Reviewed
by Julie Opperman
How does one describe a Martini
and Olive
routine? It's part stand-up act, part musical lampoon, and a parody of both
Christmastime and the 1970s. Like the mockumentary "A Mighty Wind,"
its appeal is based largely on the eccentricities of a particular decade in
American history. Instead of '60s folk stardom, "Hooked on a
Fruitcake" satirizes lounge life in the 1970s. But unlike Christopher
Guest's film, this show is fast-paced and laugh-out-loud funny. It hurls one
nauseating pop culture reference after another. Can you dig it?
For
thirteen years, Grant Richey (as Tony Martini) and Judy Heneghan (as Olive Heatherton) have been
the local holiday cheeze plate. Count on irreverent humor and tunes so bad
they're good. No deep thinking required here.
The
seventies make for easy laughs. Above all, there is the god-awful attire.
Loungewear from the '70s has to be the most atrocious apparel known; and
Martini and Olive's stage garb is the pinnacle of the dregs of '70s fashion.
Though
the sight gags are easy, these two lounge lizards work for the laughs - and
there are loads of 'em. Their sketches include satirical ramblings on such
mysteries as the Fu manchu, brown earth shoes, Annie Hall, steakin'. From Hummels to
Hooters, the jokes are a welcome antidote to the verisimilitude of the season.
You
needn't have lived through the seventies to enjoy "Hooked on a
Fruitcake." Martini and Olive appeal to a local audience with jokes about
MnDot and Lorie Line, and the ubiquitous crock pots and Cheez Whiz. I was especially delighted
to see my high school's mascot (a polar bear) being used for comedic effect.
And
then there's the music. These are "songs that make you ding-a-ling,"
as Olive puts it. In addition to a nod to Vince Garibaldi's music from the 1978 Charlie
Brown's
Christmas special, we get some marvelous song parodies. Remember Donna Summers'
"Love to Love you Baby?" It is transformed into irreverent holiday
fodder ("Mary, we love to love your baby."). C'mon. When baby Jesus
in a manger is juxtaposed with the sexiest of disco divas, how could it not
lead to cathartic, stress-relieving belly laughs?
This
show is not for children or the prudish. There are references to "camel
toe," reindeer porn, smoking Mary Jane; and of course, a few raunchy
Minnesota Vikings jokes are thrown in for good measure.
Hennepin
Stages (formerly Hey City Theater) is a smallish theater - perfect for this
show, since proximity is essential to the gags. Like the jokes, the stage
movement is rapid-fire. This precise stage direction is credited to Wendy
Knox (of the
very brave and quirky Frank Theater).
The
Swizzle Stick Dancers -three in all - and Martini and Olive's hip manager,
Vince (played by Peter Staloch) accompany the duo. The three middle-aged
"dancers" exemplify their motto "overmedicated and ready to
rock." The troupe's "security" team also adds to the comedy, and
serves as a warm-up act prior to show time. Stuart (played by Dan Rooney) is wonderfully convincing as
the grinch of the show.
There
is no intermission, and drinking is encouraged. They declare that "It
should be going into you or coming out of you at all times." Bar service is available in
the lobby before the show. Let me rephrase that: There is a bar in the lobby,
which suggests something rather like drink service. On this particular night, the bar and
bartender were coming up a little short. The patron in front of me ordered a
gin and tonic. The bartender said, "Okay, but we don't have lime - only
lemon." He said hold the fruit. The bartender started to prepare the drink,
stopped, and said, "Actually, we don't have tonic." Later, my martini
was neither shaken, nor stirred, and when I arrived at my seat, I realized it
had no olives, or any form of garnishment. In summary, the lobby bar is a nice
convenience, but if you're feeling picky about your libations, the best
solution is to head a few doors down to Solera for your pre-show cocktails.
My
recommendation? If you like your comedy with a dose of camp, head to
"Hooked on a Fruitcake" at Hennepin Stages before the end of the
year. If your New Year's Eve could use a cheeky send-up, consider chilling with
Martini and Olive's unique brand of holiday merriment. Perhaps the bar will be
fully stocked by then. (Or you could smuggle in your own lime wedges.)
Tickets: $24.50-$29.50. www.MartiniandOlive.com