WALK THE WALK
The Courier
By Janet Kracher
August 7, 1997
“Walk the Walk,” the Mode Theatre’s latest presentation, celebrates the past, the present, doorways between the two, and takes just a tiny glance at where the next doorway might lead. Along the way it explores some very familiar human emotions and human problems, sometimes with intensity and sometimes with high good humor.
Author and actress Jinx Davis describes the play as “planned improv,” and that’s mostly what it is. When she introduced Clare Arena, Davis explained, “She didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know what I was going to do. She passed every test indeed.” Indeed, Arena’s stage presence carries her through the performance as if she has done it all her life.
Davis begins the evening with a poem called “Life Begins
at Fifty,” by Sophie Tucker. It recounts the advantages that can only come with
experience. Among them are acquiring a judgment and appreciation of the things
that make life wonderful, in short, becoming a connoisseur. “It’s part of
her salute to Sophie Tucker. “If you can remember her,” she says, You’re well
over fifty.”
The brief story of Tucker’s life covers her early years as the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, her gradual rise to stardom on the vaudeville stage, and in particular how she adapted her style of performance so it turned her large size into an asset. A shorter remembrance of Marlene Deitrich features one of her well-known songs, “Just See What the Boys in the Back Room will have.”
Arena’s
first song, “Look at me, I’m Gorgeous,” is effective and quite appropriate.
Then after a conversational duet with Davis, she provides musical background on
the clavinola for a Davis monologue.
In the monologue, Davis is a young mother who calls her friend Ceil to wish her a happy birthday. However, digression set in, and the conversation gets more and more chaotic. They argue about Ceil’s age and about Ceil’s birthday present from her husband. Davis doesn’t think a garbage disposal is romantic enough. She yells at her daughter who is playing in the background with the kitchen stove. She sends the children upstairs then discovers they are listening on the upstairs phone. She describes the circumstances that caused her to wreck the family car, and blames it on her husband because he was giving her a driving lesson at the time. At one point she says’ “I’d like your advice on my opinion.”
After intermission Davis tells about her experiences as a storyteller, which included performing at over 500 schools and libraries. She demonstrates her technique with “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” She asks for audience participation, and the story take on a new life, but it ends the same way as always when the troll gets what he deserves.
An excursion into Shakespeare explores grief through the character of Constance who appears before King Phillip of France to mourn her son Arthur in “King John.” Love and power are discussed by Kate in the final act of “The Taming of the Shrew.”
Arena plays the clavinola to accompany herself as she sings two songs by Tori Amos. Both of them deal with issues that are particularly important to young people although to a certain extent they touch almost everyone. One song deals with doubts that attack one’s religious faith and the other one expresses a young girl’s reaction to date rape.
The last episode of the play is a poignant encounter between Arena and a not so bright young boy played by Davis. In spite of his limitations, the boy shows a beautiful insight as he talks about the items in a brown paper bag filled with presents that he brings to her. A cut crystal to refract light was rescued from a Pier 1 dumpster. It makes a rainbow for her. He thinks a hand embroidered linen handkerchief should really become a canopy for a ladybug. A pair of glasses, “When you think you’re dumb,” he says, “put them on.” A pair of lacy white gloves should be worn “for real delicate thinking.” A watch that doesn’t run proves to him that time is not important anyway. “There just isn’t any time” he says, “there’s just now.” Everything he brings is accepted with tenderness and appreciation, but she had no present to give in return, so she plays a song she wrote for him. It’s a lovely one called “Silent Dreams.” No one could have done more. He knows he is special.
In conversation after the performance, Arena acknowledges that the song was original and that she had been somewhat hesitant about playing it. She also talked about the course of studies in musical theater that she is taking at UW Stevens Point. Last year it included voice lessons, improvisation, script analysis and dance classes that included ballet, jazz and tap. She had a leading role in a production of “Romance Romance.” She’s looking forward to auditioning for “The Secret Garden” this fall.
She also talked about why she prefers a four year college to a professional theater school.
“Lets face it. It’s not a very sure to make a living. A degree and a well rounded education are important for stability.” She continued by saying, “You learn a lot about yourself.” Whether or not she continues in the field of theater, Arena is certain that she wants to do something that involves relating to other people.
In performance style she and Davis are complimentary. Like Davis, Arena has a mobile, expressive face, and a very flexible voice.
“She’s a wonderful mentor,” said Arena. As for Arena, this is a talent to watch for.
