The Wake

I attended “The Mean Sisters Variety Show” at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theatre with no premeditations or preconceived notions whatsoever. I received an e-mail, acted on impulse and on August 26 went with my proverbial balls to the wall and left completely and hilariously satisfied.

The Mean Sisters, individually known as Sadie Bowman, Rita Boersma and Laura Reese are all alumni of the University of Minnesota. In 2002, Reese, with the help of Bowman, created this theatrical madness at the Fringe Festival, in a project called “Mean Sisters; the Puberty Project.”

Last winter, Reese and Bowman wrote a play about the real social mishaps they both had humorously endured and titled it ‘Tales of the Socially Inept,’ which they performed for the first time last April. Boersma then jumped on board adding to the comedy and vitality of The Mean Sisters.

“The Mean Sisters Variety Show” came about as a way to publicize “Tales of the Socially Inept.”

“We thought it would be a fun way to promote ‘Inept’,” shrugged Bowman.

Turned out “The Mean Sisters Variety Show” became a lot more successful than planned. Much to their surprise, the founders did not have to beg for participants; people were itching at the chance to add to the entertainment, said Reese.

And it’s easy to see why. The show was a humorous, sometimes erotic, escapade through the annals of social deviancy.

In between each segment The Mean Sisters made surprisingly smooth transitions by reading from the “Girl Talk Secret Diary,” an adult film review book, and exhibiting Reese’s talent of putting out matches with her mouth.

On this very night, drag queen Betty Bottoms headed the entertainment with her seat-wetting comedy.

Next, Ellen Stanley played her banjo, changing the mood in a fresh way. Even if you were a country-music hater, you sang along.

The Good Fortune String Trio played the first movement of a string trio written by their cello player Joe Kaiser, soothing the room with its intriguingly fresh composition.

Kevin Gilbertson brought the room to a hush with his striking storytelling.

Stinky Minions reduced us to tears with their music, singing lyrics like, “creamy crotches are gross,” “when you slap me in the crotch” and “group sex is the time of your life” (done to the all too familiar Green Day tune).

Essayist and performer Dessa Darling took to the stage with her powerful voice and passionate stage presence and presented two convincing monologues that made you want to believe that she was talking about her real life.

The Mean Sisters then made everyone blush with butterflies in their stomachs as they called Andy, a contact on Reese’s cell phone, and we all sang “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”

“The Mean Sisters Variety Show” ended with a remarkably powerful and tender performance by P.O.S. (recently returned from the Warped Tour) and Crescent Moon. [Note to all heterosexual girls: These boys were sexy as hell. They could have been peeing into a cup for all I cared – I would’ve still been swooning.]

Next summer, The Mean Sisters plan to take “Tales of the Socially Inept” on tour as far as Portland, Ore. performing in Fringe Festivals.

“Tales of the Socially Inept” will show Tuesdays at the Bryant Lake Bowl in September (14th, 21st, 28th ) at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling 612-825-8949. For more information on The Mean Sisters e-mail them at meansisters@hotmail.com.