Saturday, March 17, 1973

T-It MICHIGAN DAILY

Page Three

r Saturday, March 17, 1973 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Three


1:00 (2) (11) Where the Heart Is
(4) Somerset
(7) (24) All My Children
Our second column is dedicated
to Jonathan Winters. It is indeed
a "wacky world."
American television has had
many institutions. Bonanza,
Howdy Doody, Ozzie and Harriet,
Ed Sullivan, Father Knows Best,
Captain Kangaroo; the list is in-*
finite. But the most far-reaching,
" time-occupying institution of
them all is one that is extreme-
ly subtle. One that shuns prime-
time viewers and attracts those
whose daytimes demand the
melodrama and passions we find
in the American Soap Opera.
From the Guiding Light to the
Edge of Night, these daytime ser-
ials are patterned by one phil-
osophy; "Oh what a woeful web
we weave when we first practice
to deceive. Two different soap
operas are hard to find; there
are different titles and differ-
ent characters, but the plot, set-
ting, and purpose is always the
same. All operas portray the
adultery, bigotry, murder a n d
vice we find in everyday life.
Every serial is set in a small
American ltown in order to in-
volve the greatest number of
characters possible. We find the
central scene a hospital of news-
paper; any source that involves
the trials and traumas of death,
life, and other excitements.
In the 1950's, soap operas
gained their fame through house-
wives bored with their mediocre
responsibilities and finding stim-
ulation through these "real-life"
dramas. In the 1960's, when wo-
men were gradually becoming

liberated from kitchens, s o a p
operas appeared to be on the de-
cline.
This disinterest was partly due
to the newly developed sophisti-
cation of the American public-
they demanded realism, not the
created activities soap operas
portrayed. But as long as people
could involve themselves w i t h
t.v.'s reality, they did not have
to experience the real problems
they face in normal life. The
soap opera never died.
The most famous soap opera
was Peyton Place, which con-.
tended for prime time viewers
(three times a week, yet!). But
daytime is where the opera
had gained and maintained its
popularity, and that's where it
returned. Today, there are new
patrons of this art. A new follow-
ing was discovered in college
students was gaze listlessly un-
der the influence, or actively un-
der the seductive sequences ser-
ials enact.
Soap operas are as popular as
ever, and typically, as boring as
their predecessors. There is
however, one soap opera that in-
cludes all the generalizations pre-
viously made, but still contains
a unique quality distinguishing
itself as a superior serial. This
soap opera has the typical set-
ting, plot, and purpose, but
through above - average acting
and varying, turmulous interac-
tion, All My Children is a classic
in this category.
Pine Valley, typically-town-
U.S.A. In it, we find a typical-
family-U.S.A., the Martins; an
established eastern elite fam-
ily that could be wealthy if they
wanted but shun riches for vir-
tues. There's typical-grandma

by Mike Harper and Ken Altshuler

Martin, the nicest old lady one
could ever find (and she can
make an Irish stew you wouldn't
believe).
She has two sons. One is Joe
Martin, a doctor at Pine Valley
Hospital (and one of the best
there is). Joe had two children
by his first wife, Jeff and Terra.
Jeff is, of course, a doctor at
Pine Valley Hospital, and is/
was married (the divorce is in
the process) to Erica Caine Mar-
tin, daughter of Mona Caine.
Joe's present wife is one of the
"good people" of Pine Valley,
Ruth Brent Martin, whose son is
/was Phillip Brent (currently lost
at sea in Vietnam). Ruth is real-
ly a nice lady and misses Phillip
a lot. So does Terra Martin, who
was secretly, but illegally mar-
ried to Phillip (they couldn't find
a preacher).
Terra and Phillip were child-
hood sweethearts, always plan-
ning on marrying until Erica
(who is such a bad person in
this story you wouldn't believe
it) informed Phillip that R u t h
wasn't his real mother, but his
adopted mother. It seems Nick
Davis (wait until you hear the
rest about Nick) was fooling
around with Ruth's sister Amy
(who has passed on), and Ruth
adopted the resulting child, Phil-
lip. Well, Phil went to pieces
with this information, broke up
with Terra, and in Terra's heart-

