Earth: TTFN?!

LAZER GAG Earth:TTFN?!’s cast sets its phasers to pun.

Photo: rep3

Aliens exist, and their dearest hope is to render Earth a teardown in the name of improving their real-estate prices. It’s up to a reluctant, recently laid-off comic-book store clerk to convince a hostile Intergalactic Senate (and the audience) to spare humanity in this interactive, semi-improvised spoof. The premise is Mystery Science Theater precious, and everything looks the part thanks to yeoman service from lighting and costume designers John Horan and Ricky Lurie, respectively. Earth is never less than fantastic to look at, and director Parsons, along with his uneven but hardworking ensemble, infuses the visual gimmicks with much delight.

Yet despite a great idea at its core, the script, instead of going full-tilt geek, settles for by-the-book one-liners and warmed-over pop-culture references. The action grinds to a halt whenever the audience is called upon to fill in Mad Libs plot points. And although the self-consciousness eases as the evening wears on, Earth: TTFN?! never transforms into the blithe choose-your-own-adventure it promises at the outset, relying instead on the kind of shoehorned political jokes that weren’t that funny when Men in Black did them (Blago’s an alien, ha ha).

The occasional awkwardness aside, a more dire risk that audience participation invites is having the script shown up by an amateur’s quip. On opening night, the biggest laugh came from a spectator’s suggestion that the way to ensure victory against the play’s big baddie was “battle kittens.” Bring ’em on.

• More theater reviews
• More Theater articles