'The Stillborn Lover' of deception: regrets. Cargle struggles manfully to give born Lover, which opened De- troit Repertory Theatre's 39th meaning to the life of a career diplo- season, is about the circles of de- mat who has a secret. He's impres- sive. In fact, he is amazingly ceit in our lives, in the words of one vulnerable, at every oppor- of the principal characters: tunity letting his feelings "how to hide out in the open." THEATER out on a leash for a walk- Harry Raymond (Council about. Less, somehow, the Cargle) and his wife Marian (Barbara Busby) have just returned diplomat than one might expect of from Russia, where he has served an ambassador. Findley has written a fine char- as ambassador from Canada. It is acter part in the role of Juliet. Her Ottawa in 1972. In the serene set- ting of an isolated "safe house," his prattle and iron resolve, sheathed friend Mike and wife Juliet (Hollis in satin, seem precisely right, and Huston and Dorry Peltyn) meet Peltyn was accurate in nailing the character's atti- tude. Neatly, too, Findley has writ- ten Marian's role. In the early stages of Alz- heimer's disease, could she also be acting to defuse herself as a wit- ness against her husband? This is accomplished gracefully by Busby. The hap- less daughter role was handled as sensibly as possi- ble by Chillis. In scenes with her father, Findley's writing lets her down, her gripes seem churlish. Two deft char- acterizations are turned in by Schultz as the RCMP interroga- Barbara Busby, Natalie Chillis and Dorry Pelton in Stillborn Lover, tor and John at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. Biedenbach as them; Mike is to become prime min- the jock agent. Schultz achieves in- ister. And throw his friend Harry to solence wrapped in formality and the wolves. oily menace. The director, Patricia Ansuini, The Raymonds' divorced attor- ney daughter, Diana (Natalie A. has caught and revealed the char- Chillis), and two Royal Canadian acters, but has she allowed them to Mounted Police (RCMP) agent- go too far into the emotional con- types are also on hand (Ray Schultz tent, blunting Findley's satiric edge? and John - Biedenbach). I'm not sure. The physical production was In the two acts and some 48 hours in time in the lives of the cen- clumsy. levels of platforms, cramped tral characters, Harry and Mari- and unyielding, no way for actors to an come apart and the unfurling make an honorable exit without circles of secrets, deceit and ma- veering around platforms or brush- nipulation for political ends are in- ing curtains. This is, after all, a safe tertwined. They twist, like a house and should be, ironically, hangman's noose, around Harry's comforting rather than discomfit- neck. ing. The set design was by Richard Like LeCarre, Findley sees the Smith and Bruce Milan; Kenneth CD inner circle of politics and ambition R. Hewitt Jr. made good use of light CC LLJ as a circle in Dante's Inferno. Find- and B.J. Essen's costumes, not nec- C:1 ley's glass, though, is not quite as essarily right for the period, were w dark; it's more personal. The play generally relevant for each charac- 1-- shutters up irony and goes for ter. heartstrings, a wistful acceptance J E WI S H N E W S 'othy Findley's play The Still- Tim Michael H. Margolin writes about the 00 arts. — Michael H. Margolin 'Twelfth Night; Or What You Will' Rated PG ebastian and his twin sis- ter Viola are involved in a shipwreck and find them- selves washed to different shores, each believing the oth- er to be dead. While grieving for her brother, Viola decides to make the most of her cir- cumstances and disguises her- self as a man and becomes the page of Orsino, the handsome Duke of her new fated home. Viola is quickly entrusted and put to work by the Duke to act as messenger and woo for him his one desire: the beautiful lady Olivia. Quite convincing as a young man, Vi- Viola (Imogen Stubbs) and Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter) in Twelfth Night, ola soon attracts the desires of directed by Trevor Nunn Olivia himself, or herself, and formance as the roving min- tury in which we have all sup- in the meantime falls in love strel of Illyria, the "Fool," posedly been jaded, desensi- with her employer, the Duke. proves just as fascinating to tized and left with an attention Quite a pickle, yes. But rest as- watch — if not more so — as span no longer than the aver- sured, all's well that ends well. any of his more "serious" work age sitcom. Just this past year, Twelfth Night features a (Schindler's List, Gandhi). Un- there have been at least four small group of eminent acting der the guise of entertainment, films based on Shakespeare's talents, many of whom aren't his melancholy songs invite the plays, all keeping their origi- especially known for their audience and the players to nal Elizabethan dialogue. comedic roles. Helena Bonham question the wisdom of all in- Twelfth Night; or What You Carter (Howard's End and A Will, the latest of these lan- volved. Room With A View) does Equally potent is guage-faithful adaptations, a great job as the frus- Nigel Hawthorne was written for the screen and MOVIES tratingly smitten (The Madness Of King directed by Trevor Nunn, a vet- Olivia, and Imogen who covers the most eran of period and Shake- George), Stubbs, last seen in Scnse and emotional territory in the film spearean films that include Sensibility, entrances the au- as the pretentious and be- Macbeth, Comedy of Errors dience with her dual roles of trayed Malvolio, steward to and the historical biography Viola and her masculine alias Lady Jane. Nunn has achieved Cesario. Richard E. Grant Olivia. Judging by the number of a fun and finely made film by (Withnail and I, The Player) recent films taken from 100- to trusting his audience, trusting also plays a typically fine yet 400-year- old material (i.e. the story and presenting it unrecognized supporting role Jane Austen, William Shake- through some truly wonderful as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. speare), and considering that acting. Ben Kingsley's mighty per- many of these have been mon- *. 1/2 ® c_)Q!) ey-making hits, the canon Jeffrey Heimann is former seems to be living up to its editor of Film Threat, an —Jeffrey Hermann timeless reputation in a cen- LA-based film magazine. 'The Great Chefs Of America Cook Kosher' binder-style spiral volume, proceeds benefit the Jewish National Fund, say editors Idee Ger- man Schoenheimer and Ruth Madoff. Essentially, the chefs have accomplished ook out home chefs. There's a new cookbook what clever home cooks have been doing all that takes kosher cooking to fresh epicure- along: creating and recreating great nonkosher an heights. The Great Chefs of America Cook osher boasts over 175 stimulating recipes recipes and adapting them to work within from such culinary meccas as Al Forno, Mesa kashrut parameters. Interestingly, most of the recipes have an in- Grill, Four Seasons, Frontera, Vivande and ternational flavor, with a significant slant Spago. Its enticing and salubrious selec- toward the Mediterranean. It's a re- tions include everything from Pasta- freshing change from the traditional BOOKS Crusted Salmon with Roast Vegetable Eastern European fare many have as- Sauce and Griddled Shallot Croutons to Jicama, Mango and Watercress Salad with Pan- sociated with kosher food. Perhaps it's because many of the 52 chefs — a mini who's who in the Roasted Cumin. culinary world — are not biased in their think- If that's not reason enough to dive into the ing regarding Jewish cuisine. In fact, many of Annabel Cohen is a food writer and former the recipes are reprinted from the restaurants' Edited by Idee Schoenheimer and Ruth Mad- off ($36, Jewish National Fund) caterer. own cookbooks.