TRIPpin'
By FISH GRIWKOWSKY, Express Writer
EDMONTON -- There's nothing like a decent musical - which TRIPpin' just happens to be something like. A mix of Homer, Hair and gay porn, TRIPpin' is not your ancestors' Odyssey (especially if you ain't Greek).
What it is is a rather ambitious retelling of Homer's classic poem that almost no one's ever read. Well, having read the big mess in university, I'll say this: watching it is a lot more fun, if occasionally completely confusing.
The play puts burgeoning Frampton Comes Alive-like rock star Otis (Adam Blocka) in search of his name in lights. Of course, this is The Odyssey, so he does so in a boat adrift at sea. Along for the ride are band members Bootie and Charmaine, played with a kind of child-like enthusiasm by Trevor Schmidt (who also directs and does the groovy costumes) and Michelle Todd.
It's apparent throughout the cast are fans of both Jesus Christ Superstar and that beast disco in general. Ultimately a road movie, the trio

encounters a series of weird, gold Afro-ed sea creatures and walking one-eyed drug references (Angela Flatekval), all the while enduring Otis's pining for his left-behind and seriously sexy Penny (Cailin Stadnyk).
But the plot, both to you, good Fringer, and the production company, becomes irrelevant behind a series of flashy disco-rock numbers, choreographed and sung at levels that are both pro and, well, less pro.
Like I said: ambitious.
Part of the problem is that while the three female cast members are quite good singers, the boys are a little rough around the vocal edges. Being about music as well as being a musical, this is hard to forgive. And the songs themselves fail to advance the plot enough, coming off as slightly showing off.
But the costumes, particularly Bob Rasko's Mr. Hades, and the general vibe in the joint is worth seeing. You'll end up humming Donna Summer's Hot Stuff to yourself as you wander back into the real world, which can only look a little duller after this flashy madness.

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