Written by: David Cerda. Directed by: Shade Murray. At: Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. Tickets: HandbagProductions.org: $16-20. Runs through: July 12
Hell in a Handbag productions presents The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, starring recent Jeff honoree David Cerda as the acerbic Dorothy, Ed Jones as the bubble-headed Rose, AJ Wright as the oversexed Blanche and Adrian Hadlock as an even nastier Sophia. Each one hits the right notes in the loving parody that sports Hell in a Handbag's non-PC spin.
These are the alleged "lost episodes," each one with a short plot interrupted by some funny/disturbing commercial parodies and Golden Girls trivia. One is about camping ( the tent and bear kind ), another about Rose having a health issue, one about a sex party and another about family. The latter gets to explore all the "family" cameos that came and went on The Golden Girls' episodes that were ( and are ) treats for dedicated fans of the show.
Cerda's writing and theater company are experts at parody of the golden ages of cinema, but it's great to see when they step out of that format they are just as successful. This show, like most of their shows, is for an audience not easily offended by gross-out humor, stereotype, swear words and graphic sex jokes. If any of that offends you then you should go to Shady Pines and not this show. I also admired that Cerda didn't rely on multiple repeated jokes about "St. Olaf"or "Picture it Sicily," as it could have. There are genuine moments of surprise along with being dedicated to the familiar patterns and laughs of the sitcom. Shade Murray's direction keeps all the antics moving.
The supporting cast is very good and sells every moment, no matter how silly. Lori Lee's Stan is especially disturbingand I mean that as a compliment. Overall, fans of the show will be pleased. Handbag groupies will like it and people who know neither will get hearty laughs. Take a trip to Miami, via Clark street, to see your old friends.