TVie Balcdny, the first NU
theater production of the year,
is a series of illusions, sexually
inspired role playing, and a
mythical revolution.
The play is set in 20th
century France in a 36-room
brothel where people come to
re-enact roles of certain leaders
in the society. Written by the
French existentialist Jean
Genet, The Balcony's imagery
is heightened by the use of
mirrors and multi-set revolving
stages.
According to Director
William Morgan, the play is "a
rich tapestry that defies a
single definition. It's a
combination of classic
tradition and 20th Century
vulgarity, which is a strange
marriage," he said.
Genet is the son of a
prostitute and spent nearly a
lifetime in jail. During the
years spent in prison Genet
learned to live roles within
himself, such as the prisoner's
forced role of homosexuality.
The Balcony explores the
idea that all images we project
are fabricated and steeped in
sexuality, Morgan said. The
play suggests there is sexual
striving in every political act,
which is essentially a striving
for dominance.
"If you do this play
decently you're doing it
wrong," Morgan said. "Genet
wants sexual outrage."
Morgan described The
Balcony as intricate and
complicated, and said it may
be "tough sledding" for the
musical-comedy crowd.
"Nobody's ever heard of
Genet around here but the
scholars," Morgan said. "The
audience will have to work at
understanding the play but I
think this is a good experience
for a person to have at least
once during his four years in
college."
Genet is one of the most
creative role changing writers
of our time, Morgan said, and
The Balcony is one of his most
intensely adult works.
The play will be presented
Oct. 29 and 30, and Nov. 1-6,
at 8 p.m. in the Howell
Theater. Student tickets are
$1.50 on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, and
$2.00 on Friday and Saturday.
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Jan Van Sickle, Mitch Tebo and Orlan Larson
harangue brothel owner, Margaret Hawthorne, in The
Balcony, the first Howell Theatre production of the
season.
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With law and ordercops and robbers all over the television
screen this fall, it seems that each one has its own special gimmick
which it hopes to use to bring in the viewing public.
NBC has George Kennedy as a tough cop-turned-tough priest.
ABC has Roger Moore and Tony Curtis as "I-Spyish" playboy
adventurers, one terribly British and the other just plain old
Bronx CBS has William Conrad as a fat cop-turned-fat private
detective named Frank Cannon, who loves to eat and dnnc and
who only accepts the most difficult cases.
ONE OF THE MOST positive things about Cannon is the
casting of Conrad in the lead. He is a good actor and gives a
gut-authenticity to his characterization, without which, the series
would flounder.
The show has violence. There is always a large number of
people killed and Cannon rarely goes through a show without
getting into at least one fight. But at least, Conrad doesn't go in
for elaborate foot chases, catching the villiam by making a flying
leap over a fence (a la Mod Squad).
Instead Cannon prefers to get close to his evil-doers and then
grapple with them. And if he does chase anyone, he would rather
do it sitting down. Instead of chasing a killer all over the Nevada
desert on foot, Cannon prefers to sit behind the wheel and track
him down in his car, even if there aren't any roads.
THE SUPPORTING ACTORS come out second best. If they
aren't overshadowed by Conrad, the supporting actors have such
mediocre lines that they can't do much.
T..e show is written as a power-house for Conrad. It's up to
him to carry the show, and with competition like Marcus Welby
M.D. to contend with, Conrad has his job cut out for him.
In some of the aired Cannon shows he has gone after two men
disguised as rodeo clowns, who robbed and murdered three
witnesses (the season opener). Cannon has investigated a chain of
deaths for a married bank executive who had an affair going with
one of the victims. He has investigated the death of a
country-western star for an insurance company, and has tried to
find a run-away girl who witnessed a murder.
A PLUS FOR THE SHOW is its excellent outdoor
photography. It's superb.
Cannons appeal to a college audience may be limited because
of its violence, but because of Conrad's acting it is one of the
better cops-and-robbers shows on this season.
I saw the Free Theatre production of George, directed by Gary
Boham, a few days ago at Smith Hall and had mixed emotions.
The show is about a thirty-ish couple sitting at home one night
watching television. As the evening progresses the husband,
George (Doug Brissey), becomes completely paralyzed, while the
wife, Marjorie (Terri Rotolo) sits idly by, not believing him.
THE ACTING BY Rotolo and Brissey is good, but the show
suffers because of technical problems. Without any lighting or set
to speak of, it is very difficult to get "into" the show without
being distracted.
This is not the fault of the actors. Rather, technical problems
are caused by the conditions under which the Free Theatre is
forced to perform.
It's too bad the Free Theatre cannot perform in one site but
must move from place to place. By performing in the dorms the
play can possibly reach more students than it ordinarily would,
but unfortunately the dorm facilities are not adequate.
George has no heavy message. It is a short little story (the play
lasts about 30 minutes) which is simply meant to entertain the
audience. Brissey is especially funny when he is describing the
ecstasy of preparing late night snacks.
The show will be performed again on Thursday and Friday at
3:30 p.m. in the Student Union Crib.
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PAGE 6
THE DAILY NEBR ASK AN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28. 1971