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FASS 2005: More than meets the eye? The transforming FASSmobile (James Morrison) was the grand techie challenge of FASS 2005.

FASS 2001 - Imprint review

This review appeared in the February 2, 2001, issue of Imprint.

2001: A FASS Oddity

Kerry O'Brien and Christine Prashad, Imprint staff and special to Imprint

Faculty, Alumni, Students and Staff (or FASS) is an annual event on campus. Stretching back since time immemorial, FASS has constantly provided a home for actors who don't necessarily have any acting experience. Each year they also write an entirely new musical/comedy, rewrite old tunes to make ones relevant to today (and to UW in particular), and manage to throw a few parties in the process.

Producer/Actor John Milne describes this year's show as a mish-mash. "Take every sci-fi show or movie, throw them in a pot, add comedy, remove the special effects and you've got FASS."

2001: A FASS Oddity is a little something for everyone: a little dance, a little song, a lot of parody and some jokes about mathies.

This year brought a new crop of FASSies to the fore front. "We have a lot of new talent this year, which is really good," commented Milne. "One of our toughest jobs was not giving [some] people singing parts."

The songs proliferate in this year's production. A rollicking version of "Who Put the Bomp" between a futuristic hologram and a futuristic android provided some swingin' dance moves and got the audience clapping.

While some songs fell a little flat, for the most part the musical numbers were well-rehearsed and produced. Takeoffs included "Blame Canada" from the South Park movie, Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" (as arranged by the Barenaked Ladies), and others.

Since there are about seven different plot threads running in a FASS show, it is nearly impossible to describe with any clarity what is going on at any paticular moment.

Most of the play is geared towards one-liners and parody. The acting for the most part was good, with only a few botched lines. The quartet of vampires who provided a sub-plot between set changes were especially entertaining, brimming with sass and eliciting quite a few laughs from the crowd.

They also picked up and managed to resurrect a slightly slack sub-plot featuring some characters from Highlander. The best touch of the entire production was the kill counter mounted on the left of the stage. Every death, from the highest commander to the lowest red shirted security guard, was recorded.

You might have noticed a lot of parody going in. Did I mention there was parody? The Simpsons, Austin Powers, Dr. Who, every Star Trek spinoff you can think of, Monty Python, Grease . . . it's all here.

FASS will never be the best-acted, best-rehearsed, most polished theatre company on campus. But what they lack in formal training they more than make up for in enthusiasm and comedy relevant not to Canadians, not to Ontarians, but to University of Waterloo students specifically.

Catch 2001: A FASS Oddity tonight at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. and February 3 at 8:00 p.m. in Hagey Hall.

Call the Humanities Theatre box office at 888-4908 for tickets.