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Jose Ruiz of ReviewPlays.com
remarked:
The Creative Center in North
Hollywood is a little like an old book store, where
one halfway expects to see a creaky old person blowing
dust off a book and inviting you to enter the back room
for some truly special editions. Instead we met Barbara,
who is as far removed from a creaky old person as you
can get! This lovely greeter does show you to the back
room, and that's when you seem to feel like you're in
and old Garland-Rooney film where they said "Let's have
a play." They throw together a few chairs, move some
couches near the front, run to the hardware store to
buy some reflectors and floodlights, stick them up on
poles and then go for it.
We felt like we were in somebody's
living room doing charades - big time! Tim Simek has
brought together a bunch of crazies who will improvise
anything at the drop of a hat, and keep you laughing
till your sides split in the process. Our favorite bit
was the opening spoof on Britney Spears, "Oops I did
it again!" Propriety and good taste prevent us from
mentioning the flatulent gist of the parody, but suffice
it to say that Tim sprayed the stage with room deodorizer
at the end of the number.
With the audience suggesting
most improv situations, themes ranged from having sex
in a kitty litter box to re-enacting the Survivor show
in Sweden. There was the "Dating Game" spoof, the Acronym
bit and a really funny human symphony where Tim "conducted"
the cast in a mock concert. They spoke words that were
audience inspired in rhythmic crescendos and well timed
choral voicing. Needless to say, the whole thing was
completely off the wall, but they pulled it off with
a straight face.
Something like the Groundlings
and a little like Whose Line is It Anyway, this troupe
is developing its own unique identity, and they are
eclectic enough to take on any situation, especially
in a place like Los Angeles. Alphabetically, the cast
includes Tammie Calhoun from Texas, Christopher Cause
from Massachusetts, Davis Choh from Fullerton, Matt
Daniger from Los Angeles, Melissa Graves from far-away
lands (yeah - right!), Gretchen Massey, also from Texas,
Chas Mitchell, a New Yorker, Susanne Stoeckeler from
the Catskills, Steve Wallace from Texas and founder
Tim Simek - Texas too? Guess the folks in Texas don't
cotton much to goofy folk so Tim and his cohorts had
to escape to California.
Now that they're here, you can
find out more about the show by contacting director
Tim Simek at (213) 212-9921.
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