The Michigan Daily-Weekend etc.--January 28, 1993-- Page 3
'Antigone': just see it
by Liz Shaw
Ifyou haven'tread Sophocles' "Antigone" in your school-
ing career, now is the time to do something about it. The
Irondale Ensemble Project of New York is currently touring
with the Greek classic, however it's with a twist that will not
offend the average classics hater.
Imagine clowns. The Irondale Productions team did, and
they came up with their own avant-garde version of
"Antigone" which received rave reviews in the six weeks it
played at the House of Candles in New York City.
The story of "Antigone" is a familiar one, depicting the
tragedy of the struggle between the power of one conscience
and that of the law of the land. It is a sad tale of a girl who
wants only to bury her dead brother, who happens to be (by
relation only) an enemy of the state. The trouble that ensues
when she decides to defy the law and take his burial into her
own hands comprises the plot.
Despite the somber storyline, the Ensemble takes this tale
and turns it into a three ring circus, complete with clowns, a
ringmaster and blazing rednoses. This transforms the ancient
land of Thebes into a circus-state rather than a city-state. In
order to keep things moving, the Ensemble illuminates some
of Sophocles' insights into the politics of every day life by
including modern song and dance.
The production, which premiered in New York in 1992,
is directed by James Niesen, features original music by
American composer Walter Thompson and choreography by
Andrea Smith.
Other than performances done internationally, this is the
Ensemble's first move past Pennsylvania. To open its 1993
season, the highly acclaimed acting troupe is bringing its
antics to Ann Arbor for the only Michigan performances. The
local performances are part of a bigger tour covering many
of the midwestern states; they hope to move on to the western
states next.
"We felt that we wanted to expose our productions to a
broader forum," said Terry Greiss, an actor in the Ensemble
who is also the group's Artistic Director. "We hope to be
doing it with all of our plays from now on."
When first starting out in 1983, the Ensemble worked in
performing outlandish reinterpretations of the classics using
unique forms of music and dance. They enhanced their
studies using methods such as neutral mask theory and, as in
"Antigone", clown technique.
The Irondale Ensemble Project, now entering its tenth
season, is essentially a research theater company which
supports different educational programs through the use of
experiential learning. The Ensemble, which consists of 15
members, goes into schools and prisons using different
improvisational techniques to inform people about things
such as AIDS, HIV and safe sex. The Ensemble has also-
produced teaching workshops as well as a manual that is used
throughout the New York City school system.
ANTIGONE will be at the Michigan Theater January 29
at 1p.m. and 8 p.m. Matinee tickets are $5 with a student
ID; evening tickets are $10-$15. Call 668-8397.
"Serious drama" isn't quite as serious anymore with the Ensemble Project of New York's "Antigone."
Droll trolis.
take over
the world,
by Kristen Knudsen
I can remember the day I bought
ay first troll. It was August, 1991, and
J was at Ohio's amusement park, Ce-
dar Point. Upon entering a gift shop, I
.was drawn to a small shelf of Good
Luck Trolls. I picked out what ap-
peared to be the cutest - a hot-pink-
haired beauty with a yellow felt tunic.
It was a Norfin Troll.
Soon I became aware of a breed of
Russ Trolls that were even cuter than
my troll. These had more clearly de-
fined eyes and wore clothing other
than tunics. I purchased a tiny pink-
haired baby troll dressed in a bib and
diaper. Then, for my birthday, Christ-
mas, and no occasion at all, the trolls
startedpouring in. A"Troll Kid," whose
body is made of soft fabric instead of
plastic, a Lucky Lottery troll, the Santa
troll. My collection grew, but over this
holiday season, not even I was pre-
pared for what I saw when I ventured
into the mall.
It was troll mania.
In the department store I was struck
by a set of "Bathing Trolls," a set of
soap and sponges; in the camera store
Inoticed special 3-packs of film which
came with a free mini troll; in the
accessory store I was horrified to find
removable troll tattoos; and across the
Mall in Mr. Bulky's, I entered what was
pow officially called "Troll World."
The store, once known best for its
sales of candy, was now my troll head-
quarters, and it was equipped for the
job. Here they were, any troll I could
ever have imagined - thousands of
them. Punk rockers, doctors, cooks,
'sailors, skeletons (from Halloween),
old men, Rudolph (as in the reindeer
- red nose, antlers and all), Trolls
From Around the World - priced
between $4-20, depending on the size.
