REVIEW : FORUM STAGES SPARKLING, ELOQUENT `CYRANO'.Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News Take some elements of ``Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale (type 425C -- search for a lost husband -- in the Aarne-Thompson classification). The first published version of the fairy tale was a meandering rendition by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in .'' Add dashes of swordplay, season with romantic, poetic dialogue, sprinkle with witty humor. Mix with a lover's triangle, and then stir heartily with 17th century French history and characters wearing wonderful, flouncy garments full of satin, lace and feathers. The result is the classic ``Cyrano de Bergerac Cy·ra·no de Ber·ge·rac , Savinien de 1619-1655. French satirist and duelist whose works include the spirited drama The Pedant Imitated (1654). ,'' now gracing the boards at the Civic Arts Plaza's Forum Theatre. The proud but insecure Cyrano of the oversized o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. , imperious im·pe·ri·ous adj. 1. Arrogantly domineering or overbearing. See Synonyms at dictatorial. 2. Urgent; pressing. 3. Obsolete Regal; imperial. nose - ``My nose marches on before me by a quarter of an hour'' - is a flamboyant character, full of gesture and poetry backed by true courage and modesty. Cyrano sees his distinctive protuberance protuberance /pro·tu·ber·ance/ (-too´ber-ans) a projecting part, or prominence. mental protuberance as a flaw, one that only he can make fun of. Another's jest is cause for battle. Lane Davies plays this larger-than-life role with verve and humor balanced with eloquent nuance. Cyrano loves the beautiful Roxane (played with appeal and warmth by Therese Walden). She is attracted to Christian, a handsome soldier, (a compelling performance by Paul Johansson). The powerful aristocrat, de Guiche (the dashing Terry Lester, who, besides Roxane, gets to wear the most beautiful costumes) also is pursuing her affection. Painfully aware of his monstrous nose, Cyrano considers himself ineligible for Roxane's affections. Instead, he will lend his poetic genius to foil the pompous de Guiche and help Christian woo her. ``We two make one hero of romance,'' Cyrano declares, proceeding in Christian's name to write tender letters of love to Roxane. In a balcony scene reminiscent of ``Romeo and Juliet'' Cyrano acts as prompter, feeding Christian the poetic lines that will make Roxane his bride. When Christian is killed in battle, Roxane retires to a nunnery. Cyrano, under the guise of friendship and concealing his true passion for her, pays her weekly visits, bringing all the news of the French court. It is only years later, as Cyrano is dying, that Roxane discovers that Cyrano has been her true love all along. The play moves slowly at first but soon becomes absorbing with its full cast of quirky and humorous characters, dashing swordplay and bittersweet bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries. romance. Outstanding performances included the animated, energetic William Dennis Hunt as Ragueneau, Barry Cutler as Ligniere and the amusing Capuchin capuchin (kăp`y  chĭn), name for New World monkeys of the genus Cebus, widely distributed in tropical forests of Central and South America. , Terry Fishman as Bellerose, John Garrick as Carbon, David Himes as LeBret, Gabriel Vega Jr. as Meddler med·dle intr.v. med·dled, med·dling, med·dles 1. To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere. See Synonyms at interfere. 2. To handle something idly or ignorantly; tamper. , Derek Medina as Valvert and Richard Harwood as Montfleury. Humor and spice were added by Elinor Baggett's Lise, Jessica Kincade and Kristin Towers as Orange Girls, and Judith Ann Levitt as Duenna duenna Noun (esp. in Spain) an elderly woman acting as chaperon to girls [Spanish dueña] Noun 1. duenna - a woman chaperon and Mother Marguerite. Other players included cadets Stephen Farrell, Chris Frizzelle, Matthew J. Olsen, Anthony Roush and Kent Winfrey, and theatergoers Patricia Adrian, Misha Toll and Rachel Toll. The young boys were played by Keith and Kenny Toll. THE FACTS WHAT: ``Cyrano de Bergerac'' by Edmond Rostand. WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through May 19. WHERE: Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is a performing arts and administrative center located in Thousand Oaks, California. It was built in 1994 on the former site of "Jungleland" at a cost of $63.8 million. , 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. COST: $20 per person, $2 discount for students and seniors. INFORMATION: (805) 497-8616 or Ticketmaster at (805) 583-8700. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: Therese Walden plays Roxane with Lane Davies as the title character in ``Cyrano de Bergerac'' at the Forum Theatre through May 19. Box: THE FACTS (see text) |
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