The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 23, 1980, Page Page 10, Image 11
>.v
Actor Robert Blake portray
Workshop production 'A Da
Lincoln cc
By Nancy Young
oamecocx oxan wntor
Abraham Lincoln came to life
Friday night in the drama A Day
With President Lincoln al
Workshop Theatre. The one-man
show, a benefit for the theatre, was
a well-acted and intimate per
formance which resulted from
actor Richard Blake's years of
studying his subject.
The audience was transcended
through time as Blake recollected
the events which led Lincoln to the
Presidency, to the long Civil War
years and finally to November
1864. At that point, the audience
finds him contemplating his
second term in office. The atmosphere
was filled with an eerie
mood and a quiet suspense which
fell over the audience, for they
knew the sad fate of this great
optimist.
THE AUDIENCE was small but
well-receptive. Perhaps the
present troubled times made the
drama so appropriate and per
tinent.
A Day With President Lincoln
brought the message of patriotism
and optimism to an inflation weary
crowd. Like so many audiences
around the country which Blake
has played to. this Columbia
audience seemed ready and willing
to hear the life-like performance.
Unfortunately, even the small
Workshop Theatre was not filled to
capacity as it should have been.
Columbians never seem to appreciate
highly staged productions
which pomp to this tnvun ovoru cr?
often. It seems only an enthusiastic
few really support the arts in
Columbia.
Blake's Lincoln was the most
authentic portrayal to come ir
years ? on stage and on screen
Present of course, were the bearc
and hat but Blake added a twangy
Illinois accent quite similar to how
T i n/i^ln r? 11? /-?^1 A ft 4 ?*'
&JUH.W1U lairvcu. iVlclliy dL'lurS
Lincoln a sonorous baritone voice
? especially when reciting the
Gettysburg Address. Blake put the
right amount of the humbleness ir
Lincoln's voice. His voice was
slightly high and nasal sounding
but nevertheless powerful.
Another member of the audience
asked the President whether he
was frightened by the
assasination attempts on his life.
Earlier, he related a dream he
01 >ce had, he was in his bed upstairs
at the White House and was
woken up by crying. He went
downstairs and saw a funeral
procession "Who is dead?" he
asked a guard. "The President,
sir." the t/iiard replied. But Lin
,.^1, .1 '
v-wii n^vvi iuui\ uiij> uream 100
seriously and put it aside.
TOWARDS THE END, the
audience became a part of the play
when Blake, still in character,
asked that the lights he turned up
and answered questions from the
? audience. "Mr. President," one
person asked, "How do you plan to
reconstruct the South?" His an
John Parnell GAMECOCK
s Abraham Lincoln, in the
V with President Lincoln'.
>mes to life
swer was that he would do it
peacefully with "malice toward
none." One could not help but think
how much different history would
De naa ne lived a little longer.
i There has been so many articles
i and books written recently about
the "Real Lincoln" but this Lincoln
i was the good "ole honest Abe."
The Lincoln who shaped many of
the ideals of America. A Day With
President Lincoln was a shot of
patriotism in the arm. And we
needed it. m
{\\ WCOBNEll ARMS PMRMACY,//^
' is*?i> PHONE 799 1596 *
! SOPTIER A PtNOLETOW STS. COLUMBIA,S.C.
( )| H II 7. II 1) 1 >| II 11
Wo Cash Checks
FILM PROCESSING
IJ < \| > I II II ll Sj I <
| >nnl s i l< )\
- H \| ? I >1 ml s I
I.$i??'\|) i>ihii sr. (>??i
1 < \() ^il< l< M I '
It > < \I ) J I ' I
TAT'I I)!. IIyi? 111< i il sI. l
.s\|< i | i ii, n v^( 11 it i ii s ; _,i
I |
Wi; l'SI? KODAK I'AI'lvK |
BF.I:H specials
t'.i i< I t .111^. sJ.-M >
MOTHER'S DAY
MAY 11th
TAKE HER
WHITMAN'S
; Rj|?f?$l
HV^^^ThOCUU ATUS i'f. C OMKCTiOm ^
HALLMARKCARDS '
j I OR
MOTHER'S DAY
SUNT AN
PRODUCTS
| !<>% OH
HAWAIIAN I KOI'M
, COI'I'l'UIO.Mv
IIAIN DI-: SOI .I II
r \v<-(:<>sh < :h<*< ks
( )| Il'll7<llll < l| tl 11
| aims wiiwtvy I
' PHONE^OS- I59fi '
SUMUR A HNW.tlW STS. COLUMBIA, S.C.
i i i < < t ? i i i ' <
Coach
Jim
for
Questions 'N' I
Russell Hous<
TONIGHT at 7
Sponsored by your Stu<
and Ideas anc
-' r ': : -^-"'^- ^:: - -' -V / ?*y A^^!9LM?r A^HnSII^HIiMH^.^ >
- -, Mrj^ ;-.'J^'A ^J1 fWii^ 'iyr v .^xpj
i^-.j r , >^-v- <
SUNDAY. MAY 18
CAROLINA CO
Tirlm+C r\tr% rt
a ivrx^i^ %JI 1 Ol
All seats reserved: $12.50, $10.00, $8.50. Tickets
Oflice; Homefolk's, Augusta & Martinez; Riverbank
Musicland, Charleston; B.J. Music, Spartanburg; M
Taylor St. Pharmacy, Columbia; Carol's Records, Gr
Seaco Music, Sumter; Music Box, Chester; Soui
Florence. For mail orders send cashiers check or m
Office, RO. Box 11515, Capitol Station, Columbia 29
envelope. '
:"i"
Answers
? Patio
:oo pm
Jen t Government
I Issues
1-8:00 RM.
USEUM
lip nnu/ I
mii w I I V/ ?V
available at Carolina Coliseum Box i
Records, Augusta; Chain Reaction &
lyrtle Beach Stereo; Columbia Mall &
eenville; Williams Music. Orangeburg;
id Town, Greenwood; Libas Sound,
loney order to Carolina Coliseum Box
1211. Include stamped, self-addressed