OCR Text |
Show Midsummer Night's Dream Promised Valley Playhouse Pi J Conventional 'Dream' lacks imagination, magic MICHAEL ROTTER Chronicle staff I imagine that few of Shakespeare's plays have been tampered with, modernized, altered, adapted and otherwise abused more than "A Midsummer Night's Dream," though I could be wrong. I know Peter Brook's production earlier this decade is now a legend and the film with James Cagney was quite a failure. As the director of the production now playing at the Promised Valley Playhouse, Frank Whiting, observes in his program notes, the way to be different in presenting this play is to do it "conventional." But what is "conventional?" Does this mean the conventions of the modern stage, the conventions of the historical period of the play, or the conventions of the Elizabethan stage, including an by all-ma- le cast? Well, I'm not sure which conventions Wrhiting stuck with, but it's not an cast. The trouble is, this production has a hard time defining its conventions. all-ma- le The court ot Theseus is not quite in the grand royal style, nor is it democratic Athens. The forest is neither a fairy playground nor Tolkien's Mirkwood. The worker players are neither clowns nor proletarians. Not that they should be one or the other, but they should be internally consistent. I don't see a king in the character of Theseus, I don't see the mystic quality of the forest, and I'm not sure what the players of the Pyramus scene are about. I hesitate to place the blame completely on the cast. Yes, they are often strident in voice and sloppy in movement, but these problems should be weeded out. in the rehearsal process. As for the scene in which Hermia wrestles with Lysander to keep him from leaving her, though the audience roared with laughter, I was embarrassed both for the actors and their characters, made to look so foolish and sloppy for a joke. Act V, the presentation of "a tragical mirth" about Pyramus and Thisbe, works very well. The cast of players, Gene McCoun, Frank M. Whiting, Clayton Gillispie, David Lowden, Kelley Wanberg and Corey Tuckness, were at their best. The staging was imaginative, quickpaced, sensitive to the dramatic purpose of the scene and consistent. Why did this not happen until the last act? Simplicity and sensitivity, I think, is the answer. Why accompany various scenes ofthe play with recordings. of Mendelssohn's incident music? Why cast children in the role of Puck and the fairies? Why allow 7 the sloppy wrestling and the strident voices? "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a simple play there is nothing deeply philosophical about it. Of course, there is nothing simple in the construction of the play, and this has been the downfall of many productions. But this is a light comedy, one which should be played with grace and poetic simplicity. It is meant to be a joy to the eye and ear. Where is the enchantment, the humor, the adventure, the mystic and the mortal which cross paths this midsummer night? To turn to convention does not mean to abandon the imaginative, ". . .for never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it." The play continues through March ur i 10. Curtain is at 8 p.m. i Hardcore m Centre Theatre 'Hardcore' reveals the truth about pornography industry ACLL LLMCL L by MARK D. MICKELSEN Chronicle staff A father's search for his young daughter in the sex districts of California uncovers a shocking truth about the pornography industry in Hardcore. A trend for moviemakers was once to come up with some sort of moral ending, a statement about society, but when the story has no morals to begin with, that process becomes difficult. Such is the case in this almost documentary film about the pornography business in Los Angeles and its surrounding communities. The show has great potential but fails to use the talents ot two great performers, George C. Scott and Season Hubley, to make any kind of concrete statement about this profitable industry other than it exists. The movie's point is that a young, supposedly innocent Calvinist girl could not possibly involve herself in "nudie" movies after such a religious upbringing. Most confusing, though, is how she gets into this corrupt business of body language. First, she takes a bus trip to a religious conference in California, then she turns up missing at Knott's Berry Farm. Who kidnaps and coerces her is never revealed. Nonetheless, she continued on page nine Having Fun This Winter? r H Are those little areas of pain and stress keeping you off the slopes? Headaches, backaches, shoulder pain, hip & 1 D O O C oL r Traditionally, candidates for ASUU President and Vice President have carefully groomed themselves by working diligently in ASUU for a year or two before aspiring to office. Bruce Badger and Jeff Nelson have no such background. Neither have they sought it. The current trend seems to result in a continuation of the mistakes of the past, with very little consideration for the current needs of the students. Not having any preconcieved work-then-r- un notions about ASUU, the BadgerNelson team will consider each program on the merits of all student's needs not just the needs of the students in ASUU. It's time to reset ASULTs priorities. Put a stop to their waste of your money. Vote before the polls close today. VOTE C Eight Page I f ft t K L T a . . . Come and see us We'd like to try to help FREE spinal analysis FREE consultation INSURANCE CASES WELCOME Workers Comp. Auto accident Union members Group Policies Medicare rlCS Sr lv Dr. Douglas R. Davis Dr. Rodney C. Davis nhirnnraritnrc 5255 So. State Murray phone service 24-ho- ur I 268-913- 1 0) ZCMI TIRE CENTER 4801 S. Highland Dr. 277-457- 5 Discount Coupon TIRES: 22 OFF TRADE PRICES 15 OFF TRADE PRICES SHOCK ABSORBERS: 20 OFF REG. PRICES WHEELBALANCING& WHEEL ALIGNMENT: 100FFREG. PRICES MECHANICAL PARTS & LABOR: 10 OFF REG. PRICES BATTERIES: BADGER NELSON A knee pain, etc. V t r NOTE Occaaionaliy item, will ba adverted to th ganaral publ.c at spaoal pncet discount ptica an additional i diKount will b allowed Epirs 12 31 79 If that puce lower than vour |