Arts & Entertainment
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Tuesday, September 29, 1992
The Battalion
Reba McEntire
Singer dazzles
fans with
songs, fashion
By JULIE POLSTON
Reviewer of THE BATTALION
With a video screen, backdrop
changes every three or four
songs and a laser show to boot,
the Keba McEntire concert was
no ordinary country affair.
McEntire appeared on stage
Sunday night in her "modern"
country outfit— a concept
thought to be a contradiction in
terms until recently. Wearing a
glittering white coat with black
and silver sequin designs, black
pants, and of course, black boots,
she opened the main event with
"So Good, So Long."
McEntire greeted the fans
humbly.
"My name is Reba McEntire,"
she said as the crowd went wild.
"Really, it is!"
On upbeat songs like "Walk
On" and "Somebody Up There
Likes Me," her personality and
energy shone through as bright
as the blue and green lasers mat
danced across the stage.
McEntire performed several
love songs poised in a long white
gown in front of a white drapery
backdrop.
Her current album, "For My
Broken Heart," consists of a col
lection of "healing" songs deal
ing with failed marriages, neglect
and abandonment, and even
mercy killing.
"When 1 was looking for
songs for the album, I needed
songs that I could relate to, and
they were healing songs," she
told the audience.
McEntire introduced "The
Greatest Man," a song about a fa
ther/daughter relationship, by
saying, "One song touched my
DARRIN HILL/ The Battalion
Reba McEntire performed at G. Rollie White Coliseum Sunday
night. Brooks and Dunn opened the show.
heart from the very first time I
ever heard it."
McEntire entertained the
crowd with a personal side story
about her own relationship witn
her father, saying she was fortu
nate to still have her "daddy"
around.
Several times, the overhead
screen showed clips of McEn-
tire's film appearances to give
her time to cnange into her next
outfit.
After a scene from "The Gam
bler FV," McEntire sauntered out
on stage wearing black leather
duds with a gun belt around her
waist singing "Climb that Moun
tain High."
McEntire appeared in a gold
and black glitter turquoise top to
sing her rendition of Aretha
Franklin's "Respect."
McEntire paused partway
though the show to introduce
her band.
"If you want your dreams to
come true, you've got to have a
great support team," she said.
You've got to surround yourself
with people with the same
dreams."
After Mike Rojas jammed on
the keyboards, McEntire rhetori
cally asked the crowd, "I'm sup
posed to follow that?" as she be
gan to sing "Sunday Kind of
Love."
Saxophonist Joe McGlohon
did not receive the applause he
deserved after his outstanding
jazz solo. Unfortunately, this
country crowd was not up for
some good oT fashioned jazz
tunes.
McEntire began to wrap up
her performance about 10:30, but
her energy only intensified.
Wearing a fur coat and hat,
McEntire stepped through the
doorway of a shack set up on
stage and sang "Fancy," a song
about a young girl who made her
way out of poverty with the help
of her mother.
In the middle of the song,
McEntire threw off the coat and
hat and stunned the crowd with
a low-cut sparkling red gown.
The fans went wild, and with
good reason. The 35-year-old
country legend was a picture of
sophistication and grace.
The stage props and varied
costumes distinguished the per
formance from the stereotypical
country concert.
However, it was the talent,
energy and personality McEntire
radiated throughout the event
that made the show.
Page 3
'Sarofina!' shows
complex problems of
South African life .
By ANAS BEN-MUSA
Reviewer of THE BATTALION
"Sarafina!"
Starring Whoopi Goldberg,
Leleti Khumalo, John Kani, Mbon-
geni Ngema
Directed by Darrell James
Roodt
Rated PG-13
playing at Manor East III
The sounds of freedom in
"Sarafina!" should have been the
blues, not joyful, boisterous music
and dancing. But the acting was
wonderful and inspirational to
see.
"Sarafina!" summarizes the
events in the mid-70's uprising of
many junior high students in
Soweto.
The students protest the arrest
of their beloved teacher, Mary
Masembuko (Whoopi Goldberg),
and several students are killed by
South African police.
Director Darrell James Roodt
stuffs songs and dancing into the
plot to liven up the film. Although
the music and dancing are a part
of "Sarafina!," the transitions be
tween drama and music are never
smooth.
In fact, the dance and music
numbers distract from the movie's
powerful message.
For example, the English subti
tles in some of the musical scenes
distracted my attention from the
tone and emotion of the music.
A soundtrack would have cre
ated a better atmosphere than ac
tually having the characters stop
and sing the songs.
Yet, it was a courageous effort
to recreate "Sarafina!" on film.
Mirimax Films and Hollywood
Pictures hired the original writer
and composer of "Sarafina!,"
Mbongeni Ngema, to collaborate
in the screenplay edition.
Ngema collaborated with
Michael Peters to choreograph the
film.
It is a rare treat to see the film
companies sticking with the origi
nal cast and playwright. The audi
ence is allowed to see the sub
tleties of South Africa's plight
shown by South African actors.
Goldberg's role in the film is
minor. However, the few scenes
with Goldberg are exceptional. It
is obvious the studio hired her to
attract American audiences.
The true star of "Sarafina!" is
Leleti Khumalo, who re-creates
her stage role for the film. She
brings a sweet innocence to the
main character, Sarafina.
The audience gets to know
Sarafina through her thoughts,
which are narrated by her "inner
voice."
She addresses her inner
thoughts to Nelson Mandela, her
hero. To her, he represents the
hope for a free South Africa, and-
she confides her problems and as
pirations to him.
I loved being able to hear and
understand Sarafina's turmoil. It
gave a personal touch to the
complexity of South Africa's
plight.
Sarafina exemplifies the prob
lems of South Africa, which can
not be explained as simple
racism— not just black versus
white but trit>e versus tribe.
"Sarafina!" shows a glimpse of
the diversity of South African
people and their attitudes.
Ignore the subtitles and see the
real South Africa in "Sarafina!"
You might be shocked.
Q
0
Will your company grow as fast as you do?
Almost every company's recruiting ad promises you rapid growth. But before
making any decisions, ask them how fast they're growing. After all, you’re going to have
trouble moving up if your company isn’t.
Over the last five years, while economic conditions
tions, Andersen Consulting grew on the average of
20% per year.
Compare that figure to any other firm you’re con
sidering. It could be the difference between getting
ahead. And banging your head.
< C1 1992 Andersen Consulting. An equal opportunity employer.
have stalled many organiza-
Andersen
Consulting
ARTHUR ANDERSEN & CO., S.C.
To find out more about career opportunities
at Andersen Consulting, attend our information session
on Wednesday, September 36,1992
at the Memorial Student Center, Room 201.
5:30 - 7:30 pm - Casual Attire - Refreshments provided.
Andersen Consulting will interview all students interested in career
opportunities at our Job Fair on Thursday, October 1,1992,
8:30 am - 4:30 pm in the Memorial Student Center, Room 201.
No appointment necessary. No bid points required.
FREE SCREENING
Brought to you courtesy of
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
8:00 PM
RUDDER AUDITORIUM
sponsored by
MSC AGGIE CINEMA
TEXAS A&M, COLLEGE STATION
Seating is on a first come basis and not guaranteed.
Please arrive early to ensure a seat.
ACCIt
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