Arts & Entertainment
Characters make ‘Palace’ memorable
By John Payne
Senior Reporter
The older woman/younger man
romance is certainly nothing new to
the movies. And with the enormous
success of “Pretty Woman,” another
Cinderella talc wouldn’t appear to be
too fresh either.
Yet, “White Palace,” a film that
draws Irom both of these common
themes, manages to be an endearing,
sexy love story.
Despite its elegant name, the White
Palace is actually a greasy hamburger
stand located in the poor section of St.
Louis. It is there that 27-year-old Max
(James Spader), an advertising execu
tive, meets a saucy middle-aged wait
ress named Nora (Susan Sarandon).
Max has volunteered to pick up the
burgers for his friend’s slag party, and
when he finds several empty boxes in
the batch, he returns for a refund. His
buddies arc perplexed. After all, what’s
the big deal about paying for 50 ham
burgers, and getting only 44?
But Max is a stickler — an uptight
yuppie who has become even more
uptight in the two years since the
death of his wife. Sporting a black
dinner lux and driving his new Volvo,
Max leaves the party to get a refund
because of “the principle.”
His complaint is handled some
what less than courteously by Nora.
He is amazed by her rudeness; she’s
amazed bv his pettiness.
“Hold on a minute,” she says to a
waiting customer. “Fred Astaire here
wants to report a burglary. ”
During a chance meeting in a bar
later that night, the two begin to talk.
Max isn’t much of a drinker, though,
and after two scotch and waters, he’s
staggering drunk. After warding off
Nora’s sexual advances, he finally
agrees to give her a ride home. But he
seems to have no interest in her, at
least sexually. What docs fascinate
Max, though, is Nora’s directness.
One thing leads to another, and
before too long they end up in bed for
what would seem to be merely a one
night stand. At least, that’s all Nora
expects.
But Max returns the next night, and
soon they can’t gel enough of one an
other. A lasting relationship seems
unlikely, to say the least; he’s a wealthy,
quiet professional from a large Jewish
family, and she gave up on Catholi
cism a long time ago in favor of vodka
tonics. Sixteen years his senior, she
curses like a sailor.
“White Palace” is unwavering in
its harsh look at this unconventional
love affair. There’s never any guaran
See PALACE on 11
** '^^^^^^Surtesy of Universal
Sarando’n\Uin^‘WhrtetPala(fe ^£loPs between Max Baron (James Spader) and Nora Baker (Susan
Neighborhood shows glint
of interesting raw talent
-, J — o-- - ■ OCC Ull I I
Intense ‘Talk Radio1 complete
with good cast, intriguing script
By Robert Richardson
Staff Reporter_
The Neighborhood
“Living Stereo”
The Neighborhood may look like
those all-American boys down the
block bul they don’t sound like them.
Lead vocalist Clint Lawrence fits
right into this band, as his atypical
voice sounds high-quality but slightly
inexperienced and raw over the up
beat tunes.
These guys have a good start on a
music career.
The Neighborhood consists of
Lawrence on lead vocals, Nate
Woodhams on bass, Pete Amisanoon
lead guitar and Derek Lineberry on
percussion.
Although in their picture Neigh
borhood members look young and
happy-go-lucky because they arc sit
ting in the back of a truck, they aren’t.
Listening once will prove enjoyable
and ultimately show this is not a band
to be taken lightly for any reason.
The Neighborhood doesn’t play
fast or hard. And like a plethora of
Lincoln bands, one could call their
music alternative. But their musical
talents equal their vocals — a little
See NEIGHBORHOOD on 11
By Jeffrey Frey
Staff Reporter_
There is something slightly
repulsive, yet completely captivat
ing about Eric Bogosian’s play,
“Talk Radio,” which is being per
formed at Howell Theater.
The play confronts the audi
ence, forcing it to consider the dark
and demented aspects that society
has to offer — to consider the rou
tine of varied lives with I ittlc d ircc -
tion and little understanding of the
world in which we live. The con
frontation is built around the ques
tions and statements of the callers
on the program, “Night Talk with
Barry Champlain,” on Cleveland
radio station WTLK, and concludes
with the twisted and stark replies
of the show’s host.
“Talk Radio’’ is a simple yet
intense play using a basic set —
studio B, consisting of the host’s
and two assistants’ desks and a
radio control room. There arc few
characters, while the play focuses
pnmanly on angst-ridden host Barry
Champlain — pa-formed brilliantly
by Steven P. Lewis — as well as
his producer and two assistants.
“Night Talk” is a local radio
program that is controversial be
cause of the abrasiveness of the J
show’s host. The show will receive
nationwide syndication the night
after the play takes place, though
Champlain refuses to moderate his
attitude or replies to the callers to
please the show’s sponsors. There
is nothing pleasant or interesting
about the lives of these callers, nor
of their often inane questions. And
more importantly, the atmosphere
becomes unpleasant and disturb
ing as a result of Champlain’s
annoyed responses.
Champlain is described by his
female assistant/formcr lover as “a
nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t
See TALK on 10
Omaha trio releases 5-song EP
Cellophane has listeners dancing on ceiling
By Bryan Peterson
Staff Reporter
Cellophane Ceiling
•Fry”
Vlain Vein Records
The much-lauded Omaha trio
Cellophane Ceiling is offering its third
release, a five-song EP called “Fry,"
which follows its 1987 dchut album
[The Omaha World Herald’s Best
Local Release of the Year) and a 1988
EP.
Bar crowds in Lincoln and Omaha
have heard the three-person version
of Cellophane Ceiling since late 1985,
when guitarist John C. Wolf look on
vocal duties after the departure of
vocalist Jeanette, who is now with
another Omaha band, The Acorns.
Described variously as ihrashabilly,
post-punk, powertrash and “hair
wagging collcgc-oricnicd stuff," the
bottom line here is a clean, powerful
sound guaranteed to perk up the lis
teners’ cars whether in a crowded,
smoky bar or in the comfort of one’s
home.
Wolf’s snarly-growly vocals add a
fine touch to his prowling guitar licks,
and both arc complemented well by a
shadowy bassand some crisp, punchy
drum work.
The tight, fiery blend of instru
ments that shows in every song on
this tape is a sound that has led Cello
phane Ceiling to open for a lengthy
must-hcar list of underground music
gods: Soundgarden, Soul Asylum,
Husker Dii, The Replacements, the
Red Hot Chili Peppers and The RoUias
Band.
Years on the bar circuit and prac
tically being a house band at Omaha’s
Liftickct Lounge, as well as experi
ence opening for so many bands, have
all added up to produce a polished
sound which marks this release.
Things get started with “Soul
Shake”and Wise to You,” both slop
and-start blasts of anger and angst,
American style.
Some blue-collar blues follow w ith
“Ponderous (White Rock)," an aptly
named tune followed itself on the
cassette version by the extra track
“Peacetime,” whose infectious bass
line keeps this slow-paced song from
dragging the tape down.
If anything detracts from this re
lease, it is the lyrics. The few strong
lines (“I work all day in the factory to
support four ugly kids who look just
like me”) arc lost in rows of trite,
wandering lyrics (“I must confess/
I’m in such disircss/It’s such a shame/
You’re all to blame.”)
The EP is rounded out by its title
track “Fry,” an exercise in the build
ing and releasing of aural tension
which reveals the precise melding of
this trio at its best.
With over five years of live shows,
it is time for Cellophane Ceiling to
break into a larger audience. “Fry”
may be just the thing to gather some
deserved national attention and to put
Omaha on the music map.
