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ARTS
6
Page 6 Friday, March 19, 1982 The Michigan Daily
Clowns conspire to
abolish seriousness
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TUESDAY, MARCH 30 8:30 PM MICHIGAN THEATRE
TICKETS ON SALE:
Michigan Theatre Box Office, 603 E. Huron, Ann Arbor
2-6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.
Hudson's, Wherehouse Records and all C.T.C. outlets.
The comic Opera Guild, 432 S. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
1
By Julie Edelson
W HEN WAS the last time you had
a good laugh? The Clown Con-
spiracy, appearing at The Canterbury
Loft March 17-21, hopes to provide you
with a few giggles and chuckles as a
temporary escape from the serious and
the mundane. They were somewhat
successful in their attempt Wednesday
night.
The Clown Conspiracy, based in New
York, is composed of Joe Killian, a
former Detroiter and student of mime
and clowning, and Tanya Sadofyeva, a
Russian immigrant and graduate of the
Moscow Circus and Variety Academy.
The troupe is directed by Yury Belov.
The characters are dressed in typical
clown outfits-bulb-red nose, and
baggy shoes-but Sadofyeva wears an
evening gown. In You Can't Hurry Love
they introduce themselves to the
audience by portraying their first.
meeting in a train. Here they expertly
convey the male/female nervousness of
a first encounter. We also see the
Russian/American language barrier
illustrated quite humorously.
There were some ambiguities in the
skit, however. At ,one point, the clowns
frivolously throw all of their clothes out
the train window, laughing constantly.
This action became annoying, and
could not be considered "entertain-
ment." It was not clear what was inten-
ded by this piece; the only laughs heard
were those of the clowns. This made the
excerpt elementary and lacking in
taste. It was not clear why this was in-
cluded in an otherwise witty excerpt.
The second skit was far better. It
detailed the personalities of circus per-
formers and poked fun at their large
egos. Both Killian and Sadofyeva were
able to capture the comedy involved in
the situation with their excellent pan-
tomime in a variety of scenes:
"weaklings" lifting weights, sticking a
head in a lion's mouth, and falling
asleep on a trapeze. The various facial
expressions were enough to amuse even
the most skeptical, serious-minded ob-
server.
The "Magician" skit, which ex-
posed the magician's casual, suave
nature in a lighthearted way, showed
Sadofyeva at her best. As a magician
with flair, she manages to bungle every
trick, even the "simple" classic scarf
and knife escapades. The whole
sequence is quite comical, since it
allows us to laugh at a figure who is not
as "perfect' as he appears.
The clowns also allow us to transcend
their humor, so that we can observe the
serious side of their relationship.
Killian is sad when he fears Sadofyeva
has left him, and she is sincerely sub-
dued and reflective when she realizes
that she loves him. Unfortunately, their
on-stage relationship will never develop
into anything more than the "happy
partner" image, because they are
always under the facade of humor,
though they provided excellent contrast
to the laughter.
In fact, this "constant laughter" does
no justice to the overall show. The slap-
stick-breaking plates, shooting guns,
and crushing hats, is silly and
childish, not humorous, and it seems as
if the clowns want some instant
gratification in the form of quick, cheap
laughs. This was totally ineffective and
it exposed some inherent flaws in 'the
duo's ability to perform.
Aside from the slapstick and the
desire of the clowns to arouse a con-
stant stream of laughter from their
audience, watching The Clown Con-
spiracy proved to be a lighthearted way
to spend an evening.
University of Michigan Dancers rehearse 'Fresh Fruits in Foreign Places"
for tonight's performance.
Sing concert to
featurse 1newdaces
Second Chance, Ann Arbor
ADVANCE TICKETScs|a at SCholeid s . Call 99-MUSiC for further info.
Records, PJ's Used Records ajnd aill CTC uet ' .,
By Tania Blanich
I 'LL LET YOU in on a secret if you
promise to tell everyone. The
University of Michigan Dance Com-
pany will perform at Power Center
March 19-21 and their concert is sure to
be spectacular. Featured will be a new
work created for the University Dance
Company by New York choreographer
Manuel Alum. Also premiering are
works by resident choreographers
Elizabeth Weil Bergmann, Vera L.
Embree, and Susan Matheke: All of the
pieces abound with energy, fun, and
outlandishness, promising to make
this concert one of the most exciting of
the year.
Least you think that an amusing con-
cert excludes good dancing, don't
worry; the dancing should be splendid.
The University dancers have become
much stronger over the years and this
concert will allow them to prove them-
selves. The choreography is deman-
ding, but the dancers handle it with
aplomb.
The spring concert will open with
Bergmann's Short Stuff, a frolicsome
piece about child's play. The
choreography is "sheer stream of con-
sciousness" according to Bergmann,
which allowed her to capture the
unabashed, -whimsical nature of kids.
The original score by Gregory Ballard
will be performed live by the Current
and Modern Consort, a local band. This,
along with playful, cartoonish
costumes, should give the evening a
zippy start.
The 88's is a series of dance vignet-
tes, celebrating the masters of the
piano, those who play all eighty-eight
keys. As Embree, the choreographer,
says, "If you're going to play the piano,
do it right!" Each section has its own
personality, from a kooky take-off of
video games to a period piece, and the
pure emotion and soul of the blues. The
silent dancers will enter accompanied
by a piece of music by a famous piano
player from another period.
Alum's piece, Fresh Fruit in Foreign
Places, promises to be fabulous. He
spent three weeks in Ann Arbor earlier
this year choosing dancers,+
choreographing, and, finally, rehear-
sing. The time limitationrpresented cer-
tain difficulties for both the
choreographer and the dancers, but the
-result is impressive.
Fresh Fruits shows a different, less
serious side of Alum, who is perhaps
best known for brooding, dramatic por-
traits. But with its lively salsa flavor
and exotic costumes, Fresh Fruits
takes off in another direction. The piece
certainly reflects Alum's Puerto Rican
background, but also draws upon his
experiences as an inhabitant of New
York, creating a fast-paced, funny, and
amazingly intricate dance. The six
dancers explode across the stage with
frenetic energy, nimbly interacting
with one another or occasionally
breaking'out into a crazy solo. The dan-
ce slows for a lovely, poignant solo, but
the salsa 'beat again takes'over. The
dance is loose and light, a rhythmic,
dynamic look at life in the Big City.
Closing the program with an electric
bang is Susan Matheke's Rage and
Ruin. Once again the Current and
Modern Consort will perform original
music by Ballard, adding even more
vitality to this wildly vigorous piece.
Crazy punk costumes and wild props
help create a fantasy world. The piece
has no plot but represents the "energy
of conflict, the energy of today" ac-
cording to Matheke.
I have often wondered why Ann Arbor
audiences insist on ignoring the dance
talent they have in their own midst.
Hopefully nobody will miss out on the';
Spring Concert. It will be an electric'
and exciting experience.
Pendergrass'4
is paralyze-.
PHILADELPHIA-(AP)-Rhythnr
and-blues singer Teddy Pendergrass ,
in critical condition at a hospital here
today, partially paralyzed ,after his
luxury car slammed into two trees, ofr
ficials said.
Pendergrass, 32, of nearby Gladvy4
ne, suffered severe neck injuries in ,tli
accident early yesterday morning, sail
Dr. Francis Sweeney, director of
Thomas Jefferson University hospital.
The paralysis is the result of damage;
to the spinal column, the doctor said
and affects the singer's lower e
tremities. °g
"There is movement below QtJ,
neck," Sweeney said, but below tli
waist doctors "can't be sure."
No surgery was scheduled, he sai&°
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