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Media Credit: Angeli Bueno Alex Neville and Jack Berger starred in the second of two plays written by Oleg Shik at the showcase.

Witness Theater is known for having minimalist sets with few props or materials. However, after this weekend's Fall Showcase, the student theater group may soon also become known for producing plays with little plot and a lack of passion from its actors. The one-hour show consisted of four student-written and directed plays that, as a whole, largely failed to impress, causing an aftertaste of pure disappointment.

In a World of Sexual Insecurity was written and directed by Oleg Shik and starred Kevin (senior Bill Fuller), Haley (junior Claire Kenney) and Cleveland (senior Rajiv Mallipudi). The first few minutes of the play seemed promising; There was clever use of lighting to conceal Kevin's penis as he tried to maintain an erection for new girlfriend Haley.

Unfortunately, the whole play was about Kevin's problem getting it up and failing to be intimate with Haley. The play tried too hard to be something all modern couples can relate to with a supposed everyman-like Kevin and references to Viagra, but it soon became lost in pseudo-artistic obscurity. It was almost as if the play itself suffered from erectile dysfunction.

While the story seemed like a good idea on the surface, it tended to use sex for shock value - the explicit terminology and kinky costumes seemed to add nothing significant to the performance. It slugged along pointlessly and was not helped by Fuller's poor acting. He staggered his lines and expressions and forced the whimpers of a man who could not get it up. Kenney's performance as Haley-the-dominatrix seemed as adequate as her black leather costume, but it became just as lost as the play itself as her character became less relevant.

The only saving force was Mallipudi's excellent performance as Cleveland, the male stripper hired by Haley to have sex with her. His impassioned dance and convincing cries were the only relief from the blatant monotony of the show. It was not, however, a high enough dosage to get the play up.

The second play was Past Lives, written by junior Eric Levitz, directed by sophomore Jeremy Bremer and starring Denton (Levitz) and Jen (sophomore Yagmur Müftüoglu). While the previous play actually made some initial effort at arousal and having a coherent message, Lives simply severed its member with a knife and made no attempt whatsoever.

Continued...

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