The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 06, 1978, Image 6
►*»»*'*'*•***■*»;**»>•« • »f <^«*-*'*'*«<*W*'tilI * i I«<•<« ■ «« *<t « a * Page 6 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1978 Tartuffe: music enlivens old plot “Tartuffe," produced by the Aggie Players in Rudder Center Theatre at 8 p.m. Oct. 6 and 7. TAMU MSC TOWN HALL SERIES ATTRACTION #2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 8:00 P.M. G. ROLLIE WHITE COLISEUM General Reserved I A&M Student Non- Student Date FREE w/ticket 3.00 4.00/ 4.00/ 4.50 4.50 Tickets and Info: ^►MSC Box Office 6.50 845-2916 By DOUG GRAHAM Battalion Staff Comedy can be compared to an automobile since, with time, it can get stale, ragged out and ready for the scrapheap. However, good humor, like a fine car, can transcend the graveyard of overworked jokes and become classic. Such is the case with Moliere’s “Tartuffe,” a comedy about a con niving religious fake who attempts to gain control of a nobleman’s property. The play, written in 1664, is not like the stylized and artificial “Comedy of Manners” popular later in England. It is a comedy of charac ters. Each character represents a dif ferent type of human being. Tar tuffe, played by David Campbell, is one of those predators on human gullibility who has fooled the nobleman, Orgon, and his mother. Orgon’s household is aligned against Tartuffe. That includes his son who is as ruled by emotion as his father, Dorine, the earthy and practical maid, Orgon’s wife, daughter, and his utterly rational, at times bor ingly pedantic brother, Cleante. These characters serve as foils to one another. Cleante, whose viewpoint is probably closest to ARKANSAS FOOTBALL TRIP $50 NOVEMBER 18 & 19 TRAVEL INCLUDES: CHARTER BUS TRANSPORTATION ONE NIGHTS LODGING STUDENT GAME TICKET SIGN-UP OCTOBER 16 9:00A.M. IN ROOM 216 MSC $25 DEPOSIT Friday October 6th is the last day to register to VOTE PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT. If you have not registered, you may obtain a voter registration card in the Student Govern ment Office, Rm. 216 MSC. If in doubt about your registration, please reregister. Moliere’s, tries in vain to use reason to convince his brother ofTartuffe’s fakery, but Orgon is convinced only when he sees Tartuffe trying to seduce his wife. In the meantime, however, Orgon loves Tartuffe as a brother. When he returns home from a trip he is told his wife was deathly ill. “And what of Tartuffe?” he asks. He is told Tartuffe ate a hearty meal and retired for the night. “Poor fellow,” Orgon laments. Orgon remains under the fake’s spell. After banishing his son for in sulting Tartuffe, he gives the hypoc rite title to his estate. Of course Tartuffe then resorts to legal means to secure Orgon’s evic tion. But happily, the King of France through his discerning heart, sees through Tartuffe’s treachery and has his guards arrest Tartuffe in front of Orgon. The King also forgives Orgon a trespass in volved in harboring a traitor’s corre spondence. That shows the play’s age. It also demonstrates Moliere’s intelligence as a playwright. There was no future in 17th century France in insulting the King. Thus there is a happy ending. The play as presented in Rudder Center was fine. The costumes were well done, though the veil-like thing Orgon’s wife wore on her hair looked like a piece of an old sheet. The set designed by Roy O’Valle was superbly crafted. The anomaly was the table cloth on the center ta ble; it looked cheap compared to the fine woodwork, painting and win dows. The acting was very competent. Debbie Ellis as Dorine, was out standing along with Campbell. She played Babette in Pajama Tops this summer and seems to do well in roles demanding assertive, saucy and practical women. Campbell fit his role. It was a role for a ham, a ham with good comedic gestures and timing. His pursuit of Orgon’s wife was excellent when, with a rebuff, he recoiled only to pursue once more. He maintained crafty demeanor well, summing up a hypocrite’s creed in one line: “Sin is no sin in confidence,” % k v- in Lovers Valere and Mariane in Moliere s Tar tuffe,” played here by Owen Sonik and Julie Scott, convince each other they don t love each other, much to the chagrin of the maid Dorine (Debbie Ellis). The conflict has arisen because Mariane’s father wishes her to Tartuffe, and she intends to honor hisw The Aggie Players are presenting theplai p.m. tonight and Saturday in Rudder The Ition i ecisiol Ld sta| htive i Treme I'ediuH Herb| L for BO peel litoriul Tonsorl llack A| |Iemori| The Bine in | kakke Iscrimil Jhat thl |dinitte<] Ichool, Jue to Ijcantsl The o| ketor i| videq [sed. The 1| oneem | btures vj