s .
Frisco company brings Shakespeare to life
The bawdy bard comes to life today with a visit by
the New Shakespeare Company of San Francisco. The
company will present Shakespeare's As You Like It at
7:30 tonight in the Nebraska Union Centennial
Room.
The company, founded six years ago, performed
first in the San Francisco area, taking Shakespeare to
parks and schools. Tours, first in California and then
across the U.S., have helped in taking Shakespeare to
the people.
"The theater was begun to reach people. We go
out and play at parks and colleges instead of having
an expensive building. So much of theater today is
prohibitive because of cost. We want to make theater
available to a lot of people," said Elizabeth
McAninch, who will play Rosalind.
Before joining the New Shakespeare Company last
November, McAninch was a member of the resident
company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a
standard theater company.
"Here we have more of a communal feeling.
Everyone works together, sharing what they know in
putting the show on. I can sew, so I help in
costuming. The show belongs to all of us, having
shared ourselves in building it. In other companies it
seems more like the management's show and the
actors just get a check," McAninch said.
The sharing continues through the company's
performance. Ken Wilkinson who plays Corin, said
"People who see our shows suddenly realize they
understand what the man was trying to say. He's 400
years-old and times have changed. But the
relationships of person to person and group to group
have not."
"Our performance is a celebration. It is a joyous
affair, for us to be sharing the story with the
audience. The reaction we get is that people never
knew Shakespeare could be so fun after the serious
academic treatment he receives in high school,"
McAninch said.
ie.iiii.iW.i.u.ii., .,i.ltUJ.M,,MMWMtJ!,, mumiuimmn,, iujmmiimmjw.,,!
A tt&h A
Shakespeare's As You Like It will be performed tonight at 7:30 in the Union.
Kevin Gardiner, with the company three and
one-half years, came to San Francisco after "being
fed-up with the commercialism of New York City" to
look for a theater concerned with the artistic side of
performing.
"With this company, as we work together and gain
stability, I feel like I'm building a theater that is going
to continue to grow," said Orlando Gardiner.
"Of course, the more work one does, the more he
can do. Performing an aveiage of 120 shows plus free
appearances each year, wilh the director piesent and
giving notes, helps develop the actor and the
discipline within the group. That growth should never
stop," Gardiner said.
Weather permitting, the company will perform a
scene from As You Like It at 12:30 around the
Broyhill Fountain.
Zeffirelli's
latest film
not so good
Review by Larry Kubert
Director Franco Zeffirelli is known
for his tasteful and beautiful
photography, so it is no wonder that
this is the best part of his latest film,
r
Brother Sun, Sister Moon.
Zeffirelli's first effort since Romeo
ind Juliet, Brother Sun, Sister Moon,
is the semi-fictional story of Francis of
Assisi and his struggle to establish the
Catholic Church's Franciscan Order.
Zeffirelli's camera moves as if it
were blessed, capturing some of the
most beautiful fields of flowers and
wheat to ever grace the hillsides of
Italy. Using distant and close-up shots
of meadows, hills, birds, and wasps,
the photography is the film's most
positive feature.
Costume authenticity is not ignored
either. From the luxurious and
wealthy robes of the land owners to
the jeweled and bedazzling clergy to
the stinking rags of the beggars and
lepers, the costumes are astounding.
However, Brother Sun, Sister Moon
does have some problems. Most
notable is the boring script. By
stressing Francis' discarding of wealth
and possession and the problems he
experienced with the Establishment
Church, the script tries to capitalize on
the current youth culture's move back
to nature.
Suppoiting this concept is the use
of several songs sung by Donovan
which at first aie appealing, but
become intrusive and irritating as the
film progresses. Hardly an outside
scene is shown without Donovan
warbling in the background.
The actors do what they can with
the lines the script provides. Graham
Faulkner as Francis delivers a strong
character, and Judi Bowker as the
gentle Clare gives an impressive first
performance.
Alec Guinness is poweiful as the
weaiy and rnesmeiied Pope Innocent
III, who finally gives his blessing to
Francis and his oidei ,
Viewed as a whole, Brother Sun,
Sister Moon is not that great, a film,
but the stunningly beautiful
photogiaphy and costumes overcome
most of the flaws.
":?X-' :-
')'
Jit A 18
i ....
Australian songstress
Helen Reddy and Texan
songwriter Mac Davis will
appear at Pershing
Auditorium Friday.
Reddy is best known for
"I Am Woman," "I Don't
Know How to Love Him,"
''Crazy Love" and
"Peaceful."
"In The Ghetto," "I
Believe in Music" and
"Watching Scotty Grow"
were penned by Davis and
recorded by other singers.
Davis' first hit sinale was
"Baby, Don't Get Hooked
on Me."
:.'
i
l I 1
J
' ',
f -
ft.
if.
v
Light Orchestra jumbles
rock, string combination
Electric Light Orchestra II. Electric Light Orchestra, United
Artists (US-LA040-F).
The idea behind ELO is a nviger of heavy metal lock with
orchestral arrangements. In theoiy that sounds like a mildly
innovative and exciting conceit. The danger is in ending up
with a rock album with a few timid, loirn stiinct
accompaniments. Or ending up with Muzak,
This record escapes that trap. Instead it'-, a boiiim. endless
jumble. I hope nobody decides to menr ,tnii(s with a
recording of a mudslide, because I doubt that I'll lie jhie i(i
distinguish it from this.
Four of the five songs on FLO II ,ue J(
compositions and they are all pietty ii idatiug. Lyn1
L
to be taunted unceasingly by gioups ol
foisting this on the public. The litih
Beethoven" and any band that can m.ike
songs dull must be either deaf or evil.
y ill ie
llesel V'l S
Kllteieli uuhlhs !H
Mini is "Roll Ovi i
in: i ;f Chi lien y
Bait Becker
Last Chance Dance. Cat Mother. Polydor (PD 042)
Cat Mother, you probably remember, had a rninoi hit sinile
lour or ,'ive years ago called "Good Old Rock 'n' Roll." On the
strength of the single they released an album of mostly iock
tunes.
Then they kind of retired. A few yeais ago they sui faced
for an album called Albion Doo Wah. M was moie countiyish
than the initial album, but the public didn't giab rnto it much,
either. Now here they are again.
Rumor has it they are laid back guys and Last Chance
Dance is full of fairly well done pastoral songs. A medley
comprised of a song called "Outdoor Man" tossed in with
"This Land is Your Land" and "Roll Wheels Roll" sounds
really good. And they've made a delightful see;iion of "Side
by Side" to end the album.
B.B.
Wednesday, april 25, 1973
daily nobraskan
paj? 13
