THEATRE REVIEWS
The Glass Menagerie
After a run of sold-out performances last April, the English Alternative Theatre is restaging Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. The smaller-scale production offers a unique view of the play, choosing to parallel the life of the playwright.
Where most productions of The Glass Menagerie are set in the 1940s, the era in which the play was written, director Paul Lim has set the play in 1983 Amsterdam. This change allows for the character of Tom, an autobiographical figure of Williams, to be split into two versions. The older Tom, played by John Younger, professor of classics, tells patrons of a gay bar the story of his sister, Laura, and their mother, Amanda. The younger Tom, played by Lawrence resident Aron Carlson, lives in the past of the 1940s, but occasionally steps into the present of 1983.
By setting the older Tom in a gay bar in 1980s Amsterdam, the character more closely parallels the life of Williams. The playwright was not ready to directly explore his homosexuality in the 1940s when he wrote the play, instead using it as the subtext for Tom's behavior.
While the older Tom tells the story, the patrons in the gay bar act as a modernday Greek chorus. They comment on the action of the play and serve as silent figures in the reenactment of scenes from Tom's memory.
Intended to help illustrate Williams'
homosexuality, the chorus proves to be an interesting dramatic device for exploration. However, the it also proves to be an unneeded distraction during quieter moments in the play, sounding much like a sitcom's studio audience.
Jacqueline Grunau, Hillsboro senior, is excellent as the shy Laura. Grunau's portrayal is sympathetic, showcasing Laura's gentle nature and uneasiness with the world outside.
Contributing to Laura's uneasiness is her mother, played by professor of English Amy Devitt. While her performance is occasionally stiff, Devitt conveys the spirit of a woman holding on to her last futile desires for her children. Amanda is lost in the world, with only the memories of her glory days and dreams of the future to keep her going.
Even with the occasional distraction of too much commentary, the English Alternative Theatre's production of The Glass Menagerie provides a unique look at one of the classics of American theater. Donovan Atkinson
—Donovan Atkinson Grade: B+
The Glass Menagerie will be performed at 8 tonight and tomorrow night and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Arts Center,940 New Hampshire St. Tickets are available at the Lawrence Arts Center and are $6 for students, $8 for seniors and $10 for others.
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
The first show of the Lawrence Community Theatre's 2003-2004 season is an unusual piece of theater. My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra isn't a play, nor is it a musical. Rather, it is a collection of medleys, each centered around a specific Sinatra theme.
My Way is a musical review, profiling Old Blue Eyes without telling a linear story of his life. The four-member cast sings medleys in relation to events in his life, but not necessarily in chronological order. From Sinatra's love of great American cities such as Chicago and New York to his love affairs with actresses Mia Farrow and Gina Lollobrigiada, the medleys cover familiar Sinatra territory.
Because there is no plot, the moments between the medleys are devoted to reflections of Sinatra. The cast members recall where they were when they heard of his death, discuss his philosophies and reflect on his affect on American culture.
The cast, made up of Lawrence residents Jack Greenwood, Fran Hopkins, Kevin Stacy and Jennifer Forman, are admirable in their performances. The actors all seem to have a genuine appreciation of Sinatra and his work. With the exception of Greenwood, who wears a body mic, the cast manages to get around the obstacle of using hand held microphones. However, this does cause some awkward staging, particularly when Stacy pushes Hopkins on a cart while she holds both her microphone and his.
My Way proves to be an unconventional show, but is a delightful tribute to the Chairman of the Board.
—Donovan Atkinson
Grade: B
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra will be performed at the Lawrence Community Theatre, 1501 New Hampshire St., tonight at 7:30, tomorrow at 8 p.m., Oct.11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m.Ticket prices vary for each performance.
international flavor
Break away from burger-and-fry boredom by going international. BY MEGAN ERWIN
BY MEGAN ERWIN
Europe, the Mediterranean and the world have become an American fixation. From clothing to music and especially food, Lawrence is no stranger to ethnic diversity among its citizens, students and shop owners.
With nearly 25,000 students inhabiting the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence and around 1,700 of those students categorized as nonresident aliens, three of Lawrence's alternative grocery stores are reaching a broad range of consumers searching for foreign food.
Whether it's Chinese, Japanese, Mediterranean, Greek, Indian or any of the other ethnic restaurants in Lawrence, there is usually a place to dine to whent your sophisticated palate. Cooking your favorite Oriental dish at home or snacking on a Mediterranean olive are both possibilities because of local grocery stores that stray off the mainstream path.
Oriental Supermarket
Lawrence's Oriental Supermarket, 711 W.23rd, is an interesting store filled with a variety of sauces, noodles and more. Ananh Manixai, owner, says instant noodles, chili sauce and different kinds of soy sauce are among the best sellers. I would recommend sticking with the bottled products unless you take an expert along. Hot chili sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce are among some of the products you would need to add that special kick to your stir fry to give your meal a taste of the Orient.
A quick and easy recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray from foodnetwork.com uses tamari soy sauce and toasted sesame oil,
Courtney Kuhlen/ Kansan
A gift box containing an assortment of European chocolates from Au Marche. Customers can also choose their own items to create a unique gift box.
two condiments available at the Oriental Supermarket.
NO PAIN LO MEIN
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup snow peas
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms
4 scallions thinly sliced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 inches fresh ginger root, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lo mein noodles cooked according to package
1/2 cup aged tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Heat a wok-shaped skillet or large non-stick skillet over high heat. When pan is very hot, add oil — be careful, it will smoke a bit) — then, immediately
4 jayplay
thursday, october 9, 2003