Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Thursdor~v rch', 19.190f i ...~W*I- -n ,i I IIwI 3MUYl IV5UI ti-(I 17l 17 /L I, theatre: A fading-hip musical -poetry and prose Springtime simply must arrive NATIONAL 4OaNERAL COR~PORATION NOW EASTRN THEAT'E { FOX VILL6E SHOW1NG 375 No. MAPLE RD.-"769.1300 '7 TIMES 1:30-4:00 6:45-9:20 CHILDREN'S PRICE AT ALL SHOWS By JOHN ALLEN "Your Own Thing is not the whole answer to the problem of the Broadway musical, but it takes its place alongside Fan- tasticks and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown as a step in the right direction. Of the three, Your Own Thing is the smallest step, but cheer up: Fantasticks opens next week and Charlie Brown is on its way to Ann Ar- bor in December. More on that - later; The real stars of Your Own Thing are John Wayne, Hum- phrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, W. C. Fields, Queen Elizabeth, Will Shakespeare, Everett Dirk- sen, Buddha, and God, not nec- essarily in that order. They ap- pear in the show courtesy of a bank of slide projectors and fairly accurate tape-recorded mock-ups of their voices and mentalities. Your Own Thing, in case any- one doesn't know yet, is based (loosely, to say the least) on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Twins - a by and a girl - are separated in a shipwreck and spend the rest of the show being mistaken for each other by a variety of people for whom uni- sex is still more of a problem than univac. In the end, of course, everyone gets matched up girl-boy, boy-girl, thus lend- ing an old-fashioned note to an otherwise fading-hip musical. The show itselfJs sufficiently unassuming and unpretentious to get away with the slightness of its build and the predictabili- ty of its development Because it does not pretend to be pro- found it manages to be pleas- urable. It is fairly sure of its own particular thing and does it with minimum of bal- lyhoo. The production being present- ed in Hill Auditorium last night and tonight, however, under the auspices of the Professional Theatre Program's Play of the Month Series, is a bit grating now and then. A nlost serious problem Wednesday night was Godot: An exisential comedy. By RICHARD DEAN Did you ever hear the one about the two tramps who wait- e? Sometimes they sang and forgot the, words. Sometimes they watched each other pee. Sometimes they ate radishes when there were no more car- rots. Sometimes they danced, but when night fell, (with a less than lyric thump) they were still waiting, always waiting. Sometimes they forgot yester- day and waited by trying to re- member all the -past waiting. Even if you have heard that one, it was wise to see the De- partment of Romatce Lang- tuages' production of En Atten- dant Godot by Samuel Beckett. John C. Reed directed a skilled =company of accomplished clowns in a fine exercise of ex- istential waiting. Waiting in Godot is done pri- marily by Didi and Gogo, two tramps, relics from a burles- que stage, who are not quite sure why or for whom t h e y wait. Christopher Root's Didi and Robert Holkeboer's Gogo are disarming innocents. Root or- ganizers, dances, ponders, jokes and frets with great honesty. Holkeboer suffers from hunger, sore feet and indecision with equally.distributed engaging charm. Their vigil (waiting for Godot, who is and will be a long time coming) is interupted by the appearance of Arthur Bab- cock's bellowing Pozzo and Ju- dith Schweiss' gasping Lucky. Le Garcon (Cassandr'a Med- ley), who enters with a message from Monsieur Godot -.he can't come until tomorrow - offers another interlude t h a t answers no questions, but fur- ther intensifies the waiting. Each new clown (in fine per- formances) does his tricks; each trick begins and ends in waiting. Mr. Reed and costume design- er Cathe Lake, chose to dress 'waiting' in the garish makeup, and outfitting of the circus clown, impressively attacking without piercing 'an impenetra- ble void. The world created on the Trueblood stage struggled, tossed, tumbled and turned; and with an immense groan - waited. By MARY McNICHOLS I'm sure that Robert Mezey is looking forward to the ar- rival of spring. He is something of an updated Wordsworthian Romantic, and in his reading on Tuesday afternoon, Mezey man- aged to cut through the pseudo- intellectualism which very of- ten pervades a university and present his view of man with the warm simplicity that char- acterizes his work. T h e presentation of Robert Mezey's poetry during the week following the ENACT teach-in was timely, for Mezey is a poet of the physical world. His em- phases are intrinsically emotion- al rather than intellectual, tac- tile rather than meditative, con- cerned with the very physical human intimacies of love, sex and death. And so his poetry is a personal dialogue rather than a set of complex images, pro- ceeding in the genre of childlike simplicity. Ergo his concern with children and animals. Many