November 30, 1994 Seer couney? Ver ory By Paul Andrew Student actors delivered sparkling performances in the Douglas College production of Our Country’s Good, a play written by Timberlake Wertenbaker and directed by Allan Lysell. Out Country’s Good revolves around the efforts of 2nd Lt. Ralph Clark, played by Charlie Lister, as he tries to rally the spirits of the prisoners in an 18th century British penal colony in Australia. The most undesirable prisoners in Britain are being shipped off to Australia to serve their sentences in some of the worst conditions possible, and British Officers must accompany | them to establish this penal colony. The result is a very unhappy bunch of people. Lt. Clark sees how miserable the prisoners are and decides to produce a play in order to liven things up. Lister is hilarious as Lt. Clark. It seems that his character has led a very sheltered life and every time he has to deal with a prisoner, his facial expressions reveal disgust and disapproval. Although there are periods of comedy, this is a very dramatic play. The mood swings from very funny to very serious in a matter of no time. The audience was completely captivated by the performances. There are always actors who manage to stand out and several in Our County’s were no exception. Lana Dubyk, who plays Dabby Bryant, an attractive and promiscuous prisoner in the colony, certainly seems to have a gift for comedy. Dubyk’s lighthearted and cynical execution of this role kept the audience laughing. Robert Sideway, played by Randy Tjart, stole the show at times with his melodramatic antics as a prisoner eager to please. He pulls out all the stops to get the Lt. Clark’s attention so he may The Other Press participate in the lieutenant’s play. It was interesting to see the changes in the prisoners’ spirits when Lt. Clark coaxed them to participate. That is really what this play is all about. There is an obvious lesson to learn here when people are given a purpose in their lives, opposed to when they are idle and whiling away the hours doing nothing to better themselves. In other words, when people are allowed to express themselves creatively attitudes change from the negative to the positive. Doran Bell and Jim Preston are two actors in this play who double up on characters. The results are good. Bell and Preston play crucial roles as Aboriginals confused by the new visitors, as well as filling two other roles. Another tactic this play uses is women playing male characters. This is executed extremely well by Allison Melech, Crystal (T.C.) Hodges and Charley’s Aunt here for the holidays She's a strange old bird, but we like her anyways... by Bert C. Ennah After you’ ve gone to check out the two plays presently playing on campus, there are a couple you should hit off campus. The first is the biggest: Charley’s Aunt is at the Playhouse until Boxing Day, and promises to be a riotous comic romp. The story? Two Oxford gents dress up a friend to pose as a rich aunt from Brazil. Of course, everyone hovers around the quirky ‘aunt,’ and loves her to pieces. All seems to be going alright until the real aunt shows up, and all hell breaks loose. Matinees happen on Saturdays at two, and talkbacks are scheduled after every Monday show. Bruno Gerussi stars in a killer comedy about three Mobsters who want to branch out from their restaurant business into theatre in Breaking Legs. It’s at the Arts Club Mainstage from December 8 to January 28. (You know, with that whole Beachcombers thing, Gerussi could pretty much be the Canadian equivalent to David Hasselhoff...) From December 1-17, look for the double bill of Three Hitlers In A Baggie and The Scions of Hydra. They’ll be at the Station Street Arts Center, and both shows were unqualified successes at this year’s Fringe. Baggie features the Victoria comedy troupe The Juanabees, who have, let’s just say, their own brand of humour. Watch for the guy with the condom up his nose... Hydra is nothing more than the best William Shatner / James T. Kirk send-up I’ve ever seen. Shatner gets kidnapped off the set of Star Trek VII by a race of alien women that want... his sperm. It is, for lack of a better term, a fucking scream. Station Street Arts Centre presents two hit comedies from the Fringe, Scions of Hydra and Three Hitlers in a Baggie. Catch them from Dec. 1-17. Acting is his talentfor rapid-fire diatog that was true to fhe iptent of the\character, ae 2 § Wad. ap, Raster of communi¢ation. Qne accuracy of his porayal argue the, veristmilit character$:He m; 16th céftufy-aud i our soéie! “thee’s” plays. T become; ‘ cputimufication. With 4 ~ production - this producti actors coul characters, t production. apart. They. municating. They; speare. As if that ble-exceptions; eet doing a‘split role a ‘Duke was splendid + knows.hew to communicate! He could ha n dai s lines in Aramaic, i have got his point ids me of a younger ith more hair. ction is not as bad as at to be. In fact, it's quite t times, and it is ifused, (at times 58 until December or tickets. photo by Alan Loo 21 One of two plays now being shown at Douglas College, Our Country's Good is a hit. Odessa Johnson as British Captains Jeremy Campbell, David Collins and Watkin Trench respectively. This play has just about everything that an audience expects to see in order to stay entertained. From very funny moments to very tender and serious issues regarding human nature, the actors, along with the director and production crew, achieve a very lively and captivating performance to begin the season of theater at Douglas College. Charley's Aunt, a new comedy currently showing at the Playhouse until Boxing Day. Black Dog Billiard Cafe 983 Carnarvon Street New Westminster B.C. 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