Anastasia Revi’s unconventional musical Velvet Scratch - Voyage of No Return, is a fascinating and sinister tale about the small and lonesome village of Velvet Town. Velvet Town is a secluded town where struggling mothers leave their infant girls to be raised by the mayor. The girls grow up waiting for the big feast, when one lucky girl gets the chance to go out into the real world alone. The mayor chooses Margot on the day of the feast, but she dies mysteriously and is forever condemned to the underworld.
While in the underworld, Margot thinks about the circumstances of her death and tells stories of the quirky and scandalous deaths of Taluna, the town’s Greta Garbo wannabe; Elvira, the eccentric cook with a taste for human flesh; La Pupe, the aspiring ballerina with unattractively large feet, among others. These characters come to life at different times by two ladies of the underground lair, performed by Laura Morgan and Alexandra Dyranis-Maonis.The clever and dark style of the play reminded me of Tim Burton and Edgar Allen Poe. Despite a small stage and enough time to transition between scenes, the performers are always enticing. The lacy and shredded props and detailed set design add to the mood, captivating the audience. To top it off, the instrumental music is perfect at portraying a feeling simultaneously eerie and sensual, threatening and soothing. On the whole, Velvet Scratch-Voyage of No Return is a great production, although recommended for mature audiences able to swallow the imaginary violence and sick sense of humor draped around Velvet Town.
Created by Anastasia Revi. Presented by the Theatre Lab Company as part of FringeNYC. For more information click here.
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