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REVIEW
Laughs brighten up play's dark side
By Arline Greer, "The Gainesville Sun"
October 25, 2007
Zombies. Love 'em or leave 'em? Given my druthers, I'd leave 'em.
However, judging from the first night audience's reaction to The
Hippodrome's production of Night of the Living Dead, everyone
loves a zombie.
Just in time for Halloween, Lauren Caldwell is directing a sendup of the
famous '60s movie. Although she follows Lori Allen Ohm's adaptation of
the film closely, she's added local references and local characters to
the mix on stage. As a result, the play's original mood of horror is
diluted, making for laughter at the macabre nonsense on stage. Purists
who want their flesh-eating zombies served up straight, may object. The
more forgiving among audiences probably will enjoy the comic relief.
For those who are not auainted with Night of the Living Dead, it
concerns a group of strangers who take refuge in a farmhouse from a
horde of zombies bent on finding and eating them. The zombies are
everywhere. A national emergency has been declared and news bulletins
are sent out on radio and television by local newscaster Paige Beck
(played primly by Nell Page in a blonde wig.) Sheriff Sadie Darnell (in
the smiling persona of an uniformed Sara Morsey) appears on stage to
report on police progress or lack thereof.
In the farmhouse, Ben, a take-charge kind of guy, tries to calm Barbara,
whose brother, Johnny, has just been eaten by zombies, and who
apparently has lost her mind. (Who wouldn't under the circumstances?)
While Ben boards up the upper part of the house, Harry and Tom, part of
a group hiding in the basement, come upstairs and demand that Tom and
Barbara join them and Harry's wife, Helen, their sick child, Karen, and
Tom's girlfriend, Judy, downstairs where they believe it's safe. Ben
refuses to budge setting off a power struggle among the men. As they
argue, zombies, costumed by Lorelai Esser in torn, putty-colored
outfits, hair gone wild and blood dripping from their mouths, march
stiffly toward the house. The group in the farmhouse freezes while the
zombies circle the lawn to an ominous, herky-jerky beat. Drums pound and
music plays for the zombies, who dance furiously, energized by Rachel
Anton's bold choreography and Risa Baxter's hot sound.
Back in the farmhouse, Ben, Harry and Tom come up with an escape plan.
But - will it work? And what about Karen, the sick child in the
basement? Can she be saved? In a romantic, humorous moment, Tom and
Judy are left alone for a kiss and a dance.
Barbara, who has become certifiably loony at that point, sits up to sing
"Without You" in a vivid, out-of-tune performance. After that, just
about everything goes to pot until Sadie Darnell calls on Tim Tebow and
the Gators to save the world.
Is it too late for the refugees in the farmhouse? Built on two levels by
Carlos Francisco Asse, the farmhouse takes up a large portion of the
stage with the grass outside the house lying within a few inches of the
audience's toes. (Someone needs to mow that lawn.) Zombies wander in and
out of the set and sometimes climb into the audience. ("All the better
to eat you, my dear!") The zombies, who are more humorous than they are
scary, are played by Libby Arnold, Kate Daub, Dan Kahn, Bobby McAfee,
Jorgia McAfee, Kristin Mercer, Alex Mrazek, Loren Omer, Kellie Palladino,
and Es Swihart.
In the lead roles, Armando Acevedo as Ben makes a strong, commanding
leader. Kate Kertez is enjoyably loony as scared-out-of-her-wits
Barbara. Matthew Lindsay plays Harry with a believable mix of bravado
and frustration. Helen, his wife, is given a sympathetic performance by
Robyn Berg. Ted Stephens and Jessica Ires Morris as Tom and Judy make
a funny and romantic couple. Dennis McCourt plays the hapless
Johnny. Marjorie Kammerlohr is Karen, the sick child.
The best line in Night of the Living Dead? "Like the Gator
nation, zombies are everywhere."
The good news? You can leave them behind at The Hippodrome, go home and
cover your head.
The other good news? If zombies are your thing, The Hippodrome has them
in abundance for your Halloween treat.
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