Hawaii
Waiting for life’s
full circle with ‘Godot’BEFORE throwing myself into St. Patrick's Day festivities, I journeyed to the Ernst Lab Theatre at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to see a kyogen version of Samuel Beckett's classic play, "Waiting for Godot." I've been a huge fan of Beckett since the 1950s when I was a UH student and my philosophy teacher, who had read all of Beckett and was an ardent proponent of his works, pounded into my then-young brain just how brilliant this writer was. I was in the first production of "Godot" at UH in 1960 and five years later directed a production of it, going on to do "Endgame" twice and "Krapp's Last Tape." At the Ernst, I struck up a conversation with an elderly gentleman who told me he'd seen that first "Godot" as well as "Krapp's Last Tape" and opined he'd like to see me do it again. We took our seats for this stylized production which robbed the viewer of much of the humor in the piece and I introduced myself officially to my seatmate. "I'm Harold McCarthy" he said, leaving me dumbstruck. This was the philosophy professor who had introduced me to Beckett's work, creating an interest which would last a lifetime, as it has done for him, now 88, but still an avid theatergoer. He was my favorite college professor, a fact I left with him as I dropped him at his home, saving him from calling a taxi. It was a strange coincidence how my love of Beckett came full circle that Sunday afternoon with Dr. McCarthy, whose mind is as sharp as ever ...
Pre-Paddy's Preparation
I STOPPED by Murphy's on Sunday to watch the dozen or so folks helping publican Don Murphy get his place ready for the thousands of celebrants to crowd into and around the place the next day. "Are you all ready for the big holiday tomorrow?" I asked barkeep Jonathan Schwalbe-Nitz. "Can't you see?" he replied back. I'd been waiting for the kicker: "No, no, I mean Purim." An embarrassed Schwalabe-Nitz, who inevitably keeps to his Jewish holidays and traditions, thanked me, called his wife at once and asked her to bake up the Jewish delicacy those marking Purim traditionally enjoy. "I'll save some for you," he said, adding, "At least it's a holiday where we're expected to drink and have a good time." ...THE Bravo Channel also gave us a pre-Paddy's Day treat -- the N.Y. version of "Riverdance" and then the hourlong behind-the-scenes creation of the dance sensation ...
Seduction in the air
ONE of my final acts before turning my attention to yesterday's St. Patrick's Day Parade and ensuing celebration, was stopping by the Arts at Mark's Garage and seeing the four-woman musical lament, for the most part, about their affairs with men. I'd seen three of the four performers on other isle stages: Naomi Mal, Zenia Zambrano, and the veteran singer / actress Katie Doyle. But I wasn't quite prepared for the fourth member. Julie Capili, a newcomer to the islands, is about 6-feet tall, quite gorgeous, and is destined to pop up again on stage. "Seduction" has been playing to packed houses and could probably do so for a long time ...
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