Can You Spell Me, Darryl Loomis

Can You Spell Me, Darryl Loomis?, the student-written comedy which played Jan. 4 and 5 at Radcliffe’s Agassiz Theater, operates on several levels. On one, it’s a brilliant satire about the decay of sportsmanship, on another a dead-on parody of sports movies like The Karate Kid and Angels in the Outfield.

And for the truly refined theatergoer, its plot also involves an underwater improv comedy troupe, spelling whales and former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.

Billed as “The Comedy Event of the Millennium,” Loomis could be (inadequately) described as a cross between Kids in the Hall and a live action South Park. The story unfolds about as logically as Alice in Wonderland, and the characters indeed would need to compete for attention at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. It’s a hilarious success.

The plot begins aboard a rather spacious submarine, where a uniquely unprofessional crew works to complete a secret assignment at the behest of an anonymous but wealthy client. The crew soon focuses its wandering attention on the new “mop boy” who has mysteriously materialized on board the vessel. After a brief but intense interrogation, the true identity of the inept janitor is revealed: he’s Darryl Loomis, spelling prodigy and teenage stowaway.

Darryl has come aboard the submarine for two reasons: to develop the courage so crucial for spelling competitions, and to escape Ashley, his vindictive 17 year-old ex-girlfriend and the mother of infant son Andy and Andy’s 11 year-old brother, Andrew (don’t ask).

Darryl is soon tracked down by the vengeful Ashley, who strategically befriends the local whale, aptly named Whale. As it turns out, Whale might just be the only mammal capable of defeating Darryl in the spelling championship.

From there, things get complicated. As the spelling bee draws near, the submarine crew’s environmentally-unfriendly mission is revealed, as are surprising secrets about Darryl’s true relationship with Andy and Andrew. The aforementioned improv group and George Foreman are also involved.

With a plot this outlandish, Loomis could quickly grow exasperating and tiresome. Yet writer-directors Daniel Chun ’02 and Jeremy Bronson ’02 have succeeded in infusing the script with enough charming absurdity that it remains fresh even as it veers towards utter inanity. Though a few of the gags eventually get stale, the comically expert cast keeps things suitably buoyant as the show nears its conclusion. Particularly hilarious are Thomas Odell ’04 as Whale (and in a smaller role as Mr. Pemberton), Brendan Demay ’02 as the title character and Andy Pasquesi ’04 as Captain Schumacher. Carla Borras ’05 is superbly manipulative as Ashley, and Christopher Starr ’03 maximizes the comic potential in Andrew, Darryl’s precocious son.

Ultimately, however, this is an ensemble, and each actor receives at least a brief chance to shine with the equitably-distributed punch lines and physical humor.

While the plot feels haphazardly-constructed through the first three-quarters of the play, the climactic spelling bee scene tops things off with a Tonya Harding-inspired bit of parody. Initially ruthless in his bid for the championship trophy, Darryl ascends to the next ethical plateau as a result of his burgeoning relationship with Linda (the wonderfully straight-faced Anna Walters ’05). The play concludes with a sharp-witted send-up of formulaic sports flicks like The Mighty Ducks.

Loomis may well have a life beyond this production, as will the talented performers who made its limited run such a treat. But were Loomis to find its way into professional hands, it would be hard to imagine a cast and overall production so bitingly funny.