lision Ihe darkl Theatre. Battalion photo by EdC Orgon, played by Philip Hafer reminded one just a bit too much of Oliver Hardy. It may have been the voice, or the mannerisms, but de spite that, Hafer successfully por trayed the gullible nobleman as a rather pompous fellow ruled by emotion rather than reason. Jonathan Plessner as Cleante turned in one of the most winning performances of the night. His self- congratulatory smiles and facial ex pressions stole scenes all night. On the other hand, Orgon’s daughter, Julie Scott, and her lover, Owen Sonik, turned in weaker per formances, not simply due to the characters they were to portray- -Sonik more so than Scott, who did seem to be in character for a snivel ing, tearful daughter of a noble. “You think only God can make a tree? ■ Try coming up with a mackerel.** m At Last Year’s Price, You Will Be Pleased With These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods. C r , . c . j Each Daily Special Only $1.69 Plus Tax. uatetena . <0p< , n Dany „ Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. MONDAY EVENING SPECIAL Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy Whipped Potatoes Your Choice of One Vegetable Roll or Corn Bread and Butter Coffee or Tea TUESDAY EVENING SPECIAL Mexican Fiesta Dinner Two Cheese and Onion Enchiladas w/chili Mexican Rice Patio Style Pinto Beans Tostadas Coffee or Tea One Corn Bread and Butter WEDNESDAY EVENING SPECIAL Chicken Fried Steak w/cream Gravy Whipped Potatoes and Choice of one other Vegetable Roll or Corn Bread and Butter Coffee or Tea THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner — (5( fTn )?) SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE C3E(&) Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad LSss-J Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread Tea or Coffee FRIDAY EVENING SPECIAL BREADED FISH FILET w/TARTAR SAUCE Cole Slaw Hush Puppies Choice of one vegetable Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee SATURDAY NOON and EVENING SPECIAL Chicken & Dumplings Tossed Salad Choice of one vegetable Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee SUNDAY SPECIAL NOON and EVENING ROAST TURKEY DINNER Served with Cranberry Sauce Cornbread Dressing Roll or Corn Bread - Butter - Coffee or Tea Giblet Gravy And your choice of any One vegetable Ootobor 6 CSk 7; 8 WVL DARK STAR: IVHdniglrt:, Oct:. 7 ST & ID^ Rudder AucHbortum SPECIAL FEATURE^ HARDWARE WARS IVISC CERHED VARIABLE Orgon’s son, Jim Witcher, was a hit overplayed. Too often he seemed like a 17th century Luke Skywalker straining to get into the thick of the struggle and fight. I wasn’t sure about Beth Potten, Orgon’s wife, at first. But as the play progressed, she seemed to pick up her composure. At first she seemed just a copy of the spineless daugh ter. She improved, but even so, hers was a rather weak portrayal of a worldly woman capable of running a household and rebuffing unwanted amorous advances. One would have thought such a woman to have more backbone and calculating intelli gence than was displayed. The walk-ons were not inspiring, but were adequate. Overall the play was successful. It was authentically done, with special It .XKZ praise going to the group cians under Penelope Kusa who wrote the haroque-stylei played between scenes.! member of the players saidQ nyik built the liarpsichodj played. The group also m oboe,a clarinet, ami a Frenci The chamber music theyn was an elegant touch. Wencke, tin* director, sha congratulated. There wereon or two slight mistakes in d but other than those, the pi* ressed smoothly. He till encol Brmativil NAS DOC DOC nappes] choke So the 300->ear-old play rrt I m ji es its humorous tune in spited nd the transition to ri» English from its native Frenu It leaves one with one co« to make: Vive Moliere :xk=d# MKC D4*C INTERESTED IN THEATER WORK? . . . THEN COME TO THE TRYOUTS for the production company of IV inner of the Pulitzer Prize By ARCHIBALD MacLEISH PARTS FOR UP TO 15 ADULTS AND 8 CHILDREN AGES 8 TO 14 7:00 P-M- MON., OCT. 9 & TUES., OCT. 10 RUDDER CENTER FORUM THEATER * PRODUCTION CREWS WILL BE FORMED AT THIS TIME. Uni ANN i Jniversit learchers Ind phol |enes, a i he cause The tw £entjy de nethodol ferved s project ii Select m pown as Drs. I j)Vilson, lichigar aent of Perinatal liscuss t pual me< py of i ouver, The i< viewed proscopi Javid / lichiga hnd me krsity i Moped loining | Schm Pombin psolate j 3 st fhousan nongol Ther yiew g ( Our is Serving Luncheon BiifW Sunday through Friday 11:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M $3.50 Top Floor of Tower Dining Room Sandwich & Soup Mon. thru Fri. $1.75 plus drink extra Open to the PubUi “QUALITY FIRST"