The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 72, No. 1, Ed. 1 Monday, July 23, 1984 Page: 11 of 16
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Alley's Angel updates Hitchcock's film to satisfaction
Angel Street
Alley Theatre
Through August 26
A portrait is missing in the
Manningham household. The
maids swear that they haven't
taken it, and Bella, the lady of the
house, doesnt remember having
removed it. Is Bella going mad as
her mother did, or is something
more sinister going on?
Lately, Jack Manningham's
belongings have been disappearing
more and more often and
reappearing in Bella's sewing
basket. The picture is found
behind a cabinet; Jack then decides
to spend the evening somewhere
else, disgusted with Bella's "evil
tricks."
After Jack has left, a mysterious
caller comes to the Manningham
house, telling Bella he wants to
help her. Inspector Rough then
reveals, some very intriguing facts
to Bella which may explain certain
events that have been occurring
lately.
Thus begins Patrick Hamilton's
Angel Street, better known as "the
play that Gaslight was based on."
Many people have seen the Ingrid
Bergman-Charles Boyer classic
film, but I have not, and so cannot
make comparisons between the
Hitchcock version of 1944 and the
Alley production of 1984.
Director John Vreeke says that
this play is being presented from a
1980s point of view. Although this
was not an obvious trait, the
Boyer to direct batty comedy at Main Street
Outside Edge
Main Street Theater
Preview
In the game-playing of adult
relationships, anything is cricket,
but not everyone wins. Of course,
we all know it's not if you win or
lose, but how you play the game,
and on that element Richard
Harris focuses his comedy Outside
Edge. In the course of an afternoon
cricket match, three couples and
two bachelors play their games to
win love and affection with an
amusing dishonesty that leads to
hilarious, if serious, chaos. All
discover the difficulties of "sports-
manlike conduct" off the field as
well as on.
Former Thresher theater critic
and 1983 alumnus Christopher
Boyer directs the Houston
premiere of Outside Edge, which
opens Friday at Main Street
Theater. Boyer directed the
Players' production of Bodies, also
a Houston premiere, in the spring
of 1983, as well as a fall 1979
staging of The Odd Couple for
Wiess Tabletop. In addition to
acting in a number of shows at
Rice, Boyer recently appeared in
Rose and Wild Oats at MST.
are designing sound and lighting,
respectively, for the show. On
stage, senior Joe Ponessa will
portray Alex during the show's
final week, while 1969 alumnus
Doug Kilgore will play Dennis for
the entire run.
Several other Rice students,
current and former, are involved
with the MST production. Junior
Anne Laffoon is Boyer's assistant
director, and classmate Margi
Wald is in charge of props. Former
Players Joe Bednorz and Bill Brey
After the show opens on July 27,
performances will continue
Thursdays through Saturdays at 8
p.m. through August 25. For
reservations and ticket informa-
tion, call 524-6706.
—Jeanne Cooper
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staging of the play worked well.
The characters in this drama are
somewhat limited, but a good job
has been done by most of the
actors in trying to develop them,
even though the play takes place
over only a period of about six
hours.
The maids are basically
cardboard cut-out stereotypes;
Lillian Evans and Lawr Means do
sufficiently well as the cow-like
faithful old retainer and the young
hussy. As Inspector Rough, K.
Lype O'Dell is very amusing. He
adds comic relief when it was
needed, but was capable of being
authoritative as well.
In the lead role, Pamela Lewis
does an excellent job as Bella
Manningham. Only five feet four
inches tall, Lewis has a physical
fragility which highlights her
mental fragility. Unfortunately,
Richard Poe's portrayal of Jack
Manningham did not match that
of O'Dell and Lewis. Vreeke claims
that this Jack is supposed to be
more earthy; however, he does not
retain the smooth charm that the
audience expects as a contrast to
his cruelty.
Technically, Angel Street is very
good, with only minor flaws. Dale
Jordan's set is a sumptuous
Victorian living room full of red
velvets and a great deal of wood
paneling. Ainslie G. Bruneau's
costumes are also very period and
handsome. Particularly notable is
the young maid's "evening attire,"
a riot of pink flounces.
Although sound designer Tony
Johnson provides appropriately
apprehensive pieces of piano
music, the intermittent buzzes
during each act flaw his work.
Richard Jeter's lighting deserves
mention for his design which
simulates a fireplace at the front of
the stage.
All in all, this is a very good
production. Angel Street probably
won't have you on the edge of your
seat, and you don't need the
investigative powers of Miss
Marple to figure out what will
happen. As a mystery/ melodrama,
however, it's fun to watch.
—Karin Murphy
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The Rice Thresher, July 23, 1984, page 11
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Havlak, Paul. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 72, No. 1, Ed. 1 Monday, July 23, 1984, newspaper, July 23, 1984; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245563/m1/11/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.