By Les Schroader, special to the Tribune

Clever plot twists, fast-paced dialogue and physical humor await audiences as Southwest Middle School presents &8220;The Last Gladiator&8221; Friday evening.

Shauna Dakken is directing a cast of 17 seventh- and eighth-graders in the comedy by contemporary author Martin Follose. Rehearsals began in January.

The setting is in Rome. Where else would one find gladiators? However, the emperor is away at war with almost all the senators and most all other able-bodied men of the city. The emperor&8217;s daughter is looking for a man to marry.

All the good men are at war. They have left behind wives who are trying to raise money for the &8220;cause.&8221;And they are no help for the poor princess.

The gladiator games must be held but how can you hold gladiator games without a gladiator? To help the princess, two peasant thieves disguised as handmaidens sneak into the palace and come close to being lion food.

Dakken has praise for the cast and crews, adults and young people alike. She said she was pleased with the many students who came to auditions as well as the number of young people offering to work on the various crews needed to produce the show.

&8220;Practices are sometimes difficult. It is necessary to work around the many activities of the young people,&8221; Dakken said of the challenges of a student production.

Dakken, who teaches English at Southwest, has acted and worked in theater. She has had three years of experience directing and said she usually chooses comedies.

Friday will be a busy day for the cast. The two-act play will be presented to seventh-graders in the morning and eighth-graders in the afternoon.

A performance for the public will be at 7 p.m. at the Southwest Little Theater. Tickets are $5

for adults and $4

for students and senior citizens.