a Meniher oth, 1984

Watch your own job spring to life on
‘stage when the Douglas College
theatre department presents Working,
. a musical play based on the book by

DOUGLAS COLLEGE
NEWS RELEASE

Studs Terkel and adapted by Stephen
Schwartz and Nina Faso.

This exciting, and often humourous
look at the life of the modern working
person portrays the struggle, the effort
and the sometime successes through a
nas of vignettes set in one working

 

“Horothy Jones, the college’s theatre
instructor who. is. directing the play,
says Wotking is a presentation of the
way people feel’ about their jobs.

‘ With an innovative and functional
stage, which slowly grows as the play
progresses, Working looks in on a cast
of 26 typically honest workers.

Delores, the waitress, played by
Heather Sparrow, sings the praises of
her job in ‘‘It’s an Art’’. Sparrow also
plays a dancer in another of the
numbers choreographed by Susan
McLelland.

“We'll have a variety of dance and

movement. in this production of
Working’, says-Jones. ‘‘It will really
show how well our students can orate
speeches, do mime, and sing both as

<AZO

 

2 ns

The Razor’s Edge is a compelling

but somewhat flawed-film that leaves —

the viewer feeling decidedly bland.
Hardly a complement, but despite its

by JOEL HAGEN

 

faults, | enjoyed the movie.

Starring Bill Murray in his first
dramatic role, The Razor’s Edge is an
adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s
novel of the same name. Like the book,
the movie is very melodramatic, and in

 

a way, this detracts from the message
it is trying to put across.

Murray- plays Larry Darrell, an
American who returns from World
War | with a burning desire to find
himself. Not relishing the thought of
becoming a stockbroker, Darrell turns
his back on Illinois and heads out into
the wide world.

However, the confines of the film

never let him attain a true spiritual
plateau. He is continually left. in the

~ Lloyd Dy

Awa ATT NTR an ae

~ THE OTHER PRESS.

DC students ‘Working’ —

soloists and in a chorus.”’

Susan Hubbard, last year’s Japan-
ese girl in the Douglas College
production of Teahouse of the August
moon, gives us a wonderfully realistic
look at the role of a housewife in her
solo piece, ‘I’m just a Housewife’’.

Tying the whole work together is
main singer and guitar player Bruce
McMillan, whose strong voice and
charmingly professional musicianship
make for a great narrative.

Throughout the show, the audience
will notice the stage slowly transform-
ing from scaffolding into an honestly
intriguing backdrop. The design of the
set was orchestrated by Roget Larmor,
a student at Douglas College who also
plays a parking lot attendant in the
play.

As Jones describes the play,
‘Everyone should see parts of their
job in this play...| can’t imagine
anyone not being “ble to relate to this
play’’, she said.

Previous productions of Working
have received some of the best reviews
given any play in Greater Vancouver.
k of The Sun said of the play
earlier ae ear, ‘‘The play abuts on
the horror of a steady job, but after all
its cross-sectional fragments whirls to
a breathless close.’’

Nine shows will be held at Douglas

r’s Eck

midst of his tevele by aaa

and director John Byrum, who insists
on returning to the tragic lives of the
rest of the cast. Indeed, eight people
die in this movie, all of them
acquaintances of Darrell. This obses-
sion with T.V. soap opera action
breaks the continuity of the movie, and
removes the focus from Darrell, where
it rightfully belongs.

As Larry Darrell, the film’s protag-
onist, Murray is both good and bad. It
is very difficult to take him seriously,
especially when that trademark whim-
sical expression is on his face. Murray
has a hard time maintaining a solemn
nature in a few scenes, robbing them
of any impact they might have. In one
memorable shot, which | found very
funny, Darrell launches into a eulogy
for his fallen commander, Piedmont,
and makes a mockery of what should
have been a sad tribute.

It is ironic then, that the same Bill
Murray who destroys the serious
nature of the film is also its greatest
asset. He is so charismatic and human
that it is fun just to watch him existing
on the screen. When Darrell traipses
up to a meditation hut in the
Himalayas, it is easy to share in his
experience because he is a real person,
not some guru shrouded in mysticism.

The Razor’s Edge, like Murray's

performance, has its strong and weak.

points. Some of the cinematography is
beautiful, and of the supporting cast,
Darre!l’s lover Sophie gives a strong
performance. However, Darrell’s ex,
Isabelle, and her husband Gray are
both pretty wooden, and the action
does drag at times.

If you haven’t guessed it already,
my wish-washy opinions should be

*

 

College’s 350 seat performance the-
atre, 700 Royal Avenue, New
Westminster.

Running from Thursday, November
22 to 25 and again from Wednesday,
November 28 to December 2, a two red
one ticket sale for students will be

page 11

 

available at both Sunday showings.
Curtain time for all performances is
8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for
seniors and students. Contact the
Douglas College theatre department at
520-5469 for ticket information.

e abit dull

telling you something. The Razor’ s
Edge is an inconsistent film, and if you
are not a big fan of Bill Murray, you
will probable find The Razor’s Edge a

bit dull. On the other hand, if you liked
Meatballs and Ghostbusters, you will
find his Larry Darrell an interesting
change of pace..

TerraNova —
a looocoong trek
to the South Pole

Terra Nova, which opened at the
Vancouver Playhouse on Saturday,
November 3rd, is a dramatization of
the British expedition to the South

by JOEL HAGEN

 

Pole in 1911, led by Captain Robert
Scott.

Although interesting at points, the
play fails to capture the excitement
and challenge of Scott and company’s
pie and the production comes up a bit
lat.

The play begins in a rather bizarre

‘fashion, with events from different

times happening simultaneously. This
structure is quite effective, as it helps
round out the main characters, espe-
cially Scott. The, flashbacks to his
earlier days tell of the turmoil he faces
when dealing with his ambitions, his
personal relationships, and his loyalty
to king and country.

Another clever technique is the
presence of Roald Amundsen, who
made it to the pole first, as Scott’s
alter-ego. Being of Norwegian de-
scent, | felt that Amundsen’s role as a

barbaric and uncivilized Scandinavian
was a personal insult. However, as the
play progresses, Amundsen begins to
show his true colours, and sets up the
most crucial conflict in Terra Nova -
British pride against survival.

Of course, as any history student -
knows, the expedition crew maintain-
ed their British pride and succumbed
to the cruel environment of the
Antarctic.

It was this element of the play - the
death march - that was handled least
convincingly. The conflict was there,
and the characters were well develop-
ed, but the action was just too dull to
support Terra Nova. -

Perhaps it was the stark set, which
didn’t look at all menacing, or the un-
melodic noise that passed for music
which wrecked the play. Whatever it
was, you can be sure that your

.bedroom is a more dangerous place

than the Playhouse stage; that the
Stones provide far better music; and
that Brideshead Revisited, on P.B.S. is
a better case study of those British folk
whom we've heard so much about.