European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Playwright a Cobourn mixes laughs and gasp by Matt Wolf the associated press Alan a Cobourn is Britain s leading comic dramatist but he says audiences Are right to shudder even As they smile. Quot i have always tried but i suppose i m just getting better at running darkness and Light parallel a the 53-year-old writer says of his work which includes a Small family business a play that recently made its Broadway debut. Not that a Cobourn s work could Ever be dismissed As froth. Such Early works As relatively speaking How the other half loves and absurd person singular Aii elicited laughs but they arose out of a comprehension of the English Middle class s sexual and social foibles alongside an awareness of the human capacity for cruelty. A Small family business begins with the classic elements of farce a including dropped trousers a but it soon spirals into a morality play encompassing theft murder and drug abuse before reaching its unsettling finish. Quot i began to get the feeling we were All inventing our own rules a says a Cobourn recalling the origins of the play written for London s National theater in 1987. He said the play sprang from various conversations in Quot Green rooms a the backstage lounges frequented by actors. A Quot some people would say they Felt in certain circumstances it was of to steal food from supermarkets to steal books from libraries because knowledge should be open to anyone Quot a Cobourn said in an interview from his Home in Scarborough in Northeast England. He has been artistic director of the Stephen Joseph theater there since 1971. Quot i wanted to Trace the Slippery slope that you stood on from stealing a bottle of shampoo Worth $1.50 in a supermarket to More serious crimes a he says. Quot i m not saying anyone Ever stole a Penny is automatically doomed to be an International dope peddle. But it s very hard once you be decided certain people should be killed or robbed to draw the line. Categories get that blurring describes precisely a Cobourn s achievement which is to make people laugh and then gasp in recognition of themselves. To that extent he s closer in spirit to a classic moralist such As Molix re than to that More frequently cited analogue America s Neil Simon. A Cobourn rejects the Simon comparison Quot i never even Felt we were remotely connected except by being two pretty successful dramatists with overtly comic Quot the English Angle is much More based on character and situation a he says contrasting it with Simon s Quot verbal in the five years since a Small family business a Cobourn has written an astonishing 11 plays. His 44th, time of my life is now running in Scarborough. This Spring he s been juggling his writing with a stint at Oxford University As the third Cameron Mackintosh visiting professor of contemporary theater following Stephen Sondheim and sir Ian Mckellen. His plays invariably travel to London two years or so after their Yorkshire debuts and have provided award winning opportunities for actors including Julia Mckenzie Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton. A Small family business broke with tradition by premiering directly in London during a Cobourn s sabbatical year at the National theater. Quot i wanted to write a play with size a says a Cobourn whose play demands a cast of 17. A Cobourn s most recent West end play the revenger comedies had both size and scope spreading its alternately chilling and comic tale of a revenge pact Over two evenings and 5 i hours. The double Bill closed in january after less than three months a Fate unheard of for a Cobourn since his 1975 musical Flop jeeves co written with Andrew Lloyd Webber. But the author takes its demise in the wings theater Germany bad Kreuz Nach Bridge House players present the comedy let s murder Marsha Une 4 and 6 at 7 30 . And june 6 at 2 . At the Ruhberg theater. Call ets 490-6481 or civilian 0671-792-739. Kaiserslautern entertainment presents the musical comedy nonsense. Regular performances Are june 4 and 18 at 8 . And june 7 and 14 at 7 . Tickets Are $7. Dinner theater performances Are june 5, 6 and 13 at 7 . Tickets Are $17. Wine and cheese evenings Are june 11,19 and 20 at 7 15 . Tickets Are $10. Performances Are at the performing arts Center Mannheimer Strasse b37across from Danner Cavern. Call ets 483-8139/7543 or civilian 0631-411-8139/7543 weekdays noon to 6 . Giessen s Keller theater presents the comedy Boeing Boeing june 4-6 and 11 -1 3 at 7 30 . The theater is in Miller Hall Grunberger Strasse 143. Tickets Are $5 for adults $4 for students and $3 for children 6-12. Children under 6 Are not admitted. Call ets 343-6515 or civilian 0641-402-651 5. The Frankfurt playhouse at 150 Hansa Allee presents the musical la Cage Aux Folles june 4-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 2 5-2 7 at 7 30 . And june 14 and 21 at 3 . Call ets 320-5835 or civilian 069-151-5835. Niernberg entertainment presents the broads a St be show to maker s dream a new approach Tea the Bible s version of Man s creation Une 20 at 7 . And june 21 at 4 . At the Casey fitness Center on . Darby Cavern in Furth. Ticket compiled by Anita Gosch Are $10. Call ets 460-6509 or civilian 0911-700-6509. Frankfurt s English theater presents August Wilson s drama fences june 4-30 daily at 8 . Except mondays. Tickets Are 35 and 40 Marks for adults 15 Marks for students and children. The theater is at Kaise Strasse 52. Call civilian 069-24231620. Variety Germany Stuttgart entertainment presents Broadway bound a Talent showcase for youths age 18 and under featuring singers dancers bands instrumentalists vocal groups and variety acts june 5 and 6 at 7 30 . At the Stuttgart theater Center 5th general Hospital bad Cannstatt. Tickets Are $6 for adults and $5 for students and children 5-18. Advance reservations Are recommended. Call ets 420-6148 or civilian 0711-819-6148. Pitburg a sky Blazer presents Safe showcase entertainment at the Castle theater june 11 at 7 30 . Free admission. Darmstadt s performing arts Center on Ernst Ludwig Cavern presents the children s dance variety show / Hollywood Edge featuring classic american dance selections june 19 at 6 30 . Tickets Are $5. Call ets 348-6226 or civilian 001 51 -69-6226. Military communities and English language Heaters in Europe Ray submit information on their theater and music activities for publication in this column in the first stripes Magazine of each month information for the july column must be received by june 24 items must include performance dates times and locations Cost of tickets and phone numbers to Call for More information please Send the information to the stars and stripes entertainment unit 29480. Apo a 09211. Or the stars and stripes entertainment. Pos tank 1114 37. 6100 Darmstadt 11. Germany fun Alan a Cobourn is a moralist wants members of the audience to see themselves in his plays. Quot it was t a fiasco a he says. Quot it just failed to take he says the $70 Cost of a top ticket for the two nights was expecting a lot from British theatregoers in a recession. I would t spend that much to see any play a he laughs. More successful was his previous West end play Man of the moment which also recently premised in the United states. He says Man of the moment is a another of the morality plays Quot in which a mild mannered Bank clerk is reunited with the criminal 17 years ago shot and permanently disfigured his wife and has since become a Media superstar. A Cobourn characterizes the play As fairly heartless a which for him amounts to no bad thing. Quot people say Why Don t you have any pleasant people in your plays but the fact is audiences want to look at what s unpleasant a he says. Quot six Happy people on a sofa smiling and holding hands does t make for a very Good for disabled most of the Heaters in London s West end Are old buildings that because of their architectural importance need government permission for alterations so introducing changes to assist disabled theatregoers is often difficult. But theater managers have taken one initiative with publication of the disabled Access guide to London s West end Heaters a 40-Page Booklet that describes facilities at every major London theater. It lists those with sound amplification for the hearing impaired information about wheelchair Access details of bathroom facilities and the nearest parking and nearest underground station. The guide also cites discounts for wheelchair users and their escorts which some Heaters extend to All disabled. Useful contacts for disabled visitors to London Are also listed. The guide is available free from All West end Heaters the society of West end Heaters Bedford Chambers the Piazza covent Carden London wc2e 8hq and arts line 5 Crow Dale Road l of Don nw1 1tu. A the new York times june 4, 1992 strip he a Magazine 11
