Comedy of Terrors,” written by Terri Mastrobuono and company, was the first drama that I have seen at Elizabethtown College. I loved every minute of it! Since I have studied Italian for five years, I appreciated the ongoing Italian theme throughout the performance. The comedic techniques used during the show included a combination of slapstick and one-liners, coupled with comedic violence, cheesy romance and sexual innuendos that had me laughing pretty hard. In addition, the story itself was a unique one, linking aspects of medieval and modern themes, such as references to Apple technology, to an interactive experience that broke down the fourth wall nicely.
One aspect of this play that I loved the most was the comedy duo of junior Lauren Cull and senior Michael Wawrzynek, who played Capitano Grande Vendetta and Capitano Pesce d’Oro, respectively. Cull is small in stature and Wawrzynek is naturally tall, so it was funny to see the bloodlust Vendetta had for war and honor. One could never miss their charging onstage, shouting out orders and taking charge and Pesce d’Oro’s obsessing over breasts! But, as they made very clear, “they came in like Miley Cyrus on a ‘Wrecking Ball,’” loudly charging into every scene.
Cheesy romance is always simple and delightful for the viewer. First-years Kerry Anne Serody and Nick Loschiavo played star-crossed lovers, Isabella and Fabio, very well. Serody was very dramatic in every scene, while Loschiavo played the role of a narcissist convincingly, adding to the comedic effect by entering every scene holding a mirror and fixing his hair. Medieval lines like, “Get thee to a nunn’ry!” were coupled with, “I’m going to get my own reality show!” which fit into the context of the show well.
Along with cheesy romance was the classic bickering-like-an-old-married-couple pair, Pantalone Pallone and Ruffiana, played by senior Stephen Boyhont and junior Taylor Luckenbill, respectively. As stubborn, middle-aged characters, they both went back and forth as if in a tennis match, shooting one-liners, cheap shots and subtle sexual innuendos at each other. Pantalone made comments about her stupidity and age, while Ruffiana retaliated with jeers about his greed and childish behavior.
Dottore Grandissimo and Columbina, portrayed by sophomore Luke Smith and senior Katie Owens, both had their own techniques for comedic effect. Dottore rambled endlessly, providing unnecessary information, at which the cast would continually fall asleep or try to silence him. He talked about fruit one minute, then iOS technology the next. Columbina, on the other hand, was the provider of many sexual jokes regarding Pantalone’s “dough” while working endlessly in a kitchen.
The Zanni, masked background comedians had a decent amount of one-liners and catchphrases. I laughed every time Zanni apologized for something she didn’t do. And the use of LED flashlights by the Zanni portrayed the change between day and night.
“A Comedy of Terrors” parodied classics with its romance and elements of mystery and discovery. Uniquely, there wasn’t a set protagonist in the story; instead, every cast member contributed to the development of the plotline, which is refreshing for the viewer. This performance, with its ongoing interaction with various audience members and incorporation of modern-day news, such as topics like Syria, allowed for a different experience than one would usually expect.
The play made for a happy Halloween, and I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who enjoys romance, violence, innuendos or just wants to be swept away by comedy and have an enjoyable evening.
