Page 6-Friday, February 10, 1978-The Michigan Daily
amesmanship ills Sleuth


Britain

'S

Nazareth

By PETER MANIS

IF YOU HAVE never seen Anthony
I Shaffer's Sleuth, I heartily urge that
you catch the current Ann Arbor Civic
Theatre version. Their production is an
admirable one, and the play is too well-
crafted to waste your initial viewing on
it on an inferior production.
The first viewing is all-important.
The play is, among other things, a mur-
der mystery of the highest order. Any
person caught relating the second act to
people who haven't seen the play should
be shot, at the very least.
Sleuth
By Anthony Shaffer
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
February 8:1l, 1978
Andrew Wyke . ................ Beverley Pooley
Milo Tindle......................... William Cross
Inspector Doppler._............. John Alexander
Detective Sergeant Tarrant.......... Fred Rico
Police Constable Higgs ....,. . . ...... Ed Lesher
Roger Wertenberger, director, set designer;
Miriam Marshall, costome designer;
Seth Orback, lighting designer
Aside from the sheer plot, the play is
pervaded by the sense of challenge
inherent in playing games. The plot is
advanced through verbal warfare, and
the dialogue consists largely of con-
tinual one-upsmanship. Shaffer's wit is
crystalline; there is never a word out of
place.
THE PLOT BEGINS with a visit by

Milo Tindle to the English country
mansion of Andrew Wyke, a writer of
detective novels. Tindle, a young man
of Italian-Jewish descent, is having an
affair with Wyke's spoiled wife. Wyke,
an aristocratic bigot and games-player
extraordinaire, is only too willing to
give her up, and concocts a scheme to
provide Tindle with enough funds to
take her off his hands. To reveal any
more would be, well, criminal.
The cast's handling of the demanding
script is impressive. As Andrew Wyke,
Beverley Pooley portrays the haughty
games-player brilliantly. He is in com-
plete control of the nuances of a monied
lifestyle - his manner in handling a
simple napkin is a study in refinement.
His superb imitations of a variety of
stock -detective-novel characters com-
pletely steal the first act. Tindle's only
purpose here appears to be to advance
the plot and feed Wyke straight lines.
My only criticism is that Pooley oc-
casionally seems to lack the human
warmth necessary to persuade =Tindle
to go along with the plot. At no point is
he sufficiently disarming; his
movements are too stiff, too brittle, and
his manner of speaking too slipped.
There doesn't seem to be enough war-
mth to allow Wyke's romanticism to
breath. On the whole, however, Pooley
is a joy to behold.
As Milo Tindle, WIlliam Cross has a
relatively dry role. Certainly in the first
act, Tindle is almost entirely eclipsed

by Wyke. Even here, though, Cross
allows us to see Tindle's growing resen-
tment at Wyke's overbearing manner
and bigotry. As the play progresses, we
see this hatred gradually emerge as
Tindle becomes more and more openly
contemptuous of Wyke. Cross is ex-
tremely effective in conveying Tindle's
cold fury. At times, though, he seems to
be working too hard. This is par-
ticularly true towards the end .of his
"last things I ever see" speech. Instead
of allowing his words to coldly speak for
themselves, Cross is too concerned with
appealing to be 'choked with emotion.'
The result is very forced. Overall,

though, Cross' performance is also to
be applauded.
DIRECTOR ROGER WERTEN-
BERGER has done an admirable job of
retaining a sense of balance throughout
the production. Although Wyke
dominates the first act, we are always
aware of Tindle's presence, and can
feel his growing antipathy. One in-
teresting aspect that Mr. Wertenberger
introduces is in painting Wyke in a
more unfavorable light earlier in the
play than in other productions I have
seen. Wyke's bigotry and contemptuous
opinion of Tindle are brought out vir-
tually from the start.
The play is equally demanding from
the, technical point of view. Mr. Wer-
tenberger doubles as set designer for
this production, and does a fine job
here, too. His cavernous interior is ef-
fectively cold and barren and is filled
with shadowy corners, all showing
Wyke's essentially lonely lifestyle.
Miriam Marshall's costumes were un-
failingly correct. Tindle looked the
fashion-conscious European from his
belt buckle to his matching underwear
and gold charm. Wyke's dress was also
unerring - his second act ascot and
jacket were particularly apt.
All in all, AACT should be commen-
ded for its fine production of an ex-
tremely difficult play. If you'd like to
take in some exciting theater, this one's
for you.

