New York City has a rat problem, but one area is addressing the threat this holiday season. Lower East has a fearless new cat on his side and he can take down so many vermin. Since we’re in the quirky land of pantomime rather than the six o’clock news, he’s also clever, capable of twists and somersaults.
The highly interactive and highly silly British holiday tradition known as punt is not very popular in the United States. “Dick Rivington and the Cat” It proves it can be done by respecting the codes of the genre while adding a local twist.
The show borrows the structure of the Punt Classic “Dick Whittington and his Cat” And then relocate to the neighborhood around the Abrons Arts Center where it plays. Luckily, the area has long been a haven for the downtrodden, so poor orphan Dick Rivington (Annette Burning) and his fellow cats wander in search of a place to call home. welcomes Tommy (Tyler West).They introduce themselves on a rewrite of Led Zeppelin “Immigrant Song,Led by Tommy answering Robert Plant’s opening laments with “Meeeeeeeaoooow” — per punt ceremony, “Dick Rivington” features plenty of pop, rock and rap classics with new lyrics.
Dick and Tommy make new friends, including Sarah the cook (Michael Lynch), her son Mitch (Matthew Roper), and sweetheart Liliana (Jenny Gill), and build a pack of rodents (furry). (played by an ensemble of children). costume). The Critters are led by King Rat (Bradford Scobie). King Rat (Bradford Scobie) wants to extend his control over Chompkins Square from his Park “Colliers from his Hook to his 14th Street, the farthest reaches of civilization.” (Does pizza matter too? Should I ask?) Naturally, the mayhem ensues, further boosted by an audience instructed to boo and hiss whenever the King Rat appears. (New Yorkers, even children, need little encouragement to express their displeasure out loud.)
Writer Matt Fraser and director Julie Atlas Muz punt project put out a very good ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ in 2017, but this second production, shortened last year, excels in every way. David Quinn created a brilliantly original costume within a tight budget (the cook’s costume includes donuts and eggs), and Stephen Hammel’s set was Avrons’ relatively spacious. We are making the most of this stage.
Most importantly, the action unfolds at a zippy pace and the jokes come non-stop. You’ll get a kick out of the lighthearted allusion to Selling for less than $10 won’t wake you up. ”
But what really elevates “Dick Rivington” is the acting, with a cast that perfectly understands that punts aren’t a subtle time, “What’s My Motivation?” interiority. West and Scobee in particular give the most exhilarating comical performances I’ve seen all year. Seeing Tommy chasing plastic bags, West is tireless.
As for Scobie, his King Rat is a ramshackle mixture of Alice Cooper and Adam Ant, flaunting confidence and a joy to fly around with no shame in being a villain. (Of course, his signature song is “The Phantom of the Opera.”) He’s got great endorsements from Jonathan Rodriguez and Murphy Styler as henchillat Scratchit and Ratchet. Are there too many good things? Luckily, this show doesn’t believe in inhibition.
Dick Rivington and Cat
The show runs through December 18th at the Abrons Arts Center in Manhattan. abronsartscenter.orgRunning time: 2 hours 15 minutes.
