Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
How Locals Look in Outrageous 15-Foot-Tall Hats
The longest-running musical revue in America and a fiercely protected the-
atrical institution is
Beach Blanket Babylon
(Club Fugazi, 678 Beach
Blanket Babylon Blvd. [Green Street], near Columbus;
%
415/421-4222;
www.beachblanketbabylon.com; $25-$78),
a beloved cabaret-style show
going since 1974 that everyone should see at least once—as recently,
Prince Charles and Camilla did. The show's name doesn't describe what
you'll see, except possibly the “Babylon” part; it's left over from its debut
incarnation, when the theater was filled with sand and audience members
had their hands slapped with Coppertone lotion. Some 12,000 perform-
ances and 4.8 million tickets later, the show's toothless political commen-
tary and mild sexual innuendo hit just the right spot for an evening out
in San Francisco. Everything about it is pleasingly silly, from the plot
(something about Disney's Snow White searching San Francisco for a
prince) to the songs (mostly radio standards in 1-min. bursts) and the
impersonations (lots of people from the current headlines make appear-
ances, usually emblazoned with their names so there'll be no mistaking
their identities). A fake Kirstie Alley sings “Into Food” to the tune of Glenn
Miller's “In the Mood,” trash cans do a can-can, and Al Gore sings “Heat
Wave”—you get the picture.
But the show's main claim to fame, besides its longevity, are the huge
wigs and hats, which are as tall as the proscenium will allow. The climac-
tic bonnet, an illuminated and mechanized city skyline, requires a hidden
scaffolding to support. That piece of honor is worn by a campy and some-
what decrepit performer, Val Diamond, who has been endearingly belting
out torch songs with the show since the late 1970s. Sophomoric?
Absolutely. But few evening shows in America do it so cheerfully and so
boisterously. The spectacle climaxes with a parade of insane hats while
everyone sings along to “San Francisco,” made famous (especially to
locals) in the 1936 Clark Gable/Jeanette MacDonald movie of the same
name. Lots of little shows have cropped up in an optimistic effort to
become another institution, but no one has been able to steal BBB's out-
rageous crown. People under 21 are only allowed at matinees, and all
guests at evening shows must bring their ID's. Tickets are cheaper in the
rear balcony and for Wednesday and Thursday performances. Although
drinks are served, you're not required to order any—although they help.
Plan on several, because the pour isn't stiff.
Don't think you can just roll up and attend; these things book up weeks ahead
of time, so it's essential that you stay on top of the website for new announcements.
Several other outfits do the same thing, but each has its own rules about mem-
bership, and they may balk if they hear you're not from the area. Still, it's worth
a try: Check out the once-a-month
Sub Culture Dining Experience
