ARTS
The Michigan Daily Sunday, January 30, 1983 Page5,
Stark realism in 'Old Times
By Jeff Manning
H AROLD PINTER's Old Times
opened this weekend at the New
Trueblood Arena, and if you can
manage to raise the outrageous ten
dollar admission fee, you'll see some of
the finest drama Ann Arbor has to of-
fer. Produced by the Michigan Ensem-
ble Theatre, the show features a first
rate cast coupled with one of Pinter's
best scripts.
Christopher Curry and Marie Cham-
bers, who exchange most of the
dialogue during the play (in authentic
English accents), have mastered the
personalities of their characters,
Deeley and Anna. Throughout the play,
the two vie for control over Deeley's
wife, Kate, without letting their
aggression show clearly.
This competition sets the tension on
which the play is founded. Wanda
Brimson, acting the onlooker Kate, ex-
presses her character almost entirely
through her eyes. Without speaking
nearly the number of words Deeley and
Anna exchange, the facial expressions
of Kate make her an equally essential
and vital element in the drama.
As Anna and Deeley strive for
dominance, Director Burgwin hints of a
one-time lesbian relationship between
Anna and Kate and an old affair bet-
ween Anna and Deeley. What are
seemingly casual hugs and fondlings
leave the audience wondering if there's
more to them than friendliness. These
actions' emphasize the play's un-
derlying question: who possesses
whom?
The oft-forgotten technical crew is
also to be credited for Old Times' suc-
cess. Steve Pollock's lighting is very
effective, from the blue spot on the tea
set before the show starts, to the flare of
white light at the end. The set itself,
designed by Debbie Fishman, is
Marie Chambers (left) and Wanda Bimson (right) reminisce about their past in MET's production of 'Old Times.'
Even though Buddy Rich couldn't perform, the scheduled Eclipse Jazz big
band concert went on in true Broadway tradition.
Jazz concert goes
on without Rich
remarkable detailed to suit the play.
Subtleties such as English Scotch and
Dunhill cigarettes helped convince me
this is professional drama. Zelma
Wiesfield's costuming is coincident
with the characters: the dizzy Kate
wearing a pastel-blue sweater and the
domineering Anna donning a flat black
dress with a white pearl necklace.
The theme of Old Times is largely
open to audience interpretation, as Pin-
ter meant it to be, but this ambiguity is
intentional. Pinter strives to create
what Burgwin calls "a kind of super-
realism" and since life is never clear
cut and nicely spelled out, neither are
Pinter's dramas.
The show is performed in the round
and provides a certain intimacy since
the Trueblood only houses about 130
spectators. The Michigan- Ensemble
Theatre is juxtaposing the performan-
ces of Old Times with Gogol's Diary of a
Madman as a part of their new "ap-
proaching repertory" concept. The
next run of Old Times will be February
16-20, again at the Trueblood in the
Frieze building.
By James McGee
XPECTATIONS OF a memorable
E concert were high as I along with
other jazz enthusiasts arrived at the
Hill yesterday evening. However, I was
to realize that my hopes might be short-
lived as I was presented with a flier an-
nouncing the serious illness of the great
jazz drummer, Buddy Rich. Yet the
show must go on. In keeping with that
tradition, Danny D'Imperio of Woody
Herman's Thundering Herd was flown
in to substitute for Buddy.
The concert began with the Univer-
sity's Jazz Band playing mostly upbeat
arrangements. The spotlight piece of
their presentation was a composition by
Thad Jones entitled "Crackdown." This
featured a dynamite drum solo which,
once again, raised expectations of a
night to be remembered.
However, there were a few minor
problems in the brass section. The in-
tonation was good, yet some of the more
complex patterns could have been
played with more clarity. It was also
somewhat discouraging to listen to the
effects of inadequate engineering which
failed to bring out the brass section's
true sound. Nevertheless, the woodwind
(saxophone) section featuring the boy
wonder Scott Mayo was "hittin' it right
on time."
One of the slower tunes played by the
University band was written by the
bandleader himself, Lou Smith. It was
entitled "Blues for Jimmy" and it
featured Lou himself on trumpet
followed by a solo from a fellow
graduate of Cass Tech High Darryl
Duncan. Both soloists were good;
however, experience and much more
feeling afforded Lou a more impressive
solo with that Bee-Bop style.
Other soloists featured during the
band presentation were Scott Mayo on
sax and Umar Nassa, a phenomenal
bassist who is only a freshman this
year. He has the potential to sit along
side such greats as Ron Carter and Phil
Bowler.
The University band was followed by
the "family" of Dr. Morris Lawrence,
director of the Washtenaw County
Community College band. This band
featured a full woodwind section
(flutes, clarinets and saxophones) and
well-rounded rhythm and brass sec-
tions (including French horn).
By far, this band had the most en-
thusiasm for its tunes and was the bet-
ter crowd pleaser of the two opening ac-
ts. But once again, engineering flaws
put a damper on the quality of sound
coming across to the audience.
One of the soloists, pianist Martin
Simmons, has to be one of the best up-
and-coming jazz artists in this area. His
solos incorporated various New
Orleans rhythms as well as a few
classical phrases.
To exemplify Dr. Lawrence's taste
for an exotic feel in jazz, one of the
featured soloists during the tune
"Moving Closer to a Dream" was Tom
'Voils on the sitar. This was a worthy
attempt to introduce a foreign in-
strument into the jazz medium. Yet, the
feel and intensity present in traditional
instrumental solos was absent.
