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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
'I Am Star Trek'
Verdict: Gene Roddenberry's life at warp speed
Edinburgh 05 - Pleasance Dome - 5-29 Aug 05 - 21:50 (1:25)
'I am Star Trek' is a comedy with music about the life of Star Trek's inventor Gene Roddenberry. There's a cast of 8 (5M, 3F). It runs for 85 minutes.
When people in white coats surround Gene Roddenberry (Gareth Davies) he enters the universe he has created in the 1960s Sci-Fi serial Star Trek. They have resurrected him in the future to write more episodes. They sing about how good his world is. Madness and mania follow.
Flashback to the start. Roddenberry is presenting a very OTT pitch of the show at Desilu Studios. When he has finished his secretary and 'close friend' DC Fontana (Genevieve Swallow) tells him it's worth practising for when he really has to make his pitch. Told that 'science fiction is death' he perseveres and achieves success through 'pure atheism' - having survived by not praying during a plane crash. The pilot is written, abandoned, rewritten, recast and produced. Roddenberry wants everything 'better, cheaper, quicker.'
A frantic pace continues as Star Trek becomes 'a western in space with fist fights and laser rifles'. William Shatner (Michael Cotton) is Captain Kirk and Leonard Nimoy (Darren Batten) is typecast for life as Spock. Majel (Erica Fee) - Roddenberry's wife - is demoted from first officer to nurse, as she can't act. Personal feelings and much else are put aside to ensure the success of the show. Roddenberry now believes he has achieved success through 'pure optimism' - when he isn't chasing women or stealing others' ideas.
Rejoicing at the show's potential future is overtaken by its cancellation. Roddenberry believes it will sink without trace. He thinks the first fans' convention will be the last. Overcome by the hero-worship (and the geekiness of the Trekkies) he is transformed into an evangelical preacher, and Little Billy (Kevin James) finds his god. Billy says 'who needs a life when you've got Star Trek.'
Only a miracle will bring the show back. Enter Star Wars complete with music, storm-troupers, effects and a very small and apologetic Darth Vader. Enter Star Trek - The Motion Picture.
There are attempts to separate Roddenberry from his creation for its own good. He becomes 'Creative Consultant', and the person from Paramount (Rebecca Naylor) persuades him to be 'Executive Producer' - as do the rest of the cast (with a song). Roddenberry resists, and can't keep his hands off the script, booze - and women.
Roddenberry's plagarism ends in law suits. Comedy becomes tragedy. Nimoy tells him 'In the end there's only you and the dream; never forget the dream.' The final scene is a very strange place.
'I am Star Trek' projects the mania that surrounded Roddenberry into manic action. The pace never falters. It's a cartoon-like look into the production values of the time in TV and film. It is told with affection, humour and unflattering analysis. Roddenberry is Star Trek just as surely as Shatner is Kirk or Leonard Nimoy is Spock.
Cast Credits: (alpha order) Darren Batten - Bob Justman, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and others. Michael Cotton - William Shatner, David Gerrold, Harve Bennet and others. Gareth Davies - Gene Roddenberry. Erica Fee - Majel Barrett, Gates McFadden and others. Genevieve Swallow - DC Fontana, Elyse Rosenstein, Meg Wylie and others. Kevin James - Little Billy, James Doohan, Barry Dillar and others. Rebecca Naylor - Paramount, Lucille Ball, Michael Eisener and others. Nicholas Van Gelder - Leonard Maizish, Jeffrey Hunter, Charles Bluhdorn and others.
Company Credits: Writer - Rick Vorndran. Director - Joseph C Walsh. Stage Manager - Louie Whitemore. Technical Stage Manager - Richard Marshall. Aimee Bell - Pianist. Music - Scott Ethier. Lyrics - Clay Zambo. Company - Skullduggery Theatre Company.
END
(c) Peter Andrews 2005
reviewed 8 August 05 / Pleasance Dome
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
