A ‘wonderful and strange' tribute to David Lynch

Boston Globe

09-04-2025

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Drag performer Celia Smokinbutts as "Twin Peaks" villain Killer Bob.
Sasha Pedro
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Meanwhile, beginning on the 16th, the Somerville Theatre will host special screenings of several Lynch films, including 'Mulholland Drive' (2001), a double feature of 'Blue Velvet' (1986) and 'Wild at Heart' (1990), a newly rediscovered 70mm print of 'Dune' (1984), and a new documentary about one of the most beloved 'Twin Peaks' characters, the Log Lady.
The co-producers of the Lynch tribute, Arkin and Bridget Duggan, who craft events under the name the Identical Cousins, created their first Lynch event several years ago at the former ONCE Ballroom in Somerville. Duggan, who worked at the nightclub, always thought its kitschy second-floor lounge had ''Twin Peaks' vibes,' she explained.
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A mutual friend introduced her to Arkin, who was a big fan of the series. They have since co-produced more than a dozen events, including a tribute honoring the late Pee Wee Herman in 2023.
After several Lynch-themed happenings, the collaborators have perfected the art of delving into the curious mind of the director. It helps, they say, that the hardcore fans who typically attend their events are already well-versed in Lynchiana.
'He was particularly open-ended in his imagery,' said Arkin on a group video call. 'Everything has such dream logic. People understand the vibe — what feels 'Lynchian.'
'It's such a good time for fan culture in general, but Lynch is so reinterpretable in particular.'
On the 19th, fans will be invited to enjoy a slice of damn fine pie — Agent Cooper's favorite — courtesy of Feast and the Fable catering. Another installation will feature a montage of Lynch's iconic night driving scenes, as seen in the rear-view mirror of a prop car. Proceeds from the sales of signature cocktails will be sent to a mutual aid fund for victims of the recent LA fires. (Lynch was forced to evacuate his home in the Hollywood Hills, a little over a week before his death.)
In addition to Julee Cruise Director, the live music portion of the evening will include Annie Hart of Au Revoir Simone, an all-female synth-pop trio that was featured in two episodes of 'Twin Peaks: The Return,' the 2017 sequel to the original series. The band members first met Lynch almost 20 years ago at a bookstore event in New York City, and they remained collaborators until his death.
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'He kept inviting us all over the world to do events with him,' said Hart, on the phone from Brooklyn. 'We went over to his house a lot. He was constantly encouraging us. Something about the connection between the three of us, he could tell we were on the same wavelength.'
Even before they met Lynch, Hart said, her band was often told they sounded 'cinematic.'
'We would get into this trance, this meditative state, when we were creating music,' she said. 'It was our most favorite feeling in the world — that psychic energy between us, when we were clicking. He definitely lived on that wavelength, too.'
Hart learned about Lynch's death while she was out on a date with her husband. Her bandmate Heather D'Angelo called, 'crying and crying,' she said. 'He was a really beautiful mentor to us.'
To put together their most ambitious Lynch tribute to date, Duggan and Arkin have enlisted the help of at least 30 'of our closest friends.'
'We're maximalist,' Duggan said. 'We like to go big.'
Lynch's infatuation with the collective subconscious makes his work ripe for the crazy quilt of the Identical Cousins' events, Duggan said.
'There's something about the way he's not telling you how to feel,' she said. 'He's not hammering you over the head with what you're supposed to get out of the experience.
'There's a mystery to it. And it's open to interpretation.'
WONDERFUL & STRANGE: A TRIBUTE TO DAVID LYNCH
Presented by Identical Cousins. $33.65. 7:30 p.m. (doors 6:30), Saturday, April 19, at Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square.