Mutant Olive at Lounge Theatre

Mutant Olive

Lounge Theatre
6201 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles

Mitch Hara brings his acclaimed alter-ego Adam Astra back to life in Mutant Olive, a solo show that contains multitudes. Unfolding over the course of an audition for a new play, Mutant Olive surveys the panoramic sweep of one actor's colorful past. Astra explores his soul-sucking childhood, substance abuse, rampant sex and car crashes, plus an out-of-body experience and the timeless functionality of a black cape. An acclaimed writer-performer, the real-life Hara has written, directed and performed in Cracks in the Mask, Polo Lounge and Shopping for Shoes in a Skirt & No Panties. Now Terri Hanauer (The Way You Look Tonight, The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: A Comedy) directs him in this revealing and raucous one-man performance.

Thru - Feb 28, 2015

Thursdays: 8:00pm

Fridays: 8:00pm

Saturdays: 8:00pm

Price: $10-$25

Show Type: Comedy/Drama

Box Office: 323-469-9988

Nearby Restaurants

Mutant Olive Reviews

Average Rating based on 7 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Broadway World - Recommended

"...Ultimately the show allows us to realize we all go through what we go through to turn out the way we do in life, and that we need to be brave enough to just be who we are even in the face of opposition. And even the ugliest events in our lives can be humorous, allowing us to thrive when we take responsibility for how we use the experience to become who we are."

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- Shari Barrett

Stage and Cinema - Recommended

"...With eyes that crackle with madness, a smiling leer that sometimes seems anything but smiley, and flailing arms whose fingers crisply flap jazz hand-style, Hara's go-for-broke performance is compulsively watchable even while it's strangely loathsome, and his explosive energy is frequently terrifying. He puts everything onto the stage, and the turn is complex and unsettling. Many of his "war stories" about his "bad old days" play like regret, but there's also a slight undercurrent of wistfulness that lends the work an unexpected layer of moral ambivalence: Are we supposed to envy him his life or pity it? If you lived in Los Angeles for any length of time, you'd know characters like this guy, making this fucking show a surprisingly original thrill."

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- Paul Birchall

LA Splash - Somewhat Recommended

"...I respect the actor for putting his feelings and experiences out there, but after a while it became a bit much to handle. While there were many comedic moments, there was a lot of sadness, as well. The ending seemed artificial as he tells his father he forgives him, but does he really? Although the event was interesting, I have a hard time recommending it."

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- Serita Stevens

Examiner - Recommended

"...The overall show is seductive, rich in character and more than just worthy. It is further enhanced by having the multi-talented award winning Terri Hanauer on board as Director, Caitlin Rucker as Stage Manager, Brad Bentz as Technical Director and Matt Richter for sound design."

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- Ron Irwin

The Tolucan Times - Recommended

"...This one man show is filled with wonderful lines of dialogue, captivating from start to finish. Life is truly a martini shot, with perhaps a mutant olive or maraschino cherry on top, depending on perspective."

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- Bonnie Priever

Advice To The Players - Somewhat Recommended

"...Performing such intimate autobiographical material is daring and for the most part works. Recounting a drunken blackout on stage at the Matrix in David Rabe's Hurly Burly and his rendering of a believable out of body experience make the sometimes overly profane and indulgent moments worth waiting through. This is deep digging, at times a one person pity party that over all might work even better with some judicious cutting."

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- Michael Sheehan

LifeInLA - Recommended

"...All the inspired lunacy and heartwrenching drama is true, and the show is all the more refreshing for the honesty. When Life in LA asked Hara to describe the show, he immediately responded, "It's funny, it's sad, it's funny, it's sad, it's funny, it's sad, it's triumphant!" Here, too, he's telling the truth."

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- Tovarich Pizann