Page Two
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, September 17, ,.1976
Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Thursday, September 17, 1970
theatre
Hair': A
record
with acting
Group to encourage
aesthetic projects
DOUBLE FEATURE-THROUGH SATURDAY
MARCELLO MASTROIANNI IN CAMUS'
"THE STRANGER"
and Robert Redford in
"TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE"
By ANN L. MATIES
"Peace will guide the planets
and love will steer the stars."
The year 1970 belongs to the
Age of Aquarius, when the Good
will reach its culmination. It
also joins a period of national
trauma and an illegal war.
Hair is the product of peaking
optimism and crashing despair.
Approaching the theatre (in
this case the Vest Pocket in
Detroit) there doesn't seem to
be much out of hand. The men
are neatly dressed in suits or
sports coats, and an occasional
female dares to wear a full-
length dress or a Saks pantsuit.
Our magic bus pulls up and fifty
of us descend while Jeff picks
up the tickets. Sadly he reports
that we have to purchase eleven
extra because of a miscalcula-
tion, so a few of us become
hawkers, selling our goods at a
discount, bargaining to the
chagrin of the ticket takers. At
first we approached the few
hippies, but soon discovered
that they were part of the pro-
gram.
A stage that looks something
like a mechanical engineer's
dream bedroom confronts us as
we enter the theatre. Automobile
waste that includes old license
plates, mufflers (STP), road
signs, hub caps and tires hang
in a chaotic arrangement. And,
even more inelegant, are the
festering hippies that yell at
let
Issue on
ro the Editor:'
I'd like to" take .issue with
the Daily's review of the latest
album by the Firesign Theatre
(their curious spelling of "thea-
ter"). '
It must be realized that the
Firesign Theatre write and
pe form on a somewhat differ-
ent plane than most other peo-
ple. To truly appreciate Don't
Crush That Dwarf requires not
only a familiarity with their
past works, but also a working
acquaintance with some of
the more popular drugs.
The record is not a series
of unrelated episodes. It seems
that way because it is discon-
nected - in the best traditions
of McLuhan-ism, it is anti-
linear. The whole piece most as-
suredly hangs together - as a
comment on modern society and
"America as a High School".
The "groaners", Spoonerisms,
and puns are present, although
in diminished numbers compar-
you as you come in. They swing
from the balcony, climb the
walls and penetrate the audi-
ence. A moment of absolute
silence dissolves into an elec-
tronic trip that resembles the
Adderly concert last spring.
I feel somewhat like a bureau-
crat in the audience, even
though I'm wearing a skirt I
quilted this summer and a sag-
Iging black blouse. The rest of
the gang is upstairs in the $5
seats, while the two of us (it
was a toss up between Mike and
Fred, and Fred won) are sur-
rounded by men with their hair
practically shorn and sitting
with wives vain enough to wear
someone else's curls. A few of
them look at us curiously, as if
we might be part of the farce.
I smile as a candidate for peace
and love.
Slowly the cast exhumes its
personality: Claude, who has
just received his draft notice,
but burns everything except his
draft card; Berger, the AC/DC
looking for a sixteen year old
virgin; Crissy, who walks the
streets of Brooklyn in search of
a guy whose address is lost. In
addition, the take-offs on well-
known personalities highlight
the procession. James Brown pis
listed in a roll call, and, with
the help of a few friends, man-
ages to finally line up with the
rest. An ironic portrayal of Lin-
coln comes from a black girl
who faints at the sight of a
nigger.
In the first act as the skits
and songs unwind, only the
songs come through with any
effervescence. The fat boy belts
out "Age of Aquarius" followed
by "Looking for My Donna,"
"Hashish," "Sodomy," "L.B.J.-
L.S.D." and on and on. With the
acting held up by the strength
of songs that are not always
heard, this act seems only
slightly superior to listening to
the record.
During intermission we dis-
cussed the differences between
balcony and orchestra seats,
and decided that the front of
the balcony is probably the
place to sit. No one seemed
particularly enthused about the
program, but the only complaint
seemed to be a problem of
accoustics when. the m i k e s
weren't in use.
We went into the second act
trying to figure out what they
would do now that most of the
"record" was over. Pleasantly
we discovered that with the ex-
piration of'most of the antici-
pated music, the cast seemed to
pick up the pace and to con-
centrate more on the acting.
The style changed immediately
from a revue to guerrilla theatre.
The strobe pantomime of the
Vietnamese war turned out to
be the one recognizable brilliant
moment.
Soon after the fat guy broke
out with "Let the Sunshine In,"
and even the straights in the
audience took- it as a cue to
stand up and clap in rhythm.
With the resolution of the play
the people from the main floor,
and our gang in the balcony,
thronged to the stage where we
joined the cast in one last Wal-
purgis Night dance.
We nearly all agreed that
Hair is certainly a rock musical
of tribal love, as the subtitle
indicates. The ecstasy of a
driven beat and the continuous
touch remain a vital part of
that ritual. But all worship de-
mands a sacrifice. The people in
Hair (and I do not necessarily
mean the characters) have lost
contact with the world of those
in the audience who go home
to their security knowing that
youth is not forever and tomor-
row is a long time.
An attempt at beautifying the
concrete walls of city parking
structures and decorating the
terrace on the second floor of
Ann Arbor's City Hall is being
undertaken by the newly formed
City Committee on the Arts.
Four proposals, which will re-
quire little or no financing, will
be worked on by the committee.
City Hall's terrace has poten-
tial to be converted into an out-
door restaurant or used to dis-
play sculpture.
Parking structures, or the
terrace, could be used for city
dances or regular concerts.
Wall space in parking struc-
tures and on old buildings could
be filled with decorative paint-
ings.
