OF COURSE I'M GOING UKE THIS! I ALWAYS Do! ARE YOU GOING To THE MALL DKESA LIKE THAT?” © 1902 by NEA, Ine GRIZZWELLS® by BE Schorr -{ GOLDILOCKS. A AGAIN? @ 1992 by NEA, inc. ph Farris WAL 1 _ FRANK. & ERNEST? FORGET ITZ: ONLY GET 7. AN HOUR. FOR. LUNCH. |” DON'T Min IF You SMOKE, Bur ME Wéatre “Forget it! You don’t help me change the baby, so ! don't help you change the tire!” Director creates frantic pace for excellent casi From page 44 by an urbancly foppish John Mof- fat, was rescued by Cavendish ty- ing an obviously false pair of legs into knots. . And ! didn’t believe any of it. ~ By itself that would not matter. It is pleasant to laugh at stylistic silliness. But if The Millionairess was in- tended to be a political allegory as Coffey maintains, there has to be more. As Coffey writes in the program, Shaw wrote the play in 1934-35 “ata time cf international up- heaval and danger, with capitalism in spasm, Soviet Communism of- fering an alternative order of society, and the: irresistible energy of dictators threatening peace in Europe.” So if we are to take the life- changing energy of Epifania as analogous to the rising forces of fascism, what are we to make of her adversaries in the play? In the face of unreasonable force should we duck and counter to the solar plexus like Epis trish husband, played with ihe bounce, jcy and almost the bark of an Irish setter by Oliver Becker? Should we attempt to ride out the storm with the middle class se- renity and patience of Miriam Smith's Polly Seedystockings¢ Or should we take the chance of riding on the +«..t-tails of power” like Tim Healy's oily and heartless hotel manager? Tite play suggests that it doesn’t much matter since ‘Money is power! Money is freedom! Money is security!’ and the millionairess gets what she wants. Subtle. Not! And if these opponents border on pusnovers, the working-class couple of Act Three are mere ciphers. It is to Lillian Cartsan’s credit that she almost extracts genuine pathos from a scene that feels like acheap parody of earlier (and greater) Shaw. it is doubly disappointing then to discover that the one interesting adversary that Shaw created for the millionairess has been reduced in this procuction te a drabness that borders on the banal. . Alex Diakun‘s doctor is caim to the point of dullness, and if there is any inner light of happiness and wonder at God’s universe it re- mains hidden under his bushe!. Diakun is a0 good an actor for this to-be anything other than directorial choice, and it is one | did not understand. Surely the doctor must show the millionairess that he possesses. something she does not have. lf she doesn’t see it her only . -. reason for his pursuit is the fact that he says no to her and other people in the play say that without getting a marriage proposal. Restraint in a show full of sty- listic excesses would usually be cause for admiration but here it feels extremely limiting. it is ironic that the Pisyhouse has thrown a lot of money at The Mii- lionatress.. 7 ft shows in Parn Johnson's sets, Phillip Ciarkson’s costumes and, all too rarely, a larger cast. There is even the doubling of the lead: Nora Mcleilan alternat- ing with Cavendish for selected performances. ; Despite Cavendish’s perfor- mance the question as to whether it was money well spent still nags at me. Carmelo adds quality. to WV’s Marine Drive From page 2% smalt and artistic restaurant kitch- en into Carmelo’s dining room and brings the clientele into the kitchen to the benefit of bofh par- ties. The shedding of culinary borders, meanwhile, allows Ben- troudi to dabble in a “world cuisine’ by incerporating and assimilating flavors from all over the globe into the great basic gastronomy of Staly. Carmelo’s nightly fresh list pro- vides the format for that ex- perimentation. Ona recent Saturday night, for example, a special Composed Salad ($6.50) presented an entic- ing plate of pickled fennel, grilled eggplant slices, radicchio lettuce, baby mozzarella cheese topped with olives, broited red pepper and a melange of sauteed mushrooms and pine nuts. The salad was finished with a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar vinaigrette. Also sampled was the classic Stracciatella alla Romano ($3.75). The excellent italian soup features . asimple breth thick with whipped eggs, chives and cheese tapped with fresh cracked black pepper. Both of the above were superbly complemented by Carmelo’s ex- cellent home-made bread. Our entrees included Scaloppine al Marsala o Funghi ($14.95) and Rack of Lamb in a peppercorn and cognac sauce ($15.95). . The entree plates were dressed with thin slices of fried potato, Carrets and zucchini and a melange of chopped cabbage fried with prosciutio ham. ° My lamb was presented medium rare, and the tich, pink meat was served beneath an excellent demigiace punctuated with red and green peppercorns. The scaloppine was suffused with the distinct sherry flavors of niarsala wine and mushrooms. Our dessert was a special crepe tilled with zabaglione ($5.50), the classic Italian whisked egg yolk, sugar and wine creation. But it didn’t quite work. The zabaglione, which does bet- ter on its own, was a touch too dense when wrapped in the crepe and perhaps a bit over-done. Service throughout our meal was friendly and attentive. Carmelo’s wine list is limited, and the $18 to $40 price range in- cludes few bottles under $20, but some interesting Italian, French, Chilean and Australian selections are available. The return of Carmelo has add- ed another top-quality restaurant to West Vancouver's Marine Drive strip. which already boasts many of the finest restaurants in the Lower Mainland.