Without a Net onstage tonight

Don't ask them to sing cheezy songs from the '80s; they fidget. Forget about seeing Shakespeare, they don't do it. However, if you want to hear an opera about pickling or see an Academy Award given for the best bubble-blowing in a film, Jurassic Farce may be your show. Without a Net, the fun-loving improvisation group that plays those funny little games, is ready and raring to present their Jurassic Farce, opening tonight. "It should be two hours of random pep and energy," says Riaz Patel, a College junior and newly selected Without a Net member. Patel is one of six new actors comprising this year's cast, and novelty is one of the most significant factors in their latest soon-to-be creation. Three-year veteran and College junior Andrea Kemp explains that "different types of humor are represented," so this year's group has a humor that's uniquely its own. And unique and humorous they are. Audience members are asked to toss out suggestions while the group does a scene involving that word or action, no matter how ridiculous it may be. And thus, theater is born. "The audience should expect a lot of fun since they're giving the suggestions," Kemp said. "We depend on them." Though it may seem like all fun and games, improvisation theater takes talent, timing, concentration and a whole lot of energy. Every member of the group has a theater background of some sort, so they're not just hacks who like to play games and laugh a lot. "It's a more fun way of performing theater than actually doing script stuff," says Avish Parashar, an Engineering junior and the group's director. "The first time I saw it I thought it was great." Jason Giardino, a College freshman and Without a Net newcomer, shares Parashar's enthusiasm. "It's a lot of fun just to be able to start a show when you have no idea what's going to happen in that show," says Giardino. Though it's hard to guess what will actually happen on show night, you can be sure that it will include some zany and sometimes off-key singing, some great accents and 10 talented individuals brimming with energy. They can also play an impressive round of Viking Master much more coherently than your average drunk. Jurassic Farce runs tonight through Saturday in the Houston Hall Auditorium. The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are on sale on Locust walk and at the door for $5.