of Mezey's poems deal with these themes, notable "I Am Here, for Naomi, Later," in which he attempts an explana- tion of death for his four year old child and in which he open- ly and simply inserts these lines: I rejoice and I am terrified.:.. A poem written out of naked fear and love which is nev- er enough ... I was here, Naomi, I will nev- er be back, but I was here with you and your broth- er... The theme is repeated in "Song," a work expressing his joy at a reunion with all his children, and "In This Life," in which Mezey attempts a re- conciliation with the continuity of the reciprocal life-death pro- cess. A 11 living things derive their existence from the death of their fellow creatures. And Mezey, in an almost Kirkegard- ian leap of faith, states that joy must be the only reaction to this understanding. ... he sings the only truth in this world where men remember mostly lies... Blossoms of mercy in the hol- ocost of life ... It is this understanding which enables Mezey to recognize an order in that holocost which is life. Characteristically, the or- der is a physical one, a social ecology analogous to that pro- pogated by Murray Bookchin in his book Ecology and Revolu- tionary Thought. A physical Great Chain of Being. Mezey's invocaton of Walt Whitman at the end of the reading is a nat- ural progression, indeed, a nec- essary one, for Mezey's philos- ophy of life is found in Whit- man's words: Love the earth the sun and the animals ... despise riches argue not concerning God... your v e r y flesh shall be a great poem... Perhaps Mezey's Jewish heri- tage enables him to see the spontaneity of physical life and love, and of a belief in a God of order. There is nothing of the traditionally Christian split' between the physical and the spritual in his work. The two are one. His poetry is very like Barbara Hepworth's sculpture, which integrates the human fig- ure with the physical landscape in her personal trpe of abstrac- tion. Thus, while Mezey often writes poetry of social protest, works depicting the agony of dying children in American ghettoes and in Vietnam, and, inevitably, of t h e sterility of American society, he never loses hope in the order of social ecol- ogy. But perhaps a revolution is necessary to reaffirm that or-, der. Mezey's particular concept of a social order leads to his af- firmation of the Spanish Com- munist poets. He has translated many of their works; several of' which he read at Tuesday's reading.. It is -not possible to sing alone...- We must pray for them, Earth.. All things understand me ,..they are rivers that flow into God and God into one... His work is not a naive re- jection of the absurdities of life. Rather Mezey's poetry con- fronts t h o s e inconsistencies, and attempts to alleviate them by reaffirming the existence of a universal order. Mezey states that "poetry is not solemn, ser- ious, but not solemn." His con- cept of life, .as his poetry, must be dealt with on these terms. "'Dazzling! Avivid experience. thrilling! A cliffhanger in space!~ -L A. Times A RNKVC v:$:$:~.f. PROTuu.ION *i'iROON6 6V Faa~ aA~oo front Columnbia Pictures '0 j D Sh NO EVENING SHOWS--TUES., MARCH 24 "TRIBUTE TO KING-MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHIS" ONE SHOWING-8:00 P.M., ONLY $5TH ANNUAL) DEBATE of the CENTURY! "Blowing the lid right off the Scondle of the Environmentl" "THE LATKE (yes.. .?) THE HAMANTASHEN (yes.. .?) and the INNER ENVIRONMENT" (what . ..?) PRO'S Dr. Robert Green, M.D. Mrs. Peg Kay Nutrition Expert IN THE MIDDLI Prof. Cui Cohen Philosopher E CON'S Prof. Beverly Pooloy LL8, SJD Prof. Leonard Greenbaum Phoenix Project on--SUNDAY, MARCH 22 (Purim nite) 8 P.M. with---Homantashen for all at-THE HOUSE 1429 HUI St. W.W. MWOMWOWA1 0 .r... ..... the singing of Lana Sloniger, the female twin Viola. She sang the entire show in her own key -which may be philosophically in keeping with the show's ma- jor premise but it no help musi- cally. She was, in a word, flat. The other serious problem was 'a general lack of enthusi- asm throughout the cast which was most noticable in the danc- ing. Dancing did not seem to be anyone's thing, which is a pity since the music cries out fpr the reinforcement of sharp, vibrant choreography energetically car- ried out. Steve Skiles as Sebastian, Violas brother, was perhaps most successful in getting across the spirit! of the show, but it was constantly jarring to, be so conscious of the wig he was forced to wear to create the il- lusion that he and his sister were one and the same boy. Roger Rathburn as Orson and yicki Nunis as Olivia, the pair of thirty-year-olds who round out the romantic foursome, sang adequately and played their parts broadly-very broadly, in fact. Gregg Smith, Gregg Stump, and Hank Schob made up the musical's chorus: the three- fourths of a rock group called the Apocalypse who hire Viola to fill in for their drafted col- league. Your Own Thing is a musical of