JEWELS OF PARIS - The THRILLPEDDLERS Spring Fling

THE FAMILY JEWELS COME OUT - THRILLPEDDLERS NEW ROMP

IS A BLACK BOX GEM

“Jewels of Paris” is the new cabaret event extravaganza created and written by

Scrumbly Koldewyn and Russell Blackwood. Thrillpeddlers Company located under a downtown SF freeway, invokes poetic, comic and the dirty days of 1900s Paris. Yet its easy to see the subtext of the same era of the Barbary Coast here in San Francisco.

Thrillpeddlers has been reviving Cockettes musicals since 2009. Koldewyn was part of the original 60’s Cockettes company. This was my first visit to this hidden SF gem, its a bit eerie but a colorful black box.The space includes its own small boxed balcony and themed seating.  

The space brings you back to early Paris but also the Summer of Love and Alan Ginsberg. The glam-rock is classic and the talented cast brings Scrumbly songs to life. Director Russell Blackwood greets you at the door and remains your host through most of the two hours. The short songs and scenes are written by Rob Keefe, Alex Kinney, Scrumbly and Andy Wenger.

Bearded ladies and men, mix it up with the Paris celebs of that era, Gertrude Stein, Picasso and Hugo. The opening number “Everyone's a Genius in Paree today” says it all and sets the tone for the evening. The musical scenes are all well done and fun and the ballads strong. Yet no one in this company stands out as a great singer, they still bring a strong passion and comic fun to the show.  The nudity is more open in the second act and done well and both the male and female cast fit the roles.

Each sketch leads into each other as Pierrot the icon clown of French performance is the emcee. Played by the man of many hats Birdie-Bob who works closely with Scrumbly in creating these shows.

I can’t promise you that each of these sketches is funny, this is not SNL, or Heklina’s Golden Girls, but the glamor beads - brash in your face nudity, straps, chains, wiggs, hairspray, heels and cock rings is fresh and fun. Well I can’t say always fresh, if one thing is very parisian, its the scent of bodies slipping out of their leather and beads, and the mix of fresh popcorn.  Yes fresh popcorn at wine bar that greets you in the hallway cafe.

A favorite sketch of the night is CUPIDS FIRST FLIGHT written by Alex Kinney. It was very Cockettes, naughty yet innocent. Also the fun number “Come Eat Me, Eat Me, Eat Me” is better than a night at Trannyshack.

SCRUMBLY KOLDEWYN AND RUSSELL BLACKWOOD

Its great to see Scrumbly on the piano and as he climbs to his perch to play the synthesizer. The closing number is a highlight as the whole company, mostly nude, sings the closing “Genius - Finale” - The Jewels are out, this show is a perfect romp and a true San Francisco Gem.

THRILLPEDDLERS PRESENTS

“Jewels of Paris: A Revolutionary New Musical Revue”

At The Hypnodrome through

May 2nd, 2015. Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8pm

For further information, click here.

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presented by Thrillpeddlers. VIDEO CLIP FROM SHOW https://youtu.be/DBeD-UpL-uY

Original Music & Lyrics: Scrumbly Koldewyn. Additional Lyrics: Rob Keefe, Martin Worman, Alex Kinney.  Sketches: Rob Keefe, Alex Kinney, Scrumbly Koldewyn & Andy Wegner. Director: Russell Blackwood. Musical Direction: Scrumbly Koldewyn. Choreography: Noah Haydon. Scene Designer: James Blackwood. Costume Design: Tina Sogliuzzo & Birdie-Bob Watt. Lighting: Nicholas Torre.

Performers: Lisa McHenry, Christine Kim, Kim Larsen, Roxanne Redmeat, Bruna Palmeiro, Hayley Nystrom, Dee Nathaniel, Andrew Darling, Steven Satyricon, Michael Soldier, Andy Wegner, J Iness, Birdie-Bob Watt, Noah Haydon, Jack Crow, Scrumbly Koldewyn (accompanist), Russell Blackwood.