Well, it’s Christmas, and with
Christmas - comes ° the inevitable
Christmas T.V. shows, Christmas

movies and Christmas plays. It’s
Snowing on Saltspring by Nichola
Cavendish is yes, one of those plays.

You may remember her’ part in the’

Vancouver Playhouse’s production of
You Better Watch Out, You Better
Not Die last year. Better Not Die did
die, and quite painfully, too. This set

one Nichola Cavendish, tired of the

sarcasm and ‘‘cynical flak’ put into a

‘lot. of Christmas plays, a-writing
Snowing. :

The play revolves around a man by
the name of Bill Bannister (Edward
Astley, most recently seen in Sex Tips
for Modern Girls), an ex-dentist with
little faith in anything, especially
himself. His wife Sarah (Barbara E.
Russel, most recently in Cheap Sen-
timent), almost a month overdue with
her baby, is very worried about ner
husband and his ‘‘problem’’ which
has just returned after some years.

It’s Christmas Eve, and a fight
occurs between the two with Bill
ending up sleeping on the couch.
There’s a knock at the door and well, |
really shouldn’t say who it is, let’s
just say he rhymes with Atlanta’s
Spas. This nameless man takes Bill to
his home in order‘to perform some

emergency dental work on a sexually’

frustrated elf. And if now you're
thinking maybe this play isn’t for
kids, well, you’re right, but it is for
anyone who likes to laugh and who
believes in the power of Christmas.

There were a few rough edges, but
they were minor. The only major
complaint | would have is that the
character of Bill was not defined
enough. The opening of the play with
Bill telling about a dream he once had
was not necessary and, though it got a
laugh, it seemed superfluous.

Janet Wright (most recently in
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf) does
a wonderful job in her duel role as the
wife of the nameless man and Goldie
Saltburn (God, did she remind me of a
family friend that. | hate). Smitty
Smith (recently seen in a leading role
in Danger Bay) is very funny and
believable as the man who is known

   

 

 

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wea PANS oReLaeru rae

IMAGES IN VOGUE-RITUALS EP’

 
 
 
 
 

   
 

The band IIV have recently lost
their record contract with WEA Rec-
ords, and are currently in Toronto
looking for a new record label and
manager.

Rituals is IIV’s second E.P. and
contains Save it All, Call it Love, and
:. Rescue Me. This E.P. is a hell of a lot
' different from their first European-
influenced self-titled E.P. Maybe.
their trip down to California did more %
harm than they imagined. The record
after the 3 singles is flat and incred-
ibly dull.

Despite this seemingly important
factor, | do highly recommend buying
this E.P.—the 3 singles make the
purchase worthwhile.

| think IIV went off target some-
where on this E.P. with a more
commercialized sound —_ very dis-

appointing.

tO |

 
 
 
 

only to his wife as
drawers’’.

Nichola Cavendish (last seen in
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and
who also played Kitty in the Van
couver Playhouse production of Curse
of the Werewolf) takes up three parts
and almost steals the show as Bernice
Snarply, a real estate agent in need
of a good shampoo, as well as Peggy
and Grindle O’Darby, a married pair
of elves who’s romantic life is hamp-
ered by a bad tooth.

The set is charming and the mood
left with the audience, one of warmth
and hope. Not a pretentious play, but
a ‘‘pretendious’’ one and a ‘‘should
see’’ this season.

‘“crumpet

      

  
  
  
   
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
       

‘y lan Boothby