John Beer

Thirty years ago, Professor Irwin Corey clarified an important question as he accepted the National Book Award on behalf of Thomas Pynchon (for "Gravity's Rainbow"). "Many people ask, 'Who are Studs Terkel?' It's not 'Who are Studs Terkel,' it's 'Who AM Studs Terkel,'" the professor declared. Thirty-odd years later, both Studs and the 91-year-old Corey are still at it. To kick off its New Play Festival, Prop theatre is hosting this night of performances by Corey, who bills himself as "The World's Foremost Authority." And authoritative he is. Beginning with a seemingly interminable set of furtive looks at his text, throat-clearings and distractions, Professor Corey launches into his learned ad-libbing with a trademark, and eloquent, "However..." What follows is a bewildering mixture of high-flown nonsense, philosophical one-liners ("if we do not swerve from the direction that we have chosen, we will end up exactly where we are heading"), and blistering attacks on American government and mores: "Prostitution is the symptom. Capitalism is the disease." Professor Irwin Corey is indeed, as anyone would insinuate, a veritable living treasure, and Prop Theatre deserves plaudits for its bold integument in designing, that is to say abrogating, or--who the hell wrote this?

(2005-07-19)

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