April Reviews: ACT, Marin Fringe, Berkeley Rep, Bill Irwin, Exit
Theatre.

Philip Gotanda's After the War Portrays San Francisco in the Nineteen
Fourties

In ACT's recent staging of Philip Gotanda's After the War spectators
witness a multi ethnic San Francisco in 1948 that experiences the
deportation of inhabitants of Japanese origin after Hiroshima. Within
the portrayal of this ambience, we meet Chester, who when in the camp
refused to sign a loyalty oath and go to war for America, now suffers
the criticism of the Japanese-American community. Chester manages a
multi-ethnic boarding house comprised of black, white and Japanese
boarders who have various types of liaisons among each other. Gotando
brings to the fore the racial conflicts between Earl, the African
American, white dancer Mary Louise, and the Japanese-American Chester
as well as creates tensions between Japanese-American Mr. Goto, Mr Ogi
and the Russian servant Olga and between pro U.S.A. American Japanese
Mr Goto and Chester. Gotando leads us through these conflicts that
bring out the differences and human sensibilities of these characters
without rendering his depiction too preachy or politically bent.
Directed by Carey Perloff with a cast that well interprets Gotanda's
intimate script on a large stage (with the exception of projection
problems in certain scenes), the play moves along at a good pace. What
sometimes detracts from the acting is the overwhelming, incredibly well
conceived and expertly constructed rotating set that ceaselessly
revolves around with actors moving in and out of rooms on different
levels.
Anthony Brown's revival of Fillmore District forties jazz tunes and
original compositions bring back memories that alleviate the
conflicting ethnical and cultural tensions within the dramatic action.
Gotanda's play weaves into the various relationships of couples of
different races a strong moral statement about the unfairness of the
incarceration of his people after World War 2, finally condemned in
1981 as unjustified along with an apology to individuals of Japanese
ancestry subjected to this experience. And as Gotando brings to the
fore the racial prejudices against African Americans and the Japanese
of the period, in his spirited portrayal he never loses sight of the
human and emotional connections between his characters.
For information about Blackbird by David Harrower beginning May 2 at
ACT, call 415-749-2228 or visit www.acy-sf.org.

Everybody Lies About Their Sex Life Adapted at the Fringe of Marin.
Call for Original One-Acts for the fall Fringe.

The April/May One-Act Fringe Festival at Dominican University features
one of Micheline's 21st century collection of women's satire on
sexuality in her newly published Everybody Lies About Their Sex Life,
The Vagina Whine-O-Logues, first staged as a one-act play at the
Dominican Fringe in the nineteen nineties.
Micheline's essay in her book, If Her Purse Could Talk, is adapted into
a play and directed by Linda Vito. It opens with the line "A woman's
purse always reflects her vagina,"and goes on to examine the different
purses worn by the female members of a family that reflect their
attitudes on sex. This hilarious adaptation ends with "I swear I will
never, ever look at another purse without wondering about the inner
dialogue of the owner's vagina. God, if her purse could talk, I just
wonder what it would say?"
If Her Purse Could Talk plays along with 5 other short one-acts Fridays
through May 6 at Meadowlands Hall on the Dominican campus. The Fringe
is open to fall submissions of new one-acts until May 15. For
information call (415) 673-3131.

"Blackness" and Ghosts of the Past at Berkeley Rep

Blue Door by Tanya Barfield at Berkeley Rep is about an Afro American
college professor's insomnia and his struggle with himself triggered by
the ancestral voices that provoke bouts with his conscience concerning
his "blackness." Lewis has just been abandoned by his white wife who
had asked him why he does not as a black man attend the Million Man
March. Lewis remains indifferent to her question. He is then visited by
his ghost ancestors who relate how they suffered as slaves of white
masters. As Lewis appears to shirk off these stories, at one point we
learn that to ward off evil spirits a door was painted blue in the
Gullah beliefs on the Sea Islands off of Georgia and South Carolina.
When this symbol returns at the end of the play it seems to reaffirm
Lewis' belief in the cultural heritage of his ancestors.
Barfield's play describes the indifference of an Afro American who
discards his identity of "blackness" and buries it in order to be
assimilated
into the white culture. And the author is suggesting that individuals
of all cultures look back at their ancestral heritage in order to their
our true identity.
While the script's originality lies in the historical references
strengthened by the highly simple and lyrical songs created by
Barfield, there are scenes that are déjà vu and overly exaggerated
concerning the Afro American assimilation into white society, such as
the party scene in which Lewis feels spurned by his academic colleagues
when he appears and shakes their hands. Otherwise the play, well
directed by acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo, contains a number of moving
dramatic moments dynamically acted out by Broadway actor Teagle F.
Bougere as Lewis' ancestors, but less energetically by Broadway actor
David Fonteno, who plays college professor Lewis.
The set by Kate Edmunds, on the simple, bare side, allows Teagle F.
Bougere to utilize physical movement to move about like a mime/dancer
as he colorfully and vivaciously transforms himself into Lewis' various
ancestors. Costumes are by Broadway designer Emilio Sosa and lighting
by Kathy A. Perkins.
Berkeley Rep continues its mission to stage new dramatic voices such as
that of Tanya Barfield whose writing shows promise.
Blue Door continues until May 20. For information call 510-647-2949 or
click on berkeleyrep.org.

