4
Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Friday, April 2, 1971
amuse and amaze
theatre
Irish comedy and
it
E
props in his act. He explained
that at an Elks show, when the
Master of Ceremonies introduc-
ed him with an exhuberent wave
of the hand, he waved t w o
tables full of equipment onto
the floor. From then on, Flagg-
mann developed a style that
makes little use of the larger
props.
Magic today has many ap-
plications that it didn't have
when Houdini and Blackstone
were the masters of the trade.
While it has lost its aura of
genuine believability, it still
maintains a special appeal, es-
pecially for children. Flaggman's
father, who is a dentist, takes
a cavitied tooth, rubs a tooth-
brush over it, and "presto" the
tooth is whole again. But magic
runs into the "believability gap"
The world is too real in many
ways, and the older generation
refuses to believe in magic any
more. Therefore, a magician must
take what the traffic will al-
low.
Flaggman feels that children
are his hardest audience to per-
form in front of. For one thing,
they are much more intent on
not being fooled. But at the
same time, they are much more
willing to believe and to laugh.
They don't let the feeling of
too much education hinder their
enjoyment of what is going on
in front of them. 1
Flaggman doesn't believe that
the recent trend towards ast-
rology and a belief in the oc-
cult will bring a resurgence of
Houdini-style magic. Magic has
become a hobby. The conven-
tions are still held where older
and middle-aged magicians show
each other card tricks and 'rope
tricks. But they are becoming
fewer and fewer professional
magicians. Most of them, like
Flaggman, who is a sophomore
and hopes to enter law school,
hold other jobs and do, magic as
a hobby.
Magic is an interesting hob-
by that provides a more inter-
sting response. It's exteremely
difficult not to believe that
"magic" is happening when,
someone picks a nickel out from
behind your ear or can make
a number of matches disappear
when you saw them placed in
the magicians' hand. When
pressed to tell how he does a
trick, Flaggmann replies "Magic
is to leave them laughing, amus-
d, and amazed." If he had told
how he pulled the coin out of
an ear, the viewer would lose
his amazement, just as I did
when I found out how a per-
son can be levitated; But as long
as the amazement is there, then
the appeal of magic is still
there.
"~~~~~ ~~.vrrnv:.i1-.r. :::? ttt4i . .st t :.. w.... .wi~ '' ??4.+..- ,. . ... :: .. r i..... .. ' '".: .
PASSOVER IS COMING!
The First Seder--Friday night, April 9
Reservations for seders, luncheon and dinner meals may be
made at the Hillel Foundation, 1429 Hill St. thru Tuesday
afternoon, April 6. No reservations thereafter,
HAPPY PASSOVER!
French
By GAYNELLE CLEMENT
and CASSANDRA MEDLY
The Residential College Play-
ers are presenting a weekend
of Irish comic realism and ab-
surdist theatre. Sean O'Casey's
Bedtime Story and Samuel Bec-
kett's Endgame comprise the
bill run last night and con-
tinuing Friday and Saturday
at the Residential College Audi-
torium.
Bedtime Story deals with the
efforts of a remorseful G o d-
fearing young man to sneak his
wench out of his respectable
boarding house after a night of
carousing. His task is compli-
cated by the scheming y o u n g
woman's "reluctance" to leave
and the respective arrivals of a
fellow boarder and the 1a n d-
lady. This production was un-
able to convey the many levels
of th play's hurom. The comedy
of the basic situation and broad
comic overtones were captured
but the subtlties of O'Casey's
satire were missed.
The use of Irish brogues was
unevenly attempted by the actors
resulting in frequent lapses and
unclear 'articulation. The show
lacked the sense of pacing and
timing necessary to bring off
good comedy.
Cheryl White as the prostitute
did a fine job of communicating
the character's duplicity. She
was a woman of the world schem-
ing to fleece the naive, inex-
perienced young man while tear-
fully bemoaning her lost "mno-
bsur dity
cence." White handled the tran-
sitions well and displayed a fine
sense of comic pointing. Pat
McCord as the young man was
self-consciously trying to play
"comedy." He overplayed the
character, relegating all re-
sponses and reactions to momen-
tary wincing of the face. His
characterization lacked depth
and consistency.
Steve Kronovet, the intruding
friend and boarder, was unable to
separate his role as actor from
his offstage role as member of
the audience. He couldn't re-
frain from smiling and laugning
at the character rather than in
character. Adele Aronheim is to
be complimented for her fine
portrayal of the eccentric and
nosy landlady.
Michael Spingler's production
of Endgame excellently conveys
Beckett's theme of entropy; the
winding down of the universe.
