Back-to-Back Blockbusters
The year-long wait for Jordon Carnegie‘s return to The Palm Cabaret in ”Hedwig and the Angry Inch’‘ is over. A packed house – overpacked, actually – embraced the entire production crew in an emotional hug that would not let go. A thunderous standing ovation, two of them, in fact, as the audience tried to convey their gratitude for what we had just witnessed in The Palm’s very intimate atmosphere.
This rock musical won four Tony Awards on Broadway, and the movie turns 25 this summer, but to see Hedwig live, with Jordon’s perfect command of the 90-minute monologue that’s broken up only by high-test punk rock lyrics to the band performing some great head-banging licks right behind her on stage, left us breathless. Jordon, too, I am sure, but he never shows fatigue, only hopelessness, deep, shattering pain, curiosity, then finally, joy. Acceptance means everything.
The storyline is as bizarre as Hedwig’s exaggerated hair and makeup, and politically incorrect, but we can and will all relate to Hedwig by the end of the night. Genders are severely bent, and in the end, it doesn’t matter.
Kudos to Jordon Carnegie, who outdid himself in a raw, extraordinary performance that could have played on any stage, anywhere in the world. And bravas to Yoalli Guerrero, who played and sang Hedwig’s browbeaten husband, Yitzhak, to a thunderous tee.
We need more Hedwig: Raise Your Hands if you agree.
The second tour de force this past weekend was at The Palm’s sister cabaret, Coco, and starred Chris Lopez in his tribute to Sam Smith. (There are still too many people in the world who ask, ”Who the hell is Sam Smith?”)
It was an extra special night for Chris – February 01 is the 6th anniversary of his moving to Puerto Vallarta and, since then, raising the bar for entertainment in our city.
Maybe it was the full moon that enabled two blockbusters this past weekend; that energy could have easily meant disaster, but, lucky for us, the reverse happened and blessed us with stellar performances from both casts, across the board.
Chris Lopez is a great producer; look at his spectacular tribute shows to Madonna, Beyoncé, and Whitney Houston. He is also an accomplished videographer – completely self-taught and shares that talent splicing and mixing vintage footage of Freddie Mercury, for example, with live shots of Roy Cruz in action at his consistently sold-out shows at The Palm Cabaret.
During Chris’s tribute last night, I thought, “How much fun Sam Smith would have had if he were here for the show and during Bear Week here in Vallarta.” His first reaction, after listening to Chris interpret his Gloria Album, would likely be, ”Do I really sound that good?” The answer is, O.M.G., yes!
We need more Sam Smith, whose voice exemplifies coloratura: ‘elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody,’ used to describe some soprano opera singers. And his lyrics can scream indignation – ”How can you sleep when you lie to me?” to a sulky, pushy yet playful, ”’Cause I’m not here to make friends… I need a lover.”
We need more Hedwig, please, Jordan, and more Sam Smith, please, Chris, From Here.
