'Moonlight' lights Up Purple Rose Stage * More than a Bakery * More than a Coffee House * More than an Ice Cream Shop * More than a Candy Shop * More than a place for lunch... I It's a Sweet Dream come true! *Bring in this ad and enjoy a cappuccino and a slice of cake for only $4.00 (regularly $5.25) * Or purchase a torte at 15% off Offer expires November 3, 1995 Hours Mon-Thurs lam-11 pm Fri & Sat lam-midnight. Sunday 9am-10pm 6558 Telegraph Rd. in the Bloomfield Plaza (810) 737-8900 IMI=M1111• ■ When Planning Your Next Bar/Bat Mitzvah... Visit Our Facilities And See What All We Have To Offer!! SWEETEST DAY SPECIAL $5500 per couple (selected dinners only) CALL NOW FOR YOUR RESERVATIONS! Call for details 30555 Grand River Farmington Hills 810647802010 , t's the cabin. We are in the famous Soady family deer camp in the Upper Penin- sula designed by Daniel Walker, and it seems absolute- ly genuine. A place never touched by the hand of woman, including Albert's wife and the boys' moth- er, Big Betty Ballou — "da only girl in town who owned a toot'brush," Albert tells us. 'Trou- ble is she used it to comb her eye- brows, but ..." Well, don't get him started on dat. And so, depending on who you are and what you like, one of the season's most politically incor- rect, but funny and sometimes generous new plays, Escanaba in da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels, is off to a running start. To begin, Albert Soady, crusty and sure of what's right, talks to us about deer season 1989 and the wondrous thing that hap- pened — and it's right here where sides get chosen up. For some, this evening will be a scream; others may hate it — it takes on sex, isolation, rein- carnation, love, male bonding and bodily functions not usually discussed in the theater. It is a two-hour-long Yooper joke (deb- it) filled with genuine affection (credit). The play moves easily between da best," Remnar says. "It's like past and present as oldest son Christmas wit guns!") is off on Reuben and then younger son the adventure of a lifetime. Be- Remnar (great name, eh?) Soady fore they are finished, they will join Albert. ("So," Dad tells us, have called up the spirits of In- "they're not the two sharpest dians, talked with a reincarna- tools in the shed.") They haul in tion of Grandfather Alphonse, the Leinenkugel by the pickup doused themselves with porcu- truck, load and drink it as fast as pine pee; and, just when you they get it in the house. There's thought nothing could get worse, suffered through a vis- promised home-brewed it from the DNR in the whiskey, too, of course, person of Ranger Ted, and pasties. Everything who has just seen God seems OK. on the ridge. Then the fourth The production val- member of the party ues are good. Costumes, joins everyone. He is from Remnar's shirt "the Jimmer" and he speaks as if ... well ... to DAVID MAGIDSON held together with duct tape, right down to the be honest, as if he's been SPECIAL TO THE long johns, are perfect- returned from being ab- JEWISH NEWS ly designed by Edith ducted in a spaceship by Leavis Bookstein. The aliens, which it turns performances are full of energy out is exactly what happened a few years earlier. Holy wa! — and good enough to cover up things are about to start popping! some minor — and a few major You see, Reuben, well-played — writing flaws. Everyone is do- with real desperation by veteran ing convincing work, including actor John Siebert, is on the edge Dai-Parker Gwilliam as Albert of being the oldest Soady to nev- and Joseph Albright as brother er bag a buck. (And dey're out Remnar. Particular kudos go to dere, big as Buicks! He's just a Wayne David Parker as 'the Jim- lousy shot, eh? A buckless Yoop- mer." You gotta love him; heck, he saves the day in ways I can't er. Da bottom of da barrel.) The story is complicated, but even tell you about in a family this merry crew ("Deer season is newspaper. • As Ranger Tom, Randall Good- win turns in an interesting per- formance, too. The role, however, points up the play's major weak- ness: Jeff Daniels' unwillingness to have faith in his own stuff. I don't know if he's nervous, but the play is strong enough that the show business wisecracks de- signed to shore it up don't play; and we feel it most with the Ranger. This is a crackling-good deep- woods yarn, though; wild and un- expectedly tender. Finally, despite the rough language and the suspicion that you shouldn't be having quite so much fun watching people being made fun of, everyone wants Reuben to get his buck. On stage, they're all working as hard as they can to- ward this goal, including Wolf Moon Dance, Reuben's Indian wife, who conjures up this whole thing out of great love and then shows up briefly, played by Jen- nifer Hunter, who seems perfect. So, a hearty welcome to Daniels, new artistic director Guy Sanville and all the designers — particularly sound designer Joe Jenkins, who actually made the theater shake during the deer stampede. Wow! Dat's some show d e re!