VIEW ALL BROADCAST'S BLOG ENTRIES
The latest incarnation of downtown legends Kiki and Herb comes on the heels of their summertime Broadway debut, which lasted four weeks and ended when in Kiki's words, "we were replaced by puppets"—the puppets of Jay Johnson: The Two and Only.
While their past holiday shows as well as "Kiki & Herb Will Die For You" explored the full range this dynamic duo's abilities, the present run of late-night appearances at Joe's Pub seems deceptively unpolished. Kiki repeatedly grieves over their being booted from Broadway—though noting Lafayette Street is a mere "block away". Their show returns to its old cabaret roots, mixing classic covers with extensive repartee with the audience. For example, Kiki describes her failed romance with a charming man she met while on Broadway, singing "a song about him" which turns out be a highly inspired "Frosty the Snowman," belted-out with much gusto and lament in the upper and lower vocal ranges. Ditto for their tried-and-true "Hello! Hello! Hello!" which metamorphoses into their beloved and astounding cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." A good deal of spontaneity infects the show, sprinkled throughout with other classics such as a tormented cover of Prince's "Purple Rain."
The storyline since leaving Broadway features one of much bathos, a recurring element in elderly Kiki DuRane's very sad life; Kiki now takes care of her sister Candy in New Jersey, who suffers from "ass cancer," which clearly seems so over the top that the audience roars with laughter. Her appearance is all the more wayward, augmented by a wild bouffant hairdo; it appears as though Kiki stuck her finger in the socket before coming on stage. Ditto their makeup, which presently makes the duo appear even more wrinkled and down-and-out than ever. It's delicious, and their crooning mixed with joy de vivre is contagious.
Additional shows at Joe's Pub in the coming weeks plus a December holiday spectacular await the downtown set. It might be farewell to Broadway for Kiki and Herb, and perhaps for the better as the spontaneity and warts make for a truly remarkable two hours in this packed venue.
Tags:
jay johnson, joes pub, kiki and herb, nirvana, prince
© All rights reserved.
Posted on 11/19/2006
(
Permanent Link
)
Send to Friend
