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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 2004)
ARTS¿jr\ENTERTAINMENT 8 • T he C lackamas P rint / M ay 26| Inspector7 shows eye for comeq MB I *•*** I H nr I fl fl ’"31W-rr-.. . Karlin Johnson he C lackamas lackamas P rint rint T he As audience members enter McLoughlin Theatre for the spring production, they will find themselves in the company a strange-looking fellow, seated on the stage with others, waiting for a play to begin. Moon (Matt Morrison) is joined by a tall, bald character that strangely resembles Annie’s “Daddy Warbucks.” The man is Birdboot (Michael Gerber). Instantly, thé audience is engaged in the relentless and ridiculous chatter between the two Englishmen as they wait for the play to begin. This play within a play starts, and the characters come together in Muldoon Manor, where the maid, Mrs. Drudge (Sarah Griswold), is tidying up the drawing room. She does not notice the lifeless body in the corner. She turns on the radio to a bellowing announcement that there is a mad man on the loose. Dramatically overreacting, as any good Englishwoman would, Mrs. Drudge is terrified. Enter Simon (Matt Strong), a ridiculous Frenchmen with a strong accent, who waltzes in with a some what sneaky fhanper. He soon comes into contact with buxom blonde Cynthia (Daphne Starling). The interaction between Cynthia and Simon is outrageously over the top, bringing much laughter during their scenes together. Cynthia is married, although she is strangely attracted to Simon. The overly obvi ous sexual tones portrayed between dlSlIlB « ma goofy. „lir Gerber, ! aPPe, with uf| a childlike attitude, makes appear pampered and not Strong portrays Simon as top and lusty, while addin French accent to the char; Lastly is Starling, wh Í 1 most to her character, pranl p i e out ir syllabi P hotos by JEFF SORENSEN SPeetK make j actor. OUS I M PRir C lackamas ABOVE: Ultra-charming Simon (Matt Strong; left), and the married Cynthia (Daphne Starling) begin to romance, much to the disapproval of Magnus (Don Wright; middle) in ‘The Real Inspector Hound.’ RIGHT: Simon (Matt Strong; left) flirts with Mrs. Drudge (Sarah Griswold). the two are funny, and surprises ate in store for the audience. Felicity (Lorieri Peterson), Simon’s young, redheaded girl friend, realizes immediately that Cynthia is competition; retired war general, Magnus (Don Wright), thinks himself the authority of the house, barking commands and carrying a gun. .As the party learns of the escaped mad man, they call for help from the Inspector Hound. Bob Alsman, as the title charac ter, clamors through the doors amid roaring laughter. With disheveled clothing and still wearing his large, awkward “swamp shoes,” the detec- tive does not quite appear the man the party was expecting. However, they follow his direc tions to search the house. As party members are picked off, the lines between audience and cast are lost and Birdboot and Moon are drawn in, purely by accident, to become part of the play. In the end, characters may or may not be who they say they are, resulting in the audience’s discovery of the identity of the madman. Only an hour long, “The Real Inspector Hound” seems not long enough. Each character is comical, often making the script more enter taining just by the actors’ portrayals muc\,( watd| of their respective characters. The dialogue is quick; much can be missed in a moment’s distraction. The chemistry is better than in previous productions, and all of the actors add unique quirks. Peterson does well as the prissy Felicity, stung by jealousy. Wright’s characterized wheeling of his wheelchair and loud bellowing makes his character comical. Griswold skillfully gives Mrs. Drudge an almost sarcastic,'dramatic overtone. Mbrrison, as Moon, adds a v musti E T SpCCI, £ .. for the entire hour. I Though v| “The Real Inspector A very humorous and hoL of surprises for its especially the two luA bers who get to be a | production. “The Real Inspectâtj continues production this IB 27 through 29 at 7 p.m., J| at 3 p.m. in McLoughlin ■ 'Shrek 2' lands on all four paws (feet, hooves, etc.) Katie Funk T he C lackamas P rint 2,” Dreamworks’ “Shrek released May 19, skillfully dupli cates the cross-generational appeal that wrought the original l an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002. The sequel picks up after the honeymoon. Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have just returned to the swamp when Fiona’s parents, the King (John Cleese) and Queen (Julie Andrews) of the Kingdom of Far, Far Away, invite them to a royal ball in their honor. Unwillingly, Shrek agrees to take his bride and sidekick Donkey (Eddie Murphy) to meet his in-laws. Tension between the ogre and father-in-law is thick, for the King has schemed with the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) to have Fiona marry her son Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), who tries in vain to live up to his name The King hires the famed ogre killer Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to dispose of Shrek, but the pint-size would-be assassin soon joins forces with Shrek and Donkey. Displeased with the alliance, Donkey tells the cat that “the position of Annoying Talking Animal has already been taken.” One-liners like this are rampant throughout the film, as well as spoofs óf other movies (like an upside-down kiss reminiscent of “Spider-Man” and a musical number by the Fairy Godmother that rivals Lumiere and Cogsworth’s “Be Our Guest”). Pop culture parodies abound as well, with Oscar-esque red carpet entrances to the ball host ed by Joan Rivers and a poster in young Fiona’s room of “Sir Justin,” who bears an uncanny resemblance to the former *NSYNC member of the same name. Although such Hollywood refer ences and a bit of crude humor are directed more at an adult audience, the film is wholly appropriate for children as well. The entire cast does a fine job, with returning actors like Myers, Murphy and Diaz giving their characters the depth befitting a sequel. The supporting characters color the cast nicely, including reap pearances by the Gingerbread Man, the Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio and the Dragon. However, the new additions are what make the movie. Saunders voices the conniving Godmother, rotten to the core. Cleese and Andrews play the King and Queen, ill-prepared for the sight of their once-human little girl and her green husband, and give just the right attitude of parental concern and royal detachment. The star of the show, though, is undoubtedly Banderas’ Puss. A thick Spanish accent, Zorro bravado and feline cuteness combine to make a hilarious, endearing character. ’ Rarely do sequels measure up, and only a handful have ever sur passed their originals. “Shrek 2 may not be better than the first, but it is certainly just as good. Taking J in $104.3 million, it broke dB the record----- ------ set by “The Passion of the Christ’' (which debuted in February with $83.9 million) to become the biggest opening of thes year. It is also the best ani mated opening of all time, Wl ahead of the $70.2 million'’ grossed by “Finding Nemo in May 2003. With a pre- j miere, like this, “Shrek 2” may well be on the way J to another Oscar for the lovable ogre and his comrades. HQLYJPOIY ÛrtgWl <ed &aidwicf¡ I r Buylwholl sandwich, a, drink and S; inf equal) orlesserl )5 value frei Expires Junejj " I 1! Danielson Shopf^ COMEDY NIGHT : ONLY JUNE 12 & 26 • ; $2 cover charge Headliners to follow ____ .. __ -71 ______ »efetfak. 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