(OUTview NW) Theater RE-view: Seattle Finally has GEEK Theater and the Campy "Shoggoths on the Veldt" fits the Bill!

Only One is the hero!    (Loomis) 

by MK Scott

Geek Theater has come to Seattle and it was only a matter of time, The Rogues Gallery made its debut this past weekend with a super funny but convoluted comedy, called Shoggoths on the Veldt, a original CTHULHU adventure by Cameron McMary (Of Dice and Men).

The concept is like a female Indiana Jones meets Johnny Guitar (Remember the Joan Crawford campy and dykish western) looking for the Veldt, a small statuette familiar to fans of H.P. Lovecraft, that cannot be destroyed, and so spawns a quest to deepest darkest Africa with other homages to Lovecraft including the swashbuckling heroine of  Lady Euphonia (Jennifer Crooks), and the super cute and dingbat explorer, Welton (the Fab, Curtis Eastwood) and the ghost of Phillipa's fiance, Lord Melford (Cody Smith) with Male Servant, Crompit (Cole Hornady).

"Just Shoot Me"   (Loomis)

During the long adventure, they meet the Prim and proper, Lady Phillipa (Merideth Armstrong) who turns into the real villainous and rival for Euphonia (in a Johnny Guitar kind of way).

However, it does have its pacing issues, but I was OK with that, the story is for Geeks and Geeks alike and would scream with laughter when the Tentacles of Betsy, the Man-eating sea-weed is introduced and tamed. 

The dumbing down of Eastwood's Welton was annoying at times, but it was nice to have a show with 2 strong women, while Smith's Melford is a spirit with no super natural powers so Euphonia is on her own.

In the end the play goes where you least expect it, and we were happy that it went there.

Here's to more GEEK Theater! 


The Rogues Gallery's Shoggoths on the Veldt, continues at Seattle's Inscape Arts, through Dec 5. Click HERE for Tickets and Info.