My friend, Elisabeth and I went to Teatro Zinzanni recently and it was precisely the bawdy, glamorous, hilarious spectacle we hoped it would be. The Beaumont and Caswell Together Forever … Again! show features Christine Deaver as Beaumont and Kevin Kent as Caswell, the “oft-married/oft-divorced” couple who run a variety-vaudeville review. As they work through the shows lineup, they switch genders as they change fabulous getups. Beaumont dons Caswell’s mustache and codpiece, or ‘squeaky toy’ as they call it, for a hilarious Italian opera-inspired send-up, and Caswell squeezes into a gown as bride/groom…/bridegroom.
Throughout the show, the two fall in and out of engagement and love, while a series of acts play out under their tent—Les Petits Freres, a trio of clowns/waiters gifted in slapstick and pratfalls; a truly amazing hooper and circus performer, Vita who spins at least 15 glowing hoops at once; mistress of ceremonies and flamboyant blues singer Francine Reed; and trapeze artists Erika and Andrew, who were at once sensual and fascinatingly acrobatic. The Orchestra DeVille was also a great addition to the performance with their perfectly timed sound effects and jazzy arrangements.
One thing repeat showgoers know is to not sit too close to the stage, as there is a distinct chance—you very well may be singled out for one of their bits – as was an unsuspecting, but game young man, who B&C both fall in love with and proceeded to dress as an Italian maid, granting him the appropriate moniker, Panini. The poor bambino – but he was a charming little morsel, and the piece was a hilarious and raunchy. In light of the fact that the vote on domestic partnership rights was coming up in the Washington election, the whole show seemed as much a political nose-thumbing as anything. LOVED it.
Theatre gives people the chance to observe a world that may be totally foreign to them, to sit in the dark and laugh, ponder and be challenged while laughing their collective asses off. I have to hand it to the writers of this show – it pushes the envelope in so many ways that its retro-vaudevillian veneer seems the perfect glitter to let the audiences consider the current gender/sexual orientation/domestic rights issues that confront us every day in personal and political life. Beaumont and Caswell does this with grace and aplomb and not a few snorts. Go if you can—this show is an amazing spectacle and a welcomed tonic for our times.




