Start The Insanity -- Wild Plot And Witty Music Make A Machiavellian Romp

Theater review

"Mandragola Unchained," by Eddie Levi Lee and the cast. Directed by Eddie Levi Lee, music by Edd Key. Produced by Empty Space Theatre, 3509 Fremont Ave. N. 547-7500. -------------------------------------------------------------------

The term "Machiavellian" generally describes a high caliber of diabolical scheming, as in the treachery Renaissance political strategist Nicolo Machiavelli outlined in his famous how-to manual for despots, "The Prince."

At the Empty Space Theatre, however, Machiavellian has a friendlier connotation these evenings. It's an adjective one might apply to "Mandragola Unchained," a ragout of music and comedy that's thick and messy, yet liberally spiced and zestful, too.

This world-premiere show, the opener of Empty Space's 24th season, isn't the first time the company has cooked up an adaptation of "La Mandragola" ("The Mandrake"). Machiavelli penned the sharp, durable satire of Florentine mores around 1524 - after the ruling Medici clan drove him out of politics and into theater.

From what I understand, the Empty Space's 1974 version of "La Mandragola" was a late-night burlesque with Italian Renaissance trappings. Trust Eddie Levi Lee, the current Empty Space artistic director, to put his own spin on the material. Aided and abetted by a seven-member cast of gleefully demented co-conspirators, adapter-director Lee bumps Machiavelli's sexy tale up to the late 1930s. And he loads it with all the topical references, snazzy musical numbers (composed by the gifted Edd Key), lewd behavior, silly shtick, and torturous puns he can cram into 2 1/2 hours.

A wild plot

Miraculously (if too slavishly), much of Machiavelli's convoluted commedia plot survives. On Karen Gjelsteen's bright, cockeyed set of a Florentine lane, the love-struck and metaphor-impaired Callimaco (Ramon McLane) connives with wily Ligurio (Johnathan Hochberg) to seduce Lucrezia (Whitney Lee) - a married young woman with mozzarella for brains.

With the help of some mandrake root, the two men hoodwink Lucrezia's foolish husband, Nicia (Edd Key) into cuckolding himself. And they drag a crooked clergyman, Friar Timoteo (Eric Berne), and Lucrezia's greedy mother, Sostrata (Joanne Klein) into the scheme too. Assisting with the subterfuges is the servant Siro (V. Joy Lee).

Too much noodling

The script for "Mandragola Unchained" contains too much sloppy noodling around, the comedic equivalent of white noise. But when inspiration strikes (as it does regularly), the irreverence and zaniness prove irresistible.

Like the surreal spectacle of Father Timoteo (played with gusto by Eric Berne) in a bunny suit, crooning an opera aria with metaphysical lyrics by English poet John Donne - that suddenly turns into a gospel song.

Then there is the consummation scene between McLane (whose frenetic charm can bring Kevin Kline to mind) and lovely Whitney Lee, which doubles as a very funny homage to Italian film auteur, Frederico Fellini.

Clever music

The show's half dozen or so musical numbers are all high points - thanks to the pizazz and dexterity of the actors (who double as singers and instrumentalists), and the parodistic versatility of Key's melodies and arrangements.

Klein has a field day with a low-down, raunchy blues. And matters get raunchier yet when all three women strip to their skivvies and sing out a cynical plaint about men. (This little ditty would be right at home in "Threepenny Opera.")

As in other plays he's had a hand in, Eddie Levi Lee shoots cheerful darts at political correctness, organized religion and so-called "good taste." There's some semi-nudity on view plus timely quips about Hillary Clinton, Bob Packwood, NAFTA and the ubiquitous Joey Buttafuoco.

The wisecracks about Seattle's theater scene may also amuse you (if you're a drama insider). The litany of bathroom gags, however. . .

"Mandragola Unchained" never really exploits its Mussolini-era setting, nor does it delve into Machiavelli's larger implications about the intersection of personal and political amorality. What we have here, in fits and starts, is a good, lusty romp that, with some streamlining, could be even better.