What does President Bush's recent military campaign have in common with The Triangle Club's upcoming spring show? Not much, except for a name. Well, almost. This Friday and Saturday in the Frist Film and Performance Theatre The Triangle Club will present "Rude Olympics V: Schlock and Awe" — an uproariously funny and undeniably smart hour-long musical comedy review.
In the tradition of Triangle's five previous spring shows, "Schlock and Awe" offers audiences intimate exposure to some of Triangle's most punchy and fresh humor. The show takes a stab at everything from Burger King to feminism and at everyone from OIT administrators to middle school outcasts.
A mix of sketches and songs, the show blends topical social commentary and irreverent collegiate humor into a playful and theatrical tour de force. According to Triangle Club Writing Workshop student coordinator Zach Goldstein '05, the show is partially "an opportunity for all that fun, dirty material that we have piles of to find an audience."
Yet Triangle Club Vice-President Virginia Pourakis '05 finds this year's show less offensive to general audiences than those of year's past. "The show has moved toward a focus on absurd or anachronistic situations . . . A nonsense word opera, penis, a cute love story, the f-word, little kids, eastern Europeans, it's all there," said Pourakis. "And it's all in the name of comedy."
"Schlock and Awe" directors Jesse Liebman '03 and Eric Bland '02 — both previous Triangle actors and student writing coordinators — have complementary directorial styles and visions for the show.
"It's very much in the tradition of past spring shows . . . with some material that goes 'out there' and offends, and other material that is wacky and perfect for a stage smaller than McCarter's," Liebman said. Bland noted, however, that "at the same time, this show does have certain levels and tonality that are somewhat new to Triangle and particularly modern."
Despite or perhaps because of their directorial differences, Liebman and Bland have attempted to direct a show that both respects the bounds of Triangle shows past and pushes those bounds outward. "Directing has been wonderfully rewarding. It's great to see a sketch evolve, an actor develop, a production take shape," Liebman said. "It's most exciting when you hit upon the center, the crux of the piece, and you unravel plot and character into a unified whole."
Bland finds himself doing less unraveling and more putting together. "The show is really about the actors and writers," he said. "As a director, my goal is to make sure that I don't place a tall piece of scenery between an actor and the audience."
"Schlock and Awe" features nine energetic and talented actors and actresses — over half of whom have appeared in previous Triangle productions and many of whom are also contributing writers.
Pourakis, who wrote for and acts in the show, has found writing to be more difficult and less exciting than acting. "It's hard to be funny on demand," she said. "It can be quite frustrating not to have any of your work make it into a show, which is quite a real possibility for new writers . . . Acting is the most exciting. What can I say? I love to be on stage." But Pourakis has found the combination of both writing and performing unparalleled. "It is so amazing to see what has to go into a show from start to finish to make it work," she said.
"Schlock and Awe" promises to be one of Princeton's most exciting theatrical performances this year. It's one show even President Bush shouldn't miss. The performers are funny. The songs are catchy and witty. And the jokes won't bomb — not over Baghdad and not over Princeton.
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