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.