Darlings, This Was The Hottest Ticket In Town!!!!!

Who would have thought an Off Off Broadway stage version of "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" would draw such a crowd??? But last eve, on a beautiful Indian Summer night, throngs, including Joyce Van Patten, lambs, poured into the Theatre 80 St. Marks, now a legit house, to witness this howler, which, incidentally, was part of the Howl Festival!!!!

I had to to wonder how, in 90 intermission-less minutes, they would get the story up there. But they did. From child Jane singing in vaudeville, to adult Jane finally slipping around the bend, all the key incidents and lines one remembers from this beloved classic was up there.

The casting was inspired. Brini Maxwell, as Mrs. Bates, the Anna Lee Role. Penny Arcade, of the Warhol Factory, as Jane, and Sweetie as Edwin Flagg!!!! Brenda Bergman got the look, mannerisms and speech patterns of Joan Crawford as Blanche, and Steve Hayes as Delia Flagg, the ugliest, and dottiest, Oedipal Mama there is!!!! Special mention must be given to the unnamed actress who played Elvira Stitt; she was a badass gal with attitude!!!! Maidie Norman, in the original, came close, but the Times just would not let her!!!! This is a New Age Elvira, lambs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The use of film clips is inspired--the accident, the bird, the rat, and superimposing Brenda Bergman's head over Joan Crawford , during key scenes. Now, honey, I have nothing against Penny Arcade, but let me tell you, I could nail Jane in seconds flat!!!! And without looking at the script, I could have gotten up there, right then, and known my lines!!!! Unlike Penny, who needed help, but somehow managed to make it part of the humor of the evening!!!!!!

Audiences have loved 'Baby Jane' since 1962, and they still do!!!! My only regret is my favorite line was not used--when the child Blanche says, "I won't forget. You BET I won't forget!"

Do you think I would forget my girls, darlings??????????? Never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!