What a bloody mess it was as Halloween got under way for Rob Langeder at Don’t Tell Mama! A 2007 MAC Award winner for his debut cabaret show, Langeder is not a newcomer to the stage. He’s a tall, good-looking guy with a long mane and a solid theatrical performer with multi-faceted vocal technique that runs from lyric baritone to sweet falsetto.

The show is mostly rock material performed with eerie thoughts and delivery and cleverly conceived and staged to highlight the ultimate dark side.  Undead in Hell’s Kitchen is a gory blood curdler of a show, replete with chilling side effects. Langeder is animated as he’s “going to a party with no one still alive"—“Dead Man’s Party” (Danny Elfman) or presenting the intertwined “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer" (McCartney)/"Psycho Killer”(Bryne/Frantz/Weymouth) holding a flashlight to his face to produce unnerving effects. “Qu’est-ce-que c’est?”

“Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)/"Witch Doctor” (/Bunny Sigler) tempted the fates as Langeder, and the audience, tried to contact the spirits—“Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary…” Guest Jenna Esposito joined him on stage for “I Put a Spell on You"/"Epiphany"/"Judas’ Death” (repsectively Screamin’ Jay Hawkins/Sondheim/Webber & Rice) and was repaid by having her throat slashed. Tracy Stark’s “Greatest Nightmare” became just that as Langeder proceeded to kill off the musicians one by one, including Stark, in a “bloody” mess.

“Highway to Hell” (Scott,Young & Young) put an end to the night when I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief from the sound levels and technical difficulties throughout, with the hope I still had some hearing left.

I would have preferred a show like this at a downtown club or even in a small black box as a specialty Halloween offering for a short run. Do I think Langeder is a terrific performer?  Absolutely!

With the aid of the incredible, but red-faced (she was a bloody mess by the end) Musical Director Tracy Stark and the band, Skip Ward – bass; Sean Harkness – drums; David Silliman and well directed by Miles Phillips, this is a masterpiece of theatrics.

It’s just not cabaret! But it was fun!

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
October 30, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org