Stage

Sometimes, however, the humor suffered when the group went for the in-joke. Punch lines are delivered in Spanish, or draw on such specific cultural references that audience members interrupt their cackling neighbors for translations. A wee glossary wouldn't hurt, but the problems are made worse by deficiencies in the direction and the acting. Instead of layering the material with detailed gesture or characters, the group tends toward broad caricatures, relying exclusively on the words for any nuance. One exception to this is Lujan's unadorned story about brotherly rivalry, in which his simple movements fuse with his poetic language to hypnotic effect. Other especially promising pieces include "Open Mic at the Brown Beret Cabaret," a subtle but sharp spoof of a poetry reading, and "Corrections Connections," a skit about a cable-access dating show for prison inmates.

-- Carol Lloyd