One-acts highlight surreal

Student-directed works display experimental

No, Demi Moore has nothing to do with Oberlin Student Theatre Association's (OSTA) latest production. The double bill of Striptease and The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine may mislead you. But Moore is nowhere to be seen, for better or for worse.

The evening, though, could not feel more surreal even if one of Hollywood's big names was in the cast. The shows are being staged in Wilder Main, but Wilder Main has undergone a radical transformation for the evening. The production has replicated the box-like feel of a small intimate theater, a wise decision. It would be a shame to lose these plays in the high ceilings and open spaces of Wilder Main, which are much more suitable for less intimate occasions, like the Drag Ball.

The feeling is one of being in a theater you've never been in before, which throws you off your guard immediately. The plays don't really help restore your balance. One is clearly a comedy, though very unfunny at times, and the other is a slightly ponderous political allegory. Both leave you feeling confused and disconcerted. Perhaps this is the aim of the theater: to raise questions and ideas. If that's the case, then these two shows are a success.

The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine is the longer play and opens the evening. It was written in improv by Robert Morgan, Leah Cherniak and Martha Ross, which helps to explain the rather strange flow of the action. But it makes the play much more interesting than more traditional drama. The cast, two people strong, carries the comedy almost to the level of absurdity. Ernest and Ernestine have a fairy-tale romance, a love which the characters more than once liken to a dream. But we see their relationship progress to the uncomfortable stages that most relationships inevitably reach. Their characters are so lovey-dovey, though, that when their anger does seep through it becomes scary and hilarious all at once.

The show is directed by Senior Eryka Peskin, who saw it performed while abroad and decided she wanted to stage it in Oberlin. "It deals with issues of love, but in a comedic way. I knew I had to do it in Oberlin because the people here don't know how to laugh. Also, there haven't been many comedies done lately." This is very true, this semester's theater offerings have been very heavy-handed and a tad depressing. It was nice to see some absurdity for a change.

On this level, the play really provides a breath of fresh air. Junior Jeffrey Manwaring is hilarious as the silly and slightly nerdy Ernest. We first see him as an exaggerated parody of sickening sweetness and shyness, but as he grows to volatile anger, Manwaring shines as an actor. One scene in which Ernest lets loose and dances to the music of Nine Inch Nails is particularly affecting because it shows us the hidden side of Ernest at last. It is hilarious.

First-year Sarah Stein Greenberg is also very strong as Ernestine. The chemistry between the actors facilitates some very strong moments, but they also shine when by themselves. When poor Ernestine sits quietly at home waiting for her errant husband to appear, Stein Greenberg is funny and serious all at once, a difficult blend to achieve. In this particular scene, she says very little, and it is the actor's job to then use her body and face to convey her anger. She does so very convincingly, and it is at this point that the titular anger in these characters really comes to the fore.

Technically speaking, the show needs some help. The scene changes are far too slow to maintain the ideal pace for this show. Yet the actors somehow manage to keep the ball rolling. The show also uses a great deal of music, which is effective in some places and not so effective in others. Unfortunately, it starts to get annoying at times and even drowns out some of the dialogue. It is never a good idea to allow concept to steal the attention away from the actors, and they seem a bit uncomfortable with the competition. But the play remains very funny and affecting.

The second play of the evening is Striptease, by Polish author Slawomir Mrozek. Directed by Sophomore Aaron Schmookler, the play is an absurdist political allegory. "I chose this play because I think it is a very important piece about the unintelligent ways people deal with unreasonable authority." Schmookler cited last semester's student protest against censorship of art as an example of a practical, effective response to authority, indicating that this play is relevant for a campus as politically oriented as Oberlin.

The play is very different from Ernest and Ernestine, but makes a nice contrast. It builds upon the silliness in the first play and raises it to the level of the absurd, making statements as valid as any art.

First-year Lauren Jacobs plays a character known only as II. Her counterpart is First-year Fedje Tangen-Donnelly, known as I. It is difficult to describe who these characters are, since they are very allegorical and symbolic. Both actors wear their roles well, considering that they have to contend with some very difficult and unnatural dialogue.

There are also The hand, played by first-year Talia Shalev, and The Second Hand, played by first-year Samantha Gross. The actresses manipulate very intricate puppet-like hands, and their roles are naturally therefore much more subdued than those of I and II, but subtlety is also difficult to create on-stage, and they do a good job of it.

The evening is basically a success, despite the problems of creating a product which is absurd but can still be taken seriously. There is a danger that the plays will alienate and confuse audiences, but these are instead likely to win over audiences. The evening is about as experimental as one is likely to find in Oberlin theater, and that is a nice change of pace.

Striptease and The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine will be performed Fri. and Sat. at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. at 2:00 p.m. in Wilder Main.

Talk to me: One Acts show splice of life. (photo by Heidi Johansen)