Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 50

50 FRIDAY 20 JUNE 1997 Reviews EVENING STANDARD on designer without any zip lift the Flute Die ZauberflOte Holland Park Theatre TOM SUTCLIFFE Twilight of the Golds Arts Theatre NICHOLAS DEJONGH Allen the anxious mother and Peter Laird bellowing bizarrely as daddy are on hand So an excruciating hour of aimless family chatter ungay banter and confessional monologues before husband breaks the news of what the genes foretell Worse Tolins forges a glib parallel between the Gods of Ring (beloved of opera-queen David) and the Gold family Tim set compounds the ONATHAN play not only deals in Brave New World eugenics-but also raises an absolutely fascinating hypothesis which the dramatist then leaves to float in the air The Twilight of the Golds first seen in America four years ago was inspired by scientific researchers claiming to have identified a distinctly gay gene in some homosexual bodies retort to this doubtfiil discovery was to hypothesise about a future in which a pregnant woman 'could take tests to discover whether her impending was likely to be that shocking combination male and homosexual Tolins also exploits the fact that religious fundamentalists and homophobes of the world have already united to argue that in the future women might have the right to abort gay foetuses Other coincidences conveniently abound in the play heroine Suzanne (a distraught Gina Bellman) is conveniently married to a doctor in the thick of gay genetic research and has an adored homosexual theatre-designer brother David Gold Consciences principles and family relations are therefore set to be tested and tormented particularly as the family is close-knit Jewish conventional parents Sheila RsObskNo stars adequate good very good outstanding poor making a New York apartment look symt cally shattered David played by Jason Gould as a personable tousle-headed charmer rather than a passionate gay activist is given frail arguments to dissuade his sister from aborting no exciting clash of wills or prejudices either unput case which needs answering has to do with parental fears of a son suffering for his gayness in childhood and after Is her decision to abort a step towards suppression of human diversity and potential or an offence against humanity? answer passionately But skimpy arguments and Polly limp production never fortify my belief OBox qfflce: 0171 8363334 HE Magic Flute was written as a popular money-spinner But it also contains besides its half-serious freemasonry a coded message about human destiny Ideally it is both pantomime and something to ponder European Chamber new Holland Park production manages that inbuilt balance well thanks to evocative young stars as Tamino Sarastro and the Queen of the Night If Tamino and Sarastro initiate and master suggest real values without being pompous the entertainment looks after itself given chutzpah and a charismatic Papageno (the role of Schikaneder who commissioned the piece for his suburban theatre) Mark Evans the resonant well-rounded Welsh Papageno is extremely engaging Peter Prince is a very musical Mozart tenor with a genuine Germanic style And the young Sarastro the promising dark-timbred bass Panito Iconomou from the Guildhall School is credibly philosophical Anne edgy Pamina made much of her great aria Ach ichfuhTs Vocally the main star is Laure mellifluous Queen rich-toned with lots of agility Robert production quite sensibly divides the wide Holland Park stage into three visually distinct locations (designer Katrina Lindsey is certainly not anonymous) The arrangement help conductor Andrea Quinn when performers are at the outer edges She moulds a delicate fine Mozart interpretation handling comic and serious equally well with some out-of-phase lapses The orchestra lacks crispness Costumes are rather a jumble sale lot: Tamino in leather trousers and jacket the wicked Monostatos in a sort of Aboriginal jump-suit Masonic order includes women in bizarre costumes who behave as if drugged At the end the Three Ladies seem to be getting the Mummy treatment Speech is in English sung text in German an awkward mixture Until 28 June Box office: 0171 6027856 i i Genuine style: Peter Wedd Name: (MrMrsMs) Address: Postcode: tickets to see Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre with a bottle of champagne for the Interval The winning number ls G100018 The second draw provides two tickets to see Sian Phillips In Marlene at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue The winning number To claim the tickets ring Kim Smith on 0171 938 7645 before Tuesday To join Theatre Club return the coupon For Gold Card membership enclose a cheque for £10 payable to Evening Standard Existing Theatre Club members pay £750 for first Gold Card membership GENETIC engineering and designer babies are the subject area of Jonathan controversial new play TWillght of the Golds which comes to the Arts Theatre with a strong cast led by Jason Gould (son of Elliott Gould and Barbra Streisand) Sheila Allen and Gina Bellman Gold card members can buy two £15 tickets for the price of one while Blue Card members pay £10 for each ticket The offer Is valid for 8pm performances 23-26 June and 4pm performances 21 and 28 June Ring the box office on 0171 836 2132 quoting your membership number This gold draw provides two Please enrol me in the Theatre Music Club (No charge) Please enrol me in the Theatre Music Club Gold Card (£10 annual membership charge) Make cheques payable to: Evening Standard Send this application together with a SAE to: The Secretary of the Evening Standard Theatre Music Club Northcliffe House 2 Derry Street W8 5EE THEATRES APOLLO LAIATTS 10 ct(iatt fee) 01714166063 ccnobtgfee 344 4444420 0000 14166075 freephone 0800614903 GIELGUD THEATRE 0171 4945040 Open 24 June SHOPPING AND F1NG byMut Iambi 'Analcoupde theatre' ErSld CAMBRDGE0171 49450004166060 344 4444420 0000(tgfee)Gtan 494 5454 410607541333214365580 GREASE Sunfc SHANE RICHIE 'AMeodtrHifDJiimr Moo-SM7JOpmWedASatmaU CREA5E NOW BOOKING INTO 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