A 'Cornelcopia' of laughs

What do blow darts and baby snatching have in common? They are both things that only Cornel West GS '80 could get away with - at least according to Princeton Triangle Club in its spring show, "Cornel West Side Story." Essentially a series of tenuously connected vignettes, the performance showcases the comedic chops of the group's full spectrum of writers. While the show certainly doesn't have the spectacle and grandeur of Triangle's fall production - largely due to the confines of the Class of 1970 Theatre at Whitman College - it more than makes up for it with sharp wit and quirky charm.

A Princeton-specific focus is maintained through a number of the pieces, including the opener "Finger to the ‘Prince,' " a satirical expose of the source behind those blasphemous ‘Prince' online comments: P.U.B.E.S., or the Princeton University Belligerence Exchange Society. Featuring strong performances by Carolyn Vasko '13 and Buddy Gardineer '11, this scene sets the stage for continued comedic risk-taking.

Triangle is never afraid to tackle the big issues - like Colombian male prostitution. "Giving and Receiving" relies on the impressive knack for physical comedy displayed by Lydia Dallett '12 and Jacob Kosior '10, along with the vocals of Sebastian Franco '12, who delivers a Planet Earth-style narrative that would make David Attenborough cringe and laugh at the same time.

The show also tackles the issue of body image head-on in "I Like You Because You're Thin," an uproarious interaction between a couple that reveals that size really does matter - in more ways than one. Another strong sequence in the repertoire includes "I Used to Stalk You" and "GoodCrush," which explore two different sides of the stalker-stalked dynamic - because how often does a GoodCrush courtship go wrong anyway?

If these skits sound all over the map, they are - and that's exactly the point. Thankfully, a sense of continuity is maintained by brief comedic interludes featuring a hilarious Casey Ford Alexander '10 as the eponymous Princeton professor. One of the other standout performers was Miyuki Miyagi '12, who displays impressive versatility, clean vocals and a genuine stage presence. From playing a frustrated teen whose real life woes are mistaken for scripted antics in "Method Acting" to a love-stricken Cleopatra, Miyagi commands the stage with energetic performances.

4 paws

Pros: From fish sex to a Life-Alert Infomercial parody, expect hilarious comedy peppered with Princeton jokes.

Cons: Occasionally inconsistent writing.