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Balinese
Wizards

Magic At The
Western Front

By Kacey McDouGALL

I’ve been pretty excited lately, and
it seems that I just keep getting
more and more so at each sign of
the coming apocalypse. The good
thing is that there is not going to
be a “death-and-destruction-fest”
in the western, Christian sense but
simply a death of the old world.
Look around you. Have you seen
many signs of magic reawaken-
ing? Strange coincidences that
would imply a higher movement? I
saw some spells actually woven,
stories actually told in the wizard’s
tradition. Balinese Shadow Puppet
Theatre is real live magic, and I
saw it — I experienced it

first hand.

Entering the room had a calm-
ing effect; people were encouraged
to sit on the floor. We all awaited
but knew not what to excpect
(apart from for those critters who
were back for their second dose of
this medicine...there were a few
crittering about). The spell began
as the lights dimmed, and the
flames that would light the shad-
ow screen began to weave the
first layer.

Shortly after, the music began,
rhythmic and hypnotic, centering
everyone, calming them. | am cer-
tain that the fire was charmed by
the rhythms of the music and it’s,
wavering flames worked in know-
ing harmony. This point could be
debated, but that’s not why
I’m here.

If you’ve never heard anything
about the Balinese shadow theatre,
it is an art that would hearken
back to magus and their craft. To
become a dalang of wayang kulit
takes an immense amount of
training. It’s one of those things
they love to make movies about,

Downstage

The Importance
Of Being Earnest

Vancouver Playhouse
playing ‘til December 23

The 1995 - 96 theatre season is
certainly beginning as the season
to be earnest. Both the Vancouver
Playhouse and UBC’s Frederic
Wood Theatre have included pro-
ductions of Oscar Wilde’s comedy
The Importance of Being Earnest
in their offerings, in part to com-
memorate the 100 year anniver-
sary of this play, and in part, one
assumes, to earnestly fill the
theatres.

Wilde’s play is a brilliant social
satire, full of the witty epigrams
the author is often quoted for. The
plot is nearly pure farce, but pre-
sented in a mock-serious manner
that emphasizes the hypocrisy and
superficial moral earnestness of
Victorian society. Yet, despite the
age of this script, the play feels
sadly contemporary in this age of
Mike Harris and Newt Gingrich.

Wilde, unlike character John
Worthing, knew it was not a terri-
ble thing to “find out suddenly
that all his life he had been speak-
ing nothing but the truth.”

Moreover, 100 years later, it is
interesting to consider the personal
life of Oscar Wilde. Wilde, a well
educated man with great social
conscience, was brought to trial in
1895 on charges of sodomy, initi-
ated by the father of his young
lover Lord Alfred Douglas.
Following the trial’s public humili-
ation of this brilliant man, Wilde
was sentenced to 2 years of hard
labour in prison for this homosex-
ual relationship, and he never fully
recovered from the damage to his
health and spirit. He died in 1900
at the age of 46.

The Frederic Wood Theatre pro-
duction employs a script edited
from Wilde’s original four-act
version (a three-act version edited
by Wilde is the standard version
for production). Allison Green’s
exquisite period costumes are
always in harmony with Christine

where one can only do the craft if
you're born to it, and some brash
young american goes and insults a
lot of old masters while managing
to achieve perfect mastery of the
form in about three weeks, or five
minutes of screen-time. That has-
n't actually happened that I’m
aware of. There were a lot of local
musicians helping to fill out the
orchestra who seemed pretty
blown away to be working with
this guy. Many dalangs are consid-
ered to posses supernatural pow-
ers, not to mention having a deep
and thorough knowledge of classi-
cal literature and linguistics
through having to use all three of
Bali’s languages as well as Kawi,
an ancient Javanese dialect. They
also undergo voice training in
order to achieve the range and
tone of a whole gamut of different
characters, finally wrapping up
this super human amount of skill
with the ability to cue and guide
the orchestra as well as being
familiar with the techniques
required to play all the instru-
ments. Whoah. Dalangs have been
known to bring their audiences to
tears. To me, that’s doing magic.

To tell you about the story
would be strange and interesting
because a dalang never tells a
story the same way twice. I
Wayan. Wija was the dalang who
performed at the Western Front,
and the tale was stupendously
funny despite his professed lack of
understanding of the English
tongue. The tale was subtle, and it
taught me about patience and the
state of calm that can defeat any
incarnation of power. I Wayan
Wija has adapted an ancient set a
Javanese tales to create a new set
of tales that have received much
acclaim in Bali, in the inner circles
of the Dalangs, as well as with the
public at large. This is an ancient
form steeped in magic, and as far
as I can see something is alive
beyond the physical components
of the group. I hope it’s spirit lasts
another ten thousand years...if
not more. @&

Reimer’s set, an actor-friendly
model of elegant simplicity. The
performances by the lead charac-
ters are engaging; of particular
note are Joel Spicer’s suave Jack
Worthing and Rebecca Barker's as
the social snot Gwendolen Fairfax.
Lady Bracknell, one of drama’s
most famous female characters, is
made younger and more accessible
by actor Sarah Redmond;
Bracknell’s higher social, and dra-
matic, status is not lost in the
process. This is a strong student
production, marred only at times
by accents which wander across
Britain and two other continents.
The Vancouver Playhouse pro-
duction of The Importance of
Being Earnest is recommended as
an opportunity to see Wilde’s
“trivial comedy for serious people”
come alive onstage. Student tickets
are available, and the Playhouse
offers one pay-what-you-can
Saturday matinee. For information
and tickets call 873-3311.
-Lynn Mockler ®

