The Michigan Daily-Saturday, February 4, 1978-Page
'Saved' fine but violent
By HAIMA SUNDARAM
NCORPORATED IN THE sales
pitch on the poster for Edward
Bond's Saved, produced by the Uni-
versity Showcase Productions, is the
note that it was "banned by Lord
Chamberlain for its ...violence."
Lord Chamberlain had a point, for
violence forms a leitmotif for the
entire play - violence and resigna-
tion.
Resignation is shown in the form of
the characters Len and Harry who
submit to constant humiliation and
rejection and hold out just long
enough, or, as the playwright puts it,
"clutch at straws."
Violence is expressed in Saved in
the whole Teddy-boy tradition of
London and Liverpool during the
sixties. This factor of living, and the
deliberate, sadistic violence is so
unmitigated that the director fore-
sees in his "Note" that "quite possib-
ly one of your number will leave the
theatre." A few did, which was a
pity, since Saved is one of the best
productions Ann Arbor has seen in
the past few months.
THE PLAY is well directed by
James Martin; whose sets, group-
ings, and movements fill and expand
the confines of the stage with great
facility and effectiveness. Saved
flows smoothly, with the exception of
one scene, the most jolting in the
play, when a baby is tortured and
killed as a kind of exciting sport.
When the play makes this sudden
change of gear, it turns into an
almost stylized portrait of violence.
THE ACTING was uniformly fine,
with many outstanding perform-
ances. Kathryn Long, in spite of
initial overkill and occasional repeti-
tiveness, settled superbly into her
role as the tacky, self-centered Pam.
Lou Brockway, as Len, achieved a
delicately balanced characteriza-
tion, part stray-puppy-whom-nobody-
wants and part survivor. David
Mannis, as Barry, the uncouth kick-
ing-boy of the gang who is thus all the
Saved
Trueblood Audiorium
February 1-4, 1978
Len ..... ........................ Lou Brockway
Pam........................... Kathryn Long
Harry .......................Donald Hart
Fred ... ........................ David Grier
Pete....................... Thomas Stack
Cohn .. .......................... Say Bahr
Mike ........................ Robert Meiksins
Barry ......................David Mannis
Mary .......................Patricia Kihn
Liz.... ............. Donna Marie Hyderkhan
by Edward Bond
Directed by James Martin
more incited to violence, performed
well. Patricia Kihn, as Mary, provid-
ed as Pam's mother, a sub-dimen-
sional echo of Pam.
Donald Hart was just slightly out-
of-focus as Harry; he had all the me-
chanics of the characterization, but
somehow they never quite jelled. The
one case of tlatant miscasting,
however, is David Grier as Fred.
Partly this was due to his incompe-
tence at handling the Liverpudlian-
Cockney blend of accents; Grier
demonstrated that "blimey" and
"ta" do not alone Cockney make. He
was quite an enigmatic choice for the
large part.
But as an overall "experience,"
Saved is definitely one worth having.
Cooney
By JOHN MORAN
THURSDAY NIGHT, an old friend returne
Arbor scene, bringing his unique repertoi
tales, and humor. In a benefit performancef
Michael Cooney presented his warm and tend
traditional folk music,. displaying his musica
and puckish wit. Cooney played guitar, banjo
other instruments during the night but, in ta
the banjo that a friend made for him, he sum
type of music that he plays, "It's simple, but
ful."
Coney played mischievous and sad ball
rooted in lumberjack, sailor and cowboy lege
explained that it was part of these men's lives
to tell stories. It was their entertainment to e
and loneliness of their solitary existence and
said "everyone participated, you had to dos
The performance resembled a classroom-like
when he talked about the similarities betwee
song about the windswept plains and a sailo
the high seas.
"That is the beauty of this music; that it
through so many different minds and mou
doesn't have a single author, but generatio
erations of contributions."
Cooney, on his way to Iowa City fromI
turned to the Ark, which he called, "one
places of its kind in the nation to see obscu
musicians." It was obvious that he felt right
the intimate surroundings. Because of the clo
situation, he was able to create a special rape
audience, and, by the end of each set, every(
gotten that it was Michael Cooney the perform
accepted him as Michael Cooney, friend.
impish at Ark
His humor could have turned trite except that he has
d to the Ann the uncanny ability to inject his own personable warmth
ire of music, into the situations that he speaks of. Much of his success is
for the Ark, due to the fact that he makes his music so accessible. He,
ler tribute to says it best when he states that "you don't have to prac-
al virtuosity tice four hours a day since you are six years old, you can
, and many start anytime." Impromptu lessons on the banjo, the Ap-
dlking about palachian Mouth harp, ("with this you can hide in the
rimed up the bushes on Halloween and just wail away"), the nose flute
very beauti- and the penny whistle were hilarious yet instructive.
Cooney said that he acquired his repertoire of songs
ads that are and instruments by just being turned on to the music by
snds, and he people who loved playing it and so it became a labor of
s to sing and love to learn and improve his abilities. "I didn't learn this
!ase the pain music by -studying a book, I learned it from other people
, as Cooney from the back of albums, though I did read a few books:"
something. Mr. Cooney opened the show with a song in which a
atmosphere suitor tries to change a young lady's mind. "Hannah;
en a cowboy, wont'you please change your manner." The song set the
r tale about humorous tone for the rest of the show as the impish
Cooney thumped his guitar and tapped the microphone in
t has passed the accompaniment to the song. After he introduced the
uths, that it title of his new album as Still Cooney After All These
>ns and gen- Years, he launched into his next song, a whimsical tune
about being "wild about my good cocaine." A test of the
Toronto, re- affection of his audience came when he mentioned that lie
of the finest had passed through Buffalo and a few people clapped.
re, yet fine Cooney then told of a National Jerk Contest that included
s at home in the question "Do you applaud when your home town is
port with the mentioned?" The crowd roared.
pone whdfor-e A song about a high class woman followed, "My Sugar
one nhad isso refined, she's one of those high class kind," and then
ner, and hadhe sang his first serious ballad, an ode to the "wide
woods" that he listed as one of his favorites. In an exarm-
ple of the linking of sea, woods and plains legends, he
played a song that begged "don't bury me on the lone
prairie." He explained that this was derived from an ild
sea tale with a slight change in words. Cooney then ex-
plained that so many folk songs were of tragedy and tin-
requited ,love because "when there is requited love, one
does something other than write songs."
