Tuesday, November 18, 1986
Daily Nebraskan
Page 5
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71
Play brings literary legends of the last century to life
By Ken DiMaggio
Staff Reviewer
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Formal cocktail gowns that feature cord-draping will be on
display at Duran Knutzen's exhibit and style show.
'ExMlbition of Style9
Knutzen's farewell
By Scott Harrah
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Innovative local art and fashion will
be in the spotlight at Tooth's Gallery,
905 0 St., this week. The show, "Exhi
bition of Style," will feature the art of
Janine Al-Bayati and Barry Schutz; and
the cutting-edge clothing designs of
Lincoln fashion guru Duran Knutzen.
The exhibit, which premiered yes
terday, will run through Saturday. Al
Bayati's works include cartoons and
"I design styles, not
fashions. I am a
fashion designer
simply because my
clothes are worn by
people."
Knutzen
paintings done in both oil and crayon;
Schutz will display original works of
Raku pottery and various oil paintings.
Duran Knutzen, an up-and-coming
clothing designer who markets his
styles in Lincoln and New York's chic
garment district, will end the exhibit
with a style show Saturday evening at 7
and 9 p.m.
The show will be Knutzen's last in
the Midwest. Knutzen, who spent last
summer in New York's Greenwich Vil
age, is currently doing business with
Paul VonderlageDaily Nebraskan
Contrast Marketing, an upscale-Manhattan
fashion outlet. Some of his pie
ces are being sold at the East Village
boutique Repreive, which sells styles
designed by such eminent couturiers
as Bodymap, Dorothy Bis and numerous
young designers from London and Paris.
Knutzen will be moving back to
Manhattan in January to sell his spring
and summer collection, he said.
Saturday's show will display the fol
lowing new lines by Knutzen:
"Urchinwear," a collection of "dust
catching" shirts and "shirt skirts."
"The Squeegee Family," a collec
tion of brightly colored outfits with
pockets that are pulled up from the
hemlines.
"Strange Brew," a collection of
abstract woven pieces made of gauze
with "panels of dusk, darkness and
mystery," Knutzen said.
Other new lines include "The Pre
miere Business Collection," "Formal
Cocktail Wear" and "The Haute Cou
ture Collection."
The show will place an emphasis on
style, not fashion, Knutzen said.
"I design styles, not fashions," he
said. "I am a fashion designer simply
because my clothes are worn by people."
Knutzen, who is known for . his
gender-blending, progressive design is
also planning to show a collection of clothes
described as "industrialized pompa
dour." The clothes get their inspiration
from the turn of the century, he said.
"Exhibition of Style" is open from 10
a.m. to 8 p.m. through Saturday. Tickets
for Knutzen's' "Style Show" are $2 and
$5 for the 7 p.m. show and $2.50 and $5
for the 9 p.m. show. Table seats are $10.
Call 489-4303 to reserve tickets.
In the UniversityTheatre produc
tion of Jeffrey Haddow's and John
Driver's play, "Chekhov in Yalta,"
three famous Russian authors try to
write the best description of the
sea. The suave and aristocratic Ivan
Bunin (best known for his short
story, "The Gentleman from San
Francisco) describes the sea as
being a "veil of Life's tears" ebbing
on an "opalescent" table. The fervent
Theater Review
and political Maxim Gorky, (famous
for his novel "Mother" and his play
"The Lower Depths") describes the
sea as a calm surface and a hidden,
brewing storm inside. When it is the
playwright Chekhov's turn, he
smiles, picks up his little black
notebook , and reads: "The sea is
huge. I carry it with me as a
reminder to write simply."
Such was Chekhov's genius. He
wrote without being elaborate or
didactic. But neither was his dia
logue without poetry or bite. Non
sequiturs replaced soliloquies; re
flective fragmented thoughts re
placed harangues,
McGraw as Magoo?
As the playwright who wrote "The
Three Sisters," "The Cherry Orchard"
and "Uncle Vanya," Rex McGraw
creates a character that at times
becomes simple minded. He punctu
ates his lines with short, feeble
giggles. His face is molded into a
. bubbly Mr, Magoo-like smile.
