Friday, June 3, 1977 ItHE MICHIGAN DAILY lage Five '1,000 Clowns' lunges for laughs 4 IArts I1 F By SUSAN BARRY A Thosand Clowns by Herb Gardner, as mounted by the MM Rep Co., explores a few days in the life of Murray Burns, a middle-aged children's TV script writer, who is forced to evalu- ate his existence when faced with the prospect of losing custody of his nephew. The 12-year-old nephew has been abandoned to him by his sister, and when the school board psychologist and social worker investigate the child's environment they decide that Burns, at the time unemployed, is not a suitable guardian. Ths Burns is given the choice to ignore his principles and return to work or to lose the child, with whom he has formed a warm and mutually convenient friendship. So far, so good. From here, however, Gard- ner launches some rather pointlessly meandering philosophy and silly dialogue that seems to go in all directions at once and still ends up no- where. "Out of th-)e mouths of babes," declares Burns, the anti-intellectual, "comes drooling." "People fall into two categories," he philosophizes, "those who like deli-atessen and those who don't like delicatessen." GARDNER IS EVIDENTLY trying to make a point. But it is difficult to determine whether he is with Burns or against him. Burns attempts to cut through the phony defenses of his family and friends, but when anyone attempts to pene- trate his arrogant wall of indifference he starts chattering like his kiddie show chipmunk. Thomas Badgerow as Burns keeps his distance from the rest of the cast as he slides his voice up into his exclamations, producing an unnatural- ly showman-like tone. Burns is not for a 'mo- ment real, whether Badgerow attempted to make him so or not. When he ultimately abandons his carefully set tip ideals rather impulsively, any serious attempt to extract a philosophical state- ment seems pointless. He merely seems like a man desperatety out of step with his environ- ment who holds out for a while but ultimately is forced to join the society he condemns. "WE'RE ALL LIKE THAT," implies Gard- ner. From the psychologist who bores himself to the sociologist who becomes too involved with her cases to be efficient, to the kiddie show comedian who hates kids, to the brother/execu- tive who "takes crap from everybody" but suc- ceeds,. we are a society of a thousand clowns, all maladjusted, all inefficient until we put on the necessary grease paint - the phony mask of conformability. The original conception otf bis play is inter- esting, it is in its execution that it fails to in- spire. Murray's grandiose attempts to be clever usually fall flat. The burlesque between the psy- chologist (Calvin MacLean) and the sociologist (Susan Perkoff) is cliche. Ultimately this play falls back on its charm, and here it shines through the fog in several instances. KEN NORMAN as the nephew of interchange- able names takes an enthusiastic grip on his role and hangs on, His performance is remark- able in the sheer face if its mastery by such a young arist. David Grier is perfectly hyper as Leo. And David Green as the brother who ap- proaches life as a series of gestures, such as bringing Murray a box of fresh fruit daily, pre- sents a compelling portrait of a man who de- serves t-o patronize but struggles heroically against the impulse. In particular moments Murray's irony is posi- tively illuminating. When Badgerow describes how he walked home apologizing to everyone he net, eliciting strange clemency from each sub- ject, he is at his best. "That's all you can really expect from life," he tells Sandy, the sociologist, "a pretty good apology for everything you don't get." Murray never gets any apologies, but it is clear that he is going to survive anyway, as everyone does. C.omeaCi cf ncn Thomas Baderow and Susan Perkoff come to grips in the MM production of A Thousand Clowns, running nightly through Sunday in the Mendelssohn Theatre. Havin' A Wild Weekend?. By DAVID KEEPS Hall, with a midnight cham- Sam Peckinpah's WW II ad- pagne supper and dancing on venture, Cross of Iron, opens stage afterwards. Miss Rogers tonight at the Michigan Theatre, wilt not perform Monday eve- while Mohammed Ali takes a ning, but Saturday and Sunday shot at acting in a self-congratu- matinees are scheduled for 2 latory autobioflick, The Greatest p.m. Ticket information can at the State. be obtained by calling 963- At the co-ops tonight: Robert 7680. de Niro burns up the screen as sheenishly schizophrenic Travis Bickle in Scorcese's Taxi Driver (MLB 3, 7 & 9). Janet Leigh gets knifed in Psycho and Jeanne f Moreau becomes Frantic in Louis Malle's directorial debut , of the same name (MLB 4, com- :: plete shows at 7 & 1:4) D Niro also stars in Brian (Obses. sion) De Palma's Hi