iRT The Michigon Daily .Friday, October 23, 1981 Pcag Giant rabbit breeds fun, but 'Harvey' is off e 7 JLW I L- 4 J s Gwendolyn Y. Ricks and Mikell Pickney: 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope. Cope: black perspective By Pam Fickinger PENING NIGHTS are tradition- I ally a little rough. Just ask any ac- tors about those butterflies when they first face an expectant audience. It's also traditional, however, that most performers-after getting over the initial shock of seeing all those waiting faces-forget the audience and get caught up in their performance. Unfortunately, the cast members in Ann Arbor Civic Theatre's production of Harvey, playing through Saturday at the Michigan Theatre, take more than those first few moments to develop their characters. Harvey is thestory of one Elwood P. Dowd, whose best friend is a pooka (a fairy spirit that' takes the form of a large animal). More specifically, Elwood's pooka is an invisible (to everyone but Elwood) giant white rab- bit named Harvey. Much to the chagrin of Elwood's family, Harvey accom- panies his friend everywhere, and Elwood makes certain there are always proper introductions. So this is the story of some "crazy" who thinks he sees a giant white rabbit, right? Wrong. It's also a story about being able to accept people for what they are. A lesson, thanks to Elwood and Harvey, that is well-learned by the end of the play. Unfortunately, the actors don't take full advantage of Mary Chase's script.' The character portrayals just don't quite make it. Granted-Jimmy Stewart, who played Elwood in the film version of Harvey, is a hard act to follow. But in the Civic production, William J. Cross offers a very weak portrayal of the pooka's easygoing friend. Even more distracting than botched lines is Cross' tendency to lose track of Harvey's height, gazing at all different angles throughout the performance. And it isn't until the second act that Bette Ellis comes into her character as Veta Louise Simmons, Elwood's society sister. Her fight to have Elwood com- mitted, so that she and her daughter can have a life of their own, is uncon- vincing. It isn't until Veta sees a portrait of Elwood and Harvey hanging over the fireplace-where a portrait of her mother used to be-that she becomes believable in her part. As for the supporting performers, they have their moments. Unfor- tunately, not enough of them. Performing for the first time in the Michigan Theatre, the actors have to adjust themselves to playing in a larger area for a potentially larger audience. This may be one of the reasons why Harvey, a very funny play with a lot of potential, just didn't quite make it this time around. The University Club Michigan Union I t U I 2 Cgi 75 NMAPL E 769-1300 Mei - r $2 TO 600 PM ROBERT DE NIRO ROBERT DUVALL L1 UNITED ® IDI1 ARTISTS 3:2 . I:NI :T 1:15 3:20 5:30 7:40 9:50 By Gail Negbaur MICKi GRANT'S Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope is a vibrant black musical revue that is as varied in con- tent as it is in quality. According to Janice Reid, the director of the Great Artist Series production, Cope presents "the dilemmas of ghetto living, unem- ployment, sexism, inflation and war from a black, theatrical perspective." This perspective includes a smat- tering of gospel, blues, and standard nusical coiedy pieces, as well as modern, tap, jazz, and popular dance. movements.. This is quite a lot to expect out of a single 'play and one group of actors. To facilitate coverage of the many dif- ferent styles and moods, the company is made up of eighteen people-all at different levels of training in singing and dancing. While it is exciting to see this array of talent; there is a problem, "of inconsistency in the production. Cope, playing at the Power Center through Sunday afternoon, has some high points that make the production well worth seeing. In the first act, Vera Embree's choreography works beautifully with the dancers and non- dancers alike. Using simple but flashy movements, her work makes it seem that there is a professional dance com- pany on stage. The ''Time Brings About a Change" sequence, with its repetitious music, is made. interesting by virtue of the choreography. In "History of Dance," dances as diverse as the Charleston, the Swim, and the Latin Hustle are perfor- med. The company sits in a circle while each dancer takes a turn. This gives the performers the added advantage of having thp other actors nearby, en- See 'COPE,' Page 13, Bargain Hours - No $1 Tuesday 'Two hours of non-stop thrills: -Rex Reed. OF THE LOST ARKx PARAMOUN Somethinq's G appeninq at the GIJ-{Club! GDAN CE &f~m'dPARTY with QD.J. Michael Kremman GEvery'Guesday {oaribbean ' Drinkt Specials!, ;- 1:45 4:15 7:00 9:30 DAILY WILLIAM HURT 1:15 ~KATHLEEN TURNER 3:20 5:30 BODY 7 40 Midnite 9:50 Fri. & Sat, IEfIT CARBON COP . DEPRESSEDFEMAL ES NEEDED, for a research project at the Institute for Social Research. Please use the following checklist to determine if you may qualify for the project. Y (PG! l George Segal Jack Warden Susan St. James DAILY 1:30-3 70-5-10 7:00-9:00 Midnite Fri, & Sat. the University Club t's-here for y II (1) Loss of appetite (2) Trouble sleeping (3) Loss of energy (4) Irritability (5) Loss of interest (6) Feelings of guilt (7) Difficulty concentrating (8) Crying spells If you are experiencing some of these, symptoms and are interested in participating in a social communication study as an assistant, please contact DR. RITA COLEMAN or ELIZABETH LOPEZ (764-1173). All information given will be held strictly confidential. $36 compensation. No deception involved. CI A Non-profit Organization Since 1972!' 1 s® --- -- ------- '-- -- - MIP.HI AN THF ATR with a New Term Beginning Nov. 2- 7 . For more information visit 213 S. Main , Ann Arbor or calli994-8400, after 1:O0pm. DANCE New and on-going classes in Dance Exercise for Pregnant Women; Jazz; Ballet; Modern; Afro; Blues; and Ballroom. Taught by Noonie Hamp; Scott Read; Jesse Richards; Debora Sipos; Whitley Setrakian; Sue Schell-Clark; and Frances Zappella. (most classes with 1 class for $30. 2 ETHNIC DANCE Multi-Ethnic Dance. Learn dances from India, the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East. Taught by Malini Srirama, Jesse Richards and Santha, with guest instructors. Beledi (Danse Orientale). New and on-going classes, Beginning through Advanced, with Troupe Ta'amullat members Santha, Za'hra and Nashira. PHOTOGRAPHY Cibachrome for Christmas; Matting and Framing for Gifts; Photographic Christmas Cards, Also classes tin photography and darkroom technique taught by Bill Bloom, Keary Campbell, Anders Goldfarb, Mike Kvicala, Jim Morse and Raime Weber. piano accompaniment.) for $50 and 3 for $65. * MIME * Perry E. Perrault (cofounder and director of the University of Michigan Mime Troupe) * brings seven years of national and inter- * national experience to his class for beginning students. * MODELING "Modeling for Photography" with Bill bloom. A class for women interested in learning the * basic "low to's". ART * Stained Glass; Drawing the Human Face (with * live model); Life Drawing; Batik; Basic Drawing & Design; Charcoal Drawing/Oil * Painting; and Watercolor. Instruction by Sandy Marks; Richard Marks; Cheryl Dawdy; Carol Shostak; Nels Nelson; Darkroom rental cards available at five 11 I I i