Review: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KENYON PHILLIPS Is A Sweetly Subversive Glam Rock Cavalcade
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KENYON PHILLIPS may be Tony-winning actress Cady Huffman's directorial debut, but having made her first Broadway bow as one of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES' notorious Cagelles and following-up with a trio of memorable showgirl performances in THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. THE PRODUCERS and THE NANCE, she's a natural choice to mount this glam-rock, burlesque, circus cavalcade that, at its heart, is pure show-biz.
(Photo: Juan P Zapata)
Kenyon Phillips is an actual person, though his autobiographical spectacle admittedly stretches the truth for the sake of entertainment. Earlier versions of the singer/songwriter's show have been popping up at The Box and Joe's Pub in recent months, but last Wednesday's one-nighter at Webster Hall was its premiere as a full scale, concert-with-a-plot production.
After a bit of pre-show entertainment, including fan-dancing, contortioning and unicycling, the nearly naked Justin Sams ("nearly naked" was a recurring theme throughout the show) warmed up the crowd with irreverent sassiness ("Are we ready to start? Good, because my cocaine is about to run out.") before our star grandly paraded on singing, "I Was Born To Be Famous."
Quickly bursting his self-important bubble was iconic New York gossipista Michael Musto, seated on a toilet and throwing out snarky remarks throughout the proceedings. Wisecracks about concentration camps and eating disorders didn't quite land as well as his observational about the packed house, "The guest list for this thing is longer than the Magna Carta."
(Photo: Juan P Zapata)
The story of Kenyon's troubled childhood, his sexual awakening and the eventual message about throwing away facades and dancing with the skeletons in your closet is a framework for a multitude of guest appearances. ("Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Kenyon's penis!") Daphne Rubin-Vega and Brad Calcaterra share some wackiness as his nymphomaniac mom and alcoholic dad, Osondu Thambo puts on an impressive martial arts display as the bully who tormented him as a kid, and various reasons are concocted to include fun performances by strip-teaser Aurora Black, juggler and acrobat Kelsey Strauch, contortionist Paul Zucker, ballerinas Dorrie Garland and Kimberly Giannelli, aerialist Juanita Cardenas and tightrope walker Michael Rosman, who brings down the house walking the rope in high-heeled pumps.
The Webster Hall acoustics may not have made every lyric clear, but the pop rock score played by music director Eric Miranda and The Ladies In Waiting combines traditional rock guitar and percussion with a grand piano and strings, adding thicker textures.
Having the star sing about twenty minutes worth of solo encore material after the company bows may have been a bit much, but Kenyon Phillips is a charming performer and his show, while very enjoyable now, could also be whipped into something with stronger dramatic legs if he chooses.
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