Troll key-chains, pins, earrings,
bracelets, necklaces. Troll playing
cards, posters, 8x 10's. Acrawling, gig-
gling, battery-operated troll named
"*I I
"Baby Giggles," mini toy cars with
troll drivers, festively decorated troll
bags to carry my troll purchases.
A five-dollar set of "fun clothing
and accessories" for my troll. A lim-
ited, collector's edition troll for $70.
There wereeven some leftoverban-
ners from the big campaign, "Russ
Troll for President."
Everywhere I went I was bom-
barded by trolls. Drug stores, hallmark
shops, hotel gift shops, gas stations!
Not just Norfin and Russ Trolls, either.
AGFA trolls, Magic trolls, Treasure
Trolls, Evil Trolls, Glo-Trolls. Flip-
ping through the channels on TV I
found a troll cartoon. And let's not
forget that troll boardgame.
I was not even free at the supermar-
ket. Yep, right next to the fruit roll-ups,
I was greeted by "Fruit Trolls." ,
Then, in addition to all of this, I was
told of a life-sized troll at the Summit
Place Mall, wearing a negligee and a
whip. I don't want to know whose
sexual fantasy this is.
I realize that fads like these, for
example, Ninja Turtles, Bart Simpson,
Max Headroom, and the Care Bears,
usually fade. But, like the long-living
Mickey Mouse, the trolls have an ad-
vantage: they were not created by TV,
and their inventors seem set on per-
petuating them.
Will they live on?
Idon'tknow. Butthey've had good
luck so far.
Listeners' guide to the Class of 1993
by Steven Knowlton
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in
Cleveland, has inducted its Class of
1993 amid much hoopla and fanfare.
These artists did contribute lasting works
to the history of popular music, but
sometimes, in times of adulation, it is
forgotten that not every record is a mas-
terpiece. Hence, wepresentthis guide to
the Hall of Fame's best and worst, for
1993.
RUTH BROWN
Ruth Brown is a blues singer whose
career began in the early 1950s.
BEST: Brown's best early work,
including her most famous hit "Mama
He Treats Your Daughter Mean" is in-
cluded on "Miss Rhythm." Examples
of her fine current work are on "Free
and Mellow" (1991).
WORST:Brown has recordedmany
versions of "Mama He Treats Your
Daughter Mean," on live albums, with
hornbands, in long improvisations. Most
of these should be avoided.
CREAM
Cream was an English blues trio,
starring guitarist Eric Clapton. They
played from 1966 to 1969.
BEST: Cream specialized in long
jams, so their albums are important
because greatest hits collections fail to
capture their instrumental prowess.
"Fresh Cream" (1966) and "Disraeli
Gears" are their best albums, showcas-
ing tightarrangements and strong tunes.
WORST: "Goodbye Cream," their
last album, was uninspired and boring.
Many of their live albums released after
they broke up are poorly played and
poorly recorded.
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER
REVIVAL
Creedence Clearwater Revival was
a San Francisco quartet that played
southern rock so well that most fans
didn't believe they were from Califor-
nia. Their career extended from 1968 to
1972.
BEST: Because Creedence's forte
was singles, "Chronicle" serves as an
excellentcollection of all their great hits
and some well known B-sides as well.
Theirbest albums include "Green River"
(1969), "Willy and the Poor Boys"
(1969), and "Cosmo'sFactory" (1970).
WORST: "Mardi Gras" (1972)
changes approach to a country band
with three singers, and suffers for it. At
all costs, avoid the live albums and
compilations suchas "Creedence Coun-
try" and "Hot Stuff," released by an
insensitive record company. They offer
only a few songs in poor packaging and
bad pressings.
THE DOORS
The Doors were a Los Angeles pop
band who thought they were psyche-
delic, playing from 1967 to 1971.
BEST: "The Doors Greatest Hits"
gets all the famous numbers into one
disc without adding any of the exces-
sively long numbers that mar all the
other albums. If you don't mind those,
however, "TheDoors" (1967) and "The
Soft Parade" (1969) are excellent ex-
amples of the band's work.
WORST: The Doors were atrocious
live producing miserable concert al-
bums. Also, the band recorded a few
albums after lead singer Jim Morrison
See GUIDE, Page 8
Eric Clapton's former band Cream is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
patago nia°
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