The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 1, 1996 - 7
RECORDS
Continued from Page 6
Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Hoffs
London Records
Let's face it, the Bangles were ahead
of their time. More than just a guilty
pleasure of the '80s (though they
remain that too), the third all-female
band to hit the American Top 40 pro-
vided an organic sensibility amidst the
layers of synth-pop that their contem-
poraries were
recording. The
honesty and emo-
tion of their
finest moments
like "Going
Down to
liverpool," "If
She Knew What
She Wants" and
"In Your Room"
foreshadowed
many '90s stars
(a certain verti-
cally challenged {
22=year-old
Canadian who
sings something
,out living and
learning comes to$
mind). And even Susanna Hoffs burr
at their most
commercial
("Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Eternal
Flame") they were head over heels
above the hordes of Madonna imitators
that used to rulethe charts.
So it comes as no surprise that on her
first disc since 1991, Susanna Hoffs
should stick with the formulas that
worked for her when she sang for the
Bangles. All of the old charm is still
SECRETS
Continued from Page 5
that are touched upon in "Secrets and
Lies "the sincerity of the movie is quite
remarkable. This is a testament both to
the adroit direction of Leigh and the
skilled actors, who convincingly pre-
sent the feelings of their respective
characters. Especially noteworthy are
Jean-Baptiste and Spall, playing similar
roles as two people whose agreeable
natures cause them to suffer the most.
In many ways a throwback to the
here - clever melodies, infectious
rhythms. witty lyrics and that unmistak-
able voice that first captured us more
than 10 years ago. And yet she doesn't
just do the retro thing - the disc has a
maturity and depth that the Bangles
often lacked.
"King of Tragedy," "Beekeepers'
Blues" and "Grand Adventure" are all
intriguing looks at consuming one-
sided relationships. Ranging in per-
spective from curiosity to anger,
"Falling" is about as compelling as a
simple love song can be, and the auto-
biographical "Eyes of a Baby" is Hoffs'
own becoming-a-mother opus. Covers
of the Lightning
Seeds' "All I
Want" and
Stealers Wheel's
"Stuck in the
Middle with You"
are tastefully
done as well.
Only "Weak With
Love" disap-
points - we real-
ly don't need
such a beautiful
melody and
arrangement to
be wasted on
another lament
on the death of
John Lennon
(though at least
an eternal flame. this won't cause
him to turn over
in his grave like
the Cranberries' take on this overused
musical subject did). He'll probably
just squirm a bit.
In short, while Susanna Hoffs' new
disc doesn't break any new ground, it'll
warm up your cold winter night and
have you singing along, which is what
good rock 'n' roll is really all about.
__ Mark Feldman
Basement Arts presents Saroyan masterpiece
By Christopher Tkaczyk
For the Daily
While in high school a few years ago, Cadi Sutter
read William Saroyan's play. "Hello Out There," and
became enchanted with the brutally emotional love
story that it weaves. It stayed in the back of her mind,
and now, years later as a senior
bachelor's of fine arts perfor-
mance major, she is again fac- P R
ing the tale as she prepares the H
play for production at H
Basement Arts.
In an interview with The Saturd
Michigan Daily, Sutter Arena Th
explained that Saroyan, an
Armenian American playwright, wrote the play in
response to the poetic language of George Bernard
Shaw. Saroyan's work is filled with poetic dialogue,
which sets the passion and conflict between its main
characters.
The short, one-act play tells the story of a man
condemned to prison for rape who falls in love with
a female prison worker. Their love affair is the main
conflict of the story, as it is quite uncertain whether
or not it is truly based on love or merely an attempt
E
ay
ea
of the desperate criminal to win the trust and care of
the questionably gullible woman. However, more
trouble arises when it is known that the rape victim's
husband is on the prowl, looking for the rapist and
the revenge that is owed him. Fully intent on reach-
ing his goal of revenge, the husband adds to the sus-
penseful backdrop of the play,
creating an even deeper con-
V I E W lict.
The prison is set in a Texas
Out There town, not particularly known for
Friday at 6 p.m. and its population or class. In a
at 6 & 10 p.m. at the word, it is a location where the
ter. Admission is free. morals of the local society are
not considered to be model. By
planting this love affair in the back desert of the Texas
sand, Saroyan is not only able to show how this rela-
tionship is an oddity, but how it has the possibility of
happening in any of the backwoods found all over the
country - it is a story that could occur in our own
backyards.
Sutter relayed that this show is about how love can
be found in all the wrong places. "It demonstrates how
something within something bad becomes something
good," she said.
Love found within the reaches of evil may not
always necessarily deliver a positive end, but this
production attempts to show how such things are
possible.
Whether the romance brings happiness or despair,
the buildup to the end of the show looks to be excit-
ing, given the complications surrounding the rela-
tionship. To be able to bring the production closer to
the audience, it will be performed in the round --
something not often attempted in Basement Arts'
productions. Because of the simplicity and length of
the play, the scenery is minimal, which helps present
the reality of the show's emotions to the audience.
Sutter urges that people should experience her pro-
duction. "I want to start a theatrical revolution. I
want to create good theater, and I want people to see
it. When theater is free as well as entertaining, there
is no excuse not to come. With two performances on
Saturday evening, there are ample enough times to
see this show," she said.
Promising to be suspenseful as well as emotional,
"Hello Out There" deserves some priorital attention.
Free theater is something that is hard to find. And
when drama is of good quality, it's a shame that any-
one would pass it up.
1 2 2 1 omm"Wommulown"
ns 8
'80s when films about dysfunctional
families were rather popular (i.e.
"Ordinary People" and "Terms of
Endearment"), "Secrets and Lies" is a
pleasant alternative to most of the rub-
bish that currently plagues our theaters.
While cynics may dismiss it as a bit too
wishy-washy or too feel-good, others
will bask in its sincerity, or in its lack of
excess. And, despite the misleading
publicity that makes it seem otherwise,
the refusal of director Leigh to use
cheap plot devices to convey his mes-
sage separates this movie from others
with similar themes.
The University of Michigan
School of Music
Sunday, November 3
Campus Symphony Orchestra
Bundit Ungrangsee, conductor
" Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
" Boccherini: Cello Concerto, first movement
Soloist Emmanuel King, Campus Symphony Concerto
Competition winner
" Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Thursday, November 7
Arts Chorale
Hugh Floyd, conductor
Music of Handel, Martini and Howells, as well as Israeli and
Scottish folk music
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.mn.
Jazz Combos
Rackhamn Audtorium, 8 p.m.
All events are free and wheelchair accessible unless
specified otherwise. For weekly events listings, call
the Music Hotline, 763-4726. The School of Music
is located at 1100 Baits Drive, North Campus.
htt p://www.dmband.corn
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