The Nerd Review

Humor in 'The Nerd' shows signs of age 
Good Civic ensemble still finds some laughs, especially in second act 

Friday, April 07, 2006
BY JENN MCKEE 
News Arts Writer 

Playwright Larry Shue was one savvy fellow. Knowing that his play, "The Nerd'' (now being staged by the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre), would be scrutinized by theater critics, he created a character (Axel) in the same line of work and gave him many of the play's best lines - thus imbuing the character with a sharp, quick wit and a charmingly dry sense of humor. 

Oh, Mr. Shue. Such obvious attempts at flattery will get you ... a little extra slack. (Let's be honest, here.) 

But even so, "The Nerd"'s sitcom-like sensibility - setup, punchline, setup, punchline, etc. - and bloated first act threaten to overwhelm the moments in the play that do work. 

"The Nerd'' begins on the 34th birthday of Willum (Nathaniel Fremuth), a bored architect living in Terre Haute, Indiana. His girlfriend, Tansy (Joy Martin) - who's about to leave town to pursue a career as a weather girl - and his best friend, Axel (Erik Wright-Olsen) are on hand to celebrate, as are Willum's rageful boss/client, Ticky (Edmond Reynolds); Ticky's wife, Clelia (Amy Bogetto); and the couple's petulant son, Thor (Oren Steiner). 

Soon, however, the party's disrupted when Willum receives a visit from obnoxious, nerdy Rick Steadman (Dann Smallwood), an old war buddy who once saved Willum's life. And when Rick refuses to leave, Willum is pushed to his breaking point. 

The two-hour play takes a while to get going; an early, exposition-loaded conversation between Axel and Tansy is one reason for this, as is the protracted depiction of Ticky's family strife. It's only late in the first act - when Rick insists that everyone play a bizarre party game - that the play truly finds its footing. 

And indeed, the second act is considerably tighter and more engaging, following Willum, Axel, and Tansy as they hatch and execute a plan to scare off Rick by way of strange, Terre Haute-specific rituals. The three friends' shenanigans are amusing, yet a central problem persists: We, the audience, already know that Rick is so oblivious and unflappable that he'll never truly be rattled; if we have this insight, why don't the characters? 

Some other contradictions arise, too. Rachel Francisco and Torey Burneis' attractive set, which depicts Willum's apartment, has pale pink doors with bright turquoise trim; robust flowers and plants; and it's unerringly neat. Willum mentions repeatedly that he's sloppy, so as we watch Tansy pick up after him and dust and clean (none of which Willum ever notices), we get the clear sense that the apartment looks this way because of her. Yet as she scrubs the floor on her hands and knees, she talks to Axel (who does nothing to help) about her "modern woman'' career dream, and this made me wonder: If Tansy's already made the decision to leave because she wants something more for herself, why is she still doing these (quite literally) thankless tasks? 

These issues notwithstanding, the Civic's cast is enthusiastic and works well together as an ensemble, making the party game scene and the "Terre Haute rituals'' scene a good deal of fun. Ultimately, though, time may be taking its toll on "The Nerd,'' because for all its shtick - and the play's chock full of it - I didn't laugh nearly as often as Shue intended. 

But then again, like Axel, I can be a tough audience. 

"The Nerd'' continues at 8 p.m. tonight-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Washtenaw Community College's Towsley Auditorium, 4800 E. Huron River Drive. For tickets, drop by the A2CT office (322 W. Ann St.), or call 734-971-2228, or visit www.a2ct.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Jenn McKee can be reached at 734-994-6841 or jmckee@annarbornews.com.