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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 1990)
The Battalion Page 5 ^Thursday, September 13, 1990 ^nilater pumps up ‘ yolume, teens pi latest movie By CAROL GLENN Being a teen-a^er sucks,” Mark says. “That’s the point. You have to Toe strong to survive it.” ■This is the concept of the provocative new movie “Pump Up the Volume” which concentrates on the ■xieties of high school teenagers. ■Christian Slater (known for his roles in “Young ■ins II” and “The Legend of Billie Jean” plus nu- «rous TV specials) portrays the riveting character Murk. BMark has recently moved from New York to Ari zona where his father has accepted the position of ■tool commissioner. ■Trying to make the transition easier, Mark’s father Hys him a shortwave radio so that he can commu- ■cate with his friends back in New York. Due to the Kk of listeners, Mark gives up and instead uses the ■dio to produce his own local radio show. Bfle turns on the knobs every night at 10 and uses ■e radio to voice his thoughts on sex, teachers, par- ■ts, suicide and school. HUsing a unique perverse style and an original call ■me, “Happy Harry Hard-On,” he entertains his lis tening audience with progressive, obscene rap music. ■ By day he is a shy, self-conscious, lonely high ■hooler; by night he is a wild, crazy and outspoken discjockey. ■ The majority of the teen-agers at the school listen tahim, and he ends up becoming some sort of leader or god to them. T he teens look up to him. They listen ulhim and do what Happy Harry says. Little does he ■tow the impact he has on other teen-agers’ lives and tht extent of his listening audience. ■ It’s not until a suicide occurs that Happy Harry re sizes the power he possesses. He contemplates taking his show off the air, until a female friend, Nora (Sa- ■antha Mathis), encourages him to continue broad- ■sting and to disclose the corruption that exists in the school system. ■ As Happy Harry says, “Truth is a virus. Talk Bird.” I The parents and school administrators of the com- ■unity want Happy Harry taken off the air. They ■ink he is gaining too much power in the minds of He teen-agers, but Mark continues airing his pro- Bam. I This movie is amazing. Nearly everyone in the au- gjlience will be able to relate to this plot. Mark rep- Bsents an attitude everyone in high school would like to possess, but it’s just not accepted by society. I We are taught to be conformists not unique indi viduals. I Mark inspires the teen-agers to stand up, be Bunted and to take action against the wrongs in the Bciety. ■ Too often individuals get slapped down when try ing to correct the problems in this world. A perfect wample of this is the recent 2 Live Crew controversy, ■here our conservative society attempts to abridge lour freedom of speech and of the press. I The movie’s soundtrack includes music by Con- Bete Blonde, Soundgarden, Peter Murphy, and the Howboy Junkies. They are perfect selections for this pnovie. They make your foot start tapping and gives §eaudience the urge to stand up and speak out in so- M| c iy (kind of like the inspiration you get from “The fjjlHyeof the Tiger” in “Rocky IV”). ■ This movie is rated “R” for its partial f rontal nudity B’d the extensive use of profanity that laces nearly isses, says slier every scene. th other peoyfcB While watching this motivational and inspiring than running tlfilm, you know that teen-agers will always be faced e says. Bhh traumatic experiences. It’s all part of growing ? also feels sai pp. Puberty and adolescence are just phases you have group of cyclisijto live through. riend and I wei As the movie points out, “So be it.” in the even::.! Theater Focus: aggie CP lay el's Company opens season with tale of comic couples By JOHN MABRY In the face of today’s rising gaso line prices and 60-cent cokes, the Aggie Players’ production of “Non Si Paga! Non Si Paga! (We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!)” is a partic ularly appropriate season opener, premiering tonight at 8 in the Blocker Fallout Theater. The play, written by Italian play wright Dario Fo, is a political farce. It deals with two Communist Italian working-class couples who struggle against the skyrocketing cost of put ting food on the table. How obsti nate Giovanni, his scheming wife Antonia and their friends Luigi and Margherita juggle their money al lows for the play’s comedy. The play was first performed in 1974 in Milan. An English transla tion was performed in New York in 1979 as a demonstration against the U.S. government’s denial of a visa for Fo because of his leftist political leanings. “Our whole purpose is to under stand how other people think and feel,” director Dr. Michael Green- wald, professor of theater arts, said. “We’re not advocating Commu nism, just as we don’t support a monarchy over a democracy when we perform a Shakespeare play, which, by the way, was something that Shakespeare believed in... Many of the aspirations of the characters are things we agree with... I’m sure there are a lot of things in the play even the most conservative Aggies can relate to.” Sophomore theater arts major John Flores said, “It’s not really po litical. It’s about people being fed up with other people jacking up prices. The fact that they’re Communists has nothing to do with it.” “Even though it politically arouses you, it really is a purely entertaining piece that uses a lot of the old vaude- villian style,” assistant director Mary Ellen Brennan, senior theater arts major, said. “The play is like one long T Love Lucy’ episode,” junior theater arts major Christie Vela O’Connor, who plays Antonia, said. “Everyone’s had a great time adding lines and little comic bits during the rehearsal proc ess. Some are cheap gags, but