FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1981
THE BENNETT BANNER
PAGE FIVE
Tke audi
lence was
loud and 1
ow
But BC Players’ standards were high
by Theresa Coleman
The first production of the
1981-82 Bennett Players
didn’t draw record crowds,
but it deserved them.
On Nov. 23, “The Glass
Menagerie” was performed in
a theater less than half full.
Tennessee Williams’ play,
which revolves around four
principal characters, had two
exceptional actresses, Joan
Walker as Amanda Wingfield
and Delores Gibbs as Tom
Wingfield.
The story tells of the strug
gle of Amanda Wingfield, the
mother, and her two children,
Tom and Laura. The play, sit
uated on the border between
fantasy and reality, shows
Amanda and her daughter
caught in both worlds. Aman
da, somewhat an eccentric,
reflects on Southern tradition
often and attempts to force
her Southern-Belle past on
her children.
Laura, who is crippled and
rather timid, retreats into the
world of her glass menagerie
and her victrola. Tom, frus
trated by the naggings of his
mother, contemplates his
departure.
Amanda is eager to see her
daughter married. A crisis
occurs when Tom, at his
mother’s wishes, brings home
a young man from his job to
meet Laura. The caller’s visit
is anxiously awaited, mostly
by Amanda. When the caller
arrives, Laura is temporarily
at ease with herself and sur
roundings, but the climax
comes when the gentleman
announces he is engaged and
Laura’s and Amanda’s dreams
crumble. Eventually Tom
leaves to join the Merchant
Marines.
Joan Walker’s portrayal of
Amanda was f i e s t y and
seemed almost effortless.
Walker portrayed the South
ern mother with romaniticism
and a certain giddiness needed
to make Amanda Wingfield
believable. Another delightful
performance was delivered by
Delores Gibbs as the drunken,
sometimes distraught, and al
ways dreaming Tom. Gibbs’
quips to Amanda were sharp
and amusing. Together Walk
er and Gibbs are a duo to keep
an eye on. Others in the cast
were Angela Wilkins as
Laura, Anthony Pace as the
Gentleman Caller and Daisy
LeGrand (Mary Hopkins) as
the Narrator.
It should be mentioned that
the two performances of the
play, Nov. 22 and 23, were
cast with two different sets of
actors and actresses. In the
first showing, the play’s di
rector, Mary Hopkins, gave
her version of Tom Wingfield,
the son.
Hopkins, while directing
and starring, also rewrote
some of the play, changing
several aspects. For one, in
the original presentation, Tom
narrates the story. In the
Bennett Players’ version, a re
tired school teacher narrates.
Another variation was to up
date the dialogue. In one
scene, ballplayer Reggie Jack
son is mentioned. This would
be fine except that the scenery
and costumes would suggest
that Jackson had not yet been
born. This small gap in the
play was not disastrous. And
yet another change came
when lack of male actors
made female Players take the
roles.
These minor alterations
weren’t as disturbing as some
of the variations that came
from the audience. An audi
ence’s lack of consideration
can affect a play’s impact.
Two men chattered through
out the performance. In the
future, such rudeness should
not be tolerated by other view
ers or the actors. Perhaps a
security guard should attend
subsequent productions.
In the future, we hope to
see more and better plays
from the Bennett Players,
with better conduct from the
audience.
Security is source of iiappiness
Senior Joan Walker gives a stirring Interpretation of a NIkkI Giovanni poem
during the Kw/anza program. Walker’s talents as an actress are highlighted
In two reviews of her recent portrayal of Amanda Wingfield
in “The Glass Menagerie” (above and below). (photo by Shelly Coston)
(From pg. 4)
there is in receiving.” (Acts
20:35)
Before my last class of the
day, I continue to ask stu
dents their thoughts on hap
piness. “Presently, it means
I’ve found a major that is
satisfactory,” responds Leslie
Barr, an English major.
Valeshia Watson, a nutrition
major, defines it as “enjoying
life’s simple pleasures.”
“Happiness is being with
the people you care about,”
says Kimberly Ray, a social
welfare student. It is “having
someone to love and someone
to love you in return,” adds
Dawn Roberts, also majoring
in social welfare. Medical
technology major Lisa Wil
liams answers that “happi
ness is sharing your love with
someone or some persons who
love me.” Also, it is “feeling
good all over, feeling the
warmth and closeness of an
other and being able to say I
love you and feel good about
it,” replies Daphne Wright, a
nursing student.
