Powerful Farce Now That Ice Storm Is Behind Us, We All Can Laugh At ‘Black Comedy’

Perhaps in honor of the community trauma known as Ice Storm, the Spokane Civic Theatre’s summer show mines the unlikely comic possibilities of … a power outage.

“Black Comedy,” which opens tonight, is a flat-out farce by playwright Peter Shaffer, best known for a pair of serious-minded masterpieces, “Equus” and “Amadeus.”

But back in London’s swingin’ ‘60s, he wrote this play, which is based almost entirely on a switcheroo device: The play begins with the stage totally black, which means the lights are supposedly on; then suddenly, the stage lights flash on, which signifies that the actors have been plunged into a blackout.

The humor then comes from watching the actors grope about, painstakingly trying to perform the simplest of tasks while not damaging priceless antiques. The humor also comes from watching them surreptitiously behaving the way people behave when they think nobody is watching.

“It’s an ingeniously absurd initial proposition worked out systematically to the point where the last little drop of humor is squeezed out of it,” critic John Simon wrote of the 1993 revival. “The laughter is often so loud and long that large patches of dialogue get lost, but who cares, given that the stage business bristles with fun.”

This is a one-act, which is usually performed along with its companion piece, “White Liars.” However, the Civic has decided to forgo “White Liars,” which may be just as well, since Simon said of this pair of plays, ” ‘Black Comedy’ is the popular sister, and ‘White Liars’ the wallflower.”

The Civic production features Scott Finlayson in the lead role, along with Maynard Villers, Ron Ragone and Kathie Doyle-Lipe. Norman Gano directs.

The show runs tonight, Friday and continues July 17-19, 24-27 and Aug. 1-2. All shows are at 8 p.m. except the July 27 show at 2 p.m. There will be no show this Saturday because of the Civic’s 50th Anniversary Volunteer Reunion.

All tickets are $10 general admission and can be reserved by calling 325-2507 or (800) 446-9576.

‘The Front Page’

WSU’s Summer Palace opens the 1920’s newsroom farce, “The Front Page,” tonight in Pullman.

This Ben Hecht-Charles MacArthur classic is a satirical look at yellow journalism. It has been adapted successfully for the screen several times.

The show will run tonight, Friday and Saturday and will continue July 16-19.

All shows are at 8 p.m. in Daggy Hall’s R.R. Jones Theatre on the Pullman campus. Parking is available in the Daggy parking garage. Tickets are $8, with discounts for seniors and students. All seating is reserved, available by calling (509) 335-7236.

‘We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby’

A public performance of a unique new project called “On Stage!” comes to The Met on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The cast consists of people with long-term psychiatric disabilities. The show is a way for them to build self-confidence by participating in the performing arts.

The “On Stage!” project is a step-by-step learning process that emphasizes self-esteem and confidence-building. The skills acquired through performance can help prepare these students for entry into the work place.

The project is coordinated through the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training (WIMIRT) and funded by a grant from the Department of Social and Health Services, Mental Health Division. The eastern branch of WIMIRT is operated through Washington State University at Spokane.

“We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” is a musical program written, arranged and directed by Donna Douglass, a music therapist for 30 years.

Tickets for this public performance are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and $1 for mental health clients.

Call 358-7676 for information or to reserve tickets.

‘Once Upon a Shoe’ The kid’s summer drama camp at The Cutter Theatre in Metaline Falls, Wash., will stage this one-act play based on Mother Goose rhymes on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $3 per person, available at the door.

‘Cream of Wit’ Unexpected Productions, Spokane’s improvisational theater-comedy troupe, brings its impromptu mayhem to the Spokane Falls Community College Theatre, Building 5, for a performance Friday at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $6, or $5 with student I.D. Call 747-7045 for reservations.

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