“Death Becomes Her” Brings Eternal
Youth and Beauty to the Fabulous Fox

by Pat Lindsey

The 1992 dark comedy cult classic film, “Death Becomes Her” has been reborn in the Tony Award-winning musical comedy now playing at the Fabulous Fox. It’s outrageously funny and true to the original script. All of the outstanding theatrical elements are here: powerhouse characters with fabulous voices, a good score, glitzy and glamorous sets, gorgeous costumes, and mind-blowing props.

Nasia Thomas, as the bewitching Viola Van Horn, opens the show by interacting with the audience. She then gives a perfect and powerful performance of “If You Want Perfection” while her ensemble of Immortals dance behind her in provocative costumes. Thomas sets the tone for the fun that is about to be unleashed on the stage.

Madeline Ashton (Jackie Burns) is a Hollywood star who is obsessed with her beauty and scared to death that she will lose it. She is a self-absorbed diva who gives her personal assistant, Stefan (Michael Buchanan), a hard way to go. Her best friend, Helen Sharp the writer (Kristen Beth Williams), with whom she has had a long love/hate relationship, visits Madeline one evening to show off her fiance’ and gloat about having something that Madeline doesn’t have. The fiance,’ Ernest Menville (Ken Marino), is a plastic surgeon. Madeline can’t stand the thought of Helen having the luxury of a live-in plastic surgeon. She becomes enraged with jealousy and plots to steal Ernest from Helen. Madeline succeeds and marries Ernest. Helen loses her mind and is next seen in a mental institution planning her revenge on Madeline. Meanwhile, Madeline continues to bask in the glow of fame while making Ernest’s life miserable.

Vanity and revenge are the central themes of this show. It illustrates the sad truth of what great lengths people will go to preserve their good looks—especially famous people. In the case of Madeline and Helen, they sell their souls to the devil for beauty and eternal life. Despite the warnings that Viola Van Horn gives them about her powerful potion, Madeline and Helen throw caution to the wind and give Viola large sums of money for the potion and the promise of eternal beauty.

Sometime after Madeline and Helen drink the potion, they realize that they will outlive everyone they know and they’re going to need someone (like a plastic surgeon) to give them touch-ups once in a while. They try to force Ernest to drink the potion so that he can stick around to help them maintain their beauty. Ernest would rather die than spend eternity with these two monsters, so Viola pushes him off the roof to his apparent death.

The stunts, fight scenes, and costume changes are over the top. You’ll have to see this show to appreciate the acrobatics involved when Madeline tumbles down a flight of stairs. Later, Madeline picks up a shotgun and shoots a massive hole through Helen’s torso. The women argue, more violence ensues, and Helen is impaled by umbrella through that hole.

“Death Becomes Her” is more fun than a Halloween party. The risque’ costumes and dance numbers, sequinned gowns, and music and lyrics by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey set the scenes for humor and horror. It will appeal to adults of all ages, but I would not recommend it for children. There are some sexual innuendos, curse words, and comedic violence. Children would not understand the underlying themes.

The audiences are going wild for this show. I think you will, too. It is being presented at the Fabulous Fox now through Oct. 25. Tickets are available through Metrotix at 314-534-1111, visit the Fabulous Fox box office, or go to fabulousfox.com.

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