we at If humor that is raw to the point of being gross is your meat, you might find satisfac- tory fare in the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s current offer- ing, the CODCO Show. The production is the Waning of the Moon Cafe or The Ed Sullivan Show, a series of skits by the Newfoundland-based the- atre company, and it runs Mon- day through Saturday until Dec. 1. priest flesh’’ delivering a sermon on the evils of drink and sexual immorality with pious relish; two zealous matrons who attend funerals the way most people at- tend movies and who ‘‘comfort’’ his brother already decomposing in his coffin in the living room; a salty conversation between two TOM SEXTON . Codco’s warm-up wil. ‘‘outporters’’ (those Newfound- landers who are definitely not from St. John’s) on drownings, severed limbs and general muti- lation; a song and dance number on the ‘‘retardos at Ricardo’s’’ — these are some of the more, shall we say, striking offerings from this talented five-member group. Newfoundland is witnessing a kind of cultural renaissance these days and several theatre and musical groups have emerg- ed from what could be termed St. John’s young intelligentsia. Audiences across Canada have ally to the creative efforts of the folk rock groups, Figgy Duff, Codco (which now has five shows to its credit) and the more \ Politically motivated Mummers. “A big handsome hunk of a distant relative for the loss of usually responded enthusiastic-' Raw and earthy humor from Codco of Nfid. The component parts of this cultural movement naturally have similarities to each other, sharing as they do the rich folk heritage of Newfoundland. What makes Codco and the Mummers compelling is their mutual reliance on the mores of the island, exemplified by the pe- culiar, old-world type accent and the humor and attitude that can be summed up in one word: ir- reverence. Yet here the contrasts are also apparent: The Mum- mers used this feature to bring out the warm, human side of their characters, creating almost romantic figures in their last play, They Club Seals Don’t They? Codco, on the other hand pre- sent Newfoundland’s cultural at- tributes in a decidedly anti-ro- mantic way, pointing out the negative aspects of a region his- torically isolated from the rest of the world and exploited by it. Drunkenness, degration. and bigotry abound in the skits. The difference between Codco’s ap- proach to these stark realities and that, say, of Newfoundland novelist Percy Janes (House of Hate), is that Codco finds them funny. The term ‘‘black humor’’ is not out of place. Codco is as cosmopolitan as it is regional and many of the skits go beyond the boundaries of Newfoundland where much of the lighter humor is found. In one sketch, a Desi Arnaz type. ‘*Ricardo,’’ replete with the fix- ed, phony smile, attempts to sell the audience on the faded attrac- tions of his cabaret. In another, “the audience participates in a scene after they are told that the theatre has been converted into a space ship that is leaving for an- other planet — and they must supply the sound effects with conveniently provided ‘‘inflat- able dirigibles.’” The opening skit in which the underwear-clad company slowly becomes aware of the presence of the audience, is worth the price of admission. It’s basically an apolitical romp on the darker side of hu- manity and the cast — Andy Jones, Mary Walsh, Tommy Sexton, Cathy Jones and pianist Bryan Hennessy — pull it off with sidesplitting effect. —Dan Keeton We will professionally look after all your travel needs. We specialize in tickets, tours, passpor