NOT HIGH DRAMA: But this play sure is fun to watch.
Published: July 8th, 2008 12:03 AM
Last Modified: July 7th, 2008 11:59 PM
Related Links
"THE HEAD THAT WOULDN'T DIE" will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. and 3 p.m. Sunday through July 27 at Cyrano's Off-Center Playhouse, 413 D St. Tickets at www.centertix.net or 263-2787.
It's summer, and that means it's blockbuster season in Hollywood -- three months of outrageous escapes, over-the-top special effects and fantastic adventures. TBA Theatre is jumping on the blockbuster bandwagon too with "The Head That Wouldn't Die," a hilarious send-up of 1950s thrillers that opened this weekend at Cyrano's.
Science fiction fans, rejoice: Here is the play for you.
Written by Rand Higbee and originally debuted at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, "The Head That Wouldn't Die" winks at vintage Hollywood sci-fi movies and revels in camp. High drama it's not, but it sure is fun. Think of it as theatrical ice cream: You wouldn't want to live on it, but you should certainly enjoy a little now and then.
Shane Mitchell directs a competent cast anchored by four principals filling four archetypal roles: There's Eleanor Janecek Delaney as Janice, the brainy girl; Lindsay Lamar as Penny, the pretty girl; Todd Glidewell as Glen, the jock; and Carl Bright as Luke, the nerd. All four are in possession of excellent comic timing, and Mitchell puts them to work getting the most out of it.
Glidewell's Glen is simultaneously abrasive and endearing; Lamar is winning as the prissy girl who shows her mettle when it counts; Bright pulls off geeked-out hysteria without ever becoming grating.
But it's Delaney who is the most fun to watch, with a pliable, expressive face and overly-profound delivery lifted straight out of "The Twilight Zone."
Higbee's script is fast-paced and funny.
Being at least a little bit of a sci-fi geek will help you get all the jokes (listen for verbal homage to "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "Dune" and other classics, as well as the original Adam West "Batman" movie).
Part of the Hollywood conceit includes narration by Delaney during scene changes, and while this starts to feel a bit repetitive at times, it also makes for some great comedic moments.
And then there's the atmosphere.
In addition to technical elements that compliment the play's goofy, vintage feel, TBA brings the mood into the lobby, where theatergoers are greeted as they walk in by white-capped nurses passing out releases warning that the play may cause a litany of afflictions ranging from hysteria to Hong Kong flu.
Add in a little Buddy Holly and a root beer float during intermission, and the only thing missing from this live-action Saturday matinee is the smell of popcorn drifting in from the concession stand.
Maia Nolan lives and writes in Anchorage.
ADVERTISEMENT
Read the adn.com updated privacy policy | 
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.
© Copyright 2010, The Anchorage Daily News, a subsidiary of The McClatchy Company 
Contact Us | Newsroom Contacts | Communication Forms | Subscriptions | Advertising | Featured Advertisers
Daily News Jobs |
RSS Feeds |
|
ADN Store |
Newspapers in Education
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About our ads | Copyright
