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FASS 2003: Dinah Myte (Alison Forster) prepares to unmask the Phantom.

FASS 2002 - Imprint review

This review appeared in the February 15, 2002, issue of Imprint.

Hey, hands off my FASS

Adrian Chin, Imprint Staff

In their 40th year of producing irreverent musical comedies, FASS continues to delight and entertain audiences. This year's production, entitled Dial F for FASS, was placed in the hands of first-time director Joanne Cope. In her directorial debut, Cope manages to display her good sense of style as she captures the bleak and brooding mood of a typical film noir and blends it with the FASS trademark parody musical numbers and comedy.

The script writing began way back in the spring, headed by chief scriptwriter Paul Woodard. With the contribution of a number of writers, they were able to put together a great script incorporating all the factors that make up detective drama. Introducing this successful formula into the UW setting, where socially inept mathies and over-zealous activists run rampant, resulted in an effective module for hilarity. The script is bursting with memorable one-liners and parody, along with references to pop culture and product placement.

The story revolves around the mysterious death of Victor Tymn (John Wieczorek), who was found strangled by a trademark mathie pink tie. His wife, Roberta Tymn (Carrie Palesh) turns to Nick Nack (Michael Smyth), a private investigator and former flame of Roberta's. Eventually, as the plot unfolds, the play goes into overdrive and all sorts of characters are introduced into this entangled web of a story. Thrown in are ninjas, jugglers, protestors, orcs, disgruntled Kitchener residents, serial killers and, of course, the powerful but oh-so-cursed star-spangled duck.

There were 14 musical numbers to keep the audience entertained. While some songs fell a little flat, most were well rehearsed and well choreographed. Some parodied songs include "Jesus Christ Superstar," by Webber and Rice; "America," from West Side Story; and "Time of Your Life," by Green Day. The most memorable song had to be the rendition of "We'll Show Pink's Blue," sung to the tune of "We Will Rock You" by Queen.

There were many memorable performances by the cast, and some outstanding ones include Palesh and Smyth for their roles as Roberta and Nick.

Heather Macdonald also had a superb onstage presence with her portrayal of a wise-cracking, tap-dancing nun. Nathanael Gibbs played a wonderful Joseph Cross, the famous prancing private eye.

Jonathan Dietrich shone on the stage as Professor Sam Diamond, a socially challenged individual. He brought great sympathy to his character, which reminded me that mathies do have feelings too. Alison Luby played an excellent Toni Tymn. "What else can I say but 'wow,' this gal has measurements that are all prime numbers."

FASS has turned 40 and is still going as strong as ever. The energy put into such a large production in such a short time is something to be noted. The group's enthusiasm and mishmash of talents make for wonderful and entertaining spectacles. Now if they would only stop making fun of the people who appear in Imprint's campus question.