BWW Reviews: Schmeater's THE SECRETARIES Brings Twisted Macabre Fun

Take the murderous rampage of "Heathers", the violent cultish attitudes of "Caged Heat" and the hair and clothes of "Working Girl" and you'd have the dark twisted romp of "The Secretaries", currently playing at Theater Schmeater. This macabre cautionary tale goes all out and over the top to give you a dark comedy that at the same time makes you double over laughing and cringe in horror.

Billed as a Five Lesbian Brothers play written by Maureen Angelos, Babs Davy, Dominique Dibbell, Peg Healey, and Lisa Kron the story centers on the secretaries at the local lumber mill. There's the over ambitious Ashley (Megan Ahiers), the awkward Peaches (Ashley Flannegan) and the amorous Dawn (Monica Wulzen) who all work under the constant gaze of the controlling Susan (Lisa Viertel). All may seem normal and innocent to newcomer Patty (Ashley Banker) as this close knit group types, files and drinks their Slimfast Shakes but the rough edges of this cliquish clan soon begin to show as they draw Patty further and further into their world. A world that involves horrific "accidents" of the male workers, lumberjack jackets and synching up their menstrual cycles all within an under 2000 calorie a day meal plan.

Director Julia Griffin has molded this all female cast and crew into a delightful if not sometimes groan worthy good time. She seems to revel in the terrifying crazy eyed nature of it all and has passed that onto her cast. Each of the ladies takes on their individual quirks with glee and runs off with them to hilarious results. Ahiers constant one-upmanship and need to be the best makes her possibly the craziest and most dangerous of the bunch only seconded by Flannegan's awkward and overly clingy style. Wulzen brings in the most subdued portrayal within the clique until it's her time to shine and then all bets are off as she lets the insanity and inappropriateness fly. Viertel wrangles them all together within her web beautifully only occasionally showing off the tiniest chinks in her armor making a fully fleshed out character. And Banker as the innocent new girl lends the perfect outsider's lens to this crazy world and turns in a wonderful arc as her character begins to succumb.

It's not a life changing or message filled show, but an edgy and tasteless dive into a hysterical world that we pray doesn't exist. With my three letter rating system I give this a slightly terrified YAY. Terrified from the more shudder inducing moments of the show as well as the thought that if I gave them any less of a rating, the secretaries might come after me next. You never know when a secretary might be right behind you.

"The Secretaries" performs at Theater Schmeater through February 14th. For tickets or information visit them online at www.schmeater.org.

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