Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1981)
Eckists’ karma covers campus arts ? By Tracy Teigland Revièw Of The Print Recent play lacks timing By Sandi Langman Of The Print Neil Simon’s “The Odd Cou ple,” proving that opposites at tract, but in odd ways, was presented on the College stage Thursday through Sunday and is scheduled to play Saturday in Corvallis at the Oregon Community College Theater Festival. Under Jenny Mahali’s direc tion, the comedy initially mov ed somewhat slowly, due to lack of spontaneity and believability in the minor characters’ line deliverage. On the other hand, as propnised, the show did provide originality in characterization, and energy from the leading men, J. Dana Haynes and Jim Nicodemus, and the two supporting ac tresses, Amy DeVour and Verlenda Proulx. The play centers on two con trasting personalities, the im maculate, frail Felix Ungar (Haynes) and the sloppy, ir responsible Oscar Madison (Nicodemus), who wind up sharing Madison’s apartment after Ungar is given the boot b% his wife. In the opening, Madison’s poker buddies Roy (F. T. Mor ris) , Murray (Joe Schenk), Speed (Doug Rhodes), and Vinnie (Randy Evans) are slowly working their way through a hand of cards, washing stale sandwiches down with warm beer (Madison’s refrigerator has been broken for a couple of weeks), and wondering what became of their sixth compa nion, Felix. After sharing a few minutes of insults and meaningless dialogue,; they come -to the realization that the always punctual Felix is in trouble. A few more quips and a few phone calls later, they discover Felix has been kicked out of his home and may very well be contemplating suicide. At the point in which Felix is discovered outside Oscar’s door, the play picks up con- ‘ siderably. Haynes’ crisp and sometimes silly performance as the show’s straight man con sistently battles with the mediocrity found throughout the rest of the production. Haynes definitely provided the enthusiasm normally incor porated into a Simon comedy. Nicodemus, though he occa sionally engaged in overacting, also provided a bright spot and comic sport in this theatrical endeavor. Gwendolyn and Cicely Pigeon (DeVour and Proulx), portraying Madison’s volup tuous British broads, were cute and not subtly suggestive, but were burdened by their English accents and muddled lines. The set, obviously con structed on a tight budget, was perfect and the epitome of what any run-down apartment should be. Though appearing somewhat haphazardly thrown together, the set showed' thoughtful detailing, down to the water spots on the walls. An original concept in open set change was utilized, although not to the best advan tage. Mike Clanton and Tina Riggs, to soft music, moved and removed props between scenes. Their costuming and movements, unfortunately, were too serious and pertained little to the rest of the show, but still displayed a novel approach characteristic of this produc tion? Eckankar is a hard concept to define. It cannot be found in any dictionary and, although the term appears on posters around campus, many people do not know what it means. Scott Wyland, a student at the College, defines Eckankar as “the path to total awareness, total freedom and total respon- siblity, or the ancient psyches of soul travel.” Wyland refers to Eckankar as “the path you take while in the four lower worlds of matter, time, energy and space.? Wyland began to look into Eckankar about two years ago. He .had tried .many different religions and cults, ranging from Buddhism to yoga, before he decided to follow the con cept of Eckankar. Wyland said Eckankar has helped him to understand life. It has helped him to overcome his fears as well as improve his moral standards, he said. He no longer feels pressured by the world and the people around him. Eckankar dictates no set B rules or regulations. Followers B do not have to perform any B rituals as in more orthodox I religions. Instead, Eckankar i$B based on the individual and hisB personal needs. Rather than at- B tending services, believers B practice spiritual exercises in ■ dividually. Wyland says he also learned ■ to enjoy life to the fullest B without any . crutches such asB cirugs or alcohol, since he hasfl become an Eckist. However, . riot* .all people B agree with Wyland’s reasoning Don Megrath, a. leader of in tervarsity fellowship here on campus, said that he “doubts from the standpoint, of the Scriptures, that Darwin Gross (the Eckankar master or leader) can have any authority.’ Megrath believes that, “Jesus Christ has authority, because He said He was the Son of God and He proved to be the Son of God through His resurrection from the dead.” Megrath also questions Mr. Gross’ credibility, he said, “we will wait and see what happens when he dies. Review Heaven's Gate' under-rated By Thomas A. Rhodes 1 Hurt) receive their diplomas as trade papers, some truly bad Joseph Cotton gives a speech scenes were cut out, which the liberal actions helped tighten the plot. Unfor After years of toils and concerning < troubles for director Michael the graduates must partake in tunately, there aré still many Cimino, producer Joann to improve the world. script problems, especially in Thinking that is his duty, many of the lines delivered by Carelli, and United Artists, the “The Odd Couple” managed long awaited “Heaven’s Gate” Averill head West. Like Kristofferson (he is the worst to hang together and draw opened at theaters across the everyone else, he and Irvine actor in the bunch and in un laughter from the audience, but nation last month. It opened to were drawn by its hope and in doubtedly the weak link in the the truly memorable moments bad reviews from nearly every nocence. Twenty years later, film) . Hé gives thé best perfor were too few- and far between. critic, and audiences are stay Averill finds himself the Federal mance in his life, but still can’t ing away in droves or going Marshall in Johnson County, raise his character above a cold with the critics’ thoughts Wyo. A food shortage has macho level. Cimino may be a already planted in their heads, developed and the immigrant maniac for detail, but he will so naturally, the show will be settlers are forced to steal and allow an actor to manuever the butcher cattle in order to feed character where the script isn’t considered bad. This is a pity, because their families. The cattlemen designed, which is what Robert Aundria, my little one “Heaven’s Gate” is a much lock horns and form the Stock DeNiro did in “The Deer Morning is sure to come. under-rated show. It seems Growers Association to clamp Hunter.” That is why Cimino Hours late and on the run that everyone was expecting down on the situation. should have cast maybe j the film to bomb because of its To solve the problem, the DeNiro or John Voight for the Close your eyes and rest for the sun, long production schedule, and association led by Frank Can role of Averill. When he speaks fun, its ultra-bad premiere in New ton (Sam Waterson), hires a lines like, “That’s a gob of spit,” hon, York last November. When band of mercenaries to shoot or, “It seems like there’s nd one little one. , United Artists opened the epic and kill the . thieves. The left in this Army with any balls,’’ in New York, it received mercenaries, headed by it. sounds silly corning from a —Sherry Dexter Champion man who has graduated from unanimous pans from the Nathan By Tracy Teigland critics (the audience split (Christopher Walken), are Harvard. A good actor would Of The Print In this verse about a child, the author is practicing a new style of 50-50) and was dropped after given a list of 125 people to be' have convinced Cimino that poetry called “Septones.” Like haiku, the ancient Japanese only two days. The four-hour shot. Included on the list is the those lines aire terrible. poetry which specifies the number of syllables allowed per line, show was sent back to the owner of a bordello, Ella Wat Despite these flaws, Septones are based oh more modem rules: telephone numbers. editing room for reconstruc son (Isabell Huppert). She has “Heaven’s Gate” is still a good been accepting , cattle as pay tion. Now Cimino and his Maybe a better name for them would be “telepoems.” film. Technically, it is a wonder The idea is to base the number of syllables on the writer’s phone editors have turned what Vin ment for the house’s services to behold. The number. Telephone numbers have seven numbers, therefore a cent Canby of the “New York (they must have given some cinematography by Vilmos ] septone has seven lines. Each line has the amount of syllables that Times” called “a four-hour, un service!). Averill and Cham Zsigsmond is sure to get at least j the number dictates. If the first number is six, there would be six qualified disaster,” into two pion have been 20-year friends an Academy Award nomina-1 hours and 18 minutes of tense, arid both are in love with Wat syllables in the first line'of the septone. tion. His camera moves at in- < Bernice Peachy, ABE-GED instructor, recently introduced this spectacular but flawed film son. When Averill discovers credible speeds, and can alter the list and whose name is on making. method of writing to her novice writers. The idea was “to help The screenplay, written 10 top, their friendship ends nately pan the Wyoming coun them understand what a syllable is, as well as to introduce them to tryside and maintain focus on poetry.” Peachy said her students “considered the assignment a years ago by Michael Cimino, abruptly. the characters, a major Champion is forced to chose is based on actual events in the challenge, and were shocked to find out that they could be, and in achievement. between the cattlemen and the Johnson County Wars of the fact are, creative. . Still, “Heaven’s Gate” is Peachy introduced Septone writing to her students after late 19th century. “Heaven’s opposing forces being raised by reading about the poems-in a magazine called “Read,” which Gate” begins with a brilliant Averill with the help of saloon tense, tdugh, long, powerful prologue set at the. Harvard owner John Bridges (Jeff and surprising. It is vastly deals with topics about reading and English. Septones have been used in English classes all over the U.S. commencement of 1870. Bridges). The two forces finally vogue to stomp on .Cimino these days. View with an open and are proving to be a useful way to get students to learn and en- James Averill (Kris Kristoffer- meet in a long, bloody battle. son) and William Irvine (John t According to some of the mind. joy’writing poetry, Peachy said. „ Of The Print ABE-GED students learn “Telepoetry” I I ’ Page 4 . > r . ~> Clackamas Community College inches