30 - Wednesday, THEATRE. March 25, 1992 — North Shore News A Waterfront presents best New Play Centre’s Springrites ‘92, Waterfront Theatre, To April both our sympathy and respect. His performance is the glue of the of the new one-act plays Old machines never ‘die. 11, Phone 685-6217. pring is sprung and hopefully some new plays too, during the New Play Centre’s Springrites ‘92 Festi- val. The festival aims to encourage playwrights to hit the keys and create a new work, be it a scene, a one-act or a multi-act. This year the Waterfront Theatre is the venue for four winning plays from last year’s one-act play com- petition. My Mirror, My Self, by Maureen Robinson, directed by Sherry Bie. Check timetable for showtimes. My Mirror, My Selfis an intense work by North Shore playwright Maureen Robinson. In this one- act, a woman struggles with an alchohol addiction and her floundering sense of identity. The set is very simple — a vanity table scattered in makeup with a farge, round mirror, initially draped with a sheet. The charac- ters are Woman One, the ‘‘real”’ woman, and Woman Two, her reflection. Woman One (Jill Daum) agonizes over whether to uncover the mirror and make herself up (there’s a figure of speech tor you) so that she can go out. When she finally convinces herself to face her reflection (Leslie Jones), her reflection talks back and the ensuing ‘dialogue’ eats away at her resolve. The two actresses mirror each other’s movements - to an ex- tent— until Woman Two starts talking back and even ventures out of the mirror into the bedroom. Robinson explores ideas about identity and self-awareness. The reflection is sometimes a metaphor for the subconscious, a murky realm where the self acts without awareness of the conscious self. Woman Two even states ‘I’m not a mind reader, you know,” to Woman One. The tug-of-war between the selves that can make up one’s identity, between the shadow side and the ‘‘real’’side is often funny. When Woman Two sits next to her counterpart she declares “Look at me, I'm beside myself!’’ “To Live ... is to love PASTA.” Barbara Black THEATRE REVIEW This humor, however, gives way to seriousness, and the play ends darkly and rather sadly. This does not, however, detract from its ap- peal. Elvis and Mavis, by Jeff Pitcher, directed by Kim Selody. Check timetable for showtimes. In a different vein is Elvis and Mavis, by Jeff Pitcher. This play is more straightforward, with na- tional appeal. It concerns a Newfoundlander who intends to blow up the Chur- chhill Falls Dam to draw attention to the plight of Newfoundland fishermen. ‘‘When the fish left, our identity wasn’t far behind,” Elvis laments. The focus is on a national identi- ty and on respecting the various identities that comprise one Canada. The set is divided into two set- tings. On the left is Elvis and Mavis’ kitchen where Mavis (Paula Wolfson) finds out about her hus- band’s high profile stunt from her friend (Crystal Verge). On the right is a shack \where Elvis chows down on cocktail wienies and Pepsi, then phones various radio stations on his cellular to broadcast his plan. North Shore actor Todd Duckworth builds a convincing, homey but feisty Elvis who garners 15 varieties — 6 different Sauces DINNER PASTA ENTREE Monday to Thursday Until March 31st only! 157 Chadwick Court, NVan. $695 987-4610 play. flvis and Mavis is teeming with Canadiana. There are jokes about Joey Smallwood, the CBC and, yes, even Newties. On opening night, the play dragged in the middle and the plot bogged down. The telephone parley is a handy theatrical device which alas becomes tiring when overused and becomes a replacement for dramatic activity. Some material about Elvis could be edited out without a loss to his character and certain gags like talking to the CBC were funny once, but talking to three different hosts of the CBC was overkill. | respect Pitcher for putting for- ward ideas on Canadian identity, especially educating us Westerners about the soul of the New- foundlanders. Springrites ‘92 atso features Yes, Officer, I’m Sure the Tree Belongs to Me, by Suzanne Anderson (also from the North Shore), and Blue Caribou, by Andree Verchere, as well as two panel discussions and play readings. Phone 685-6217 for more information. “They just x less expensive: Right now, we have a bunch of machines in stock. True they're mature, ex- perienced, but hardly decrepit. Anyway, they're going for a song. They're in good working condition; those that needed it have been rebuilt, and their parts are warranteed. Come in and see straight-stitch machines for as low as $49.99 and zigzag machines, starting at $79.99! 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