Page 185 - Demo

Local Theater Ensemble Dishes Up William Shakespeare As A 'Twit'BY DOROTHY WHITMOREShaking up Shakespeare via satire andsong is not new in the American theatre.Rodgers and Hart pioneered this trend in1939 with the smash musical, %u201cThe Boysfrom Syracuse,%u201d a take-off on %u201cA Comedyof Errors.%u201d Again, in 1948 Cole Porter composed the memorable, %u201cKiss Me Kate,%u201d aplay about players in %u201cThe Taming of theShrew.%u201d But for an off-Broadway companyto attempt such a feat is courageous.However, the CBA Theatre Workshop ofProspect Heights has done just that in%u201cTwit,%u201d and done it with smashing successin its production at LIU%u2019s Triangle Theatre.Under the astute direction of CynthiaBelgrave, the workshop%u2019s co-founder, andwith the expert help of a literate and sardonic book and lyrics by Maxwell Glanvilleand Florence Greenidge, Shakespeare%u2019smedieval %u201cblack%u201d comedy is transformedinto a Black-American satire. And it%u2019s morefun than %u201cMeasure for Measure%u201d on whichit is based.We are now in Blackolovia, a southernstyle Harlem. Here, the judicious mayor,Pissy Mutton (Randy Flood), departs for amayor%u2019s conference, and hands over thegovernance of this fun-loving, free-wheelingcommunity to a hypocritical knave, knownas Mulan Black (Lawrence James). Hepromptly reissues an old edict banning fornication and imprisons Wishy-Washy(David Morris) for impregnating a maiden.As in Shakespeare%u2019s play, it%u2019s only throughthe intervention of the religious noviceJessa Maidenhead (Lillias White), Wishy%u2019svirtuous sister, and the aid of ReverendMike, who is Pissy in disguise, that thevillain is deposed and order and justicefinally brought to Blackolovia.Along the way we encounter some of thescurviest bunch of pimps, madams andwhores to grace a stage since BertoltBrecht %u2014 but these are decidedlyAmerican. There are jabs at Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew and New York City%u2019s ownHulan Jack, which is all very timely considering the current NYC scandals.This is scintillating ensemble playing withsome great production numbers as %u201cLet%u2019sGet on Down,%u201d %u201cSerious Joint,%u201d and %u201cIt%u2019sSerious.%u201d And, at last, there%u2019s a semiprofessional company with an adept, dancing chorus which we could have seen moreof. This is compensated for, however, by theThe cast of %u201cTw it%u201d , beginning at the bottom step, includes: Lillias W hite, Lori Brown,Linder Brandon Ford, Orli Him m elweit, Abigail Farris, Gay Leslie, Donald Lee Taylor,David M orris, Jan Joh n son , Barbara W ise, Calvin Cam pbell, M ichael Lyles Stephen,Jam e s Brown, Randy Flood, David Parris, LeVerne Sum m ers and John Saxon.Shakespeare's com edy is tran sform ed in to a BlackA m erican satire. A n d it's m o re fu n than 'M easureFor M e a s u re 'o n w hich it is based.beautiful singing of the leading lady, LilliasWhite, with her throbbing, rhythm-andblues contralto. She stops the show in thegospel number, %u201cIntercoursin%u2019 With Sin,%u201dand belts out the beautiful ballad, %u201cJessa%u2019sMood%u201d with elan. White is also an excellentactress. She%u2019s aided with a fine performance by Randy Flood, as Pissy, whopossesses a commanding stage presenceand a soaring baritone. Lawrence James(Mulan Black) is a competent actor who%u201ctalks%u201d his song, %u201cWhy Did I Get It Up,%u201dsimilar to the late Yul Brynner%u2019s technique.His monologue prior to this number is abrilliant take-off on famous Shakespeareanlines from %u201cHamlet.%u201d We only wish theauthors had incorporated this into a songfor Black.However, this is minor compared to thecharm of an expert tap dance number byCalvin Campbell (Doodoo) in %u201cWhy Is theBottle Almost Empty?%u201d, which evokedmemories of old vaudeville numbers.Not to be overlooked either is Donald I,eeTaylor (Muzza Fuzza, the sheriff) whocracked up the audience with his Jamaicanaccent, and was effective in the %u201cCorruptionHigh, Morality Low%u201d song. Very funny, also,is LeVerne Summers (Attila). Adding to themerriment was John Saxton, Barbara Wise,David Parris and a fine performance byEdythe Davis (Sally Sadass).The score by Ben F. Carter, who is alsothe accompanist, was lyrical and diversified. The lighting by Orestes Mihaly andSallyanne Santos, and the costumes byMary Alice Miller were both highly imaginative.Only the choreography by Jan Johnsonand the staging by Lori Brown need revision. The chorus could have been positionedmore center stage and in varying positions.There could have been more choreography,especially in the large production numbers.However, Belgrave has produced a soaring, provocative show, using her own blendof %u201cyoung and old, experienced and inexperienced.%u201d With a few additions andchanges, %u201cTwit%u201d could play off or onBroadway for a long time. It%u2019s equally asgood as the Tony winner, %u201cEdwin Drood.%u201dTW IT: Theatre Workshop presents Twit,through June 29. Performances at TriangleTheater at Long Island University, Thurs.-Sunat 7:30pm. Weekends at 2:30pm. Tickets are $6.For Info, call 783-3902.Held OverThe Funniest Movie ofthe Sum merRodney DangerfleldBack to SchoolSally KelltfmanNad Baatty2,3:55,5:45,7:40,9:40 PG13C O B C L f H I L L T H I N265 COURT STREET, BROOKLYN 596-9113Pal Morlta & Ralph MacchloKARATE KID IIRalad PQFriThura, 1,3,5:207:30,9:40Dann DeVito It Bella MidlerR U TH LESS PEO PLERated RFri Thura, 2:45,4:35,6:20,8:10,9:50Chlldren'a MatineeMY LITTLE PONYFrl-Thurs 1pm%u25a0We have Dolby StoredN ew A m erican & R egional Cuisine71 7th Avenue, BrooklynD anat>i m fi Av%u00bbne \Brunch on Sunday 11:30-3 New Summer MenuT A N P O P OJAPANESERESTAURANTO pen for Lunch Tues-Fri, Dinner Tues-Sun36 Joralemori St. %u2022 Brooklyn Heights %u2022 596-2968Another Brooklyn Traditiona c a fe))o n the barkwProspect Park West at Ninth Street in Park SlopeFor information and reservations teL 768-3723-ihe %u00a3 H fM N E Y QUICK'%u2122CHARCOAL STARTER...F R E E D O MFROM P E T R O C H E M I C A LU & H T I N C FLUID S.TWOFbP.TH%u00a3fc>T2 .0 0