raises Cobo roof
By TIM YAGLE
THE NAZARETH tour slogan (and the name of their latest album) reads
"Expect No Mercy." The nearly sold out Cobo Arena certainly did not
get any Tuesday night. The loud and proud British quartet blew the place
apart.
But to prepare ourselves for the band, Sammy Hagar and his band sub-
jected us to an unrelenting rock 'n roll assault, blasting us with tunes from
his first two solo LPs and old Montrose material. Hagar was the vocalist for
Montrose in their early years.
Then with vocalist Dan McCafferty sitting on a bar stool due to what ap-
peared to be a leg injury sustained just before showtime, Nazareth broke in-
to one of their early hits "Razamanaz" which got the audience buzzing.
THE BAND THEN stormed into "Takin' Time" and followed with "a
song about my reason for being here," as McCafferty put it, "Teenage Ner-
vous Breakdown."
The group shifted gears to a more soft and mellow tone with a couple of
acoustic numbers, including Woody Guthrie's "Vigilante Man" and a song
about cocaine during which the crowd yelled "Cocaine!" But the hard rock
oriented Detroit fans were becoming a bit restless so a blistering number
about the "people truckin' from town to town," Kentucky Fried Blues" en-
sued.
One of Nazareth's biggest hits "Love Hurts" and a tune from Expect No
Mercy "Gone Dead Train" with a chug-a-chug rhythm followed.
THE NEXT SONG, "Expect No Mercy," a loud, strident rocker gave us
no mercy. In the middle of this song, the sound was so brazenly loud that the
temptation was to cover the ears and seek shelter. The crowd, charged with
the zesty emotions of the evening, loved it.
The band left the stage carrying McCafferty aloft, but were summoned
back by the enth1isiastic and appreciative crowd for a rousing encore.
Although extremely loud and often unintelligible, the quality of sound
was acceptable. Though many of the tunes were melodically and rhyth-
mically repetitive, the song selection seemed appropriate considering the
tenor of the evening.

Patti offers fine rock 'n roll trip

Don't Be Bashfull
TAKE OUT A DAILY
CLASSIFIED AD FOR
VALENTINE'S DAY!1

By MIKE TAYLOR
and BRUCE YOUNG
:.T'HEN WE DO 'Radio Ethiopia'
Wa V sometimes it goes to different
places," said guitarist/bassist Lenny
Xaye late Wednesday night, after a
vigorous evening of rock 'n' roll with
the Patti Smith Group. Departure point
for Wednesday's expedition was Second
Chance; the hundreds of people on hand
were not disappointed with the trip.
New York's blizzard had stranded
Patti's band, leaving her alone on Mon-
day night, but they were in great form
'two days later. Also appearing was
Sonic's Rendezvous Band, a group that
always seems to be improving.
4 Fred "Sonic" Smith opened his
band's set by blowing his nose on the
Daily's review of Monday's show. "As
long as those squares are writing shit
--like this, I know we're doing all right,"
.,he sneered. From that, Sonic's laun-
ched into a tight and energetic set,
highlighted by a superb "Sweet
Nothin' ". Intriguing rhythms and
nielodies forced their tough attitude
toward the world into the waiting
brains of the throng.
AFTER A SHORT break, the Patti
Smith Group burst onto the stage,
bringing with them Lou Reed's "We're'
Gonna Have a Real Good Time
Together." The song, one of their stan-
dard openers, gave the first indication
of the band's capacity for loud but
highly musical rock.
Patti wore a large tweed coat over a
vest, shorts, and dark tights. She spent
the rest of the concert removing her
Piedal.
Just for the
health of it.
Get moving, America!
March 1-7. 1977 is
National Physical Education and Sport Week
Physical Education Public information
American Alliance for Health.
Physical Education and Recreation
1201 16th St, N W. Washington. D C 20036

