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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 1990)
The Battalion LIFESTYLES Thursday, July 19,1990 Stage Center’s ‘Rain’ sustains suspense, drama with strong performances, script By DON ATKINSON JR. Of The Battalion Staff Any drama teacher will tell you that conflict is the heart of a good story, no matter how peaceful it may appear on the surface. The members of Stagecenter un derstand this concept and prove it with their latest production of W. Somerset Maugham’s “Rain,” a play adapted from “Miss Thompson,” an earlier story written by Maugham. Interestingly enough, the version of “Rain” currently being performed by the group is an original adapta tion by Stagecenter member Jimmy Schooley, also based on the Maug ham story. Another version of “Rain,” writ ten by John Colton and Clemence Randolph in 1922, also exists, but the language and references are out dated. The Schooley adaptation is clearly superior for today’s audi ences. “Rain” takes place in 1938 on an American Samoan island, Pago Pago, at a boarding house owned by Dr. Joseph Horn (Harold Presley). During a heavy rainstorm, a ship is quarantined, and its passengers are forced to stay for 10 days on the island. Among them are the Rever end Robert Davidson (Michael Rose), his wife Esther (Cathy McW horter), Dr. Donald McPhail (Don nie Wilson), his wife Jennifer (Lynn McDaniel) and Sadie Thompson (Kathy Schultz). Sadie is an uninhibited woman whose behavior is a constant source of aggravation for the Davidson’s. Within a short period of time, the reverend and his wife prove to be overtly religious, prejudiced people. Mrs. Davidson mentions in disgust that Horn is not only a negro, but college-educated at that. Sadie proves to be their focal point for righteous indignation, and she is hounded mercilessly. The rev erend even goes so far as to have the Pago Pago governor issue a re straining order against her. “Rain” is a complex play .with sub tleties hidden in almost every ges- Harold Presley plays Joe Horn and theater Thompson in arts major Kathy Schultz stars as Sadie “Rain.” ture and phrase. The fact that the Stagecenter cast and crew were able to pull it off as effectively as they did is a credit to them. Since the entire cast did such an excellent job, it would be hard to mention above-average perfor mances. However, a few of the ac tors really outdid themselves and de serve the credit. Among them is Schultz for her performance as Sadie. The charac ter is wild and flirty, but Schultz played her with a touch of sensitivity and innocence. She garnered the au diences sympathies early, which gen erated a great deal of suspense as to the outcome of the story. Also worth mentioning are Rose and McWhorter as the Davidson’s. Both had to play their characters full of religious fury, a touch of hypoc risy and even a hint of sexual fixa tion on the part of the reverend. Rose and McWhorter deserve a lot of credit for adding the proper el ement of friction to the play. Director Rick Landmann also de serves a round of applause for giv ing the actors room to develop their characters. The action is neither overdone nor bogged down in its own seriousness. “Rain” deals with the idea that people full of moral, righteous va lues can actually be detrimental to Photo by Sondra Robbins Stage Center’s production of society. Maugham was a homosexual and no doubt suffered from those acting out of religious indignation. In a sense, the play actually asks the audience to imagine a world without these irritating do-gooders. The Stagecenter production of “R- ain” is an example of what good the ater is all about. Prepare yourself for a moving experience. Stagecenter is offering three more presentations of “Rain,” today, Fri day and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for students, $5 for senior citizens and $3.50 for chil dren under 12. For additional infor mation, call 846-0287. Garfield’s comedy special ends with hilarity By TODD STONE Of The Battalion Staff Laughs, laughs and more laughs. That’s probably the best way to sum up Garfield’s Thursday Night Live comedy special. Anchored by nationally popular comedians Gary Bun Richardson and Ron Shock, TNL expanded to five hilarious shows last Thursday through Satur day. This past weekend was a rare op portunity to see two national come dians perform in Bryan-College Sta tion. Richardson was certainly the busiest comedian of the weekend. He performed on all three nights. Comedians Dan Merriman and Mike Sterner joined Richardson on Thursday. Shock, who performed two shows on Friday and Saturday night, proved just why he’s on the verge of superstardom. Considered a “mo dern day Will Rogers,” Shock told tales of sex, giraffes, and what he de scribed as “the best dope story you ever heard” (It was). During the special’s final show on Saturday, Shock gave Oral Roberts credit for getting him into comedy. When he was looking for new material, though, Shock prayed. “I prayed to God for a joke, and God gave me Jim and Tammy Faye Baker. You just can’t write stuff this good,” he said. “It’s my job to think of this stuff. Comedy