us “opera with music by Neil

- - Wednesday, September. 11, 1996 - orn Shore News.

From page 13

unaware of this singular fact
and wonder why the guy in
the front row with the little
stick is being applauded as he
sitsdown, -

After all, latecomers are not
usually admitted at any venue.
Is this group sarcasm in action,
I wonder,

All is immediately revealed
and my shock as the first few
dissonant chords resound
through the theatre gradually’
gives way to strange fascination
_ with theme and presentation,

- This modern chamber

Weiserisel ‘arid words by
Michael Cavanagh turns out to
‘be the most original piece of
programming I will see today.
A unique vision of gothic hor-
“ror in a rural prairie setting, |

_~ Excellent musicians and

» great voices (but no tunes if -
that ‘matters to you), Ifonly *
the venue: oui aye offered

ipping down' wi

rain'so I'am ‘congrarilating

‘ ig four whee
d'‘me’as

- Sweati

all over the

ng inte

nice balance but to what end I
am not quite sure,

The play ends just as it is
getting interesting, as Anne
outgrows the stereo ical
breeder role assi er.

Historically s e may have

“just” been a housewife.
Dramatically this isn't very
satisfying.

Rodgers resists the obvious
trap of turning his play into a
history lesson full of literary
inforraation, but his quest to
create drama on human terms
has a way to go.

& Off to the Firehall ne
for Deep Cove playwri
Brooke Burgess > Evil at Earl’s,

Is it my imagination, or
* does the crowd look different
downtown? Younger and © *.
‘smarter (fashionwise that is).
Maybe there are a lot of ex-
waiters in this audience.

Certainly there is a lively
. appreciation, of Burgess’ hi
sardonic dialogue that s s
off the stage as lay revs.

rand his ances inter-

ange cable hostess/waitress :
 bubbleheads drew, knowing’ :
huckles. . ‘
* But this darkly comic ook at
a psyche in torment wanders

faywright or director suffers’

m ‘terminal cinematic vision, :

vation Amy Thrift Store

bed 04413

- tion I

stylistic chart as cither.

a Fringe seat

guided walking tour of
Britannia High School looking
for an open door to Venue 7.
Veteran Deep Cove play-

wai t Maureen Robinson

es the effort worthwhile,
__ Dept mounting exhaus-

ind myself responding
to the energy and pace of her
direction and an excellent cast
in which Gina Chiarelli’s hot-
blooded waitress is a standout.

yo

By the time a bowl of cereal
is whizzing back and forth
under the door of Val Mason's
quirky set | am shaking with
laughter. But even Robinson's

at manipulating zany and
antic behavior cannot disguise a
lack of thematic control as ten-
sion is lost and the play winds
down rather than winding u

By the time I’ve found
way back to Commercial Drive

| Madia Sponsor”

T have less than 10 minutes to
get back to Gastown for The
Jones Boy.
I don "te make it, Tom
Walmsley’ 's grim and violent
lay about life on the streets of
fancouver will have to wait for
another day. Too bad, I had
heard good things about it,
For the bridge -challenged
theatre lovers out there
Presentation House will be
presenting Fringe holdovers
Sep, 19-28,
In fact a trip to 3rd and
Chesterfield this week could
provide a dose of alternate the-

atre without Fringing at all.

Shattered Tongue, caught in
dress-rehearsal last week, is an
unusual collective exploration
of the poet Sappho’s voice.

Excellent performances
from Cheryl McNamara and
Tonja Livingstone who blend
elements of ritual dance with
their theatre, ;

Tam entranced but is beau- ;
ty truth, as the poet Keats .
asked? In this case, no. But .
director Alison Aylward is clos-
er to the money with the ©.
human clement than the histo- ©
ry lesson. :