The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 4, 1994 - 9 4VIAGNAPOP POPS INTO THE PIG Suj ective interpretation of Shepard's 'Icarus' By SHANE MICHAELS Remember read ing George Orwell's "Animal Farm" in high school? If you took itin at surfacelevel, it was a story about a bunch of animals on a farm running around talking to each other. But thank goodness for high school English, where we learned that not everything in good literature canbeinterpretedliteraly. With amore subjective interpretation. "Animal Farm" went from a children's story to a powerful statement about tyranny. A subjective interpretation can also be used to make sense of another piece of literature: "Icarus's Mother," one of Sam Shepard's most problematic plays, that will be given another chance this week from a Basement Arts produc- tion at the Frieze Building's Arena Theatre. The one-act play concerns a group of friends who have gathered for their annual outing to watch the Fourth of July fireworks, The plot surrounds the group's individual reactions to a pilot flying a fighter plane through the sky. Sound a little fishy? Basement Arts director Nick D.F. de A bruzzo agrees: "Michael Smith, the director of the original Off-Broadway production ... says right off the bat 'The show failed.' Itleaves too much in the air; most of his plays will tie things together more nicely. This play has a lot of pitfalls, which is why it's being done in the Basement and why I needed to do this play-because it helps me through the directorial process with many more questions than any other play would (raise). I think that there are ways of overcdming the problems." To bring meaning to the play's oth- erwise trivial plot, Abruzzo chose to focus on the subjective meaning of the text. "It doesn't tie together in a realis- tic standing, so we're going to make it surrealistic," he explained. "There ate many definitions of surrealism so you can approach it at any angle. "But definitely surrealism is laying out on the table all of your inner feel- ings. Most of the time what surrealistic drama is about is people who don't really know how they feel; they're not in touch with that, so they talk on a surface level that is somewhat cover- ing over what they feel - what they really want. Discovering that is what the play would be all about. The play definitely bridges over into surrealism or else it's just a very strange, absurd play." So just as Orwell's "Animal Farm" went from talking pigs to a contempla- tion of class struggle, a subjective in- terpretation of "Icarus's Mother" takes the play from smoke signals at an air See ICARUS, Page iC Yesss!! Those indie popsters that crank out sounds too good for most people's ears, Magnapop, are back again to rock your world. Seems like they've been touring incessantly this fall, first with quirky, punky, grumpy reats the Fall, and now in heavenly conjunction with Sugar. Which truly is a erfect match, for Bob Mould is not just Magnapop's biggest fan, but the producer of the recent, underappreciated "Hot Boxing," the band's debut album on Priority. 1993's self-titled collection of demos (some produced by Mould and others by Magnapop's other famous pal, Michael Stipe) is also worth a listen, if only for their simple-but-beautiful cover of Big Star's "13" and the single "Merry." Even better, though, is the privilege of seeing Magnapop live. When they were at the Blind Pig last September, they represented the pinnacle of live "alternative" music: solid songs played hard, loud and well. They bounce all Sver the stage, filling up every available inch of space and decibel of sound '44th their punk-pop presence. Guitarist Ruthie Morris lays down an incredible wall of sound, while drummer David McNair and bassist Shannon Mulvaney keep it all together. Above all of this floats singer Linda Hopper's emotive voice, which can change from sweet and innocent to angry and snarling in a breath. See 'em go snap-crackle-Magnapop with Sugar and Velocity Girl (what a bill!) this Saturday at St. Andrew's Hall. Those of you that are 18 and over call 961-MELT for more information. - Heather Phares ThLQ. TESTED= The Ann Arbor Scientometric Test Center offers for a limited time, free Intelligence & Personality tests. Your IQ, Personality, and Aptitude determine your future. Know them. No Obligations. 2355 West Stadium Blvd. -. Ann Arbor, MI 48103 1-800-520-5527 r 1994 CSAA, All Rights Reserved. SCIENTOMETRIC is a trademark and service mark owned by RTC and is used with its permission. - I t EMMAUS FELLOWSHIP 10 minutes south of 1-94 and US-23 S.I I . } :'i v r' sr # tt1 ". },-fi , wn ,.C r'Y:nar n 3: 7... , . 1 N... e t fM4, :. i . r;::'3W i '_ ANN ARBOR YPSILANTI N 0. a; CARPENTER EXIT a; uJ KURD K ' \ikon. l'.usiu 424 HURD MILAN 973-6910 439-2400 0 Christ-Centered Contemporary Music Sunday School & Nursery eE R k.I~iu UNA ERIC 0AM ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS Perhaps your future lies in Canada... CANADIAN IMMIGRATION OPPORTUNITIES for graduates with advanced degrees and work experience in: Engineering Computers I Sciences Finance And other Fields Find out if you qualify. For free assessment, fax or send your resume or call Paul Scott or Contact us by E-mail: rekjohn@inforamp.net t1 5JOHNMON BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS 130 Bloor Street West, Suite 604 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1 N5 Telephone: (416) 960-8876 Facsimile (416) 924-2371 Rekai & Johnson will be at the Crown Plaza Hotel at 610 Hilton Blvd. on Nov.9 and 10. Immigration seminars @ 9:30 am and 4 pm, personal interviews throughout the day. Don't Overlook STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD WASHINGTON U. STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN HARVARD STANFORD HOPKINS DUKE YALE PRINCETON UCSF PENN H ARVARD A Re al Standout A representative will be available to discuss graduate opportunities at Graduate and Professional School Day Wednesday, November 9, 1994 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm University of Michigan School of Music Friday, November 4 Contemporary Directions Ensemble H. Robert Reynolds, director Opening concert of the Midwest Composers Symposium " David Maki (University of Iowa): Full House * Kevin March (U-M): The Cremation of Sam McGee " Donnacha Dennehy (University of Illinois): Agnostic Refrains " Robert Gross (Oberlin College): Moonbeams " Stefan Freund (Indiana University): The Flextet Rackham Auditorium, 8 p.m., free Faculty Recital: Anthony Elliott, cello, and Anton Nel, piano Anthony Elliott's faculty debut * Nardini: Melody from Violin Concerto in E minor * Locatelli: Sonata in D Major for cello and piano * Martinu: Sonata No. 3 for cello and piano " Rachmaninoff: Sonata in G minor for cello and piano, op. 19 Recital Hall, School of Music, 8 p.m., free Friday-Saturday, November 4-5 1994 MIDWEST COMPOSERS SYMPOSIUM Composition students from the universities of Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois, Indiana University, and Oberlin College submitted the works selected for performance on these five free concerts. All but the first take place at the School of Music. Concert I: Contemporary Directions Ensemble, Friday, see above. Concert II: McIntosh Theatre, Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Concert III: Recital Hall, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Concert IV: McIntosh Theatre, Saturday at 4 p.m. Concert V: Recital Hall, Saturday at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 5 Band-o-rama The annual showcase concert for Michigan's acclaimed Marching Band, Symphony Band, and Concert Band returns Hill Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $7, $6, at Hill Box Office (9-5:30 Mon.-Fri., 9-7:30 Sat.) Tuesday, November 8 Arts Chorale Jonathan Hirsh, conductor * Britten: Festival Te Deum and Te Deum in C " Purcell: 0 Sing Unto the Lord * English madrigals " Arias and choruses from Handel oratorios Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m., free Wednesday, November 9 Guest Piano Recital: Mastroianni Plays Liszt Thomas Mastroianni, Catholic University, American Liszt Society All-Liszt program: pieces from the cycles Harmonies Poitiques et -_1--_ -AA-' .-. 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