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Page 8- The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, December 7, 1988
Politics no
Utopia
model of satire
G&S
show
is
the
very
BY BETH COLQUITT
"Everyone has seen Pirates (of Penzance), (H.M.S.)
Pinafore, and Mikado, but no one knows about Utopia
(Limited)," said Mary Locker, director of Utopia, Lim-
ited . Utopia is the fall product of the University
Gilbert and Sullivan Society, opening tonight and run-
ning until Saturday afternoon.
Utopia differs from those better known G&S
shows in that along with the glorious music, it is
heavily satirical. "Gilbert really unloaded all his guns
on this one. He didn't let anyone off," said Locker.
Utopia, Ltd., takes place on a South Seas island
utopia which longs for the culture and "civilization" of
British society. When the Brits finally arrive to colo-
nize the island, they set it up like a corporation. Utopia
is given a king, and a justice department to watch that
the king stays within the law - except that the justice
department is itself corrupt. This particular fact, says
Locker, makes the musical relevant today.
According to Locker, the musical isn't performed as
often as other G&S shows because it is rather long.
"There were several subplots which he (Gilbert) never
develops, which seem to go nowhere, which make the
show overlong. In its original form, it runs upwards of
three hours," she said. For this production, she said, "I
have cut it significantly so that it focuses on the polit-
ical aspects of the satire."
Utopia is the second last show that Gilbert and
Sullivan wrote. Locker directed the G&S society's
production ofThe Grand Duke, their last show, three
years ago. Locker says that, like Utopia, The Grand
Duke is a lesser-known satire, and was rather long.
Both shows were a departure from the style that Gilbert
and Sullivan featured in their earlier shows. Said Music
Director Timothy Hoover, "Gilbert and Sullivan actu-
ally reformed theatre, but by the 1890's they com-
manded such popular appeal that they could depart from
the traditional English School of comic opera they had
done so much to create."
For those of you who prefer the gay, lighthearted
sort of Gilbert and Sullivan instead of satire, next
semester the Gilbert and Sullivan Society will present-
The Mikado.
The Gilbert and Sullivan Society is a student orga-
nization, but it is open to anyone who wishes to per-
form. "We have people onstage from age three or four
to late 50s. We get people from all walks of life, not
just music or musical theatre students," says Locker.
Locker is very excited about the performance of this
G&S show. "I have seen all the others many times,
and I love them dearly, but I am far more interested in
what goes on is Utopia than in Pirates of Penzance."
Performances of UTOPIA, LIMITED will take place
December 7,8,9 and 10 at 8 p.m., and December10 and
11 at 2 p.m. in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. Tick-
ets are $10, $9 $8.50, and $750; student seating is $5
with I.D. For ticket information, call 761-7855.
4
---Friday, December 9 and
Saturday, December 10:
Auditions for Euripides' The Trojan
Women at the Power Center Re-
hearsal Room. Rehearsals for the
play will be intense, weekday nights
from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays
from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Performance
dates are Feb. 16-19.
Audition times are Friday, 7 p.m.
to 10 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to
6 p.m. Callbacks are Sunday, 1 p.m.
to 6 p.m. Sign-up sheets will be
posted on the Theatre Department
call board in the Frieze building. All
auditioners should read the play prior
to auditioning, and should be pre-,
pared to do spontaneous reading from
the script. Please dress for casual
movement, and bring a resumd and
recent photo.If you have any ques-
tions, call Brett Finley at 763-0951.
Auditions for RC Drama/RC Players
(with Brecht company) production of
Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
Friday and Saturday, 7:30 to 9:30 in
Basement Anderson 3, East Quad.
Backup date is Dec. 19. Call 426-
5389 evenings.
If you have any information regard-
ing auditions or theater opportuni-
ties, contact Cherie Curry at 763-
0379.
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