There is something undeniably rich and promising in the concept of doing a radio play improvisationally, and director Stan Morse deserves major kudos for coming up with this brainchild. After giving suggestions of genre, title, and character names à la 1940s serials, on the night in question we were treated to Detective Mac Donald (Travis Oates) in "The Longest Shoreman's Hook." Call me a purist, but LRP is guilty of a somewhat flagrant sin in improvisation, namely not taking the first suggestion that is offered. Also, one feels the show would have benefited from doing more than defining the vaguest parameters of the show—that is, actually stopping the action and asking for suggestions that change plot, character, mood, etc.
Narrator Craig Tollifson gets us off to a rocky start, stumbling a few times, but by the time we meet hood Louie the Sleep (Brian Breiter) and his henchman of numerous dialects, Hans Rico (David Rasner), the rich and arrogant G.G. (Gary Rae), French doctor Penelope LaPew (Holly Mandel), and Mac's assistant and wannabe lover Lola Lana (Lisa Malone), we are off to the loony races.
The plot, such as it was, concerned the case of a missing hook, which was both the centerpiece of a Chicago art show and a device for slashing folks off-stage (off-mike). Before it is over, we have anachronistic references to cloning, sadomasochism, and a stint in a Portuguese prison, leading to the evening's funniest line, "The worst parking ticket I ever got."
Mandel is very amusing, even when she just looks witheringly at a character in her French way. Rasner and Rae also stand out, totally focused, and Malone does a modified Mae West that is just peachy. Interspersed throughout the convoluted and not totally coherent, yet fun, story are generic commercials for products suggested at the opening by the audience (scrubbing powder, chocolate milk, toast). These interludes are not as successful as the planned intermission, which featured some lovely crooning by a '40s-style duo and the terrific, limber-limbed swing dancing of Veronica Puleo and Mike Convertino. Musical accompaniment by Peter Zachos was snappy and distinctive, but in an admittedly difficult role, two foley artists, who should have contributed more, were constantly out of sync with spontaneous sound effects.
The straight dope? It's improv, it's sloppy, it's fun, and, shweetheart, this is one style of performance that deserves further investigation.
"Liquid Radio Players," presented by and at the ACME Comedy Theatre, 135 N. La Brea, Hollywood. Wed. 8 p.m. Oct. 25-Indefinitely. $15. (323) 525-0202.