There are monsters in movies and monsters in real life.
Diversionary Theatre, ever on the lookout for something different, takes us to their little room upstairs for Christian St. Croix’s “Monsters of the American Cinema,” which began as an idea here in San Diego and is now a play, on the boards through April 2.
That little room is now a drive-in movie where the walls are plastered with posters of classics like “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” “King Kong” and Karloff’s “The Mummy.”
Here we’ll meet Remy (Kirk Brown), both the black proprietor of his late husband’s drive-in and guardian of his straight, white teenage son Pup, aka Peter Diller (Nicholas Toscano).
Here the two will forge a bond out of shared sadness, and attempt to go on with their lives by working on their shared love of monster movies.
The conversation will soon get around to Pup’s female interest, a black girl named Mia who is “just a friend.” Pup has invited her to homecoming.
“What if she wants to dance?” says Remy, and he offers to show the boy how to dance.
Gradually the monsters in their lives seem to calm down, and they settle into a workable relationship.
Bravo to Director Desireé Clarke and her artistic team: scenic designer Yi-Chien Lee, costume designer Jasz Bulan, lighting director Maxx McCartney, sound designer Eliza Vedar and props designer Alyssa Kane.
“Monsters” is funny and sad, charming and not so, and makes for 90 intermissionless minutes of something you’ve never seen before. That alone makes it worth watching.
The details
“Monsters of the American Cinema” plays through April 2, 2023 at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. #101 in University Heights.
Shows Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: (619) 220-0097 or boxoffice@diversionary.org
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