Slaughterhouse
Theatre Company presents the West Coast premiere of a comedy about a married
couple who decide to go into the porn business. He’s walked away from his job
as a Wall Street scammer because he has too much integrity! While watching a
sex video with his wife he is incensed that it exploits children, even though
they are sure the pigtailed actress onscreen is of legal age. He believes they
can create porno films that will be for adults who want to view healthy adult sex
(clearly a very narrow market). To keep it pure, 90% of the profits will go
towards helping female victims of trafficking. A noble sentiment, bound to revolutionize
the porn industry, if only determination were enough.
Well,
I never believed it would fly, but the plot veers away when the billionaire king
of porn decides they are true competition. Soon it becomes a battle for porn
turf via a certain gorgeous, willing, but inexperienced 20-year old. The writing
is clever, the direction strong, but it’s essentially contrived and sadly
predictable. At first the theme seems to be an appeal for appreciating the
wonders of porn. Hey, that’s a unique point of view. However, in the end, an
unexpected turnaround reveals the porn industry to be just as sleazy and
exploitative as one suspected.
All
the actors are excellent, especially Max Lesser as the
idealistic pornographer who really believes he can
make this impossible scenario work; Anna Konkle is his formidable wife; Lea
Coco his cynical partner; Zuleyka Silver is a rather timid sex goddess; Sumiko
Braun is a her kid sister, and Rob Belushi is a surprisingly youthful porn
prince.
Written by Andrew Hinderaker and directed by Shannon Cochran, with
scenic design by Katrina Coulourides, sound by Norm Kern, lighting by Paige
Selene Luke, projections by Matthew G. Hill and costumes by Caitlin Rose
Williams.
At the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. through December
21. For tickets: 323-960-4429 or www.plays411.com/dirty.
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