Page 8-The Michigan Daily- Wednesday, April 1, 1992
Let Foxfire help you
remember your roots
Foxfire, dir. Susan Morris
Ann Arbor Civic Theater
March 26, 1992
When I went to the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre's production of "Foxfire," I
was struck with the large number of elderly people that were sitting around
me.
In retrospect, it doesn't surprise me at all.
We all live pretty hectic lives at this University. Most of us are so used
to being busy that we don't really think about it anymore; it's a part of the
daily routine. Sometimes it takes a play like "Foxfire" to open your eyes and
realize what's important.
The play had a very small cast, but this, if anything, enhanced its effect.
The two central characters were wonderfully portrayed by Nancy Heusel
(Annie) and Robin Barlow (Hector). They truly stole the show as an elderly
Theater review
couple, reliving moments of their past life together and contemplating the
debate between progress and tradition.
Annie and Hector were characters that anyone could relate to - almost
everything that came out of their mouths were things a parent or grandparent
might say. Even as they spoke the lines, the voices of people in my own life
echoed in my memory. In this way, the play avoided cliche; the familiar
words made the production that much more real and intimate.
Foxfire blended humorous elements with its drama; Jeff Magee stood out
as the snot-nosed yuppie real estate developer Prince Carpenter who wanted
to buy Annie's farm and make it a vacation spot. Wearing white patent
leather shoes and a matching belt out to the farm, Magee nailed the charac-
ter - he was strictly out for a buck. His materialism, though outwardly
funny, raised some serious issues, and made viewers question what society
has become in the last hundred years.
Much of the humor stemmed from the dialogue between Annie and the
ghost of her husband Hector. One really got a sense of the decades these
characters spent together; they knew each other completely. Their intimacy
came across with every line, whether they were moments of love or humor.
At one point, Hector said, "If God had intended for man to fly, he would
have given us wings."
Annie pertly answered, "He didn't give us wheels, neither."
Finally, there was some enjoyable music in the production. Michael
Hough played Annie's son Dillard, who is a country singer. He sang and
played guitar well, but in a concert sequence, where he played with three
other musicians, his voice was almost completely, frustratingly lost.
Foxfire was a slow-moving, subtle, warm production. If you want high-
tension action, rent Terminator 2, but if you can slow down long enough to
see this play, it might make you feel good for a while. Just sit back and let
the play work upon your senses gently. Deccelerate for a couple of hours
and walk at a leisurely pace on your way there.
For this lesson, you won't have to take notes.
Foxfire will play Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. this weekend and
next weekend at the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre. Tickets are $7 (2 for 1 on
Thursday).
-Jenny "Jenitally yours" McKee
I
7@
Oomph! Oscar sez, 'Let this
Lamb lead the slaughter!'
by Shirley "You gotta"
Mader
L .A. was astounded on Oscar
night, and the Daily was there to
capture the glitz. After Jack
Palance stage-dived into the audi-
ence (landing on Jessica Tandy,
who exclaimed, "Why YOU were
nominated, I'll never know"),
Juliette Lewis (see above) won the
award for closest resemblance to a
character on Alien Nation.
As if Warren and Annette
weren't enough, Jodie and Tony
(see above) chose their triumphant
evening to reveal their plans for a
divorce, then a baby, then mar-
riage. Their love-cannibal is ex-
pected next month - amazing how
actresses manage to keep their
figures!
Mercedes Ruehl used her vic-
tory podium to say, "HA!" to all
the critics who scorned her, "... es-
pecially the Michigan Daily," she
shouted. "Now I have an Oscar
AND a Tony! Don't criticize ME
in your fashion column!" Jonathan
Demme couldn't be reached for
comment because he's still stum-
bling through his Thank You's. But
what about Barbra ... buh-buh-
buh-buh Barbra? "Yes, what about
me?" cried Streisand.
Actually, we owe a hearty
mazel tov to all the real Oscar win-
ners and to ourselves - we were
100 percent correct in our Oscar
predictions! Ha! (Check the Feb-
ruary 20th issue).
Best Picture Silence of the Lambs
Best Director Jonathan Demme
Best Actress Jodie Foster
Best Actor Anthony Hopkins
Best Supporting Actress
Mercedes Ruehl
Best Supporting Actor
Jack Palance
Best Screenplay
Thelma and Louise, Callie Khouri
Best Adapted Screenplay
Silence of the Lambs, Ted Tally
Best Score
Beauty and the Beast,
Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
Best Song
"Beauty and the Beast,"
Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
i
Student Soapbox
THE UNIVERSITY, THE
COMMUNITY AND HASH BASH:
VALUES IN CONFLICT?
Toby Citrin, U-M Member, Task Force on Alcohol & Other Drugs
Helen Gallagher, Attorney
Steven Hagger, Editor in Chief, High Times
Dale Yagiela, Director of Growthworks
Questions from the audience will be addressed.
FREE ADMISSION!
April 1, 1992 Wednesday 7:30pm
Rackham Auditorium
Sponsored by:
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
University Activities Center: Viewnoint Lectures
COMEDY
COMPANY H
the b ghow imw
8:00pm
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
April2,3 &4
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
$4.00 All tickets are general admission
Available at Michigan Union
Ticket Office 763-TKTS, or at the door
For more information call
University Activities Center at 763-1107
le dowear
Look Your Best!
" 6 Barber Stylists
For MEN & WOMEN !
DASCOLA STYLISTS
Opposite Jacobson's
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