Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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How the WEST will win COLUMBIA High-action choreography takes the stage at local theater BY BRIAN RAY THE GAMECOCK When someone says “fight choreography,” we instantly think “The Matrix,” the Wochowsky brothers, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and the pharaoh of fight choreog raphy and stunt ingenu ity Jackie Chan. The 21st century and all of its kung-fu mag nificence has left us wide-eyed, hungry and a little spoiled in the darkness of the theatre. In this day and age, we want super humans. And the last thing that comes to mind when we hear “fight chore ography” is live theatre, despite the fact that fight choreography as most Americans see it was born in the Chinese opera house. We’re talking flesh and blood actors you can smell. This is what Chris Cook of the High Voltage theater aims to change. “I challenge any theater to deliver the high action audiences will find here at High Voltage.” CHRIS COOK HIGH VOLTAGE THEATEh “I challenge any theater to de liver the high action audiences will find here at High Voltage,” Cook said. In July, he brought live, action packed theatre to Columbia with an adaptation of Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs,” and ever since, the audiences have con sistently driven home satisfied. All seats appeared filled for the open ing of “Sundance,” a bizarre blend of counterculture and existential philosophy, a spaghetti western full of gun slinging and fist-flinging. Cook has been staging fights for al most 20 years. He began study ing in 1985 with the Society of American Fight Directors and went on to work as a professional stage combatant for many years. Right now he’s one of three qualified fight choreographers in Columbia. But training USC actors to throw punches and duck at the right second isn’t as easy as it might sound. ~“We had to time it to the mu sic,” said USC theatre student Patrick Kelly, who plays Billy the Kid. “And there’s about 15 min utes fighting total, broken up in two minutes here and there.” He and Cook both said every actor had to take workshops on basic combat skills. Training to perform the choreog raphy itself took a month, and Cook spent hour after hour making sure everyone knew how to fight safely. While Cook’s main focus is fight choreogra phy, he hasn’t cut cor ners on the acting by any means. Jack Lunan delivered his lines well and made a fine, believ able Jessie James. Cook was a tall, foreboding Bill Hickock. The stage could barely contain Kelly as he ran from one end to the other in man ic bursts of energy dur ing his entrance. Charles Whetzel hardly said a word, but he had a load of fun with his psycho-killer character Sundance. Hie ctaro \xrac xxrilri Vnc speech spare, his lips curved into a near smile. “I told him the less you do, the more frightening and creepy you’ll be,” Cook said. After the show the cast looked ex hausted as they lounged outside in the summer night breeze. Here sat a subdued bunch of cowboys, ready to go home and sleep until sun up the next day. Yet it was a content sort of tired. Everyone seemed sat isfied with the inaugural perfor mance, including the audience. Isabel Dickey, who plays Sarah Siddons, said they’ve been re hearsing for months. “We’ve even had a few twisted ankles,” she said. “But you defi nitely get in shape.” Then there’s the play itself— the script specifically — which Cook and his cast had only so much say in. Stripped of the air cushions, fights and props, we’re confronted with an ugly little con cept behind a script that’s barely worth the paper it’s printed ot^ We’re not talking Arthur Mill^p ; or Tennessee Williams here. ♦ HIGH VOLTAGE, SEE PAGE B7 ___._ _ _.^ _ __ imn* PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Sundance Cast: Patrick Kelly, Charles Whetzel, Christopher Cook, Jack Lunan. h; .• . - 11 —-—tt-—...M.■•■■■■-, ..i<ijiprffli i F fl R E W EL L T 9 U V k i , "Everything a Cher fan could want" Boston Globe "Cher triumphed" ^ New York Times < I _r__"Flawless" Newsweek "Cher delight" Houston Chronicle .. ' ' If you don't need it, why eat it? Food tastes better without artificial colors and flavors, and it's better for you. Earth Fare offers a unique shopping experience on a range of organic products. !# Organic produce # Bulb food & natural groceries # Cafe & babery with outdoor seating # Sandwiches, wraps & fresh sushi # Cruelty free body care & quality vitamins # Comfortable cafe for meetings | & studv groups "