Philadelphia City Paper, August 28-September 4, 2003 #954
Cabaret: Mama Spell
by Patrick Rapa
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Comedians tend to pick just one kind of funny and go with it. The Seinfeldian school opts for "didja ever notice"-based observational humor while the Wright/Foxworth-ians choose thematic staccato one-liners. There's also subliminal riffing (a la Nealon/Kightlinger), dorkish annoying (Carrot Top/Gottfried) and too-cool-for-school posturing (any comedian named Dennis or Denis). Often, when a comedian starts combining too many of these disciplines he/she ends up crossing invisible lines set up by an audience that refuses to swing at the curve ball. It takes a skilled entertainer with a distinct persona to blend the many kinds of funny and still come out on top. Mama Spell, a Southern-born Pittsburgh hipster who's playing Sugar Town on Saturday, pulls it off with grace and aplomb. One minute she'll announce that she wants to make "mama" a household name and the next she's joking about banging her husband in the cereal aisle. Her debut CD, Stories With No Morals, is a medley of one-liners, corny wordplay and pointless anecdotes. IN between, she's playing cheesy little Casio tunes (including a peppy version of "Anarchy in the U.K."). It's all kinds of funny. Mama Spell's sweet and silly cabaret should charm the Sauconys off the Sugar Town crowd.

Saturday, August 30, 8 p.m., $7, with Beretta 76 and The Long Lost, (and Box 5), The Balcony, 1003 Arch Street, 215-922-LIVE.

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