The Michigan Daily C michigandailycom IThursday, April 1, 2010 I weekend essentials Apr.1 to Apr. 4 CONCERT Local band The Macpodz will hit the Blind Pig this Saturday in honor of the 39th Annual Ann Arbor Hash Bash. If The Macpodz's trippy funk doesn't put you in the mood, it's all good -the group will be accompanied by a gaggle of equally home- grown artists including Abigail Stauffer and Laith al-Saadi. Tickets $10 in advance, $15 day of. Doors 8 p.m. ON DISPLAY After decades of secre- cy, the Ghost Army, a special unit of the Army during WWII, will final- ly be demystified by an exhibit at the Hatcher Graduate Library. The group saw action in June 1944 in Nor- mandy, where itrwas deployed with unusual weapons (a sound machine and inflatable tanks) and completed its mission without fir- ing a shot. Open during library hours. Free. 'Trafford Tanvi' takes a girl's everyday struggles and delivers a knockout experience By David Riva // Daily Arts Writer t's an ordinary Tuesday night in the Walgreen Drama, Center. There's a squeaking sound from vocal exer- cises, pounding on the ground from a dance practice and some shouting from an impassioned soliloquy. But in the Arthur Miller Theatre, where rehearsals for "Trafford Tanzi" are taking place, the thud of body slams and the resul- tant grunts and howls overpower the other noises of the building. "What was that, the giant swan on crack?" exclaims Malcolm Tulip, director of "Tanzi" and professor in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, as he jokes about the ungraceful movements of one of his actors. The cast of this unconventional and adventurous wrestling musical is warm- ing up for the battle that's about to ensue between its fiery protagonist and the rest of the characters. As Tanzi laces up her knee- high leather boots, she prepares to confront her family and friends and take a stand against their constant oppression. A Stoy of Social Struggle "Trafford Tanzi" is the story of a girl growing up in 1950s England who strug- gles mightily with the relationships in her life. She has been a forgettable disappoint- ment to those around her - Tanzi's mother always wanted a boy, and her father can't even remember the color of her eyes. As a result, those around her serve as obstacles that shape her miserable existence. In reaction to this unfair treatment, Tanzi literally and metaphorically begins to wrestle with her school counselor, best friend, husband, mother and father, all while a referee tries to keep a fair fight. The man in stripes is played by Music, Theatre & Dance senior Torrey Wigfield, who acts as a mediator in each of the 10 matches, interjecting snarky comments while preventingthe competitors from kill- ing each other. "The lead character kind of (grows) up in this unjust world, and we can see her kind of being violated and ramshackled and thrown about the ring a bit, (which) really lends itself to her growing up in an unjust environment," he said. During these scuffles, Tanzi finds a bet- ter sense of herself and eventually pursues a career as a professional wrestler. Com- pounding her existing obstacles, Tanzi faces a strict social construct that says women should never leave the kitchen, let alone take part in an ultra-masculine sport. In this sense, feminist commentary is prev- alent throughout the work, but the message of achieving a goal against all odds is appli- cable regardless of gender. Story and social struggles aside, how did this crazy concept come about? "There was a theater company - well, it still exists - in Liverpool, England, called the Everyman Theatre, and in the late '70s, they were closed down for refurbishment," Tulip explained. "And they had to find plays that they could do in other venues and at the same time they were also looking to do plays that had a more prominent role for women." The need for filling a non-traditional space and the desire for less male-dominat- ed material led British playwright Claire Luckham to craft the script for "Trafford Tanzi" in 1980. It made its debut and con- tinued for some time in bars in Liverpool before migrating to London. One of the most remarkable parts regard- ing the conception of "Tanzi" is the audi- ence's placement on all sides of a genuine wrestling ring. Constructing the ring from scratch out of a canvas mat and stretchy ropes gave it an authentic look without having to break the bank on an expensive object for temporary use. A theater-in-the-round style of seating is employed with the ring at the center. This decision to break the fourth wall allows for a blurring of the line between onstage, action and the seated audience. The position of the stage in the middle of the room provides an interesting challenge for the actors. "You can never stay facing one side," said Music, Theatre & Dance junior and understudy Charlotte Raines. "You have to always be moving around." The constant motion of actors and bal- anced arrangement of seating allows for a completely immersive experience for onlookers. For Tulip, attendees who are more directly involved with the play provide a rare opportunity for audience participation as part of the show. "We want people yelling and shouting," he said. "This is a play that people don't have to sit and be quiet (for)." Tulip thinks one of his hardest jobs is going to be "to give people permission to yell." He welcomes the "irreverent and casual atmosphere" of wrestling as a con- tributing force to the performance's overall mood. And with Wigfield's eloquently described "drop kicks, head mares, arm locks, nose drops, flying from off the top rope (and) pinfalls" as the centerpiece of the evening, some cheers and jeers shouldn't be too dif- ficult to provoke. Body-Slamming Stereotypes Learning complex and physically demanding wrestling moves was not some- thing that happened overnight. Rackham student Charles Fairbanks, who spent last summer in Mexico as a lucha libre, taught the entire cast the fundamen- tals of professional wrestling starting the second week of January. Fairbanks gained experience under the guise of "El Gato Tuerto" and filmed his matches by attaching a camera to his mask. "It was because of my experience in these (more theatrical) wrestling arenas that director Malcolm Tulip asked me to be the coach," he explained. Instead of apprehension and uncertain- ty, the actors pursued the endeavor with positive enthusiasm. "We all just dove head first, went for it, and I can now put on my resume that I know professional wrestling," Raines said. There's an inherent risk in the pursuit, however, which inevitably led to some minor injuries. Tulip said that staying healthy was a priority throughout the rig- orous training period. Regardless, both director and actors alike see the benefit of an alternative form of performance aside from the normal song, dance and dialogue. For Tanzi, played by Music, Theatre & Dance junior Arielle Goldman, the wres- tling serves a dual purpose. On one hand, "a lot of the moves are there just to be big and (to contribute to) the performance," she said. On the other hand, they also "help to express how she sees the world." In her acting classes, Goldman has worked on realizing her character's "inter- nal monologue" using actions instead of' words. A specific example of channeling emo- tion through an act of physical expression comes near the beginning, when Tanzi's friend Platinum Sue (Erin Cousins, Music,' Theatre & Dance junior) pretends tobe her friend only to tease and provoke her. "I think her first instinct is that she feels like crying," Goldman said. "But she doesn't let herself, so her next instinct is to grab Sue's doll and slam iteon the ground and break its limbs apart." This rejection of things that are tradi- tionally deemed "girly" is evident through- out the comedy. Tanzi's tomboy personality is one that Goldman says she can relate to, even if only briefly. See TANZI; Page 4B FILM Chances are you missed "The Hurt Locker" during its initial theatrical run. But you'll have another opportunity to watch the 2010 win- ner for Best Picture and Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow) at the State Theater. Experience the film's hair-raising thrills and suspense as meant to be - on a 30-foot screen, surrounded by people gripping their armrests with tension. Go to www. michtheater.org/state for prices and times. : AT UMMA The Art, Anti-Art, Non-Art exhibit, in conjunction with UMMA, will present "Saying Yes to Say No: Art and Culture in Six- ties Japan," a two-day symposium and per- formance. Friday will feature a lecture by Reiko Tomii followed by a performance from New York-based artist Ei Arakawa. Sat- urday will feature an international host of speakers (9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). All events are at UMMA and free.