The static blocking and phy-
sical isolation of characters ex-
press their desperation, b o r e-
dom and agony as they contin-
ually rage against life and time,
and they find no consolation in
the prospect of death.
The cast is uniformly excel-
lent with special honors to Ian
Stulberg, Justin Vitiello as Ham
and Clov. Their timing and in-
terplay captured Beckett's dis-
illusionment with the ability of
human beings to be compas-
sionate with one another, illus-
trating the horrifying cruelty to
which we subject ourselves.
presents
LEN CHANDLER
COLUMBIA RECORDING ARTIST
TONIGHT THRU SUNDAY
"bread and wine for the soul."-M.H.
"phantasmagoric carousel with hearling intensity."
-N.Y. Times
FRI.-SUN. 330 MAYNARD
APRIL 2-4 $ 0Doors open 8 p.m.
By PENELOPE ANN SHAW
This afternoon, tonight and
Saturday night the Department
of Romance Languages will pre-
sent a French-language produc-
tion of Ionesco's Le rol se meurt
in Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.
'Inesco, newly elected immortel
of the Academie Francaise treats
the theme of mortality and the
human condition in this play
belonging to the contemporary
French dramatic aesthetic cur-
rent, the Theatre of the Absurd.
During the play we partici-
pate through an emotive recre-
ation of our own desires and
fears in the increasing anguish
of the king's attempt to deal
with the ephemeral quality of
his life and with the realiza-
tion of his impending death. The
king's gradual physical and
emotional deterioration is par-
alleled by a withdrawal from
hope, joy and the force of life
itself. It is the story of his and
our nobility and ultimate fate.
The role of King Berenger is
excellently played by J oh n
Reed who not only projects the
various stages of non-awareness,
recognition and acceptance of
his fate but manages to create
that force of character needed
to unite the other players' per-
formances into a solid produc-
tion. John produced and direct-
ed the play and deserves credit
also for the excellent conception
of the whole production.
The good Queen Marie, sym-
bol of that hope and illusory
view of life that man tries to
hide behind is bought to life by
Pam Dryden. The superb quality
of her performance is one of the
highlights of the show. Mar-
guerite, the queen who repre-
sents a more objective view of
the reality of man's position is
ably played by Betsey Price.
Her bearing and presence are
largely responsible for the com-
munication of the ever present
reality of man's destiny.
CINE
"ONE-EYE
Marion Brando, a
revenge in t
with KARL MALDENfSLIP
DIRECTED by M
Friday and Saturday
And. A., Angell Hally
NEXT
Hitchcock's "T
Larisa Lucaci who play Juliette
will not be easily forgotten for
her interpretation of the maid.
She is to be noted particularly
for the provencal accent which
she so ably carries off. Mich-
ael Pilafian, is extremely cred-
ible in his role of the doctor-
astrologer, the most "absurd"
character of the play. The role
of the guard whose speech ech-
oes the relentlessness and indif-
ference of the passage of time
is created by Don Hudson. His
fine performance together, with
those of the other actors makes
for an enjoyable evening.
The costumes, styled along
gothic lines, were designed and
executed by Cathe Lake to re-
inforce the characterization.
The sets, designed and built;
by Jim Joy, in the gothic style
of this production give height,;
delicacy and substance as they
provide the regal air of the
king's world.
Joe Appelt designed and exe-
cuted the lighting which is a vis-
ual metaphor of the king's ac-
ceptance of' his death. They
weaken and tremble as the'
king dies.
The make-up was conceived
and applied by Nanci Kezlarian.
It is particularily effective in
creating the successive stages of
ths aging of the king./
The quality of the play it-
self, the acting, and the tech-j
nical achievements in costumes,1
sets, lighting and make-up all
combine to create an interpreta-
tion of Ionesco's Le roi se meurt
which is artistically excellent
and extremely enjoyable.
I am asking you as did Jean,
of Berenger in Ionesco's Rhino-
cerous: "Do you know the con-
temporary theatre about whichI
so much is said? Have you seen
the plays ofaIoneseo? There is
one playing at the moment. Take
advantage of it. It would be an
excellent initiation into the ar-
tistic life of our time."
4A II a
D JACKS"
Johnny Rio, seeks
e old West
PICKENS;KATY JURADO
.RLON BRANDO
April 2, 3
7:00,9:30 p.m.
WEEK:
IE 39 STEPS"
way when vaudeville died, and
in its place, magic as an enter-
taining medium has come into
its own. Magicians still pull rab-
bits out of hats and saw women
in half, but the magician him-
self has become an entertain-
er.