break, she went to Chuck Ty-
ler (Charles Tyler III) who is the
grandson of Charles Tyler I and
nephew of Ann Tyler. The Tylers
(Charles I and Phoebe) are really
rich (the affluent of the Pine
Valley) - but so humble.
After Phil got over his paternal
shock, he and Terra got back to-
gether, but not wanting to hurt
Chuck's feelings they secretly got
married (they conducted t h e
service). When Phil got lost at
sea, Terra was already pregnant
by then (one night can do wond-
ers) and Chuck benevolently mar-
ried her, though he knew about
Phil and her (what a chump). By
the way, Chuck's and Teraa's kid
is, of course, named Phillip.
Jeff is divorcing Erica for two
reasons: First, she's a model in
New York and is never at home,
and" second, he wants to marry
the sweetest girl in town, Mary
Kenacock (to see her is to get
tooth decay). Erica's mother is
ona CainMe, Nick Divas' good
friend. Nick married Ann Ty-
ler (the across-the-tracks mar-
riage of the story) and he di-
vorced her when he discovered
he couldn't have any children.
Ann, in her grief, married h e r
childhood sweetheart, Paul ar-
tin (Joe's brother and the grand-
mother's other son) who was pre-
viously a prisoner-of-war in some
American overseas conflict. Paul
is a lawyer and was handling the

divorce, but in the meantime Ann
was pregnant by Nick (we
thought Nick couldn't have any
children?) and had a miscarriage
before Nick found out. The way
Nick did find out he could have
children was when he got Kitty
Shay (her mother used to clean
the Martin's house) pregnant,
and then herwent back to Ann,
broke up her and Paul's mar-
riage, and was going to remarry
Ann until Ann found out about
Kitty being pregnant. Then Nick
married Kitty, but Ann and Paul
are still broken up (Paul's drink-
ing a lot now).
In the meantime, Erica (re-
member Erica?) is having illi-
cit sex with the head of the mo-
del agency she works for, Jason
Maxwel, who is good friends with
Ann Tyler since she used to be
a model for him. Ann owns a
boutique in Pine Valley where
Erica used to work (of course)
and that's how Erica and Jason
met in the first place.
Erica's roommate, by the way,
is Margo, who is the mother of
one of Jason's children. Tempo
magazine wants to do a story
on Erica -as the part-time model/
part-time housewife but Jeff
won't pretend they're still living
together, especially since he
wants to quickly marry Mary.
And lately, Erica's been bitch-
ing at Mary for talking Jeff into
refusing to pretend he's still liv-
ing with Erica (although she had
nothing to do with it) but Rurti
told Mary to ignore Erica which
Ruth always does, and Ruth
wants Mary and Jeff to be hap-
py, particularly since she's Jeff's
step-mother and cares for him
a lot, and she also cares for Paul
who's drinking a lot lately and
she wants Joe to check up on
him, particularly because Ruth is

Ann's best friend, and Ruth
thinks Ann and Paul will recon-
cile their differences, and Ann
is now in New York buying new
clothes to reopen her boutique
that Erica used to work in,
though now Erica is a model
whom Temp magazine wants to
do an article on and on and o i
and on and on and on.
So it goes. A typical s oa p
opera. A typical setting. A typi-
cal plot. A typical purpose. Por-
traying typical American life?
Working out typical solutions?
Toughening typical people?
The highlight of this soap opera
is decent acting. Erica is so con-
vincing that if we met her in real
life we'd spit on her. And Nick
really makes you bleed for him,
though he's really a jerk and has
messed up a lot of lives. Ruth
is everybody's best friend; Ann
let her heart get the best of her.
Jeff is a sometimes clown/ some-
times man, and Mary is indeed a
mouse (right on Erica!) and
Grandma is Grandma and we
hope Paul doesn't drink himself
to death and we wish Joe and
Ruth success, but will Terra's
and Chuck's marritg work (?
and what if Phillip is found alive
(?) and we must wish the best
for Nick and Kitty, but poor
Ann - and poor Paul (!) and
rich Tylers, and on, and on, and
on, and ...
Collegium
_Mus icum
to _perform
The University of Michigan Col-
legium Musicum, under the direc-
tion of Professor Thomas Taylor,
will present an Entertainment of
Music and Dance by William
Byrd and other composers of the
English Renaissance on Sunday
in the RC Auditorium and Tues-
day at Rackham at 8.
The Collegium Musicum is the
University's early music 'en-
semble, consisting of 37 instru-
mnentalists and singers dedicated
to the performance of pre-classic
music in an authentic and lively
manner. Instruments used in the
performances include viols, re-
corders, harpsichord, lute, crum-
horns, cornetto, dulcian, racket,
and various percussion instru-
ments. The group will be in
period costume.
The University's Collegium Mu-
sicum was founded in 1948 by
musicologist Professor Louise
Cuyler, and became a class in
1960 under the direction of Pro-
fessor Robert Warner. Under the
direction of Dr. Thomas Taylor
since 1969, the popular ensemble
has been drawing capacity
crowds at each of the several
concerts it produces each year.
The present program includes
anthems, madrigals and the Mass
for Five Voices by Byrd, as well
as lute songs, dances and other
works by Dowland, Holborne,
Morley, Weelkes, and their con-
temporaries.

