Pago 10
The Nebraskan
Tuesday, June 11, 1985
Iff S m
ase set for laughs
i ' k Ait s V. I i ' V t "
i ( ' -
ft i-
By John Lechner
Theater Critic
Nebraska Director's Theatre,
located at 1110 'Q' in Lincoln, pres
ents it's second production of the
season this weekend. Alan Ayck
bourn's comedy "Table Manners" is
part of his trilogy "The Norman
Conquests." The play debuted in
London in the mid-'70s and played
on Broadway in 1977. This produc
tion gives Lincoln audiences the
chance to see one of the best efforts
from one of England's favorite play
wrights. "Table Manners" is a 'family'
show in that it's about a family, but
it's relation to "The Brady Bunch"
stops there. This family is brought
together for the weekend by less-than-savory
circumstances, and the
troubles and hilarity flow from there.
If you've considered taking your
children for a night of theatre, don't
bring them to this show!
Director Sue Conover, a UNL PhD
candidate, said she chose to direct
this show for several reasons; she
"loves comedy," because the char
acters were so familiar, and because
it was easy to adapt to present-day
Lincoln, where it is set for this
production.
I
The cast of "Table Manners."
"Not only are the characters
familiar to me," Conover said, "but
to anyone who has been brought up
in a family."
Although the situation that brings
these people together for the week
end may not be one that all of us are
intimately familiar with, she said
but she thinks the audience will
relate strongly to the interaction of
the play's characters. "It lets us
laugh at ourselves," she said.
The director and cast members
said they have been surprised and
amused at the similarities between
their characters and members of
their own families. And that they
said has helped to make working on
the show enjoyable for them.
Conover said "The cast was a joy
to work with because of their pro
fessionalism and because of their
enthusiasm for the show and it's
characters. Also, they're all UNL
students with a great interest in the
arts.
"And they're all from families,"
she said.
Featured in the cast are Amy
Thone, Mary S. Strecker, Delia
Booth, Robert N. Jackson, Frederick
J. Rubeck and Michael Pearl.
Conover said the biggest chal-
1
- -? r
Mark DavisDaily Nebraskan
lenge in directing the show, since
it's not full of heavy hidden mean
ings, was pulling together all the
physical action and props.
For instance, "the characters are
constantly eating," she said, noting
that stage manager and assistant
director Amy Gaston has been a
Godsend to the cast. Her job is
harder than that of a mother, she
said, coordinating no less than four
meals in two hours for several nights
running, in addition to all the other
props needed.
NDT has had some problems in
the past with the audience being
able to see all the action on stage,
but that has been corrected for this
production by the use of alley stag
ing. This technique features audience
seating on two opposite sides of the
playing space, giving all audience
members a clear and intimate view
of the action.
"Table Manners" opens this Fri
day, June 14 and runs through Sun
day, June 16. Curtain time is at 8:00
p.m. all nights. Tickets can be pur
chased the night of the show at the
theater box office, located at 1110
'Q Prices are $3 for students and
senior citizens and $4 for general
admission.
,1
t . ,v i . r-
Chase's wacky humor
makes "Fletch" a hit
V
Chase disguised as
By Julie Liska
Staff Reporter
Don't miss "Fletch," now playing at
the Stuart Theatre.
"Fletch" is one of those rare movies
that is funny, yet has a plot that really
holds the audience's interest. The film
stars Chevy Chase, as I.M. Fletcher, a
wise-cracking, undefeatable reporter
sleuth. While masquerading as a beach
bum in order to break a drug dealing
story, Fletcher is approached by Alan
Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), a successful
aviation executive.
REVIEW
11
Stanwyk offers Fletcher a unique
murder plan that seemed foolproof.
However, the victim of the murder is
most unusual. Fletcher seemingly
accepts the job, temporarily abandon
ing his drug-related story. However,
further investigation on Stanwyk, leads
Fletcher back to the beach again.
Fine Arts students
experience All-state
By Laura Hansen
Staff Reporter
For nearly fifty years young artists,
musicians, dancers, actors and actresses
congregate on UNL campus every sum
mer for the All-State Fine Arts Program.
This year's program started Sunday
and runs through Friday June 21. Most
of the participants will stay in Schramm
Hall during their visit to Lincoln.
Ray Miller, UNL music professor and
program director said that All-State
"was created to help Nebraska high
school students realize and increase
their artistic potential through an in
tensive study in art, dance, music and
theater."
All-State offers opportunities they
may not have had in high school, Allen
Sehaben, a participant from Seward
said. Sehaben said after his first year at
All-State his "drumming has turned
around." Allen the captain drummer in
Seward said that UNL Music professor
Al Rometo taught him "all kinds of
stuff I didn't know.
"There are no true drum teachers in
Seward," Sehaben said. Although
Sehaben said that the teachers and
atmosphere were great he did admit
si
k
". -
r i' j'
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
a doctor in "Fletch."
Through it all, Fletcher maintains an
amazingly dry wit and clever come
backs. No matter what tight pinch or
seemingly irretrievable situation the
film's hero finds himself in he deals
with it in a most cleaver way. His bar
rage of one-liners and a face which
remains largely expressionless makes
the man a hit in himself.
Another added twist to the movie is
Fletch's multi-faceted costumes. In the
course of the film, he disguises himself
as a wide variety of wacky characters to
aid in his detective exploits. Among
these are a doctor, an airplane
. mechanic, and a patient (at which time
he receives a very thorough examina
tion). He also treats himself to escapist
fantasies that put him at the receiving
end of pass from basketball player
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, scoring the game
winning basket at the buzzer. All of
Fletcher's exploits, however far-fetched,
or hilarious, are all handled in good
taste, making this a family film.
Chase's previous films were "Na
tional Lampoon's Vacation," "Deal of
the Century," "Foul Play," and "Caddy
shack" and he was an original member
of television's "Saturday Night Live."
that the "funnest part of All-State is
the women."
Beth Brader, a second-time counse
lor with All-State and a senior music
major said that she assists the program
because it is "fun and neat to see the
students learning."
Brader said that one of the strong
points of the All-State program is that
it helps the students familiarize them
selves with the UNL campus and faculty.
She said it helps them to understand
what is expected of them once they get
to college.
Also, it is a good experience for stu
dents to study under professionals, she
said.
All-State offers several free concerts
at Westbrook during its time here.
Brader said that the students appre
ciate an audience at their recitals and
that the recitals offer a wide variety of
fine arts.
On Friday June 14th and Monday
June 17 the All-Staters are in recital at
7:30 p.m. in Westbrook. The final show,
which starts in the Sheldon Gardens at
6:00 p.m. will be Friday June 21.
There will be a concert almost every
night during All-State. Interested per
sons can contact the Westbrook office
for more information.