After a brief intermission, the real
professionals arrived on stage. The
Buddy Rich band was small in com-
parison with the preceding bands (five
saxophones, three trumpets, four
trombones, one bass and one piano)
yet, the sound was fantastic. After a
brief opening jam the band apologized
for the absence of their leader and ex-
pressed the hope that the audience en-
joy the concert even if they "only get a
third of the way there."
Despite the absence of some of the
best jazz drumming around, the B.R.
band brought forth a feeling that came
across the stage and down through the
aisles. Danny D'Imperio was nothing
short of certified professional being
able to fly in and sit in on many com-
plex and upbeat tunes.
The attemptat a jazz-funk style
during one of their sets was heart felt
but slightly lacking. The bassist
adhered too closely to the sheet music
and not enough to his own ear during
these attempts at "funkinality." The
drum solos were cut to the bone, being
nothing more than jazz and rock
fills .. . but nonetheless impressive.
All in all; the show was a success and a
great testimony to the showmanship,
dedication, and talent of the Buddy
Rich Band.
I Summer Camps
THE ANN ARBOR "Y" IS NOW ACCEPT-
ING APPLICATIONS FOR STAFF POSITIONS
AT THE FOLLOWING CAMPS:
CAMP AL-GON-QUIAN: a resident camp for
boys and girls located on Burt Lake in
northern lower Michigan. Camp dates are
June 25 to August 6. Senior staff positions,
ages 18 and above are available in the fol-
lowing areas: horseback riding, sailing, can-
oeing, arts and crafts, archery, nature,
woodworking, riflery, land sports, swim- -
ming, water skiing, and camp nurse. Salary
plus room and board.
CAMP BIRKETT: a day camp for boys and
girls located on Silver lake near Pinckney.
Camp dates are June 20-August 19. Senior
staff positions, ages 18 and above are avail-
able in the following areas: archery, swim-
ming, sailing, canoeing, arts and crafts, no-
ture, and general counselor.
APPLICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMA-
TION REGARDING POSITIONS AT BOTH
CAMPS MAY BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING
THE ANN ARBOR 'Y', 350 S. FIFTH AVENUE,
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104 OR CALLING
(313) 663-0536.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Parmen tier and Sumner
play to sparse audience
-
I HATE TO say I told you so, but
I told you so. On Thursday evening
at the First Methodist Church all in at-
tendance were treated to a thoroughly
enjoyable hour of music. This concert,
a benefit for the Nuclear Arms
Weapons Freeze, featured Edward
Parmentier and Susan Sumner, playing
keyboards and violin, respectively.
The high points of the evening were
two solo pieces. Professor Parmentier
played the Foquerray variations with
great musicality. Sumner's solo, a
Teleman Suite, was played with a won-
derful understanding of early perfor-
mances which lent a depth of under-
It is a shame that more people did not
take advantage of this concert. Turnout
was not bad, but it should of been much
better. Ann Arbor has few artists that
have gained acclaim in the United
States as well as in Europe.
-Todd Levin
A Poetry Reading
MONDAY, January 31 at 8 pm
with LIZ CARES and NANCI LOVE
At Guild House, 802 Monroe
(662-5189)
ANN A RBOR
INDIVIDUAL THEATRKS
$2.00 SAT. SUN. SHOWS
BEFORE 6:00 P.M.
OUR CUSTOMERS WILL
TELL YOU.'..
"FULL OF ADVENTURE"
Nathan Darling-Ann Arbor
"THRILLING"
Ed Loseck-Milan, MI.
FRI. MON. -
5:50, 7:40, 9:30 (PG)
SAT. SUN.-
12:20,2 10 400 5:00 740,930
NPIDfiL '~OW
Wednesday, February Second
at seven-thirty in the evening \
We extend a cordial invitation1/>.
to you and your guests to attend
i the preview showing of 1983
Spring/Summer Bridal Fashions.
Let us show you our exciting
selection of dresses for the bride,
her wedding party and guests.
Join us on our second floor or
fashion.
Mary Zar
Bridal Consultant
769-7600, ext. 285
\
1~41
4' /
t '- +. i.
Boisterous 'Streetcar'
production r
T HE DREGS OF New Orleans have
never experienced anything quite
like Blanche DuBois before. She comes
dressed all "hoity-toity" like she was a
queen or somethin'. And you should of
seen her pickin' her nose up to this thing
and that. The most unfriendly critter I
ever did see.
When she was growing up, Blanche
was innocent and all-giving. She met a
man named Alan and fell in love at age
sixteen. They were married but on the
wedding day, Alan killed himself. And
- if that wasn't enought for the poor girl,
)lS into town
beneath and beyond-Freudian,
societal, political."
A Streetcar Named Desire has its last
performance tonight, 8 p.m. at Saline
High School by the Saline Area Players.
The main role of Blanche DuBois is
played by the former president of the
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Susan
Morris. Stanely and Stella Kowalski
are played by Richard Miner and Diane
Boggs. The part of Mitch is played by
Saline's very own mayor, Don Shelton.
The production was very energetic.
The actors' ana actresses' loud,
There are still
some things we have
yet to imagine.
SOPHIE'S
CHOICE
MERYL
STREEP