thrillpeddlers show – you will be hooked.

THE ACTING IS SUPERB AND INCREDIBLE! Here is a the cast to die for: Lanny Baugneit, TJ Buswell, Russell Blackwood, Kara Emry, Jonathan Ingbretson, Ann Vand, Erick Tyson Wertz, Gina Seghi, James Toczyl, Maria Leigh. (Most of the actors appear in all the plays and appear as different characters). And they are all absolutely extraordinary.

RATING: FOUR GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE!!!! (highest rating) –trademarked-

(((Lee Hartgrave has contributed many articles to the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Datebook section, and produced a long-running Arts Section on PBS KQED)))

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