* . f i ee arene rare nT aetttite mm race ome Friday March 16, 1984. John Patrick’s The Teahouse of the August Moon shows a humorous and sensitive portrayal of the often striking differences between _West- by ROBIN ROBERTSON ern and Eastern ways of life. The Teahouse of the August Moon is not only a warm ‘and humorous comedy, but more impor- tantly, a growing character develop- ment of a young American officer who is sent to teach democracy to the natives- of the little town of Tobiki just after World War lI. What the officer starts to realize is that the town’s people may under- stand the concept of equality better than the United States Army. After seeing this show, | tended to shake my head in pity for the North American, whose practical and_ efficient _ways may ~ never amount to the simplistic beauty yet extremely logic ways of the small 1946 town Tobiki. Perhaps the best place to see the apparent difference between the West and East is to watch the beautiful and sensitive dance of Lotus Blossum; played by Susan Hubbard. Hardly a step is taken,-an arm raised, yet the gentle simplicity “THE OTHER PRESS Douglas Production A Hit in which it is performed tells us a story of great emotion. The dance seems to echo that of the ‘simplicity of line’ used in Japanese paintings that reveal, perhaps, a glimpse of a tree that fades into a wide expanse of nothingness, or Haiku poems that tell a mountain of wisdom in but a word. Y Probably the best acting job done Friday night was by Victor Santos, who played the part of Mr. Sekine. Santos is witty and utilizes well the comedy of the Roman playwright Plautus, who brought in.the idea of the slave who is more intelligent than the master. Santos plays his supporting part well, remembering, importantly, to not overshadow the main character. John Ferguson as Captain Fisby carries his part strongly and sensi- tively and Susan Hubbard makes a beautiful and sweet Lotus Blossum. Bruce McMillan as Colonel Purdy is generally amusing as a silly old man stuck in his ways, yet would find himself more effective on stage if he graduated his emotions rather than continuously aiming at high cli- maxed feelings that become, after awhile, tiring and lose their inten- ded comedy. McMillan might also find that by projecting his voice he will end up saving it. His voice seems to take a real beating as he does not use his diaphragm and instead tears out the words in a harsh tone from his throat, sounding as though he might end up hoarse if he continues this method. The set design by Roger Larmor was excellent. The set of Colonel Purdy’s office/Captain Fisby’s quar- ters was pleasant, the bamboo shoots effective, yet the most attrac- tive and well designed piece of work was the teahouse. The costuming by Andre Brouer was also well done. The show itself, under the direc- tion of Dorothy Jones, was humor- ous and entertaining. The play only dragged slightly at points and was very much worth seeing. Douglas’ theatre is gradually creeping beyond -the everyday, amateur college-level page9 of performing arts. After seeing The Teahouse of the August Moon, | tended to want to question some of the traditionally preserved North American values, and | find that there is still much to be learned from the Asian teach- ings. In Canada and the U.S.A, we constantly try to prove our demo- cratic system with waving of flags, marching, and yelling ‘‘Democracy, Democracy, equality for all!, yet in Okinawa, 1946, the gentle equality and humanism was heard with all the more intensity in its silence. Perhaps a system of equality and freedom may be eventually achieved when we have finally understood that which we strive for. The Teahouse of the August Moon played at Douglas College from March 7 - 11. Tantalizing Treat by ROBIN ROBERTSON Mr. and Mrs. Stanley are idan Whiteside. Prior to this never so happy and enthusi- role Fritshi astic as when they await the previous acting experience arrival of their famous visit- and is a psychologist by has had no profession. Yet he possesses an excellent stage presence, commands the stage like a ing guest, Mr. Sheridan pro’, and utilizes a comedy Te ad ee Think about it. Talk abgut it. BEL cc vadlolan : ° OVER- DRINKING. Health Santé et and Welfare Bien-étre social Canada Canada hd Canada *‘] like the taste of a cold beer on a hot day, but | certainly don’t think you have to get the gang together with a couple of c the fact you've had a bit of exercise?’ JOHN WOOD OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALLIST ases of beer just to celebrate Whiteside, renouned play- wright and orator. Yet no- thing could be quite like the ireception they received. Upon arrival the Stanley family is literally pushed aside by Mr. Whiteside, whose demands are beyond belief. Whiteside brings: in penguins; a crazy professor . equipped with cockroaches; prisoners; luncheon guests, and, along with all this insanity; proceeds to de- mand complete attention while running up a tele- phone bill that is ‘’sky- high.’ Spoiled and © eccentric though Whiteside is, he does have one soft spot in his heart...his secretary, without whom, he cannot manage. When journalist Bert Jef- ferson steps in and steals secretary Maggie’s heart, Sheridan must devise a plan to keep her:put. That really gets the fun going as he becomes tangled in his own plan and the plot goes from silly to sillier. Vagabond Players’ latest production The Man Who Came To Dinner enjoys a wide cast of characters in- cluding everything from.Mr. Stanley’s insane sister, a whole load of carollers, a prim and starchy nurse, to Mr. Whiteside, a ‘‘benevo- lent benefactor--friend of the famous’’ who attracts more chaos than good to the humble little house of Mr. Stanley. é The man who makes this show a hit is Victor Fitshi, who plays the part of Sher- pace well, delivering lines quickly and savoring drama- tic pauses. He is a delight to watch. Other actors who _ play their. parts especially well are: Felicity Roche as Mr. Whiteside’s secretary Mag- gie Cutler who moves well on stage; Brian Leonard as Beverly Carlton who does a perfect ‘‘artsy-fartsy’’ actor; Philippa Malczewska as Mr. Stanley’s crazy and ‘strange’ sister; and Sally Quinter as a_ hilarious ‘‘dried-up’’ Miss Preen, the nurse. Also worth noting is the living room set which is visually appealing and well- built. For those who favour community theatre, The Man Who Came To Dinner is an enjoyable production that generally flows quite well. Neville Owen and Bar- bara Waugh who play the parts of Mr. and Mrs. Stan- ley would do well to hold back on overly theatrical acting which takes away, rather than adding to the comedy. Peter Camozzi as Bert Jefferson would benefit from ‘‘loosening up’’ as he still looks a little wooden on stage. However, the pace is fast and the humor pleasant in Kaufman and Hart’s clas- sic 30’s production which ran until March 10 at the Vagabond Playhouse, Queen’s Park ,New West- minster. Watch fro their next coming attraction, The Pirates of Penzance, running from May 11th to June 2nd.