Kiki and Herb are a mess, and that's a good thing. The duo have been delivering their intelligently crafted deconstruction of cabaret for almost 20 years now, and although the venue is too large and the show too long, Kiki and Herb (the brainchild of Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman) provide a delicious evening of spoof, parody and ultimately -- surreal realism. Sure Kiki drinks too much; her life is a series of mishaps and tragedies, the arrangements terrible, the sets schlocky and the costumes Project Runway on acid. But I like her. I like her "tell it like it is" attitude, I like her relevant political and social commentaries, and I like her raw uncensored revelations.

Bond's creation has the delusions of a Norma Desmond, the vitriol of an Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and the wisecrack "in-your-face" ballsiness of a Roseanne Barr. Kiki and Herb don't just sing a song, they detonate it. Opening with Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," the lyrics convey Kiki's story: "I remember when I lost my mind; there was something so pleasant about that place. And when you're out there without care, yeah, I was out of touch, but it wasn't because I didn't know enough, I just knew too much." Kiki is a touch off, but aren't we all. She pounds into a 'cabaret'd' version of Radiohead's "Creep," a song of low self esteem that is, well, just creepy. Kiki and Herb are fond of adapting modern rock classics into the surreal vortex they inhabit. The musical selections cover the emotional spectrums of their personas, with topics ranging from motherhood to gay marriage. Kiki's voice is raw and plaintive, the piano accompaniment overindulgent and often ridiculous and it all works. The encore of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," a hugely successful 1980s power ballad with its surreal video, is perfect fodder for Kiki and Herb's manic reinterpretations. The encore goes on and on and on with one false ending after another, Kiki's delivery getting more and more absurd. And we're all in on the joke. Kiki and Herb have made their statement, and not unlike Bill Murray's great SNL lounge singer, have elevated American cheese to the gourmet's table.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
July 18, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org