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THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five

Theatre explores various
forms of self-expression

By MICHELE BECKER tival of innovation in the theatre and we

Doily Photo by DAVID MARGOLICK
Clap's 'Parade't

Awaji Puppei
en thusias tic

A baby grabs at the side of a chair and
slowly pulls herself up to a standing posi-
tion. After a quick glance around the room
she lets go and finds herself still in an up-
right position. Then, rather cocky at her
newly discovered talent she attempts"one
step, then another. Her experiment is a
success. Her third step makes her cushioned
bottom listen to the forces of gravity, but her
total joy of "the experiment" leaves her
with a glow of satisfaction.
With a deeper knowledge of the world and
a much more complex definition of experi-
mentation the University of Michigan Speech
Department is presenting the first annual In-
vitational Festival of Experimental Theatre.
Eight groups will perform in the "Regular
Festival" (Albion College, Antioch College,
Grinnell College, Illinois Wesleyan Univer-
sity, Kansas State University, New Charter
College, Oakland University, Ohio State Uni-
versity and Swathmore College. All perform-
ances will take place in either Trueblood
Theatre or the Arena Theatre between Feb-
ruary 22-24. Tickets are SOc.
According to Donald M. Boros, the Festival
Coordinator, one of the main reasons for the
Festival is "to celebrate innovation in the
theatre and encourage students in the thea-
tre to experiment any way they're stimu-
lated." It is ironic that we are hosting a fes-
ts draw
praise
e In a lighter vein the Ebisu
Dance told the tale of the God of
- Wealth's fishing adventures. Be-
fore embarking on his expedition,
e he visits a mortal who offers him
- generous amounts of sake. The
e strong drink inspires the god to
e soaring leaps and elated dance
e steps. The narrator matched the
e joyous lift of his legs with her
g rising, ecstatic voice.
o The god raises his cup crying,
"Let's have a drink to peace
in the world! And now, let's have
e a drink to Japanese-American
y friendship!" Then he boards his
- boat in pursuit of an abundant
e catch. The scene ends with the
happy shout, "How joyful is that
reign everlasting!"
d The other two plays presented
a the miraculous restoration of a
blind man's sight in the Tsubo-
ro saka Temple Scene and the
f Suma-No-Ura Scene, a war story.
r At the performance's end, the
e audience spontaneously rose to
- its feet in admiration. The four-
;d teen puppetmasters and assis-
e tants, chanters, and musicians
- waved their appreciation to the
r audience. The God of Wealth,
s enjoying his "reign everlasting"
gestured grandly.

nave no innovation to show.
The second reason for the Festival is to
provide a showcase for this experimentation
to be seen and critically evaluated by peo-
ple internationally respected in the field
(Robert W. Corrigan, Martin Esslin, Andre
Gregory and Richard Schechner)
Boros expressed great expectations for the
Festival. He gave a broad definition of ex-
perimental as "anything that is done for the
first time." The Festival will include impro-
visational ensemble work, original mime,
music and dance pieces, unperformed and
unpublished student-written plays, collages
and revues. Boros stated the Festival was
"looking for people searching for new ap-
proaches, new ideas and new forms . . .the
experimentation is based on an organic need
to express oneself." He brought up with a
smile that Harold Pinter was discovered at a
festival of this type when he was a stu-
dent. "Who knows" he went on to say "we
may discover another O'NeiL-"
Along with the "big eight" there will also
be a group of four called the "Fringe Fes-
tival" performing. Fringe entries are not
University sponsored. Performing in this
group is Body Politic (The Dream Theatre)
Chicago, "The Once Group", a film and two
local groups: "Clap", and the University of
Michigan Jazz Theatre.

"Clap" is a dance group under the direc-
tion of Pamela Moore, a grad. student in
dance. Moore has choreographed a piece en-
titled Parade, a spoof on American institu-
tions, most directly on parades. Moore talked
about her groups as "30-40 people getting to-
gether and we're going to enjoy ourselyes."
To her the word experimental "means free-
dom, you can set your own boundaries."
The other local entry is Journey by Kevin
Counihan, a sophomore in BGS. Journey is a
synthesis of music, dance and drama based
on Dante's Divine Comedy. In his work Cou-
nihan, is attempting to "take some ele-
ments of musical theatre and fuse them
together with the mental attitude of con-
temporary theatre." He believes the "artist
has a responsibility to himself and the com-
munity. Art has to say something significant.
It must communicate, and not just to the
artistic collective." Counihan thinks the Fes-
tival is a "great idea", but unlike Moore, he
feels uncomfortable with the word experi-
mental. He considers it a very ambiguous
term.
Yet in all fairness to the Experimental
Festival, they are providing innovative,
young artists the opportunity to share their
work. Work that may possibly never have
been seen otherwise. Whatever the philo-
sophical implications ultimately brings, the
Experimental Festival holds promise of three
interesting and exciting days of theatre. j

ARE YOU POLISH?
Interested in Polish Language and Culture? Want
to meet other students of Polish descent?
COME TO TH E
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Thursday, February 21-8:00 p.m.
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Important topics will be discussed, including the
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For more information cail: 663-7483
NOON LU NCHEON
homemade soup and sandwich 40c
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22
"AR E YOU ENJOYING YOUR
L UNCH, DA R LING"
presentotion ond discussion of
"The periodical lunch"
tan illustrated chronicle)
BY: ANDREW ROCK, publisher
WARREN JAY HECHT, ediator
ANDREW CARR4GAN, contributing editor
FRIDAY EVENING-6 P.M.
American indian Dinner
(SOUTHWEST REGION)
$1.25, for reservations call 662-5189
GUI1L D H OUSE
802 MONROE (across from low school)

