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Performing, on stage
Play is not sensitive
in dealing with gays
The University’s Carnival
Theatre may unintentionally
provoke angry responses to its
current production of “Side By
Side By Sondheim,” directed
by Janet Descutner, a University
dance associate professor.
. The purely escapist “Side By
Side” is presented as a revue of
songwriter Stephen Sondheim’s
popular works for Broadway
shows. There is no plot or
serious theme to wrangle with.
The problem it gets into, in pur
suit of providing a good time, is
that gay people become the
brunt of jokes based more on
stereotypes than wit.
The worst offense — which a
responsible theater would never
include, or would handle with
much more sensitivity — occurs
during the climactic song-and
dance medley at the show's
end. Actor Douglas Knight
plays a gay man in grossly
stereotypical manner, singing
(out of context) lines which
Sondheim intended for a
woman. “I feel pretty, 1 feel
pretty,” he whinnies, arms
floating limply about.
In response to his carrying
on, performers Laureen Higby
and Nancy Julian respond with
two out-of-context lines from
Sondheim’s “A Boy Like
That”:
“A boy like that,” they sing,
frowning at that boy, “would
kill your brother. Stick to your
own kind!”
Such jokes rely on hatred and
prejudice for their appeal. The
message to an audience is
equally unattractive.
But the director, when asked
how the show gains from such
insensitive attacks, responded:
“It got a laugh.”
Indeed, it did. A roar.
However, it is not entertain
ing to those in the audience
who are being told, by such
jabs, that they are not welcome
among people supposedly not
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of their “own kind.” Carnival
Theatre may seem to tell gay
people its entertainment is not
meant for them. This impres
sion, whether intentional or the
result of oversight, would never
be presented by any competent
theater responsible to its public.
Sadly, these cheap shots are
the show’s most successful at
tempts to get reaction from the
audience. This is no fault of
Sondheim’s compositions,
which range from lively and
comic to sensitive and moving.
Rather, the failure to engage the
audience results from a shortage
of genuine humor and from
poor choices of ways to bring
the entertainment off.
For instance, Descutner’s
direction least utilizes what
would seem to be her obvious
strength — dance. Too many
weak attempts at sight gags and
slapstick keep her performers
standing about, or taking mean
ingless strides left or right. And
this while the music is begging
for exciting movement.
Not helping matters is
designer Jerry Williams’ set.
Monotonous, monochromatic
planes of posters, pianos and
bar stools pile from deep in the
stage out toward the audience.
This leaves little room for per
formers to move, even if they
wanted to. It also sets a serious,
sophisticated tone more
suitable for opera than a Son
dheim revue that begins with
the song, ‘‘A Comedy
Tonight.”
However, credit must go to
performer Shane Henry’s able
attempts to add some sorely
lacking zaniness. In the right
environment, Henry’s agile
embellishments would be a hit.
Too bad, they seem out of place
amid the stuffiness here.
The high point in the show
comes when Douglas Knight
merely sits and sings “Anyone
Can Whistle.’’ His presentation,
unforced and simple, succeeds
in this otherwise encroaching
set. It is a nice moment in a pro
duction that otherwise needs
some tending to.
“Side By Side By Sondheim”
continues Friday and Saturday,
and again August 2 and 11. Ad
mission is $5 — no discounts
for students — or $3.50
weeknights.
By Douglas Pyle
COURSE
BEGINS IN
EUGENE
Saturday, July 21
8:30 a.m.
Science Bldg. 11
Room 21
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