coat and putting it back on, announcing
"Hi, it's America's sweetheart."
She played a few tunes from her two
albums, Horses and Radio Ethiopia.
"Pumping (My Heart)" and "Ask the
Angels" had even more punch than the
studio cuts. But "Kimberly" differed
most from the recorded version; Patti
changed the beat and melody, just as
Bob Dylan has done with some of the
classics.
THE BAND ALSO played some songs
we hope to see on Patti's forthcoming
album, which she wants to call Rock 'n'
Roll Nigger. She's been playing one of
these, "Set Me Free," for a couple of
years. It's a stunning number filled
with quiet rage. Another, "Pick Up the
Night," is a relatively new song. This
one is a punk love song which builds to
an orgiastic climax.
Sensing many sniffling noises, Patti
responded to the outbreak of Russian,
Flu by- saying, "This is a very
American town and you're not gonna let
some commie flu get you down, are
you?" While recovering from our

disease, Smith showed us her fine sense
of golden oldies, performing them with
flourish. She treated the crowd to an
anarchic "Time is on My Side," and a
sweet, soulful "Be My Baby."
Patti has no plans to make a future
album with Brian Eno; instead, she
said, "I'd like to do one with Brian
Jones." In addition, she visits
Delaware twice a year to write poetry,
explaining "It's one of our original thir-
teen colonies." She also likes to write
all her tunes in Spanish, she said,
because "Spanish is the loving tongue
- it's our most Christian lapguage."
After the evening's "Radio Ethiopia"
broadcast, the band closed with their
signature song, "Gloria." The song
opens and closes with the potent
rebelliousness of the line, "Jesus died
for somebody's sins but not mine.
Unfortunately, there was no encore,
for someone had stolen Patti's tweed
coat, hurting her sister in the process.
We ended the night stranded without
rock'n'roll, just as hours earlier Patti's
band had been stranded in New York.

.VALU4ft. .
vif.


dZQr

1 ?

d

i

Patti Smith


WALT DISNEY'S

1941

RISING STAR
The New University
Poetry & Translation
Magazine
Submissions now
being accepted
for Marc/h issue
in 444 Mason
and the HOPWOOD ROOM

DUMBO/ FANTASIA EXCERPT/ MICKEY
The amazing adventures of a flying elephant and his friend.
The masterful mouse represents Disney animation at its
height in imagination, technique, and popularity. Also featur-
ing two classic cartoons.
Sat: GONE WITH THE WIND (at 1 & 7)

Cinema Guild

TONIGHT AT
7, 8:30 & 10

OLD ARCH AUD.
Admission $1.50

I I

CINEMA II

Angell
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Hall-Aud. A

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LUST FOR LIFE
Director-VINCENT MINNELLI (1956)
Film biography of the tortured life of Vincent van Gogh based on the novel
byIrving Stone. Poth the script and the performance of this picture possess
striking and dramatic intensity. KIRK DOUGLAS portrays a magnetic van
Gogh. ANTHONY QUINN, adept as always.
789:15 $1.50
******* ****/********** * *** * * ** * *** **
Saturday Night: ANDY WARHOL NIGHT-
"LONESOME COWBOYS" and "FLESH"
** ***************

HOURS
Sunday Brunch 12-4, Lunch 11:30-4
Dinner M-Sat 5-12, Fri & Sat 5-1, Sun 5:30-12
fl8w. lbgrt ,aunarbor,ml.665-5r33


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ENTERTAINMENT!"
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Sfqhren tonz
(rosby R~ussel
ame
broadway's smash hit comedy
Bernard slade
POWER CENTER
FEB. 17, 8pm, 18 8pm, 19 2 &88pm