18 — Wednesday. August 1. 1990 - North Shore News

theatre _

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NEWS photo Stuart Davis

Dinner

| and Sunday Brerth

An yeaa cater olauy
days anh x

% Midhael Cummings

Wedding r Meeting Facilities

allin ae Conca tyrone. Gmprr

ACTING and singing in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre production of Les Miserables is high calibre.
The story chronicles the uprising of the lower class in 19th century Paris, and the struggle of one D
man from wretchedness to goodness. . ry

Sy
Miserables a masterpiece

She

Need a little edifica-
tion? Go see Les
Miserables.

By BARBARA BLACK

|, the great sceptic of musicals,
went to the “musical sensation’
as it’s called and was admittedly
moved.

Certainly, little can be faulted in
the production. It is a masterpiece
of efficiency, despite its three-hour
duration. No scene is extraneous,
no movement poorly staged, no
musical phrase lost in the rafters.

Probably its biggest weakness is
the genre itself.

To make musical theatre out of
an epic novel that encompasses
the heady themes of social in-
justice, revolution, disillusionment
and redemption — not your run-
of-the-mill, candy-floss kind of
subjects — is not easy.

In a remarkable feat, Les
Miserables achieves a kind of
condensed version of these
themes, the primary one being the
tale of a man, Jean Valjean, first
condemned by society, then

F Needs MISERABLE?

redeemed by his commitment to
goodness. But this is not highbrow
social commentary — it’s enter-
tainment.

The pace is relentless, with
hardly a breath between scene
changes, which are actually more
like scene merges. The passage of
time and travelling of great

caffe

distances is skilfully conveyed with
the use of a revolving stage (usual-
ly just a gimmick), and double-
sided sets flip around to allow the
audience to see the action from
two points of view.
The setting is 19th-century
See Miserables
Page 21

VENETO

Upstairs in the Atrium of the Yaletown Galleria
225-1080 Mainland St. Vancouver, B.C., V6B 2T4

Every dist leaves the butceen with
my personal guaranter of excellence
Chef-Patron Bruce Milligan

Yaletown’s Premiere
Northern ftalian Restaurant

Lunch
Monday to Friday
11:30 - 3:00

Dinner
Thursday, Friday, Saturday
6:00 - 11:00

Reservations
662-8990

Seven Reasons to visit

S

MONDAY

FREE Apple Pie of
Cheesecake! Come
on io for dinner on
Monday and your des-
servis onus.

S$

_TUESDAY _

two for One

Appetizers!
When vou and your
guest order dinner,
order two appetizers

tb

wv

Restaurant
At Emerald Park

and we'll pay for one!

FRIDAY

Mibvoucancat Beet
Ribs taryust SEEOA!
Start off wid six ribs
then ask for more.

__SATURDAY _

Lobster or Snow Crab.
Enhance your entrée
with a succulent idd-
on ftoronly $6.95.

WEDNESDAY
99¢ Shrimp Cocktail!
Enjoy a shrimp cocktail
for 99 cents with any
entrée ordered.

THURSDAY

12 oz. T-Bone Steak.
Charbroiled to your
liking for only £13.95!

SUNDAY

$1.00 off Prime Rib!
‘Tre our fimous prime
rib and gee a buck off.

Good things happen at Forster's Restiunind

North Vancouver, B.C. 988-8353 /1q

Candlelight & Intrigue

Dinner/Theatre packages

” Do you
want your
beef blood

rare?

GASLIGHT
A murder mystery play at
Presentation House
Wed.-Sat. 8 p.m.
Continues through to Sat. Aug. 4th

and
DINNER AT FORSTER’S
(seating by 6 p.m. or before)
Turkey or Prime Rib or
Sole Chicken Cordon Bleu

$46°° $9goo

Reservations: Dinner/Theatre pkg. 988-8353
Play reservations only: 986-1351

4% ood PREV

ST

350 E. 2nd
333 Chesterfield Ave., NVancouver

N Vancouver