An outrageously politically incorrect satirical operetta titled The Beastly Bombing
(or a Terrible Tale of Terrorists Tamed by The Tangles of True Love) is currently
wowing audiences at the Steve Allen Theater on Hollywood Blvd. near Vermont.
Written and directed by Julien Nitzberg with music and musical direction by
Roger Neill, The Beastly Bombing revives Gilbert and Sullivan-esque music/lyrics in
a very 21st Century tale of skinhead militia men and Saudi terrorists forced to
masquerade as Hasidic Jews in order to hide from an opera singing George
Bushlike President after a fizzled out attempt to bomb the Brooklyn Bridge. Add
girl-next-door pony-tailed blonde drug-mad twins, Burkha clad women,
Japanese submarine sailors, and Jesus himself to the mix and you have The
Beastly Bombing.

Jacob Sidney and Aaron Matijasic as the Skinheads, Kate Feld and understudy
Katie Coleman as the twins, Andrew Ableson and Russell Steinberg as the Saudis,
Curt Bonnem as a Hasidic tailor, Jesse Merlin as President Dodgeson, and Trevor
Murphy as Jesus give themselves totally (and most effectively) to their
outrageous roles, with Merlin's operatically trained voice an unamplified
standout.

Neill's prerecorded music score appears to have been performed by a full
orchestra (the earsplittlingly loud volume at which it's played being the show's
only drawback), yet it's all Neill himself at the synthesizer performing all
instruments brilliantly. And when was the last time you saw an actual modern
operetta? The songs are insidiously catchy!

Kevin Remington's choreography is clever and lively, and Susan Matheson has
supplied some delightful costumes.

Scene transitions could be more fluid, but otherwise it's swiftly moving, sometimes
shocking, more than occasionally offensive (loved that!), and as timely as
tomorrow's headlines.

It appears that the show (already in a post-holiday return engagement) could
be around for a while with a New York run a definite possibility. If you don't mind
(or even better if you love) political incorrectness, do see The Beastly Bombing.
JANUARY 26, 2007, STEVE ALLEN THEATRE, LOS ANGELES.

--Steven Stanley