Arts & Culture

‘King Kalimari’ Dives in to New Musical Styles

Cash for your car

King KalamariOne of the main numbers of the first act in the new Derek Taylor Kent musical “King Kalimari” is called a “A New Kind of Show,” and for the small musical, that could certainly be considered it’s theme as well. "King Kalimari." which uses a mixes media presentation of slides and normal props, is the new wave of working with ones surroundings to create a work that is both imaginative and entertaining.

Kalimari, which was featured from April 13 to June 2 at the Avery Schrieber Theatre in North Hollywood, used the small setting to its advantage in more ways than one. Using the plot device of a narrator who breaks the fourth wall constantly by getting up from the audience to provide commentary in between scenes, played down wonderfully by Leon Cohen, the musical makes no effort to hide its low budget.

“It is an evening of unexpected changes,” said Kent before the play began. “Dylan Vox had to leave town unexpectedly so in a move of daring I will be playing the role of Dave with no rehearsal….”

Kent went on to play the role he had written, Dave, as if it had been planned that way from the beginning. Though he did not have the same vocal range as some of the other actors such as Elisa Eliot or Sara Berard, he made up for it in his enthusiasm for the character.

The play centers around Kent’s character Dave who is brought up by the wizard Bizarro, played by one of the braver actors of the night in Alex Khastoo because of his alter-persona in the Hamlet-esque play within a play called "Musketeers and Manservants."

In the fictional kingdom of Kermopoly there is a harmony between squids and humans until the queen allies herself with the evil Squiderotomy and plots against the good willed king.

The highlight of the evening is without a doubt the performances of the ladies that hold the plot together. Eliot, who plays Aquafina and Berard who is the understudy for the role of Queen Xerxi though it appears that she should be a headliner for the part. Both women have roles that, rather than overly complex, are overly simple which can be harder to play.

Eliot finds a happy medium in between being the tarty Aquafina and the love interest for Dave. She also has a vocal range which is unmatched in most of the production and sounded even better when paired with that of Kent’s Dave (who joked before the show that without any musical training whatsoever the change would be barely noticeable).

Berard has the challenge of playing opposite the most experienced actor in the cast in Mario Lara, who plays the title character. She plays a wickedly funny evil queen and has perhaps some of the best lines in the play, a task which left to a weaker actress may cause the work to fall flat.

King Kalamari cast members

The numbers, which has lyrics written by Kent and musical arrangements from Marcus Brown, were not always the focal point of either of the two acts. It seemed that some of them came in places where one would expect more dialogue though the work still flowed smoothly.

The dance number also gave a medium to the choreography of Kim Mackenzie, who doubled her role by taking on the part of Rosenberg, one of the King’s unfortunately named advisors.

Mackenzie’s highlight was clearly the small ballet piece that was performed in the second act which showed her classical background.

Kent also mixed in elements of pop culture throughout the script, something that made the play seem more like an act of improv than a planned production. The references, which often got a laugh as non-sequiturs, also brought to mind the comedy of the Monty Python troop when they made their “Flying Circus” series.

The Schreiber seemed the perfect metaphor for the work as well, nestled quietly in vibrant colors on Magnolia St. While the entire district of North Hollywood, or NoHo as the banners call it, seemed to be waking up as the sun set, the Schreiber sat modestly without a large placard or signs.

Having only 40 or so seats to work with, there was not much room for error throughout the night and the entire cast was able to work them in smoothly. One of the toughest challenges for the cast were the offstage entrances which were blocked by a wall found more often in a studio apartment in NoHo than on stage and the curtains which blocked the door to the foyer.

Actors would have to constantly rush off stage as Cohen came on as the narrator and then get back on stage without the audience becoming aware of the theatre itself instead of just the play.

Kent, who has written several original works before “King Kalimari” should have no problem finding a theatre to house one of his works in again as long as he keeps cast members like the ones found in Kalimari.

About the author

Joshua Manly