Whale Riding Weather by Bryden - MacDonald. A Touchstone Theatre production at the Firehall Arts Centre to Nov. 28. Res: 689- 0526. Martin Millerchip THEATRE REVIEW HE SMOKE that rolls past the translucent gauze of the upstage . wall gradually fills the ‘theatre with a suggestive cloud that will rasp the throat and nose by the end _of the evening. ’ But it is only a whispy taste of the pain that is at the centre of Bryden MacDonald's brilliant script. And the discomfort does not compare to the sense of being grabbed by the throat and squeez- ed by a force so powerful that it is impossible to resist. . ! had planned to. : My lily-white liberality is heterosexually driven so, at some level, | think | had only planned to appreciate Whale Riding Weather. . mo, That's rather like stepping out- side to watch the sunset and being struck blind by a supernova. Quite simply, this combination of playwright, director and cast have put together the most agonizingly truthful piece of theatre J have seen for a very long time. : Allan Gray is Lyle, a sherry- sodden queen who has probably " lived on his faded divan in this one-room cell of his own choosing _ for the fast five years. He exists, not under the volcano, but squarely in the mid- dle — spewing raging, bile-like _ streams of memory, obsession, . fantasy, humor and venom. Gray is mesmerizing. His voice has a range that | have never heard before while his willingness Photo Deborah Dunn ALLAN GRAY and Joe-Norman Shaw in one of the many tender moments that suffuse Whale Riding Weether. to pour his very essence into Lyle made me wonder anew at what went on in Born Yesterday. Huddled in one corner of this hellishly claustrophobic retreat from reality is Auto. ay _ Auto feels he owes Lyle his life, perhaps for saving him fron. immi- nent suicide. In return, Auto has become almost a nursemaid to Lyle. But Auto’s fife is still in cruise control, Panic attacks are barely controlled by prescription drugs and beer. Self-worth is an issue best left in the dark. Bars are oases of comparative peace and quiet. They also provide occasional tricks when Lyle needs some fresh stimulus to mix with the soiled remnants of his memory. This time it's Jude. “Well, well. My, my. How ap- propriate! The patron saint of lost causes,” gushes Lyle in anticipa- tion. Except Jude turns out to be more than a one-night stand. He offers Auto a love that is both surprising and frightening. To submit to it requires Auto to ac- knowledge the depth of his need and the true dimensions of his loneiiness. jude offers what Auto both wants and fears the most. Redemption. . Randy Hughson paces Auto’s growth from the tightly wound hell of denial, to cautiously dabbling his toe in the waters of need and desire, to a final swan dive into passion. The aftermath of guilt and pain is a natural outcome of growth that Hughson experiences moment by agonizing moment. Gray and Hughson are so perfectly in tune it is like watching a perfect pas de deux. Each actor taking only what the other offers and returning only what is needed. If Joe-Norman Shaw’s Jude suf- fers in comparison, it is only because Jude is the outsider in a room created and inhabited by Gray and Hughson. Shaw ultimately delivers a believable transformation sustain- ed with sincere honesty. If Auto reclaims his soul, what will happen to Lyle? As the night progresses Lyle con- tinues to interrupt Jude’s seduction of Auto to focus attention, howev- er briefly, on himself. But finally, as Auto admits the depths of his own need for the first time, Lyle watches unseen before Jeaving without interruption. And the following morning, while Auto is out shopping, Lyfe confesses truths to Jude for the first time in the play and, almost childlike, asks, “Will it hurt when See Suretie page $8 Its Beginning CHRISTMAS! () Just arived — our “4%. special Christmas } Container filled with , over 1,000 new | pieces to choose # from. This Holiday Season, surprise them with a magical gift they will treasure for years. FEELERS ANTIQUES - 810 Park Royal North West Vancouver 922-0213 i 4 rhe pReete Soe, ng Visit Bilton's today and order your copy of this beautiful -. limited edition or other limited edition prints in ‘time for Christmas. Use our no interest layaway plan. See us for all your custom picture framing _ Certified Picture-framer on staff BILTON'S ART CENTRE 109 East 1st St., NorthVancower 985-4033 to Look a Lot Like... HOUSE OF BRUSSELS CHOCOLANES delicious Belgian chocoktte on With any purchase over $3.00 Cand the outside and creamy hazeinut and milk this ad), you will receive 1 free chocolate chocolktte filling on the inside. Its no hedgchog. Offer valid until December 1, wonder this is our most popular chocolate 1993 only at House of Brussels Chocolates, to give. Or to receive. We want to sbare our Park Royal Shopping Centre South). good taste with you! Limit one hedgehog per purchase.