An environmental t u n n e l
could be built on the terrace
actually allowing people to par-
ticipate in the environment. The
plastic tube would be equipped
with lights, geometric inflated
forms and kinetic lasers. "By
moving within the structure, the
committee proposal reads, "the
participants would change the
overall shape, providing both
visual and sensual stimuli."
The City Committee on the
Arts is to be composed of any
permanent or temporary mem-
bers of the Ann Arbor commu-
nity who wish to work on it. An
organizational meeting will be
held in the University's Museum
of Art in Alumni Memorial Hall
at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7.
4 IT-- . _ _ ___ -- __
O O FIP'TH POr'UM
FITH AVENUE AT LIBERTY
DOWNTOWN ANN ARBOR
INFORMATION 761-9700
Willie Boy"- -7:15
"Stronger"-9:00
Sunday-"ZABRISKIE POINT" and "BLOW-UP"
I*
Sept 18 19 20 Doors Open
~~ F ri, TH SunEYD at 7:30
S!.18 1 Dor Oe
r. t, u-at13
I
ters
Firesign
ANN ARBOR
IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM
Mass Meeting Tonight
3529 SAB ,8-10:30
DIAL 8-6416
Doors Open 6:45 P.M.
Shows at 7, 9 P.M.
"A FRANTIC
FUNNY
COMEDY ...
one is indeed made
weak wi,th laughter."
L.A. HERALD EXAMINER
Help your Brother!
DRAFT COUNSELORS
NEEDED
after the training program,
work one two hour session per
week.
First training session
Sunday, September 20
for further information, call or visit
ANN ARBOR DRAFT
COUNSELING CENTER
502 East Huron
Ann Arbor, Mich. 48104
t ~769-4414-
F
RENTAMCAR
(CHEVROLET IMPALA)
MMWFM
$8.00 Day
PLUS
Per'
C Mile
INCLUDES ALL GAS
(STUDENTS MUST BE 21 OR OLDER')
i 'ESPEC IAL WEEKEND RATE-Fri. till Meon.
$15.00 and 8c PER MILE
ALADDIN RENT-A-CAR
/'(FORMERLY HERTZ AGENCY)
7
.
4
ed to previous Firesign albums
(which is why this album seems
less, funny). They are fun. quite
often risque, and sometimes
pointless. They serve the same
purpose that (forgive me)
Shakespeare's comic interludes
served. The point to keep in
mind is that the Firesign Thea-
tre and ... Dwarf are not only
comic, they are cosmic, and at-
tempting to separate the two
is meaningless.
"START THE
REVOLUTION
v:.
depu r1N:rVA'ii":ii ".. l " "..'.
.} GET YOUR MAN WITH A
Want Ad
R
1900 W. STADIUM \
Across from Huron Valley Bank
663-867
AT LAST!I
WITHOUT
ep I
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------ - ----
It's kick-off weekend for Ann Arbor's new rock spot thathas
what you've been looking for. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,
September 17, 18, 19 at the ODYSSEY you'll enjoy and dance to
Ann Arbor's favorite rock groups. No cover. No minimum. Food
and liquor 'til 2 a.m.
Thursday--9:30-1:30-LOVE'S ALCHEMY
Friday-9:30-1:30-LEAVES OF GRASS
Saturday-5-7 (after game Happy Hours)-LOVE'S ALCHEMY
9:30-1 :30-LOVE'S ALCHEMY
ME "
-Jim Mack
Sept. 11
................ .
Gene Donald
Wilder *Sutherland
out of fresh from
"The
Producers" M**S*H
MASS
MEETING
TV RENTALS
$10.50 per month
NO DEPOSIT
FREE DELIVERY
AND SERVICE
CALL:
NEJA TV RENTALS
662-5671
I i
THE ODYSSEY-208 W.
Huron
U
THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE ORCHESTRA
B
an all-campus orchestra
FOR STRINGS, WINDS, PERCUSSION, AND PIANISTS!
p/'eeh t4
Sponsored by MUSKET and G&S!
/ Hugh Masakela
Edwin Starr,
3 HIT SHOWS INCLUDING:
Last Poets and Renie Jones
IN CONCERT
"MY FAIR LADY" and "YEOMEN OF THE GUARD"
M ASS MEETING
Sept. 17, 8 P.M., 3D-Union
ME and MY BROTHER
IN COLOR
directed by Robert Frank, with Allen Ginsberg, Alan Chaikin
"Occasionally shocking in its graphic presentations of sex in all
forms, but completely involving and finally profoundly moving in
the humane' dignity of its understanding. Robert Frank's first
feature film, in color, isa masterful achievement, establishing
him as one of the most promising of America's young under-
overground directors.
A BRILLIANTLY EXCITING FILM."
-Variety
Fri., Sept. 18 and Sat., Sept. 19
7-9:15-11:30 P.M.
NEWMAN CENTER
331 Thompson betw. William and Liberty
contribution $1
I
Saturday, Sept. 19-8:00 P.M.
(RISLER ARENA, U. of Michigan $2.75, $3.25 $3.75
4'
Also: BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL; Sept.
Crisler Arena; 10 A.M.75:30 P.M.
19;
I
INTRODUCING!
A BRILLIANT NEW COMPANY!
3 GRIPPING NOW PLAYS!
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Order Your Daily Now-
Phone 764-0558
TRANSCENDENTIAL
j
"'MASI'IS THE BEST
AMERICAN WAR
COMEDY SINCE.
SOUND CAME
Y PauIlnea e 4:
I
MEDITATION
As Taught By
MAHARISHI
MAHESH
YOGI
2ft Cotury FOi oprs 1
An Ingo Preminger Production
NAI l SITHFRI AND, IllTT GOLDI-.TOM SKFRRITT
it I