ARTS
Thursday, November 10, 1988
;'-*;
Page
The Michigan Daily
Show:
Wacky fun
BY MARY BETH BARBER
It's better than any movie you'll
spend $6 on," says Steve Doppelt,
co-director of the Comedy Company,
speaking of the Big Show that
debuts this evening. Dubbing them-
selves the "Wacky Funsters" of
comedy, these nine members of the
Comedy Company are prepared to
knock your socks off with humor.
The show consists of 20 sketches
("not skits," says Jon Hein, producer)
on a wide variety of topics, from
shoe fetishes to lawyers and their
language, high school graduation to
clown terrorists. It follows a Satur-
day Night Live format, "only we're
funny," says co-head writer Jason
Allington. Debbie Congdon, co-
director, explains the type of humor
- intelligent slapstick, a bit of
parody, and subtle humor, but "no
puns and no cheap laughs."
Although the show is a UAC
production, "you don't have to be a
University student to appreciate (our
humor)," says actor Rob Marks. Be-
cause the sketches are so diverse, the
show attracts a large non-University
audience, and for the past three years-
all shows have sold out.
Everything dealing with the show
is run by students: acting, directing,
producing, technical work, and publi-
city. Previously, the material used in
the show was revised by the writers,
but not this time. All material is
new, and the cast hopes to dazzle
another sellout crowd at North-
western University in December, as
they did last year.
Although the company started
eight years ago, it wasn't until three
years ago that it became a big hit.
Each semester a new cast is chosen
because, says Hein, "we like to be
diversified" - which the cast
definitely is. It includes students
majoring in philosophy, history,
economics, communications, and, of
course, theater.
The sketches are written by a staff
headed by Allington and Kevin
Hughes that meets once a week to
discuss and edit material. The pieces
are diverse and unrelated, including
such ones as "Lucky Charm," with
no voices but a piano accomp-
animent, a timely piece on the
Olympics, and "If Geeks Were
Cool," called "a juxtaposition ,of
social rules," by one of the act
(probably the philosophy major). ~ A
geek is an oxymoron," he says.
Hours of time have been spent
perfecting the show. "If nothing else;
it keeps us from doing our home:
work," says Doppelt. "We aspire to
make people laugh," adds Hein. But
Doppelt sums up the feelings of the
cast: "We have a heck of a lot of fun,.
(but) whatever happens, we're just
kidding."
THE BIG SHOW will be playing
tonight, Friday, and Saturday at 8
p.m. in the Lydia Mendelssohn
Theatre of the Michigan Leagu7'
Tickets are $3.50 in advance at the
Michigan Union Ticket Office and all
Ticket World locations, and $4. .t
the door. Get there early - the
show has sold out fast in the past. ..
The stark 'Night Talk,' a 1983 lithograph by Frank Panse, is one of 151 works in the A rt
from East Germany exhibit.
Exhibit offers view of
other side of the fence
BY LAUREN SHAPIRO
LET'S play a game of word association. I say East
Germany. You respond... Katarina Witt, socialist
spies, the Wall... anything else?
Well, Elisabeth Thoburn has a new response for
you. In a word, ART. Through the end of this month,
Thoburn will present over 151 works from her private
collection of East German art. Anyone interested in
art, politics, sociology, poetry, economics, or history
- or just expanding their own realm of knowledge -
should experience this show.
This exhibit entices the viewer through four the-
matic divisions. A variety of landscapes inhabit the
first room. The rough edges and abstract nature of
some of these works are reminiscent of Van Gogh. In
contrast, other works reveal the more traditional starts
of many modern East German artists, such as Frank
Panse, who initially focused his work on the out-
doors, centering small cottages in the midst of slop-
ing trees and breezy grass.
In the second and third parts of the exhibit, Panse
intensifies the drama within his works by presenting
images of isolation, frustration, schizophrenia, and
societal tension. All of the volatile expression in the
mid-sections of this exhibit explode in the last room
with a finale of abstract shapes, and a bizarre collabo-
ration of colors and textures.
Thoburn explains her reasons for setting the ex-
hibit up in this manner: "I know how fascinated the
American mind becomes with social issues and intra-
personal relationships. I approached this interest by
concentrating the works relevant to this topic in the
second and third rooms."
M)any of these figures express the anguish of peo-
ple trying to make changes. Women with scathing
looks and distorted body positions cry out from the
canvas. Panse, who contributes the greatest number of
pieces to this show, presents surreal figures with
heads divided in half by frustration. These works re-
veal the oppressive factors in the lives of many East
Germans. Because of the physical and political bor-
ders, Thoburn explains, "You just don't have enough
room to breathe" - much less create art. Thoburn
comments, "Remember, these artists must think
See Art, Page 8
UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES CENTER
Soundstage, Fully Loaded TONITE U-Club, 10:00pm., $3.50
Impact Dance Theatre, Dance Workshops
Nov 10, Anderson Rm. Michigan Union 7-8:30pm.
Comedy Company, Nov. 10,1 1,12
Mendelssohn Theatre 8:00 pm. $3.50-$4.0
Mediatrics, Good Morning, Vietnam, Nov. -1 1, ML1B3 7 & 9:30pm.
Diabolique, Nov. 12 Nat. Sci. 9:30pm.
,'C Ii
A."
M, Nov. 1,2, Nat. Sci. 7:30pm.,
HEY, LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!
The University Cub isa private club for
studems, faculty, staff, alumni, and their
Accompanied guests. Only members
who are of legal drinking age may
purchase alcohol.
U I
.ow to run yu
S .S
S~*
The American Express' Card can play a starring role
virtually anywhere you shop, from ThIsa to Thailand.
Whether you're buying a TV or a T-shirt. So during college
and after, it's the perfect way to pay for just about
r everything you'll want.
How to get the Card now.
College is the first sign of success. And because we believe
in your potential, we've made it easier to get the American
Express Card right now Whether you're a freshman, senior
or grad student, look into our new automatic approval
/ offers. For details, pick up an application on campus. Or
call 1-800-THE-CARD and ask for a student application.
The American Express Card.
Don't Leave School Without It'"
Software
M 1
Showcase
'88
Exhibits!
Prizes!
.
Music Demos!
Refreshments!
Presentations:
Thursday, Nov. 10
10am
"MIRLYN-Michigan
Research Library Network'
11am
"Personal Bibliographic
Software"
1pm
"Visual Search Character
Recognition"
2pm
"Random WALK Simulatior
of Diffusion Reactions"
4pm
"Computer Aided Instructio
Teaching Hewbrew"
Friday, Nov.11
10am
"On-Line Events and Info to
11am
"InfoDisk"
'C
Michigan Union
Thurs., Nov. 10
10am-6pm
Fri., Nov. 11
I
10am-2pm
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