The Twinight Zone is back! Fake Bacon Productions is nearing the end of the run of their Twilight Zone parody sequel, and this weekend if your final chance to see it.
The show is divided up into four sketches, which seemed to get progressively more funny. There’s a stripper suffering from a mental breakdown, a vegas vacation, a suburban alien invasion and a creepy doll come to life. The comedy ranges from sly winks and nods to the original Twilight Zone material to self-referential cornball humor, with a handful of great contextual jokes where modern day items make appearances in the 60s-era set pieces.
Stand out performers include Jim Azelvandre and Amy Talbott as the husband and wife duo who fall victim to their gambling demons, as well as Damian Synadinos who nails a variety of humorous accents including the fast-talking casino operator and the corn-fed alien. Jason Sudy also reprises his role as narrator Rod, who delivers some impressive rapid fire monologues through a haze of chain-smoked cigarettes.
Theatre goers unfamiliar with MadLab may be surprised at the barebones DIY-feel of the venue, but with the comedic subject material it hardly detracts from the experience. The majority of the sketches feature appropriate costume changes that help to define the characters in play, but I would have loved to see “Babbling Brooke” decked out in a full-blown dolly costume with mannequin-esque makeup and a blonde wig that would have really taken Brooke Cartus’ great performance to a sinister level.
If you’re a fan of The Twilight Zone, then you should definitely see this show. If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi parody, then you should definitely see this show. If you want to support local theatre, you should definitely see this show.
The Twinight Zone II: The Further Dimension runs their final shows on January 13th and 14th at 8pm at MadLab Theatre, located at 227 North Third Street. Admission is $12.00. Ticket reservations and other information can be found online at www.madlab.net.
