OCR Text |
Show f .-- , . r"f ? fV j i If t xi n ii , iOCjrJ : ' v f 'T . - V" r ' - ' y I'u-1, ill,. . i - is j i ' Tom (Jeffrey Crockett), and Kuth (Robyn Ross), Sarah (Michelle Peterson), Reg (L.L. West) and Annie (Jensie Anderson) all disapprove of Norman (Richard Nelligan) in a scene from "Table Manners." Alan Ayckboum's contemporary British comedy runs int the Hahcock Theatre downstairs at Pioneer Memorial Theatre Feb. 7-H and 12-1 S. f Pioneer Memorial Theatre brings British comedy to Salt Lake City Alan Ayckboum's trilogy of plays, "The Norman Conquests," has nothing to do with medieval history. Rather it's an overall title for three comedies about three couples who spend three days at an English countryside home where Norman, a "three-woman-a-day" man, attempts to make his "conquests." "Table Manners." the first play in the trio, will run in the Bahcock Theatre downstairs at Pioneer Memorial Theatre Feb. 7-9 and 13-16 at 8 p.m. with a 5 p.m. showing Feb. 12 and a 2 p.m. matinee Feb. 16. Ayckboum's three plays "Table Manners," "Round and Round the Garden" and "Living Together" are written so ingenuously that they can stand alone or be seen in any order. Director Anne Cullimore Decker, who has laughed through all three, chose to stage "Table Manners" because of its "tight structure and wonderful humor." In it, Annie has agreed to run off with her brother-in-law Norman for a "nice dirty weekend" at a hotel in East Grinstead until her meddlesome meddle-some sister-in-law Sarah squashes the plans and tries to send Norman back home to his wife and Annie into the arms of Tom, an admiring but slow-witted veterinarian. The weekend, week-end, not surprisingly, culminates in hilarious disaster. Ayckboum, England's most prolific pro-lific contemporary playwright, has been called "the most remarkable British dramatist to have emerged since Harold Pinter" by London's Sunday Times. Best known for his funny and intelligent farces, Ayckboum Ayck-boum is the author of "How the Other Half Loves," "Absurd Person Singular" and "Just Between Ourselves," among other successes. "I love British comedy, and I love Ayckboum's style," said Decker, an adjunct assistant professor in the University of Utah's theater department. depart-ment. " 'Table Manners' is just great fun. It pulls you out of the doldrums of winter." Decker, who directed a highly successful run of "Daih of a Salesman" at Salt Lake Acting Company in 19B" 'nd several st'ident pror1"!1 ,s in the Iih Theatre, admires Ayckboum's "In credible gift for comic timing." "Ayckboum brings hilarious commentary com-mentary on thj trivial, mundane, everyday happenings," she said. . "The themes of obvious misunderstanding, misunder-standing, mutual incomprehension and incompatibility found in 'Table Manners' are full of dark humor, which after a rollicking evening of entertainment, provoke the audience to look at the reality of the lack of communication in family life." Decker has cast Richard Nelligan as Norman, a comical Don Juan. Jensie Anderson will play the spinster Annie with Jeffrey Crockett as her reluctant beau Tom, a veterinarian. Robyn Ross will portray por-tray Ruth, Norman's executive wife. Michelle Peterson and LL West will play the married couple Sarah and Reg: John W . Holman has designed the set. K.L. Alberts created the costumes and Nancy A. Brunswick the lighting. Jan L Southam is the production stage manager. Tickets are available at the Pioneer Memorial Theatre box office :"ifl-iil). |