UGLY SISTER

a betapunks performance of a Blue play on frightened physicists

A cancer benefit for Blue turned into a wild performance piece about the oil industry, starring Neeta R., Lisa E., and Sandra B. as well as a half-dozen naked dancers painted as wildlife in a crew headed by Brooke K., Ajax, Reggie C., and Sara W. The audience had swelled to 800 people in Blagden Alley by the time the pay unfurled. The message was direct -- don't buy from the Exxon Corporation -- but the aesthetics were again murky. What was the purpose of staging the event, apart from raising money for a cancer-stricken artist? Turns out Mikey Cormier pulled off an amazing 23-minute taping of the play, watching it for the first time with the Canon L-1 in hand. His shooting is seamless, steady and compelling, and the play thus achieved a result wholly unrelated to its merit. A critical lesson for its creators. The video is due up on utoob soon.

A dancer named Ajax painted like a cat gyrates while Lisa E., Sandie Black and Neeta R. sing a song about jungles and oil.

In the frenzied dance finale, all the painted animals come out on stage as we cover Fishbone's You're so Ugly You Ain't Got No Alibi.