In act two McGraw discards this
Walt-Disney innocence and develops
a character aware of the brief time
he has left before he dies of con
sumption. Bruce Tinker as Ivan
Bunin creates a graceful and distinct
character. His entrances, exits and
poses were always slightly asy-':
metrical. He cut a strong visual
presence on stage. William Trotter
was boisterous as Maxim Gorky. But
his acting was precise and controlled
in portraying a very heated and
turbulent character. But it was
Devon Schumacher as the flamboy
ant Konstantin Stanislavsky that
gave the show theatricality and
color. Dressed in a long-tailed
tuxedo, red cummerbund and red
checkered bow tie, Schumacher cut
a dandyish figure, His peroxide
blond hair and black waxed must
ache marked him as the tempera
mental impresario of the Moscow
Art Theatre.
Tension and conflict
The arrival of the Moscow Art
Theatre troupe provides the tension
and conflict in Haddow and Driver's
play, which is mostly made up cf
- loosely strung anecdotes. Stanis
lavsky and his partner, Nemirovich
Danchenko, want Chekhov's newest
play, "The Three Sisters," for their
theater. In between the hair.3
come several bittersweet romances
State of the Arts
By Stew Magnuson
Staff Reporter
Movie:
"El Norte," a beautiful, sad movie
about Guatemalan refugees trying to
survive as illegal immigrants in the
United States shows tonight at 8 p.m.
in the Nebraska Union. The video pres
entation is sponosred by LASCO and is
free of charge. The room will be posted.
This movie is highly recommended.
ON TV:
Two interesting flicks are on tonight.
"Blazing Saddles," the classic send-up
W"'""Bx
,
. Doug CsrroitDally Nshrmksn
Connia Layton (iaft) and Sussn Olfmanns in a scene from
"Chekhov in Yslta," which wl.'i be part of the Nebraska Thea
tre Festival at Uf JO Saturday. ,
involving Chekhov and the Moscow
Art Theatre's leading actress, Olga
Knipper; Nemirovich-Danchenko and
Stanislavsky's wife, Lilian; and Bunin
and Chekhov's sister Masha. The
delightful surprise of the show was
Cynthia Totten as Masha. In act one,
Masha follows her famous brother
around like a hen pecking mother
telling him not to smoke or stay up
late. She is so shy and insecure
about revealing her love for Bunin
that she implores Knipper to act as
her go-between. In act two, Masha
apts upon her own proposal and
boldly declares her love to him. And
in so doing, Totten creates the most
invigorating performance in the
show. One moment she's on her
knees begging Bunin to marry her,
the next she's dragging him towards
her while he tries to pull away. In
this scene, the cub becomes the
tiger, ,
.Students direct
"Chekhov in Yalta," was directed
by seven advanced student directors
ur.Ilcr McGraw's guidanceThe dif-;
fcrer.t talents and styles seemed to
tlcr.d easily and created a fast
paced, energetic show.
of westerns, is on WGN, channel 2 on
cable, at 7 p.m. The original "Kung Fu"
made-for-TV movie will show at 1:15
a.m. on WTBS, channel 4. Kane will say
such remarkable things as "I do not
know." Listen for such famous last
lines as "Ah heck, that Chinaman can't
kick me with handcuffs on."
Music:
Bad news for the multitudes who
were waiting for the Brave Combo show
tonight at the Zoo. They cancelled. In
their place, the Omaha-based rock
tangofunkCajun band Vooju Club will
play. Cover will be $1.50. At The Drum
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Nancy Nicoll's costumes gave the
production a strong sense of texture.
Gorky's white peasant smock with
red-embroidered sleeves and collar
nicely underscored his tough sea
soned exterior. Nicoll was able to
create a wide range of shades and
tones out of gray formal attire worn
by the actors.
Ed Stauffer's lighting did the
same in providing a variety of tones
and shades within a small space.
Paul Leitner's weathered set showed
good creative judgment in design
and execution. His railings, arm
chairs and end tables were wrapped
around a large open area that
amplified the limited arena stage of
the Studio Theatre.
Editor's note: Due to a de
crease in our review stafTand
space limitations, the DN arts
and entertainment section
was unable to publish a re
view cf ''Chekhov in Yalta"
before it closed. However, the
plzy will be included in the
Nebraska Theatre Festival at
'UNO Saturday .at. 8 p.m.. Call
the UNO University.-Theatre
box office at 534-2335 for re
servations. ;
stick, Lincoln-Kearney-based noise
makers Necktie Party will play along
with Porcelain Mudslide. Cover for
these two bands is only $1.
If you know of an event
you would like us to announce,
send press information to:
"State of the Arts"
c o Daily Nebraskan
Nebraska Union 34
1400 4R' Street
Lincoln, NE 68388-0448
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