7o 0 _0 THEATRE COI U I I Lonely ives By Noelle Brower Antique Pink Project Theatre Directed by John Russell Brown Starring Kim Hunter and William O'Leary November 1-3, 7-10 Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre 8 p.m. It spoke to me and made me want to experience it per- formed," said Project Theatre's ar- tistic director John Russell Brown of his company's latest production, An- tique Pink. "I could immediately imagine (after reading it) two ex- citing performances in the major roles. A play that does that is an ex- citing play." Antique Pink does speak to its audience, whether on paper or in per- formance. Its deceivingly simple structure encompasses three charac- ters that everyone undoubtedly has passed the likes of without noticing many times on the street,ibut no daring plot twists, no special gim- micks, no feats of skill. It is a love story, yes, but not an ordinary one. The play revolves around two cen- tral characters: Margaret, an elderly woman of 70, and Pascal, a young painter of 20. "Margaret is someone who has a great adventure, an adventure of the spirit which will lead to a change in the way she meets every day mat- ters," explained Brown. "And the young man, Pascal - whom one would imagine wholly hostile - is shown to have a quiet, different inner self. Each is searching for fulfillment." Despite her age, one gets the feeling that Margaret has aninnocent soul; her childlike delicate behavior makes the audience develop a sort of protec- tiveness for her. It is understanding, not pity that one feels for her. Here is a woman whose life can be measured out in the simple figures of her life's gross, net, and vacation pay, statements in a final chapter. Though her outward life has been unremarkable except for her small bouts with loneliness, she has retained an unquestioning attitude about life. An innocence most 20-year-olds have lost. It is a period of change for her; the death of her mother and her milestone birthday suggest that she is entering upon a new phase of her life, probably a last one. This change takes place literally upon the stage during the performance. The room where the play is set is being painted; it hasn't been painted in 40 years. Margaret has made the decision to paint the room for herself without her mother, wondering if it is right to change what has been the same for so long. The now color will be antique pink, "kind of white, like faded linen."It is a delicate color, like Margaret herself. Pascal is the painter, an introspec- tive and reticent young man. His responses to Margaret's inquiries are monosyllabic. Yet there is a sense of communication between the two, arising from the thing they have in common: loneliness. The play is full of humor. The two main characters are quirky, funny, and endearing. How can one not love Margaret's enthusiasm over her pet ants. Yes, she has pet ants, only the're not kept in an ant farm, they live with her in her apartment. She keeps wat- ch over them through a pair of opera glasses. Tonight marks the English language premiere of Antique Pink. Originally performed in German, Professor Brown commissioned the translation from playwright Richard Jest for fun <