THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT A WARHOL
If you thought Pop Artist Andy Warhol only referenced and defined mass culture and consumerism through replicated images of Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe, think again. Standing among Paddy Chayefsky as one of the most prescient mavens regarding culture and television, Warhol was a prolific writer’”and talker: In 1976, long after Warhol’s climb to celebrity, he dictated his diaries daily to frequent collaborator and long-time friend, Pat Hackett.
Director Ezra Buzzington, the originator of Seattle Fringe Festival and co-founder of the New York International Fringe Festival, gives us a perfect example of the importance of Fringe Festivals at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. In just 35 minutes, Andy: The Red-Nosed Warhola not only gives us a phenomenal glimpse into the genius of Warhol’s pithy perspective, but elucidates and summarizes our nation’s crash course with consumerism (Warhol said, “When I got my first television set, I stopped caring so much about having close relationships”’”top that for defining the age of social media).
Played in the La-La Land Gallery’”perfectly squished in the middle of Theatre Row’”Andy (Kara Emry) and two of his “beauties” (Krista Conti and Will McMichael), give accessible performance art-style readings, perfectly edited to encapsulate Warhol’s phenomenal ability to articulate the post WWII era (patrons can either stand or sit on the floor during the performance). The “beauties” begin and end the fascinating playlet as window dressing, which makes the passersby part of the show’s action’”a Warholian backdrop if ever there was one. Seated in front of and looking up at the players are two devastating examples of Warhol protégé/groupie/ superstars: Lana Rae Jarvis and Miles Berman.
Funny, shrewd, and penetrative, this pay-what-you-want performance is required viewing for anyone (mind the NC-17 rating for language), especially those curious about how we perpetuate our age of anxiety (you’ll also learn why Warhol’s hair was gray).
photos courtesy of the show
Andy: The Red-Nosed Warhola
part of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival
La-La-Land Gallery, 6450 Santa Monica Blvd.
ends on June 24, 2017
for tickets and more info, visit Hollywood Fringe
