After listening to Gigi Bermingham's reading of the novel from young Hollywood insiders Hopper and Goldberg, it comes as no surprise to learn that the veteran stage and television actress earned both an Ovation Award and an L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Award for performing her solo play Non-Vital Organs
. Bermingham juggles the colorful cast of over-the-top characters in this gossipy tale with finesse. As the “Hollywood ambassador” for her “best-gay forever” friend and designer Julian Tenent, protagonist Lola Santisi earnestly seeks to heal the scars of her dysfunctional Tinseltown upbringing and overcome “career-deficit disorder” during Oscar week. Bermingham proves particularly delightful in her portrayal of Lola's nemesis, actress Olivia Cutter, whose mercurial outbursts and oddball phobias manage to generate shock value even by the jaded standards of contemporary celebrity misbehavior. The upbeat musical interludes at the start and end of each CD also help sustain the glitzy ambience. Fans of Ugly Betty
and The Devil Wears Prada
provide a natural audience for this entertaining production. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's Press hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 10). (Feb.)
