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section I 12 Wednesday, September 28, 1966 hyde park heraldseemstomeBy Robert PoliakHOPE (ABELSON) SPRINGS ETERNAL: At this writing the American Conservatory Theatre situation can only be described as fluid. William Ball, its gifted and mercurial director, having returned from Europe, has discussed the repertory project with Mrs. Abel son and othersand flown off to San Francisco to listen to western offersand to meditate. The company at Ravinia continues to thrive and excite audiences, which it richly deserves to do if only for its stirring productions of ’’Tiny Alice and Pirandello’s wonderful ’’Six Characters in Search of an Author.”99In the meantime I suspect thatMrs. Abelson and her colleagues maybe looking for a somebody to budget a season at the Civic Theatre down-Pollaktown and keep at least one eye on the financial management of a Chicago repertory season. If they are not they should be, because with this sort of watch-dog on the scene it will be mucheasier to raise the fundsnecessary for the first season.As for Mrs. Abelson she seems to have dedicated much time and energy to get the show on the road, so to speak. With herprofessional background in the theatre she could turn out to be another Carol Fox, another fanatic who will not be denied. 1UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY:Bob Sickinger’s Hull Housetroupe is presently busy with a performance of Harold Pinter’s “The BirthdayParty,” a grim opus in whichall the author’s assets andhope so.WHAT EVER HAPPENED? Time was when the Second City cabaret sounded a new and fresh note in satire anddebits are on display. The drama, Pinter’s first (1958), involves the doings in a depressing sea-side boarding house somewhere in Briton.displayed some vivid talent (Severn Darden, BarbaraHarris, Bill Alton, etc.) onits tiny stage. But judging from “When the Owl Screams,” the latest revueon North Wells St., the enterprise seems to have collapsed into a kind of witlessinanity. Even the ferventaficianados, the Second Citygroup, titter and teeter between the lines asif laughing were some kindof duty to the amateurs on the platform. Even the desperately faithful are uneasylistening to ten minutes of improvised poetic variationson ’’Twinkle, Twinkle, LittleStar” which scarcely reaches high school levels. No wonder the owl screams.The sole boarder is Stanley, an incipient manic depressive with a bad complexion.He is mothered by the lady of the house, Meg, a woman of monumental ignorance. Her husband, a silent and put-upon man, is in chargeof the beach deck-chairs. To this house come Gold-”in”berg, a glib Jewish traveling man and his side-kick,McCann. They organize abirthday party for Stan (it’s not his birthday and he instinctively hates them both)and then proceed to brainwash him in a massive climactic scene until he is reduced to blithering idiocy.This tiny abstract of theplot fails to take into account Pinter’s usual virtuosity in creating a sense of menace and mystery in coun-to lower-middle-terpointclass dialogue. The piece,while overlong, is both baffling and suggestive. While you often remain uncertain of theParty”tion.• —tickles the imagina-meaning of certain curious episodes (why does McCann ' have to blow the breath oflife into Goldberg? Who is”Monty”, the offstage presence to whom Stan is led atthe finale?), ’’The BirthdayThe playing, by such as Robert Kidder, Mike Nuss-baum and Beatrice Freedman is extraordinarily good. So is Sickinger’s staging, although he paces the expository first act adagio when it ought to be at least andante.$14f.50M-2017$12Start youdecoratirtheme wa Moe LichandeluName your favorite JMediterranean, Contlt;Then pick the Moe Liexpresses its charm. Ythat keys your entireVisit our showroonplus Moe Light stylinjWHO!ELECT!u wsa$S9.«tDISTRIOne of Chicago's7345 S. COTHL 3-542( I
Newspaper Details
Chicago Hyde Park Herald
Chicago, Illinois, US
Wed, Sep 28, 1966
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Loyola U.
IL, USA 30 Mar 2020
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