Stage Review
'World Blend' celebrates the art of the outrageous

By Joseph T. Rozmiarek
Advertiser Drama Critic

There's a tradition at Leeward Community College Theatre to do things in a big way. That full-out spirit compensates for a great deal, especially when money or experience may be less than ideal. It also offers the student body opportunities that too much caution might deny them.

•	'World Blend: Tales From the Planet's Depth' 8 tonight Leeward Community College Theatre Tickets: $13, $11 Information: 455-0385

A collection of seven folk tales done in story theater format, the production is something of a theatrical homecoming involving current students and alumni, with overall direction by Paul Cravath and linking narration by Dan Furst.

Story theater is often used to adapt children's literature for live performance, and has the actors slipping between narration and dialogue to advance the action. But this production is designed for adults, is on-and-off politically incorrect and is sometimes downright ribald.

A particularly irreverent example is Garrick Paikai's adaptation of "Little Red Riding Hood," which has the heroine undressing her doll collection and arranging them in coital positions. In this version, the wolf is a black dude from the projects and the rescuing woodsman is rewarded with a sexual favor.

Other segments are just plain fun. Paikai's mafia take on "The Dancing Princesses" has them wearing out their shoes by nightly swing-dancing in an underground speakeasy. Their succession of unsuccessful suitors end up "swimming with the fishes."

By contrast, the Japanese tale adapted by Michael Jerome Mariani II — "The Lady of the Frost" — has an elegant, esoteric look. In it, a young merchant's life is spared by a witch on the condition that he never tell anyone about her. Eventually, he lets the story slip out to his beautiful young wife, with shocking results. Presentationalism takes over, with dramatic backlighting and yards of enveloping white cloth.

"The Monkey Bridge" is adapted from India's "The Ramayana" by Phillip Bullington, and guest-directed by Troy Apostol. Here, the cue comes from professional wrestling as the Monkey People battle the Demons in a stage full of choreographed body slams.

Bullington also dramatizes "The Japanese Woman" — a Mexican story of a foreign ghost that terrorizes the countryside until she is properly laid to rest.

Other stories include a West African morality tale about a cheap guest who waters down the wine, and "The Devil's Bridge" from France, in which the townsfolk trick Satan himself.

The evening is often uneven, filled with ear-rattling accents, and occasionally in need of severe cutting. But lighting, sound, sets, costumes and choreography are all wonderfully theatrical. Best of all, the collection of stories lets everyone into the act by involving a huge cast and lots of featured players.