Fn day Decermber 6, 2002 michigandaily.com/arts tnae@michigandaily.com ARTS 5 'Hamlet' takes the stage at Power Center By Sarah Peterson Daily Arts Writer Hiding who you are behind a mask of a different personality is an act anyone can relate to. For this reason, William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" has survived the passing of time with its relevancy intact, and is now being performed by UProd this weekend. This play tells the harrowing story of the internal conflict of the pro- tagonist, Hamlet, a Danish prince. The play begins with Hamlet's dead father appearing to him as a ghost. The ghost reveals that his brother, Hamlet's HA uncle, murdered him to win the throne. Atthe Pom Hamlet's struggle Today-Sat comes from his uncer- Sun. at 21 tainty about whether UniversityF C to believe what his eyes and ears are telling him. As Consulting Director Mark Lamos states, "The highly educated, skeptical Hamlet wonders if, after all, the vengeful ghost was only an illusion." If the ghost truly was his deceased father and what was said is true, then Hamlet will take revenge, but how can he be sure of what he saw? Killing an innocent man is not something Hamlet wants on his hands. While trying to find the truth, Hamlet dons a mask of insanity, for a crazy man can see no truth. In the words of Director Philip Kerr, "Hamlet is playing a role in feigning madness." The turning point of the story is the arrival of an acting troupe that is going to perform a play for the royal family. In all of their splendor and color, they serve as a counterpoint to * the natural gloom that has settled on Denmark. In his quest for resolution, Hamlet uses the play to discover the MI w t.a p.n Pr( truth behind his father's death. "The actors here are instruments of change, embraced by Hamlet, who seems to trust the power of the actor to reveal the truth." Lamos said. This production has a definite Medieval European look to it, but not one of any specific time period. Prof. Kerr explained that the set was created to remind the audience that the play is old without setting it is a specific year. The setting also lends itself to the inclusion of the tradi- tional swordplay of "Hamlet." While traditional in setting, this particular production adds the live playing of a cello to underscore LET the action. It is used to help lead the audience er Center along, but it is also at8p.m. used to emphasize m. $-20 Hamlet's internal strug- oductions gle and inner voice. In the words of Kerr, "the cello is the instrument closest to the human voice. Mark Lamos describes Hamlet as being "about using illusion in order to strip illusion and expose truth." This is a timeless theme that people will always relate to. This specific production has been shortened, focus- ing on the family dispute and leaving out the political issues, making it even more relevant to the modern day audience. "It is accessible to anyone in any stage of their life, from seven to 70," Kerr said. What will the New Year bring? These uncertainties are embodied in the character of the Hamlet. The action, centered around and within Hamlet, serves to remind us of the human condition. When asked to describe this specific production, Kerr said that the play is a, "valid, thought provoking, in depth produc- tion of a classic and it is darn good entertainment." Courtesy of the Boston Pops Santa says, "If this is your idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Years." AFTER 40 YEARS, THE BOSTON POPS RETURN TO ANN ARBOR By Jim Schiff Daily Arts Writer Holiday concerts can be as predictable as apple pie, but not when the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra performs one. In its first visit to Ann Arbor in 40 years, the ensemble will defy convention with a program of international Christmas tunes, regional American favorites and a BoST( few surprises here and there. A ctually, Sunday's con cert is ESPL chock-full of surprises, all of ORCF which deviate from what we nor- At Cris mally think of as a night at the symphony. Crisler Arena, trans- Sun. at 6t formed specifically for the occa- UniversityN sion, will allow patrons to purchase tickets at all angles from the stage - even behind - with seats arranged in tables. Keeping with game-time tradition, concession stands will also be open..And if all this weren't, enough of a change of scene, the concert will also feature a special guest: Actor and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels. For the Boston Pops, in its 117th year, all of this is standard fare. Accustomed to performing in stadiums, rock concert venues and even the banks of the Charles River, the ensemble has earned a reputation for being adventurous. Its founder, Henry Lee Higginson, envisioned the Boston Pops as an alternative to strait-laced classical music. His vision has carried over to the orches- tra's prestigious conductors: The infamous Arthur