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Friday, January 21, 1f72By JAMES GIBBONSAmusements Writersomehow fails to knit the production together. The acting isThe telling of long-kept secrets good; the singingis the intriguing key to “Spoon RickRiver,” which opened last night, neededat the AlleyfromAdopted for the stage Edgar Lee Masters' collection ofimaginary River”epitaphs, “Spoonviable andpresents a timeless picture of life in a rural Illinois town.A cast of nineteen creates a multitude of citizens and scenes, intersperced with musical transitions finely directed by William Trotman.The actors eachas fourassume as roles. Eachmanycharacter recites an epitaph, a confession about a life of joy and fulfillment, frustration and failureor wry acceptance.In spite of the ingenious linking of characters now dead, the musical accompanimentLiebermanyoung man, a druggist, an aspiring inventor and a coward.Mark Varian is perversly delightful as an undetected murderer and a not-so-reformed arsonist.Ron Dortch, a London-trained actor, gives a strong humorous rendition of a wise fool, a sensitively grounded youth and a man whose last realization is his under achievement.half its number. Much of the evening’s enjoyment came from watching the actors’ transitions of one role to another. A smaller cast would emphasize the complexity and, at times, cloying intimacy of small town life.The production deserves credit for its set—a half-dozen cubicle boxes are the only props—and itsemployment of Dave Jones (younger viewers may remember him as the Cadet Don of theirelementary school television). Jones'morning solo guitarwork and rendition of folk songs along traditional themes are theActresses giving equally fine evening’s musical fortesperformances are Bettye Fitzpatrick, playing a humble but lively matriarch, Lauren Frost and Karen Shallo. The Evans sisters, however, so long attached and money“Spoon River,” with its rich variety of characters, is, despite its faults, a worthwhile investment of theatre goers’ timeto the Alley company, are now beyond the creation of a single character, much less four.A more worthwhile investment, however, would be in a copy of Edgar Lee Masters’ originalAlthough the Alley’s “Spoon “Spoon River Anthology.” It isRiver” presents a complex yet Masters’ original insights into thecongenialcommonplaces of humanity whichfeeling the atmosphere would be give the play its long life andenhanced by limitingappeal
Newspaper Details
Houston Daily Cougar
Houston, Texas, US
Fri, Jan 21, 1972
Page 10
Full Page
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Anonymous
TN, USA 03 Nov 2022
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