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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 19. August 1 1977

The Chapel Perilous

The Chapel Perilous

The Chapel Perilous An Australian Play By Dorothy Hewett directed by adrian kiemander victoria university drama studies memorial theatre august 4,5,6. bookings: phone 721.000 ext 693

Drama Studies' major production for 1977 is the Australian play Chapel Perilous by Dorothy Hewett which will be staged in the Memorial Theatre on 4th, 5th and 6th August at 8 pm. Chapel Perilous is, to an extent, an autobiographical play which spans the years from 1939 to 1970 in the lite of [as Sylvia Lawson, an Australian critic calls her] "the female hero", Sally Banner. Dorothy Hewett acknowledges that Chapel Perilous was her third play after she had broken away from the confines of naturalism and the formal confines of the proscenium arch. She says "I found myself going back continually to Brecht and the Elizabethans, wrestling with the concepts of apparently pure freedom in time and space on an open platform". This has meant that cause and effect structures and the imitation of external events have been bypassed for "ritual, expression ism and musical comedy".

The music, under the direction of Rod McKenzie, is of paramount importance as it enables the compression of an era into a few bars — the years of World War II in Australia being distilled into such tunes as Chattanooga Choo Choo and the White Cliffs of Dover.

Sally Banner's extravagant individuality and flagrant sexuality should appeal to many who affirm a liberationist stand. Sally "would not bow" to the demands of convention, represented in Chapel Perilous by the Authority Figures' — Headmistress/Mother; Chaplain/Father/Thomas; and Sister Rosa/Saul. Joan Freeme plays the dual role of Headmistress/Mother, Paul Barett the Chaplain/Father/Thomas; and Gareth Mundy that of Sister Rosa/Saul. These many faceted roles are crucial to the concept of the play representing as they do, the three types of authority figures within society. The headmistress/Mother is the "natural authoritarian" who takes to authority as if born to it, without self-doubt or uncertainly. Sister Rosa/Saul deliberately seeks authority through positions of power, while the Chaplain/Father/Thomas must be regarded as representing those "who have authority thrust upon them" and who are both uncomfortable and ineffectual within their position of authority.

These are demanding roles for the actors requiring as they do, split-second changes from one character to another within the space of a few lines of dialogue but which add tremendous vitality and pace to the play.

By contrast, Michael, played by Len Nightingale and Sally Banner, played by Phillipe Byrne are solo roles, thereby underscoring their indivuality.

These five major roles are dependent upon the large chorus which represents society's "conservative majority" —. The upholders of the status quo" who comment cynically or mockingly, and who condemn mindlessly following the lead given them by the figures of authority.

In directing this play Adrian Kiernander, has [unclear: partially overcome] "the confines, of the proscenium arch" so that the play's natural energy and exuberance spills over into the audience. Besides the three performances on Thursday 4th, 5th and Saturday 6 th August, it is hoped that Chapel Perilous will be performed during Arts Festival. Bookings may be made through Judy Russell 721 000 ext. 693 during office hours.