Act Four

  • February 23rd, 1961 - March 4th, 1961
  • Little Theatre
  • One Acts
  • Student Produced Pieces Series
 Read More

"Act Four" Is Dubbed Entertaining, Enjoyable

— Fullerton College Hornet  - John Flowers - Friday, March 3rd, 1961
HEY - "Is that Horace, the poor Emily Crews simply refuses to go out with?" asks Pat Mershon, the waitress. "Yes, but don't let him hear you," answers Mary Catherine Davis, played by Artella Navarrette. "The Dancers," the first play of the "Act Four" production stars, Emily Crews, the most popular (yet steady) girl in town, is Lelre Peck; Horace, the bore from out-of-town is affably portrayed by Art Koustik; Mary Catherine Davis, the poor yet sweet friend of Emily, is Artella Navarrette; and the waitress is played by Pat Mershon. There's still a chance to see this play with tonight's and Saturday night's performance still- to be played in the College Little Theatre 'at 8 p.m. both evenings.

Seldom has the little theater curtain opened on such an entertaining and successful show as Act Four. Tonight and Saturday, as in the previous four performances, The Dancers opens the show. This extremely difficult ten scene, one act play poses substantial problems due to the tendency of discontinuity and triteness inherent in the writing. It is saved from either fate by solid acting, especially that of Art Koustik and Artella Navarrette. Their interplay establishes a tension that is contagious, evoking the viewer's memory for better emotional" communication. Release of t~is tension brings at least half the laughs and maintains the delicate line between· emotional integrity and sentimentality; in all it shews finesse.

The Lady of larkspur Lotion. does not require the subtle acting of the first play, or perhaps it might be better to say that it requires more than· is possible from the stage. It is a philosophic drama that suffers, as so many do, from too many ideas and too little coherence. The ending is very complex and requires the closeup of a camera to be portrayed correctly. It remains a TV play out of its environment.

The Tiny Closet is existing proof that a director's interpretation is as important an the authors original intention. While written as a theme play, it is prayed, and played well as a farce. The interest is shifted from dialogue to movement shifted from dialogue to movement: indeed Rosemary Burns posture is so effective that it actually erases the dialogue at times. The purist may say that it lacks integrity; however it gains much in humor from the trade.

The fourth and final play, The Apollo of Bellac is the masterpiece of the show. From the perfect set designed. by Dick Odie, to the highly stylized acting of the entire cast, this French farce is professionally played. It is both humorous and intellectually deep; Indeed ·Apollos statement, admirably delivered by Henry Hoffman, that women don't think in the abstract is the subject of an entire new volume by the psychologist Reik.The dialogue is witty and filled with thoughts to ponder and to name the outstanding actors is to list the cast.

Two performers deserve special praise: Nancy McFadden· for her three different and wen played characterizations, and Rosemary Burns for the virtual reincarnation that she undergoes between Tiny Closet and Apollo. In all this is a cast presentation and a good one; all that is needed to make it better is a receptive audience, YOU./p>