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ENTERTAINMENT Technique • Friday, July 12, 2002 • 9 page 9 ENTERTAINMENT Technique • Friday, July 12, 2002 By Alan Back Senior Staff Writer The Powerpuff Girls Movie (PG) Starring: Voices of Catherine Cavadini, Tara Strong, E.G. Daily Director: Craig McCracken Running time: 67 min Rating: yyyy 1/2 (out of 5) Prequels are very easy things to screw up; look at The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones, for example. It’s tough to set the stage properly for a “future” that everyone has already seen. Based on the hit Cartoon Network series, The Powerpuff Girls Movie is a case study in how to do the job spot on, with a blend of new and familiar elements that make the story accessible to more than just the die-hard fans. The city of Townsville is a rot- ten place to live, as we see even before the opening credits. Crimi- nals on the loose. Villains at every turn. An idiot mayor with no sav- ing graces except his tall, shapely, cool-headed aide (whose face always seems to be hidden). You’d have to be crazy to want to move here. For good or ill, it’s home to Pro- fessor Utonium, a scientist who only wants to improve his corner of the world any way he can. When he tries to create a perfect little girl using sugar, spice, and everything nice, an accidental jolt of the mys- terious Chemical X gives him three for the price of one. Christened Blos- som, Bubbles, and Buttercup, the moppets have more than just big- eyed cuteness going for them— namely, a set of killer superpowers that’ll take a bit of getting used to. Or maybe a lot. A rowdy game of tag puts the entire family on Townsville’s bad side, with their only hope appearing in the form of a homeless chimp named Mojo Jojo. But there just might be a few ideas cooking in that overgrown brain of his that no one should know about... Extending the girls’ adventures Local comedy clubs provide a mixture of performances Dad’s Garage offers up a musical satire of Carrie, but disappoints Whole World provides laughs and comfort By Christopher Webb Staff Writer Location: 280 Elizabeth Street Web: www.dadsgarage.com Distance from Tech: 3.4 miles Laughs: 1 Date Worthy: 1 Price: $$$ Free parking for early birds means waiting outside in summer heat for the doors to open. As the rest of the audience arrives and waits, some of them resemble an evening at a Rocky Horror Picture Show. Others actu- ally look like my parents. This is not nor will never be high-brow theatre. Located just outside Little Five Points, Dad’s Garage is an eclectic local stage specializing in avant garde plays and improv comedy. The the- atre has been rated in multiple “Best of Atlanta” categories the last few years because of popular improv shows and very low ticket prices. After waiting for about thirty minutes, the audience is herded into the theatre. It’s not much—just about one hundred seats on an incline in a room with no visible air condition- ing. Who would have thought a big metal room would heat up? Who would have thought it might start sweltering in summer heat? The au- dience needed to fan itself to feign off internal combustion. Not ex- actly the best way to start the evening experience. Until the end of July, the theatre is performing Carrie White: The Mu- sical, a parody of the Stephen King novel Carrie. If you know Canni- bal: The Musical and liked it, or regularly dress up for Rocky Hor- ror, then this one’s for you. Lots of fake blood and long musical num- bers are entertaining for a while, but it makes for a very bleak dark comedy. Not quite date material. If you want to make sure that a seat is available for you, try calling Dad’s Garage reservation line. Or call up your dentist because it’ll be just as much help. In a cost cutting measure, phone calls are only ac- cepted on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. To save even more money, you will only receive busy signals. Deal with it by hitting redial constantly or just do the whole process online. To be fair, they are well known for their improv shows and not nec- essarily for musicals or phone ser- vice. The improv shows “Theatre Sports” and “Ask Dr. Frapples” are both extremely well regarded and awarded in Atlanta. Unfortunately, this review was about their “other” comedy shows. The improv shows are only $10, a definite deal in com- parison. At $20 a ticket, Carrie White was a rip off. Beyond musicals and even im- prov shows, the theatre has a Satur- day afternoon children’s show “serving 100 kids at a time.” Play- ing through November, “Uncle Grampa’s Hoo-Dilly Stew” sells out almost every show, so be prepared to reserve early. That one’s only $5. By Christopher Webb Staff Writer Whole World Theatre Location: 1214 Spring Street Web: www.wholeworldtheatre.com Distance from Tech: 1.2 miles Laughs: 4 Date worthy: 5 Price: $$$ A cozy atmosphere, hospitable people, and a good laugh are the qualities that make Whole World