Play for adventurous

Press, 9 July 1980, Page 6

Play for adventurous

By

HOWARD McNAUGHTON

“Damnee Manon, Sacree Sandra,” by Michel Tremblay. Directed by John Curry’ for The Court Theatre; Studio Theatre, Christchurch Arts Centre. Running time: 8.15 p.m. to 9.25 p.m.

Michel Tremblay is a young Quebec playwright whose work has been much acclaimed not only, in North America but in Europe; he writes in French, and is best tmown for “Hosannah.” Ihe p '-sent play is the third in a c’ ’.mafic seauence which' f "aws the fates of two girls) e '*er the rest of the-familyi i‘. 'oiled in a car crash: it is.j } -’/>vnr. not related to “Sur-i y '-e S’)>r>r?s“.” rhe o*her; T n'ny with which it' 1:

Mgnon. .Sacree f '-a?' it; not th? rnrist easi <->f ic-riptc ?M;ff h Which Canadian drama

might at last be pioneered in Christchurch, as it presents a telepathic relationship between Manon (the only sister now surviving) and ti e transvestite next door who (unknown to her) was once her playmate in' the street. The design, by Simon Allison, polarises the characters from the start. Manon (Wickham Pack) is dressed in black, seated on a rocking chair on a white stage; Sandra (Bryan Aitken) is dressed in white, satin, on a white armchair on a. black stage. Their monologues seem at ; first unrelated: Manon, who ; is identified with a nun, has ) bought herself a huge ; osary, 'while Sandra has bought al tsufficient quantity of green I make-up for a projected i orgy. Gradually, their attitudes ) are modified: Manon’s prayi ers become more assertive .and cajoling after describing •a dream in : which she'' ha’f-' l.rccognised Sandra, while Sandra recognises Manon asi

his necessary antithesis, and breaks into her prayers urging her to climb closer to her God and take him with her. The story, such as it is, is not easy to follow, but a sudden clarity comes at. the ending, which is as explosive as the start: after -the final blackout, the lights come up on an uninhabited stage, with the chair rocking furiously.. The characters’ various blasphemies >have lifted them out of their present limbo, and we are left m doubt about just how much irony to find in the title.

This is a play for the adventurous theatre-goer only, Shut the vigour of last evening’s performance sustained a high level of attentiveness. Bryan Aitken’s treatment of the language certainly, has its own consistencv and plausibility, while Wickham Pack makes excellent wp,rk| of her contic ’’pas'sageS'.i'ahd also, brings ■< credibility, to Manon’s bizarre anguish? |