Something "Fishy" about Basil Twist's Symphonie Fantastique

When your birth name is as nutty as Basil Twist, you may want to consider puppetry as a career. And after seeing Basil's SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE at The Dodger Stages, I'm so glad he did. Set to Berlioz's--no honey, I didn't know who he was either!--symphony of the same name, aquatic puppets dance and swirl insde a 1,000 gallon fish tank to the dramatic, explosive movements--that kinda sounds like the bowel movements you have after eating curry--with such a creative use of textures, lighting and "choreography" that the mind is truly boggled! (A joint helps.) I'll tell you one thing--I will never wash my hose out in the tub the same way again! Now I put on a classical cd, make a grande entrance into the salle de bain and whisk away the sweat, urine, knee-dirt, vomit and cum in an artful, fanciful style! (Oh, did I forget gerbil-juice?) I went with San Francisco drag legend Heklina of Trannyshack, who was in town shooting the new Scissor Sisters video which, by some freak-ish oversight, I wasn't contacted about appearing in. (Maybe they were only featuring busted booger-queens, which would explain why Mona Foote was also cast.) Anyhoo, at one point during the SYMPHONIE, the lights were dimmed for a set change. When they came back up, the audience discovered that I was so moved by Basil's craft, that this old ham was attempting to "get in on the act" by wiggling my sweater high in the air for a few short but very important seconds. Needless to say, Heklina and I convulsed with laughter for 10 solid minutes at my pathetic attempt to help out my friend's show with my very own "flair".

The show reminded me of Chattanooga, Tennessee, where I grew up. There's a famous aquarium there, and I recall visiting it and causing quite a sensation. I'm sure you're all thinking "Bunny, you're so modest! I'm sure you cause a sensation wherever it is that you go."

Check out www.basiltwist.com.