Published: October 20, 2007

Seven Crimes - Sledgehammer Theatre

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Poster: Sledgehammer Theatre

It's that time of the year again. Blood runs like two-buck chuck Merlot. Screams start their crescendo, climaxing on the 31st, Halloween. Sledgehammer Theatre will get you into the mood with Seven Crimes: A Celebration of Murder, Mayhem and Mutilation at the Tenth Avenue Theatre. Presumptuously billed as the First Annual, I expect many annuals if they maintain the bloody humor of their first production.

It all starts with Pea Hicks' music and the sound effects genius of Scott Paulson. Behind bloodied curtains the hand of Mistress of Ceremonies (Mei Ling Downey) appears. She slowly reveals herself dressed in net and mere suggestions of clothing, a dominatrix to the audience. Poor Scott Paulson stationed just-off stage, responsible for a myriad of eerie sound effects, was pressed into duty as Downey's footstool and whipping boy.

The cast, Janel DeGuzman, Mei-Ling Downey, Dana Hooley, Stanley Madruga, Mick Oravec, John Polak, Scott Paulson, and Walter Ritter appear in each of the three one-acts, all tied together with lots of blood. They seem to have had as much fun as the audience members.

The Awful Pleasure is a delightful piece. A woman is in the process of eliminating her husband while enjoying the fruits of an affair. Her idea of a relationship gets just a wee bit perverse, much to the detriment of her lover. The conclusion pretty well concludes many lives.

Lovely Downey returns to conduct a bit of audience participation as the next set is being put in place. When you attend, be advised not to comment to her in any way. Do not laugh too loud, do not respond to her, and don't have eye contact with her. I did. She beat me and another member of the audience.

Seven Crimes takes place in a Barstow, California barbershop on July 4th, 1969. All I will say is that one should never question a man with a straight razor in his hand - never! If you've seen Sweeney Todd you'll get an idea of the potential mayhem of this number.

The Terrible Experiment has a loving father designing a machine that may have the ability to bring a person back to life. His adoration for his daughter is right on the edge of illegal. Alas, she dies. He uses his machine and you've probably seen the results if you've seen horror pictures in the last century.

Seven Crimes ... is in the style of Grand Guignol, which began at the turn of the century in Paris. Sex and blood mix well. This style of theatre was first seen by American audiences in black and white silent films. Every horror flic had to have at least one beautiful girl and a monster of sorts.

Seven Crimes: A Celebration of Murder, Mayhem and Mutilation spills stage blood everywhere, Mistress keeps her audiences in line, and you will have an enjoyable time facing these terrors. This is, however, definitely adult entertainment. We see rather graphic passion, no matter how silly, and multiple slit throats, even if stage blood. The set is easily worth the price of admission. Director Scott Feldsher gave us a fun Halloween treat.

Cast

Janel DeGuzman, Mei-Ling Downey, Dana Hooley, Stanley Madruga, Mick Oravec, John Polak, Scott Paulson, Walter Ritter

Technical Staff

Stage Manager Lauren Way, Props/Special Effects Pearl Hodges, Costume Design Mary Larson, Sound Design/Composer Pea Hicks, Production Manager Lydia Butynski, Scenic Design Nikki Black

Critic: Robert Hitchcox
Total Rating: Two and a half stars
Genre: Comedy
Author: Translation, adaption, additional lyrics/text David Rosenthal
Director: Scot Feldsher
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2007
Running Time: 141 minutes with a 15-minute intermission
Dates: Thursday thru Sunday, October 4 to November 4, 2007
Caution Guidance: Graphic violence and sex scenes

Theater Company Sledgehammer Theatre
Tenth Avenue Theatre
930 Tenth Avenue
San Diego, California
Box Office Phone 619 544-1484

Robert Hitchcox is a playwright, critic and fiction author.