The handsome Cooney, born in Arizona, has been ap-
pearing in Ann Arbor for over 10 years now and talked
about the changing folk music scene, comparing it to sand
dunes. "There is the same amount of interest, but the
areas are always shifting." He says he has never been in-
clined toward his own songwriting because most song-
writers tend to write that "it's all happening and it's hap=
pening to me." He also shuns recording because there' is
always the influence of someone else on your style and it
tends to blur the artist's vision. Cooney clearly has no
qualms about not receiving wide-ranging commercial ac-
claim; he receives his satisfaction in what he terms
"psychic pay," the rewards of self-satisfaction. His per-
formance Thursday night proved that he provides a great
deal more than just self-satisfaction.
Journey 's Infinity'
By DOUG HELLER
When the four fine musicians who
comprise the rock group Journey got
together back in 1975, they seemed
destined to find their niche some-
where in the rock establishment.
They were playing solid, original and
even unique music.
Their first record, Journey, was
primarily clean, tight and instru-
mental, sometimes getting into jazz.
Look Into The Future deservedly re-
ceived some mildly successful air-
play along with their album Next.
Journey at this point consists of
Ross Valory on bass and vocals,
Aynsley Dunbar (formerly of the
Mothers of Invention) on drums and
percussion, and Gregg Rolie and Neil
Schon (both former members of
Santana) adding vocals and playing
keyboards and guitars respectively.
Steve Perry has joined the group for
this album, co-writing eight of the ten
songs and performing the lead
vocals.
EVERYONE is still recognizable
on the band's new LP, Infinity, but
they're playing a completely differ-
ent style of music. It's the sound that
is popular on the radio now, very
queenesque. The lead singer always
sounds the same, singing nothing but
trite love lyrics, and every number
has a blazing guitar solo, and quite
often (I hate to say it) a disco beat.
If this kind of music is for you, then
so is this album. You can have my
copy.
How they suddenly found this
particular sound can be answered
one way: someone wants money. And
I really thought this band was
different, because a couple years ago
Infinity
Journey
Columbia JC 34912
they did, a special concert co-spon-
sored by the radio station WABX in
Detroit's Ford Auditorium and only
charged two dollars admission.
WHEN JOURNEY has done things
musically that most bands never
touch, why do they want to sound like
everyone else?
If they're searching for AM hits,
three or four of those songs per
album would be sufficient. An entire
LP of nearly identical songs gets dull
quickly and is probably even less
marketable.
A song-by-song rundown would be
useless, except to say which song
used acoustic guitar ("Patiently")
and which was disco. Most tunes run
about three minutes, only two do not
have petty lyrics supposedly about
love. Maybe that sort of thing still
works for little kids. Everyone comes,
on strong with beefed-up, over-
limited
dubbed vocals reminiscent of Uriah
Heep or Queen. Inflections and
harmonies are the same.
The album cover is perhaps their
worst to date, at least to anyone who
can appreciate "album cover art." It
reflects the lack of imagination and
creativity on the record. The first two
jackets were graphic and eye-catch-
ing. This one has no distinctive
features (unless you like red), and
looks like you've seen it before.
If Journey has found an audience
with this album, we music lovers
have lost another talented group to
the clutches of commercialism.
Journey should sack Steve Perry
and let Gregg Rolie continue singing
lead; he has a far more interesting
voice and treatment. And I need not
say anything more about the quality
of Perry's writing.
Perhaps a mass exodus of record-
buyers spending money on Journey's
old albums would start someone
down at Columbia thinking.
RAILROAD GROWTH
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (AP) -
While the number of railroads is
decreasing at a steady rate, model
railroading continues to grow, says
the SMC Model Railroad Center.
There are more than 200,000 model
railroaders actively operating minia-
ture railroads. The center estimates
that these hobbyists spend $80 million
yearly on new equipment.
Michael Cooney
Approximately 13.6 million passen-
gers boarded scheduled airline
flights in Atlanta in 1976, reports the
Air Transport Association.
THE U OF M'sOFFICE OF MAJOR EVENTS PRESENTS:
I
The Universityof Michigan
1*.+ Professional Theatre Program
l
I
SAVES
(A'PA/$Ay EV4 $000)
February 1-4a t pm.
T7rueblood Theatre
University Showcase Procyctions
General admission $2.00
Tickets at Trueblood
Box Office 6-8 pm
WILLIE ILSOII
SPECIAL GUEST
J~AND
~WTH GUEST DON BOWMAN
Sunday February 5 * Ann Arbor 7:30 PM
Reser* seats $7-$6
Tickets available at the Michigan Union Box Office
in Ann Arbor (763-2071), M-S 11:30-5:30.
Sorry, no personal checks.
Tickets Also Available at Hill Auditorium
Sunday from 11:30 A.M.
4a **~'"',*
. .
J. .*
+ S
. +01 ronr*n