What is to one, may not be
to another. Happiness is one
experience in life that no two
people can definitely agree
on. It can be a complicated
notion to be in constant search
of, and not a feeling to be ac
quired easily, or it can be
spontaneous simple, charm
ing, heartwarming.
“Happiness is simply laugh
ing and smiling, sometimes,
and being able to accept
things as thev come and how
they are, not letting one event
affect one’s whole life,” ex
plains Robin D. Wilson, a
sociology major.
“Are you happy?” I ask.
The answer is usually yes.
Avis Douglass, a “yes” per
son, defines hanpiness this
way: It “is the ability of two
people to share all problems
and good times together.”
Valorie Fee, a chemistry ma
jor, tells me that “being happy
is feeling good without any
kind of drug or external stim
ulus.” Pre-dentistry major
Pauline Nzeribe says that she
is happy and that to her it is
“just feeling good all over.”
“For me, happiness is for
everything to go in a simple
way with as few complica
tions as possible,” relates pre-
med major Donna Wilson.
After carefully weighing
each response I asked myself
just what determines happi
ness? To many students, a
new car would be the magic
key to their happiness. For
some it would be better grades
or graduation. Still some will
find their happiness in the
experiences and challenges as
a college student. I’m inchned
to agree with Tracey Cooper,
a psychology major. She says,
“Happiness is loving God, and
loving everyone else in a
special way.”
Walker glitters in ‘Glass Menagerie’
by T. M. Johnson
The Bennett College Play
ers presented their rendition
of “The Glass Menagerie”—a
play by Tennessee Williams
Nov. 22-23. It is the story of
Amanda Wingfield, a woman
who is a carry-over from the
age of Southern gentility.
Amanda lives in poverty in
a St. Louis apartment with
her children Tom and Laura.
Amanda works eagerly to
guide her children to succeed
in life, though she becomes
more of a hinderer than a help
to her children.
The action of the story ar
rives when Amanda persuades
Tom to invite a friend home
to meet Laura. Amanda has
resolved to marry Laura off
since it has become evident
that Laura will have no part
of the business career that her
mother has arranged for her.
Laura and the caller get
along well enough despite
Amanda, and Laura is tem
porarily transported out of
her world of illusions. The
crash comes when both Aman
da and Laura find out that
the gentleman caller is en
gaged to be married. The
world of illusion Amanda and
Laura have created collapses
and Tom is finally driven to
leave home. The Players pre
sented this play in five acts.
The most enjoyable aspect
of the Players’ presentation
was the fact that Drama coach
Mary Hopkins performed the
part of Tom on opening night.
Hopkins’ interpretation was
both strong and amusing.
Hopkins revealed a new as
pect of her talents, and she
clearly became the highlight
of the play.
Kathy Lewis, who was fea
tured in the role of Amanda
on Sunday evening, was at
best faltering and many times
less than acceptable in her
performance. Lewis, who re
turned to Bennett this semes
ter after a year’s leave, dis
appointed many of her fans
with a rendition of Amanda
which was hesitating, unco
ordinated, and in many in
stances, less than acceptable.
Newcomer Diane M. Ew
ings, a freshman, won much
of the audience on Sunday
with her portrayal of Laura.
Ewings’ charming work left
the audience with the im
pression that she will be some
one to watch for in future
productions.
On Monday night, Joan
Walker dazzled in her por
trayal of Amanda. She played
the role with fluidity and con
fidence which stir the imag
ination. It was easy to become
involved in Walker’s portray
al, and as a result, the play
as a whole.
This reviewer wondered
aloud why Walker was not
permitted to perform on
opening night. Delores Gibbs
was engaging in her perfor
mance of Tom on Monday
night. As a result, both
Walker and Gibbs become the
focal points of the second
evening’s presentation.
Also featured was sopho
more Angela Wilkins. Wilkins
took on the role of Laura on
Monday night and was quite
enjoyaisle. The audience hopes
to see her involved in many
future productions.
Overall, both performances
were quite skillful. Despite a
few hindrances, the produc
tion was presented well on
both evenings and was much
respected and enjoyed. Never
theless the smash of both
showings was Mary Hopkins.
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