I
Play review
Fancy footwork staged in British comedy
By D. Dietrich
Of The Print
If one were to try to summarize the plot of
Phillip King’s British comedy “See How They
Run,” the point would be mute. A more useful
purpose would be served just to describe the
kind of split-second and fluid timing involved
in any successful reproduction of the show.
Portland Civic Theater’s production of the
play touts some of the finest scrambling seen on
local stages. With nary a slip, the Civic’s rendi
tion warms up to a fast pace and never slows
down until the final curtain. ♦
Easily labeled in the genre of comedy evolv
ing around mistaken identities, the play almost
challenges itself by announcing a preview of
things to come in the following scenes. If
anything, the signpost beginning only serves to
whet the audience’s appetite and leave a
satiated-viewer in the end.
The play is set in the vicarage of a small
English town shortly after the Second World
War. The resident vicar and his wife offer a
sharp contrast in culture and ideas. He’s a
native Britain with a good heart but little
courage and even less personality. He appears
completely fitting as a man sporting the less-
than-ominous name of Toop.
Toop’s wife, on the other hand, holds all the
vibrance that he lacks. Raissa Fleming s lively
version of the already passionate role of
Penelope (Toops wife) offsets the excessively
staid performance of Michael A. Parker s
Toop.
The innately slower .pace of the first act
allows the audience to question the likelihood
of the ultra-conservative Toop snaring such a
lively match as his American actress wife.
Penelope is not the type to blend into a crowd
and does little to try and appease the likes of the
stodgy parishoners who highly disapprove of
her informalness.
The most appalled by the Vicar’s marital
choice is that of Miss Skillon, played by
Lucretia Gardner, wonderful in her role of a
woman you love to hate. Miss Skillon is upset
not only because Mrs. Toop is so unconven
tional for the time, but also due to her own
romantic notions toward the vicar.
Joining the vicar and his wife and the
unwelcome Miss Skillon for an evening of
laughter and suspense are an unsuspecting
American soldier visiting Penelope, her uncle
the bishop, a very meek visiting vicar, a British
College to host ‘multi-clinic’ jazz fest
By J. Jason
The College’s own vocal
jazz ensemble will be perform
Jazz vocalist Nancy King, ing throughout the day as well
highly respected local talent, as helping out with the event’s
will be . performing at the organization. Cline pointed
Oregon City High School out that many of the College’s
auditorium on Saturday, Feb. vocal jazz ensemble members
9 to wrap up a full day of In will be featured in their own
vitational Vocal Jazz Festival solo performances.
Although non-competitive,
festivities held at Clackamas
awards will be presented by
Community College.
“This is the third annual the judges for outstanding
vocal jazz festival the College solo performances and two
is holding,” Lonnie Cline, six-term tuition waiver talent
choral and vocal activities grants will be presented to the
director said. “In the past they outstanding senior per
have been very successful, and formers.
Judges for the competition
we’re ahead of the game this
include Mt. Hood Community
year,” he added.
More than 40 high schools College faculty members Sue
from Oregon and Washington Harris, Steve Christofferson,
received invitations. Of these Mikkel Iverson, Dan Sachs
20. schools paid the $70 entry and former instructors Waldo
fee to participate. Jazz fans King and Harry Gillgam. Each
will have to invest $2 to see the judge is highly respected in the
festival and $5 for King’s 8 "jazz field.
Cline said the festival is
p.m. concert performance.
“The festival is non beneficial because “it attracts
competitive and highly educa students to* the campus and
tional,’’Cline said. Six provides them with educa
qualified judges will be on tional experience based on the
hand to offer constructive shared concepts of jazz, which
criticism on each band’s per will in turn enhance their own
formance. “The pressures of everyday music program. It is
competition are gone. They all a valuable way to develop our
enjoy sharing ideas with the program by preparing this
other schools and the judge’s festival. We will gain a lot of
comments help them so that experience in producing the
they can compete well in other festival,” he added.
King’s performance will
competitions,” he added.
Cline describes the day-long start at 8 p.m. and will last
event as a “non-competitive, about two hours. “She is ex
multi-clinic performance- tremely good. She sounds a lot
like jazz greats Sarah Vaughn,
oriented jazz festival.”
Of The Print
Wednesday, January 30, 1985
Ella Fitzgerald and Betty
Carter,” Cline said.
King’s band consists of
bassist Tom Wakeling, pianist
Steve Christofferson and
Lawrence Williams on percus
sion. She has performed with
the likes of immortal talents
Earl Hines, Dave Brubeck and
Dizzy Gillespie. Her future
plans include recording and
touring with Ray Brown and
his band.
police sergeant, a desparate escaped Russian
spy and the consistently hilarious Cockney
maid.
A well-seasoned actor, Charles Bernard
graces the show with a charming personality as
a confused bishop caught in the midst of the
hectic consequences of his niece’s whim.
After building the audience’s expectations in
the first act, the second and third acts are unerr
ing in fulfilling their share of surprises and plot
twists. If even just a tad overdone, the maid is
delightful as she makes an effort to keep her
employers from complete social suicide.
Lucretia Gardner earns an equal amount of
laughs with just a bit too much of playing to the
audience. In both cases little, if any, harm is
done to the absorbing story line and constant
visual circus.
Director Scott Parker had his work cut out !
for him just to get the staging to flow as
smoothly as it is managed. The play is polished
by colorful dialogue and timely physical com- 1
edy.
“See How They Run” at the Civic Theater
will continue playing at 8 p.m. Thursdays
through Saturdays through Feb. 16 on the
mainstage, 1530 S.W. Yamhill St.
-Humanities feature Oregonians -
The Humanities department be “Nothing But Wood...is
at Clackamas Community Wood,” an exhibit of fine
College is offering a series of woodworking by the Guild of
films and lectures presented by Oregon Woodworkers and
Oregon artists, filmakers and prints by Betty Tribe at 8 p.m.
musicians. “Humanities Ex in the Pauling Gallery beginn
perience”
meets
in ing with the film. “Oregon
McLoughlin Theatre each
Wednesday from 7 - 9:30 p.m. Woodcarvers” at 7 p.m. on
The class is available for col Feb. 6. On Feb. 13, a film titl
lege credit but is open to the ed “Claymation” will be
public free of charge. For shown along with a presenta
more information, call exten tion by Joan Gratz, an
animator and set designer for
sion 333 at the College.
The next two programs will Will Vinton Productions.
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