The festive atmosphere starts in the lobby, where attendees can enjoy a free happy half-hour 30 minutes before showtime. The bar features a specialty drink called the McClane, made with Boyd & Blair vodka. It’s tasty. Pretty citrusy, and refreshing. You can also draw yourself in a window of the Yinzatomi Building, or try to break into the Yinzatomi Vault.
Inside the theater, the stage is set with podiums for all the performers, and the various props to be used for sound effects. After an initial sound check and a word from the sponsor – tryptophan! – the show begins. The movie has been adapted for the Midnight Radio format by Gayle Pazerski. The official credit reads “Yinzerized,” which is entirely accurate. Rather than a New York cop visiting LA, John McClane in this telling is a Wilmerding cop coming to his estranged wife’s company party in Pittsburgh. And Pittsburgh references are everywhere, from John’s frequent Steelers digressions to a mention of the Greensburg Bridge’s many construction problems.
Patrick Jordan and Elena Alexandratos
Each performer takes on several roles, moving from one position to another to deliver dialogue or take a turn at producing foley sounds. A power drill on a garbage can lid becomes an automatic weapon, a sheet on a roller provides the wind for scenes on the building’s roof, and a sack of laundry provides the frequently-required sound of a body hitting the floor. Patrick Jordan is primarily our hero John McClane, while Wali Jamal does extensive duty as Uber driver Argyle, friendly cop Al Powell, and the villainous terrorist/Ravens fan Heinz Gruber. He also delivers a pretty fantastic rendition of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” John’s successful estranged wife is portrayed by Lissa Brennan. Jason McCune plays the head of the Yinzatomi corporation, Holly’s annoying coworker Ellis, and the local police chief. Elena Alexandratos kicks the party off with a song and also portrays the building’s security guard and Holly’s assistant. Just about everyone is also a party guest and a member of Heinz’s crew as well.
The whole cast carried their weight, but I was especially impressed with Jamal’s ability to jump between his three main characters, keeping every one distinct. At first, I felt like the Gruber’s voice was a little flat, but… that’s who the character is. Another callout goes to Musical Director Camille Rolla, who kept up musical accompaniment on the keyboard through the whole show.
From left to right: Patrick Jordan, Jason McCune, Wali Jamal, and Lissa Brennan
Die Hard N’At runs a quick 90 minutes, with no intermission. (As explained at the top of the show when pointing out restrooms: “You can make it.”) And while I did miss the musical interludes I’ve seen at previous episodes of Midnight Radio, an intermission would only slow down the show’s breakneck pace, which makes the performance feel much shorter than it is. In addition to the quality of the performers, Pazerski’s adaptation does a great job of trimming down the story and, in doing so, sands of some of the more uncomfortably 80s edges from the source material. Holly gets some good shots in on Heinz, Powell’s “I shot a kid with a toy gun” story is glossed over in a scene that’s refocused on the fact that John is PULLING GLASS OUT OF HIS FOOT, and the “reporters are bad” subplot is notably absent. The only cringes you’ll encounter come from the pronunciation of the word “couch.”
Translating an 80s action flick into a live audio experience could have been a daunting challenge, but Bricolage pulled it off. The campy radio drama atmosphere is exactly right for this kind of show, and the cast keeps the crowd laughing throughout the show. Check this show out while you’re dahntahn looking at the decorations! Bricolage’s Midnight Radio: Die Hard N’At runs through December 22. General admission tickets are $35, and student tickets are $25.
Photos courtesy of Handerson Gomes
Categories: Archived Reviews