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Arts & Entertainment 5
‘Christmas Carol’ is fresh
despite yearly repetition
By Micki Haller
Senior l-.ditor
While “A Christmas Carol” has
been done so many limes that it is
almost a hoary chestnut, the Univer
sity of Ncbraska-Lincoln’s produc
tion makes it fresh.
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Presented by the Department of
Theater Arts and Dance and the Col
lege of Arts and Sciences, Charles
Dickens’ Christmas classic came to
life on Howell Theater’s stage.
“A Christmas Carol” has been
done every year by the theater depart
ment, but this year’s production had
several outstanding points.
The set was one of the first things
to strike the eye.
Designed by newcomer Larry
Kaushansky, assistant professor of
scenic design, the set was realistic
down to the snow brushed in the
cracks and crevices of the set.
The office, Scrooge’s bedroom,
the past, present and future all ap
peared through ingenious set devices;
the walls moved, holly dropped from
the ceiling, Marlcy’s ghost twisted
out of the floor.
However, at some points, the crew
appeared. Dressed in modem day
clothing, they briefly disrupted the
illusion that the audience was in Dick
ens’ England.
This was especially disturbing
because, overall, the illusion was
fantastic.
Thecostumcs included sumptuous
velvets and furs of the
19th century, and were extremely
realistic. The makeup and the props
also transformed these 2()th century
actors into proper Victorians.
Several of the cast members of “A
Christmas Carol” also were members
of the “Sweeney Todd” company, a
musical collaboration between the
Department of Theater Arts and
Dance and the School of Music.
Perhaps “Sweeney Todd” brought
a spirit of cooperation to this produc
tion, or at least gave the actors a better
singing background.
The cast certainly had a strong
camaraderie, something it was will*
ing to share with the audience before
the first act.
The players streamed down the
aisle, chatting with other cast mem
bers,.sitting in scats and reassuring the
audience.
The acting varied from fair to
excellent. Some players tended to
ham up their roles a little, others
played the parts fairly straight.
Especially good was the Crachit
family Christmas scene. Jenny Bar
ron, Jim Hanna, Molly Kidwcll,
Christopher Reed Baker, Matt Wen
zel and Christina Bost seemed like a
close-knit family. But these were by
no means the only ones who deserve
kudos.
The production also managed to
avoid the W.C. Ficlds-syndromc.
With many children, and even The
Empress Maude (billed as “a basset
hound of unknown acting skill” in
press releases), the stage was not
usurped by the little darlings.
‘‘A Christmas Carol” will be per
formed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday,
and Monday through Dec. 10. Mati
nee performances will be on both
Saturdays at 3 p.m.
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Radios to describe play for blind
From Staff Reports
A radiorcccivcraboullhcsizcofa
cigarette package will help ihc blind
enjoy “A Christmas Carol” more on
Saturday at 3 p.m.
For the first lime, the University of
Ncbraska-Lincoln Theater will offer
a special presentation of the Charles
Dickens classic for the visually im
paired, in cooperation with Radio
Talking Books of Omaha. The radios
will transmit descriptions of cos
tumes and other visual elements of the
play.
Pal Overton, publicity coordinator
for the UNL Department of Theater
and Dance, said that for the past sev
eral seasons, UNL has offered sign
language performances for the deal
The signing service also will be pro
vided during Saturday’s matinee.
The performance for the blind was
suggested by Bob Nalley of Lincoln,
who tunes pianos for the Department
of Theater Arts and Dance, and is the
chairman of the board for Radio Talk
ing Books.
The Omaha Association for the
Blind gave Radio Talking Books a
S2,2(X) grant to buy the transmitting
equipment and 30 headset receivers.
Richard Zlab, director of Radio
Talking Books, said the service was
provided last summer at a Fireside
Dinner Theater presentation of “The
Music Man,” and at a performance of
“My Fair Lady” at the Lincoln Com
munity Playhouse in August,
Jan Morit/ will narrate “The
Christmas Carol.”
Moritz has worked with Zlab for
several years in the production of
special presentations for the visually
handicapped broadcast live from
Omaha.
Morit/ will be in the Howell Thea
ter lighting booth to describe the vis
ual elements of the production, in
cluding costumes, setting, staging
and other action that happens without
accompanying dialogue.
Zlab said the presentations for the
visually impaired have been well
received.
“People who’d attended ‘The
Music Man’ previously told me that
the radio receivers made it possible
for them to really understand for the
first time how the musical ended.
“If you think about it, you may
recall that there isn’t any real dia
logue in the last five minutes. All
those young musicians come on stage
playing ’76Tromboncs’ and Marian,
the librarian, consents to be Professor
Harold Hill’s wife without a word
being spoken.”
