‘Top Girls* puts women first
By Jack Clifford
Oregon Daily Emerald
University Theatre’s second
production of the 1999-2000 sea
son is about being first, but more in
the sense of how to get to that
place, not necessarily who’s there.
“Top Girls” opens Friday night
at Robinson Theater at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for the general
public, $8 for University staff and
$5 for students.
Director Beth Cherne was
drawn to this particular play, she
says, because of its unusual struc
ture, a layered effect of stories and
life experiences, with no clear
chronological order. She also en
joys the script’s universal nature,
despite the feminist themes and
all-female cast.
“We’re all in this together, and
the issues that are going on in this
play affect everybody,” Cherne
says. “In an age of something of a
conservative backlash, I think it’s
important that we talk about how
those political changes and poli
cy level changes affect people in
the real world.”
The basic story follows the life
of Marlene (Bekki Barnhart), a
successful businesswoman in
London. The first scene shows
her celebrating a recent promo
tion, and she has invited excep
tional women from history, myth
and art to join the party.
All of the women
stepped out of the
boundaries of what
women were supposed
to do within their own
time frames and cultures,
Cherne says.
“They are sharing ex
periences as ‘top girls’ in
a lot of ways,” she adds.
While the dinner event
plays out, the various at
tendees are shown pre
paring themselves, on
stage, for the meeting.
Costume designer Heath
er Brooks patterned the
dresses and other cloth
ing after the play’s subject
matter. One costume for
the character Patient
Griselda is in fact intend
ed to convey immobility.
“The colors for the cos
tume are in ombre style,
with the shades darker at
wmesanervmr m mm Ml ]
Courtesy University Theatre
Marlene (center, Bekki Barnhart) introduces Dull
Gret (left, Rachel Aanestad) to Pope Joan (Yasmin
Ravard) in ‘Top Girls.’
the bottom and lighter at the top
to represent being rooted to the
ground,” Brooks says, referring to
the cotehardie style of dress.
Brooks also used historical
dates in designs. The second act
begins with a character named
Nell, placed in 1911. Brooks cre
ated a hobbleskirt, which was de
signed that year and severely re
stncted a woman s movement.
“This play is about all of the
restrictions that happen in our so
ciety, particularly for women, but
not only for women,” Cherne
says. “It’s challenging for the au
dience and I hope it’s challenging
on the level of political ideas and
the way we value things in our
culture.”
/^rTlie week in .
Ks>UnL6nainmmt
■ Thursday, Jan. 27
“Dreamer Examines His Pillow”
(play)—Arena Theatre; 8 p.m. $6
general public, $5 senior citizens,
faculty/staff, $4 UO students.
“Crimes of the Heart” (play)—Very
Little Theatre, 2350 Hilyard St.; cur
tain time is 8:15 p.m. $12.
Pacific Wonderland (rock)—Sam
Bond’s Garage, 407 Blair Blvd.; 9
p.m. $2-5.
John Andre Herrmann (acoustic)—
The Buzz, EMU; 9:30 p.m. Free.
ThaMuseMeant(bluegrass, rock) —
Good Times Cafe and Bar, 375 E. Sev
enth Ave.; 9 p.m. $4.
’80s Night (dance)—John Henry’s,
136 E. 11th Ave.; 10 p.m.; women
free, guys $2.
Leftover Salmon (jam rock)—Wild
Duck, 169 W. Sixth Ave.; 8 p.m. $17.
UO Ensemble Concert (symphony)—
Beall Hall; 8 p.m. Free.
Comedy Workout (comedy)—Actors
Cabaret of Eugene, 996 Willamette
St.; 7:30 p.m. $5.
■ Friday, Jan. 28
“Dreamer Examines His Pillow”
(play)—Arena Theatre; 8 p.m. $6
general public, $5 senior citizens,
faculty/staff, $4 UO students.
“Crimes of the Heart” (play)—Very
Little Theatre; curtain time is 8:15
p.m.; $12.
Lazy Eights (dance music)—Sam
Bond’s Garage; 9:30 p.m. $3-5.
