What happens when a teenage girl's mother is killed in a gruesome hit-and-run accident? What else can she do but..CHEER! Presented by Theatre CNU, this coming of age story is a dark comedy that twists and turns through issues of materialism and personal vanity. 

Christopher Newport University Theatre Department's opening production Be Aggressive by Annie Weisman delves into death, despair, vanity and materialism - all things that make a good black comedy... so you would think.

 

In this production, we follow the lead character Laura (portrayed by LAUREN ANGWIN) as she tries to deal with, accept or move on after her mother has been brutally killed in a hit-and-run accident. She is joined by her friend Leslie (MICHELLE POLERA) who attempts to convince Laura to be more than just a run-of-the-mill cheerleader and move on and above the fakeness of Southern California. These ladies are funny, witty and hold there own, unfortunately these two ladies have to make do with the several witty one liners because

the real problem with this production isn't the acting but the script.

the real problem with this production isn't the acting but the script. Sorry ladies. It is hard to believe that Be Aggressive premiered only five years ago at the La Jolla Playhouse in California, which is known for producing wonderful productions, many of which travel on to other major cities in the U.S. This one unfortunately traveled on to Hampton Roads. 

 

In most black comedy we laugh at the suffering of others - usually due to the fact that we can relate to them. In this black comedy however, we are given poorly developed characters on almost all levels. Some could claim that the characters are two-dimensional because we are dealing with the fakeness of cheerleaders or of Southern California, for that matter. That is a good excuse but I just don’t thing so in this case. I think I can best explain this by quoting the director's note. The director MR. LLOYD states "Ah California, the Mecca of plastic surgery and plastic personalities, where the natives can be told from the tourists by their absolute disregard for the fact that, at any moment, their entire world could be shaken to pieces and fall into the ocean. If your pavement buckles and cracks, just pave over it, and if your skin buckles and cracks, get a surgeon to pave over it." Well, in Be Aggressive, the cast tried to pave over every crack and fault that writer Annie Weisman left in her script. But much like plastic surgery (or I64 West in Newport News), it doesn't matter how many times or how hard you try to fix the cracks, sooner or later the surgery stops taking.

 

Looking at the performances, I would like to once again say this cast did what they could with this script. The two female leads (MS. ANGWIN and MS. POLERA) keep the energy flowing and do draw many laughs from the audience. What they have been able to develop as characters is often quite effective as well; they were able to bring that overly happy and obnoxious cheerleader stereotype to full fruition in many scenes. 

 

The cheerleading chorus (who also served as the stage

crew) brought much energy to the production as well but had to fight many of the same issues mentioned above.

 

AARON PAGE portrayed Phil (Laura's Dad) who I found to be a little under-developed and in this case I'm not sure it was just the script. KATIE PARKER (Leslie's Mom) on the other hand played her role for everything it was worth. From her arguments with her daughter to her fear of losing her to her inability to understand her were possibly some of the most honest moments in the production.

 

Last and certainly not least is STEPHANIE SWIFT (Hannah, Laura's younger sister) who of the whole cast deserves CHEERS! I fell in love with her from her first scene and as the play continued she brought more joy and honesty to the role.

MS. SWIFT may be a freshman at CNU but I am guessing that she will be no stranger to their stages over the next few years.

MS. SWIFT may be a freshman at CNU but I am guessing that she will be no stranger to their stages over the next few years.

 

I cannot go with out mentioning the set. When I entered the theatre you find yourself looking at a Southern California home in off-white/cream stucco with accents of blue/teal workings. I asked myself how this relates to a show about cheerleaders. Well, this play takes place in multiple locations and this set serves those locations. The woodworking in the house actually becomes the footboards of the beds as they roll out of the walls. Full walls open to become other rooms. One section of wall actually lifts and becomes the garage which a car then drives out of. Clever and effective. I did have a few issues with it but they were more finishing touches, for example seams that read and stood out when other sections of the set were so finished and full of detail.

 

Overall, did I like the production? Well let me just say I support all college and university theatre and I feel us as a community should as well. I think these students deserve the applause they received on Saturday. So grab your pom-poms and megaphone and try to catch Be Aggressive - but don't say I didn't warn you about the script.

 

BE AGGRESSIVE runs in CNU's Studio Theatre at the Ferguson Center for the Arts through Oct. 15. Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. $12 Regular Adult, $8 Senior and CNU Faculty/Staff. CNU students admitted free with student I.D. Tickets (757-594-8752) or for more information go to www.cnu.edu.