In his solo performance of The Latrell Show, actor-writer and social justice advocate, Brandon Kyle Goodman, swishes onto a tiny stage in the outrageously camp persona of the high-energy, self-promoted, flamboyant Latrell, the host of his own show with his logo looming on a screen behind him. The bearded show-boy festooned with jewels and make-up speaks in an affected, hilarious, high-energy flow of verbiage. He is a delightful, swishy scream of a guy who immediately bonds himself to the audience. He is a bad-ass queen with an endearing persona.
Soon, however, voices crackle in from somewhere, and the scene dissolves into another place where a different persona sits in a chair breathing slowly and deliberately, as if coming down from a high. A female voice talks to him. He is in therapy and is distinctly different dressed in a modestly striped shirt as the patient therapist gently asks leading questions. He is trying to cope with the completely understandable fury of a Black man in a racist society who could be shot down or beaten at any time.
The scene shifts back and forth from therapist to Latrell until finally the scene dissolves into a black limbo where his righteous anger is let loose with riveting power, by which I mean I was breathing hard pinned into my seat in the safety of my apartment. Utterly remarkable, The Latrell Show is at the very top of the many solo performances I have ever seen. I urge all readers who see this review to experience this stunning show.
Filmed on stage at the Pico Playhouse,The Latrell Show is co-directed by IAMA co-artistic director Stefanie Black and company member Devere Rogers.
The creative team for The Latrell Show includes scenic and costume designer Song Yi Park, lighting designer Josh Epstein, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett, make-up designer Alyna Ajere and production manager R. S. Buck. The dramaturg is Cherrye J. Davis, and Adriana DeGirolami is featured as the “Voice.” Shiku Thuo is the production stage manager. Tanny Jiraprapasuke is the COVID compliance officer. Filming and post-production are by Long Haul Films. Lisa Bierman is consulting producer, and Donna Simone Johnson and Ché Landon produce for IAMA Theatre Company.
The Latrell Show streams on demand May 23 through June 20. Tickets are $15 per household. For more information and to reserve tickets, go to www.iamatheatre.com.
Paul Myrvold's Theatre Notes 