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Show Dailv Utah Chonicle May 10. -- ag r.ifill IS'! mts And enteRtainmen evident F: and expertise 'King ASUU ENTERTAINMENT Presents PMT's musical By DON GRAVES Chronicle Staff FREE DANCE The growing professionalism of Pioneer Memorial Theater is never more apparent than when they do a musical, and the company's present production of Featuring cop Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I" is a superb example of this. On a purely personal level I consider "The King and I" to be the dynamic duo's best show: not only does it have an endless stream of catchy and lilting tunes, such as "Getting to Know You," "Hello, Young Lovers" and"Shall We Dance," but the story of the meeting of two radically different cultures as well as a love that is consumated only spiritually offers an evening not only filled with good humor, but with some thoughtful implications as well, always a pleasing find in the musical theater. Provocative situations The problems of a strong-willeEnglish school teacher ideas complete with her built-iof Western culture, when set King of Siam against a who wants to bring the seemingly heavenly virtues of the West to his "barbarous" country, makes for some very funny, pathetic and provocative situations. Saturday, May 18 8:00 p.m. In front of Marriott Library of U U Students I. P. Required d n Aiit wmmm mm self-wille- d A in to this appropriately approach is its place as a to respective theater history: our in "classic" for a traditional musical there is traditional direction and design (how much more traditional could one get than to follow the original set designs?). This is not an adverse criticism because it does work; in fact, it might be the best way to perform since that's the way it was conceived. Any other approach might be like putting a Jaguar body over a 1925 Rolls Royce frame. I should say something about direction, but Engar's style works and is appropriate, so nothing more need be said. The best part of this production is the sets, based on the original designs by Jo Melziner, who is obviously one of best the theater designers around. He has a superb ability to take an artificial set and use it to stimulate the audience's imagination so that a new reality is evoked that mirrors the intellectual environment of the play. Suitably imperious Guest artist John Cullum plays the king with a suitably imperious attitude. His accent reminded me oddly though of Bela Lugosi. This isn't an adverse criticism either. Maybe Lugosi could have been a good man if he hadn't song-and-danc- e very funny tragedy... the best Italian tradition! Marcello Mastroianni (Cannes festival award... Best Actor) as the passionate bricklayer Monica Vitti as the romantic flower seller who is completely faithfulL.to two men in Ettore Scola's A DRAMA OF JEALOUSY. AND OTHER THINGS" Technicolor ("The Pizza Triangle'') "R" 6rou?)t to you 6 Horner Pros-th- that gre you fzz 'Trie ppope " Smyer R e en UNION LITTLE THEATRE FRI & SAT 7 & 10 IM ADMISSION $1.00 f i J eex-i&v- E we aj?e but a, WL pp,rt op a 6?AND been stuck in all those horror films. Pat O Connell, not as infinitely versatile as PMT seems to think, still gave the best performance I have seen her do. She played the willful Anna as a good foil to Cullum. yet by the end we also see that her emotions are than stronger temperament the king on his deathbed. There wasn't a weak actor in the lot except for Kevin Dolman as Anna's young son. Maybe I expect too much from child actors but he was so stilted I don't think he had a natural movement all evening. This can easily improve though as the run continues. The many other children though, were well directed, and one can always count on them for the unexpected which will endear them to the audience's heart. Well-conceive- highlight of the show was the oriental version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." a mixture of pantomime and dance. Yet for all the happiness of the play, and the ending that spells out not subtly that an old tradition is dying w hile a bright, new progressive on is taking its place, one cannot help feeling a tinge of uneasiness and pity at these poor people so blinded by the idea that the West has a monopoly on goodness, and that our progress is actually a virtue for all people to rejoice in. From that first yearning for our glory which gave Siam a school teacher and some new rules of etiquette, to today when A well-conceive- d Western progress June 1, Monday next You'll Ee tellim6 THERE'S URi iM OTME--R J c " HELD OVER I 1 1 "The Conversation" I I Ladv PLUS Pf f I I I I GeneHackmanin S nqs 'he Blues f I pus "Charlie the Angel" Opens 8 OOp m rna.f1") I I ' - jon voight Burt Reynolds Disnev Show" "CINDERELLA" L X C LI SI 'K fTl VILLA SOUTHEAST Al! 0,.e, Lucille Bali as MAME lfl 1 "DELIVERANCE" 1 I I II 1 plus Paul Newman in .'The Mackintosh Man" I iRIALTOJ.Vf J I through Saturday nights at 8 p.m., with a May 18 matinee at 2 p.m. Student prices are 50 cents for the Hay 10, 23 and matinee performances, half price all other nights. Cottonwood Mall 1 - gives "backward countries" napalm, jet planes, a lust for competition and power that will destroy not only their natural resouces but themselves as well, one wonders if Siam wouldn't have been better off to have shunned the West and really listened to the Buddha the King always prayed to. They certainly couldn't have been any worse off than they are today, Western "progress" and all. But, "The King and I" is a delightful show, one that can be thoroughly enjoyed in these days of spring. The run continues until TXJTRtES. ;;n;n her when she goes to COME JOIN THE EVOLUTION THE PEACE CORPS AND VISTA NEED PIONEERS LIKE YOU COME TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND INTERESTS AND WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT EVOLUTIONARY PROJECTS IN 3,000 COMMUNITIES HERE AT HOME, 69 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD JUST WAITING FOR YOU SEE RECRUITERS UNION CIRCLE BOOTH WED. -- FRI. fAE |