Writer/director Michael McPhee may have created the world’s first dada film noir in Blood and Quick Silver, which charts the professional misadventures of “private dick” Sam Silver (Michael McLeod). The players handle this anachronistic gem deftly—Annie Valentina is never misses a beat as no-good dame Emma Fatale—and the skilled use of cardboard props creates a comic-book effect. If you smashed together a Lichtenstein painting and Double Indemnity, you would get Blood and Quick Silver.
You may feel a little cheated by the ending, which dodges the anticipated film noir narrative gymnastics. And you may ask yourself, “was that gorilla really necessary?” But after an hour of pitch-perfect parody, these are minor quibbles. See it. Bring friends who don’t like theatre. If anything will convert them, it’s this.
65 Minutes, $10
Parental Guidance
Bus Stop Theatre
Monday Sep 3, 9:15pm
Tuesday Sep 4, 8:10pm
Thursday Sep 6, 5:25pm
Friday Sep 7, MIDNIGHT NOIR SPECIAL
Saturday Sep 8, 3:50pm
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2012.