ARTS
Thursday, December 4, 1986
The Michigan Daily
Page 5
b
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F_
Records
Nick Cave and the
Bad Seeds
Kicking Against the
Pricks
Homestead
Nick Cave, the legendary
sreaming hellhound from down
under, has released a collection of
covers by artists as diverse as Lou
Reed and John Lee Hooker. But
before you go begging to Santa,
buyers beware: when my mother
heard me listening to this record she
actually thanked me for finally
playing something "pleasant" for a
change. No kidding.
You'll find none of Nick Cave's
fiendish howlings on this record. In
fact, Cave and the Bad Seeds sound
downright subdued on ten of its
twelve songs. Side one opens with
John Bundrick's "Muddy Water,"
complete with bluesy vocals and
cheesy organ. While Nick Cave
usually sings with the distinction
of a man who has dipped into the
bottle of Jack Daniels too many
times, on this song his voice is
restrained and lacks the dark
sincerity present on his previous
records.
Unfortunately, most of the
songs on Kicking Against the
Pricks sound just like "Muddy
Water." The album is chock full of
sorrowful, slow-paced tunes that
blurr together; frankly they put me
to sleep. One of the stronger
tranquilizers is side two's "Some -
thing's Gotten Hold of My Heart."
Cave's rendition could easily fit on
any dentist office's playlist, or
worse yet on one of those "nice"
stations that your parents listen to.
Cave does show a trace of his
former self in a raucous rendition of
John Lee Hooker's "I'm Gonna Kill
that Woman." But for the most
part, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
don't do much kicking on Kicking
Against the Pricks.
-Dana Mendelssohn
Se Fisne va t
Je (t~is mas "caUr"
¢xeoties n . idr
.. it " c tdrens t-ys traver.
Kerrytown Shops
407 N. Fifth Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(313) 662-4221
Lucentio (Jordan Mott) serenades Biarca (Hilary James) in the University Players production 'The
Taming of the Shrew.' Performances will run at The Power Center tonight through Sunday.
Players battle 'Shrew'
By Noelle Brower
From out-and-out fist fights to
psycholgical warfare, the battle of
the sexes has raged on and on since
time immemorial, seemingly with -
out much progress. Director Philip
-Kerr seems to have a penchant for
choosing plays with this theme in
mind. He directed last year's A
--Doll's House and Lysistrata, both
plays that drew definite lines of
battle. Judging from these past pro -
ductions, Kerr lends a sympathetic
ear to the issue, albeit a humorous
one in the case of the later pro -
s duction. His current University
Players production of Shakespeare's
The Taming of the Shrew is proof
of this - especially the part about
the humor.
However, when it comes to the
issue of the battle of the sexes, Kerr
does not pretend to stand on the
proverbial soapbox; though cer -
tainly sympathetic to problem, one
won't find Kerr preaching. In fact,
he admits that it is just as much a
matter of practicality as one of art -
istic preference that has influenced
his choice of scripts. "Plays are
dreadfully unfair in their [lack of a]
50/50 split of roles between women
and men," Kerr commented, con -
tinuing that "when scripts that
provide an equal distribution of
roles are available, I take them."
One must remember that
University productions operate on
two distinct, yet equally important
levels: they provide entertainment
for the University and surrounding
communities while creating an
educative forum that gives student
actors an opportunity to learn and
to practice their craft. Kerr is
selective about the scripts he
chooses for they must be able to
function on both of these levels
and, in the case ofShrew, fill the
Power Center for four consecutive
nights.
The current production of Shrew
indicates the direction that the
Department of Theatre and Drama
has taken since John Russell Brown
became its chairman last Fall. The
production is the first undergraduate
drama to be performed in the Power
Center since it opened 12 years ago.
This is an important first that
exemplifies the department's con -
tinuing emphasis on a learn-as-you-
do attitude.
Kerr has set the classic comedy
during the Italy of the 1930's.
"We're not updating the play as
much as one thinks," Kerr says,
"It's a fun, floppy narrative and one
should go with the mediterranian
pasta feel of it." Within this
environment, Kerr's independent
Kate becomes a woman "out of
sync with her time." He sees her
relationship with Petruchio as one
founded upon humour and mutual
understanding. Kerr approaches the
sometimes controversial play
realistically, stating, "To me any
good-play raises more questions
than answers to the questions."
This Shrew should be thought
provoking while poking fun.
The Taming of the Shrew will
be performed tonight through
Sunday at the Power Center.
Performance times are 8 p.m. with
a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. For
more information call 764-0450.
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y,
,
Try the sporting
crisp scent of
POLO
at Hudsons
BRIARWOOD MALL
For a limited time only
show your college I.D.
and receive a FREE
Michigan t-shirt with any
purchase of $20.00 or more of
Polo Fragrance
*For your purchase, may we suggest
Polo Cologne 2 oz. spray, $21.00, 4 oz. spray, $30.00,
or 4 oz. After Shave Balm, $20.00.
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University of Michigan
School of Music,
presents
U-M JAZZ BAND
Louis Smith, conductor
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4
Rackham, 8:00 PM
WIND ENSEMBLE
H. Robert Reynolds, conductor
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5
Rackham, 8:00 PM
MAURICE HINSON:
Guest Lecture / Recital
Hungarian Folk Elements in Piano Music of Liszt
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5
Recital Hall, School of Music, 8:00 PM
CONTEMPORARY DIRECTONS
ENSEMBLE
H. Robert Reynolds, Music Director
Music by Adams, Martino, Schoenfield, Stockhausen
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
Rackham, 8:00 PM
OPERA WORKSHOP
Jay Lesenger, Stage Director
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
McIntosh Theatre, School of Music, 8:00 PM
All interested persons are invited to
attend a talk by
PROFESSOR JOHN HUNTER
DEPARTMENT OF ART
Cleveland State University
entitled
CHANGES IN IMAGERY OF
MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE CARDINALS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1986
4:00 p.m.
Room 180 Tappan Hall
sponsored by the Center for Western European Studies.
The English Composition Board's
ACADEMIC WRITING SERIES
presents
"WRITING AN ESSAY FOR
FINAL EXAMINATIONS"
Examination period begins December 12. When you
sit down to write your bluebook examination, will
4 you be fully prepared? When your professor gives
you the take-home examination, will you know how
to approach it best?
The last Academic Writing Series presentation of the
Fall semester examines the intellectual and writerly
All Events Free
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