By ALVIN CHARLES KATZ
The University Players' innova-
tive production of King Lear
opened Wednesday night at the
Power Center. The production is
something of an epic-a full
three hours and thirty minutes-
and features a large cast and
some unusual stagecraft for
Shakespearian tragedy.
While the current production is
basically in the standard, non-
illusory style of the Elizabethan
theatre, the University Players
have made several changes, some
of which enhance the show,
others of which definitely detract
from it.
The first departure comes in
the type of set used. Well con-
structed and beautifully designed
by Alan Billings, the set consists
of numerous brushed chrome-
looking cubes, and five geometric
thrones made of the same ma-
terial. While extremely attractive
and often functional, the set
nevertheless o v e r p o w e r s the
stage, giving a very cluttered
impression, as opposed to the
comfortable, open area of the
Elizabethan stage.
Perhaps the major departure
was the employment of the mod-
ern concept of leaving all the
characters on stage at all times,
those not in the scene sitting in
the dimly lit background. Char-
acters who die are condemned to
remain in the same spot on which
they expired for the remainder
of the play. While this sort of
psychic ploy works well in
Brecht, it fails miserably in
Shakespeare. What it does, in
effect, is make every scene a
crowd scene, eliminating the fine
effect which Shakespeare achiev-
ed by contrasting and interweav-
ing individual and crowd scenes.
This ploy, more than any other,
detracted from the power and
effectiveness of the play.
The acting varied in quality in.
Wednesday's performance. Janice
Young, Catherine Kotzubei, and
Delle Chatmanr were all rather
bland as the three sisters, while
John Oertling, Warren Hansen,
and Lawrence Harbison were
quite strong in their respective

Departing a bit
from usual Lear'

supporting roles as Kent, The
Duke of Albany, and Edgar. I
particularly enjoyed Evan Jef-
fries' fine portrayal of Lear's
fool, and Marshall Levijoki's ex-
cellent performance as Edmund.
In the title role, James Haw-
thorne gave a strongly overstated
performance, which ranged from
superb to mediocre in the course
of the play. In particularly in-
tense scenes which called for
high volume levels, Hawthorne's
diction was often poor, rendering
many of his lines unintelligible.
In addition, as the play progress-
ed, he slipped with increasing
frequency from Shakespeare's
high English into a glaring Amer-
ican dialect. Perhaps the most
serious flaw in his performance
was that the character of Lear
peaked too soon; instead of a
slow build, the character peaked
near the end of the first act, and
Hawthorne was unable to in-
crease his level of emotional in-
tensity as the play wore on, as
a successful portrayal of Lear
must. Still, Hawthorne displayed
formidable talent in an extremely
difficult role, occasionally shining
with some fine dramatic acting.
Contrasting his performance
was Walter Atamaniuk's nicely
understated and keenly incisive
portrayal of the Earl of Glouces-
ter, a character whose develop-
ment parallels Lear's, though on
a somewhat more physical level.
Atamaniuk displayed the control
which Hawthorne's portrayal of
Learlacked, and delivered what
I considered the show's best per-
formance.
As an attempt to improve on
Shakespeare, the current produc-
tion of King Lear fails. The
muddled interpretation offered
just does not equal the straight-
forward Elizabethan rendering,
which in its simplicity generates
far more sheer dramatic power.
Despite the failure of these in-
novations, the play is still a
precisely executed rendition of
one of the greatest dramas ever
written, and that in itself makes
the University Players' King
Lear a worthwhile theatre experi-
ence.

C/tw'acA kk.hrti e---ce-

UNIVERSITY REFORMED
CHURCH
1001 E. Huron
9:30 a.m.-Discussion Classes.
10:30 a.m. - "Filled with the
Spirit." Speaker: Calvin Malefyt.
5:30 p.m.-Students' Supper, 75c.
6:45 p.m. - "Christianity, Ecol-
ogy, and Industry." Speakers: Dr.
Tom Werkema and Dr. Bob Mo-
lenaar, Dow Chemical Co.

