Part of the game Off-Off-Broadway, for those who can't afford to rent a theatre for three or four weeks, is to play odd time slots (not to mention double- or triple-bills and festivals, which are becoming increasingly common). The idea is that you graduate from an odd (read unpopular) slot to a better one, as you acquire a following. Naturally, oobr wants to visit those odd slots, so we can broadcast sightings of new talent before everyone else does.
Just such a sighting occurred at the Kraine the other week, with Paul Singleton and Nicole Golden in The Complete Lecher. This couple is definitely ready for prime time (meaning Saturday night, whether at the Kraine or some other downtown venue).
The program began with short sketches by Singleton under the rubric "Just Duet." The most memorable was "Excuse Me," in which a man and woman fantasize about that quintessentially New York situation, trying to pick up someone on a subway platform before the next train arrives. They fantasize about the other, then act out the meeting æ to mutual horror as they realize what a mismatch the meeting is turning out to be.
The evening ended with an extended sketch, "The Lecher Defense," in which a female public defender attempts to rescue an intelligent but hopelessly naive pornographer from the clutches of justice, to no avail. The pornographer, whose oeuvre contains such titles as Legs Wide Open, Stand and Deliver, and Glad 'E Ate 'Er, is convinced he is not only not committing a crime but is in fact performing a valuable public service, selling his wares out of a sport utility vehicle beside the road.
Some good moments were also provided by the technical staff, as in the "fantasy lights" in "Excuse Me" (sound design: Krista Kapalko).
(Also with Wayne Rossignol.)
No doubt Singleton and Golden will return, whether in prime time or to another odd slot. Whatever the hour, make some time to go see them.
Writing: 2
Directing: 2
Acting: 2
Sets: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 2
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Copyright 2001 John Chatterton