Community Editor
Andrew McCredie

WHO TO CALL:

Entertainment Editor
Layne Christensen

985-2131 (147) 9385-2131 (118)

ADIES AND gentle-
men, the envelopes
please!

It's award time again on the the-

atre scene as both community and
‘professional participants in the art
celebrate local achievements.’
Presentation House was the
host of this year's North Shore
‘Zone of Theatre B.C's Festival of:
“. Plays a couple of weeks ago.

This annual ‘competition deter-

mines which local production. will’
represent the North Shore at the
~ provincial finals which, this year, ~
will be held in Kamloops during
the first week of July, :

' The News will try-and list all
* the award winners later but the -
Best Overall Production was Deep

“Cove Stage’s Look Back In Anger.”

oy 5" It's a case of deja.vu all over
: “again: for the group,.which won all
. the provincial marbles fast year -
with Fravikie and Johnny ia the
“Claire de Lune. eae
My two evenings at the festival

‘pretty much embodied the best and...
worst of community theatre, °

"NEWS photo Paul McGrath

WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES by Geft to right) Greg Anderson, Simon Farrar and Patti Harras
highlight First Impressions Theatre's ‘production ot Of Mice And Men at Deep Cove’s Shaw Theatre.

While { was fortunate enough to
catch Look Back In Anger with its
strong acting in three major roles
and sensitive design, | was left

‘shaking my hedd at the choice of

_Mmaterial by.ancther group that had
better remain anonymous.

» Surely even the friendly and
“non-demanding audience of a com-
munity theatre 4 group deserves more.
than an exercise jn style and char-
acter acting. ~

Adjudicator John Cooper i is to
be congratulated for his gentle tact!

. Table Hopping... sassrvectes 16
a WV Listings.

ever SAM TO as Nu : |
. SEE OUR BACK PAGE IN THIS |
_FRIDAY'S NORTH SHORE NEWS |

The professional theatre com-
munity celebrates its own with the
Jessie Richardson. Theatre Awards.

Last week saw the announcement’

of the 13th annual nominations and,
as usual, the list of nominees was
remarkable for what was feft out.

It is not surprising that debate
should swirl around the nomina-

tions, since the choice of any actor:
-or director is so subjective. -

However, it is inconceivable to
me that The Vancouver

’Playhouse’s Oleanna should be

nominated for outstanding produc-
tion while the excellence of its ©

O/

Join BCTEL Mobility’s 50/50

plan before May 3st,

director and two actors (including
the North Shore’s Bill Dow) were
all ignored,

Did the nomination corhmittee
believe it had acknowledged the *
production sufficiently and choose

to include other names in the indi- ©

vidual categories? °
T hope not because this type of
all-inclusive policy has damaged

Jessie credibility in other seasons. ';:

~ Final choices in all the usual
categories will be revealed June 11°
when the awards, for the first time’
ever, will move to the Vancouver.
Playhouse. Tickets, which include

1995,

and for $49.95 a month you get:

+ Unlimited focal calling for the first 50 days and 50 nights
“2 50 minutes of weekday business airtime

* Unlimited local calling every weekend

* Includes 36 months of detailed billing

«Save $ 108 activation / 'st year annual system access fee

. Special $99 purchase price on Nokia pocket phone

NORTH SHORE
CELLULAR LTD.

1234 MARINE DRIVE,
NORTH VANCOUVER

34-701 c

OUTSIDE LOWER MAINLAND ,

1-800-661- ‘701 re

the post-award party, are available
from the Arts Club and Playhouse
box offices.

One of the plays that received
multiple acting nominations, this
year was Fend Player’s Four Dogs
and a Bane, with both North Shore
favorite Nicola Cavendish and ;
Jillian Fargey picking up nomina-
tions for lead actress.

I missed the show first time
round but it has just re-opened fora .
limited run with Susinn McFarlen
replacing Cavendish. :

- Shanley is one of the most hor-
rifyingly funny playwrights in >
North America and Four Dogs and
a@ Bone tears the pants right off of
Hollywood. ' :

There’s not much we don’t .
already know about the cynicism of
the movie-making business but
Shanley’s version of sleaze is fast-
paced, keenlv observed and
wickedly funny. : ;

Handsworth grad Fargey js quite-
brilliant as the chillingly coy ice- _
queen of chant who is determined
to succeed with her vulnerability ©
(“I’ve been incested.”) :

1 am not sure whether the. one |
weakness is in the production or
the script, but there is no sense of *
build in the journey of Victor, the

: writer who-will be asked to sell out-

in order to buy-into success. This

-tesults in a curiously flat climax.

That said, if you need a good
laugh Four Dogs will bite your
funny bone. a

Closer to home, catch First .
Impressions production uf John ..
Steinbeck's Of Mice And Mea.

A ‘couple of cast weaknesses
and some odd design choices do-.
not detract from the power of the
lead performances as they weave a -

_ moving story of dreams and

despair. I thorny enjoyed it it: