Code Foxy: Man Down
Code Foxy: Man Down had life before the Ringwald: this 45-minute late-night show premiered at the Planet Ant Theatre two years ago. Now picked up by Sweetlove Productions and featuring the same performers (the members of the improv troupe Tiger Ride, who also penned the original script), the current iteration feels more like a reunion than a full revival.
In the vein of Charlie's Angels, the five women of Tiger Ride make up the Foxy Tiger Detective Agency. Chassy Tiger (Cara Trautman) is the reformed car expert, Dr. Raven Tiger (Kathryn Trepkowski) is the degree-laden bird whisperer, Summer-Winter Tiger (Anne Faba) is the CIA-trained ditz extraordinaire, and Pam Tiger (Suzan Jacokes) is the retired cop granddaughter of the agency's benefactor, Baron Rex (voiced by David Herbst). Rex's violent end summons the return of his other granddaughter, musician playgirl Sugar Tiger (Lauren Bickers), who announces he was murdered, enlists the group to solve the case, and immediately rekindles her rivalry with sister Pam. True to the source material, the characters appear to be costumed more with overstatement than with actual fabric.
Under the direction of Marke Sobolewski, Jacokes gives a standout performance with her intense misfit de facto leader, making a recurring punchline out of unresolved issues with her dead partner from the force and unconsciously waving a gun around. Bickers, too, is sensational in the exact way she always is, making the most of her terrifying vivaciousness. The other actors lend decent support, although Trepkowski's discomfort in rattling off highly technical jargon makes one question the decision to assign her a role defined by academic prowess. Each character avoids typecasting by the addition of curious details, all of which simultaneously factor into a hasty, busy standoff against an unseen drug kingpin.
Many of the production's struggles seem rooted in a script that functions at cross purposes: most of the laughs come from idiosyncrasies of the characters, yet the show insists on making something of its sitcom plot, pushing sparkling comedic rambling aside to make way for brief expository scenes. Moreover, for a group specifically notable for its work together as improvisers, the interaction frequently feels lacking, especially in large group scenes. Wobbly pacing and line stumbles give the show an under-rehearsed feel from a team of sharp talents.
Although Code Foxy's TV roots seem like a decent fit with the film sensibility of the Ringwald's current mainstage show, the sprawling configuration of the Die! Mommie! Die! set is a likely detractor from the actors' connection, contributing to the sense of characters spouting off one-liners in isolation. The performers are respectful of the space to a fault, almost hesitant to engage with their surroundings. This thrown-together production does allow for hearty comedy and some big laughs, but seems to retread old ground instead of making new discoveries; the prevailing sense is of revisiting an old success instead of witnessing a new one.
June 3, 2010