THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 18, 1995 TAG: 9501180419
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
TYPE: Theater review
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Frank Parrish, DA: delightfully amusing.
The real-life district attorney's portrayal of the ultimate nerd - duh-h-h-h - is amazing, amusing, a tour-de-force that keeps the audience laughing continuously.
``The Nerd'' is an Encore Theatre production, playing Friday and Saturday at The Little Theatre at Elizabeth City State University.
Penned by the late Larry Shue, it is almost a one-man show. Parrish is the man.
The way he walks and talks, the body language - all perfection, never overdone. The situation could easily be burlesqued, but Parrish makes it real.
A local stage veteran, he always offers fine performances, but ``The Nerd'' has to be moved to the top of the list.
During Friday's opening night performance, his stuffed nose delivery often evoked some deserved mid-scene applause.
There was applause for the entire cast, but ``The Nerd'' rises or falls on the title character.
The character saved a man's life in Vietnam. The man never met his rescuer but, appreciatively, invites him for a visit to his Terre Haute home.
It turns out to be an extended visit filled with wild situations.
Some of the wildest have to do with pagan rituals, flying cottage cheese, a tale of a proposal, the shoes and socks game, pigs almost turning into humans, and dialogue concerning the nerd's occupation - a chalk inspector in Wisconsin.
One of the craziest moments comes when Parrish sings - nasalizes - ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' - funnier and easier to take than Roseanne's version.
Essentially, ``The Nerd'' is a series of vignettes involving nerdy Rick Steadman, and his newfound friends, two of whom, unfortunately, seem a little out of place. Their acting is fine, but their age is not.
High schooler Shannon Belden, fever and all, carrying on in the best show-must-go-on tradition, portrays Tansy McGinnis, the girlfriend of William Cubbert, the man who was rescued, who is portrayed by Mark Maland, a 30-ish lawyer.
High school student No. 2 is lanky, engaging Josh Turpin who portrays Axel Hammond, one of Cubbert's friends. The portrayal is good, but age-wise it doesn't wash.
The youngest student is ably cast. Patrick J. Reaves as Thor Waldgrave does a Macaulay Culkin - yelling at everything and everybody.
He does it well.
Deborah Parker plays his mom, Ticky, completely befuddled and harried by everything and everybody.
She comes in second in the ``get-laughs'' department.
Laughs come thick and fast in ``The Nerd,'' the tale of a man who makes Gomer Pyle seem like Albert Einstein.
The Parrish performance is a comedic gem that should not be missed.
Nothing on the tube will evoke as much laughter.
Promise. by CNB