Oregon daily emerald., January 25, 1973, Page 8, Image 8

A Victorian operetta
with a porno flic title
First of all, it should be kept in mind
that the play’s title contains no double
entendre. No need to smirk or snicker,
“Cox and Box” is merely an operetta, a
45 minute farce according to director
Nancy Hills.
“It’s a one act production, ” explains
Hills. “It takes place in London in 1870
and deals with a Mr. Box and a Mr. Cox
who share the same apartment.
“That’s all there is to it, an operetta
of the hassles these two have. I’m sure
there was nothing intended by the title.
Victorian England was very uptight
about things like that.
“But everyone has the same reaction
when they hear the title ‘Cox and Box’.
When I told my mother what I was
doing she thought I was directing a
porno flic.”
John Morton probably would have
blushed if he knew his 1846 work would
provide such a connotation. When it
was first produced it was a three-act
play. Eighteen years later music was
added and ‘Cox and Box’ also became a
one act operetta.
In its shortened form, the work has
only three characters: Mr. John Cox,
played by Gary Schuz; Mr. James Box,
played by Quade Winter; and the
landlord, Sgt. Bouncer, played by
Derek Winterbottom. Music is provided
by Catherine Aitken on piano.
The plot deals with the plight of Cox
and Box. One works at night and the
other during the day. But Bouncer has
rented the apartment—unbeknownst to
Cox and Box—to both of them.
Of course, the two come upon each
other one day and discover they have
something in common. Both know the
same girl, a well-to-do society type,
Penelope Ann Wiggins. It seems Box
was engaged to her and Cox is
presently. From there the problems
and resultant chortles evolve.
Hills, a senior in theater, is directing
the operetta as a requirement for a play
direction class. She chose “Cox and
Box” because she was in the three-act
version last year and was familiar with
it.
“I saw the musical and thought it was
interesting. It’s something that doesn’t
have any thought-provoking message
or social significance. It’s just fun.”
This is the first time, thinks Hills,
that the operetta has been done at the
University. But for a “first run” it’s
working on a limited budget.
In fact, says Hills, there is no budget
at all. “The theater department doesn’t
have any money for student projects so
I have to foot the bills. I’m paying for
the posters and programs, the cleaning
of the costumes and the tuning of the
piano. I’m lucky, though, in the respect
that I can use costumes and sets that
are already here and that Sheldon High
is letting me use their piano.”
In rehearsal since early November,
the operetta has had relatively few
difficulties. The only hang-up, ac
cording to Hills, was finding someone
with both acting and singing ability to
play Mr. Cox, who sings a majority of
the nine songs in the operetta.
Hills, while enthusiastic, isn’t
positive about audience reaction. “I’m
not sure how people are going to take it.
It might be interesting if they see “Cox
and Box,” since it starts at 7 and only
lasts 45 minutes, and then see a heavy
play like “Endgame” at 8.
“And be sure and get that in the
paper will you—that it starts at 7 p.m.
Friday in the Pocket Playhouse.”
It also plays Saturday, same time and
place. There’s no admission charge.
Jim Hunter
/
Photos t»y Bruce Landrey
Mr. Box, Sgt. Bouncer and Mr. Cox as
they will appear in the Pocket Playhouse
this weekend.