Solo show busts out of mediocrity

Bust Through June 29 City Theater 412-431-4400

Lauren Weedman proudly adjusts her… Bust Through June 29 City Theater 412-431-4400

Lauren Weedman proudly adjusts her volunteer badge every morning walking into the L.A. County Prison in “Bust,” a self-written and performed one-woman show based on the realities of her experiences in the nation’s most violent and overcrowded prison.

She sits in the volunteer circle telling the others she needs to do something away from vanity-obsessed Hollywood for a change.

Using only a few rickety stairs, lights and sounds, like the ocean on her beachside walks or the drumming to which she always marches into the prison, she creates the setting.

Wearing a tank top and using minimal props, she creates more than 15 characters in addition to her autobiographical role. By manipulating distinctive facial, voice and personality characteristics in this intriguing and unique show, the audience comes to know and care about these characters upon first impressions, and Weedman moves between characters without missing a beat.

“Bust” chronicles Weedman’s personal experiences dodging the line-crossing security guard, getting power hugs from the Christian Scientist against her will and counseling a prostitute and compulsive liar.

From the first day of orientation, the volunteers are given a number of strict rules, some of which Weedman immediately breaks on her first inmate visit.

Her mistakes are endearing, showing her great amount of compassion through comedic material and constant recognition of irony.

The volunteer coordinator shows contraband items retrieved from inmates’ backsides, what volunteers call a “prisoner book bag.” The guard continues to warn them that death might be expected, all in a quick, introductory tour. While it scares off some, Lauren and a few other brave souls are only more inspired.

Weedman’s haphazard walks through the prison are enough to get her in trouble during an average day at the prison. While not being able to grasp the layout or the logistics of a buzzer, she seems less than street smart. Her struggle in withholding personal information during heart-to-hearts with a needy Native American prostitute makes them instant friends.

While Lauren’s impersonations of people seem rather embellished for theatrical purposes, the scenes in the prison are believable and play on the clich’eacute; that outsiders fear. Irene, the gutsy change-the-world volunteer, brings them all goody bags and perceives their work as necessary and courageous, while the less-than-intelligent security guard watches “Cops” while complimenting Lauren’s looks.

In addition to Lauren’s volunteer work, a bothersome “Glamour” magazine editor asks her to write a happy hour confessional tale in print, which leads to the magazine’s own twist. The “Glamour” version of the story sparks a plethora of angry message board posts about the monster she truly is.

This underlying subplot in pink light and suave elevator music illuminate the hair-twirling, bubbly “Glamour” editor, which plays on another outlandish cliche that Lauren suggests may be painfully true.

Such a wild show would call for an experienced writer and performer, and Weedman has an impressive resume. Her debut in 2001 on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” as a featured correspondent happened at the same time she was a regular on NPR’s national political satire show, “Rewind.” She studied, wrote and performed in Amsterdam for five years and has completed several plays since in addition to “Bust,” including a book published last year called “A Woman Trapped in a Woman’s Body (Tales from a Life of Cringe).”

Lauren’s flawless ability to interrupt a speech with another character’s voice is cause for the audience’s closest attention. Laugh-out-loud humor, impeccable timing and scene changes mark Weedman’s work. An adrenaline-driven performance coupled with clever writing keep audiences wide-eyed and wanting more of the off-kilter characters she encounters, let alone the solo star herself.

A one-woman play might sound daunting, but with exceptional character development and presence on the stage, Lauren wears many hats with success.

Not necessarily a play for the PG crowd, Lauren’s adult humor, portrayal of prison life and play with strong personalities keep a steady roar of gasps and laughter, between a few serious, thought-provoking moments. By showing how ridiculous prison is, she also shows how her work makes life outside prison seem rather fickle. Her counseling sessions, the pinnacle of her own life converging with the problem-infested inmates, show the connections she begins to make and the parasitic relationships she starts to rely on for meaning in her life.