The Michigan Daily -------------- ARTS Thursday, September 13, 1990 comedy returns Page 5 Havel's dark by Jenie Dahlmann In the mid 1960s Vaclav Havel, a. zechoslovakian poet and play- wright, latched onto the tradition of absurdist theater because he believed it best reflected the political and so- cial systems of Czechoslovakia at that time. Today, not only is he one of Europe's foremost playwrights, he also happens to be the President of Czechoslovakia. Because of a huge show of curiosity from the col- lege community about this eclectic *ontemporary figure, the Perfor- mance Network is staging a revival of their sold-out summer production of Havel's comedy, The Memorah- dum. The Memorandum addresses the negative aspects of a de-humanized society. The plot takes place entirely in a generic office building where no company logo or corporate associa- ti6ns are ever mentioned. The managing director is overthrown by an ambitious assistant who creates an. artificial language, Ptydepe, in Qrder to make communication com- pletely exact and efficient. The lan- guage becomes so complicated that no one can learn it, thus making communication virtually impossi- ble. When Ptydepe falls apart, yet another language is introduced. *These languages were meant to serve human beings but they end up ruling them," says production direc- tor Rick Sperling. - Sperling, a native Ann Arborite, believes that Havel's politics and art age one and that people are able to get a richer picture of the man's pol- itics through his plays. However, the last thing he wants people to be The University Activities Cen- ter's musical productions group,' MUSKET, is holding auditions for Pipin by Rodger 0. Hirson to be performed this semester. Auditions are on Friday in the Anderson Room of the Union and on Saturday in the back room of the UAC offices. Callbacks are on Sunday. To audi- tion, sign up on the audition list on ,the door of the UAC offices, second floor of the Union. Auditioners Private Life Private Life. Warner Bros. Ok, let's name drop - Eddie Van Halen and Van Morrison, both of whom need no introduction, and Jeff Katz, long-time photographer for Prince, all had something to do with Private Life's self-titled debut al- bum. So, once one gets past the big names, what does the band have to offer? With "Touch Me," the LP's first track, the band shows that they may have a female lead singer, Kelly Breznik, but they are definitely not going to pussyfoot around. Jennifer Blakeman, who plays keyboards, also refuses to allow herself to go unnoticed. She starts the song and the album off with a dynamic intro- duction. Breznik boldly repeats throughout, "Touch me (ooh) if you dare. Don't be afraid to love me anywhere." Now, aren't you a tad bit intrigued? The men in the quintet do not go unnoticed, either. Danny Johnson, guitarist and background vocalist, performs a powerful guitar solo that leads into "Fallin' Apart," most easily explained as a blues song with an edge. Johnson plays extended un- dertones that climax into an all-out jam, with Breznik's vocals keeping up with him all the way. The final track on side one,"Communication," showcases the abilities of drummer/background vocalist Chris Frazier. Frazier and Johnson kick-start the tune with a killer drum-guitar accompaniment, and bassist/background vocalist Steve Kershisnik keeps things tight. The lyrics are irrelevant, except where the chorus, a hollow cry of, "Communication..." interrupts the rhythm of the pounder and the stro- ker. "Night All Night," side two's first track, is comprised of the musi- cians' best. This, basically, is what Private Life is about. The song rocks as the powers of the five mu- sicians blow the graced listener away. Breznik punches the lyrics to her audience, "Live it up right," and the music screams - "We are gonna rock you 'til you're scarred." "Domino," the Van Morrison cover tune is rather lame, never mind a poor choice for inclusion on the album, especially since the group has proven itself to be made up of a bunch of skilled writers. -Kim Yaged Jeff Seasholtz expresses the pressure of using Ptydepe in Performance Network's second run of Vaclav Havel's The Memorandum. thinking as they exit the theater is that "things are awful in Czechoslo- vakia." "Havel didn't write solely for his country, it was his starting point of experience but his message is uni- versal. You can apply it to all mod- ern industrial societies, the United States especially," Sperling says. In The Memorandum Havel raises questions about modem bureaucracy and technology and how these elabo- rate systems get in the way of hu- man relationships, morals and ethics. He introduces the idea that if people put too much faith in one system, they start to treat their fel- low human like mere parts of the machinery that make the system work. The Memorandum might sound like a night of heavy, contemplative theater, but Sperling assures "Humor is part of Havel's politics, he doesn't take himself too seriously." He en- courages the audience to laugh even though they may be hesitant at first. At one time people might have left the theater thinking that systems are impossible to escape, but because of today's optimism about Eastern Eu- rope Sperling hopes the audience will realize this message: "Whenever you try to fit human beings into boxes they will eventually bust out." THE MEMORANDUM will be presented at the Performance Network, 408 West Washington St. on Monday, Sept. 17th through Thursday Sept. 20 from 6-10:30 pm in the Michigan League Studio (basement.) For more information call the UMGASS office at 761- 7855. Share the news~ ATTENTION VOICE STUDENTS! The Mvetropolftan opera XNational(Council announces The 1991 Great Lakes Region District Auditions Deadline for application: October 13, 1990 Applications must be obtained by contacting the Detroit District Co-Directors: Mary Sue Ewing (313) 477-8629 Elaine Fontana (313) 644-8197 The auditions will be held in Detroit on Saturday, October 27, 1990 Sponsored by Royal Maccabees Life Insurance, in Association with Michigan Opera Theatre. should prepare one song and bring sheet music (but not a piece from the show), and wear dance clothes. Be prepared to stay for an hour and a half. Knowledge of the musical is encouraged. For more information call 763-1107. Amaiz'n Blue, the University Activities Center's acappella group, is hotding auditions on Sept. 18 in the Anderson room of the Union before the UAC mass meet- ing. All parts are needed. For more information call 763-1107. The U of M Gilbert and Sulli- van Society is holding auditions for the fall productions of Princess Ida _ Move 10years ahead of the class. The new HP 48SX and a free 'library card' can get you there. With over 2100 built-in functions, our new HP 48SX Scientific Expandable calculator takes a quantum leap into the 21st century. Buy an HP 48SX between August 15 and October 15, 1990, and HP will send you a free HP Solve Equation Library card(a $99.95 retail value). The plug-in application card alone contains more than 300 science and engineering equations, as well as the periodic table, a constants' library, and a multi-equation solver. It's like having a stack of reference books right at your fingertips. The HP 48SX calculator is so advanced, it will change the way you solve prob- lems forever. It integrates graphics with calculus, lets you enter equations the way you write them, and does automatic unit management. Check your campus bookstore or HP retailer for HP's range of calculators s ' , I I