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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1988)
"Oregonian" review prompts rebuttal « The 'following is a copy o f a letter to the editor o f The Oregonian: To the Editor Upon reading the negative review o f the April 9 premiere o f Young Caesar, I reflected upon the cited inadequacies, concluding that my overall reaction was quite different from that o f the reviewer. The opera’s gestalt was not devoid o f emotional impact, and its scenes had seemed purposely sketchy rather than totally lackluster. The play drew heavily on audience willing ness to “ buy into” a fresh idiom o f art form. Not only was the music such that nobody left the theater humming a descript aria — Puccini it was not! — but the costuming and scenery made no pretense to being actual, using arche types and symbols to convey a series of emo tional impressions. One experienced a certain credibility as to how the love affair between a T i m e T o Get M o v i n g ! Buyers! Our new computer lets you “preview” our inventory without getting wet! Sellers! 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OR 97204 high Roman soldier and a king might have both logically and psychologically transpired. The reviewer, in a transitory-I-hope attack of Cecil B. deMille-itis, demanded more "dancing bears” here and there in the play. To suggest, rather than to depict, reaches an extreme in Oriental opera, where the entire set ting and props may be left to the imagination. Clobbering an audience with pomp would have seemed puerile: hasn’t there been enough of the "tw o great nations” bit from Hollywood? While "fu ll o f life and sound” may titillate the thrill- seekers. in this play the emphasis was on sugges tion and imagination, rather than bulldozingly graphic situations. Indeed, the entire play pre ferred imagery that was more psychologically than graphically thick; I felt that major altera tion o f this would have been aesthetically intrusive. To me, the real meat of Young Caesar lies in its social-psychological impact as a distinctively gay production dealing with universally gay issues: coming of age in a society where one’s integrity becomes established through suc cumbing to institutionalized social pressures; integrating one’s natural deviations, rather than totally compromising them — even in the absence o f a socially accredited support system; and fulfilling one’s destiny in spite of deep personal pain that increases one’s psychological aloneness. As such, Young Caesar left its mark on those sensitive to the current existential realities facing gay youth everywhere. The at tire and role of the Portland Gay M en’s Chorus members took the form o f a Greek chorus, supporting an existential tragedy in which its closest human expressions are still hidden from audience view. More dancing bears would have been totally inconsistent with the psychosocial confrontations that the play reflected. Years ago, as a youth in New York City, I saw the off-Broadway production of Caligula. It too was rich in psychological issues, and it failed miserably with the popular mentality of the time. Then Hollywood got ahold of it, trans forming it through pageantry into a bastardiza tion primarily known today for its offensive ness. I hope that Young Caesar is not similarly stabbed in the marketplace. As for the unfortunate problem of David York losing his voice at the end of the opera, I tend to be as forgiving as I am to normally sensitive reviewers who make occasional poorly- thought-through, eleventh-hour squeaks under the pressure of meeting press deadlines. I would rather attribute the sense of audience frustration to the banality o f a few of the lines as being unsupportive o f more poignant dramatic forces interfaced with moments of comic relief— hardly making a play of many strengths into a dreary failure, but rather an unfortunately diffuse success. Carl H. Berggren Seaside Community supports Big Mountain people To the Editor: rhe Northwest Big Mountain Support Group would like to thank everyone in the community who contributed funds, food and supplies for the people of Big Mountain last month. There were four donations of $100, several large donations of food, and many mgs sold, all of which were greatly appreciated. However, we would like to stress that much of the support has always come from many small donations. Thanks to all of you. over $3,000 was sent to the Dineh women weavers. $600 to the Mayan weavers. $600 to help with Spring Gathering, and $380 to help with gas and rental for the U-Haul truck and to transport food on the reservation. The struggles and the people's needs are ongoing. For information and updates, call 236-0399. Meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, 3029 SE 21st Ave We will be gearing up for the Treaty Conference in June as well as other ongoing work. Northwest Big Mountain Support Group Portland "Patti Rocks" redux To the Editor: I think Caroline Gage should get her Birken- stocks out o f the blender, and wake up and smell the espresso. I ’m a lesbian feminist and I am a little disturbed about women who think that other women should only write certain things that they think fall into their idea o f what is politically correct. Please don’t speak for me. One of the greatest things about the w om en’s movement is that we can do or act any way we want and come to gether to fight for what’s important and not worry about what books she has in her bookcase. I like Just Out the way it is. And I ’m glad Eleanor Malin doesn’t buckle down to Caroline’s narrow lavender belt. I love Bullwinkle and Rocky, even though I ’m not sure o f their political views. J. Sanders Portland Bishop Morris Care Center appreciates outing To the Editor: The staff and residents o f Bishop Morris Care Center, at 2430 N W M arshall St., Portland, would like to publicly thank Syd Dorn, of Syd Dorn Chevrolet, 8150 N Lombard St., St. Johns, for the donation he generously made to BMCC to sponsor an outing for some of our residents. O ur zoo trip outing will take place on May 9. W ithout the generosity and kindness shown by Mr. Dorn, our outing would not have taken place: Mr. Dom , with much appreciation, a sincere “ thank you” for being such a warm and caring human being, thinking o f others and allowing others to still enjoy a small part of life. The sta ff and residents Bishop Morris Care Center Choice means a right to privacy To the E ditor I would like to thank Just Out for the recent article regarding the Roe v. Wade 15th anniversary on January 22, 1988. As most o f us recognize, those persons who are against the right to choose abortion are, more often than not, also opposed to lesbian and gay rights. The connection should be clear. What should also be clear is that reproductive rights include the right to choose not to repro duce, o r the right to create alternatives in insemination, childbirth and child-rearing. As more lesbians and gay men choose to include children in their families, we can less afford to think o f choice as a heterosexual issue. Organizations such as the National Abortion Rights Action League are working to ensure the right o f choice for all women and all citizens. I would like to encourage lesbians and gay men to work with organizations like NARAL because some issues are integrally related to the right to privacy and reproductive choice. Genna M. South worth Portland