A high camp musical, Ruthless is the tale of Judy Denmark, an apparently average, somewhat disney-ish mother, with a precociously talented daughter, Tina, who's managed to acquire an enthusiastic agent, Sylvia StCroix, and a desire to play the lead in the school play, "Pippi Longstocking in Tahiti". What comes next is a series of plot twists, double-crosses, revelations, songs on-and-off-key, theatrical in-jokes, and splashy costumes that will delight anyone with a love for old movies, female empowerment, disturbing wigs, multiple homicides or just plain old-fashioned fun.
Jordan Best directs with tongue-in-cheek glee, hitting every gag in the script and finding several new ones, showing a splashy lack of restraint and an overarching sense of joy and ridiculousness as the larger-than-life characters show off ego, desire and above all, the title characteristic of completely lacking Ruth.
As the apparently simple mother, Jenna Roberts scores another triumph, committing totally to every contortion of the plot she's put through and reacting with suitable charming obviousness to the madness around her. As predatory agent Sylvia, Dee Farnell is a constant joy, a lounge lizard of extraordinary proportions, larger than life and dropping bon-mots with suitable languidity. As psychopathically enthusiastic daughter Tina, Jessy Heath is triumphantly bratty and self-obsessed, gleefully seeking the spotlight wherever possible. As somewhat boozy third-grade teacher and ambitious writer/director of the Pippi musical, Tracey Noble is venomously wonderful, bitter, twisted and altogether fun. As Grandma and theatre critic extraordinaire Lita, Janie Lawson spills bitchery, boozery and the hit-song-with-many-encores "I hate musicals", rewarding each extra chorus with building power. Eryn Marshall does double duty both as the klutzy rival Louise and as the clearly-up-to-more-than-she-lets on Eve, both with go-for-broke enthusiasm and skill.
Nick Griffin provides musical accompaniment and has directed the women to choral perfection when they come together, with Jacquelyn Richards providing every cheesy dance move a larger-than-life musical needs. Anna Senior's outfits are suitably outlandish, while Ian Croker's set is a simple but stylish playground for the performers.
All in all this is a fun, frolicsome, nonsensical musical featuring six of the best talents in town, and should not be missed by anybody sentient.
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