← January, 1993

Review: Acme Wax Lips

Acme Comedy Theatre, 5124 Lankershim Boulevard, NoHo Arts District, (818) 753-0650

by Jim Berg

A truly talented troupe resides in our little thespian nest. The sketch comedy of the Acme Comedy Theatre’s current show, “Acme Wax Lips,” is right on the money.

Anchored by the strong writing and performance of Paul Rigg, the entire group displays its talents to a small but appreciative audience. The first indication of the laughs to follow comes in “Sports Talk,” in which Rigg, in one of his many guises, parodies radio personality David Vincent—sending a sports call-in show into a sweeping therapy session. He shows up again in “Retail Hell” as the retired hardware store owner helping his son mind the store, which happens to be a pawn shop. Then Adam Carolla revives little league memories in “The Indication.” Marc Drumm shines in “Shakespeare on First,” a take on the old Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on First.” Many parodies of that routine have been done, but this one is the first that made me laugh as much as when I first heard the original. In “Fun Yam,” Adam Carolla portrays an inept idiot behind the donut counter so convincingly that one actually starts to feel sorry for him—which speaks well of his performance, but it stops being funny when you feel too sorry for the guy. Lisa Malone gives a performance that is also somewhat touching while funny in “Robe Girl,” in which she plays a bored, repressed housewife acting out suppressed fantasies in the bathroom while she brushes her teeth. It would be nice to see more of this character in the future. There is definitely a lot more talent there to be experienced.

While Paul Rigg and Adam Carolla seem to get the most play, there is a depth of talent in the whole group that only promises more laughs to come. If one is looking for someplace fun, the Acme Comedy Theatre is the place. Not only will the audience be rewarded, but such talent should be supported and encouraged to grow. ♦