By SARA RIMER puppets
The Awaji Puppets of Japan vital lif
danced, laughed, and wept their The3
way through an exquisite per- hooded
formance Tuesday night. And the Clearly,
audience, forgetting that they puppet's
were watching puppets, played, ments a
chuckled, and cried along. Rack- donned
ham Aud.'s ornate, exotically evening
colored decor was a fitting en- puppet
vironhent for this splendid, easily f
unique form of entertainment. forms
The Awaji Theatre's U.S. tour life.
marks only their second trip The
away from their native Awaji chanted
Island off the harbor of Kobe. a woms
They visited the Soviet Union in leggedc
1958. The present tour, an at- assumes
tempt to keep their ancient pup- stirring
pet genre alive, is drawing en- compan
thusiastic accolades everywhere. banjo-li)
Tuesday night's audience was shamin
treated to a fascinating demon- The fi
stration of one puppet's trans- Karuto,
formation into a living creature. a moth
Each almost life-sized puppet is daughte
worked by three puppeteers com- brought
pletely sheathed in black clothes. ing fati
The master puppeteer controls her rich
the right hand and the facial mother'
movements.., ments.
The head is operated with six cried in
strings; one is appropriately was poi
called the lifeline. With an adept____
flick of his fingers or wrist, the -
puppetmaster can raise the pup-
pet's eyebrows in astonishment,
shake its head in distress, or open.
its mouth wide in delight. During
the demonstration, the puppet
raised a discreet handerchief to
his nose, and emitted a remark-
ably human, hearty sneeze.
The other two artists operate
the feet and the left hand. A
black wall conceals the lower '
half of their bodies. Held a dis-
tance away from his masters, the x
puppet is able to achieve his own
separate existence.
The announcer emphasized, that
"the eyes must follow the hand
movements at all times." He ex-
plained, "Otherwise the puppet
does not live." Sobbing, praying,
warring, cavorting-the Awaji

displayed no lack of th
e force.
puppeteer remained un
during the demonstration
, he was manipulating th
s vast range of move
nd emotions. But, once h
his black hood for th
's four short plays, th
assumed command. On
forgot the black hoverin
as the puppets came t
legendary themes wer
in ringing Japanese b
an narrator sitting cross
on a raised platform. Sh
d the puppets' roles wit
emotion. A musician ac
ied her on a stringe
ke instrument called
en.
irst drama, Keisei Awa ne
told the moving story o
her who gives up her
sr so that she will b
up away from her theiv
her. The narrator unite
h, mournful tones with th
s great, suffering move
Although the narrato
n Japanese, her distres
gnantly clear.

' Daily Photo by TOM GOTTLIEB
Puppet with puppeteer

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Rackham Auditorium, 4:00 p.m., Thurs., Feb. 21
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DID YOU KNOW .. .
69 billion people* hove lived on earth. The
4% still alive (3 bilion) can
ON EVERY BOOK THEY BUY
AT
iCENTICORE BOOKSHOP
336 MAYNARD
"*If they hod al bought THE JOY OF SEX there would be a
few billion more to take advantage of the sale.
.4-
FIRST ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
INVITATIONAL FESTIVAL OF
EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE
FEBRUARY 22-24, 1974
EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTIONS BY
EIGHT COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY COMPANIES
GUEST CRITICS: Robert W. Corrigan, Mortin Esslin, Andre
Gregory, Richard Schnechner
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22:
9:00 p.m.-SWARTHMORE COLLEGE: 'Public Utilities: or What the
Thunder Said" (Arena Theatre, Frieze Building)
10:45 p.m.-Public Discussion/Critique with guest critics (Trueblood
Theatre, Frieze Building)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23:
10:00 a.m.-ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY: "Now Playing, Play-
ing Now" (Arena Theatre)
1:00 p.m.-ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY (Repeat performance)
3:00 p.m.-KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY: "The Last Glow of Fire-
light" (Trueblood Theatre)
7:00 p.m.-OAKLAND UNIVERSITY: "Brainwash" (Arena Theatre)
8:30 p.m.-OAKLAND UNIVERSITY (Repeat performance)
10:00rp.m.-Public Discussion/Critdque with guest critics (Trueblood
Tiheatre)}
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24:
10:00 a.m.-OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: "Lucifer" (Arena Theatre)
1:00 p.m.-OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ,Repeat performance)
3:00 p.m.-ANTIOCH COLLEGE: "Show Me a Good Loser And I'll
Show You a Loser" (Trueblood Theatre)
7:00 p.m.-GRINNELI COLLEGE: "But This Is Not War" (Arena
Theatre)
8:30 p.m.-GRINNELL COII.EGE (Repeat performance)


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652-5264
STARTS TODAY!
Open 12:45; Shows at 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 p.m.
A NEW KIND OF LOVE STORY
Directed by CLINT EASTWOOD
Love was al they h in common.

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PG

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Shows at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 p m.

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