they’re really funny.” “If this were T Love Lucy’,” my character would be Ethel,” senior theater arts major Lanell Pena, who plays Margherita, said. “I let Anto nia boss me around, so I’m more of an accomplice than the instigator.” Unlike the typical four-week re hearsal period for Aggie Players shows, Non Si Paga! Non Si Paga! was only three weeks in the making. “On one hand it’s been very in structional,” Greenwald said. “We’ve had to make some very quick choices, which is typical of the real world, where time is money. The ac tors have had to come in so focused because they knew they were under the gun.” “The cast are directors them selves,” Brennan said. “They make it so easy for me because they have such good instincts and take direc tion so well...I can say with all hon esty that something new comes up at every single rehearsal.” Pena said that “Non Si Paga! Non Si Paga!” should be just as much fun for the audience as it is for the ac tors. “It’s a very energetic show,” she said- “We’ll probably wear out the audience before the night is over. There’s a lot of slapstick kind of hu mor that people may not be used to- seeing.” Other cast members include A1 Alford, senior theater arts major from Belton as Giovanni, and jon Burke, senior theater arts major from College Station as the man-of- all-faces. In addition to tonight’s opening- performance, “Non Si Paga! Non Si Paga!” will be performed on Sept. 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 in the Fallout Theater in Blocker 144. Two matinees will be performed on the 15th and 22nd at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 for the general public and $4.00 for students. For information and reservations, call the Rudder Box Office at 845-1234. Photos by Sondra N. Robbins (Above right) Antonia (Christie Vela O’Connor) displays her gro ceries for her friend Margherita (Lanell Pena). (Right) Giovanni (Al Alford) explains finance to his wife Antonia. flat along a I was fixing!: burban drove a re all right. Til lecture us itr g alone.” er laughs abet says she'll net o again, e says, the recreation! so many (hone h to participai use for studen nd stay in shapt cher paper till wall,” she said ip for differet: lew ones on tin vail in theentrS .5 to be the btf’ > oing to havetf jght. last year* r. he Year Await; 'ement andrtr and Eppriglt- ✓mg down. | ridv Gesellsait jg a barbecue,: *n open hout lanned foi tfct op priority, j : lore quality at • vone can get! starting will; *en floor acti v <i Herein halls. juniors, Gesd rmpus becatis ’lasses, and hf ; *11. ri out I live f ►h wow. Thai ned. “It’s net 5. I wouldn' ; J.” tion about li' campus hors s Hall Assooi ■ WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS Panjandrum plays at Front Porch tonight Following Ten Hand’s sellout show last week. Houston’s Pan jandrum, another funk-based band, provides the dance and groove entertainment at the Front Porch Cafe tonight. Panjandrum (pictured left) re turns to Bryan-College Statioq af ter several shows this spring and summer at the Front Porch and Waivers. The group has benefitted from the exposure of opening for Ten Hands, and were awarded sec ond-place this spring for Best Ur ban-Contemporary Band in the “Public News” reader’s poll, an al ternative magazine in Houston. Admission for tonight’s show is $5. For more information, call the Front Porch Cafe at 846- LIVE. Texas singer releases new tape Saturday Folk-blues performer Dana Cooper is releasing his latest tape, Something's Gotta Give, to Bryan-College Station Saturday night at the Front Porch Cafe. Cooper, a veteran of the Texas club circuit, established himself while performing with Shake Russell. Together, Russell and Cooper spearheaded the folk and blues network in Houston in the late ’70s and early ’80s, culminat ing their effort with a trio of re leases for MCA/Southcoast. Cooper and Russell split seve ral years ago to pursue solo ca reers, but perform together on occasion. Still tied to the Texas circuit, Cooper is hoping something gives and that his perseverance pays off. Regardless, Cooper delivers folk and blues at its best. Admission for Saturday night’s show is $6. For more informa tion, call the Front Porch Cafe at 846-LIVE. Latin American musicians perform Sunday Los Folkloristas, a Latin Amer ican musical group, will perform in the Rudder Theater Sept. 16. More than 100 instruments help form the music of Los Folkloristas, which refers to its collection as a “valuable cultural heritage and most cherished tool.” The instruments have been gathered by the group from over a dozen countries during the group’s 25 year history. Formed in 1966 in Mexico City, the seven-member group of singers and musicians has mas tered a variety of musical styles. Their instruments, along with their music, have been obtained through first-hand studies in the countries of Latin America. Group members spent countless hours with village elders and re gional masters of local styles to capture the historical music. Often a piece is saveu irom ex tinction through the group’s ef forts to locate that “last old camp- esino,” who still sings the music his grandfather taught him. Among the instruments the roup uses are guitars, violins, utes, drums, rasps, rattles and reeds. The more unusual items in clude a water drum from the Ya- qui Indians of Northern Mexico. The instrument is actually a large gourd that has been hollowed and floats in a tub of water. When struck with a rubber-wrapped stick, it produces a very deep bass sound. Sponsored by the MSC’s Com mittee for the Awareness of Mex- ican-American Culture, the group will take the stage at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the Rud der Tower Box Office. For more information about the program, call 845-1515.