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review What do you think of when you think of West Coast Ensemble? Acting? You probably do, because WCE has a street reputation as an actor-driven theater company. In fact, it has more than 150 members, at least according to its current literature. As an actor-heavy company, WCE tends to favor actor-centered plays. That’s particularly true of its world premieres. WCE’s recent originals have included some real duds, and the trend continues with the dull thud of Tony Tanner’s "The View from Table Mountain". If you like talk, you’re welcome to this garrulous and inert one-act. It’s a history play that substitutes information for action, a work that demonstrates intelligence but provides no suspense and little conflict. It sucks. Granted, the play’s question is provocative: what if Francoise Gilot, Frieda Lawrence and Vera Stravinsky got together in the afterlife to shoot the shit about their men -– Pablo Picasso, D.H. Lawrence, and Igor Stravinsky? Would it be interesting? Well, it would provide a workout for three mature actresses. And that’s probably why we’re seeing "The View from Table Mountain" -– because Anita Adcock (as Francoise), Joyce Meadows (as Vera) and Angela DeCicco (as Frieda) deserve to have their first-class talents featured in leading roles. Tanner really has to be commended for this: when was the last time you watched a play with leading roles for three mature women? At the same time, though, he has to be questioned for presenting less a play than a history lesson. There are two kinds of historical plays. The good ones presume history is happening, live and direct, before our eyes. The bad ones presume history needs to be regurgitated and repeated. Tanner’s play, being set in a kind of afterlife, has nothing to do but look back at what's already happened in the lives of its characters. There’s nothing at risk for the future. So the characters express countless variations on "I can remember when we were in __", and "you were always the one who __", and so forth. In fact, the whole play feels like memories. And looonnnnng memories. D.H. Lawrence (Scott Ryden), Igor Stravinsky (Larry Lederman) and Pablo Picasso (Jack Kissell) show up for variety, but they bring exposition along with them. (The cast navigates Tanner’s prolix dialogue with amazing ease; then again, acting is WCE’s true strength.) Tanner, the program states, has been in theater a long time -– as a director, writer and actor, both in America and England. He’s obviously skilled. His play feels pretty obvious. "The
View from Table Mountain", Tues-Thurs through Oct. 5 at West Coast
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