by Nathan Jacquez
Daily Lobo
Oh, Target Girl!
It's back - the Reptilian Lounge, that wacky, kooky and otherwise bizarre event that has made the Tricklock Theatre an Albuquerque staple for late-night entertainment since 1995.
What is the Reptilian Lounge, you ask? It's only Albuquerque's longest running and most popular variety show. Don't worry, I didn't know that either until I experienced first hand what one audience member aptly described as, "fucking hilarious!"
There is ample time for all of you, my faithful readers, to go check out this eclectic entertainment extravaganza.
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Take one part "Saturday Night Live," one part Evening at the Improve, a dash of spoken word sprinkled with a liberal spoonful of jazz, top it all off with an ample amount of audience chuckling, shake for two hours and you have the perfect recipe for an evening's entertainment.
What can you expect to see at this strange reptile place? On the night I went, there was a songwriter by the name of Buddy - he didn't have tunes to all his songs, but he spoke 'em anyway - a bard, an incredibly talented phone book reader named Sam, a talented dance troupe by the name of Moladi, a visit from "The Man" and, most importantly, Target Girl.
Target Girl is the most innovative and useful tipping mechanism to ever grace the Land of Enchantment.
But the lounge isn't all about comedy. Bill Brown, a local poet and singer preformed a series of poems and songs in memory of his daughter. While not what I expected that night, Bill Brown's performance offered a feeling of levity that helped me appreciate the rest of show all the more.
After Bill Brown's performance we were treated to a surprise visit and Q&A session from "The Man," courtesy of Tricklock veteran Bennett Rapson. Who is "The Man?" Well, you know all those times you were pulled over and you have no idea why, well it was because "The Man" was messing with you.
He fielded questions like; can dead relatives see a person pee? Or would a person die if they were scared half-to-death twice? Rapson did a thorough job solving life's great mysteries. By the way the answers are, "yes," and "only if they occur with 10 minutes of each other."
Liz Maher performing as Sam, the phone book reader, followed a brief intermission with a hilarious performance. When I say hilarious, I don't mean kind of funny, or even entertaining. I mean I was falling off my chair and gasping for air, it was so funny. To try and describe what a phone book reader does would do the girl no justice, it simply has to be seen to be believed.
The show was finished off by step-dance troupe Moladi, which offered an energetic ending to the night's entertainment. In the style of Stomp, the five-person group showcased what was essentially a teaser for a full-length show they are putting on in the near future.
If you are looking for some kind of break from handing out candy to drunken fraternity guys dressed as women, the Lounge is holding costume contests on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 with a fun Halloween theme running throughout.
Overall, the Reptilian Lounge offered a thoroughly entertaining alternative to the freshly noise-ordinanced and soon to be smoke-free Downtown bars. Not that there is anything wrong with live music being played through a pair of stereo speakers and a 10-watt amp or being forced outside and away from your beer to enjoy a smoke - OK, really there is.
The Reptilian Lounge is an ongoing event that runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 23 with show times at 10:30 p.m. every Saturday night. Tickets are $5.77 at the door. Remember, the showcase is constantly changing so every Saturday has the possibility for greatness. Besides, Target Girl alone is worth the price of admission.
The Tricklock Theatre is at 112 Washington St. For more information call 254-8393.