Conversing With Bill Irwin at the San Francisco New Conservatory

Despite his busy schedule performing in Who's Afraid of Virginia
Wolff?" in San Francisco, Bill Irwin, America's foremost clown/actor
took the time to delight us with a conversation and anecdotes about
working with author Edward Albee and how the playwright's play fared in
London and America. He also presented his ideas about how clowning and
miming may be utilized in creating characterizations in speaking
theatre.

The meeting with Irwin began by an introduction of the famous artist by
San Francisco Chronicle Theatre critic Robert Hurwitt who enumerated
Irwin's many honors including that of having been invited into the
Clown Hall of Fame.
Appearing young and vivacious, Irwin demonstrated how he had brought
his clown and movement training and experience into the creation of
such roles as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff. Irwin proceeded
to show us how his clown-like physical choices of the way in which the
character walks and stands gave the impetus for his characterization.
He added how important the physical aspect of a character is to tell
the story of a play. For Irwin, there is no role in the most verbal of
plays that does not include physical moments as well as physical
characterization. Later in his presentation Irwin showed how the use of
costumes such as a felt hat he shaped into different forms, baggy
trousers, a jacket and a wide black coat could also be used in a
variety of ways to establish a character.

Irwin's advice to young actors training in theatre is that, even if
they never get into theatre, it is worthwhile as a study. The most
important elements when one is preparing to be an actor is to listen to
other actors and then react, to keep your knees relaxed in order to
move well, and to breathe from the diaphragm in order to have enough
breath behind the voice.
In Irwin's description of the productions of Who's Afraid of Virginia
Wolff in London, New York and San Francisco, he mentioned that the
play, as in all of Albee's plays, is all about love and was better
received in New York and San Francisco.
In the Question/Answer period with the audience, one of the questions
was "Who were your mentors?" Irwin replied that he was influenced by
Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Jackie Gleason.
The audience, filled with young students training in clowning and
movement, was elated when he revealed that he wanted to return to
clowning as a middle-aged clown in such pieces like Full Moon with
David Shiner. Meanwhile he will continue to bring his clowning art into
his speaking roles to establish how his characters move and react.

No Nude Men: STRIPPED at the Exit

No Nude Men is a group who consistently turns up their
sleeves to tackle challenging material. On April 13, they presented,
as a fundraiser, a revealing evening of nine original comedy play
readings at the Exit Theatre in which a talented cast of 15 youthful
actors played a variety of roles. The top six plays in this critic's
opinion were Stuck by Mike Ricca about four people "stuck" in an
elevator and in their
lives; Housebroken by Stuart Bousel, in which a piano is treated like a
pet, Don't Toy with Me by Andrew Black in which toys come to life,
Love, Astonishment,Terror by Evelyn Jean Pine, which is a delightful
French farce, Four Short Episodes in the Life of
Sacagawea by David Duman, a very clever comedy
involving Lewis & Clark and Susan B. Anthony, and You
Promised Me, a gay, musical spoof of Michael Bennett's
Chorus Line by Tom Swift.
Other plays in this fundraiser were Leftovers by Scott
McMorrow, Momentary Vulnerability by John Robinson and
Guerilla Houseware by Bekah McNeil.
No Nude Men's Cerberus Barking will be presented in May at the S.F.
Exit Theatre. Named for the famed three-headed dog of Hades, Cerberus
Barking is a collection of three short works by local playwrights,
Stuart Bousel, Alison Luterman and Hilde Susan Jaegtnes. They will be
staged on Taylor Street on Friday-Saturday, May 4-5 at 8 p.m. and
Friday-Saturday, May 11-12 at 8 p.m. The cost is $15. Reservations can
be made at 415-621-1503 or endymion82@aol.com.
Flora Lynn Isaacson for Annette Lust

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