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
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Clackamas Community College
inches