Groucho Returns

Have you ever had an epiphany where you realized that a cultural ghost was all around you, influencing many things you love, without you ever realizing? Maybe it was when you realized that the Olympics tradition of democratic competitive sport started nearly 3,000 years ago. Or when you realized that favorite slang words, the bones of blues, jazz and hip-hop music all come from a small number of African cultures? I had such an epiphany Friday night at the Bullitt Cabaret, watching Frank Ferrante perform "Groucho Returns."

I was born in the mid-seventies, so too late for the fresh heyday of the Groucho Brothers slapstick comedy films and Groucho Marx's much-loved game show "You Bet Your Life,"featuring the 'secret woid' gag (reprised by my childhood favorite, Pee-Wee Herman). In fact, Groucho Marx and I only existed together on the planet for one year, but his influence is all around me and has been making me smile most of my life. I only just figured this out.

Ferrante told us after the show that he has been performing Groucho Marx homages for more than 30 years; it shows. Ferrante has the energy and the charm that only a true devotee could muster. At the opening of the show, he introduced himself and then transformed, seemingly effortlessly, into the comedic hero while he told us a simple story of seeing Groucho Marx onstage. Within minutes, Ferrante disappeared and Marx was there, mixing stories and jokes, music and song into a captivating show.

Like Marx, Ferrante never does the same show twice, because the audience is a huge part of the show. Don't sit in the front row or along the center aisle if you don't want to get Ferrante's attention! Even other seats aren't safe -- a very self-possessed and obliging young man from a center seat got pulled up on stage and grease-painted and cigar'd during Friday's show.

Ferrante brings us back to an earlier era of comedy, one that relies more on music and clever writing. Ferrante worked the stage with the expert support of the pianist Mark Rabe. Rabe made major shifts from goofy slapstick melodies to classics like "Clair de Lune," without it ever sounding forced or pretentious. He also had an effective stage presence -- the long-suffering erudite artist to Ferrante's brash hurrah. Just like my favorite Sideshow Bob and Krusty the Klown from The Simpsons, a comedic pair no doubt influenced by the great Marx.

Perhaps I was na�ve, but I went to the show thinking that comedic material true enough to Marx's era would be a little dated or square, but this was delightfully not the case. I think that it is true that what would have been allowed on television in Marx's day would be less lewd than what we can see on television today, but I think live performances must have been different from television in Marx's day.

Either that or the comedic writing is just so good it stands the test of time. Lewdness is there, to be sure, but without being what I think of as 'toilet humor.' To me toilet humor relies on some kind of disgust or shock value for its comedic punch. What I saw Friday was clever, insightful, smart humor that had the whole audience laughing.

So for me, Ferrante's show introduced me to a cultural ghost whose sphere of influence I'm still working out. I loved "M*A*S*H" and "The Addams Family" and can see how Hawkeye and Gomez were clearly influenced by Groucho Marx. I never knew, though, that Queen named several albums after Marx Brothers films! I would encourage you to go see Ferrante and Rabe bring the comedic giant back to life. Even, or especially, if you don't think Groucho Marx is relevant or all that funny. And tell them that Doc sent you!

"Groucho Returns" runs through August 24 at ACT Bullitt Cabaret, 700 Union Street in Seattle. For information or tickets, call 206-292-7676 or visit www.acttheatre.org.