Mom! (Atud. A, 7:30 & 9:30). Cinema Guild presents Superfly with Ron O'Neal at 7:30 & 9:30, Arch. Aud. Saturday's offerings' include Losey's The Romantic English- Rers woman (Aud. A, 7:30 & 9:30) and Bergman's overrated Cries THE JONGLEURS (pictured and Whispers (Arch, Aud., 7:30 TH J.GEUS(icue & 9:30). at right) have been performing Sunday night Cinemp Guild's Medieval and Renaissance mu- free classic film screening fe - sic in the area since 1974, -and ttres Things To Come, one of this Saturday, they present a the meet enduring and technical- concert of music from Germany ly exciting science fiction films and the Low Lands. The concert in cinetna history (Arch..And. begins at 8 in the University in pimReformed Church (1001 E. Hu- Harmonica ron). Admission for students and NIGHTCLUBBIN':Hamnc senior citizens is $250, virtuoso Peter 'Madcat' Ruth appear sat the Ark, Duke Tu- mato and The All Star Frogs at Mr. Flood's, Blaze scorches Sec- ond Chance patrons, Rainbow Bridge rocks at the Roadhouse, and at the Blind Pig, the 251 Orchestra performs big band tunes. Former RKO movie queen Ginger Rogers displays the vivacity and talent that have- contributed to her enduring popularity in her one woman show opening tonight at the Music Hall and r u nn i n g through June 9. Ginger's first nighter is to be mounted as a gala benefit for the Music Royal By RICHARD LEWIS , The University Department of Theater is currently offering a vdry fine production of The Royal Family at Power Cen- ter. What a shame that so few members of this supposedly theater - loving community were on hand to view its open- ing performance Wednesday night. The production, which runs through Sunday afternoon, owes a great deal of its success to George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's bright, well-crafted script. The Royal Family is a skillful combination of broad farce and dry wit, peppered with snappy exits, entrances and curtain lines. Unlike much modern theater, in which "craftsmanship" is a dirty word, this 1927 comedy is a joy to watch. Its story revolves around the private lives of an ostensibly fictional acting family named Cavendish. Like the Barry- mores, the Cavendishes are Family' amuses pillars of the American stage, with a noble historic tradition to uphold. The fireworks begin when outsiders attempt to lure members of the family away from the stage. AS FANNY, septuagenarian head of the Cavendish house- hold, Claribel Baird is delight- ftl. She walks with the aid of a cane (or is it a scepter?), but there is a no-nonsense firm- ness about that walk. "I'll be a stepping stone for nobody!" Fanny snaps at one point, and we are quite pre- pared to believe her. Ma, Baird conveys dignity without pompos- ity, old age without fustiness, and a quick wit ready to take on the world, Fanny's brother, Bert Dean, is admirably played byy Rich- ard Burgwin. Bert is an aging Shakespearean actor who, as his sister puts it, "has retired and doesn't know it," and Burg- . win's portrayal is full of appro- priate swagger, bluster and bluff. Bert is married to a mediocre actress named Ritty LeMoyne, who is so tired of having "the royal family Cavendished up" to her she could spit. This role has been entrusted to Judy Manos, who is often very fun- ny. At other times, though, Ms. Manos appears to be trying too hard, with the result that some of her exquisitely catty remarks become merely ill - tempered bitchery. IRENE CONNORS shines in the role of Julie, Fanny's daughter, capturing flawlessly the predicament of a woman who is forced to be caretaker of "a family of maniacs" and the greatest actress of her time simultaneously. Her daughter, Gwen, is nicely played by Dana Barton. John Wojda plays the role of Perry Stewart, a rather color- less young businessman, with- out much interest, although the role offers him little to sink his teeth into. John McCollum is outstanding as the Caven- dishes' producer, Oscar Wolfe, from the first tip of his hat to the last flick of his cigar ash. Julie's millionaire suitor, Gil Marhall,Lis stylishly portrayed by Joe Lauck. And Tony Cay- endish, the family's lovable black sheep, is interpreted as a spoiled child of thirty by Jack McLaughlin, who also directs the production. Although Diane Tasca por- trays the Cavendishes' some- what harried maid with an abrasiveness that is extremely unattractive, the other roles are well served by Charlie Su- therland, Leo McNamara, John McCarthy, John Frank, Mike Wallace, Kay Long, and Henry van Kuiken. The single set - the living room of the Cavendish apart- ment - is the mignificent work of Alan Billings, who also de- signed the lighting and Moppy Vogely's period costumes are very beautiful, too. Join the Daily Arts Department Contact: Arts Editor 420 Maynard St.