Review: 'Perversity' leaves audience

When the phrases most often overheard after a dramatic performance are "heh," "huh?" and "hmm . . . ," it is likely that the show was either funny, confusing, thought-provoking, or all three. Much of the audience was laughing nearly non-stop, watching their fellow students and friends cursing freely on stage and discussing subjects which may often be considered taboo even among intimate friends. The audience was treated to well-rehearsed actors whose comic timing was honed to near-perfection by the director, College sophomore Jesse Hertzberg. But the complexity of the show's themes left some audience members a bit confused, not quite "getting" the play. Yet those who took the time to examine what each character was saying and why, experienced something much more intense and meaningful. The credit for this meaningful theatre experience must go to Hertzberg and his cast who, with an abnormally shortened rehearsal period, turned in first-rate performances all around. College senior Danny Cohen, as Bernie Litko, achieved an excellent balance between the extreme insecurities and the remote sensitivity that are constantly at odds in the mind of his character. As the naive and certainly not-ready-for-a-relationship Danny Shapiro, College junior David Lavine acutely depicted the turn Shapiro makes as he changes from an attentive follower of his idol Bernie, to his equal in matters of sex. College junior Carolyn Kelson as Deborah Soloman faced a difficult challenge in portraying a major character with very little self-defining dialogue. Her conversations with her love interest, Shapiro, are mainly playful discussions about sex, or vicious arguments ending in exchanges of vulgar insults. But Kelson was up to the task and gave her character an individual personality. It is the mark of a first-rate overall performance when even smaller roles are performed well. Such was the case with Wharton senior Jennifer Platzkere's portrayal of Joan Webber, Soloman's seemingly older and wiser roommate. Her monologues, which are written as speeches to kindergarten students, were delivered poignantly and meaningfully. And while the show had the usual opening night technical difficulties -- slow scene-changing and occasional back stage noise -- it was not enough to significantly divert one's attention from the on-stage action. Hopefully these problems will be minimized in future performances. Lastly, it should be noted that much of the meaning of the show is contained in very short scenes which on first viewing seem stilted and out of place. Earnest audience members might be well-advised to read the play either before or after coming to the show to better understand these "misplaced" scenes. Perhaps then they will be able to prevent any confusion. Sexual Perversity will be performed again tonight and tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the Annenberg Studio Theater.

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