The EHU Cultural Forum
presents
mi
PUT
MITHINV
CROUP
Wcdr\csdav. Nov. Htn 5:00 p.m.
One Show in the EP1U Ballrcx)m
Ti( hets at E"1U Plain Desh, Evcrvtxxlv's Re< ords
Tichets go on sale 5:^0 a.m., Oct. 20 at Plain Desh onlv.
Reserved Sec tions
Bent portrays Nazi purge
of confined homosexuals
By MOLLY MOORE
Of ttw EnwraM
‘‘I love you What's wrong
with that?" cries Max at the end
of the University Theatre's
production of Bent The prob
lem is that he's talking to a dead
man
Max is the central character
of this powerful drama set in
Nazi Germany The University
Theatre opened its season
Friday with this controversial
play about the Nazi purge of
homosexuals in 1934 Nearly
half a million people died in
concentration camps as a result
of this purge, called The Night of
the Long Knives, and the
University Theatre presents it
with all its horror intact
The action is riveting Max
(Michael Nering) and his lover
Rudy (Todd Hermanson) barely
escape capture only to be
caught after two vears of hiding
and running Imp'^oned in Da
chau Max meets Horst (Barry
Pitzer) who teaches him to sur
vive and to love despite the ter
ror of their surroundings
Bloody violence and psy
chological shocks leave the
audience gasping and grateful
for the frequent humor, a
necessary counterpoint to the
brutal power of the jolts We
meet truly likeable characters,
yet find that their circumstances
are that much more horrifying in
contrast to their humanity
The audience is very much a
part of Bent intimate voyeurs
during the most private
moments unable to escape the
unbearable hidden sufferings
We are drawn in by the humor,
overwhelmed by the pain bro
ken by the sorrow Despite fears
of a negative reception (due to
the play's graphic portrayal of
homosexuality), much of the
sell-out audience wiped away
tears during a standing ovation
on opening night
The actor's roles in Bent are
unusual in that they give males a
chance to portray characters
full of sensitivity, feeling and
softness Director of the Theatre
Grant McKernie says that men
must have the opportunity to be
sensitive on stage, and in this
respect, the play is admirably
different from typical Eugene
theatre There is no doubt con
cerning the characters sinceri
ty no room for stereotypes We
must believe in the fragility of
their lives and therefore cannot
believe in the myth of perversity
Director Robert Barton draws
an incredibly powerful perfor
mance from his cast, by building
on his past work with Nering and
Hermanson and by keeping
rehearsals closed while molding
the powerful intensity needed
for this production
The acting is honed and
timeless Hermanson is heart
wmningly true, revealing a
character of complex simplicity
Nering is absorbing and mag
Emwratd photo
netic as we see his character
gradually change Pitzer is both
gruff and gentle so realistic in
his characterization that we are
transfixed Johnathan Mans
field as the nightclub owner
Greta and D Patrick Lawler as
Max s Uncle Freddie lend very
strong and meaningful support
to the leads while Eric Johnson
and Carl Matthey are both quite
good in smaller roles It should
be noted that the entire cast and
crew are students, including
scene designer V F Zealcita.
whose work is effective and
startling, and lighting designer
Mike Fernbach. whose spot
lights and streetlamps intensify
the most emotioi.al moments in
the show Johnathan Mansfield
has composed background
music of a lilting, haunting
quality that remains with us after
the show ends
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