In Italian, "puttana" means "whore," so you can imagine my skepticism as the lights dimmed before the start of the Arden Theatre Co.'s world premiere musical, Caf‚ Puttanesca. The atmosphere seemed innocent enough, yet I feared I had gotten myself into some sort of up-scale pornographic production.
Set in 1948 in a small caf‚ in Amsterdam, Caf‚ Puttanesca is a relatively plotless musical about the lives of three prostitutes and a caf‚ owner who gather nightly to share their "on-the-job" stories and soothe each other in the aftermath of World War II.
| Caf‚ Puttanesca Arden Theatre Co. 40 N. Second Street (215) 922-1122 |
The performance is the latest creation of award-winning composer Michael Ogborn and director Terrence J. Nolen. The tag-team effort of below-the-belt humor and original score keeps the audience on the verge of laughter or disgust for the entire 90-minute production.
While my presence brought the average age of the audience down from 55 to 54.9, it became clear that it's never too late to be amused by a clever dirty limerick or pun. We were assured by a puttana in one of the opening acts that the "customer always comes first" and that we were in for a treat.
The impressive piano work of Vince Dimura -- who memorized the entire score -- spans over eighteen musical numbers. These musical collections were designed to remain authentic to the period and therefore seem more like cabaret numbers than Andrew Lloyd Webber classics. At some points, however, the vocals are a bit sub-par.
But, like any night with a hooker, it'll cost you. The going rate for the show is anywhere between $22 and $40 a pop. The show runs through Nov. 2, so if you have a chance, take a trip down the Market-Frankford EL and indulge yourself with a good ol' post-WWII dance party in the Red Light district. According to Tony Braithwaite, who plays the caf‚ owner, "It's like that great college party with the people you love"
