In Chicks with Dicks II at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, where playwright Trista Baldwin takes the brawling motor cycle mamas of Chicks I from the mean streets of Bedford to outer space for "Battle with the Cannibal Sluts in Outer Space."
Our hero Vespa De Amour, the resolute Chelsea Rigdon and her gal pal Cindi, the infinitely cute Emily Rose Giddings, are sent off by their controller Bob, Bill Goveia, on a mission to save planet 19. The show is in the tradition of those Saturday morning serials. We presume that in earlier episodes the duo saved Planet 18 and if the story were to continue that Planet 20 would be up for their help next.
After a wild space ride in a couple of folding chairs, Vespa and Cindi arrive to find Planet 19 in terrible shape. The normally peaceable local cannibals led by Echaka Agba and the usually well behaved spider vampires of Margot Morgan are at one another's throats and other body parts as well. It's all part of plot by the evil Dr. Diabolique, Jeremy Nottingham and his assistant Brett Gloden.
Although our dynamic duo does fall victim to each of the competing groups, they do prevail. Once the plot is exposed, it's up to Vespa and Cindi to unite the warring cannibals and the spider vampires for a woman power victory over the forces of male dominated evil.
The production directed by the bpp's artistic director Richard Perez mixes genuinely funny moments with some that are tediously sophomoric. Costume designer Toni Scroggins has done a great job in coming up with a distinctly 50s sci-fi flavored look for the large cast. Choreographer Erin Sullivan had the hit of the evening with the whole cast wowing the audience in a very energetic dance that was full of individual and group surprises.
"Chicks with Dicks II" plays Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at the Bloomington Playwrights Project through April 25th.
Listen to WFIU's George Walker's interview with playwright Trista Baldwin.