After last fall’s dramatic and doleful production of Bent, set against the Holocaust, Theatre New West artistic director Joe Watts wanted to go in a different direction. Yes, his new comedy Women Behind Bars does prominently feature a rape, a lobotomy and capital punishment by electrocution. But despite the weighty material, Watts insists that “there’s not one serious second in the entire show.” By way of explanation, he sets up the rape scene. “You have seven women in a circle and the new girl on the block on a bench, and they get the broom, and blah blah blah, you know what happens.”
Yeah. So anyway, Women is a spoof on the women’s prison exploitation movies of the 1950s. The tongue-in-cheek humor is highlighted by the fact that the cast of ten women characters is played by five women and five drag queens, one being the “matron” who indoctrinates all the girls sexually. The after-hours joint Club Resurrection, says Watts, is the perfect venue for the show. “I don’t know if I should use the word sleazy — I don’t want the owner to get upset with me,” says Watts. “But that’s kind of what it is.” Then he adds reassuringly, “I promise you’ll laugh your ass off.” How comforting. A special performance benefiting the Gay and Lesbian Community Center will be held on February 8 at 8 p.m. Rich’s, 2401 San Jacinto. All other performances held at Club Resurrection.
Wed., Feb. 8, 8 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 19, 3 p.m.; Sun., March 5, 3 p.m. Starts: Feb. 8. Continues through March 11
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2006.