Anything Goes
University Theatre
Last weekend a group of
enthusiastic, almost rambunc
tious, actors and actresses sang
and tapped to the music and
lyrics of Cole Porter’s timeless
musical Anything Goes.
Hats off to Grant McKernie
who assembled and directed
the talented performers who
gave a sleepy Eugene crowd
just what they needed: a mushy,
fast-paced, looney musical that
left them all begging for more.
It’s hard to go wrong with a
score that includes hits like
‘‘Delightful, Delicious, D’Love
ly,” “You’re the Top,” “I Get A
Kick Out of You,” “Blow Ga
briel, Blow” and ‘‘Anything
Goes.” The score even includes
a tribute to that “dear old dirty
town New York.”
A trans-Atlantic ocean liner is
the scene for romance. Michael
Nering plays Billy Crocker, a
carefree young man who once
spent nine hours in the back of a
taxi with passenger Hope Har
court (Becky Van Allsburg), who
has subsequently become
engaged to Sir Evelyn (Thomas
Nader), an idly rich English
gentleman with an equally idle
brain to boot. Billy and Hope fall
in love with a little help from
Reno Sweeney (Charolette Eve
London) and Public Enemy
Number 13 (played by W. Har
din).
Anything goes as Billy is in
and out of disguises while trying
to evade his boss, the ship’s
purser and Hope’s mother
(Charlene Whitney). Reno and
Sir Evelyn develop “hot pants”
for each other, and, as is typical
of musicals of this vintage, the
plot gets progressively crazier.
No one actor or actress steals
the show, but Nering and Lon
don come close as they provide
most of the energy throughout.
Nering deserves an "A” for a
smile that blinds the audience
for over two hours. His acting,
singing and dancing aren’t bad
either. London moves well and
sings well in “I Get A Kick Out of
You” and the reverent “Blow
Gabriel, Blow.” Van Allsburg
displays a beautiful voice, but
her spoken lines don’t flow quite
as smoothly. Nader plays the
agreeable Englishman with the
right amount of naivete, and W.
Harding would be great as one
of the Bowery Boys.
Despite some wonderful act
ing everything does not go per
fectly. Some of Porter’s lyrics
are lost at sea, and some of the
dancing lacks the sparkle
required for a show of this na
ture. The number “Anything
Goes” is an exception. Nearly
30 pairs of tap shoes assault the
stage in almost perfect unison
during this well-choreographed
and well-rehearsed number that
closes the first act.
The chorus provides ample
support in the dancing and
singing scenes. It also serves to
fill up the multi-tiered set. How
Jerry Williams managed to
combine art deco into the deck
of a big ship is a mystery, but it
works well.
The costumes, designed by
Alexandra Bonds, dazzle the
eye, and hardcore preppies will
love the array of plaids, argyle,
bow ties and sailor suits. Light
ing designer Robert Fraser does
a commendable job avoiding
excessive glare with a white set.
Productions of this magni
tude and caliber are rare treats
for Eugene theater-goers, and
they deserve much praise.
— Paul Feist
Notes on a dry town gone wet
Sometimes this ol’ town of
Eugene is pretty dry when it
comes to the arts and enter
tainment, but this is not one of
those times. This week and this
summer, Eugene is flooded with
art and entertainment goings
on.
Things to look for this week
include the Willamette Valley
Folk Festival on the East Lawn
(next to the EMU) Friday
through Sunday. Musicians like
Louisiana Cajuns Dewey Balfa
and Marc Savoy play the music
they “cut their teeth on.”
Choreographer Rolande
Chesebro and lighting director
Marta Dost collaborate in a
three-dance show Friday and
Saturday nights at 8 in 354 Ger
linger Annex. The dances in
clude Origami, a dance to show
the visual art concept of line;
Spectrum, a dance in which
each dancer is costumed in
each color of the spectrum; and
Arriving, a dance in which three
human-like creatures keep get
ting closer but never arrive.
For those interested in poetry,
the Northwest Review is spon
WEEKEND
RENTAL
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Orpnnn Hallu PmoralH
soring a poetry reading by local
poets John Addiego and
Cecelia Hage, June 2 at 8 p.m. in
141 Lawrence Hall.
At Mother Kali’s Books, peo
ple interested in feminist, les
bian and gay issues are invited
to meet co-editor of The Coming
Out Stories Susan Wolfe today
from 3-5 p.m. Later from 7:30-9
p.m. refreshments will be served
and Wolfe will autograph copies
of the Coming Out Stories.
And, looking ahead to the
summer, Helmuth Rilling makes
his yearly trek to Eugene,
Oregon from Stuttgart, Ger
many to direct the 12th Annual
Summer Festival of Music (June
22-July 5). The festival opens on
June 22 with a performance of
cantata BWV 72, Alles nur by
J.S. Bach. Highlights of the fes
tival include the choral music of
J.S. Bach. Also included will be
eight later afternoon perfor
mances of Bach cantatas and
four evening programs of choral
works by Bach, Haydn and
Mendelssohn.
Special events include Friday
afternoon Lectures on June 26
and July 3 at 3:30 p.m. Featured
guest is Harold Schonberg,
Cultural Correspondent, New
York Times, The lecture topics
are: 'Singers — Past and Pre
sent” and "Pianists — Past and
Present."
At the Free Noon Concerts,
chamber music and solo reci
tals by members of the festival
orchestra and chorus with per
formances ranging from jazz to
lieder to early instruments lead
the show. Also featured in this
series is Baroque dance
specialist Angene Feves of San
Francisco.
Bach’s Supper on Thursday,
July 23 is the festival’s Annual
benefit picnic, outdoors on the
lawn behind Beall Hall. Tickets
cost $12 and include two box
suppers, wine and entertain
ment. The picnic starts at 6 p m.
Tickets vary according to
concert and activity. For more
information call the Summer
Festival Box Office at 686-3761
before June 15. After June 15
call 686-3764.
SUNDAY CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH
A La Carte
Selections with
Champagne
from $4.25
OREGON
ELECTRIC
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SERVING FINE FOOD & SPIRITS
5TH AND WILLAMETTE
(5031 485-4444 DOWNTOWN EUGENE
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Cultural Forum Presents
THE
ELEVENTH ANNUAL
Willamette
$>, Valley
Folk
Festival
May 29, 30, 31
EMU East Lawn
(EMC Ballroom if it rains)
Three days of music, workshops and dances
from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Most events are free • Call 086-4373 for information.
Come & join us at
a Cultural, Sports, & Film Celebration
in commemoration of
FREE:
FILMS
1981 International Year
of
Disabled Persons
featuring
Dynamic Dimensions
of Disability
on May 28th, 1981
at U of O
time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
place: Dad’s Room, E.M.U.
GRAPHIC ART DISPLAY
time: 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
place: Dad’s Room, E.M.U.
CULTURAL CELEBRATION
time: 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.
place: E.M.U. Center Court
(Interpreter provided)
WHEELCHAIR VOLLEYBALL
AWARENESS
time: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
place: E.M.U. Center Court
Sponsored by: PLUS - Physically Limited Union of
Students, project EXETRA, the RPM block students, & the
IYDP Cultural Committee of Eugene & Springfield.
Page 3 Section B