August reviews

August Reviews

An Enchanting Alice and Her Wonderland at Marin Shakes

Proof of the variety of Marin Shakes' repertoire is the staging of Lesley
Currier's adaptation and direction of Lewis Carroll's beloved classic tale Alice
in Wonderland, a striking contrast with Marin Shakes' artistic director Robert
Currier's recent staging of King Lear. Lesley Currier's fine adaptation of
the tale appeals to both adults and children. On the more adult level, Alice's
exploits and questions to establish her identity represent the inner voyage
that we all make throughout our lives. On the level that children easily relate
to is the fairytale world of Alice's enounters with the Mad Hatter, the Queen
of Hearts and other fantasy characters, whose logical yet silly answers to
Alice's questions have young as well as older spectators chuckling.
Currier's direction of the play is intimate and heartwarming, as if we are
sitting around the family fireplace listening to one of our favorite stories.
And thank God for the lack of cinematic effects, blackouts, and scenic changes
which would abolish the quaint personal quality of the production. Instead the
staging offers the unadorned merriment of Carroll's tale along with dance and
song and an ending note about Alice's dream to always keep the simple loving
heart of her childhood.
Members of a cast of all ages assume their roles very effectively with an
outstanding performance rendered by Hannah Rose Kornfeld as Alice, a twelve year
old whose acting and stage presence are the motivating power throughout the
production.
Sets by Bruce Lakovic are attractive but perhaps a bit oversized for the
intimate feeling of the play. Fanciful costumes by Michael A. Berg are what we
would imagine for the colorful characters in Alice's Wonderland. Original score
and sound effects by Billie Cox enhance the ensemble of the production.
Alice will be followed by The Comedy of Errors Sept 1-24. For info call
415-499-4485 or visit www.marinShakeseare.org.

A Sexy Detective Thriller at the Magic

Tracy Letts' Killer Joe winner of a Fringe award in August 1994, contains
the use of nudity that is not the shocker it is sleighted to be. Rather it
offers a highly realistic and unpretentious look at the life style, violent family
relationships, crude language and sex of a poor white trash family near
Dallas, Texas. The action begins with Chris entering his trailer home to tell his
father, Ansel, that because he needs money or will be killed he will ask Killer
Joe, a corrupt detective, to kill Ansel's former wife to pay his debt with
her life insurance money. Chris offers Dottie, his twenty year old sister, as a
down payment for the job. After the mother is killed and Killer Joe awaits his
pay, they discover that the mother left the money to her lover, Rex, also the
secret lover of Ansel's second wife, who is in cahoots with Rex to share the
money. After Joe seduces Dottie in a sexually provocative scene in which he
obliges her to take off all her clothes to don a gown and then moves in with
her, he announces he will marry Dottie. When Chris objects to his sister's
marriage to Killer Joe, the play concludes, as all good thrillers with violence and
killings.

Lee Sankowich's stage direction intensifies with mounting dramatic
confrontations, sometimes played with slow and at other times rapid pacing, that often
end in physical clashes. Killer Joe is spotlighted as a sadistic, controlling
cruel character with a tender spot for Dottie's innocence, while the naive
Dottie ends up revolting against all the evil surrounding her. The strength of the
production lies in the concentrated high energy collaborative playing of the
cast members as well as the intense and turbulent action of the play that has
audience members anxiously awaiting the outcome of this intriguing thriller.
Sets by Giulio Cesare Perrone wonderfully captivate the interior of the run
down trailer and Laura Hazlett's costumes enhance the players'
characterizations.
For information about Marin Theatre Company's two month run of Killer Joe,
now at the S.F. Magic Theatre until Aug.13, or for info about the upcoming
Orson's Shadow by Austin Pendleton, about Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier, call
415-388-5208 or visit www.marintheatre.org.

A Daring Merchant at Cal Shakes

Daniel Fish's experimental staging of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice opened
as the recent Lebanon-Israel war peaked, supposedly about to be resolved but
with resistance on the part of Israel.The present anti-Israel feelings for the
inhumanity of Israel's attacks on Lebanon parallel Shakespeare's portait of a
cruel Jew requiring the justice of a pound of Antonio's flesh rather than
accepting double the amount of money owed him from Antonio, through the
generosity of Portia. Yet the defenders of Shylock ( as well as of Israel) go by the
philosphy "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." Shylock, who was spat
upon and publically humiliated by Antonio, believes in the justice of obtaining
his vindication.
All of this makes for good drama and a rich dialogue filled with wisdom. What
lessens the value of this meaningful drama is the attempt to introduce
innovative means into a work that is already so resplendent with dramatic
lyricism-like throwing whipped cream over a rich cream dessert. As a whole the
production's visual values are overly amplified as, for example, when the audience is
invited to follow some of the dramatic action on video screens above the stage
with a camera man moving about on stage to video scenes we don't really need
to see. Some findings in the production are innovative, such as Shylock and his
daughter living in a dumpster to represent a ghetto and Shylock, deprived of
money, having a garage sale at the play's end.

David Chandler as Shylock brings authenticity to the character as well as to
the play. Delia MacDougall plays Nerissa and the young lawyer with a
respectful interpretation of the Bard's lines. Jenny Bacon as Portia ( wearing a
different dazzling garment every time she appears) delivers Shakespeare's dialogue
as if she is in a modern day play. Andy Murray playing Gratiano in casual
shorts with an Anglo-Irish accent brings humor to his characterization.
The set by Andrew Lieberman is somewhat oversized, simple, and modern.
Costumes by Kaye Voyce match the modern set with Shylock's being one of the most
credible.
If we could chalk up this production as curiously experimental, which is one
of Cal Shakes' goals, then it is worth the trek up to Bruns Amphitheatre. And
the viewing of this Merchant will no doubt promise a lively reaction by all
who view it.
For info about Cal Shakes upcoming musical version of As You Like It Sept
13-Oct 15, after The Merchant ending Sept 3, call 510-548-9666 or visit
www.calshakes.org.