DECEMBER 1995 / EMILY

13

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Western Front minutes of sereen-time. That has-

nt actually happened that I'm

By Kacey McDovoat aware of. There were alot of local
s ‘musicians helping to fil out the
"ve been pretty excited lately, and orchestra who seemed pretty
seems that just keep getting blown away to be working with

‘more and more so at each sign of this guy. Many dalangs are consid-
the coming apocalypse. The good ered to posses supernatural pow

thing is that there isnot going to. ers, not to mention having a deep
te a “dath-and-destruction-fest”_ and thorough knowledge of lass-
in the wester, Christian sense but el literature and lingustics
‘simply a death of the old world. through having to use all three of
Look around you. Have you sen Ball's languages a well as Kew
many signs of magic reawaken- an ancient Javanese dalect. They
; ing? Strange coincidences that also undergo voice training in
would imply a higher movement? I order to achive the range and
sav some splls actually woven, tone ofa whole gamut of different
Stories actully tld in the wizards character, finally wrapping up
tradition, Balinese Shadow Puppet ths super human amount of skill
‘Theatre i real ive magic, and with the ability to cue and guide
saw it= Lexperenced it the orchestra as well as being
fst hand famiar withthe techniques,
Entering the room had acalm- yequired to play all he Instru-
ing effet; people were encouraged ments: Whoah. Dalangs have ben
to'sit onthe Noor. We all awaited Frown to bring their audences to
but knew not what to excpect tears. To me, thats doing magic.
(apart from for those criters who To ell yu about the story
were back for their second dose of would he strange and interesting
this medicine.shere were afew because a dalang never tls a
crittering about. The spell began story the same way twice. I
fs the lights dimmed, and the ‘Wayan Wija was the dalang who
flames that would light the shad- performed atthe Wester Fro,
‘ow screen began to weave the and the tale was stupendously
first layer funny despite his profesed lack of
Shorly afte, the music began, understanding ofthe English
shythmic and hypnotic, centering tongue. Te tale was subtle, and it
everyone calming them. Tam cer~ aught me about patience and the
tain that the fire was charmed by state of calm that can defeat any
the rhythms ofthe music and its. ineamation of power. | Wayan
wavering flames worked in know- Wij has adapted an ancient seta
ing harmony. This point could be, Javanese als to create anew set
debated, but that’s not why a tales that have recived much
Vm here claim in Ball, inthe inner circles
Ifyou've never heard anything ofthe Dalangs, as well a with the
about the Balinese shadow theatre, public at lange. ‘Tis isan ancient
itis an art that would hearken form steeped in magic, and as far
back to magus and their craft. To as cam see something salve
become a dalang of wayang kulit —yeyond the physical components
takes an immense amount of of the group | hope it’s spit lass
a the group. {hope is sp

ts one of those things another ten thousand years.if

AN pp ie ete

Downstage

Of Being Earnest ble thing to “find out suddenly performances by the lead charac
Mascouves Piayiniene. that all his life he had been speak- ters are engaging; of particular
Blaying ‘ti! December 23. ‘ing nothing but the truth.” note are Joel Spicer’s suave Jack

Moreover, 100 years lt
‘The 1995 - 96 theatre season is interesting to consider the personal the social snot Gwendolen Fairfax.
certainly beginning as the season fe of Oscar Wilde. Wilde, a well Lady Bracknell, one of drama’s

to be eamest. Both the Vancouver educated man with great social most famous female characters, is
Playhouse and UBC’ Frederic conscience, was brought to trial in made younger and more accessible

Wood Theatre have included pro- Tgp5 on charges of sodoms by actor Sarah Redmond;
Auctions of Oscar Wilde's comedy ot 7 is

itis Worthing and Rebecea Barker's as

ated bythe father of his young Bracke’ higher socal and ra-
The Importance of Being Eames? et ateg Doe mati, stats f not Tot nthe
in their offerings, in part to com- Following the trial's public humili- process. This is a strong student
‘memorate the 100 year anniver- ation of this brilliant man, Wilde production, marred only at times
‘sary of this play, and in part, one was sentenced to 2 years of hard by accents which wander across
‘aesumees, to earnestly fil the labour in prison for this homosex- Britain and two other continents.
sy theatres, Reape Cacao never eye" THE valicoute? Pa iGse
! Wilds play sa bilan social

recovered from the damage to his duction of The Importance of
satire, fll ofthe wity eplgrams| eal and sprit He did in 1900 Being Earnest is recommended as
the author is often quoted for. The ay the age of 46. an opportunity to see Wilde's

Plot is nearly pure farce, but pre- The Frederic Wood Theatre pro- “trivial comedy for serious people”
Sented in a mock-serious manner duction employs a script edited _come alive onstage. Student tickets
that emphasizes the hypocrisy and from Wilde's orginal four-act___are available, and the Playhouse

Superficial moral earnestness of version (athee-act version edited offers one pay-what-you-can
Victorian society. Yet, despite the by Wilde isthe standard version Saturday matinee. For information
age ofthis script the play feels for production). Alison Green's and tckets call 873-3311.

sadly contemporary inthis age of  Gquisite period costumes are “Lynn Mockler “®
‘Mike Harris and Newt Gingrich. always in harmony with Chis