CD
.res q errcerca
"D
Hi I h .t--j . (' )J . I!
G3VG 3(TO .life
Review by Czsla Er!rorri
Tfce Number of Fools is an exciting sal easily under
stood opera sung in English. As the curtain was rzizzd,
the audience was enthralled by the lovemakfag of Ifadame
Eclieski (Carol Penterman) and Lt. Karasiewicz (Scott
Root) in the prod action V debut at KLnha3 Recital IL3
Wednesday.
The lovers' mood is iatensliled by the oil-fashioned
quality of the fcrrpdehord. It adds a dream-Dee quality
with an occasional disruption in the bras section.
The opera is set in the Revolutionary War. Gen.
Casnrir Pulaski, a famous Polish officer recruited by
Tkcjimin Franklin, commands a Polish legion to assist in
the rebels' fight against the British.
Madame Ealdeski and Karasiewicz plan to steal jewels
captured from the British and now in the custody of her
husband.
Penterman has an exciting voice and handles personal
ity changes well. She changes from a tender lover to a
diabolical woman.
The cast's costumes look Lie they stepped out of a
history book. The set's designs arent elaborate; but
candles are lowered in Eaiieski's house to add an ISth
century touch.
The next scene is the day of bzttis. At a court marital
for Corporal Grabowski (Dale Ganz) Grabowski is charged
with conspiring to make, drink and distribute spiritous
beverages, lie is formally charged by the chorus in the
court with "messing around with the enlisted men."
Ganz exhibits his strong voice when he explains how
hard times in Poland forced him to escape to America,
lis acting is full of anguish, and he played within the lines
well.
Virginia (Vena Genuchi), taken in by Grabowski, is
brought to trial. She's pregnant and explains in an emotion-filled
voice that Grabowski took her in out of kind
ness. ' ' ..:
Genuchi engrosses the audience with her vibrato, and
it's smooth and easily understood throughout her drama
tic song.
The charges are dropped, but it's a sham. They tricked
the court.
Death is glory
Pulaski (Vaughn Fritts) is the only one left in court.
He sings strongly, "Why should a soldier weep over death?
Death is my glory." '
Diabukow seems to appear out of nowhere. Pulaski
cowers, although not very convincingly, at the change in
Diabukow's character. They sing a powerful duet over the
TV
futility of the situation. Diabukow takes on an almost in
human character.
Grabowski and VLrria enter the tavern, happy with
the court's decision.
A dance scene with dtmen peasant Eghtens te
mood. They dance in mockery of the upper class. The
dancers stay in drunken character, yet appear smooth and
polished.
Again, seemingly from nowhere, a priest appears in a
black cape, like Bela Lugosi. lie foretells of the evil eye
watching the dancers and condemns them for their merri
ment. The peasants react in fear, recoiling from the priest.
The wind ensemble supports the cast in mood and
emotion, but in a few places rises to a level that drowns
out the singers. The musical score adds to the plot's unity
and is played smoothly by the orchestra.
In the closing scene, the count returns and says he is
Lucifer. He expresses his despair over humanity and its
foolishness in living only to suffer.
Drew builds up to a fine dramatic ending, and his
despair is believable, even for the deviL
When Virginia goes into labor, the characterization of
Genuchi draws the audience into sympathy for her plight.
She smgs her final song with screams caused by physical
pains. She leaves the audience wondering about Lucifer's
last line,The cumber of fools on earth is infinite."
- - - - . - -.
Vena Gssaaii f lrj Vc-NumSerofFooS.
S3 tie c-rm Tlx
Mom
sV'VJOBS
otiei
aons pre
put p
mm
a i cam
Bf&diSB in
m m
Qm IHQXGUSSL
m m
Cy RlichasI Zansri
... don't it always seem to go thst you don't
know what you got 'til it i gone, they pave psr&ix
and put up a parking lot. JoneMacheU.
after
midnigh
A.
7 A
"They" are not exactly paving paradise or putting up
a parking lot, but the financial predicament of the Shei-
B R
don FEni Theatre, as reported in the Oct. 15 Ddly Neh
razksn, is one that never .should have happencd.
The theatre may not be able to order any films for
next semester, a grim prospect on both an entertainment
and educational level. It would be easy to Lrave it at that,
but there is a confusion of issues that should be distilled
into some basic ones.
Films at Sheldon have been- supported by federal
grants, gifts, and ticket receipts in the threatre's three-year
history.
It is not enough.
The one basic ingredient missing is university support.
Sheldon Film Theatre's educational value on this
campus has never been in question. Extensive use of the
Ccndnnsd cn p. 13
ayoeais-wsinse.
