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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1987)
Monday, March 16, 1987 x - Daily Nebraskan Pago 7 V6 S fl ah n - t " a ... i ( ,- -I v 'I 1 r .J sis si s JoelDorcakDaily Nebraskan Joe Sampson and Bruce Tinker in Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July. ( . ; ' ' 1 By Scott Harrah Arts and Entertainment Editor It's not often that a play can com pletely delight some audience mem bers while it shocks and disgusts others. Lanford Wilson's endlessly pro vocative "Fifth of July," currently play ing at the UNL Studio Theatre, does just that. In the opening scenes, handicapped Vietnam veteran Kenneth Talley Jr. Theater Preview (Joe Sampson) sits at his desk as his gardenerboyfriend Jed Jenkins (Bruce Tinker) walks over and kisses him. An overall-clad Missouri hick kissing a handicapped guy evoked some surprised stares from the audience. Also disturb ing to some were the numerous four letter words and topics that illuminate the lovable eccentrics in this serio comic drama that parodies Southern gothic, '60s radicalism, wealth and greed in the Tennessee Williams school of comic neuroticism. Beautifully directed by Bill Trotter, the story centers on a 1977 Independ ence Day reunion of late '60s Berkeley radicals in Lebanon, Mo. The friends share memories, monolithic amounts of cigarettes and booze and feelings about the current state of their lives. Although the plot is sometimes thin, the colorful coterie of friends more than makes up for it with aphorisms and actions that display their many quirks. There's Gwen Landis (Lettie Van Hemert), a flamboyant, trashy singer married to John Landis, (Jackson War ren), Kenneth's old pal who runs around in polyester leisure suits that would make even Wayne Newton faint. Gwen is a charming, campy woman who cusses during each sentence, chain smokes constantly and worries about her upcoming record deal as she cavorts through the house dressed in gaudy 70s outfits that make her look like she came out of a foul-mouthed episode of "Rhbda." Lillah Grund plays Shirley Talley, the precocious 13-year-old daughter of June Talley (Jenny Barron). Shirley is a little annoyance to everyone, running around the house wearing feather boas and telling about her future career as a serious artist. And there's Weston Hurley (Brad Schluterbusch), a burned-out hippie who amuses everyone with a fable about Eskimos, whale blubber and a miraculous fart. After the first act, the play takes a serious turn and evolves into a bitter melange of broken dreams, shouting matches and the compromises Ken neth must make in his life as he learns to deal with the fact that he's handi capped and may not be able to con tinue his teaching career. What also surfaces are hidden secrets that go back to the friends' Berkeley days and the causes and ideologies that seemed to elude their world after the '60s. The issues and the eccentricities of the characters Kenneth's homosex uality, Gwen's profanity are some what controversial for a Midwestern audience, but they highlight the char acters and make them profoundly real istic and modern. The cast is simply consummate. Joe Sampson is both believable and effec tive as Ken; Jackson Warren's portrayal of John is emotional and effusive. Let tie VanHemert as Gwen is often scene stealing, and she adds a wp veneer to such a complex character. One of the best performances is Cindy Totten as Sally, Kenneth's older aunt. With per fectly humped shoulders and poignant facial expressions, she obscures the obvious fact that she's really a young woman playing an older one. "Fifth of July" is an honest look at the idealism and ideologies of a more progressive generation that has much meaning in the Reagan '80s. It is also one of the better productions the UNL theater department has performed in a while. "Fifth of July" runs through Saturday with performances at 8 p.m. Consult the Temple box office for ticket information.