Page 83 - ThePhoenix1981-82

Page S Joe Egg: A serIOUS drama Jennifer Gill Being physically handicapped is a mature adult as before. Brian, in not craft and a true knowledge of acting seriously difficult thing to deal with, being able to cope with Josephine's Her stereotypical upper-middle-class not only for tne handicapped person constant need for attention, becomes snob drew antipathy from the audi- himself but also for the people who a child himself demanding the atten- ence, and it was obvious through her must come in contact with the handi- tion of Sheila timing and actions that she was capped from day to day _ Throughout the first act, the audi- listening and communicating well with On November 20, 21 and 22, ence is introduced to the story be- the other actors on stage. Her char- Westem Maryland College's Depart- hind Josephine and one can easily acter at times seemed a little too ment of Dramatic Art presented Peter feel tne guilt and' frustration of her young and bouncy for a "sophisti- Nichol's play, "A Day in the Death of parents. Rob McQuay and Stacey cated" woman, but overall, her strong Joe Egg," a focus on the parents of a Pfeifer did a very good job of display- disinterest in Brian, Sheila, and Joe's severely epileptic ten-year-old girl, ing their anger and resentment, espe- dilemma came through rather well. Joe, and how tney try to cope with cially in their monologues. In fact. Betsy Mitchell portrayed Grace, caring for her while at the same time their monologues were much clearer Brian's boisterous mother, who truly deal with their collapsing marriage and more meaningful than their dia- dislikes Sheila and blames her for The director, Tim Weinfeld, should logues with each other. Perhaps this Joe's handicap. Grace still considers be commended for undertaking such is because Brian and Sheila could Brian her little boy and this annoys a difficult play. He, along with lighting not directly deal with each other on a Sheila great/yo Betsy Mitchell cap- and set designer Ira Domser, Iwly mature level. Brian and Sheila were tured this fast paced character and forced themselves into the world of almost believable except for their threw her at the audience just as Joe Egg and came out with a QC od English accents. One or more Grace tnrew herself at Brian and production. weeks of rehearsal and McQuay's Sheila. The quickness 01 the actions The set, a living room in an English and Pfeifer's characters would have and the delivery of speech was home, was highly imaginative with its been almost perfectly developed potent, although sometimes the flurry lopsided' doors and large ens- Lori McCoy, as Joe, did a believa- of words became too fast to under- scrossed pieces of wood as a back- ble job of portrayi.ng an epileptic, stand drop to add to the distortion, creating flinching and groaning in her help- In the end after Brian has been a prisonlike feeling. Odd paintings, lessness. Even though she didn't foiled in a semi-attempt to murder supposedly done by Brian, the hus- speak, she has much to say, and her Joe by leaving her out in the cold, the band and father, hung on the waifs body was a well-developed Ian- audience is forced to face the reality for added grimness. All were sym- guage. She suffered, and the eudi- that deep trouble has slowty settled bene of the torture of being deformed ence suffered with her. in. When Brian secretly leaves his and how it can cause dementia in The second act introduced Brian's "humble abode" in the end, Sheila people unable to deal with it. Both old school chum, Freddie, played by does not realize mat he is going. She the fighting and the set comote- David Crowe, and his wife, Pam, says to Joe "Aren't we lucky to have mented eacn other, and tom were played by Maghan Steeves. Freddie such a wonderful daddy?" Here is superbly done. is a nosey busy-body solely con- where the knife sticks in, leaving the The first scene opens with Brian cemed with making himself look good audience with a bitterly poignant note (Rob McQuay) in a humorous mono- by playing the saint who helps the about the ironies of Iile in such a lague as a teacher ordering his family in distress. he causes more situation. students: "Hands on head, eyes harm than good by convincing Sheila AI! in all, the production of "A Day front." From this moment on, one that she shOUldtry out for a play to in the Death of Joe Egg" was very realizes that the whole play demands get her mind off Joe, but this activity moving and could not help but make attention, just as Brian demands it actually cuts down the time that she a person step back and take an from his studeots. The audience can't and Brian have to spend alone overview of just how serious a situa- hetp but notice mat Brian is easily together. David Crowe succeeded in tion it is to deal with the handi- perturbed and has little patience. This ttlis role of a stuffy hypocrite, al- capped. "Joe Egg" provided some characteristic is not left at school with though here too, if the English dialect valuable insights for the students and the pupils. When Brian comes home were done a bit better, it would have surrounding public of Western Mary- to his wife Sheila (Stacey Pfeifer), he enhanced the role land College. is still impatient but he is not the Magnan Steeves, as Pam, showed Photos by Andy Chang I JC", :t'll':;~