thursday, September 20, 1079
page 10
daily nebraskan
Comedy Exchange humors Linco
In area
By Mary Kay Wayman
"Our material is based on pop culture,"
said one member of The Comedy troupe.
"There are three topics- death, bodily
functions and sex.'
They are "raunchy and divine," said Dr.
William Morgan, UNL Theater Department.
"Our humor is rather biting," said
another member, gnawing on an innocent
bystander's leg to prove the point.
This off-the-wall group of guys is funny
and they're out to show that comedy can
work in Lincoln.
Theater majors Jim Anderson, Kirby
Henderson, Willie Wood, Larry Peterson
and Steve Brown are The Comedy Ex
change. And don't get them wrong. These
five are serious about their comedy.
"We are professional comedians,"
Henderson said.
Since another regional comedy group,
Ogden Edsel, moved to Los Angeles, The
Comedy Exchange is the only such group
in eastern Nebraska, Anderson said. He
hesitated to include all of Nebraska he said
because there might be some farmers out
in Lexington pitching hay in a barn who
are really funny.
Listening to even three-fifths of this
group is an exercise in hyperactivity.
"OUR MATERIAL is all original,"
Henderson said.
"Except for the stuff we steal," Wood
added, drawing cries of "No, not true!"
from the others.
Anderson said The Comedy Exchange
style is not based on any other comedy.
The group works like Second City or Satur
day Night Live, doing individual sketches
and routines, he said.
"We can do different types of humor,
tailor it to the audience," Henderson said.
"We're not all bathroom humor."
Their act includes a variety of talents
everything from singing, to monologues
and a lot of satire, Anderson said.
"We're evolving into a higher form of
life," Wood said. "Irish folk music."
Anderson and Henderson are the only
remaining charter members of the group,
having worked together for two years.
They trace their performing roots to a local
eating establishment, "The Taco Inn Club,
where
said.
the elite meet to eat," Anderson
SINCE THE EARLY days members
The best material comes to them
spontaneously, when they are just talking
somewhere, he said, but it doesn't work as
well when they all get together and say
have come and cone and the prrnm has "Let's do some comedy."
moved on professionally-playing such The sketches are never completely figur-
places as the Omaha Country Club and The ed out, word for word, Anderson said. In-
New York Times, and Omaha nightclubs.
The Comedy Exchange also Is available
for private parties, Henderson said, and if
given enough time can write material to fit
the occasion.
But it is at O.G. Kelly's that the group
has found a Lincoln base for their talents.
"Hie response was so great that Kelly
decided to do a night devoted to comedy,"
Anderson said. .
And so the Open Stage has been open
ed twice so far to comedy acts and jugglers,
Henderson said, adding that both nights
were "big smashes."
The next comedy night will be. Hal
loween, Anderson said. The Comedy Ex
change has no performances until then, due
to Theater Department commitments, he
said.
He said The Comedy Exchange has
developed a cult following of fans at O.G.
Kelley's.
What's it like to make people laugh pro
fessionally? "It's almost a sexual experience, per
forming your own material and getting an
immediate response," Anderson said.
"WHEN THINGS GET going," Hender
son said, "There are times a look to the
audience can get a laugh."
The members said they have no plans to
move on soon.
"People always say crap to us like 'You
should be in New York,' "'Henderson said.
But minor things "like school" have to be
cleared up first, he said.
Anderson said the Comedy Exchange
has remained what they wanted it to be,
"an experimental group and training
ground for material."
"We wanted something to give us a
background," he said.
"Groups in Los Angeles, New York, the
centers for comedy, are really no better
than we are," Henderson said. "It's just
that the opportunities are there."
stead, the troupe works out a basic premise
and are free with the adlibs In between
punch lines.
While Anderson said the group was
looking to branch out into other mediums,
as long as people keep coming to see them,
The Comedy Exchange will keep working.
"We have fun with it and that's why we
do it," he said.
.. - 1
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lcenery9 young actress
IgMight Days of H
eavn
By Pete Schmitz
We are not reminded often enough that
merely standing the trials of everyday life
in this chaotic world is a great accom
plishment for many people.
One perceptive film-maker who cele
brates the survival of the not so fit is
Robert Altman. His best worics, MA SH,
McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us,
Nashville and Three Women, are brilliant
portrayals of people who fight an uncon
scious battle against certain historical pro
cesses which dictate the course of their
fate.
OuOOTS K3UC3UJ
Another film-makefwho is good at deal
ing with the concerns dominating Altaian's
themes Is Terrence Malick.
His second film, Days of Heaven, which
he both directed and wrote, may well es
tablish his reputation as one of the finest
talents in cinema to emerge within the past
several years.
The success of this movie ties in its
power to Involve the audience in art and
sociology from a historical and humanistic
perspective that details the downfall of the
exploiters and the strength and survival of
the exploited.
When viewing this spectacle, one gets
the feeling of being in a museum and get
ting a g!5mp of what it wu like to be
drifting through rural and urban America
shortly before World War I.
AUDIENCES MAY FEEL compelled to
see this film more than once just to enjoy
the effects of Nestor Almendros' cinema-v
tography. Yet the poignant narration of
Linda, who is played with a keen sense of
innocence and compassion by Linda Manz,
may merit another visit to the theater. This
young actress nearly steals the show from
the golden wheatfields and expansive hori
zons of the Texas Panhandle.
The visual beauty of this picture, which
has won world-wide acclaim for the cine
matographer, has made Malick vulnerable
to many attacks.
According to some critics, the lush
photography either distracts from the story
and the people in it, or it makes up for a
pointless plot with shallow characteriza
tion.
Lyons' frenzy
Photo by Rhod Hahn
Johnny Lyons, lead vocalist for South
side Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, gives
a frenzied performance to an apprecia
tive audience. The eleven-member, New
York-based band played at the Music
Box in Omaha Tuesday night. After the
band was called back fcr three encores,
Lyons showed his appreciation by
spraying the enthusiastic crowd and
band members with beer.
Dancing, games, bike repair
to be offered at Celebration
Are you ready to celebrate?
Open Harvest, a non-profit natural
foods 'Cooperative, has scheduled its Third
Annual celebration, from 9:30 am. to
ative's membership has grown from 25 to
more than 200. Members who work at the
co-op a minimum of three hours a month
are eligible to buy food at lower prices and
At first glance, these arguments appear tended to relax mind and bodv through
valid; however, they do not hold when dance-like forms of exercise, is planned
:30 p.m. Saturday, in the park at 27th ratify decisions of the store's elected board
ana Ranaoipn streets. of directors.
Two dancers will perform and music,
games and booths featuring local organiza
tions are planned. A free bicycle clinic will
offer instruction in bike repair. A work.
shop in Tai Chi, a form of meditation in
considering the director's intentions.
First of all, Malick wants to show us a
small yet important part of America's past
from a child's point of view.
The narrative is constructed from young
Linda's conversation with her friend and
tells of the tragic intermingling of three
adults.
Given the girl's age, which is nine, and
tentatively.
Organizations with booths at the cele
bration are: La Leche League, Nebraskans
for Peace, Lincoln Action Program, and the
Lincoln Lancaster Commission on the
Status of Women.
The book cooperative associated with
Open Harvest will have a sidewalk sale.
hood will be served by the Open Harvest
considering that she is speaking to someone Natural Foods Cafe, which prepares entrees
who his already snarea a pan or ner uie, sucn as wnoie wheat pizza,
things about the story and its participants Open Harvest sells items in bulk, runs I
are naturally going to be fuzzy to the whole wheat bakery and offers nutrition
audience. information.
Continued on Page 1 1 Since opening in July 1975, the cooper-
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