is easy, just read the news paper.” Places as much as people become a victim of Shock’s humor. He claimed Des Moines, Iowa was a French term meaning “void of life.” Shock’s performance highlighted a strong evening of comedy. Re sponding to a standing ovation. Shock returned for an encore that stretched his performance to more than an hour-and-a-half. Gary Bun Richardson performed before Shock, and he lived up to his claim of being a “Good ’Ole Boy.” Richarson howled throughout his show, and he delivered his jokes with cheerleader enthusiasm. His charm was contagious. Most of the audience howled with Rich ardson as he described the curious relationship between people from Texas and Louisiana. “People in Louisiana will deep fry a rock, and Texans will try to eat it,” he said. “People over there (Loui siana) don’t buy their meat at the store, they run over it. “Contrary to popular belief, some people around there have front teeth.” Aside from his friendly jokes about Louisiana, Richardson’s hu mor centered on Texas. “The Texas economy has had it George Bush Drive will always be Jersey to me. That (name change) was the biggest Eddie Haskell, butt-kissing move I’ve ever seen.” — Jason Porter, Comedian rough lately,” he said. “Even Ethio pians were telling Houston jokes with pictures of skinny oil men.” Richardson is an entertaining co median, but his performance did not match the quality or hilarity of Shock’s. Still, he was the perfect set up man for Shock’s escapades. Local comedian and A&M student Jason Porter returned to TNL as the opening performer for Shock and Richardson on Friday and Saturday. Porter is the opening act for TNL during the fall and spring semesters. Porter’s style is somewhat similar to comedian Richard Lewis, but he’s certainly not a Lewis-clone because his off-beat humor is unique, witty and most importantly, funny. Porter took advantage of his fa miliar surroundings with a barrage of local jokes that kicked-off the show in good-time style. “George Bush Drive will always be Jersey to me,” he said. “That (name change) was the biggest Eddie Has kell, butt-kissing move I’ve ever seen.” The audience roared in agreement. Porter also offered some candid insight about men and women. “I figured out why women look at mens’ butts,” he said. “It’s because that’s where we keep the wallet. Guys, now you know what side of your pants to keep your wallet.” Porter will return to Thursday Night Live this fall as the opening performer. The final performance of the comedy special climaxed a laugh- loaded stretch of comedy for Bryan- College Station. It was rowdy, off color fun. TNL will go back to its regular format today with comedians Jim Villanucci and Steven J. Moore. Showtime tonight is 9, and tickets are $5. You must be 21 or older to attend. For more information, call Garfield’s at 693-1736. Ron Shock’s performances at Garfield’s highlighted a strong weekend of .comedy. Local comedian and A&M student Jason Porter returned to Garfield’s with strong opening performances on Friday and Saturday. TM4 Todd Stone 845-I Classics, unknownsf/oo, video stores this week By TODD STONE Of The Battalion Staff There will be a flood of new films appearing at your local video store this Wednesday. Unfortunately, most of them are poor B-films that were never good enough for theater release. In spite of the gluttony of low- budget films, there is good news. MGM is continuing its re-release of classic films on video. Mutiny On The Bounty (1965) will please any Marlon Brando fan. He plays the first mate and mutiny leader Fletcher Christian. Although not as good as the classic 1935 ver sion with Charles Laughton and Clark Gable, this film is entertaining. Trevor Howard also stars as Captain Bligh. “Sound of Music” may be the true Julie Andrews classic, but fans of the actress will enjoy Hawaii (1966). This film is a lavish production based on the James Michener novel that explores the western disruption of Hawaiian culture. It’s a bit Sappy, but fun. Other classics appearing Wednes day are A Bridge Too Far with Rob ert Redford, Michael Caine and Sean Connery, Raintree County with Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Eva Marie Saint and Quo Vadis with Peter Ustinov, Deborah Kerr and Robert Taylor. Hard To Kill Rated R Release Date — Wednesday You wish this was an anomaly, but the fact that “Hard To Kill” is one of the dumbest, most unbelievable films of this year and yet, also one of the most successful and popular, is unfortunately no black sheep. Moviegoers should be ashamed for seeing this garbage tale of a po lice officer ambushed and shot at his home, subsequently sent into a seven-year coma. New clod on the block, Steven Seagul, stars as the tough, but hated officer, Mason Storm, who we are led to believe is able to fully recoope rate from his seven-year coma in a matter of weeks. Once recovered, Storm of course sets out to avenge his shooting and the death of his wife. Coincidences conveniently pop up left and right, explaining the safe return of his as sumed dead son, and his previous assailants discovery that Storm is in fact not dead. Seagul is utterly