Over My Dead Body Trumps Mystery Story Writers

In a rollicking comedy about the attempts of three English mystery story
writers to accomplish the perfect and most original murder, the Ross Valley
Players' Over My Dead Body depicts a real murder that culminates in a surprise
ending. To top their careers as mystery writers, an eccentric threesome, comprised
of a middle-aged female, her former suitor, and an elderly, sleepy third
writer try to concoct a plan to kill an American they believe is responsible for
another murder, only to have us laughing at each of their failed ideas. When
they finally come up with their solution for their murder, that requires a sword,
a shotgun and a noose, it remains to be seen whether their idea will be
effective or if the intended murder will find its own solution.
Based on the Robert L. Fish novel The Murder League, Michael Sutton and
Anthony Fingleton's Over My Dead Body depicts the actual London Detection Club,
founded in 1928 by dectective story writers such as Agatha Christie, J. K.
Chesterton and E.C. Bentley.
Over My Dead Body has mystery story fans as well as non-fans guessing enough
to hold their interest and keep them laughing at these detective's attempts to
find the perfect murder. The staging is well directed by Ross Valley habitual
Cris Cassell and perfectly cast and acted out by veteran Barn Players Hugh
Campion, Anne Ripley, and Mitchell Field as the three detectives, along with the
remainder of the cast. Special mention for English born Roy Harvey, who
creates the absent-minded old English butler, Charters, with an amusing distinction.
Sets by James S. Anderson and costumes by Janice Koprowski evoke
an English living or reading room with characters in English style clothing.
The production is a fun and upbeat murder mystery.

Next up at the Barn in Sept. and Oct. is David Auburn's Proof directed by
Cris Cassell. For info call 415-456-9555 or visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com

Shepard's True West at the Artaud Gallery Space

Sam Shepard's True West by Panhandler Theatre and Colibrita Productions
occasioned the first staging in the Artaud Theatre Gallery, an intimate compact
space to be utilized by Bay Area Theatre companies.
True West begins on a low key, subdued note to introduce two combative
brothers who have grown apart in their life styles, one now living in the rough in
the desert and the other writing screen plays in town.When Lee leaves the
desert to visit brother Austin their differences and sense of rivalry become
confrontational. When Lee meets Austin's agent Saul and offers him a true west story
based on his own desert experiences that Saul will promote, Austin's sense of
rivalry is sparked so much that he refuses Lee's plea to help him write it.
Lee attempts to type out the dialogue himself and failing begins to trash
Austin's typewriter with a golf club. More violence ensues between the brothers
until the room is in shambles. When their mother suddenly returning from Alaska
sees the destroed room andone brother choking the other she decides to move
into a motel.
Shepard's True West is a true challenge in a space that has spectators
sitting in seats that are not mounted on levels to facilitate the viewing with
voices on stage not always being fully heard. Otherwise the cast makes a valiant
effort to stage one of Shepard's more difficult plays requiring several violent
movement scenes and a dialogue that is at times so anti-theatrical that it
risks becoming banal.. Kudos to Colibrita and Panhandler Theatre and to director
Gabrielle Gomez for their hard work to meet the challenge of overcoming these
difficulties.
True West runs on weekends until Aug 26. For information on the production
and upcoming shows call producerTanya Vlach at 415-626-4370.

Women "Jump" Into the Spotlight

Jump! Theatre Company presented an evening of excerpts by and about women on
July 19th. Gaetana Caldwell-Smith both wrote and directed the first play,
Cantaloupes, a meaningful and humorous piece about three women who meet for coffee
to try to forge creative paths through aging. Beth McLaughlin played the
younger 60 year old for whom sexual freedom will keep her young and beautiful.The
other two women, a generation older, were portrayed as more uptight,
especially Ann, played by Nena St. Louis. Carole Landis as Evelyn had a gift for comedy.
The second play, Terminally Female: A Cabaret, a multimedia, dance theatre
exploration of femininity across history and culture, was beautifully performed
by Satha Gandi, playwright and performer and imaginatively choreographed by
Alisa Clayton.
Mia Paschal's play, This Lily Was Fontana, is a very poetic piece played by
arresting performer Mia. She will be premiering it at the San Francisco Fringe
from September 7-16 at Original Joe's Cabaret Room.
Flora Lynn Isaacson for Annette Lust

Word for Word's Staged Reading of Government Preparedness

Word for Word Company's staged reading of Judy Budnitz's short story
Preparedness satirizes presidential power as a country's leader
protects his citizens in the face of oncoming disasters through routine
preparatory drills. The farcical interpretation of Budnitz's story mocks the
dictates of leaders as well as the frenzied futility of presidential advisors as
they attempt to prepare the country for a disaster. Budnitz creates a realistic
depiction of the world to come with a sense of humor.
Directed by JoAnne Winter, the cast included Joel Mullennix (who performed
an amazing semblance and caricature of our present president), Arwen Anderson,
Sheila Balter, Adrian Eifenbaum, and Gendell Hernandez, who energized the
audience with a rapid pace, coordinated physical movement and the liveliness of
their interpretations.
Up next among Word for Word's staged Off the Page readings is Angel Face
by Cornell Woolrich (writing as William Irish) on Aug. 12, directed by
Stephanie Hunt at Project Artaud. For reservations call (415) 621-1021.

Annette Lust, member Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and Drama faculty
Dominican University