Two Strikes

Zona Rosa and The Eighteenth Hole

written by Amy Ansara, directed by June Judson

produced by Theatre In Process at Nucleo Eclettico

216 Hanover Street, Boston

Performances on October 11, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23.

ZONA ROSA and The Eighteenth Hole, a new pair of one-act plays, is best understood as a production group's advertisement to attract aspiring playwrights. Theatre In Process demonstrates that it is not picky.

In both efforts, Amy Ansara attempts to confront the effects of EI Salvador's bloody civil war--loaded material, and it backfires on her twice.

Zona Rosa, the title of the second and featured play, refers to San Salvador's "Pink Zone," an enclave of cafes and boutiques. Ansara dramatizes the chance meeting of three schoolmates at one of these cafes. Bobby, Yolanda, and Rey are the only surviving members of the Class of '79 at a city prep school. Not a bad premise, but so many secrets and contradictions are breathlessly revealed that the audience can only turn numb.

Among these "shocking" revelations are the fact that Rey (Jay Chiumento) helped his classmates cheat on one of their final exams but was the only one to be expelled for the act. Ansara uses this tidbit as an excuse for a flashback to the fresh revolutionary fervor of 1979. As Bobby (David Frisch) and Rey copy over old tests, Rey equates the stealing of a Latin exam to a revolutionary act: "Say no to the academy, no to the authorities!!" Better yet, say no to the acting.

Yolanda (Mary Anthanis) also gets her share of surprises. In an agonizingly slow manner, Rey informs her that her best friend has been raped and killed, and that her husband, who has close connections to the armed forces and to the Presidente, is responsible. Soon after, Rey picks this opportune moment to announce his long-standing affection for her.

THE SHORTER OPENING play, The Eighteenth Hole, takes place in our nation's capital but its characters are no more recognizable or convincing.

Don (Richard Snee) and Angie (Carroll Goldfarb) have hit upon the bright idea of using a golf course to carry out their illicit love affair; for "seventeen glorious Sundays," the pair have made love on succeeding holes. With lines like "ooh, I love it on the back nine," Angie chases and pants over Don; he, for the most part, brushes her off and plays hard to like.

But the harmless, humorous tone of the play drastically alters when Don announces that he won't be able to make their golf date next week; as a member of the State Department, he has been assigned to pick up Napoleon Duarte up from the airport and escort him around town. For Angie, this disclosure sparks off both empty self-pity ("my whole life revolves around these weekends") and vague, shrill accusations against the Salvadoran leader. An unlucky combination, but Don's replies are no better, consisting mainly of lines like "Women.." and "It must be the bad time of the month."

Really, though, how else should one reply to scathing statements like "Napoleon Duarte probably thinks a putter is what you put on toast and a tee is something you wear." Powerful stuff.