POLITICS, PUNDITRY TAKE FLAK IN 'A NEW WAR'.Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Critic WE ARE, the polished and perky perk·y adj. perk·i·er, perk·i·est 1. Having a buoyant or self-confident air; briskly cheerful. 2. Jaunty; sprightly. perk news anchors inform us, at war. A brand spankin' new war, much better than those old wars. Details are sketchy. We don't exactly know who we're at war against. We just know the enemy looks different and has strange eating habits. Oh, and they teach at East Coast universities. ``A New War,'' Gip Hoppe's 80-minute send-up of news politics and combat is as sharp as it is timely. Performed midweek by the 68 Cent Crew Theatre Company, Angela Pupello's seriously funny production features a company of seven actors who don a new wig for every new role. Deeply penetrating ``A New War'' isn't, but it sure is a kick. We'll learn who our opponent is by evening's end, but until the curtain comes down, our intrepid anchor team from Atlanta bring us a series of reports and in-studio guests: retired generals, pundits, men on the streets, war supporters and the occasional detractor de·tract v. de·tract·ed, de·tract·ing, de·tracts v.tr. 1. To draw or take away; divert: They could detract little from so solid an argument. 2. . Nobody's allowed to become too critical of this great new war since, after all, the station is owned by a weapons manufacturing Texan. Sharon Gardner (our newswoman news·wom·an n. A woman who gathers, reports, or edits news. Noun 1. newswoman - a female newsperson newsman, newsperson, reporter - a person who investigates and reports or edits news stories ) is a cauldron of go-go energy, patriotism, dizziness and, occasionally, hormones, while her co-anchor, Stephen Vaught, has the quizzical quiz·zi·cal adj. 1. Suggesting puzzlement; questioning. 2. Teasing; mocking: "His face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air" Lawrence Durrell. , deer- in-the-headlights stare down to a science. They're a winning, consistently hilarious duo. Periodically, they turn to watch live footage of the night sky over enemy lands. The screen is, of course, blank, although our lady anchor is always convinced she sees a burst of light. Rounding out the cast are Tommy Colavito, Simon Sorrells, Danny Cistone, Ryan Paul James Paul James (born November 11, 1963 in Cardiff, Wales) is a football head coach and former Canadian national soccer team player . Developed into a top class midfield player while with the Toronto Blizzard and became a regular with the national team. and Lily Holleman - often in drag. Sorrels does a wicked president and an even wickeder secretary of defense. Holleman is vacancy personified as a Claremont mall employee reporting that, even during war, shopping seems to be proceeding unabated un·a·bat·ed adj. Sustaining an original intensity or maintaining full force with no decrease: an unabated windstorm; a battle fought with unabated violence. . Evan Henerson, (818) 713-3651 evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com A NEW WAR - Three and one half stars Where: Theatre 68, 5419 Sunset Blvd Sunset BLVD is unreleased material and remixes by the rapper 2Pac. It was released on September 12, 2005 internationally and the United States. Track listing
When: 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 31. Tickets: $15. Call (323) 860-8868 In a nutshell: War is hell. War is good. War is funny. |
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