Boling's recommendations among shows seen week of 30 May 05

Boling's recommendations of still-running shows among eight seen the week of 30 May 2005.

Wednesday 1 June 2005: Arthur: The Hunt at Taproot Theatre Company
   In 5th century Britain, kings are a dime a dozen. Each one rules a valley, or a ridge of hills, or a small island, and each spends as much time warring on his neighbors as in defending the greater territory from the Angles, Saxons, Picts, and Irish. What is needed is a High King to pull all together against invaders. But none of the petty kings has the charisma and resources needed to command the loyalties of multiple tribes. It is a dark time.

   The son of the last high king, who died twenty years go, was sent off to the north to keep him out of harm's way while he grew up. But those few who knew about him have died off, and he himself is not aware of his heritage. One searcher remains, and therein lies the tale of The Hunt.

   Taproot has mounted Jeff Berryman's dense drama as astutely as they did the first episode in the series last year. The language is evocative and rich (though occasionally unintelligible through the accents and the shouting). Checkmarks to Terry Edward Moore as the searcher, to Candace Vance as one of the local queens, and to playwright Berryman. Double checks to Sarah Lamb as Arthur's half sister Morgan, and to Sam Wilson as a mercenary working for another of the petty kings (particularly for his monologue on living in troubled times). Scott Nolte directed.

   When I complained to my Louise this week that I would be leaving Seattle before the series is over, she allowed as how we might fly out here to catch each episode as it is mounted. I expect episode three won't be ready before I depart, and Louise and I will have to make a tough decision (she especially likes Arthurian stories, so maybe it won't be so tough).

Thursday 2 June 2005: Silver Lining at Pacific NW Ballet
   It was a real love fest tonight, opening night of the last production of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell's tenure as artistic directors of PNB, and one that Kent choreographed himself for the PNB's 25th anniversary season in 1998. Combining dance, vocals, and the music of Jerome Kern, Silver Lining is a very eclectic evening. Valerie Piacenti and Erich Parce, along with the dancers themselves, provide the vocals for many of the pieces - you normally never get to hear dancers even speak, let alone sing. There is much original work in the choreography of the individual Kern songs, and many opportunities for soloists to shine. However, the opening number, a mass piece with the whole cast, is chaotic at best, and under-rehearsed at worst - I've seen better coordination in any number of musical theater dance pieces.

   Although there is a lot of pointe work, and the guys do things you would not find in a musical, much of the dancing is of the fancy ballroom variety - fun to watch, but not what you come to the ballet to see. Still, there are some stunning individual performances, and one leaves the hall smiling. Checkmarks to Noelani Pantastico and Batkhurel Bold for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"; Louise Nadeau and Paul Gibson (coming out of retirement to dance this number) for the triptych from "The Hoffman House"; and Piacenti and Parce for "All the Things You Are." Honorable mentions to the entire cast for taking dares throughout.

Friday 3 June 2005: Quickies volume 6 at Live Girls!
   This was opening night in the Live Girls!' new space in Ballard, and their excitement was obvious. The program is subtitled "6 Short plays One Wild Night." The quality of the six one-acts was variable, from headscratchers to superb. Checkmarks all around for Fix This by Amy Widdowson. One each for her, director Dorothy Lemoult, and players Zoe Wright and Joy Anuhea Medeiros. Another checkmark for Kathryn Bartholomew as Sacagawea, and honorable mentions to that playlet (by Regen deVictoria, directed by Kate Jaeger) and to The Same Thing (by Lisa Soland, directed by Brooke Cochran).

Saturday 4 June 2005: Back of the Throat at Theater Schmeater
   Brrrr - chilling theater, by Yussef El Guindi. Your guts will be wrenched, your teeth will clench, you will wonder how long the lead character can take the abuse that the Federal agents are heaping on him. Of course, they would love to have him strike back - then they can lock him up and walk away. At the Rep last week I was asked by an usher if I had seen this show yet - he allowed as how it was the most intense piece he had seen in a very long time. And how! But it's not just a victim tale - there is ambiguity enough to keep you wondering about the protagonist's innocence. Checkmarks to Alex Samuels as the object of the government's attention; to Chris Mayse as one of his interrogators; and to director Mark Jared Zufelt. Honorable mentions to Eric Hill (the other agent) and to Kate Czajkowski in three roles. Best of the week.

Saturday 4 June 2005: Sex in Seattle episode 11: The Ultimate Dating Challenge, SiS Productions at the Richard Hugo House
   This is a worthy addition to the longest running original series in Seattle. In the ever-shifting landscape of relationships in this subset of Seattle's twenty-somethings, four couples embark on first dates in this episode. The frame is a reality TV poker game, with each couple's success being gauged by two commentators. I had less trouble than usual remembering all the connections among the characters, and the situations were credible and funny. Checkmarks to Audrey Fan and Jose Abaoag as one of the couples, and to Ray Tagavilla and Matthew Byron Cassi as unknowing rivals for Elizabeth's affection.

Sunday 5 June 2005: Kaiki Shoku [Eclipse], Aono Jikken Ensemble at the Theatre Off Jackson
   Not many plays push me to an hour's dredging through my library. The company's publicity for this piece describes "the first female political prisoner to be executed in Japan's modern history," namely KANNO Suga.She was still prominent enough fifty years later to garner a twelve-line entry in the Japan Biographical Encyclopedia and Who's Who (Rengo Press, 1958), although her co-conspirator in the plot, KOTOKU Shusui (originally Kenjiro) got a lot more ink (there and elsewhere - I could find only one other reference to her (which did not use her name), but many to him). The playwright and director, William Satake Blauvelt, has done a lot more digging, and has come up with a cohesive story of Kanno's life, interwoven with Japanese mythology. Seven players (and eight musicians) cover nearly twenty roles and scores of scenes, integrating dance and word. Yes, some of the scenes are opaque, and some seem repetitious, but on balance it's an eye-opening performance well worth your two hours (or more, if you want to dig into these characters' lives afterward). Checkmarks to dk pan, Mary Cutrera, and Marie Broderick as the gods; to Yoko Murao for their choreography; and to Naho Shioya as Kanno. Honorable mentions to Mizue Trinidad in several roles, and to all of the musicians. And thanks to Blauvelt and his company for dreaming this piece into existence.