The Balcony complex study of
illusion, masquerade, roles
Review by
Bill Wallis
Genet's modern masterpiece,
The Balcony, is presented
largely intact in Howell
Theatre's present production.
The difficulty entailed in
conceiving and presenting all
aspects of this complex study
in metaphysical distortion
makes it an ambitious trial, and
makes its success dearer-to the
players and, hopefully, to the
audiences viewing it. It will be
presented the rest of this week
with curtain at 8 p.m.
The Balcony is about
role-playing. With a revolution
(one of many) as audio
background and cosmic
universe, the customers of a
unique brothel, The Grand
Balcony House of Illusions,
masquerade as nomenclature
figures (soldiers, judges, priets)
in their revels.
IN A FOMENT of crisis,
they assume in "reality" the
roles from which they had an
hour ago received their sexual
satiation. Thus, simulation
becomes sacred, and the
imagined or dreamed becomes
the actual.
As the "real" world outside
the brothel-the audience hears
and even gets slight glimpses of
it-collapses in the chaos of
revolution, the madame of the
brothel assumes the role of
queen at the summons of the
court envoy from the wrecked
palace.
Amidst this instant
rebuilding of the collapse of
the universe of order and
perspective, Genet offers his
view of man's place in the
universe: his existence in
private and public life is a
series of projected images born
of his sexual fantasies. Man is a
player of roles, and he is the
role he plays.
WHAT THEN IS real? What
we seem to be to ourselves, or
what we seem to be to others?
What is "real" is what results
when the two combine.
And is rebellion the answer
to man's unsettled (unreal)
situation? No. All rebellions
are doomed to take on the
characteristics of the old order.
When stripping away the lies
and pretenses of the
respectable world, Genet
concludes that these lies and
posturings are necessary to
existence. All absolutes are
dreams; all is pretense.
One joyful way of
recognizing a great play is by
the way its languages-verbal
and non-verbal-and gestures
combine to lift both performer
and audience to an excellence
and clarity of understanding of
the nature of the theatric
experience.
The sets, costuming,
lighting, sound effects,
properties and the acting
functioned integrally Saturday
night under the aegis of
William Morgan to create the
timeless experience that is the
ritual of drama.
THE ACTING is generally
quite good. It is a treat to
understand practically
eveything that is said on stage,
especially when the language is
as lyrically beautiful (and, in
delightful contrast, as crude
and colloquial) as that The
Balcony offers.
Margaret Hawthorn as Irma,
the madame of The Balcony,
Mitch Tebo as the Bishop,
Orlan Larson as the Judge are
well-cast and impressive.
ADMIRABLE performances
are also given by Dana Mills as
the Chief of Police, Jan Van
Sickle (whose performance is
slightly marred by mugging), as
The General, Jeannie Mathes
(whose performance is marred
by posing) as Carmen, Bill
Szymanski (who, despite his
craftsmanship, should avoid
romantic roles) as Roger,
Robert Stelmach (who shows
some promise) as the Envoy,
Vic Smith (who improves
constantly) as Arthur, Cindy
Wallis (whose equestrian
motion and rhythms bring a
visual and and aural excitement
to the performance), Chris
Stasheff, Connie McCord and
others.
Set and costume design by
Nancy Myers are excellent. The
set is unobtusive and
functional. It fulfills Genet's
requirements for The Balcony.
It creates a somber,
cathedral-like atmosphere,
inasmuch as it can be done on
Howell Theatre's cramped
staging facilities with the use of
a set revolve.
THE COSTUMES, which
include such special items as
the Greek cothurni
(pedestal-like footgear) and
huge outfits (to match
overblown, exaggerated
affectation of the
characters-or rather, the roles
of the characters) are superbly
fashioned.
Jerry Lewis' technical
direction and lighting design
compliment the other aspects
of the production beautifully.
Technical excellence in the
Theatre Arts too often goes
unrecognized. Howell Theatre's
technical staff, which consists
of Jerry Lewis and Nancy
Myers (and the students who
execute and augment their
designs), has reached a point of
excellence in The Balcony.
CONCEPTION and
execution of scenic and
costume design, lighting design,
props and sound, all appear
integrated in the production;
all technical elements
compliment the art of the
actors as they envision and
present Genet's dramatic
masterwork to the audience.
A production of The
Balcony offers great difficulty
for the American university
theatre community. It has
built-in "problems". It is
long-three full hours-and
talky, overintellectualized in
concept.
From a more literary
standpoint, its lyric and
incantitory language is as
complex and artifically
structured as Shakespeare's at
times, but is not supported by
a recognizable plot, and little
enough story.
THE ACTING roles all
demand a great deal of
maturity. In almost every case,
this was lacking. One cannot
therefore say that the acting
performances were inadequate.
The actors simply were not
capable of instilling in the
performance the depths of
elegance and vularity innate in
Genet's work.
GENET SAYS that we are
what our sex makes us: the
fabrications of our sexual
desires and fantasies determine
our political, religious and
administrative functions in
society. The roles we play are
what we were, are becoming
and will be.
Do not miss this production.
It will unsettle you and it will
make you think about yourself
and others, especially the
others who control you
through social pressures.
Perhaps Genet can help us, and
our society. Perhaps not. Give
him a chance.
Pressure. . .
Continued from page 1.
It is not clear where students
are supposed to register, in
Lincoln or at home Welch said.
Married students with a car
registered here probably won't
get much hassle. But they
could make it hard for the
student living in a dorm who
wants to register in Lincoln.
"Students can take decisions
to court and they may win,"
she said. "But how many
students will do that?"
7s
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Jan Van Sickle and Cindy Wallis ... in one of several
imaginary games in Howell Theatre's production of The
Balcony.
in concert
Seals and Crofts
Tuesday, November 9th 8 pm
University Coliseum
Admission $200
Thfi tremendous duo hot jutt signed contract with Warner
Brothers, will soon be releasing a new album entitled "Year of Sunday",
and has just finished a tour with the Carpenters.
They are kicking off a national tour in Lincoln and will be then
going to the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts In New York.
tickets available from:
Union Lobby
Miller and Paine Record Department
(Downtown and Gateway)
Dirt Cheap and at the door
sponsored by UNL Baha'i
Wli
en youte out of Schlitz, youYe out of beer.
Calvert-Beyer Dist. Co. 8OO S. Street Lincoln. Nebraska
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1971
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
PAGE 9