Loft Ensemble Ends its Run at Sawyer's Playhouse with "The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral"
- Dan Ruth
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Sunday, July 20th, Los Angeles, CA
written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth
Last week I was able to catch the latest production by Loft Ensemble, but sad to hear it would be their last production in their Noho space. After a post-show conversation with Co-Director, Madylin Sweeten Durrie, it was explained that she and fellow director Natasha Renae Potts, along with other members of Loft Ensemble will be moving forward with life and eventually, going on to produce more works at the Hollywood Fringe and beyond. The space where Loft Ensemble has been producing full seasons since 2012, will be taken over by various members of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, who will be keeping the name, Sawyer’s Playhouse. So don’t worry, this space will still be home to both theatre and classes after Loft Ensemble's final production, The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral, has had its final curtain call. To be continued. . .
The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral is both a work of horror comedy, and a work of modern absurdism. As the lights come up, we find ourselves at a funeral parlor, waiting for the mourners to arrive. If you’re expecting the Big Chill or some other funeral scene from the likes of Steel Magnolias, you’re in for a real surprise because nothing here in this world makes sense at first, which I believe is what playwright Emma J. Latimer was aiming for. Like a complex puzzle fresh out of the box, you won’t know any of the people gathered to this funeral, or why each character’s entrance elicits peals of thunder and lightning, why none of them will return phone calls or texts, and you certainly won't know why the deceased wanted everyone to bring dildos to their funeral. As it stands however, there are dildos aplenty; dildos of every size, color, design, shape and um, length, wielded by the characters onstage. Much like a hot potato, they are flung, caressed, hurled, jousted, but in the end, gratuitous in nature or not, their presence represents pure, unadulterated deflection.
With plenty of truths about to unfold, what is clear, is that these “friends” have known each other for a very long time, and they keep their secrets well, even though we aren’t privy at first to just how deep this well of secrets goes. As The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral progresses, what is clear is the undeniable connection between all the characters on stage and each actor’s commitment to each other throughout this unusual tale, which gets progressively odder, more manic and claustrophobic as it unfolds. Indeed, this funeral is not your run of the mill friendship gathering. Evoking the now-famous “rules of horror films” upon the disappearance of the owner of the funeral parlor and several of the characters, this story takes turn, after turn, eliciting elements of the supernatural; power-outages, locked and hidden trap doors, stage magic, hypnosis and dark psychology, and all with a sense of hyper-urgency and humor by a high-energy superb cast of performers. The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral isn’t all hocus-pocus, it’s also loaded with plenty of good old-fashioned lies, deceit and eventual forgiveness. These people are nearly lain to waste by their passionate, raw, real (and surreal) actions of the past and the explosive consequences of said actions on the present.
The result is a story that plays out much like a murder mystery, with none of the exposition given within the context of the first quarter, or even the first half of the piece. Most of the exposition comes towards the end when we finally start putting this puzzle together. The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral might not always be easy to follow, but it's a lot of fun to watch. As I left the theatre, I was overwhelmed with the sense that, as a fly on the wall, I just witnessed an implosion of sorts. Like cutting open a hornet's nest, this piece is so abuzz with volatile energy, is often unsettling, but ultimately mesmerizing, and captivating; I just couldn't look away. It needs to be said loud and clear that the cast of The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral is sublime, and without their unyielding commitment to their characters, this would not have been such an enjoyable experience. There was not one single moment that rang untrue, not one actor who was not completely in the moment and perfectly instep with Latimer’s script. Each performer is worthy of praise, so be on the look out for Esteban Vasquez who stars as the magical and somber Justin, and thank the gods for Ignacio Navarro's sequined Booker, who serves as this play's referee, Isabella Costa as the charming yet secretive (and very pregnant) Maggie and her partner Keith, played to the peaks of the Alps and depths of the Pacific by Mitch Rosander, Rosie Ryden as the kind and sensible Ross and the powerful Sean Alan Mazur as Troy.
The Impact of Dildos on a Funeral was a fascinating, highly entertaining evening, and again I applaud all the performers for what they brought to the proceedings, they are easily one of the finest ensemble casts I’ve seen in Los Angeles. This show served not only as an entertainment, but as a masterclass in high-energy acting and tight, meticulous direction, even if I’ll never know who the two characters in fedoras and trench coats were. IYKYK. I look forward to seeing many other productions by the members of the previously known Loft Ensemble, as they always seem to present original works with a flair for the refreshing and the unusual. Loft Ensemble is certainly never afraid to take a risk.
Directed by Madylin Sweeten Durrie and Natashia Renae Potts, written by Emma J. Latimer.
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