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A CurtainUp Review
Hell's Belle's


Even John Paul Sartre/ Says there's nothing in Montmartre/ Like the . . . — Devilette 1
 hell's bells
The cast of Hell's Belles - Lindsay Brett Carothers, Mat Wolpe, Laura Daniel and Rachel Erin O'Malley (front)(Photo: Russ Howland)
Written by Bryan D. Leys (book and lyrics) with music by Steve Liebman, and directed by John Znidarsic, the musical revue Hell's Belles is a cartoon of hell (think pitchforks, devilettes, and so forth). Set in a nightclub, and hosted by Lester, the "VP in charge of famous evil females and torture by entertainment," it lets you get up close and personal with the eternally damned.

The main problem with the piece is that its conceit wears thin after the first 15 minutes. What you end up watching is a non-stop pageant of notorious women who find themselves in the halls of hell, with their life baggage and unsettling memories.

Making Lucifer's "who's who" list are some women who are dead-ringers for Hades: Medea, Salome, Ma Barker, and Lizzie Borden. And let's not overlook Guinevere of Camelot fame, rock and roll diva Janis Joplin, the siren Marilyn Monroe, and that other blonde bombshell Lady Godiva. You'll also see two famous do-gooders here: the former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Princess Diana of Wales. How these two migrated from heaven to hell is explained rather sketchily. But given that both women stirred up quite a bit of controversy in their day, and ruffled the feathers of the powers that be, they aren't completely out of place touring the sulphurous pit.

There's a joke a minute but all fizzle rather than sizzle. The songs, 26 in all, are the stuff of tabloids but not a one touches the heart. Lizzie Borden's "I Had a Good Lawyer" and Bette Davis and Joan Crawford's "Twice as Camp as You" are two of the more colorful numbers. But most are just so-so.

The acting is the one redeeming aspect to the production . Theydeserve kudos for their quick costume changes and adroitness in inhabiting multiple personas. The three female performers have fine musical chops. And music director and pianist, Mary Feinsinger, does a fine job at the piano on stage.

The production values harmonize in a fittingly demonic way. Josh Iacovelli's minimalist set and lighting are infernally right for a dive in hell. And Dustin Cross' costumes are cut from the same satanic cloth.

If there's anything eye-opening here, it's that hell isn't easy to spoof. Hell's Belles clocks in at 90 minutes, but felt hellishly long.

Hell's Belles
Book and lyrics by Bryan D. Leys, music by Steve Liebman
Directed by John Znidarsic
Cast: Matt Wolpe (Lester), Lindsey Brett Carothers (Actress 1), Laura Daniel (Actress 2), Rachel Erin O'Malley (Actress 3).
Set and lighting: Josh Iacovelli
Costumes: Dustin Cross
Music Direction: Mary Feinsinger
Times Square Arts Center, at the Elektra Theatre, at 300 West 43rd. Street. Tickets are $39, $69, $99 and can be purchased by visiting HellsBellesTheMusical.com or calling 866.811.4111. Performances are Saturday at 2pm & 5:30pm; Sunday at 3pm.
From 10/3/15; opening 10/24; closing 12/14/15.
Running time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Reviewed by Deirdre Donovan based on press performance of 10/24/15
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