'all in all, the most fun you're likely to have at a decapitation'

Just got home from Absinthe, Opium & Magic: 1920s Shanghai, a crazy awesome, sometimes sublime, other times bloody, performance.

I haven't been to see anything onstage since the last time we were in LA, and I think this was hands down the best time I've ever had.  Even before they opened the doors they had one performer on stilts outside the theatre in white face paint, flirting with everyone (I think he thought Neil was adorable).  The door opened to the 'cruise' to Shanghai, and they had the entry area and hallway filled with actors in either courtesan costume, or the fairy serving absinthe, or the little french photographer who took our pictures as we were getting on board (if I get less lazy I may actually scan so you can see).  Then each act happened.  There were gangsters, and hookers, and torch signing and puppets decapitating each other.  There were cabinets of curiosities (well, filled with cut off hands) and opium smoking, jealousy and love stories.  There were lots of ass jokes.  The front row got splayed with blood.  The puppet rewrote Sartre.  There was dancing.

It was, without a doubt, the best stage performance I've ever been to, and I laughed like a riot.