Like an entertainer, he has
to gauge his audience, to appeal
to those who don't believe in
magical powers, but still want
to believe. Flaggman t h e r e-
fore, will when entertaining a
peer group, make everything go
wrong until the very last point,
and finally the trick succeeds,
creating humor, , as well as
amazement.
Flaggman, who is appearing
at the Bursley snack bar Fan-
nerio, tonight, started his in-
terest in magic at about 14.
When his friends grew tired of
magic, he bought their equip-
ment, and developed his own
magic shows. He worked last
summer at Cedar Point, and has
entertained at Michigras, as well.
as doing U.S.O. shows in De-
troit and Spain.
Flaggman doesn't use a lot of
ACADEMY AWARD
NOMINEE
Now On Our Screen!
1:10-3:45-6:15-9 p.m.
Sharp!
._....
Dial 662-6264
At corner of
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE
'BEST FOREIGN FILM'
"incredibly sensual- N. Y. TIMES
"Without ever showing all
there is to show, without
pandering to the prurient
and the obvious, 'First Love
becomes, through artistry
and an intelligent use of
sensuality, one of the
sexiest movies in years!"
-REX REED
(Cannes Film Festival, 1970)
"An extraordinarify
beautiful film!"
-WILLIAM WOLF, Cue Magazine
"A love story that is
universal and timilessl You
will see 'First Love'... for the
beautiful performances, for
the beautiful visuality and
for the beautiful Dominique
{ ;.. -GENE SHAU, NBC-TV
SIDNEY GLAZIER presents
MAXIMIUAN SCHE SWINNER
SM sEA ALN
i ~FILM FESTIY~t
F IR ST WEk
I
I
DUSTIN HOfI"AN "LtfTLE BIG MIAN"
I
FRI.-First Love, 6:30, 9:40-Quackser, 8:10, 11:20
SAT.-First Love, 3:20, 6:30, 9:40-Quackser, 5:00, 8:10, 11:20
Fri. and Sat. nite $2.50-Saturday before 6:00 p.m.--$1.75
"One of the most delightful
comedy dramas in recent yearsI
Wilder's delicate blend of humor and pathos makes
the viewer think he is seeing young Charlie ChaplinI"
-Time Magazine
I
I
I
5 _ HIGHEST"s
RATING
HOORS OPEN 12:45PM -Wanda Hale. New York Daily Newsf
SHOWSEAT:,3 "G57, 9PWM:.:
NEXT : "GOING DW h ~
Writer-In-Residence
presents
GARY SNYDER
March 29 thru April 4
During the week Snyder will read his poetry and
hold lectures and discussions on ecology, an-
thropology, Asian culture, Zen, Red power.
SATURDAY, April 3-discussion at South
Quad, East Lounge, 2:00 p.m.
-talk on "The Politics of Oil and Environ-
ment." Angell Hall, Aud. D, 8:00 p.m.
"
I'__
rIe
1
IS
the
MA
MA
THURSDAY, FRIDAY-APRIL 1 - 2
SHOP AROUND THE CORNER
diri. ERNST LUBITSCH (USA) 1940
JAMES STEWART and MARGARET SULLIVAN star
in this movie of romance at the turn of the century.
Stewart is, as always, incredibly charming.
"A poignant sadness infiltrates the director's gayest
moments, and it is this counterpoint between sadness
and gaiety, that represents the Lubitsch touch." -
Andrew Sarris
7 & 9:05 AUDITORIUM
662-8871 75C ARCHITECTURE
((~IPIPTH voruM1
FIRTH AWENUU AlTUUUWFV I
u fDOWNTOWN ANN ARBOR I
''-IINFORMATION 769-0YOG
IN KEEPING WITH THE FIFTH FORUM'S TRADITION OF SHOW-
ING THE FINEST IN FIL MENTERTAINMENT, OUR NEXT TWO.
ATTRACTIONS WILL ALSO BE ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES.
FOR 'BEST FOREIGN FILM'. - 'Tristana' and 'Investigation of a
Citizen Above Suspicion.
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.This is the shoe that shod the foot
k ,.'
NOMINATED FOR
ACADEMY
AWARDS
BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTRESS GP
BEST A CTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY,
BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FILM SOCIETY
presents
ORSON WELLES'
MR. ARKADIN
with ORSON WELLES
PATRICIA MEDINA
MICHAEL REDGRAVE
0
that trod ti
as pretty a
that
the
straight
he way that led to the shop
s May that sold the shoe
shod 'xthe foot that leads
way for all to followM~
as a swallow to
p.
111
8:30 p.m. 7:30 & 9:30 p.m
.I
8:30 p.m.
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11