Theatre Review: Psycho Beach Party

HorseChart Theatre presents Psycho Beach Party. Written by Charles Busch. Directed by Tom DeTrinis and Ryan Bergmann. Produced by Brett Aune and Steven Luff.

Teenage tomboy Chicklet Forrest (Drew Droege) wants to join the surfer crowd on Malibu Beach, but her multiple personalities become a concern. Her alter egos are a checkout girl, an elderly radio talk show hostess, a male model named Steve, the accounting firm of Edelman and Edelman, and the most dangerous one—sexually voracious vixen Ann Bowman.

In her quest to learn from the master surfer Kanaka (Karen Maruyama), Chicklet meets an array of peculiar characters. Yo-Yo (Adrián González) and Provolone (Daniel Montgomery) are friends who grow closer and closer until…well, you have to see it. Also in the crowd are diva extraordinaire Bettina (Chase Rosenberg/Roz Hernandez), Swing (Michael P. McDonald), Swing (Harrison Meloeny), Marvel Ann (Pete Zias), and Starcat (Thomas Hobson). Supporting Chicklet in good and bad times is her best friend Berdine (Daniele Gaither). And, of course, don’t forget about Chicklet’s mom, the stern Mrs. Forrest (Sam Pancake).

The play is fun, silly, and upbeat. Playwright Charles Busch wrote Psycho Beach Party in 1987, so the play is somehow anti-establishment. The 80s were especially tough for the LGBT community in America. The Family Protection Act tried to ban the federal funding to any organization accepting a gay lifestyle as an alternative. The Act was defeated, but it was endorsed by Ronald Reagan. Paul Cameron published bogus studies trying to prove that gay people have more tendencies to commit murder, child molestations, and the intentional spreading of diseases. The U.S Department of Defense discharged around 17,000 gay soldiers, stating that homosexuality was incompatible with military service. Pat Buchanan said that AIDS was nature’s revenge on gay men. In 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Bowers v. Hardwick held that state anti-sodomy statutes were constitutional. There were many more to mention, but the point is that Busch used this play to push back against the anti-gay sentiment of the time. As the fight continues, Psycho Beach Party is still relevant in reaffirming the pride of the LGBT community.

The set design and the costumes fit the intentional campiness of the story. The lighting is mostly high key, reflecting the upbeat tone of the play. The acting is superb, stressing the comedic nature of the script. The co-direction by Tom DeTrinis and Ryan Bergmann is excellent, the blocking and the use of space allow the actors to move freely, with enough room for physical comedy.

Psycho Beach Party is a crazy dream, a fantasy, and a menagerie of eccentric characters that celebrate the pride of the LGBT community and the diversity of society.

Psycho Beach Party

Matrix Theatre
7657 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046