`PICNIC' OFFERS THEATERGOERS A SATISFYING REPAST.Byline: Katherine Karlin Correspondent THE WOMEN of William Inge's Kansas don't just yearn, they smolder smol·der also smoul·der intr.v. smol·dered, smol·der·ing, smol·ders 1. To burn with little smoke and no flame. 2. , and in his 1953 work, ``Picnic,'' the object of their attention is a cheerful drifter named Hal, who removes his shirt while he's earning his breakfast with a little lawn work. ``Picnic'' shows its age with dignity: The play reflects an era when the Kinsey Report was ripping the veil off the hypocrisy of sexual repression, and audiences were titillated tit·il·late v. tit·il·lat·ed, tit·il·lat·ing, tit·il·lates v.tr. 1. To stimulate by touching lightly; tickle. 2. To excite (another) pleasurably, superficially or erotically. by the notion that beauty queens might have desires of their own. The beauty queen in this case is Madge (Libby West), an 18-year-old whose last prom is behind her. She is dating the richest boy in town, but when she gets a glimpse of Hal in her neighbor's yard, her life - and the life of everyone she knows - is thrown into disarray. West has a come-hither smile, but from the outset she seems to be more knowing woman than pent-up teenager. Bo Foxworth plays Hal as a doltish dolt n. A stupid person; a dunce. [Middle English dulte, from past participle of dullen, to dull, from dul, dull; see dull. braggart whose mind spins in several directions at once. It's an appealing performance, but he and West don't quite generate the heat the story deserves. Deborah Strang and Mark Bramhall, on the other hand, beautifully play middle-age lonely-hearts Rosemary and Howard. Their long scene together at the play's midpoint mid·point n. 1. Mathematics The point of a line segment or curvilinear arc that divides it into two parts of the same length. 2. A position midway between two extremes. is drenched in Adj. 1. drenched in - abundantly covered or supplied with; often used in combination; "drenched in moonlight"; "moon-drenched meadows" drenched covered - overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form; desperation; these two just might be each other's best last hope. Strang can be angry without being shrewish, and Bramhall's character, none too bright, wants to do the right thing and is bewildered when other people's passions skitter skit·ter v. skit·tered, skit·ter·ing, skit·ters v.intr. 1. To move rapidly along a surface, usually with frequent light contacts or changes of direction; skip or glide quickly: out of control. Michael C. Smith's sets and James P. Taylor's lighting evoke the nostalgia of a small town in late summer, and the claustrophobia claustrophobia /claus·tro·pho·bia/ (-fo´be-ah) irrational fear of being shut in, of closed places. claus·tro·pho·bi·a n. An abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed spaces. , too. Craig Belknap coaxes fine performances from his actors but makes some unfortunate decisions, like having Jennifer DeCastroverde (who commands the stage as Madge's whip-smart younger sister, Millie) sit with her back to the audience as the reacts to the action around her. The plays closes with a lovely tableau of two women clasping clasp·ing adj. Botany Denoting a leaf whose base partially or completely surrounds a stem. hands as they turn and face the tedium of their own lives, driving home the production's emphasis on the powerful ties of sisterly friendship. PICNIC - Three stars Where: A Noise Within, 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. When: In repertory, 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through Nov. 27. Tickets: $32 to $36; call (818) 240-0910, Ext. 1. In a nutshell: Fine performances breathe life into this sturdy repertoire piece. |
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