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, PACKARD ROAD BAPTIST FIRST CONGREGATIONAL
SCIENTIST 2580 Packard Road, 971-0773 On the Campus at the corner of
1833 Washtenaw Avenue Tom Bloxam, Pastor, 971-3152 State and William Sts.
SUNDAY: 10:30 a.m.: Worship Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. Rev. Terry N. Smith, Sr. Minister
Services, Sunday School (2-20 yrs.). Worship: 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Rev. Ronald C. Phillips, Assistant
Infants' room available Sunday and Training Hour: 6 p.m.
Wednesday. ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL
Public Reading Room, 306 E. Li- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CHURCH, 306 N. Division
berty St.: Mon., 10-9; Tues.-Sat., 1432 Washtenaw Avenue 8:00 a.m.: Holy Eucharist.
10-5; Closed Sundays and Holi- Services of Worship at 9:00 and 10:00 a.m.: Holy Eucharist and
days. 10:30 a.m.-Sermon: "Do As He Sermon.
For transportation, call 668-6427. Pleases." Preaching: John Waser.
Church School. COLLEGE PROGRAM FIRST UNITED METHODIST
* * Bible Study-Tuesdays 12:00 to CHURCH and WESLEY FOUNDA-
UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN 1:00. TION - State at Huron and Wash.
CHAPEL (LCMS) Holy Communion - Wednesdays 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. - Worship
1511 Washtenaw Avenue 5:15 to 5:45. Services. Sermon by D. Donald B.
Alfred T. Scheips, Pastor Supper Program - Wednesdays Strobe: "On Loving Your Ene-
Sunday at 9:15 and 10:30 a.m- 6:00. mies." Series: Sermon on the
Worship Services Mount.
Sunday at 9:15 a.m.-Bible Study. LORD OF LIGHT LUTHERAN Boadcrast on WNRS 1290 AM,
Wednesday at 10 p.m.-Midweek CHURCH (ALC, LCA) (formerly WNRZ 103 FM, 11 a.m.-noon.
* * Lutheran Student Chapel) Next Sunday-Semon by Dr. Don-
HURON HILLS BAPTIST 801 S. Forest (Corner of Hill St.) ald B. Strobe: "On Losing Your
CHURCH: 3150 Glacier Way Donald G. Zill, Pastor Shirt." Series: Sermon on the
Pastor: Charles Johnson Sunday Folk Mass-10:30 a.m. Mount.

if
you
see.
news
happen
76-DAILY


For information, transportation,
personalized help, etc., phone 769-
6299 or 761-6749.
Worship.
* *
CAMPUS CHAPEL
1236 Washtenaw
Rev. Peter Paulsen
Services:
10:00 a.m.-Morning Worship. i
6:00 p.m.-Evening Service.

Sunday School-9:15 a.m.
Sunday Supper-6:15 p.m.
Program-7:00 p.m.
Wednesday Eucharist-5:15 p.m.
SAMARIA LUTHERAN, LCA
272 Hewitt Rd., Ypsilanti
Rev. Dean Tyson, Pastor

""NEVER GIVE A INCH"
was the motto
of the Stampers of Oregon...
and live it they didi
2 -,
-*
Paul. NEUIUU1 HEARSFOMlf
bEE REMllIK
*lD18E1. SaRR8Zin
" r+

toI

WESLEY FOUNDATION
Sunday, March 18:
6:15 p.m.-Supper, Pine Room.
7:00 p.m.-Celebation.
8:00 p.m. - "Religion and So-
ciety: How Do They Relate," a
dialogue with Professors Neal and
Glock at Moden Language Build-

ARTS

I'

tonight
6:00 2 4 News
50 Star Trek
56 Thirty Minutes With
6:30 2 CBS News

Family Worship and Nursery at ing, Aud. 4.
11:00 a.m. Faculty and Students Thursday, March 22:
welcome. 6:00 p.m. -Grad Group, dinner
and discussion.
* '* *
as~on an "BETHLEHEM UNITED CHURCH
OF CHRIST
423 S. Fourth Ave. Ph. 665-6149
'1Ministers: T. L. Trost, Jr.; R. E.
Iof . Simonson.
ine, Associate Ministers: Dennis R.
Brophy and Howard F. Gebhart.
9 a.m.: Morning Prayer.
10 a.m.: Worship Service and
Church School.


