John Holmes on Drama
The Telegram, St. John's NL
Roomies offers insight, humour and honesty
The first precept to be written on the board at any writing class is: 'Write what you know about'. In his first play 'Roomies' Paul Power has carried out this precept with insight, humour and honesty.
If you have seen the graphic 'Roomies' poster, or saw the MUN Drama production of 'Julius Caesar' you are aware of Paul Power's situation. He has never been able tomove about in the way most other people do, though this certainly does not mean that he is motionless - far from it. 'Roomies' demonstrates, as Paul Power intends it to do, 'how a disabled person may be seen in a new light - as a person, not a disabled person'.
Paul Power has created several well-defined characters in 'Roomies'. He plays David Ramsay, assigned by the new dorm monitor at the university residence, to Nick Carlson's room. Nick, played by Frank Squires, has up to now kept out or driven out any other roomies assigned to his space. Handsome Nick's technique is to seduce, then use an female in sight, especially all dorm monitors. However, Diane, the new girl on the block, played by Kelly Stone, is totally immune to Nick's fatal attraction, so David moves in. To add insult to injury Nick's English professor, Dr. Shepherd, (James McAndrew) has assigned David as the failing Nick's literature tutor.
The fifth character in 'Roomies' is the crazy Ms. Cracker hilariously performed - and gowned - by CeAnne Walsh. Ms. Cracker is a sort of a housekeeper-concierge at the residence, and with Ms. Cracker, anything goes.
Power has artfully set his play in the 60s when attitudes to people who are different were not so covert as they are now. It was a time, unlike now, when bullies and smart guys could get away uncensored with their mean tricks and snide remarks. For instance, some of Nick's girl getting tactics would now be considered harassment; Ms. Cracker wouldn't last a week in any residence!
The relationship between David and Nick is a fascinating one. David finds out quickly that Nick doesn't care about him being different, he'd be just as nasty to anyone invading his space. Once this is understood, and especially when it becomes clear that David can be of tremendous academic help to Nick, their friendship is set. Romance enters the picture with Diane, and for Nick, quite differently with Ms. Cracker. Under Selina Asgar's direction they all do full credit to the script.
'Roomies' is a well-thought out, well made full-length play. Paul Power's characters ate preceptively drawn, his dialogue is apt and natural. Situations follow upon each other logically, without strain. There seems to me to be some construction weakness in the second act which might be fixed by re-writing to combine some of the shorter scenes.
After this solid first effort, admittedly autobiographical, the challenge for this entertaining young playwright is to stretch his fancy. Paul Power's ability to write convincingly for the stage is obvious. Now his search must begin for new themes.
See you at the show!
If you have seen the graphic 'Roomies' poster, or saw the MUN Drama production of 'Julius Caesar' you are aware of Paul Power's situation. He has never been able tomove about in the way most other people do, though this certainly does not mean that he is motionless - far from it. 'Roomies' demonstrates, as Paul Power intends it to do, 'how a disabled person may be seen in a new light - as a person, not a disabled person'.
Paul Power has created several well-defined characters in 'Roomies'. He plays David Ramsay, assigned by the new dorm monitor at the university residence, to Nick Carlson's room. Nick, played by Frank Squires, has up to now kept out or driven out any other roomies assigned to his space. Handsome Nick's technique is to seduce, then use an female in sight, especially all dorm monitors. However, Diane, the new girl on the block, played by Kelly Stone, is totally immune to Nick's fatal attraction, so David moves in. To add insult to injury Nick's English professor, Dr. Shepherd, (James McAndrew) has assigned David as the failing Nick's literature tutor.
The fifth character in 'Roomies' is the crazy Ms. Cracker hilariously performed - and gowned - by CeAnne Walsh. Ms. Cracker is a sort of a housekeeper-concierge at the residence, and with Ms. Cracker, anything goes.
Power has artfully set his play in the 60s when attitudes to people who are different were not so covert as they are now. It was a time, unlike now, when bullies and smart guys could get away uncensored with their mean tricks and snide remarks. For instance, some of Nick's girl getting tactics would now be considered harassment; Ms. Cracker wouldn't last a week in any residence!
The relationship between David and Nick is a fascinating one. David finds out quickly that Nick doesn't care about him being different, he'd be just as nasty to anyone invading his space. Once this is understood, and especially when it becomes clear that David can be of tremendous academic help to Nick, their friendship is set. Romance enters the picture with Diane, and for Nick, quite differently with Ms. Cracker. Under Selina Asgar's direction they all do full credit to the script.
'Roomies' is a well-thought out, well made full-length play. Paul Power's characters ate preceptively drawn, his dialogue is apt and natural. Situations follow upon each other logically, without strain. There seems to me to be some construction weakness in the second act which might be fixed by re-writing to combine some of the shorter scenes.
After this solid first effort, admittedly autobiographical, the challenge for this entertaining young playwright is to stretch his fancy. Paul Power's ability to write convincingly for the stage is obvious. Now his search must begin for new themes.
See you at the show!