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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1998)
Production of Ibsen’s ‘Ghosts’ focuses on poignancy of play By Nicole Krueger Managing Editor Henrik Ibsen's “ghosts” aren’t terribly controversial today, in an age when children learn about syphilis in junior high school, when pre-teens read about incest in V.C. Andrews novels and when feminism is yesteryear’s catch phrase. In fact, these worn-out issues have long since given way to new is sues, such as AIDS and assisted suicide. So it is hard for us to imagine the uproar “Ghosts” ignited when it hit the stage in Norway in 1881. “Ghosts” is the story of a rich Norwegian widow, Mrs. Alving, who, just as she is about to erect a monument to her late hus band, learns that her beloved son, a painter living in Paris, is afflicted with syphilis. Bom barded with hypocritical advice from her old friend Pastor Man ders, she is forced to confront the chains of duty that have bound her all her life as she tries to exorcise the ghosts left be hind by her dead husband. In its time, “Ghosts” confront ed issues no one wanted to talk about or see reflected back at them on the stage. It accused up per-class people of being unable in 1881. But it does take courage to take on this play with the sin cerity and depth of emotion that the University Theatre did. It would have been easy to succumb to the play’s countless to trunk tor themselves. It accused the clergy of cor ruption. And it hung the upper class’ dirty laundry out for the world to see by exploring the issues of in fidelity, illegiti THEATRE REVIEW Ghosts Written by Henrik Ibsen Directed by Neil Vanderpool ■ TYPE: Commentary ■ WHERE: Arena Theatre ■ RATING: ★★★★ ★ humorous barbs and wit ticims, mak ing the truths it presents — no less poignant for their outdat edness — eas ier to swallow with the proverbial mate cnnaren ana sexually transmitted diseases. Today, in an age when we are continually forced to wear our dirty laundry in the public eye, when society’s problems are held up before our eyes as a part of everyday life and when the ater almost always explores one issue or another, it takes a lot less courage to produce “Ghosts” than it did in Norway spoonrui oi sugar. Hut tne cast ot “Ghosts,” directed by Neil Van derpool, didn’t take the easy way out. Instead, they dis missed the play’s humor as sec ondary, eliciting a few laughs but striving for a higher goal: to express the poignancy of the play and to make it mean some thing to University students to day. Ryan Moulder’s tired, dis eased and agonized Oswald was captivating — his performance during the last act was emotion ally believable and reached be yond the imaginary “fourth wall” of theater to leave a lasting impression and to tell the audi ence what this play is really about. Rebecca Foster was equally believable as Mrs. Alving, a proper yet hardened 19th centu ry woman whose love for her son forces her to make agonizing decisions until the end, when she must make the most agoniz ing decision of all. And Mark Zolun's Pastor Manders was both delightfully naive and in furiatingly self-righteous. Through their sincere and emotional performances, the cast members of “Ghosts” brought the 117-year-old play into the present, reminding us of the issues we face today, such as AIDS and assisted suicide, and reminding us that the ghosts of our actions today will haunt our children in ways we cannot begin to imagine. Second Season Theatre Production See Henrik Ibsen’s "Ghosts" in one of its last two performances ■ WHAT: The University The atre’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts,” a play about a widow who must come to terms with the dark secrets of her past when her son develops a debili tating disease. ■ WHEN: March 13 and 14 atB p.m. ■ WHERE: Arena Theatre ■ TICKETS: $3 for University students, $5 for senior citizens and University faculty and staff and $5 for the general public. For more information, call the University Theatre Box Office at 346-4191 The Second Triannual Student Book Swap More money for your books!!! - Set your own price! - Sell books for more cash! - Buy books for less cost! r When-Bring books in to sell March 16-20 Buy new books March 30-April 3 10 am to 2 pm Where-at the EMU Fishbowl Terrace Sponsored by ASIJO Executive THIS IS AN URGENT CALL FOR HELP! TOO MANY KEGS! Steelhead Brewery & Cafe always your friend in need, your safe port in any storm, needs your help in reducing the number of kegs in our brewery. Drop what your doing, pick up the phone and call ifllll Ah' 686-2739 and reserve a keg now. IFKeg $89-$99’ ' Pony Keg $SS-$60* 5TH & PEARL • EUGENE HOME OF 9 MEDAL WINNING MICRO-BREWS. V . 1 I W Find your dancing partner and dance the night aioag. ▼ r Then come to the p/ace teith_CBlBbfBtG Doin' WEBkGIKl B(. the BEST music Scondcils 222 Centennial Blvci. « Eugene * 343-4734 y
