“When a Lower East Side tailor is plucked from obscurity to dress a king – well, not a king, but the King, Elvis Presley – he learns that beyond the seductive lights of Las Vegas, nothing is quite what it seams.
Will our tailor survive the trappings of fame? Will Elvis’ jumpsuit hold up under his, er, “overindulgence”? Or will they both end up Bloated In Vegas?”
Cease and Desist Theatricals have imagined an amusing premise – what if a humble Jewish tailor gets chosen by The King to design the sequinned jumpsuits he wears during his Vegas residency? And what if that professional association turns into friendship?
Bloated in Vegas, despite its title, does not set out simply to mock the weight problems of legendary singer Elvis Presley. Rather, in the person of its main character (Jason Cohen), it is rather affectionate and lightly amusing.
Dealing with the cultural expectations of home and the sartorial needs of the local Rabbi, the tailor finds a purpose in the Presley circus, and a pressure from the scrutiny of the media.
Performed as a solo show, Cohen – who co-wrote Bloated in Vegas with director Michael Schiralli – this production doesn’t really evoke the spirit of Elvis in his accent or manner, but perhaps there is no need for such a renowned entertainer.
A model of absurdity and a humorous gem, this show runs with its unusual premise from the start. Elvis did have a succession of tailors including Bernard Lansky, Nudie Cohn, and Manuel Cuevas, but it was Bill Belew & Gene Doucette in the Vegas era.
As The King strains the seams his jumpsuit, and his tailors finds different ways to take the blame and keep the media at bay, Bloated in Vegas stays silly but works because of its well-crafted script and lovely performance.
Dedicated Elvis fans might want to look away, but there is nothing malicious in Cohen and Schiralli’s thoughts, and you might go away with “How Great Thou Art” living rent-free in your ears.
4.5 stars.
Bloated in Vegas was part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.