Hawaii
London bout filled
with theater hoppingHI, there. Remember me? As promised in my last column before heading out on the longest vacation of my professional life, "I'll return to this slot on Oct. 29." My journey took me to London, Ireland and my favorite North American city, San Francisco. The Ireland portion of the trip will be revealed in an upcoming feature story, but for now, a report on theater in the play capitol of the Western world, London ...
ONCE again I houseguested with old friend Sheridan Morley and wife Ruth Leon, both hugely involved with professional theater and writing. Morley, who authored a book about his famous dad, "Robert My Father," is now out with the authorized biography of renowned actor John Gielgud, "John G.," and is about to release his memoirs of a lifetime of theater. Wife Ruth Leon is editor of Theatergoer magazine. In addition, Morley hosts a two man musical revue, "Law and Disorder," with pianist Michael Law, which I saw at Pizza on the Park. The night I saw it, Morley had Judy Campbell, now 84 but still sure of voice, sing the song she originated and made popular, "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." ...
IN seven days of theatergoing I saw 11 shows. One was "Art," still running and getting lots of laughs. I'll be directing a production of it for The Actors Group in February ... Locally born actor Peter Clark was rehearsing his role in "The Lower Depths" in London's answer to off-Broadway. I took him to lunch at the favorite West End restaurant of many, the Ivy. Joining us was local singer/actress Kathleen Stuart, newly graduated from Mountview Academy, and now testing her talents in New York. We went to see John Hurt in Brian Friel's fanciful "Afterplay." As we took our seats, the man we edged past said, "Star-Bulletin, right?" "Yes," I said, quite confused. Turned out he was Dr. Erwin Schatz, a cardiologist at Queen's Hospital, who recognized my face from this column ...
THE next day I saw the play about Van Gogh, "Vincent in Brixton," and during the interval was approached by local actor/director David Schaeffer, who was also sitting in my row. Is there a Honolulu Row in London theaters? ... Other shows I saw include "The Lieutenant of Inishmore," by Martin McDonagh. It's both hilariously funny and horrifically bloody. It may be tough to find an audience for it locally ... Woody Harrelson and Kyle MacLachlan were both excellent in a two-man play written by another American, John Kolvenbach, "On an Average Day." ... "The Woman who Cooked her Husband" was just another vapid British comedy ... A revival of Michael Frayn's "Benefactors" took on new meaning this year -- it deals with a guy who designs two tall towers ... I saw two musicals, "The Full Monty," about a group of factory workers who elect to strip for horny women and "125th Street," about the Apollo Theater, respectively ... More tomorrow, plus plays in Dublin and San Francisco ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com