Over-sexed, over the top and overwhelming to the uninitiated, Gaieties is ready to make its rude (and lewd) jab at UC-Berkeley. Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 17, “Gaieties 2010: The Last Temptation of Cal” promises to top the Dalai Lama, if its trailer is to be believed.
The posters for this year’s show ominously read, “Blood in the fountains,” but otherwise the plot details have been kept secret, as is customary. But from Intermission’s sneak peek of the show, we can say that “The Last Temptation of Cal” lives up to its raunchy reputation.
Put on by the Ram’s Head Theatrical Society, the student-written, student-performed comedic musical dates back to 1911. Known for its winking insanity and unabashed nudity, Gaieties has made its bawdy skewering of Cal, and Stanford itself, a Big Game week tradition. The plot generally follows some version of bad Cal seizing, destroying and/or attacking Stanford, though each year the production tries to one-up itself in absurdity levels.
Particularly impressive this year is the comedic timing of the cast, starring Chris Lang ’11, Geffan Pearlson ’14, Phillip Bowen ’11, Alex Walker ’13 and Mary Beth Corbett ’12. The show is stocked with lines like, “I was taking a break from IHUM to, you know, save Stanford,” which land with precise delivery. The questionable accents and physical humor will win laughs, provided the blink-and-you-may-miss-it zingers don’t get swallowed by Memorial Auditorium.
Gaieties, however, would be nothing without its script (just try and keep a straight face when one character muses, “That’s why my iPad pussy app was going wonkers.”). Gaieties’ all-student writing staff of 10, led by head writer Nick DeWilde ’10, began writing this year’s show last spring, while producer Rachel Lindee ’12 and director Emily Goldwyn ’11 made their edits through the summer. As of Tuesday’s rehearsal, lines were still being refined.
As usual, student groups, pop culture and Stanford quirks provide fodder for Gaieties’ fast-paced dialogue, with Greek organizations and a cappella groups bearing the brunt of the jokes this year. The production is one big inside joke, chock full of references to dining hall food, freshmen, chat lists, CoHo stink and those pesky abbreviations. And many of the characters are based on true stories, so if one of those actors looks familiar on stage, you know why.
The show itself is an exercise in attention splitting, as often the background hijinks are funnier than the main action. Rather than a generic chorus, the performers take on different campus characters during each scene for hilarious results. “Are you nursing? Keep that, I love that,” said director Goldwyn to one pair of industrious actors during rehearsal.
A show highlight, the requisite frat party scene is brilliantly choreographed. It’s worth going to multiple showings just to see what the entire cast gets up to on stage.
Yes, the show is offensive. Gaieties prides itself on its political incorrectness and “The Last Temptation of Cal,” is no exception. The racist jokes fly throughout the show (“Now go do math p-sets or take pictures in front of MemChu, or whatever your people like to do,” says one actor to his Asian accomplice). Consider it a mark of prominence if you or your student group is mentioned in Gaieties.
And then there’s the nudity. For first-timers, the show is eye-opening in its rowdiness. At one point in rehearsal, Goldwyn sternly directed, “We need to have a make-out competition and you need to all win it.” Suffice to say, the cast is prepared to take gold.
Catch the intellectual hedonism of “Gaieties 2010: The Last Temptation of Cal” Nov. 17-19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for adults.