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ENTERTAINING IS NOT A CRIME Having dealt with real critics, most of whom seem to be unproduced playwrights or unpublished authors, I can't say that I was surprised by Steffen Silvis' peevish review of my play Tourists (WW, Performance listings, June 18, 1997). I would like to point out, however, that Francien Valk designed the wonderful set and costumes for Tourists. That's why her name is listed under "set and costumes by." Also, though I'm terribly impressed by Mr. Silvis' use of the word "panto," I do have to say that it's misused in this context. A panto has nothing whatsoever to do with a spoken monologue. Finally, though Mr. Silvis has every right not to like the form a playwright other than himself has chosen, it's his duty (if he's to be a "critic") to accept the artist's premise and work from there. Comic monologues are a rare and difficult art form, first perfected by Ruth Draper. As far as I and our audiences are concerned, the two actresses in Tourists, Vana O'Brien and Wendy Westerwelle, are carrying on that tradition brilliantly. I'm only sorry that Mr. Silvis was too preoccupied with his own theatrical biases to enjoy the show as much as everyone else does. Perhaps, in time, he'll realize that it's not a crime to be entertaining. Donald S. Olson, Northwest Santanita Terrace Steffen Silvis responds: I regret attributing the fine set and costumes to someone other than Ms. Valk. As for the definition of "panto," I respectfully refer Mr. Olson to the Oxford Universal Dictionary as well as to a Latin grammar. PEACEFUL PROTESTERS UNITE As a longtime member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) I need to protest your article on the Rain Forest Action Network's (RAN) conviction under Washington state's anti-"sabotage" laws ["Raw Deal," WW, June 18, 1997]. Laura Peterson portrays the IWW as being [a] violent organization. This assertion is a serious error bordering on slander. The violence in the what she terms "labor uprisings" was one-sided. It was Wobblies who were beaten, lynched, imprisoned and deported, often illegally. And what were these IWWs attacked for? Fighting for an eight-hour day, for free speech and for a better world for working people. The "Criminal Anarchy" laws the RAN protesters were convicted on were originally aimed against the IWW. But what was the "sabotage" they were designed to prevent? They were aimed at stopping the IWW from walking off the job and from conducting slow downs and sit downs. The "Criminal Anarchy" and "Criminal Syndicalism" statutes of the 1910s and '20s were serious attacks not only on working people but the freedoms that are supposed to be guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Like the anti-terrorism bills of today, these laws used generated threats to roll back the small freedoms workers enjoy to effectively fight for a better world. C.A. Canny, Southeast Yamhill Street POLITICS OR LUNATICS? Your effort to armchair quarterback the motives of the Oregon Legislature has reached an all-time level of inaccuracy, if not lunacy ("Before the Deluge," WW, June 18, 1997). The intimation that HB 2821, a so-called "consumer friendly" bill deregulating the electric utility industry, did not pass because legislators were concerned about not getting campaign contributions from the investor-owned utilities doesn't make sense. If the VanNatta vs. Keisling Oregon Supreme Court decision had had an influence on the disposition of HB 2821, the bill would have likely passed. You see, Associated Oregon Industries and the Industrial Customers of NW Utilities strongly supported the bill. These two groups represent the largest multinational manufacturers and industries in this state. The campaign contribution potential from these organizations and AOI's 2,500 individual member companies like Intel, Georgia Pacific and James River vastly exceeds the combined campaign contribution resources of Portland General Electric/Enron and PacifiCorp. Following your weak logic, the votes should have followed the big campaign money, which supported the bill. That didn't happen. I'm not here to defend PP&L or PGE. Rather, having been present at nearly every committee meeting on HB 2821, it was the difficulty of the issue, the uncertainty of a positive outcome for all Oregonians, and the many, many unknown answers to key questions that defeated the bill. Hopefully, the opponents of HB 2821, of which my organization was one, and the proponents of HB 2821 can sit down during the interim and reach agreement on what course of action will benefit all Oregonians. And perhaps by then Willamette Week will hire someone to actually cover legislative hearings instead of inventing phantom theories which only serve to further reduce the public's perception of Oregon's legislative process. Sara Baker-Sifford, general manager, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association RISK-FREE REDUNDANCY After reading Mr. Silvis' wrapup of this year's Portland Drama Critics Circle "Drammy" Awards ["And the winner is...," WW, Culture Buzz, June 25, 1997], I felt that it came as no surprise to see that the Portland theater community had once again toasted another year of generally insignificant work (with a few exceptions) by participating in an event designed to impose an oversimplified "best and worst" mentality on the entirely subjective world of theater. In my own subjective opinion, it is even less palatable to see that the primary beneficiary of such affected behavior will be Portland Repertory Theater for its utterly inert production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. When will Portland theater artists finally understand that theater cannot develop any level of originality or complexity when it is force-fed a diet of trophies and risk-free redundancy? For those artists and audiences who produce and support the counter-hegemonic new blood of the living and breathing art of theater, remember that your voices will remain long after the decaying funk of this antiquated awards extravaganza has cleared from the dignified interiors of the Benson Hotel. Bryan Markovitz, Southeast Ramona Street GIVE THE BABES THEIR PROPS It's great to see that Portland's "alternative press" is still in the dark ages when it comes to giving women credit for their talents ["It's a BABE-O-RAMA," WW, July 2, 1997]. What the hell does estrogen have to do with the women singer-songwriters coming to town? Do they all sing about estrogen? Is estrogen their main inspiration or maybe they are just talented because they are "babes." I have yet to see an article titled "Portland gets a testosterone surge as several prominent male singer-songwriters visit this week" and then continue on about how it is "testosterone week" and maybe we should start a conspiracy theory if another male played in the same week. Get with it. Stop associating women's talent and success with their body parts, hormones and looks. I realize your paper caters to the boring Middle American beer snobbing yuppies in order to keep in business, but have a little class and give the women their props when due, with respect. Danielle Pollack, Southeast 62nd Avenue |
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