Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The new Off-Broadway parody GINGER TWINSIES campily, hilariously sends up “The Parent Trap”

• By drediman
• August 6, 2025
• No Comments

This week at the Orpheum Theatre in the East Village, I was able to catch up with Ginger Twinsies, Kevin Zak’s Off-Broadway spoof of the 1998 cinematic reboot of The Parent Trap (which helped launch the career of a young Lindsay Lohan). For those of you unfamiliar with the underlying material, the film tells the story of separated identical twins who randomly meet each other for the first time during summer camp. Upon the realization of their situation, they decide to swap places and concoct a plan to reunite their divorced parents.

Be forewarned, there’s not a subtle bone in Zak’s freewheeling send up of The Parent Trap. The playwright takes inspiration from New York’s storied “anything goes” downtown theater scene of the 1960s and 1970s — particularly the Theatre of the Ridiculous — during which campiness, queerness, and experimentation were on unabashed display. Indeed, Ginger Twinsies ascribes to the philosophy that more is more, the effect being as if spaghetti is constantly being thrown on the wall — luckily, most of the time the outrageousness of it all hilariously sticks. It’s also quite raunchy and crude, which may not be to everyone’s taste (don’t bring the kids to this one!). Throw into the mix good dose of parodic references to popular culture, and you’ll get the drift of the show. Admittedly, the extremities at time can get tiresome and there are a few groaners here and there, but that’s a part of the charm (and thrill) of it all.

Zak also directs the piece, giving the production a deceptively low tech sensibility that belies the complexity of the staging (kudos to veteran scenic designer Beowulf Boritt, witty costume designer Wilberth Gonzalez, and resourceful lighting designer Bradley King for contributing to the illusion). Ginger Twinsies thrives on quicksilver cues and the kind of rapid fire delivery that builds upon itself. Luckily the comically-gifted, sensationally hard-working cast of eight — led by Aneesa Folds and Russell Daniels as the titular duo — are more than up to the task, delivering madcap performances collectively akin to a high wire act.

RECOMMENDED

GINGER TWINSIES
Off-Broadway, Play
Orpheum Theatre
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Open run