CULTURs C'\IF NDAR'

Based oni
KEN

the Novel by
KESEY

TUES. & THURS., March 20 & 22
Modern Languages Bldg., Aud. 3
7:30 & 9:30 p.m. $1.25
NEW WORLD FILM CO-OP

SPECIAL
Fair
from

EVENT-The Nationality Clubs feature World's
"73 at Burns Park Elementary School, 1414 Wells
noon to midnight.

4 NBC News
7 Reasoner Report
9 Fishin' Hole
56 Consumer Game
7:00 2 Truth or Consequences
4 George Pierrot
7 News
9 This Is Your Life
50 Hee Haw
56 Business Journal
7:30 2 Young Dr. Kildare
4 Adventurer
7 Town Meeting
9 Untamed World
56 Eye to Eye
8:00 2 All in the Family
4 World Premiere
7 Here We Go Again
9 Beachcombers
56 Movie
"Yojimbo" (1961)
50 That Good Ole Nashville Music
8:30 2 Bridget Loves Bernie
7 A Touch of Grace
9 Movie
"Torture Garden"
(English 1968)
50 Nitty Gritty
9:00 2 Mary Tyler Moore
7 Julie Andrews
50 Black Omnibus
9:30 2 Bob Newhart
10:00 2 Carol Burnett
7 Delphi Bureau
50 Lou Gordon
56 NCAA College swim Meet
10:30 9 Document
11:00 2 4 7News
9 CBC News
11:15 7 ABC News
9 Provincial Affairs
11:20 9 News
11:30 2 Movie
"The Quiet Man" (1952)
4 Johnny Carson
7 Movie
"The Prize" (1964)
9 Movie.
"Death of a Gunfighter"
(1969)
50 Movie
"The Hypnotic Eye" (1960)
1:00 4 News
1:30 2 Movie
"Color Me Dead."
(Australian; 1970)
7 Movie
"The Money Trap" (1966)
3:00 7 News
3:30 2 News

I.i

.+11 L mi VV1V V1 -
Ma.PIZ

I

FILM-Cinema Guild presents the Eleventh Annual Ann
Arbor Film Festival at 1, 7, 9, 11 p.m.,in Arch Aud.; Cine-
ma II shows Goulding's Grand Hotel in Aud. A, Angell at
7, 9:30; Couzen's Film Co-op presents Metzger's The Lib-
ertine at 7; 8:45 in cafeteria; Bursley Hall shows Catch
22 in W. Cafeteria at 9, UAC-Mediatrics presents East-
wood's Play Misty for Me at 7, 9:30 in Nat. Sci. Aud.
MUSIC-The Musical Society presents the Mozarteum Or-
chestra of Salzburg at 8:30 in Hill; The Music School
features Contemporary Directions with Sydney Hodkin-
son conducting in Rackham Aud. at 8; The Music School
presents pianist Cheryl Fabal at 8 p.m., Milton Bailey,
tenor at 4:30, and violinist Lenore Michaels at 2:30 in
the SM Recital Hall.
DRAMA-U Players perform Shakespeare's King Lear at 8
in Power Center.
WEEKEND BARS AND MUSIC-Bimbo's features Gaslighters
Fri., Sat., Sun.; Blind Pig brings John Nicholas Fri., Sat.,
and Classical String Trio Sun.; Del Rio presents 'Jazz
Sun.; Mackinac Jack's presents Ramblecrow Fri., Sat.,
Sun.; Mr. Flood's Party brings Cadillac Cowboys Fri., Sat.,
and Diesel Smoke and Dangerous Curves Sun.; Pretzel
Bell features RFD Boys Sat., Sun.; the Ark presents John
Roberts and Tany Barrand.

jr--

wcbn
89.5 fm
9:00 Maranatha Music
12:00 Radio Prison
4:00 Jazz
8:00 Progressive Rock
11:00 The Potato Show
3:00 Signoff

LONDON

written by NEIL SIMON
directed by ELAINE MAY
"ONE OF THE
YEAR'S BEST"
-N.Y. TIMES
-NEWSWEEK
-TIME
-NEW YORKER
2 ACADEMY AWARD
NOMINATIONS

THEATRE WORKSHOP
SUMMER 1973
July 16-August 31
sponsored by
U of M Extension Service
and
U of M-Flint Theatre Departmentj
Four hours of graduate or undergraduate credit for Speech 533:
Snpeial Work in Theatre Production and Performance (2) and

You Are Invited to a Special Purim Observance
. .. Share in a Purim night phone call to
MIKHAIL AGURSKY
eminent cyberneticist
---:";nr%+ ,A i : -t[ .,i C CD 1

i