THE PLATT BROTHERS

The full-length Platt Brothers show -- call it a talent show based on their childhood tales -- in the heart of North Park. Expect to see these guys competing on "America's Got Talent" this summer.

By UT STAFF WRITER KELI DAILEY

There are few things as limitless and surprisingly underused as the imagination. (Maybe wind power. Ooh! The sun…) And when the Platt Brothers feed their megawatt imaginations into their eponymous show at North Park’s Sunset Temple, the result is clean, curse-free energy. And you will laugh your bleep off.

The low-budget and ecstatic production is powered by brothers Cy, Cheetah, and Boone. For more than an hour, the hyper kinetic trio of twenty somethings offers up short bursts of song parodies; impossible tumbling routines where they become human wheels; realistic sound effects using only their voices a la that "Police Academy" guy; and dance mashups that veer from hip-hop to hula to “The Nutcracker” ballet. It’s like watching imaginative kids during unstructured play. And it works, because the skits are largely connected to the Platts’ family fables. They grew up outside Ukiah, Calif., without a TV, and with four other siblings to trick with fake treasure maps, and to save from drowning, we're told. Expect origin stories/songs about their unusual names, too (e.g. Cheetah was born Benjamin, but at age 6 he chose the African cat’s moniker because -- he sings with a voice like a brass instrument -- “his hair’s real long like a tail.”) Yeah, it's silly. But so is the FOX Sunday night lineup ("Animation Domination"). Look, anyone who’s been simmering in a cubicle will appreciate the over-the-top catharsis one gets when grown men pantomime an absurd fight that climaxes with Cy getting popped with an imaginary 7-foot-long rubber band. And anyone who’s driven to North Park will take courage from Boone’s “Braveheart”-esque speech about the hood’s “fairly redundant clubs” and lack of free parking. (Here, the other brothers become a human bagpipe and play "Amazing Grace.") Boone, the baby brother, has breezy comic timing and – this is a compliment – can play lovably fey better than Justin Timberlake. The Platt family mythology is the real heart of the show -- the photos projected on screens during interludes validate their charmed childhood. But that means the non-narrative parts of the Platt Brothers’ show -- the mashup dance at the end in particular -- leave the characters we’ve warmed to suspended mid-development. But by that end you’re not counting time like a school kid ticking off days on the calendar. It’s more like the wacky school assembly you never want to end.

Reader Reviews

THE PLATT BROTHERS ARE NUMBER ! By michele05

FOR FUN FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ITS OFF TO THE PLATT BROTHERS SHOW .PERFECT 10!HATS OFF TO THEM,THAT IS WHAT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT SHOULD BE .

Live spontaneous shows are fun! Live spontaneous shows sprinkled with greatness are uber fun! The Platt Brothers have arrived! By AnonymousLA

I got a sample of something pretty sweet on the evening of March 20th at The Platt Brother's Show! The Sunset Temple, a modest SD theatre/music venue, is where I saw our new heroes. The Platt Brothers who are a nifty blend of clean cut guys dancing, flipping, and singing these wonderfully up-tempo stories of their childhood which really appeals to anyone's inner kid at heart. They are seriously the best (and funniest) thing since sliced bread! One thing is certain: Anyone who can write songs about the blues of filling a wheel barrow up with rocks, and in the same show pretend to be a dinosaur, is irrefutably cool in my book. (Seriously, I just checked.) There's nothing quite like the sound of a full house, with rushes of laughter and occasional appreciative hoots as the backdrop to their music/show. The Platt Brothers are not just pretty boys; they sing, they dance, they do crazy flips, and are funny as hell! They show how someone can take such nerdy/silly/play elements and create something cool out of them. Hey, anyone who can bring dorky back gets another special mention in my book. I left the show feeling rejuvenated. The show ended at a cool 10:30 at night, perfect for a end-of-the-week performance that allows a working stiff some hype, laughter, and be able to get home to sleep all in one blow! My satisfying night watching the Platt Brothers' Show makes me sure that the next time I see them I may not be in proper proximity to greet them because by that time, I won't be the only one wanting a piece of them. You know these guys literally poured sweat, blood, and tears into this show. Can we please get some nods from the academy? I heard the food is fantastic (even better than the emmys). Yeah, I said it. If you have a chance, please do yourself a favor and check out The Platt Brothers' Show the next time you're in town. It's a family friendly show with a great story. It's something you've got to see for yourself-you won't regret it.