Jadk lTiS is c3 cere tla
rzzzZa ezzszti ia 17 Cciry Wife.
chthes S3 a
By Csrla Engstrom
It's a sexual revolution. People run wild. Women wear
corsets and husbands entrust their wives to a eunuch in
the Restoration comedy The Country Wife.
The play will debut at Howell Theatre at 8 tonight
and is "one of the few Restoration comedies that will
make sense to ah audience today," according to director
BUI Kirk.
The core of the show deals with a man who pretends
he is a eunuch. All the town's men feel it's all right for
him to keep their wives occupied while they're away.
And the audience learns, not too subtry,'that he's by no
means a eunuch, Kirk said.
It deals with relationships between men and women.
It explores their jealousies, their deceit and deals with,
sex, Kirk said.
It is "very interesting that people say there's a sexual
revolution in the '60s and 70s," Kirk remarked. During
the Restoration, "there was a similar rebirth of freedom,
the arts and people's awareness of sex. Audiences today
wil be able to understand."
The play was written in the T7th century by Restora
tion playwright Wycherery. At the time, theatre was the
basic source of entertainment. Wycherery wrote the phy
for the upper classes. He would probably be considered
the Neil Simon of his day, Kirk said.
Kirk said he chose the play because "It's important
in an educational institution to begin to do sans of
those things (Restoration plays) for actors. They need a
grounding in Restoration comedy.
"The specific differences between Restoration and
(present day) comedy is that most of the training in this c
courxtry is done for soap operas," which is "acting outside
of the Enes with a lot of pauses," Kirk said.
In Restoration, Kirk added, actors are forced to set
and talk at the same time..-- ''
"All my acting and teaching centers around the
method work (Sanislavsky) or the technsqse method,"
Kirk said. -,
la Lis approach to directing. Kirk said he "tries cer
to say no to an actor or designer, in hopes that their
creative juices wi2 Cow. I really try to mske it a group
effort as opposed to me acting all the roles for them."
The diitctor's interpretation of the play will be aJon?
clasdeal lines. "I'm trying very much with this show to
stick with the script. That doesnt mean Frn trying to do
a listened reproduction, but do Wycherery script as
opposed to 121 Kirk's adaptation."
Idusic has been added to the production. The music
and lyrics are written by Doug Anderson, a UNL gra
duate student. . . "
Kirk defines a successful play by saying, "Any dir
ector worth his salt thinks his show is a success. But if
you have one person say one moment was fun, it's usually
asuccess."
The cast is exciting to their director, he said.
"I really respect the talent of the people in the show.
They're probably the most talented (cast) I've ever work
ed with. They respect each other's works highly and they
feel everyone knows what theyre,doing."
Kirk summed his sentiments, saying, "I've got a cast
that can act."
Miea
Sheldon Film Theatre:
Fahtcff (Chimes At HSd
ngktj 7 and 9 pjn.
Stuart: The Greet Scout
and Qthouss Thtssdsy'
(PGM30, 330, 530,
730 and 930 pjn.
State: The OisthwJosty
W&ks (FG)-730 and
930 pan.
Haza 1: If You Dont
Stop It rzrYcxlbGo
KM (R)-5:45, 730
and 9:15 pan.
Haza 2: Gsr l.'h (FQ-
6, 7:45 and 930 pan.
Saturday and Sunday at
U 2:40, 4:20, 6, 7:45
and930pja.
fiaza 3: Fasr ifci tad
Gia (G)-6, 730 and 9
pjn.-
flaza 4: The KZai VSho
V.'otdJ Be Kins (TG)-
7, and95pjri.
Douglas z Tks Omen
(R)-530,730and930
pan.
Douglas 2: A letter of
Tune (PG)-530, 730
and 9:30 pan.
Douglas 3: Bint Offer
tegs (R-5:10,7:10 and
9:10 pan.
Gnerna 1: A3 rAe Fre-
sHent Men (FG)- 7
and95pjnr "
' Cinema 2: Gbszsszjn
7:15 and 9:10 pjn.
"4Is"ycd end -Vine : 1 :
womsn (R) 7 pjn.
and ThtSteryof Adds
JL(TG-9:15pjm.
Ifclwood and Vine 2:
IZmsfk&hsrs (FG- 7
and 9:45 pjn. asd 7T:e
F&ik Bkk (TG)-:15
pjn.
Gooper-Iinccln: llzrs
thon i:t (R)-733 and
9:45 pjn. .
" Embassy: 'Nztzhiy He
tarizns and A Ton of
'Action (X)-frorn 11
ajn.