awful aside from Video Spotligl Dead Calm Rated R If you're looking for suspens “Dead Calm” is the film for you Made by Kennedy/Miller, tl* same producers who gave us t? “Mad Max” trilogy, “DeadCalr is a film guaranteed toputyouc; JFaii the edge of your seat and ket {mag you there. Starring Nicole Kidman (“Da, Of Thunder”), Sam Neil Billy Zane, “Dead Calnfcoim a husband and wife on a sailu vacation at sea to recover fn the death of their baby, killed an auto accident. Things seem okay until the encounter a derelict vessel will one survivor (Zane) who tuns out to lx- loony-tunes. The husband gets strandedo; the derelict, and his wife is ducted in the other boat. Wt the wife struggles with a nud man, the husband must the sinking vessel and give chase T he best moments in “Dea; Calm” involve the madmai Played by Zane as some sort demented stand-up comic, is eree with nd lori ng i outi T1 ymg ack losi n de ctio njec pmi Lil hilar “Hea [an o logu< H; sepai limag creates a formidable adversar corp< for the other characters. his pi “Dead Calm" is a dvsturtm outsi but enjoyable film full of ® pense and definitely worth rm mg. Grade: B • DON ATKINSOKjl his martial arts routines, and hisloi interest (the utter heartbreak of! dead wife dispels real fast), KellyW Brock, is also a disgrace. Them lence is explicit and exploitative, plot unrealistic and the action repe; five. For those of you who haven't see) “Hard To Kill" — do yourselvesi 1 vor and don’t demean yousdfi» seeing it now. If you get off tow lence for violence’s sake, thanatlei go for the real thing and rentaCfc Eastwood flick. •JOHN RIGHTS Other Releases: The Dive, Raven Red Kiss-OS A Summer Story, Peacemaker Night of The Fox, Hanussen. Vietnam, Texas and Couraji Mountain in By J( Of Th - release date is July 25 forallfilmil Previewed videos and releas dates are courtesy of 2 Day Video. Youi Atlai ‘Quick Change’ amuses, lacks blockbuster luster Quick Change Starring Bill Murray, Randy Quaid, Geena Davis and Jason Robards Directed By Howard Franklin and Bill Murray Rated R drive anyone to crime. In fact,tilt point is driven home right at tht! start of the film with a clever siel gag- By DON ATKINSON JR. Of The Battalion Staff I have to admit I had high hopes that “Quick Change,” the new comedy starring Bill Murray, would be the first real blockbus ter of the summer. The 1990 summer movie sea son has been a dud. “Dick Tracy” didn’t live up to expectations, “Total Recall” wasn’t the box-of fice monster it was predicted to be and just about every other film released in the last two months has been a sequel. Ho-hum. Unfortunately, I have good and bad news about “Quick Change.” The good news: “Quick Change” is an entertaining film. The bad news: It won’t be the summer blockbuster I had hoped for. The reason is that “Quick Change” is a subtle film, full of clever writing and plot twists that will delight most audiences. The only thing holding this film back from blockbuster status is that it doesn’t have a lot of easy jokes and quick catch-phrases (“We came, we saw, we kicked ass!”) like Murray said in the mega-hit “Ghostbusters.” What “Quick Change” does have is a lot of really good acting, especially Murray, and an endless succession of hearty chuckles. Murray told Premiere mag azine he wanted “Quick Change” to be a film about New York. The main character, Grimm (Murray), is fed up with the city and com mits a robbery to vent his anger. On his way to the airport, how ever, the city retaliates and throws every obstacle imaginable at him and his cohorts. Murray succeeds in portraying New York as a city that could Quick Change” opens withal beautiful panoramic shot of the " city, but when the camera pull back, the audience realizes it was i: only a photograph on a subwai j billboard. As the camera contin : ues to move, the real New Yorl i becomes visible with passed-oui ? drunks and graffiti everywhere. Murray, dressed as a clown,sits in the midst of this scene looking like a man who no longer cares. He stares straight ahead with a dead expression on his face anda glaze in his eyes. From that point on, “Quid Change” involves the audiencein 66 Quick Change’is a subtle film, full of clever writing and plot twists that will delight most audiencei — without a doubt one of the best films I have seen this summer.” an intricate an teed to keei plot that is guar- ip anyone guessing. Ina ^ Geena Davis (“The Accidental Tourist” for which she won an os car), Randy Quaid and Jason Ro bards. As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that each character servesarl specific function in the film. Phyl | lis (Davis) is the emotional anchor, the character who gives the film human qualities that the audience can relate to. Loomis (Quaid) contributes to the overall chaos as a whining, panicky cry ; baby who is as burdensome as the city. Rotzinger (Robards) adds the suspense element by relent lessly pursuing the trio to the air port. “Quick Change” is without a doubt one of the best films I have seen this summer. Although not blockbuster material, it’s incred ibly enjoyable and should please most movie-goers, especially Murray fans. UFGC