Theater Review: Looped

 

                
                     Eileen Bowman & Alex Guzman in "Looped"

There are stars in the heavens and stars in Hollywood. In the latter category, several stand out. 

At Scripps Ranch Theatre, Director Phil Johnson gives us a play called “Looped,” about that loony star Talullah Bankhead. I don’t pretend to know anything about her, but Johnson’s Roustabouts Theater Co. gives us an evening of goofiness with Eileen Bowman as Talullah.

The play is structured around three people – Talullah and film editor Danny (played by Alex Guzman), seen onstage, and Steve (Chris Braden), an unseen voice from the control booth. Bowman wants to do whatever she wants, while Guzman the film editor needs to get his project done as quickly as possible.

Much of the first act consists of Talullah and her demands, uttering amusing lines like “I’m bisexual. Buy me something and I’ll be sexual.” But Steve also gets a call he does not like just before the act ends.

In Act Two, Talullah and Danny get closer as Danny fears he will lose his job and Talullah discloses that she once got gonorrhea from Gary Cooper. In this act, she talks of getting emphysema. 

And Danny tells about a guy he once fell in love with and the problems this caused him.

Between them, there is talk of bisexualilty, gonorrhea, emphysema and other unpleasantness.

“I don’t mind dying,” Talullah says. “I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

Danny counters “You’re Blanche du Bois.”

Talullah advises Danny to “take a trip. Take a lover. Make a choice.” 

“Looped” is a strange piece of theater, unlike anything I’ve seen. Fortunately, the fine cast and good direction make it work, though if you’re like me, you’ll get into your car with your head reeling from what you’ve just seen.

Bravi tutti.

“Looped” runs through October 20. Evening shows Oct. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m.;

 2 p.m. matinees Oct. 19 and 20.

For tickets: https://www.theroustabouts.org/loopedtix