Carl Gauze had an extra ticket to see “Here Come the Mummies” at the Plaza Theater. I met him there and we waited with the crowd to get in. We grabbed some beers and sat in the lobby. Carl wrote and is producing a Fringe show titled “Big Swinging Dicks topless bar Presents the Naked Drag Queen Farting.” Without a doubt this had to be the longest and most controversial title of the year. He presented me with a matchbook with all the show dates and a sexy pinup girl on the cover. I had seen a read through of the play and we talked about it for a while. Then the house lights flashed and it was time to go inside.
I was surprised to see that most of the theater seats had been removed leaving standing room for everyone. Barricades separated the standing crowd from the stage. I squeezed my way through the crowd to get close to the stage. When Here Come the Mummies ran out the crowd went wild. They stomped and danced in place. The lead mummy came out in a red carnival barkers jacket with tails. He thrust his hips towards the audience as he sang, “Carnal Carnival.” The rowdy rock & roll music has a flavor of New Orleans jazz, and is pure sinful fun. Libido Knieval had the whole audience dancing in place and singing the refrain.
The high energy performance never let up. Here Come the Mummies were constantly on the move as they belted out tune after tune. I loved it! I wondered how it was that they didn’t sweat to death given their non-stop aerobics. They must have been wrapped in the lightest of gauze. At one point the lead singer came out with a cowbell attached to a leather codpiece. The mallet was suggestively attached by a hinge below it. He played the instrument by thrusting his hips at every woman in the audience. Now that must be a fun instrument to play.
