The Talent Pool
Beatnik Theatre
Beatnik Theatre
It's no surprise when a young company like this one puts out uneven work. The Talent Pool, which Patrick Ney developed through improv with the Beatnik Theatre, attempts to lampoon the bloodthirsty, ass-kissing, frenzied feeding troughs known as casting agencies. But rather than develop a story or even sustained through lines, Ney and colleagues spend most of their 90 minutes fiddling with petty crises and personality quirks. And as is often the case with improv-based dialogue, the actors tend to repeat their thoughts a half dozen times hoping to eke out a laugh, repeatedly putting the show on hold.