'Trig' has problems to work out

By Matt Banks     4/12/12 7:00pm

High school: So many of us hated it, while others wish we could relive those glory days. From those desires spawns Martel College theater's 2012 production of "High School Trig." With the potential to be great, Martel's show delivers varied performances, inconsistent technical aspects and a script that needs a little time in study hall.

Written by Martel junior Anna Meriano, "High School Trig" tells the story of a love triangle that develops between best friends Brian and Gen and the new girl, Danny. What follows is a journey through their last semester of senior year at Generic High. They fight their way through classes, arguments, college acceptances and the dreaded senior prom. The work has several powerful moments, since characters like Brian and Melody, the narrators, have the power to speak to almost every individual. The script's major  issues come from its lack of finesse. Meriano does not yet have the honed skill of a professional writer. There are moments in which her writing is impeccable, and some of her characters are worth knowing. But Gen's overly foul vocabulary and the somewhat preachy aspects of the script lose the needed naturalness of the scenes depicted. However, with some more work, Meriano's play has the potential to universally relate to individuals of any age, gender, sexuality or home state.

"High School Trig" takes a risk with a relatively novice cast. Some of the performances excel, while others are hit-or-miss. Lovett College sophomore Joanne Guidry gives a high-energy performance as the hilarious Gen. Guidry captures the complexity of the character, effortlessly conveying the emotional roller coaster her character deals with in trying to come out as a lesbian. Although her cussing is taken to a distracting degree, the audience cannot doubt that Guidry is one to watch in future Rice theater. The counter to Gen's energy comes in the form of Brian, played by Martel junior Kaio Ferreira. His performance is a little lackluster at times, but Ferreira decently portrays Brian's awkwardness. Wiess College junior Aaren Pastor delivers a heartfelt performance as Melody. A former student of Generic High, Pastor shows off her finesse as an actress, delivering the most emotional performance of the night, and the opening of Act 2 is powerful. However, her narration during the rest of the scenes can become a little monotonous, detracting from her overall performance.

---

---

Individual performances are where this show passes. Chemistry is where it fails. Watching each of the characters individually is a treat, but the energy between Guidry and Ferreira is incongruous. Guidry's over-the-top energy overshadows Ferreira's meekness, and Sid Richardson College freshman Kara van Schilfgaarde's portrayal of Danny is regularly overlooked in large group scenes. She excels in one-on-one scenes, but her chemistry with Brian is glaringly non-existent.   

Like the acting, the technical aspects are hit-or-miss. The stage is filled with interesting set choices, especially the window shutters used as lockers. Martel does well with its limited budget, and although the set in no way resembles a high school, it is ?surprisingly enjoyable.

Stark white floodlights illuminate the stage. The simple touches of blue give the starkness a lighter touch and overall do well to create the fluorescent lighting you would expect in a ?high school.

The issues are mainly in the performance aspects. Awkward lighting moments exist when Melody is speaking and set changes happen right next to her using a makeshift curtain. The curtain is an extremely poor choice, as the action is more distracting than helpful. Moving the narrator completely across the set from the cafeteria would have been a better choice.

Overall, the show is OK. With characters slightly reminiscent of "Mean Girls," the play returns us all to the land of high school, and just like those years, some might find "High School Trig" enjoyable, while others will find ?it nightmarish.

---