 |
ON STAGE: 'Night of the Iguana' simmers with passion and plightBy LISA MILLEGANModesto Bee, August 27, 2002 MURPHYS -- "Fast decay is a thing of hot climates," says the Rev. Shannon in Tennessee Williams' play, "Night of the Iguana." In the sweltering Costa Verde Hotel in Mexico where the drama takes place, he and the other expatriate characters fight despair and wonder why their lives have become so unfulfilling. Murphys Creek Theatre's production, which opened Friday in Stevenot Winery's outdoor amphitheater, has a marvelous cast that gives audiences a riveting close-up view of madness in the rain forest. Set in 1940, the play revolves around Shannon, a defrocked Episcopalian minister who has frequent nervous breakdowns and makes a living by driving tour buses. He stops at the Costa Verde so he can lie on the inn's hammock and escape the demands of his annoying tour group of Baptist college women. His friend, the hotel owner Fred, has recently died, but Fred's widow, the lusty, bored Maxine, is eager to offer Shannon comfort. Unfortunately for her, the minister only has eyes for hotel guest Hannah, a penniless "spinster" painter who is traveling the globe with her grandfather, the "oldest living and practicing poet." A bothersome part of the play is Shannon's disturbing views of women. He has nothing but disgust for the sexually active female characters and beats those who sleep with him. Yet he respects and admires the celibate Hannah when she refuses his advances. The outdated view of women as either saints or whores is tiresome. However, Williams' writing is superb and his characters are so well-drawn that the drama is worth the discomfort. Graham Scott Green is sensational as Shannon and is equally believable in his fits of rage and quieter monologues. Sheila Doyle is appropriately boisterous and loud as Maxine and makes her a likable character. Kathleen Ennis fittingly plays the honest Hannah with strength and dignity. Mike Clark is endearing as Hannah's sweet but absent-minded grandfather. Six other actors round out the cast. The original play includes a family of Nazi tourists, but director Michael Janes eliminated them from his production. The characters don't add anything substantial to the drama. The set of the Costa Verde Hotel's rustic veranda fit well in the outdoor venue. A "rainstorm" at the end of the second act is impressive. Playgoers from the Modesto area should be warned that it is a 1 1/2-hour drive on narrow roads to the amphitheater. But the fine acting, beautiful hills and stunning sunset is worth the trip. Just remember to bring a coat -- it gets chilly. |
 Murphys Creek TheatreP.O. Box 603, Murphys, CA 95247 (209) 728-8422 info@murphyscreektheatre.org |
 |