WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
After one has strived and struggled to make a mark on the industry their given career has spanned, there comes the time when perhaps leaving it is the best path to pursue. Ideally wishing to leave with head held high, success solidified, and a memorable legacy to cherish, an exit in style is most assuredly desired and certainly achievable–right?? For 40-year veteran comedy director Cherie Kerr (Cherie Kerr), that goal takes the form via her ultimate sketch show dream, “Orange Is The New Orange”. However, when does anything ever go right when you wish? With a failed first cast, Cherie goes with a new one–Maynard (Matt Morrison), Jane (Kim Sava), Chris (Sam Stokes), Bridgit (Ashly Reynolds), Cassie (Robin E. Fitzgerald), Mitch (Rich Flin), and Victor (Tony Gracia)–to execute her vision. What ensues is a tale of epic disfunction and production nightmares that threatens to turn Cherie’s glorious swan song into her biggest failure. This IS that story. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Next, my Mind:
Oh what a tangled web we weave when finding ourselves immersed into the realms of the entertainment business and all the often chaotic aspects contained therein, many times to our potential detriment and rejection rather than red carpets and accolades so desperately sought. This becomes an even more evident and sobering reality when it comes to a depiction of one’s end in the industry after a fruitful career, and this is the foundational scope of this absolutely whimsically irreverent, wholly farcical, playfully, unflinchingly satiric, and all-out candidly entertaining indie film romp from writer/director/executive producer Cherie Kerr and executive producer Eric Anderson that effectively utilizes its mockumentary stylings to paint a very raw and, what’s more scary, most likely very AUTHENTIC portrait of showbusiness through the eyes of a comedic veteran on the cusp of calling it quits after four decades of assumed success.
Choosing to illustrate these concepts via a beleaguered stage director’s viewpoint as she tries (and I do emphasize TRIES) to bring her final production to life (think “Real Housewives of Orange County” meets “Orange Is The New Black”), the film from start to finish is a beautifully, intentionally uncomplicated exercise in all things that could go wrong DO go wrong as the narrative covers the entirety of the show’s creation, from table reads to cast nightmares to dress rehearsals to opening night to the aftermath of its run, doing so with an equally straightforward air of silliness that lends itself so well to the proceedings depicted an at least allowed this critic to be in a constant state of chuckling to laughing out loud at the menagerie of shenanigans one poor creative has to endure to make her career’s conclusion one to remember. Well, this MAY have been the purpose, but in execution, well, that’s another story, and the film is masterful at plumbing every little hysterical depth it can muster to showcase the “misery” for our benefit.
As stated above, with the mockumentary motif in full effect, the film dives into everything from actor quirks, egos clashing, lines not being what’s written, consistent questioning of the director, annoying “talkers”, the ongoing issues of the casts changing, vast differences in opinions about how scenes and other facets of the show should unfold, branding, unruly understudies, mental breakdowns, crew feeling unappreciated, shifting blame when things go awry (which here is, basically, ALL the time!), frazzled nerves, total meltdowns, and other dilemmas that truly enfold the viewer into a kaleidoscope of insanity that is so overtly amusing and fun to watch you cannot help but snicker, giggle, and smirk throughout the film. Again, it’s also the fact that in the midst of all this nuttiness we get that “grounded” perspective of it all via cast, crew, and director “interviews” that occur along the way to narrate and expand even more on the fiasco that provides the bitingly, dare I say utterly believable, hilarity of what might really happen in some cases in the biz.
What then, I especially felt, even makes all we witness more worthwhile is how the film’s finale puts SUCH a perfectly wrapped notion into play that speaks to the basics of human connection and the idea of how working together for extended periods of time (even in a journey of madness!) still finds ways to get us attached to those people and to what we love. Can it even be the beginnings of something fresh? Watch and see! Kerr is a jocular gem having what I felt was quite an enjoyable ride poking fun at, well, herself through her role here as, well, HERSELF, a veteran of the comedy scene who’s finally decided to hang it up through making one last production before she moves on. Facing what becomes the most irritatingly daunting, nerve-fraying, patience-destroying, madcap “adventure” of her entire career, Kerr guides us through the tumult via one on one “interviews” being conducted with her in true documentary style, heartily depicting her descent into despair with frequent deadpan delivery that only makes it a bigger hoot to watch.
We FEEL her pain, and Kerr exudes this agony so deftly throughout the film with fluid comedic timing and skill, which also explains why in real life she’s the Founder and Artistic Director of OC Crazies based out of the De Pietro Performance Center in Santa Ana, CA. Then we come to the rest of this large ensemble cast, which as in previous instances I’ve reviewed films with such set-ups, it comes down to first extending a well-earned, well-deserved shout out to them ALL, as they really each bring something special to the film in their individual performances and as a unified cast that makes this mockumentary the hilarious escapade it is, and I genuinely mean this. We have those playing the show’s “first cast”–Skylar Falgout as Monica, Lianne Silano as Marilyn (an actor who’s annoyed by other’s perceived lack of skills), Caitlin Zinn as Bonnie (who simply thinks “all’s well”), Barbara Wilder as Greta (who’s jealous of other’s stage time compared to hers), and Elizabeth Millan as Estella (who sees it all is an exercise in futility and despises everyone).
Then we move to the show’s “second cast”–Matt Morrison as Maynard (who’s forced to play a woman for the sake of the show), Kim Sava as Jane (who’s just excited to be there), Sam Stokes as Chris (an emotional wreck!), Ashly Reynolds as Bridgit (a newbie to scripted shows like this one), and Robin E. Fitzgerald as Cassie (who replaces another actress and is quite neurotic). Additional cast members of the show include Rich Flin as Mitch (a man who’s truly got a BAD case of both the “talkies” and inappropriate political humor) and Tony Gracia as Victor (a complete egomaniac who apparently has kleptomania as well). We also have the wealth of crew that come and go as the show devolves, including Durk Thompson as stage manger Blake (who seems more interested in scoring with the ladies that his duties), Ben Straley as Bernie, Ray Feiner as Ray, Joe Ortiz as Joey, Dave Stephens as Stephane, Jake Boldt as Trevor, and Prateek Damodaren as Kyle (ALL sound/lighting techs that make and entrance but then…well, you get the picture).
Georgia Leigh Davis plays Kendra, one of THE most enormously exasperating acting understudies one could ever encounter and it is a STITCH to watch. An additional appearance is made by Paige Dugan as Courtney, one of the show’s “second cast” actresses that cannot hack it. Again, this whole cast works so marvelously together while still having so many moments to shine on their own, and it’s honestly a heck of a feat to pull off here given the sheer number of actors involved. So, in total, “The Show Can’t Go On!” is a fantastic example of indie comedy and the “scathing” illustration of “The Biz” that it portrays, as it does leave one wondering how much of this is based on the real-world experiences of Kerr’s actual career and if it is–WOW! How does she actually have ANY sanity left to keep producing more shows with OC Crazies?? But, isn’t that the bigger picture of doing what you love? Perseverance, some serious attitude, and a willingness to embrace humanity in all its imperfections to create art. In this case, a frisky, tongue-in-cheek film.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Permalink