Lulu off key

1.5 out of 5 stars
“Lulu”
Department of Dramatic Art Mainstage
Friday



For such a provocative and sexually explicit performance, the Department of Dramatic Art Mainstage production “Lulu” sorely disappoints.

Nicholas Wright’s “Lulu” combines two of Frank Wedekind’s plays into a single orgy of prostitution, murder and suicide.

In Wright’s version, Lulu is a former prostitute who has worked her way into a luxurious lifestyle by marrying rich men.

Yet, her “success” does not keep her from seeking the pleasures that she had become accustomed to receiving.

Her constant affairs outside her marriages eventually ruin her and put her back on the streets.

Friday’s production, which was directed by Gregory Kable, associate professor of dramatic art at UNC, featured qualities of a musical.

Throughout the performance, the characters broke out in song and dance accompanied by a live band that played on stage.

The band hit all the right notes. As for the actors, let’s just say we won’t see them on American Idol next season.

The singing was well under par for a production that placed such an emphasis on vocal talent. It sounded as if more notes were off key than on.

And the acting wasn’t much better.

The entire play felt like watching mere dialogue being tossed back and forth between characters, with no emotion behind the characters’ deliveries — a problem especially harmful for a play that revolves around sex, betrayal and destruction.

The one exception to the case was first-year Scott Vicari, whose acting was centered upon passionate intensity.

By fully embodying his character, Alwa, Vicari conveyed a strong performance. His musical solo was packed with exaggerated singing and dancing that had the theater filled with laughs. The scenes in which he performed were easily the glue that held the production from losing the audience.

Similarly, the costume design and lighting design were both exceptional.

Costume and lighting had important roles in the play as they were required to express a sense of transition in Lulu’s life.

First, the characters were seen lounging around in the height of late 19th century London culture and fashion.

But by the end of the play, Lulu’s downfall was carefully exemplified through the gritty, dirty costumes and lighting that complemented the scenes.

All in all, if you can get past the acting and singing, the play offers scantily clad eye-candy and a lot of blood.

Unfortunately, those hoping for a powerful theater experience will have to look elsewhere.



Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.