Dark, demented 'Vacation'

The IU Theatre and Drama Department opened its season with a daring and slightly unconventional choice of Christopher Durang's "Betty's Summer Vacation," and the effect was everything one could expect from a satire. Those numerous manifestations of society's fixation on entertainment may have met their long-deserved match in this wacky and bizarre piece. Howard Jensen's production carefully treads the line between mocking our sensationalistic society and preaching about our moral corruption.\nSet designer Christopher Sinnott's quaint, pastel, seaside cottage seems almost too picturesque and lovely. The peaceful setting is only heightened by the warm, fuzzy lighting provided by C.C. Conn and the subtle, yet distinct costume design of Linda Pisano, which forms a charming image of modern American life waiting for corruption. The swarm of disruptive and oddball characters are released onto the set in bursts, as if introducing them all at once would put the audience into shock.\nGraduate student Allison Batty portrays a sweet, lovable Betty who just can't seem to make sense of the insanity going on around her. But she holds the voice of reason and a solid grounding for the audience to relate to, along with a powerful set of lungs to back her up in the tight spots. Junior Tenaya Hurst's Trudy ranges from incessant babbling all over the stage to a very pressurized silence as she battles with her traumatic experiences, past and present. \nGraduate student Jonathan Molitor presents a very wispy, intriguing Keith with a shell-shocked persona who is sweet in a puppy-dog-biting-your-ankles sort of way. Buck (junior Colin Donnell) asserts his presence onstage with a crude and commanding presence complete with overabundant hair and scratching; a more amiable sexist I've never met. Junior Mike Mauloff dances and flashes his way around the stage in such an engaging manner that we forget his Mr. Vanislaw is supposed to be a pervert. Freshman Codey Girten, senior Lauren McCarthy, and graduate student Scot Purkeypile also do a wonderfully antagonizing job, but to disclose anything else would ruin a very odd (and slightly disturbing) surprise. Of course, I couldn't forget the powerhouse that is graduate student Carmen Meyers playing Mrs. Siezmagraff as her MFA thesis role. Her whirlwind of energy and charisma nearly steals the show. All of her character's faults are quickly forgotten as she parades around the stage and excuses everything with a cheesy smile, a careless gesture and only the slightest reason.\nJensen's production carefully leads the audience through gut-busting laughter, gasps, chuckles, surprise, horror and painful silence. Several times in the production, the momentum halts for an uncomfortable tension-filled period to remind the audience of the actual severity of the subject matter before charging back into the ruckus. This distorted world allows the characters to exit the stage, but never from the plot, as no escape is possible from this twisted self-enclosed world. The impending insanity could have been heightened and more effective if the timing near the climax had been tightened up.\nWhile the play violates quite a few moral lines here and there with a large dose of profanity mixed in, the question arises as to how much of the production comes from everyday life and how much is exaggeration. This dark comedy emphasizes the characteristically hollow impression left by such entertainment, though these undermining ideas may not hit you until well after the laughter has died down. Even though the production may not be for the faint of heart, the underlying view on trends in modern entertainment brings up some interesting ideas about an audience's desire for entertainment.\n"Betty's Summer Vacation" runs nightly at 8 p.m. through Oct. 18. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and seniors.