"Bald Prima Donna'

Press, 7 June 1980, Page 6

"Bald Prima Donna'

B - v

Howard McNaughton

“The Bald Prima Donna,” by Eugene lonesco, directed by Don McAra. “The Lesson,” by ' lonesco, directed by . David Bridges. Elmwood Players, Fulton Avenue Playhouse, June 6,7, 10 and 14. Running time: S pun, to 10.5 p.m. Putting lonesco’s ' earliest plays together as a double ci’l for a suburban audience. Beemed a risky venture. for numerous reasons, and yet at the dnCning of this Elmwood f ’•esentation the a’udience was held■ attentive resnondmg. to both comedv an A /sombreness .very much ps lonesco himself would h? ,; e; wanted./ 1 .? Thisrmus* bp largely the reF>l't of s h'qh oxalitv of »ct-‘ Lag and direction thst char- 1 ' '-'.3

acterises most of the evening. but. there is also an unmistakable atmosphere of j intelligence behind almost every move; indeed, even the programme notes are unusu-l ally informative and welljudged. - • I The scripts are too well! known to need description,! but their interpretation is' generally wryly amusing without degenerating into the belly-laughter that often characterises later plays of the so-called “Theatre of the Absurd.” Thus the audience received good entertainment but was left thoughtful at the end. . William Direen is the un-i .questionable star - of “The; Bald Prima Donna.” in the role of Mr Smith. His story of the fox is excellently done, and he handles much of his dialogue with a fatuous

-i blandness reminiscent of -'John Cleese. r ! The other roles are all done t’ appealingly: Mary Gray a? his j;wife, Peter Elliot as Mr Mar--I tin, Judith Geare as Mrs -! Martin, Cherie Slade as the I maid, and Craig Dixon as the (iFire Chief. . ' Pace is good throughput, •'and there is an effective vari- , ation in intensity. J For “The Lesson” it is a master-stroke to cast a ■ singer, Guus de Koster, as J the Professor; his perform- . ance last evening was power- ■ ful, and it will improve ■ further when he gains full confidence over his lines. Supporting him in the female 'i roles are Anne Jones (pupil) ■land Jennie Goodman (the i-maid).’?-? ■ ■■ Certainly, these productions have their faults, but ' they do achieve a standard : of which Elmwood may be > proud.