Review: GOLDEN GIRLS THE LAUGHS CONTINUE at McCullough Theatre

Need a break from the deluge of holiday performance fare? Ready for something bold and spicy and adult-y? Need a new take on a classic, timeless comedy that goes in a perfectly campy direction? Done with innumerable versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, ELF, NUTCRACKER, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and on and on and on?

May I recommend GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE? Yes, I may, and I will. I mean, The Golden Girls hold a special place in my heart. It’s my go to “comfort” tv show. I possess a Golden Girls Tarot Deck that lives on my office bookshelf and a Golden Girls t-shirt, and a Golden Girls coaster for the office… 

But this Golden Girls, the GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE Golden Girls, is a bawdy take on the 80’s comedy starring Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and the inimitable Betty White. This time around though, Dorothy (Ryan Bernier) Rose (Adam Graber) and Blanche (Vince Kelley) are living in 2024, and Sophia (Christopher Kamm) has come with them to the future, too. The cast is rounded out by Tommy Favorite as the rest of the characters in the show.

The show delivers a hilarious reimagining of our beloved Miami seniors with a fresh, modern twist. Presented by Murray & Peter, this side-splitting stage play features the above-mentioned all-male cast in drag who give us a new twist on the iconic characters. The story follows Sophia’s run-ins with the law after a DEA bust, Blanche and Rose’s success with their senior dating app “CreakN,” and Dorothy’s whirlwind romance with a younger lover. The show blends nostalgia with contemporary humor, and holds true to the wit and charm of the original series. Packed with hilarious antics and sharp one-liners, it’s a must-see for fans of the Golden Girls. Based on this description though (and the production company – if you know, you know) its adult themes are best for an 18+ audience. Be forewarned, or you’ll have a lot of explaining to do. Or…maybe your kids will have a lot of explaining to do?

Murray and Peter are the producers behind plenty of drag entertainment including HATER’S ROAST, A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS, and RUPAUL IN CONCERT. In the case of GOLDEN GIRLS, THE LAUGHS CONTINUE, they bring us a cast of mighty comedic actors in Bernier, Favorite, Graber, Kamm, and Kelley. Eric Swanson has directed this talented cast so brilliantly they’re as tight as a camel’s a** in a sandstorm, while playing loose and free with a hilarious script written by Robert Leleux. And by loose and free, I mean in some cases you can count on improvisation so swift as to be missed if you’re not paying attention.

Any comedic performer or actor ought envy the robust talent of these actors. I offer some of my highest praise possible in the case of this cast, who, on reflection after the performance I caught on opening night, reminded me of the kind of brilliance found in the ensemble of the Carol Burnett Show. Ok, it wasn’t immediately after the show, it was in the shower the next morning, but how much do you really need to know?

I’ll be honest. The cast and director Swanson could get away with a lot less. They could run the show in the same way every night, as the script is perfectly great on its own. They could coast on their flawless impersonations of the original characters. Swanson could direct the entire show off the rails and into, well, “all out” campy territory and it would still be fun. Instead, he follows the script that calls only for certain scenes to be campy. From there, he allows these actors their due, not as drag queens or female impersonators, but as exceptionally disciplined and talented actors. And they are actors who have fun. You’ll never see the same show twice, as there is a load of improvisation to be counted on from this cast, who often entertain themselves as much as us. It’s a true ensemble, and just like Golden Girls the television show, it’s so solid it’s impossible to choose a favorite. This is a wonderfully talented cast that is unmistakably at ease with each other and an audience. They bring a fun script to life that is entertaining for both those who adore the Golden Girls, and those who don’t know them at all.

And you still have time to catch GOLDEN GIRLS THE LAUGHS CONTINUE! You could, in fact, travel down the road and back again and bring a friend. It’s never the same twice! Picture it! GOLDEN GIRLS THE LAUGHS CONTINUE runs at the McCullough Theatre through December 22nd.

GOLDEN GIRLS THE LAUGHS CONTINUE

by Robert Leleux

Directed by Eric Swanson

December 10th through 22nd 

Texas Performing Arts at the McCollough Theatre

Recommended for adults 18+

Tickets available here

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