which I happen to be fond, and it was-on balance-pleas- ant to see it again, in spite of the noted difficulties. For any who have not seen the show and who have any interest in the history and development (or decay) of the musical comedy form, the current production is a worthwhile opportunity if by no means the chance of a life- time. Musicals have become something of a theatrical dino- saur, and the few smaller musi- cals that have managed to suc- ceed are valuable clues to pos- sibilities by no means exhausted. Fantasticks, of course, which Ann Arbor Civic Theatre is pre- senting next week, is the grand- daddy of the current crop. Char- lie Brown is perhaps the favo- rite son. My own choice for star pupil is an obscure work called In Circles, based on a play by Gertrude Stein, with music by Al Carmines. But I'll settle for Charlie Brown, which is one of six plays coming to Ann Arbor next year in the Play of the Months Series. It will be in good company: the other five are a Hair, 1776, Plaza Suite, Hadri- ian VII, and Zorba ... not bad for old Ann Arbor Town. The killing of a myth To the Editor:' This letter was inspired by Donald Kubit's review of Down- hill Racer which appeared in the Daily on Tuesday, March 17, 1970. The intent of Downhill Racer is to dispel the' myth of the American athlete as a god, and for a reviewer to attack it for not catering to that myth is absurd. The fact that Mr. Ku- bit was incensed by the por- trayal of the champion athlete as a great athlete, but some- what less than a great man, is proof that the film has succeed- ed. The fact that he insists on maintaining his myth in spite of what he has seen only points up the need for more movies like Downhill Racer. The movie attempts a realis- tic portrayal of the world of amateur athletics. Real (as op- posed to cinematic) dialogue is often trite a n d cliche-ridden, and often-much more is com- municated by a glance or a phrase that is left unsaid than by the slick words of a screen- writer. This kind of realism is not new to cinema, but its oc- curence is rare enough to 'be unsettling each time we see it. The portrayal of the hero as anti-hero is not new either, but the invasion of this genre into the world of sport seems to up- set people like Mr. Kubit. Why do they find it so difficult to admire the champion for what he is, a skilled athlete without also expecting him to exemplify, all of the virtues of a Boy Scout? -Bob Rockhow March, 19 & 20--Thursday, Friday T'ROUBLE .IN, PARADISE4 dir. ERNST LUBITSCH (1932) Herbert Marshall as high-society pick-pocket. The Lubitsch touch: a tragedy of manners. 7 &9,:05 ARCHITECTUR E 662-8871 AUDITORIUM 'r j DRIVERS _ a . Id W.C. FIELDS ** ** with the incomparable MAE WEST in "MY LITTLE CHICKADEE" i'r r AUTO INSURANCE FOR EVERYONE CANCELLED * REJECTED * DECLINED INSURANCE CERTIFICATES IMMEDIATELY FOR 1970 LICENSE PLATES SPECIALIZING IN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ILow Monthly Payments The Senior Staff of the 1971 MICHIGANENSIAN extends appliCationS to any student member of the' University Community for a position on the Junior Staff . THE POSITIONS ARE: Academics Editor Senior Section Editor Associate Academics Sports Editor Arts Editor Associate Sports Associate Arts Publicity Director Campus Life Editor Sales Manager Associate Campus Life Associate Sales Organizations Editor Copy Editor Associate Organizations Design Editor Applications may be obtained ot the MICHIGANENSIAN Office br the Student Publications Butiness Office, 420 Maynard St. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 20, 1970 4! I I I Why should a traditional club tie have the new full fashion shape? Only the new more luxurious full fashion shape (fuller under-the- knot, wider throughout) is right with today's longer shirt collars, wider jacket lapels. What's more, this new full fashion shape is best cal- culated to show off the luxurious Imported silks and dramatic pat- terns of Resilio's new giant clubs. P.S. All Resillo ties have the new full fashion shape. TRA1TI7NA. n.Wst y AR Tice's Men's Wear 1107 S. University ALSO Ji I "YOU (AN'T, (HEAT AN HONEST KMAN" SATURDAY and SUNDAY MATINEES ONLY adults $1.50-child 75c FIFTH For'umV FY14H AVENUE AT LIBERTY OWNTOWN ANN ARBOR IFORMATION 761-8700 not continuous with "Downhill Racer" teODOR 482-9533 214 E.LMICHIGAN, YPSILANTI ARLAN'S DEPT. STORES 483-8524 234 W. MICHIGAN DOWNTOWN YPSI. 665-3789 2456 STADIUM BLVD. ANN ARBOR WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTER BUKEL rV /Ii AWA rally Ann Arbor 4 IN Ir I Rent your Roommate with a Classified Ad Trueblood IAuiori um, FRI, MARCH 20-8:30 p.m. IUlJUUd A~UdUmII SAT, MARCH 21--3:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Premiere Showing of SHOPPIN' An Original Rock Musical CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION FROM DIAG TO UN ION BALLROOM MARCH. 23 7:30 4 The ALL in FUN SHOW! FIGHT REPRESSION A l , .'4 i. :.a. <: 0