Fiedler, film score giant John Williams and now, Keith Lockhart. ON POPS ANADE HESTRA sler Arena p.m. $15-75 Musical Society Taking over the post from Williams in 1995, at age 35, Lockhart stepped immediately into the celebrity spotlight. He finds that, after working in rela- tive obscurity for 13 years, the Boston Pops was a considerable adjustment. "It was a big change, it took some guts, when things like the news of your engagement is an Associated Press news item - it gets a little freaky," Lockhart said. "You don't go into classical orchestra performs an ambitious program that continues to push boundaries. "When you do a Christmas concert, you have two conflicting things to go through," Lockhart said. "One is that the holidays are a touchstone for people - it's a place to recognize the familiar, and therefore people come to those concerts with the expectation that they'll hear things they know and love." "On the other hand, since we do these concerts every year, they can't be cookie cutters of the year before,"he added. "You have to balance that expecta- tion - it's a combination of doing what we do at the Pops in general, which is bridging the gap between great classical music that was written for orchestra with material that was arranged just for us." The Boston Pops is pulling out all the stops this year with its diverse program. While traditional songs such as "O Holy Night" and "Joy to the World" will be performed, lesser-known pieces such as Hollenbeck's "Cajun Christmas" and Hairston-Hollenbeck's "Mary's Little Boy Child" will also be featured. Daniels will narrate "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," and Randall 'Pittman, owner of Forest Health Services, will be the guest conductor for "Sleigh Ride." The orchestra will be also be accompanied by soprano Kathleen Brett and the renowned Uni- versity Singers from California State Universi- ty, Fullerton, under the direction of John Alexander. 'Man of La Mancha' revamps 'Quixote' music with the idea of being famous - it's some- thing you grow into and it gets more natural, and after eight years, it's part of who I am and what I do." Speaking of what Lockhart does, the"lisf just keeps getting longer and longer. In addition to 50 regular-season concerts at home and national broadcasts on the A&E channel, the orchestra undertakes three tours a year. The holiday tour is a relatively new concept that started with Lock- hart. Stopping in seven cities in seven days, the By Meredith Graupner For the Daily Imagine a tale of monsters and drag- ons, gypsies and thieves and an honor- able knight on a dangerous quest to save his true love. Now add a crazy old man and a mandolin and you have "Man of La Mancha." Based on the novel, "Don Quixote," "Man of La Mancha" combines the MAN fantasy of a legendary MA character and the reality At the P of a struggling poet during Ne one of the darkest periods D in Spanish history. Dec. 5-22 The play opens in a The Perform Spanish prison where a collection of thieves and murderers await their punishment. Enter Miguel de Cervantes and his servant, Sancho. Their presence raises some questions among the prisoners, which leads to a mock trial where Cervantes has to defend him- self. It is through his defense that the prisoners and the audience become acquainted with the story of Don Quixote. The scenes of Don Quixote's quest provide the comic relief for a play that is set in a time where the Holy Office, T-SH RT SPRINTING. LOW EST PRICES! HIGHEST QUALITY! I FASTEST SERVICE! * 1002 PONTIAC TR. U 994-1367 N ?er tw $2 ma whose primary concern was to win Catholic converts frowned upon come- dy. When Cervantes mentions his book, he says, "I would have made the book more amusing, had it not been for the Holy Office." Though the plot of "Man of La Man- cha" may progress slowly during some scenes, the highly talent- ed actors make up for any shortcomings. OF LA Robert Grossman (Cer- CHA vantes) plays his role formance with style and grace. york His talents, both as musician and actor, 2.50-27.50 make this an exceptional nce Network performance. The col- lection of supporting SCOREKEEPERS a , Io A4SoLL,, actors also serves to strengthen the presentation of this play. The director, Malcolm Tulip, has carefully selected a wonderful group of actors to present this timely story of a quest for happiness even when life can be disappointing. According to Tulip, "This is an apt time for a story of a crazy man whose madness lies in seeing good, beauty and hope where other initially do not." This play will remind theatergoers to enjoy the beauty in life and to take time to "dream the impossible dream." o$1.00 CALI DRINKS M Co~~o JACKDL FRIDAY.Qa 27 Taps! Full Menu! 75 cent BOTTLES .SATURDAY 310 MAYNARD-995.0100(213&OVER WITH PROPER ID) DON'T MAKE HER WAIT 0, -0 JEWELRY AND WATCHES ,11'f $OUTH ONIVtRSSRY " ANN MANOA. Mf 46104 T&CESHO4iE 034) 662.3173 TF,, U~ ii