Into the Bush

Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. at the Palace Saloon; make reservations at 456-5960; admission in $10

Raucous, over-the-top, risquª-run for it! It's the Palace Saloon's adults-only musical review! An infectious sense of fun and playful wit makes this show a delightful ride. However the cast possesses a busting-at-the-seams musical talent that surpasses the usual standards of burlesque theatrical performances. This show is far and away the funniest I've seen in Fairbanks for awhile, and it reaffirms my confidence in the unusually high levels of talent this community houses.

The basic premise combines the age-old device of ribald fairy tales and the backdrop of Alaskan towns, characters, and politics. Think about it: Fairy tales + Alaska + Sex would be a weird combination in any other genre, but for burlesque theater it's a perfect fit.

Forgive me if I divert for a second here but I wanna tell you all about a problem we got today: a glut of comedy. Picture this: you go into the video store, and you want a comedy to help you unwind, relax, to ease your troubled mind. What do you find? Staring down the miles of aisles of 5x8 " plastic labeled 'comedy' your eyes glaze over in the face of thousands of vapid, staggeringly limp excuses for a comedic spectacle. Unless you've got a favorite title in mind you automatically steer over to the overpriced new releases. It's a crying shame, because in my opinion comedy is the soul of theater. Maybe we should reconsider censorship.

But what am I saying?! Well, my point is that we suffer a lack of inventiveness in comedy which is where a genius like Bruce Hanson, the maestro of this twisted musical, and "Into the Bush," come in. Hanson is the one behind the show's music, along with Patrick Cahill, Angela Creepeau, and Greg Gustafson. This is a local production; Cahill, Scott McCrea and Richard Ussery co-authored the show. Hanson also is the male lead, and he drives the show with an intimidating display of energy, as well as a mean mouth harp. His roles range from a satyric sex dwarf to his awe-inspiring rendition of "The Evil Queen," (for which you must use your imagination), a portrayal that equals, perversion for peccadillo, Tim Curry's part in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. My only comment is that the 6-foot-plus Hanson should wear leather more often. I never would have imagined this back in the day when Hanson was my high school choir teacher. Oh, to be a choirboy again!

The two female leads carry the show. Claudia Lively and Michelle Wozniak both have rhythm, moves, and a voice that won't quit. They both have the synchronicity thing down pat, matching each other move for move, harmonizing like nobody's business. They take Dana Matthews' choreography to the hilt, which is quite an accomplishment for the Palace's card table-sized stage. What dance there is in the show is well-done; I wish there was more of it. Claudia Lively, who should be well known to Fairbanks patrons, takes on the "innocent" roles for the most part, while Wozniak plays the femme fatale more. Wozniak probably has the best pipes of the pack, hitting some of the blues numbers with an unmatched intensity.

As far as the music goes for this "rock and blues burlesque," you might be expecting Fairbanks bar band fare or dinner theater pap, but the show's music is tight and bursting with energy. Dave Schlesinger opens up the show on the piano, along with laconic guitarist Stan Fleming, Jeff Goheen on drums, and bassist Bob Hojnacki. All three of these do double duty as backup players, demonstrating some gut-wrenching comic timing. Goheen has a fine voice and his goofy antics cracked me up more than a few times.

Keep in mind that this material is aimed at adults, and some of it is a bit raunchy, although in my opinion it's done with more panache than vulgarity. What actually might stir more people up is the irreverent mockery of state and local politics (and sacred cows). It's a testament to the writers, as well as the players, that the show stays topical throughout the summer.

My only real criticism of the show has to do with the venue. Although this problem is typical, the seating in the Palace Saloon is ultra tight, with people packed in like sardines. I'm glad the show is popular, but if the seating was a little more, intimate, say, people might enjoy it more, and drinks might be served a little quicker. Aside from that, I only wish the show was longer. Nevertheless, there is music following the show every night, and the festivities do continue.

If the 'burlesque' or any other aspect of the show makes you hesitate a bit, I encourage you to try it anyway. It's a ten bucks well-spent, if you ask me. When I saw it, I was at first impressed with the music, then I chuckled at some of the comic sketches (a little too writerly, I thought then), but at one point where Jeff Goheen stuffs a microphone down his underwear (during a sketch called "News in Briefs,") I lost it totally. There are some rolling-in-the-aisles laffs here. I don't know if "Into the Bush" is for everyone, but it is for anyone with a libido and a sense of humor.

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