THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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THE MICHIGAN DAILY ia~cAnii AA,-tr,4-. 0 1 07~i1
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Nash's The Rainmaker' shines
erratically at Meadow Brook
By ANITA CRONE
Arts Editor
Meadow Brook Theatre is cur-
rently presenting N. Richard
Nash's, The Rainmaker. The
popular comedy is the story of
the Curry family, set in the mid-
west during a drought, and the
problems of marrying off Lizzie
(Diane Burgas) the o n 1 y fe-
male in a family of two broth-
ers and a widowed father. In
the midst of all this, a "con man
and a liar," Starbuck, the Rain-
maker (David Himes) appears
and involves himself in the fam-
ily, standing up to Noah (Philip
Mallet), the o n l y one in the
family who had any common
sense, and indeed is so realistic
he is sour; helping Jimmy
(Michael Tolaydo) and convinc-
ing Lizzie that she is a woman.
The Rainmaker is a fast-mov-
ing play, and the cast did its
best to make it go faster. For a
professional company, t h e y
seemed surprisingly ill at ease
in their roles. The accents, ,up-
posedly the twang of the mid-
west, at times came off sound-
ing like t h e southern aristo-
cracy. Often, especially on the
part of Mallet at the beginning
of the play, the lines were so
rushed that it was difficult to
understand them.
The cast soon settled down
however and made for an enjoy-
able evening at the theatre.
Special kudos go to William Le-
Massena for an excellent por-
trayal of H. C. Curry and to
David Himes for his portrayal of
the Rainmaker. Both of these
fine actors brought an excellent
sense of style and characteriza-
tion to rather difficult roles,
The most disappointing actor
unfortunately was Burgas. Hav-
ing the most difficult role, she
gave an at best fluxuating per-
formance. At times bringing out
the conflict involved in her role,
whether she is in fact an "old
maid" or whether she is still
capable of dreaming, all to of-
ten she got bogged down in try-
ing to bring across this conflict,
and not actually succeeding. But
when she does succeed, as she
does most distinctly when ex--w
Nominated Academy
For Awards
Best Picture
plaining to Starbuck that she is
Lizzie, and as Lizzie she does
dream, no other a c t o r could
touch her in terms of excellence.
The scenery, by Richard Da-
vis, more than adequately por-
trayed the inside of a midwest
home. Not having a curtain, ex-
cellent use was made of the two
small buildings off to both sides
of the stage. These buildings
turned around to become thc
setting of the sheriff's office anci
the tack room. The lighting, al-
so by Davis gave credence to the
stage directions for the hot days
and nights.
The Rainmaker will continue
at Oakland University through
Sunday, April 18.
For the student body:
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINE E
"Best Foreign Film"
"SALLAH IS FUN!
FLARES
by
Levi
* Farah
A Wright
* Tads
A Sebring
More than a touch of Tevyo and the delightful
score echoes 'Fiddler on the Roof.' We emerge
quite in love with Sallah and all his works!"
-Judith Crist, Herald-Tribune
"OUT-ZORBAS ZORBA! . . .
Sallah is plain marvelous! It out-Zorbas 'Zorba
the Greek' for charm, color and good nature!"
--McCall's Magazine
"UNUSUAL, ENDEARING,
COLORFUL!" A H Weiler, N.Y Times
"A Palisades international Release"
TUESDAY, MARCH 9: 4 & 7 P.M.
THURS., MARCH 11 : 4, 7 & 9 P.M. 75c
at"SHALOM HOUSE" (Hillel) 1429 Hill St.
(CORNER OF HILL AND WASHTENAW)
FRIDAY, MARCH 12: 7 & 9 P.M.
IN THE EAST DINING ROOM
BURSLEY, North Campus
4
This intrepid interviewer grew ways. Usualy tnat decies it." past. But Daily made it clear
progressively more nervous at All the musicians felt great that this meant the Budapest of
emotional ties to the now-sadly the '60's, not of the '30's. "The
eptioversityhMusical Society re disbanded B u d a p e s t Quartet. early Budapest readings were
on February 25. Insidious rumors Many critics, in fact, have sing- straight and fastidious, t- ult-
were circulating about .the room led out the Guarneri as the true mate in cleanliness. In later
in hushed tones that this -famed successor to the Budapest. The lears, their playing acquired
young string ensemble planned members nostalgically :'ecalled more sweep and individuality,
to skgp out momentarily: they having performed with the Buda- not as concerned with making
had to leave early the next morn- pest's violist and cellist, Boris everything as clean as possible.
dtg for Holland! I hastily gath- Kroyt and Mischa Schneider. I don't mean that they became
ered the quartet into a corner of Steinhardt admitted that the messy, but just that there wasn't
the room and; delighted to get quartet felt more individual sym- the same attention to eacn little
this news scoop, immediately pathy toward the Budapet than note."
