8 • T he C lackamas P rint
AjOSj^J^NTERTÄINMENr
F ebruary 18, 2004
'36 Views' bigger than Mt.Fuji
beliefs and how even the employ name by 19 th century Japanese
ees can become the employers.
artist Katsushika Hokusai.
For example, during a/scene in
In a famous series called
Portland Center Stage’s smash- act two, Claire Tsong,/an inde “Thirty-Six Views of Fuji,”
ingly brilliant production of “36 pendent art restorer, stands center Hokusai painted three dozen
Views” opened last weekend to a stage speaking to John Bell, assis images of Mount Fuji from as
full house and the audience was tant to Miles, about the discover}' many viewpoints. Similarly, the
not let down; this drama is a per- of a rare pillow book. While talk playwright describes every possible
fec. addition to the 2004 line-up of ing, Tsong changes out of her t- angle of what humans are like and
plays in Portland.
shirt and jeans into a formal dress. how life is not a one-dimensional
The play is a very modern pro At first I viewed this as a random screen print.
duction, leaving the norm behind act, but then I realized the symbol
“What we thought was . the
and adventuring into a new world ism. The wardrobe change repre truth changes, Our perceptions
of stage performance. Most of sented Tsong’s transition from an shift.
And it’s complicated.
the time, costume changes average worker to a person of dig People are complicated,” said
occurred right on stage, causing a nity and power.
Iizuka about her reason for writing
sense of chaos, and yet the action
The closing scene was the best “36 Views.”
flowed smoothly.
representative of the modernism
In just under tivo hours run
When the actors were not per of this production, changing the ning time, the pace of the produc
forming, they sat just off stage, rules of how plays are done.
tion never slows down, thus keep-,
but still in view of the audience.
The backdrop rose, exposing ing the audience engaged.
This was a wonderful change to backstage. Enter two actors, but Portland’s Newmark Theater is
the monotonous stereotype of they are out of character. They are perfect for such a production. It is
how a play should be.
reviewing the play as if they were an intimate venue that allows all
The show opened with a line spectators out in the lobby. The patrons to be no more than 60 feet
from lead actor Darius Miles statements they make, however, from the stage, making audience
standing center-stage, speaking make orie question their legitimacy. members feel like they’re in the
directly to the audience as he Torn between fantasy and reality, middle of the action. The set is
announces “This is a true story.” the audience can only sit and watch simple, causing imaginations to
From beginning to end, “36 their conversation unfold. This work a little harder.
Views” enthralled the audience brought to an end a play that was
Curtain rises at 7 p.m. Tuesday
members, taking, them on a psy magnificently directed and acted.
and Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday
chological . trip through the
The tide itself causes a person through Saturday nights and
Japanese art-dealing world.
to wonder and question everything Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. through
The greatest thing about the that is going to happen during the Feb. 29, so be sure to catch this
play was the subplot exploring the play. The playwright Naomi Iizuka wonderful play that sends the audi
concept of how people can be named the production “36 Views” ence face-first into the world of
contradictory at times to their own based on paintings' of the same Japanese art.
Cory Price
Co E ditor - in -C hief
For tickets, call the box office at
(503) 274-6588. Depending on the
day and seat location, pricing
varies from $23.50 to $51, but for
those under 25 the cost is only $16
any day of the week.
Sandler stays true-to-form in latest masterpiece
Jeff Sorensen
T he C lackamas P rint
INTERNET PHOTO
Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler’s latest movie is far from
a remake as the two friends co-star in ‘50 First Dates.’
True to Hallmark holiday
form, Valentine’s Day marked the
flagship weekend for Adam
Sandler’s appropriately brilliant
new film “50 First Dates.”
Sandler and his good friend
Drew Barrymore pair up once
again for a movie about a doctor
at a marine life park in Hawaii.
Sandler has a pretty serious com
mitment problem and enjoys the
pastime of taking advantage of
women visiting the island from
the mainland, but things turn
around for him when he falls for a
girl he meets in a diner
(Barrymore).
This girl is a little out of the
ordinary, however. She has been
in a car accident and diagnosed
with short-term memory loss.
Every night as she sleeps, her
memory resets to the day of the
accident (conveniently also her
father’s birthday) and she wakes
up every morning to the same
routine, thinking it is Sunday
morning.
Sandler shows some serious
restraint this time around, waiting
a full five minutes before diving
right into the bathroom humor
that only Adam Sandler can deliv
er. He really revives the old coach
ing adage of not showing off and
sticking to what you know.
While Sandler holds to his own
brand of humor, his usual friends
follow suit. Rob Schneider man
ages to stay away from his “You
can do it” line, but instead intro
duces a delightfully crude new
character with a passion for swim
ming with sharks. Even Dan
Akroyd (who plays Barrymore’s
doctor) gets in. on the fun with
references to “Big Tom Callahan,”
his auto parts competitor from
the movie “Tommy Boy.”
The big star of the movie, sur
prisingly, is Barrymore herself.
Most scenes take place on a new
day,' where Barrymore’s character,
Lucy, must realize the Truth of her
life and her condition over and
over again.
Dealing with this truth for the
first time, however, would prove
difficult for anyone to swallow,
and Lucy is no exception.
Barrymore portrays Lucy’s
emotional progress from anger to
denial and all the way to accept
ance in scene after scene with all
the professionalism of a truly “A-
List” actor. Barrymore delivers a
surprisingly stellar leap from her
days with “E.T.” and even a big
step beyond her Work as recent as
“Charlie’s Angels.”
When “50 First Dates” gets
released to DVD, make sure to
save a .spot for it in the Sandler
collection.
Everyone
in
Hollywood
has
their
‘Bulletproof” and their “Punch
Drunk Love,” but Sandler’s latest
is 100% raw Adam and definitely
worth the time and money. Be
sure to have a nice shower wait
ing, just in case.
Zen Corner
A rich man asked Sengai to write something for the con
tinued prosperity of his family so that it might be treas
ured from generation to generation.
Sengai obtained a large sheet of paper and wrote:
“Father dies, son dies, grandson dies.”
The rich man became angry. “I asked you to write some
thing for the happiness of my family! Why do you make
such a joke of this?”
“No joke is intended,” explained Sengai. “If before you
yourself die, your son should die, this would grieve you
greatly. If your grandson should pass away before your
son, both of you would be broken-hearted. If your fam
ily, generation after generation, passes away in the order
I have named, it will be the natural course of life. I call
this real prosperity.”
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