Larry Ward Quartet (jazz)—Jo Fed
erigo’s, 259 E. Fifth Avenue; 9:30
p.m. $2.
W.C Clarke (blues)—Good Times
Cafe and Bar; 9:30 p.m. $10.
Leftover Salmon (jam rock)—Wild
Duck; 8 p.m. $15 adv., $17 day of
show.
Eclectic Open Mic—The Buzz; 9
p.m. Free.
“Alice” (film series)—180 PLC; 8 p.m.
$2 UO students, $3 general public.
Oregon Ballroom (dance)—200 Ger
linger Hall; 7:30 p.m. $4 general, $3
students and faculty.
“Victor/Victoria” (musical)—Silva
Concert Hall, Hult Center, One Eu
gene Center; 8 p.m. $17.50-35.
Four Past Midnight (acoustic)—Cafe
Paradiso, 115 Broadway; 8:30 p.m.
$Free.
The Congos and special guests (roots
reggae)—Agate Hall; 8 p.m. All
ages; $12 adv., $15 at the door.
■ Saturday, Jan. 29
“Dreamer Examines His Pillow”
(play)—Arena Theatre; 8 p.m. $6
general public, $5 senior citizens,
faculty/staff, $4 UO students.
“Crimes of the Heart” (play)—Very
Little Theatre; curtain time is 8:15
p.m.; $12.
“Victor/Victoria” (musical)—Silva
Concert Hall, Hult Centerr; 2 p.m.
and 8 p.m. $17.50-35.
Steve Pile (acoustic rock)—The
Buzz, EMU; 9:30 p.m. Free.
The Workman Project, Justin King,
Gabriel Blue (acoustic, electric rock)
— WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave.; 9
p.m.$6.
"Doomed Planet” with live music
from Pleaseeasour (movie)—Sam
Bond’s Garage; 9:30 p.m. $5.
Paul Delay Band (blues)—Good
Times Cafe and Bar; 9:30 p.m. $8.
Rubberneck (funk)—Wild Duck
Hall; 9 p.m. $8.
Sleeperwave (rock)—Cafe Paradiso;
8:30 p.m. $2-5.
Throat, Hand, Poopstick (hard rock)
—John Henry’s; 10 p.m. $3.
Larry Ward Quartet (jazz)—Jo Fed
erigo’s; 9:30 p.m. $2.
■ Sunday, Jan. 30
Robert Walters 20th Congress, Honey
Bucket Electric (funk) —John Hen
ry’s; 9 p.m. $7.
Laura Kemp, Peter Wilde and Thais
Perkins (acoustic)—Sam Bond’s
Garage 8 p.m. $3-5.
■ Monday, Jan* 31
Kammerer-Dowd Reunion (jazz, fac
ulty artists series) — Gerlinger Alum
ni Lounge; 8 p.m. $7 general, $4 se
nior citizens.
■ Tuesday, Feb. 1
Barbara Dzuro (jazz piano)—Jo Fed
erigo’s; 8:30 p.m. Free.
That Tuesday Thing (funk, soul)—
John Henry’s; 11 p.m. Free.
■ Wednesday, Feb. 2
The Benjamins (funk)—Good Times
Cafe and Bar; 9:30 p.m. $3.
justice League of America (dance hall
house)— John Henry’s; 10 p.m.
women free, guys $2.
Hurricane
continued from page 2B
ton does a great job bringing forth
the sense of dementia such soli
tude might create.
Overall, as an angry man tired of
white society’s oppression, Wash
ington expertly conveys Carter’s
self-righteousness and self-respect.
The actor is most impressive, how
ever, in the boxing ring.
Once the film takes that turn to
ward proving the court system
wrong and corrupt, the story loses
its punch and becomes almost
made-for-TV quality.
Most distressing though, is the
insertion of a fictional district at
torney, played by the usually on
target Dan Hedaya, who is not this
time around. Hedaya’s character
oozes with racism the way a sore
drips with pus. (Yes, Hedaya is
that repugnant.) Yet, he never ex
isted, according to a New York
Times report, which seems an odd
juxtaposition to Carter’s 19 years of
searching for the ultimate truth.
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