asked them about their ensuing
tripabod
Quizzical expressions turned to To dance - to be free
fits of uncontrolled laughter as
cellist David Soyer explained that By LINDA DREEBEN The program also offers sev-
they had a February 26 concert eral works of a more experi-
in Holland, Michigan. "I guess There is m o r e to dance in mental style. Taya Bergmann's
anything, west of the Hudson Ann Arbor than meets the eye. dance and choreography are
River is going abroad for all of Take for example, the Ann Ar- particularly strong and expres-
us except John." Soyer was re- . bor Dance Theatre, a group of sive in this . innovative dance.
erring to U-M alumnus John dancers and choreographers pri- The eight dancers in her in-
Dailey, second violinist of the manily from the Ann Arbor"
quartet, a native Ann Arborite. community who, tonight in East provisational des ign Polite
Quad, are giving the third and Conversations" keep the audi-
Things quickly settled down to final performance of their sev- ence suspended between what is
more serious matters, specifical- enth annual concert, improvisational and what is de-
ly the question of whether or not The Dance Theatre, a modern sign. Her other two pieces use
mutsic students now turned out dance center for the community unusual background tapes and
by conservatories are really rigid provides a place for non-uni- both visually and verbally work
anrd unyielding in performance. versity and university people to with the question of dance in
At once the individual feelings Of dance and choreograph. The terms of space and art - or
iembers.. pusheq .to the fore- group has no specific point of Spart.
oyer, th snior quartet fellow view about dance but approach- An unusual part of the con-
in age (having played in Tosca- es modern dance both tradition- cert is "Maneuvers for Small
nini's NBC Symphony in the late ally and experimentally, e a c h Hands" presented by two mem-
'40's and early '50's) w'as . a1a,- work reflecting the interest and bers of the Ann Arbor Mime
mant, He felt, that nineteenth- ideas of the choreographer, Thoupe. This piece takes the
century performance traditions The dancers differ in skill and special art of mime and builds
had been lost by today's students. poise but each expresses the en-. it into a work of humor and
"Why they don't even know any joyment of moving and working movement. Complementing the
gypsy music, and they haven't with the body. The East Quad two white faced mimists is a
even heard of Richard Tauber theater is one of those small, pianist who plays t h e piano
(famous Viennese tenor 'f the intimate types. The stage opens with his forearm and assaults
'20's and '30's)." into the audience and the danc- the audience w i t h irrelevent
'Who's he?," chimed in first ers are real, life size people, words and actions.
violinist Arnold Steinhardt. "I Two of the works performed With something for everyone
think he plays third base for Fal- take a more classical modern the Ann Arbor Dance Theatre
timore," solemnly intoned violist dance approach. "Circles and concert is, for those who enjoy
Michael Tree. Approaches" expresses the sheer watching dance and never see
Soyer continued, undaunted by joy and delight of moving in enough, well worth seeing. It is
his colleagues puckish jibes. space. In long flowing dresses especially enjoyable f o r those
"Seriously, though. It's come to and soft light the two dancers, who, like myself, watch dance as
the point where some of them who also choreographed the if they are the dancer, and who,
sound antiseptic. It has to do piece, move in circular patterns when the concert ends stretch,
with their teachers, I think. toward, around and with each smile and dance, with inspira-
Present-day young soloists are other. - tion, out of the theater.
note-bound. They're too strict in.
yiewing the music. They don't in-
terpret the spirit of the music, 1214 S. Univ.-, ENDING
fust the notes." Dial 8-646 WEDNESDAY
Steinhardt had to agree. "Ma-
sic has been played a lot more
strictly in the last 25 gears. Per- Nominated for two Academy Awards
formers have been self-con-
scious. But the pendulum is
starting to swing the other way."
He then acknowledged that the D. H.AWRENG'S
Gudrneri is actively trying to en-"CLORby eluxe
courage this change. "We areI EN LUnted Atist
striving for more freedom, notA
for strictness. We want Group
playing with flexibility, imme-
diacy, fluidity and spontaneity,"+the passon
This urge for interpretive lee- * .
'way leads to novel dispute set- *" *
tlement procedures where there
Is a 2-2 split vote on how to piy*R
a given passage. Dalley explain- * THURSDAY
ed. "We simply innovate by put-
ting each idea into the context of THE TW ELVE CHAIRS"
consecutive live performances
Tickets still available-but going fast ! !
The Project Coimmunity
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IKE & TINA TURNER REVUE
plus SRC
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Program Information 5-6290
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Movement by
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Music by
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Lincoln Center)
A provocative
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Directed by Arthur Storch
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