Evaluate: A lot of goofy enjoyable in Central Works’ premiere of ‘Dada Teen Musical: The Play’  

The 4 characters in Maury Zeff’s “Dada Teen Musical: The Play,” now at Central Works (it’s the Berkeley firm’s 78^th world premiere), fall neatly into established stereotypes. In this case, it’s not a foul factor. 

Even although not one of the 4 actually modifications a lot through the course of two acts, they’re such imperfect human beings, and so humorous, you form of don’t need them to. You need to watch every part crumble. 

The exception, and maybe the play’s central determine, is Mariah. She’s a disaffected teen in a black leather-based jacket with an electrical guitar and a proto-punk look. Mariah is at odds along with her classmates and underneath the spell of the late-20^th-century punk band the Ramones. With a reserved, delinquent nature, she has a firmer grip on actuality than her cohorts. If everybody would simply go away her alone, she’d be fantastic. 

The different three are a great deal much less centered. 

Annabel, a perky cheerleader sort who comes from privilege and is determined to get into Harvard, wants “something in the arts” so as to add to her software and has determined, for no clear cause, that producing and directing a Dada model of “The Sound of Music” is simply the ticket, though she’s unsure what Dada is. 

She’s dedicated to standard, cluelessly self-confident motormouth Tyler, a born troublemaker. When he wrests management of Annabel’s challenge—through which the characters shall be sentient alligators, and he’ll be the star, though he has by no means acted earlier than—the wacky plot is about into movement. 

Nebbishy calculus/theater instructor Mr. Dorfman, who’s in command of the scholars’ manufacturing, is principally on the verge of a nervous breakdown as issues go haywire.  

But if Mariah is meant to be the central character, being the one one who sees actuality clearly, the main target is on Annabel and Tyler, as a result of they’re each so nuts and have funnier strains. Annabel merely can’t see Tyler for the manipulative liar he’s; Tyler out of the blue, and for no very convincing cause, falls for a distinctly unimpressed Mariah. All the viewers can do is go alongside for the more and more nonsensical experience.  

As directed at a brisk tempo by Central Works’ Gary Graves, the actors are notably effectively chosen. Zoe Chien’s Annabel hits simply the suitable notes of manipulative, nervous allure; her arms appear to have a lifetime of their very own, by some means expressing all the anxiousness and despair she’s attempting to cover. Jacob Henrie-Naffaa performs Tyler at a self-confident, fevered pitch that may go away your head spinning—his dialogue goes by so quick, and there’s so a lot, it’s exhausting to take up. Alan Coyne’s instructor, perpetually clutching a clipboard and wanting harried, and Chanel Tilghman’s quiet, targeted Mariah, present the barely extra attuned-to-reality steadiness that retains the play targeted.  

This forged is in charge of each second of Zeff’s unapologetically goofy comedy.  

Central Works’ “Dada Teen Musical: A Play” continues via Nov 16 at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. Tickets are $20 to $45 at centralworks.org.