The Snark Ensemble.
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July 24, 2009
The Comic Roach Reviews...
Here are the reviews from the show we put together for the Capital Fringe Festival.
The Comic Roach: A Roadhouse Picture Show
David Winkler rates it 5 out of 5
If you haven’t had the experience of walking from a 21st century DC street into a 1920’s-era California speakeasy and old-time cinema, and somehow I doubt you have, then you owe it to yourself to see The Comic Roach: A Roadhouse Picture Show. It is, I can say without qualification, a completely unique theatrical event.
The Snark Ensemble is a chamber-music jazz group dedicated to writing and performing new musical scores for silent films. They provide several such offerings in this production: actual silent films from the ‘20s and ‘30s with new scores played live by the band, and interspersed with songs and commentary from the house chanteuse Bella Gardon, played by the fantastic Tracy Lynn Olivera.
The above is a factually correct description of what happens in The Comic Roach. But it doesn’t begin to convey the experience of it. Sitting in the audience, you are positively immersed in this old-timey and enchanting world of Dixieland jazz and bootleg gin, of broad pratfalls and vaudevillian slapstick comedy. This immersion is the wonderful thing about the show: after only a few minutes of admiring the quality of the music and snickering at the antics in the films, you’ll find that the two combine together seamlessly to make something greater than the component parts.
As to the quality of the music, the members of the Snark Ensemble would be better served by a jazz critic here, who could appreciate the technical aspects of their art. I, as a musical layman, can only say that to me, their music – its composition and its execution – is magnificent. It is by turns lyrical and exhilarating, and when paired with the hijinks onscreen, the 6-piece ensemble suits the note to the action, as it were, flawlessly.
Olivera, who has the only speaking role in the show, is no less engrossing as the emcee Bella Gardon. She exudes Prohibition-era dry humor and swagger in her monologues, and without a doubt has the vocal chops to back it up in the songs. Olivera’s character is completely in her element on this stage, and she leaves you wanting more.
Here’s the bad news: there is only one more performance, and it’s tonight at 11. If you can get there, do yourself a favor and go. The Snark Ensemble and the estimable Ms. Gardon so fully and entertainingly evoke this era that during one of her songs about Prohibition, I found myself gripping my non-existent bourbon glass and thinking “Damn you, Hoover! Damn you AND the Temperance Movement!” That’s really something.
— David Winkler, DC Theater Scene
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‘Comic Roach’ at Fringe: Music and Movies
Don’t be put off by the title of “The Comic Roach: A Roadhouse Picture Show.” It’s actually a nifty way to catch a flick at the Fringe — old silent pictures from producer Hal Roach, with new musical scores played live by D.C.‘s Snark Ensemble.
Three short comedies are projected via laptop at the Warehouse Theatre, and the movies are classic knockabout farces. One of the lighthearted little sagas involves a cute kleptomaniac (“Stolen Goods”), another is a clever pileup of jealousies (“Too Many Mammas”) and the third chronicles how a milquetoast becomes a He-Man (“Boobs in the Woods”). These charming diversions have inspired whimsical music and inventive sound effects from three different Snark composers.
This is Snark’s niche: the original scores can be heard on two silent film collections released on DVD (samples are available on Snark’s Web site.) The six-member group sounds like a New Orleans jazz combo out on a lark; the melodies slide and lumber during melodramatic moments and zing merrily when accompanying visual shtick.
The instrumentation includes piano, reeds and antic percussion, plus novelties like seal horns and duck whistles, and they gives these black-and-white pictures a colorful range of sounds. Chanteuse Tracy Lynn Olivera plays hostess and joins the band between films for a few smoky tunes, also Snark originals.
— Nelson Pressley, The Washington Post
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“The Comic Roach” presents three non-talkie films with the perfectly-timed musical emphasis on the action by the Snark Ensemble…a group of brassy instrument players. There are lots of chase scenes and comedic violence in these short flicks although the third presentation was by far the most superior one as it showed six couples in a barroom and these participants are all cheating on each other’s spouses. One crazy couple is doing the dirty French tango as they threw bodies around the dance floor. The audience found this combo entertainment quite amusing and the older folks relived early memories of the silent films. Tracy Lynn Olivera sang during the intermissions as the “chantoosie” but the orchestra drowned her out…she should be using a microphone or have the orchestra tune down.
Bob Anthony, AllArtsReview4u.org
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DC Theater Scene’s Joel Markowitz gave this nice interview with the show’s Chanteuse and emcee Tracy Lynn Olivera:
When Tracy Lynn Olivera swung her hips and sang the naughty “Picking Peaches”, she seduced the audience to listen carefully to what she had to say. The audience ate it up! It was Mae West reincarnated. Accompanied by the jazzy The Snark Ensemble, the Warehouse Mainstage was jumpin’! It was a real dilly of a performance and it was very peachy keen!
Joel: Tell us about yourself.
Tracy: I have been fortunate to star in many shows in the DC area. At Signature Theatre, I have appeared in Les Miserables (Helen Hayes Nomination), Anyone Can Whistle in Concert; ACE; The Happy Time; Merrily We Roll Along (Helen Hayes Award nomination); Allegro (Helen Hayes nomination); Follies; Side Show; Sweeney Todd, and many cabarets. Recently, I appeared in Ragtime at Kennedy Center, which is on its way to Broadway. At Ford’s Theatre, I was in Meet John Doe, Shenandoah, A Christmas Carol, and Songs from the Tall Grass. At Folger, I was in Comedy of Errors. At MetroStage, I appeared in Closer Than Ever and The Last Five Years. At Olney Theatre Center, I was in West Side Story, Grease, and Carousel (Helen Hayes nomination). I am proud to be a Rorschach: company member, where I appeared in Rough Magic, J.B., and God of Vengeance. I am on the faculty of Catholic University.
Joel: Talk about “Picking Peaches”.
Tracy: I think Andrew (Simpson) has done a remarkable job of writing a perfect little dirty 1920’s song. It’s a great pastiche that is totally original, but really gives homage to the time. The lyrics are HILARIOUS and so clever, and manage to walk that fine line between safe and completely dirty; after all, it’s really a song about monogamy! (”Fellas, if you want a peach each night, then only eat one at a time….”) . And, of course, being a married woman now, I can appreciate that – Hee, Hee! It has been SO much fun to sing this song, and I’m totally adding it to my repertoire from now on….
Joel: Talk about The Snark Ensemble that performs with you.
Tracy: I’ve been friends with Maurice Saylor (one of the composers and the low reed player) for literally my entire adult life, and he was actually my roommate for almost 5 years while I was starting off teaching at Catholic U. I think the ensemble and what they do is SO original – there is literally nothing like them around. Their DVD sets of Harry Langdon and Charley Chase films are incredible – you should really hear what they can do in the studio! (Although I prefer the live version – it’s just something you really never see anymore).
Joel: What’s next for you?
Tracy: I’m currently working on my big cabaret fundraiser for Rorschach, which is this Monday, July 27th, at 7:30 at the Davis Performing Arts Center at Georgetown University. It’s called Wake the Dead, in honor of their season – but it’s really just an excuse for me to do a lot of belting!! It’s a really quirky mix of music – everything from Sondheim to Queen to Allison Morisette and everything in between….I have some special guests including Rachel Zampelli, Stephen Gregory Smith, and my NEW HUSBAND, (woo!!), Evan Casey.
http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/07/24/fringe-musical-scene-stealers-part-2/