When the lights go out, the fun begins at 'Black Comedy'

Like any great farce, 'Black Comedy' is propelled by an essentially simple gimmick. In their spring major production of the student theater group, Pen Paint and Pretzels (3P's), the script plays with light: when the characters are submerged in dark as a result of a blackout, the space is fully lit; when the power is on, the lights are off.

Luckily for 'Black Comedy,' the gimmick is a clever one, as the script does not offer much depth outside of this. Under the direction of senior Megan Kiefer, the ensemble cast of 'Black Comedy' adroitly navigates their way through this gimmick-driven farce, embracing it for all of its gratuitous silliness and physicality.

The plot of 'Black Comedy' in brief goes as such: boy wants to be an artist. Boy gets engaged to wealthy, yet flaky, debutante. (Boy needs money to fuel career.) Oh and by the way -- boy had been involved with Bohemian girl for four years. Bohemian girl ran off to Finland, and gets back just in time to crash at boy's house the same evening that Debutante is bringing her father -- the colonel -- to meet boy. To top things off, an eccentric European art collector is supposed to come and see boy's work. Throw in flamboyant neighbor and alcoholic neighbor. Power goes out.

I secretly suspect that the role of fumbling artist and protagonist Brindlsey Miller was written specifically for performer Taylor Shann. Shann infuses his Brindlsey with a perfect mix of Woody Allen-meets-Robin Williams: self-effacing schlepiness seamlessly fused with a flawless sense of timing and ability for physical comedy. Though Brindlsey has no one but himself to blame for the subsequent chaos that is the play's action, Shann plays the role in such a way that the audience cannot help but sympathize with him and cheer him on chair-by-chair.

Shann is fortunate to have a strong ensemble to play off of. As Brindsley's fianc?©e Carol Melkett, actress Jess Fisch offers an ing?©nue doused in saccharine, which is a personality trait that lends itself perfectly to the role. As Carol's father, Alex Sherman plays his Colonel Melkett over-the-top, suggesting what might happen if Foghorn Leghorn joined the US Army. This caricature-infused portrayal lends itself naturally to the farcical nature of the script, organically fusing into the roller-coaster of physical humor and extreme personalities that is Black Comedy.

Rob Curry is a true stand-out as Brindsley's neighbor Harold Gorringe. From his polyester leisure suit (kudos to costume designer Heather Tamarkin!) to his ever-twinkling eyes, Curry's Harold cannot help but revel in the audience's attention. His already flawless performance could only be made better had he burst out with "I Am What I Am" mid-performance, but I suppose that Tufts' audiences will have to comfort themselves with the hope that La Cage Aux Folles will be done at Tufts before Curry graduates. Hearing Curry proclaim, "You took my Buddha?!" alone was worth the cost of my ticket.

Melissa Holman also offers a praiseworthy performance as Clea, the aforementioned Bohemian Girl. Considering the amount of time that Holman is on stage in proportion to her amount of spoken dialogue, Holman should be commended for her ability to command attention by means of a vibrant stage presence.

Rounding out the ensemble is Regan Cerato as the Alcoholic Neighbor, Armen Nercessian as an electric company employee, and James Foster-Keddie as the Eccentric (albeit deaf) European, all of whom offer memorable on-stage moments.

Kiefer chose to change the setting of the play from its original 1960's London digs to New York City circa 1970, and all for the better. Without the mechanics of maintaining accents to inhibit them, the ensemble cast was able to better immerse themselves in the script and its subsequent physical humor, the very essence of the show. While some actors managed the script's physicality with more ease than others, it was clear that all of the performers were enjoying themselves, making their performances all the more enjoyable for their audience. The evening of high farce was only enhanced by a set that is both clever and practical, as designed by Keegan Kok.

Profound character arcs and Shakespearean soliloquies Black Comedy is not, but neither is the nature of farce, nor this specific script itself. However, an entertaining evening of dark-in-the-light Black Comedy most certainly is.