‘Summit conference'

Press, 10 August 1985, Page 8

‘Summit conference '

“Summit Conference” by Robert David MacDonald, directed by Yvonne Martin for the React Co-operative Theatre presented at the Free Theatre, Arts Centre, August 9 to August 31. Running time: 8 p.m. to 9.50 p.m. Reviewed by Gerrit Bahlman. While Adolf and Benito are discussing the progress of the Second World War in 1940-41, what do you think Eva Braun and Clara Pettacci were doing? Having their own Summit Conference of course! “Summit Conference” listens in on the interaction between the two women. Their reflections and attitudes parody their political masters with witty and clever summaries of the political realities of the times. Intended as a comedy the play is far too didactic to be hilarious. The play centres on the Jewish tragedy and was intended to allow that issue to be confronted theatrically without being surrounded by taboos. Unfortunately, the author has found the task too daunting- While the idea of

the two mistresses meeting has comic potential, the sensation of hearing “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” is unavoidable. The production is entirely professional and the standard of performance cannot be faulted. Alison Quigan as Eva captures the submissive Germanic frau and the overbearing Hitler parody fluently. The sense of disquiet generated by the seduction and degradation of the attendent German soldier (Nic Ferra), had an air of conviction that was telling. The elements of comedy were buried under a pervading realism. Sandra Rasmussen gave Clara Pettacci, El Duce’s whore, an earthy sensuousness which contrasted brilliantly with the submissive, straight Eva. Clara’s early domination of the meeting with her acquired expertise in American movies and her knowledge of actresses such as “Vivienne Leeg” (Leigh) was given as much comic punch as an actress of Sandra Rasmussen’s calibre can muster. < The subsequent reversal

of dominance was performed with subtelty by the two actresses. Alison Quigan and Sandra Rasmussen work well together. The parody of the “great men” was heightened by the women personifying them and assuming the attributes of the males to the point of treating the soldier as a female. The reversal struck chords well removed from the political issues being presented. This is React Theatre’s fourth production. Each of the previous productions have offered unusual plays which otherwise might not have been offered to Christchurch audiences. They have not been aimed at a mass audience and have succeeded in providing challenges to their professional performers as well as to their audience. “Summit Conference” deserves to experience a full audience to allow the elements of parody to assume comic proportions. Limited audiences will not lift the play above the basic realism of subject.