Radio Talking Books bought 85
tickets for Saturday’s matinee of “A
Christmas Carol.” The group distrib
uted the tickets in Lincoln and
Omaha. About 15 Omahans will
come to Lincoln for the performance,
Zlab said.
the minimal list
UPC sponsors films
“Yellow Submarine,” a movie by the Beatles, will show tonight as 7
and 9 p.m. in the Nebraska Union as part of die University Program
Council's American Film Series. Tickets are $1 for University of
Nebraska-Lincoln students, 52 for non-students. The room number will
be posted.
r‘The Wannscc Conference,” part of the UPC Foreign Film Senes,
will be at Sheldon Film Theater Sunday at 3,5,7 and 9 p.m. Admission
is $4, or S3 for UNL students.
‘Laser Fantasy’ this weekend
“Christmas Laser Fantasy” will be at the Mueller Planetarium on
Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Christmas art show at Wesleyan
“A Kaleidoscopic Christmas” opens today at the University Place Art
Ccntcr/Weslcyan Laboratory Gallery, 2601 N. 48th St.
The exhibit, which runs through December, includes hand-con
structed kaleidoscopes by Linda and Chuck Kirk of North Platte, and
Loren Rice of Lincoln.
Mixed media, including paintings, photography, glass and wood, -
will follow the ihcmc of the kaleidoscope.
The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays,
and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays until Dec. 24. The Art Center will be closed
the week between Christinas and New Year.
Star City on parade Saturday
The fourth annual Star City Holiday Parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday,
and follows a mile-long route in downtown Lincoln.
Giant balloons, floats, marching bands, cosmmcd characters, walk
ing units and other presentations will appear in the parade. For more
information sec story in the Daily Nebraskan Christmas supplement
Mansions celebrate Victorian holiday
‘‘A Victorian Holiday” is a reason to visit the Kennard and Ferguson
Mansions at 16th and H streets. The Victonan splendor of these Lincoln
houses is worth the S1 donation to both homes.
‘Helloween’ album is pure entertainment, reviewer says
By Michael Deeds
Senior Reporter_
Helloween
Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II
RCA Records
Hcllowccn is a band with a
fantasy sound. Hcllowccn is a band
with pumpkins in their videos.
Hcllowccn is a bund that you could
call stupid if you really think about
it.
But — name aside and jack-o’
lanterns smashed — in the raw, the
band is a solid commercial speed
metal band with some hallway
intelligent lyrics.
Although sword and sorcery
prevails on the album cover of
HcHowccn’s latest release,
“Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 11,’
the lyrics range from lantasy to
simple political ideals.
Sounding surprisingly like vet
eran musicians Iror. Maiden at
times, Hcllowccn comes through
with intricate melody lines and
c hunky thrash rhythms back i ng the
soprano-like shrieking of vocalist
Michael Kiske.
Drummer IngoSchwichtcnbcrg
must have tired legs playing tunes
off this album in concert because
nearly every song utilizes the
thump-thump of the double bass
Courtesy of RCA Records
drum while he keeps an even
tempo with the melodies.
But the drums arc an effective
tool in establishing power in the
music of Hcllowecn. This power
contrasts oddly, but interestingly,
with the vocal harmonics during
many of the choruses. Harmonics
like these arc fairly difficult, and
credit should be given to Kiske.
Strong tracks include “I Want
Out,” also an MTV video, which
deals with the social and moral
pushing that, goes on as young
people grow older. ‘‘Save Us” is a
philosophical, almost phantasmal,
trip into the utter meekness of the
human race.
“Dr. Stein” also has been re
leased as a single, and tells the
story of a madman and his experi
mentation with cloning and DNA
structures.
Hcl lowccn is one of those bands
whose music is pure entertain
ment, unlike the depressing seri
ousness of harder speed metal
thrashers like Mctallica. The al
bum is simply there to enjoy, not to
ponder for extreme lengths of lime
and space.
The guitar work of Kai Hansen
and Michael Weikath is not excep
tional, but adequate in providing
grabbing solos. They often alter
nate, Glenn Tipton/K.K. Down
mg-(Judas Pricsl) slylc, which is
effective in trying to distinguish
separate melodic styles.
The apparent “big deal” of the
album is she title track, “Keeper of
the Seven Keys,” which lasts for
more than 13 minutes. This is a
definite sword-and-sorcery tunc.
“Guided by spclls/of the old
seer’s hand/you’rc suffering pain/
only steel can stand.”
And the lyrics go on to mention
dwarves, evil, Lucifer, armor, a
curse ... you get the meaning.
If lyrics like this excite you,
then this must be your song. It is
certainly long enough.
Hcllowccn is a German band,
which may account for part of this
supcrworld stuff. Most American
bands have burned out on this with
the exception of Ronnie James Dio
and Iron Maiden. But this is not ail
bad. It’s better than mediocre
bands trying to sing about politics
or Satan.
Hcllowccn deserves some
credit. It came out with pumpkins
flying and made it in the U.S.
“Keeper” is not a bad album.
Serious metal fans should probably
pick it up.
Happy Hcllowccn.