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Show RoKnrk- Theatre 'Galileo' suffers bloopers; cast gives fair performance By Jane Rawlings Opening night score on Babcock Theatres latest effort,"Galileo," would have to be "Script 10, Players 5." Bertold Brecht's play suffers slightly at the hands of Byron McGrath's cast. Maybe the fair-to-shaoby performance was the result ot first-night jitters; such obtrusive bloopers as repeat of whole dialogue segments and stumbling, sloppy pronunciation can be caused by initial-performance tension. On the other hand, these blemishes on the face of a fine script can be the result of under-rehearsing or too-rapid production. William Wright, as Galileo Galilei the famous astronomer, is almost too blustery to bear. Granted, interpretation ol this character poses a problem-por-trayal of stength and humanitv-but. Wright hasn t quite finished conceiving the 'eaves the piayg unsettled. a Realistic? Although Brecht violates the modern convel? realism, this fact ought , used as a crutch for theca , ' generally unconvincing. Thkk, ' same complaint pre 1 brought down on Wright; acS it applies no more to inuh, the cast he leads, but sinci e lead it. !' epitomizes the fau. There are, however. Kim aspects of the nr(,rti; ' " : James Quittner's set is iX(f f type of drIXn . actually crude or improve vaguely suggestive-: rather than lifelike. Also'C' one scene in the second art C seems to bring the pav , with its zest and sparkle This i-delightful-indeed, a delighlj cruel-scene involving most of th, cast, and, for a mob scene iu very nicely conceived. Brecht's drama itself, apir from the particular production deserves mention. Here is a strait sort of drama, a kind of parabft the acme of simplicity, stabler structure but as open for vano-j interpretations as the drama Shakespeare. This openness is special treat for the sensiliu playgoer, affording him & opportunity to exercise hi. imagination. Furthermore, his dominan: theme as stated by Galileo, '1 believe in the human race," hopeful and amazingly uncornyir the context of his realisti. perception of people and th, world. If the caliber of u production were to improve ok the first night, this play would b worthwhile. |