Arts
The Michigan Daily Tuesday, July 28, 1981 Page 7
High Priests of High-Tech living
bring Mission Control to Detroit
By MARK DIGHTON
Daily Arts Editor
Kraftwerk are up to some pretty
weird games, and I'm not just talking
about those synthetic pinball sounds
with which they introduced their first
American concert in 6 years Saturday
night at Nitro's. No, Kraftwerk are
definitely up to something, and I'm not
sure even they know what.
See, Kraftwerk come as sort of a con-
ceptual package, not just a musical
group. Consider them the High Priests
of High-Tech philosophy. They stand
stiffly, surrounded by hard steel con-
soles that look like they were ripped
right out of Mission Control in Houston,
garbed in tight-fitting uniforms done in
the latest shade of Fascistic Black and
headsets used for communication (i.e., Daily Photo by SARAH TALBOT
singing). Overhead, three wide-screen C1 ht ySRHTLO
TVs display ambient computer Kraftwerk come out from behind their pretense and equipment to play their latest disco hit, "Pocket Calculator," on
T S e d Ms y a e 9 r the portable keyboards for which it was named. The members of this German synthesizer quartet are (from left) Ralf
See MUSIC, Page 9 Hutter, Karl Bartos, Wolfgang Flur, and Florian Schneider.
Misunderstood and
64 The man seems to be imbued with music,
misdirected Ring and he in turn imbues eTeryhing he touches
with poetry and majesty.p7
Chicago Tribune
By GAIL NEGBAUR
Daily Arts Writer
A French farce written in 1948 has to have some purpose other than just to
entertain. But the Ann Arbor Civic Theater's production of Jean Anouilh's
Ring Round the Moon not only forgot the implications of the fact that the
play was written after the German Occupation, but also came close to
forgetting how to make it entertaining.
"Ring Round the Moon," in the comic tradition of Moliere, is complicated
almost to the point of chaos and chock full of cliches. The cast of characters
is made up of a rich circle of people who only serve to make life difficult for
each other.
THE PLAY is set in the chateau of a Madame Desmermortes in the 1920s.
Her twin nephews, Frederic and Hugo (both played by Sashe Dimitroff),
are in love with Diana (Tracy Van Fleet) although the wicked Hugo will not
allow himself to admit his love for this equally evil woman. Instead, he
decides to save his brother, Frederic, from Diana by fixing him. up with
Isabelle, a poor ballerina Hugo transforms a la "My Fair Lady" into a rich
eligible bachelorette. Of course, Isabelle falls in love instead with Hugo, fur-
ther complicating this already confused scenario.
Most of the actors are concerned with playing Anouilh's caricatures so Ivan M oravec, pianist
blatantly that it seems the production was designed for three-year olds. The Beethoven: 32 Variations in C minor
words and actions of the play do not need this overly emphatic treatment to Debussy: Children's Corner Suite
be extremely funny. Isabelle's mother (Kimberly Parrish) and Capulat Debussy: Estampes, Chopin: Five Mazurkas
(Jazz Duberman) use such high and haughty voices that it literally hurts to Chopin: Two Ballades (F minor, G minor)
listen to them. Tuesday, July 28 at 8:30
The two outstanding performances in the play are by Patricia Garcia as
Isabelle and Kathy E. Badgerow as Madame Desmermortes. Garcia is the Rackham Auditorium
perfect ingenue. She brings a special intensity to the role through facial, (air-conditioned)
body, and vocal expressions. Badgerow holds the show together with an
abundance of wit and charm. She is funny and totally convincing as the wise,
old matriarch whose goal in life is to see young people live a little.
Tickets $8, $6.50 and $5
This is the second show in a row the Civic Theater has cast its male lead in
a double role ("Charley's Aunt" opened their summer season). Although Tickets at BLuirtoT weir, vn .\ rlor. Michigan 48109
Dimitroff had little difficulty changing from the role of one brother to the We (kdays 9-4:30. Sat. 9-12. 'htne 665-3717
other, he had trouble as the rude and callous Hugo. He had quite a bit more
success as the weak, shy brother Frederic. IIVE SI USICAL S CIETY
The last act was a surprisingly happy ending to an otherwise dismal
production. All of a sudden, the cast seemed to understand the tone and in-
tent of the play. Finally, it was evident that there was no lack of talent in this
production, just a lack of clear and positive directing.