GOT A FREE EVENING? MIGHT AS WELL 'JUMP'.Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Critic When Robin Lane recruits new performers for her gymnastic/performance art fusion ``Do Jump!'' you've got to figure the first attribute she's looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. is an inner ear that won't quit. So much aerial twirling Twirling is any of several artforms, hobbies, or sport and recreational activities accomplished by spinning or rotating the twirled object either for exercise, or in a rhythmic, or otherwise artful manner. takes place in ``Do Jump!'' at the Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse (or the Geffen) is a not for profit performing arts theater in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property in 1993. UCLA's then chancellor, Charles E. that the piece might more appropriately carry the title ``Do Spin!'' or ``Do Not Get Sick!'' Yes, Lane and her Portland, Ore.-based company members twirl, contort con·tort v. con·tort·ed, con·tort·ing, con·torts v.tr. To twist, wrench, or bend severely out of shape: pain that contorted their faces. v.intr. , bounce and fly. Occasionally, they even manage to enchant, although not as often as they might. A heavy-handed new-age score by the Do Jump! band that accompanies the acrobatics acrobatics Art of jumping, tumbling, and balancing. The art is of ancient origin; acrobats performed leaps, somersaults, and vaults at Egyptian and Greek events. Acrobatic feats were featured in the commedia dell'arte theatre in Europe and in jingxi (“Peking does not help matters in the least. Dial it down fellas; the Geffen ain't the Shrine. It takes a certain kind of mind to see the performance potential of a furniture dolly or to dispatch a performer to fly a kite (Com.) to raise money on commercial notes. See also: Fly dangerously low over an audience when the lack of an air current seems to guarantee that an unlucky patron will get doinked (fear not; kite flier David Brittain is a trained professional). ``Do Jump!'' is oddball, but the magic is infrequent, and it simply doesn't linger. There's a certain thematic cheekiness to many of the 10 routines. Lane - the evening's director, choreographer and occasional ringmaster - performs ``Something From Nothing'' entirely in black light. A figure that looks like an alien loses first its hands, then eventually falls to pieces and gets stuffed into a hat. Nimble tap man Aaron Wheeler-Kay has a few comic encounters with a box, folding chairs and an audience member or two. In fact, the audience is frequently encouraged to get in on the game, whether to sing along or take the stage for a segment. There are also moments of sheer grace. Daniela Steiner is an airborne gazelle gazelle, name for the many species of delicate, graceful antelopes of the genus Gazella, inhabiting arid, open country. Most gazelles are found only in Africa, but several species range over N Africa and SW Asia; the Persian, or goitered, gazelle ( , circling round and round as if on an invisible carousel in the second-act opening piece ``Openings.'' The evening-concluding ``Doors,'' a manic routine featuring company members squaring off against six belligerent doors, should get audiences talking. ``Doors'' is a weird, inventive and decidedly offbeat off·beat n. Music An unaccented beat in a measure. adj. Slang Not conforming to an ordinary type or pattern; unconventional: offbeat humor. segment, almost sufficient to make you forgive the discordant twirl fests that precede it. Almost, but not quite. ``Do Jump!'' can't quite succeed in consistently bringing an audience into the stratosphere. ``DO JUMP!'' Where: Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood. When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through Dec. 16. Tickets: $30 to $46. Call (310) 208-5454. Our rating: Two stars CAPTION(S): photo Photo: A dancer literally jumps through hoops for the audiences at ``Do Jump!'' at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood. |
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