GLORIES OF GLORIA REVUE

Mooky has presented us with an evening of wonderful moments. She has a mix of classic material and some very original pieces.

Gloria is a multi-talented, baby glam, like Bette Midler at 8 years old. She sings, she dances, she does a puppet show and “serious drama.” The costumes are fabulous.
In order to cover the very long costume changes, she goes behind a rear projection screen and we see her shadow as she changes. This device is always funny. I wish what happened behind the screen had been clearly structured to build each time she went back there, until she has some monumental struggle and solves it brilliantly. Gloria needs a dresser or needs to reconfigure her costumes to speed up the changes. One long change is ok, but this happened too many times.

As she changes, we are treated to some footage of wonderful vaudeville performers. They are introduced as members of her troupe. I wish she had introduced them by their true names. I particularly liked the odd sixties production number, and the shadow dance she did after it.

Gloria brought six people up on stage to be in her acting company. She treated them with respect and enthusiasm. When she expected them to step forward for their solo parts, it was not as successful as when they all did the final dance production number. Her love scene with another audience member was cleverly devised for him to succeed, and very funny.

My two favorite parts: the puppet—one of the funniest uses of panty hose ever. Her use of the natural timing of wind up toys was brilliant. The “memory book” piece, where she reflected all her reactions to what she was looking at—photos, mementos, letters. I missed the wonderfully funny piano concerto that she treated us to at the Cabaret.

All in all, Mooky has put together a lively show for Gloria. I think the show could use some editing and each piece could use some clarification. Good direction would serve to make this a really top-notch extravaganza.