a.k.a.'s People are cynics,witty

By Mia Proli Gable

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Some say that poking fun is a way of coping with the unknown or scary aspects of life Ä like technology, different races and religions. If this is true, then the People Who Do That are extremely paranoid about the police.

Lest you think this comedy troupe only performs "Cops" spin-offs, they actually perform a virtual smorgasbord of sketches attacking every kind of group from the KKK to country bumpkins to Mormons to disgruntled postal workers. There is bound to be something to make you gasp as they warn in their program, "if nothing you see tonight offends at least one of your sensibilities, then you may not understand English very well."

But the People Who Do That are funny and at times cynically creative with lines like "I've got fire in my brain and Doritos in my soul," said by one frustrated Circle K employee and a Republican bribing children with all the "candy and assault weapons" they want.

This 50-minute performance moves effortlessly along in the intimately staged theatre. A setting which lets the audience feel the performers' spit and wonder if they just might grab someone from the audience and take them hostage.

With barely a half-hour between performances and still sweating from their workout in a.k.a.'s "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," Miles Hindman and Grayson Norris show their versatility and ability as

comedians in "Show No. 2" of the People Who Do That. In fact, the whole cast is versatile and improvisational. When the cap gun faltered now and then, the police officer would swear and the characters marked to die would simply say bang and fall down dead.

Although funny, the "Cops" sketches in the show often and become contrived and predictable. Yet, it may suggest that the country just might be a little too obsessed with real life law skirmishes. How many times do we need to watch "Cops" anyway? It seems the program is on nearly every hour of the day.

One might leave this show and wonder if there is anything out there these guys like. It's clear that the one thing they do like is to poke fun at anything and everything. If you want new and lewd comedy that will tickle your sensitive side, the People Who Do That won't disappoint you.

The People Who Do That's "Show No. 2" runs at the a.k.a. Theatre Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 11 at 11 p.m. For more information call 623-7852.

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