FOUR THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS GIVE AUDIENCES CHOICES THIS WEEKEND (LOCAL THEATER REVIEWS)

The University Theatre and Jackson, Cape Central and Notre Dame high schools this weekend will entertain area audiences with bawdy tales from the greatest poet of the Middle Ages, a sweet World War II romance, Agatha Christie's classic whodunit and the musical that put the square dance on Broadway.

Four different productions, including a unique outdoor adaptation of "The Canterbury Tales," will be presented. (See schedule)

The University Theater is mounting Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" at the River Campus. The seven-actor play adapted by Dr. Sharon Bebout-Carr will be presented outdoors, if weather permits. A tent has been set up in case of rain.

At Jackson High School, "Dear Ruth" presents a dilemma for a young woman pursued by a serviceman who returns on leave from the war mistakenly thinking she has been sending him love poems.

Cape Central is presenting "The Mousetrap," the record-setting play that will have audiences wondering who the killer is. In December, "The Mousetrap" recorded its 20,000th performance in London since opening 48 years ago.

Notre Dame offers "Oklahoma!" tonight, Saturday night and Sunday night at the high school. The production was reviewed in Thursday's Southeast Missourian.

The Canterbury Tales'

Rachel Roberts is a wonder in this production of "The Canterbury Tales." As the Old Woman who tricks the knight (Adam Rutledge) into marriage in "The Wife of Bath's Tale," Roberts instantly transforms herself from a crooked-fingered hag into a beauty. In "The Miller's Tale," she is a seductively mischievous young wife, and in "The Nun's Priest's Tale" she becomes the rooster Chanticleer, hilariously pecking her way across the stage.

This is acting and physical comedy of the first order.

A recent graduate of the university and veteran University Theatre actress, Roberts is taking classes this semester while preparing to enter graduate school at Michigan State University next fall.

Rutledge gives especially strong performances as the Knight searching for the thing women most desire and as Nicholas, the scholarly seducer in "The Miller's Tale."

Tonya Lynn is a torrent of easy ribaldry as the Wife of Bath. As Absolon in "The Miller's Tale," Roman Smith discovers that a kiss is not necessarily just a kiss. Rebecca Garrett has great fun as the Queen in the "Wife of Bath," and Daniel Boughton is memorable in the role of the cuckolded Carpenter in "The Miller's Tale."

Bebout-Carr's daughter, Maggie Bragg, provides the prologue as author Geoffrey Chaucer and is demurely ravished in "The Reeve's Tale." Bragg is a recent graduate of Jackson High School.

In adroitly adapting these funny and racy stories from the many in "The Canterbury Tales," Bebout-Carr said she wanted to make Chaucer more accessible.

"I wanted to take this out of the museum and dust it off," she says.

Sarah Moore's costumes are dandy, and Marcus Stephens has devised a simple set that plays to the intimacy of the production.

"The Canterbury Tales" is recommended for mature audiences only. The four stories Bebout-Carr has adapted include passages that are linguistically suggestive and also include a good measure of feigned sexual straddling, all in the name of fun, of course. Fun is guaranteed at this production.

"Dear Ruth"

Norman Krasna's "Dear Ruth" is a trifle but a satisfying one. The first-rate cast obviously has worked hard on their timing.

Ashley Booker is perfect as Miriam Wilkins, a pubescent lass who cables her opinions to the Secretary of War and sends love poetry to servicemen. Unfortunately, she includes her sister Ruth's photographs with the letters.

When Lt. William Seawright (Zach Rice) comes home from the war on leave, Ruth (Lydia Blades) discovers she has a persuasive suitor she doesn't know. That adds up to two suitors, counting her boss, banker Albert Kummer (Brett Price). Rice makes a determined lieutenant, and Blades has a Katharine Hepburn air. Kummer has such an extreme case of Ed Grimley-itis that you sometimes wonder why Ruth would have any trouble deciding between the two.

Josh Tomlin plays the sisters' father, Judge Harry Wilkins, a traffic court magistrate who tries to be judicious. Katie Townsend is solid as his wife, Edith.

Fine in smaller roles are Gabe Nash as the lieutenant's friend, Sgt. Chuck Vincent, Tressa Honaas as the lieutenant's sister, Martha Seawright, Kayla Begemann as Dora the maid and Josh Hill as Harold Klobbermeyer.

The play is directed by Sharon Ramdial and Roy Northern, assisted by students Chris Shank and Blake Burress.

"The Mousetrap"

At Central High School, Sergeant Trotter (Ben Carter) has quite a time unraveling a murder at Monkswell Manor where owners Mollie and Giles Ralston (Liz Robertson and Justin Lusk) are entertaining five snowed-in guests who all had the opportunity to be the killer and may have had the motive.

The mousetrap refers to the killer's penchant for whistling "Three Blind Mice" before striking and to the rundown manor itself.

There's the eccentric Christopher Wren, deftly portrayed by Nick Ervin, and the obdurately disagreeable Mrs. Boyle, deliciously brought to life by Bethany Burchyett.

T.J. Bishop's Mr. Paravincini is an odd duck who wears makeup, and Lauren Parrent's Miss Casewell is someone who obviously has secrets. Lusk's Giles might even have one.

Brent Humphries plays Major Metcalf, the enigma of the group.

Eventually even the Ralstons, married a year, start having questions about each other. Robertson spent a good deal of time onstage, and her skillful acting helps keep all the entrances, exits and accusations from overwhelming the audience.

Cynthia Wyatt directs, assisted by student director Bryan Suntrup. The technical director is Joseph Bradshaw, and the stage manager is Laura Bowlin.

PLAY SCHEDULES

Canterbury Tales'

* When: 2 p.m. Saturday, Sunday

* Where: River Campus

* Admission: $4

Dear Ruth'

* When: 7 p.m. today, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday

* Where: Jackson High School Auditorium

* Admission: $4

The Mousetrap'

* When: 7:30 p.m. today, Saturday

* Where: Cape Central High School Auditorium

* Admission: $4 for adults, $2 for students

'Oklahoma!'

* When: 8 p.m. today, Saturday, Sunday

* Where: Notre Dame High School Cafeteria

* Admission: $6