Williamsburg! The Musical: Take The L Train
The last time this Manhattanite ventured out to Williamsburg, it was the kind of neighborhood where bus drivers would ask, "You sure you wanna get out here?" But after taking in Williamsburg! The Musical, the hyper-funny new Fringe show that both skewers and celebrates New York's newest hipster stronghold, I seriously felt the urge to renew my passport and reserve a berth on the L train.
With an opening number that describes the community as "East Village, second act," and the home of "child-bearing hipsters with their vegan tots," Williamsburg! has the frenetic energy of a late-nite sketch and song review with Will Brumley (book), Brooke Fox (music and lyrics),Kurt Gellersted (music) and Nicola Barber (additional material) getting big laughs out of trust-fund bohemians, annoying non-profit street teams, hook-ups from CraigsList.com and the plight of the image-conscious. ("'What other people think' is exactly what Williamsburg is built on.") Under Deborah Wolfson's vaudevillian direction and caffeinated choreography, the talented ensemble rips through the ninety minutes with lovable zest.
There is a plot. New girl in town Piper (Allison Guinn) gets cut off from her parents' money on her 30th birthday. In deep depression over not being able to afford a birthday dinner at Peter Luger, she tries jumping off the Williamsburg Bridge, but is rescued by lonely Hasidic Jew, Shlomo (Evan Shyer). ("I cannot make eye contact with you but can I help you?") Despite cultural differences, the two have a go at dating, unaware that the evil real estate developer, Amina Snatch (Barber), has been assembling an army of zombie hipster to help turn the community into a haven for high-priced chain stores and condos.
Shyer is a sweetheart as the shy Shlomo, but can surprisingly rock out when the score calls for it. Barber is deliciously devious and Terry Palaz, as the elderly Polish landlady, is very funny pulling pirogues and knishes out of her housecoat like Harpo Marx. But it's Allison Guinn's Piper that's the standout performance. Possessing a powerful, bluesy singing voice and an eccentric sense of comedy, she tears up the stage with her hilarious solo, "Peter Luger Lullaby." Take the L train, the A train or even the Orient Express if that's what it takes to see her in action.
Photos by Jonathan Grey: (top) Evan Shyer and Allison Guinn; (bottom) Company
