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Matchbook Players production
confusing but worthwhile
On the Verge or the Geography of Yearning makes the grade
New
by Jennifer Toubakarbs
Cassias Ste
Frustrated. That's how I felt
after leaving On the Verge. Let
me explain. I wasn't frustrated
at the play itself, but at myself.
I didn't really understand it. The
acting was excellent and it
combined drama with many
humorous lines, but the
language was too sophisticated
for a college audience and left
me feeling ignorant.
The play begins in 1888 in a
land called Terra Incognita.
Three Victorian women have
embarked on a journey through
this strange land to explore the
unknown. What they end up
finding is something none of
them would have expected.
Fanny, played by Ericha
Hagenbuch, is the uppity
feminist who assures everyone
that, "A good stiff petticoat is
worth its weight in gold." She
serves her part well with
sarcastic remarks and an almost
obnoxious intelligence.
Terri Evans plays Mary who
holds an undying flame for
learning and is the understood
group. She too
agrees with Fanny about the
value of a petticoat after telling
the audience of how her skirt
ballooned out and saved her
from drowning in quicksand.
Susan Simmons, who plays
Alex, is the last of the trio.
This is her premiere at Behrend
and it is a good one at that. She
comes off as being sweet and
naive, but has a quirky mind and
offbeat humor.
Throughout their trip, Fanny
begins to find strange objects in
her basket; one of them being
cream cheese, which hasn't been
invented yet. Mary finds a
button that contains the
message, "I Like Ike", and Alex
begins to talk in strange
phrases, telling Fanny that,
so square.
Glenn McCall plays the jack
of many trades in this
production; from a cannibal
with a German accent to Nicky
Paradise, the suave owner of a
casino resort. His acting
switches from each of these
characters as easily as a
chameleon's coat changes color.
At one point he portrays a
The Temp
Only temporarily interesting
by Sarah Melchiorre
Collegian Staff
What would you do to get
ahead? Would you cheat? Would
you steal? Would you kill? Or
maybe your secretary would.
The Temp would!
The Temp is a pyscho-thriller
with many twists. The plot is
unrealistic, but fun to watch.
Tension builds through the
whole movie until the end. The
ending is a dreadful cop-out.
You expect the bad guy...girl to
get his/her just dessert in the
end-and for it to be exciting, it's
not!
Peter Derns (Timothy
Hunton) is an executive at a
cookie company, who needs a
temp after his assistant
accidently chews his hand up in
the paper shredder. It's a scene
that makes you want to run and
hide. The audience knows it's
going to happen. The scene cuts
rapping troll who tells the
ladies, "This is my bridge,
baby, and I'm the Troll. To
step on over you gotta pay the
toll."
The ladies start out in 1888
and eventually end up in the
1950's at Nicky's Peligrosa
Paradise Bar and Grill. Here,
Fanny and Alex find their true
callings and decide to stay.
Fanny becomes engaged to
Nicky and Alex decides she
wants to write lyrics for "Rock
and Roll". Mary wishes them
luck and treks on through the
unknown to discover CD's,
computers, microwaves, and
jacuzzis.
These brave, young women
had a strong yearning to learn
about the future (Do you get the
title now?). They realize that,
"The future is not annoying,"
and instead of running from it,
they embrace and cherish it.
The language at times was
frivolous and difficult to
understand, but don't let that
discourage you from seeing On
the Verge.
On the Verge makes you
think, and when watching the
play I felt confused and
sometimes lost. Now as I look
back on it and write this article,
I begin to understand the play.
The future isn't planned, it just
happens. We tend to analyze
everything too much. Fanny,
Mary, and Alex were just as
confused as I was. Confusion
isn't always bad; only when it
discourages you from taking
chances can it hurt. These
women took that chance and
everything turned out fine.
You just might leave the
theater understanding our
motivation for knowledge and
gain a positive look for our
brightest prospect; the future.
from the assistant's face to the
hallway where you hear shrieks
of blood curdling pain. It'll give
you goose bumps.
Kris Bolin (Lara Flynn Boyle)
is hired as Derns' temp. She
quickly moves up in the
company to an executive after
two of Derns' co-workers die.
Kris gets away with so much
"stuff' it's amazing. Peter Derns
is the only one who sees
through her, but he's been
dealing with bouts of paranoia,
and everyone dismisses his
allegations. When Peter is
against many others (including
Kris) for a promotion, his
supervisor calms him by
saying "Don't worry, success is
like hot air, it rises to the top."
No one in this film will be
nominated for an academy
award, but they're not that bad
either. Some scenes with
Timothy Hunton seemed forced.
Thursday, February 25, 1993
off the
d
Groun
Pau l
McCartney
plays 1
safe w i th
.
w
his ne
pop album
by Vince Smith
Collegam Skiff
After such a ground b r ea k ing
rock and mil record as "Rowers
in the Dirt," Nut McCartney
has gone tack to playing it safe
with his new album. "Off the
Ground "':Unfortunately':with his
new mml, Paul McCartney
doesn't try anything new or
different. He puts out a pop
record. And with pop, well,
someone should tell Pantie
we've heard it before it's too
safe.
McCartneT's biggest problem
is its SOI9IIMI While "Off the
Gaunt' does have its moments,
("Hope of Deliverarice," the
Beattlesque "Get out of my
Way") the majority of the
album is too sugar sweet
**Golden Earth Girl and
especially 'Looking .fir
Comae* m winch hfcCartneY
and friends do Some
harmonising about animal
Ilene. It made me feel hhe is
watching a Saturday afternoon
"ikfterschOct SPOclor on k l4 s 4
hdeviannt neeistair- _
mecariolry does bay* a well*
Produced mccia it w i llin n nnigY
earm him a Grammy
nomination for neat year.
"Mist IeSS and Mod s * wow
With Elvis Costello stands out
asa well tonfogoilmaniOni Pince*
As does "Whiedttfk OPen geo n .
But none of the cuts on this
album really gmb you right ,
away, winch says so anon
lad about the 'Mtn of * Let a n
xn" and " Hey hu b* .
Min all. Paut him Pat out a
great Ix, album. Vett:mo
ody mcoaThey is at his best
doing mcband r Oll, and °lnk t°
take more domes when doing
so, This in turn mates ghto
more *creating As far "Off
the erotest u mfa it ne Wg et n,.
there Shame Oa yms, rIMS4
WWI nen* MOW LI " Wi th
MlChiiiil JaSbad Hares a to, Ot ,
pad s lot tionshoti go pop, wee
good at lt. You So blOt 4)
roCking lidaYi* then YoW
albuni win aettaidly get tiff the
puidt
Lara Flynn Boyle plays the
conniving little...wench role to
the "T". It's almost amusing to
watch her manipulate the Test of
the cast.
This movie is one to rent, but
not one to pay six dollars to go
see.