Theatre a pleasure to visit. Couches adorn the interi- or of the lounge areas, which are adjacent to either a full bar or a pro- jection television. Attendees mingle over drinks be- fore the perfor- mance. Overall, it feels like the perfect living room. The theater specializes in im- prov theater, similar to what you might see on the ABC show Who’s Line Is It Anyway? There is a group of main stage performers, along with a group of student performers. Working without a script, the actors are forced to be funny de- spite the perverse situations they are thrown into. In most of the skits, audience members contribute words or ideas that the actors must use in their performance. For instance, one skit had the actors creating a conversa- tion based on explicit confessions the audience had previously divulged to them. The cast tries to keep jokes above the belt, but don’t be alarmed when you hear curse words or receive an anatomy lesson. This is improv com- edy and people laugh. Anything goes in this form of theater. “Renegade” films are shown be- tween improv scenes. The idea is to record reactions of ordinary Atlan- tans to the quirky antics of the ac- tors. One particular episode followed a child’s electric truck as it pulled into a Chick-fil-A and later as it hauled away lumber from a Home Depot. Somehow almost 15 feet of lumber was strapped onto the four- foot long car. An intermission half way through the show gives the inebriated at- tendees a break to head to the bar while the actors prepare. During the show, good scene sugges- tions for the ac- tors are awarded with beverages. And the audience is frequently en- couraged to make their own trip to the bar. Whole World is a nice place, but at $20 a ticket, this is isn’t a spur of the moment place to go. Com- bined with a dinner and parking for $3 to $5, the date could get very expensive very fast. If you plan on going, you’ll probably want to re- serve seats a couple days in advance. The theater is rather small and sells out rather quickly. The crowd is a mix of all age groups. If you don’t look twice you might think this was a family estab- lishment. A couple people might even have worn their Sunday clothes. While the cast won’t look down upon a person in tattered clothes, the dress code is moderately busi- ness casual. Besides actively promoting their improv shows, the theatre also houses some plays within its recesses. Cur- rently Victoria’s Room by Ira Levin is playing. In August, Vieux Carré by Tennessee Williams will be shown. “Working without a script, the actors are forced to be funny despite the perverse situations they are thrown into.” Photo courtesy Brad Casey, Dad’s Garage George Faughnan (left) and Z. Gillispie pose after their performance in George Faughnan (left) and Z. Gillispie pose after their performance in George Faughnan (left) and Z. Gillispie pose after their performance in George Faughnan (left) and Z. Gillispie pose after their performance in George Faughnan (left) and Z. Gillispie pose after their performance in Carrie White: The Musical Carrie White: The Musical Carrie White: The Musical Carrie White: The Musical Carrie White: The Musical, where Faughnan had been doused in blood , where Faughnan had been doused in blood , where Faughnan had been doused in blood , where Faughnan had been doused in blood , where Faughnan had been doused in blood . . . The city of Townsville meets Tinseltown! Powerpuffs tear up big screen Courtesy of Stacy Moscatelli / Cartoon Network Don’t let the dresses and Mary Janes fool you. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles pack quite a wallop thanks Don’t let the dresses and Mary Janes fool you. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles pack quite a wallop thanks Don’t let the dresses and Mary Janes fool you. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles pack quite a wallop thanks Don’t let the dresses and Mary Janes fool you. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles pack quite a wallop thanks Don’t let the dresses and Mary Janes fool you. Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles pack quite a wallop thanks to an accident in Professor Utonium’s lab. to an accident in Professor Utonium’s lab. to an accident in Professor Utonium’s lab. to an accident in Professor Utonium’s lab. to an accident in Professor Utonium’s lab. The Powerpuff Girls Movie The Powerpuff Girls Movie The Powerpuff Girls Movie The Powerpuff Girls Movie The Powerpuff Girls Movie forms the prequel to their animated series. forms the prequel to their animated series. forms the prequel to their animated series. forms the prequel to their animated series. forms the prequel to their animated series. See PPG, page 11 Crossword is back! After the absence of a crossword puzzle last week, Joey returns with another stumper. Page 11 Football is almost here Check out the preview for the fall football season, which begins in exactly 50 days. Page 16
