“YOUR HORSE,” shouts Manuel, waving frantically. “Your horse... It win. It win.” By STEPREN BARRINGTON News Reporter NEWS photo Mike Wakefield BASIL AND MANUEL are up to their eld tricks iu the North Shore Community Players version of the hit British television comedy Fawity Towers. The play will run Sept. 18 through to Oct. 4 with a preview Sept. 17 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Above, Roger M. Nendick as Basil prepares for a biow from whacky waiter Manuel, played by Ray Soden. Counselling Assistance to Small Enterprises HELOING SMALL BUSINESSES HELP THEMSELVES This government sponsored assistance programme is available to any small business. Confidential ; counselling is done by retired suc- . Anew cessful business people. Harry Martin CASE Co-ordinator Areas where CASE may help: Start up, Advertising, inventory Control, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Partnerships, Exporting, Cost Controls, Cash Flow FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Martin, #6-221 W. Esplanade, N. Van. 666-7703 BACKING INDEPENDENT BUSINESS i) Federal Business Banque federata de developpment Canaciit Development Bank But Basil Fawlty wants Manuel to keep quiet, dest wife Sybil discover his gambling ways. Basil, ever pompous, calls Manuel a nit wit, Manuel misunderstands and confusion, as always, reigns supreme. “The whole concept is based on misunderstanding,”’ explains Wilf Wedding, duector of the North Vancouver Community Players’ stage adaptation of ike penular Fawlty Towers comedy series. “Most of the problems Manuel causes are because of the inability to understand the language,"’ agrees Ray Soden, who plays the dim-witted waiter Manuel. ‘‘But although he doesn’t understand, he always comes out well in the end.’’ Roger Nendick, whose character of Basil frequently calls Manuel ‘‘a silly twit,’’ agrees that the Barcelona waiter’s limited grasp of English is what makes for much of the hilarity. When Manuel does not unders- Friday Sept. 12 21 - Friday, September 12, 1986 - rae Jump for Rick PAGE 28 we tand, he responds with a typically Spanish shrug and his own heavily accented version of okay, a response that) often prompts outrage from Fawlty and laughter from the audience. “Most of the time confrontation with s.2 not understanding him and him not understanding me,’’ Nendick ex- plains, adding the relationship be- tween Manue! and Basil is very much master to servant, Like all actors, Nendick and Soden have had to make sacrifices for the sake of their roles. The normally bearded Nendick has shaved off his whiskers to play a smooth-faced Basil. ‘‘But | shall be growing it again as soon as we're finished,’’ he promises. “I've adopted a totally different stance,’’ laughs Soden, who on stage stoops to make his character shorter. ‘‘My version of a waiter is someone who is stooped and grov- elling.”’ spent in Be prea But although Manuel may be stooped and sometimes grovelling, the waiter always manages to get even, however accidentally, with arrogant hotel owner Fawlty. ‘‘He gets Basil in the head with a frying pan a few times,’ Nendick chuckles. One of the difficulties with the part of Manuel is the accent, something Soden kas been practis- ing at length. Always wary of ac- cidentally slipping into an Italian lilt, he painstakingly works to get it just right. At first he went overboard. “Basically the advice 1 was given was to tone it-down a bit,’’ he adds, “It is something you've got to really concentrate on,"’ notes director Wedding. ‘‘It’s not all that easy to maintain."’ Wedding took the scripts for the company’s three-episode produc- Seo Play Page 24 Rotunda Saturday Sept. 13 Sale Sunday Sept. 14 Do it all in the Rotunda this weekend. Catch the Market Spirit and don’t miss the fashion shows on Saturday. The 9 merchants within this circle have put together fantastic specials for this weekend only. e Trideni Key Mart e TJ’s Nut & Candy Shoppe e Garibaldi’s e Scaldaferri Fine Wine & Cheeses ¢ The Flower Show * Classic Popcorn ® On Stream Magazines e Lonsdale Quay Market Shop (Super Sweats - T’s) ¢ Lonsdale Galley