□ ENTERTAINMENT
Slow pace flaws 'True West'
By David Bates
Emerald Contributor
One of Sam Shepard's most popular plays,
"True West." is playing at the University's Arena
Theatre, and as a whole, it is annoyingly average.
Ideally. Shepard's modern rendition of the
story of Cain and Abel should be a theatrical
fastball thrown with a slight curve. Director An
drew DeRycke has thrown a nice curve, but his
arm is weak.
“True West" recounts the story of two
brothers who are as sincere about getting to know
each other as they are afraid to do so. Austin (Trev
Broudy) is a screenwriter whose work on a script
is interrupted by his brother Lee (Barry Shaw), a
drifter. The conflict arises when Lee threatens
Austin s deal with Hollywood producer Saul
Kimmer (Bill Douglas), who abandons Austin's
“simple romance" story to produce Lee's
"realistic" story about the West.
The play can be enjoyed on several levels.
Thematically. Shepard explores myth and reality
and makes distinctions between the two. The
play is rich in symbolism, with recurring motifs
like crickets, car keys, and pit bulls. In a more
comic mode, Saul the producer is a bitter com
mentary on the dependence of artists on
Hollywood's aristocracy.
But as pure entertainment, "True West”
drags its feet. The slow pace is sometimes helped
by Shaw’s standout performance as the violent
Lee, but even he lingers over too many of his
lines. Shaw is agile in a difficult role, and his
false charm, which is almost more convincing
than his anger, easily matches Saul's charisma.
Douglas' Saul is enigmatic and refreshing.
Wearing a black pinstripe suit and a tantalizing
smile, Saul resembles a cross between a mafia
hood and a conservative pimp,
Broudy's disappointing performance often
slows "True West” to a near halt Obviously a
lesser actor than his male counterparts. Broody is
rarely satisfying as the civilized Austin; he
spends most of his time trying to catch up with
Shaw and Douglas.
This doesn't mean “True West” isn’t fun.
While it’s often too slow it isn't boring. The pace
quickens in a few scenes that have Austin and l.ee
arguing about what constitutes realism as they
write Lee’s inane story about "two lame-brains
chasing each other across the desert.”
For l.ee, realism is expressed best in a B
grade western about a man who dies for the love
of his horse. Austin's reality is "driving the
freeway, watching color TV', and shopping in
Safeway.” By the play's end, Shepard has trashed
the American Dream as thoroughly as the
brothers trash their mother's house. The ending
may irritate some, but that’s Shepard at his best.
However, it’s only mediocre University Theatre.
Dance '88
Pictured above, from left to right, are Jodi Milleson, Tim Ryan and Wendy Ruble,
three of more than 30 students who will be featured in the Department of Dance's
winter concert tonight at 8 p.m. as well as Friday and Saturday.
Dance ’88 also will be staged Jan. 28-30 at 8 p.m. with a 2:30 p.m. matinee Jan. 30.
Tickets are $5.50 for general admission and $3.50 for University students.
The concert includes six works choreographed by University dance faculty
members and guest choreographer Fred Strickler. The concert has been described by
artistic director Janet Descutner as "innovative visual feasts of kinetic energy. "
Photo by Bill Haines
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