Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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-enterto | :::^^'jsSK n^j&sssS////-- ^RjdOHBB 1 HK!l& aMMi I ' ~--' MWa l(. i - Jl.' i " -" mi R#tJ' r ~ -f-- ~ _ =_ jr HP^ij [^ HHKgp Arnolpha (Rich Berg) wai continued to visit Agnes in Resigning to Theat Cy John Vaughan "I decided that if I wa start a department, I wai excellence (as a standi Department of Theatre ar "And I mean that, rea cellence and then don't d point in having just anot because God knows, ther country." Strong words from a str to begin a USC theater de after doing something abo THE 44-YEAR-OLD I become chairwoman o) Communication and Thea more than 1,000 underg television, film, theater ai When Gillespie accepte courses were taught unde English ; there was one th speech. About four years after she said, dance was ta department and formec department. At the outset, the fled slowly," according to Oil urging us immediately to degree) and a B.F.A. (a didn't think either the stu to attract at that time, or i to attract at that time, wa degrees. "THE YEAR before las I think we're ready for the have a fine faculty and a g "The quality of the stu< enormous transformation here, both at the underg Gillesoie said. M "I think in part that's a i part it's a changing reput university, and a chang .allows us to recruit people ilnment ^ -Jr.\- ^l^i-^BrV-, ils in frustration when he learns Horai "The Amorous Flea." chair program at M er departmi s going to have the opportunity to nted to start a department that set ird)," said Patti Gillespie, USC id Speech chairwoman. lly. A lot of people talk about exlo anything about it. I didn't see a her mediocre theater department, e are hundreds of those around the ong woman. Gillespie, hired in 1974 partment, is leaving the university lit such excellence. Centucky native has resigned to f the University of Maryland's iter Arts Department, which boasts raduates and programs in radio, nd speech. d the USC post, theater and speech r the auspices of the Department of leater director, but no one handling her department was established, ken from the physical education 1 a a oroeram in th<> thpjitar Igling department "moved rather llespie. "A number of people were get an M.F.A. (master of fine arts i bachelor of fine arts), but I just dent body that we got or were able the faculty that we had or were able rranted either of those professional it, we got both of those degrees, and ;m now. We have a good facility, we ;ood student body," she said. lent body has really undergone an i in the eight years that I've been raduate and the graduate level,"' national phenomenon, but I think in ation of the department within the [ing reputation nationally, which from outside of South Carolina and mmmammmmtmmmmmmmnmmmm takes h v Hfl. ~~i~ Wm? ^f:-~ i " JiHH! MKv IPHI r K| fc'. *fw Photo by Chip Lowell :e (Henry Cabaniss) has idiyidiiu ent found 1 7JL "The Amorous Flea" is the last compete favorably with some said. One of Gillespie's primary been her belief that universit artistically educational an formances, for performers ai must balance proven enterfc perimentation, she said. "THE TRICK is to do them I'm never sure we do that ?. people. It's a very difficult que igh-handedni By John Vauphan "That's the silliest thing I've ever seen." As far as stage productions go, USC's presentation of "The Amorous Flea," playing at Drayton Hall, is surely the silliest 1L.! t umig uus reviewer nas ever seen. The show, a musical adaptation of Moliere's "School for Wives," is not selective in its silliness. From opening line to closing curtain, "The Amorous Flea" is high-handed nonsense, which is perfectly fine. The university production, though, often carri s such "high-handedness" beyond any respectable definition. MOST OF THE show's flaws should be shouldered by director Connie Blankenship, who simply doesn't quit while she's ahead; some of the gimmick repetition and recurring slapstick soon loses its general appeal. Briefly, "The Amorous Flea" concerns Arnolphe (Rich Berg), an aging dandy trying to rear a young, vivacious girl named Agnes (Laura Johns) as the perfect wife. He has her sheltered and schooled in ignorance, taught to respect her "master." Conflicts arise when a young lothario named Horace (Henry Cabaniss) woos the innocent airhead away from Arnolphe, who assigns his inept servants to guard Agnes against the younger man's advances. Director Blankenship chooses to display the servants' ineptitude by allowing them to careen around the stage like a pair of Keystone Cops and knock each other down incessantly, uariy on, tins is humorous, and even later, when left to the actors (Lucinda Hamrick as Georgette and George Nannarello as Alain) it still got a chuckle. But blocking that conveniently positions Hamrick and Nannarello to be knocked over by Berg's sweeping gesture at the climax of "March of the Vigilant Vassals" is predictable and unfunny. ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT is the decision to give gaudy lisps to not only the ler discusses p JJHi ^X-' \ '-'- - -- - . k- -" Z l " JHi HHShS Photo by Hm Hetdfer; theater department program produced under chaira quite respectable schools,'' she 4 'The tendem for the educatic goals for the department has ve^proud of " ty theater shoald present both ^ ' d purely entertaining per- A good balai id audiences. The department cems is made r ainment with educational #>v. draw in thp n popular or artii Last year's i in the right proportion ? and Colored Girls and to do them with the right Rainbow Is E jstion. . ! 3ss too far j star-crossed lovers, but their parents as well. The ingenuous and bubble-headed Agnes might have been well-suited for the comically overdone impediment ? it provides some interplay with Arnolphe ? but it becomes too silly when applied to four characters. Besides, it's not all that easy to stick with, and both Johns and Cabaniss are somewhat inconsistent in their efforts to remain "twue" to form. The play is not without merit; Allen Smith's costumes provide a great deal of fun. . Made of silk and satin fabric of rich, bright colors, the costumes are glittery and appealing. Arnolphe's regalia is artful and ludicrous, with a royal purple motif, jesterlike scoop sleeves and various personal trinkets hanging from colorful telephone cords. Susan Gratch's set adds a cheerful, storybook atmosphere while remaining functional and quite durable. AS ARNOLPHE, Berg almost singlehandedly keeps the show moving. His laugh and droll mannerisms lenri Arnnlnho a lovable, foppish quality one might associate with Herman Munster of the old TV series, "The Munsters." Berg hams it up and seems to have a great deal of fun; yet his character definition seems right on target for the production's intent. Hamrick and Nannarello also get to have fun ? too much fun, at times. As mentioned, the slapstick schtick is overdone. But Hamrick especially is at least fun to watch. She is expressive facially and vocally, moves with confidence and lends a fine singing voice to the show's overall musical weakness. The last complaint is partially rooted in the play itself. The musijal numbers in "The Amorous Flea" are mere ditties with abrupt endings, and few are memorably Dorrf orirl V* w.? ? ? ilkVAWUV* XJVl ^ QUU V/dUdUldd lid VC cl IilCt! duet in "Man Is a Man's Best Friend," and Johns has a sweet version of "The Other Sm 'Play,' page 13 last, future 'Oman Patti Gillospie. -yls always to go for the box office instead of >n, and I think that's a real mistake. There are ve been very proud of, and some I've been not she explained. lpp hptui(Min k/i.f ?rr: i 1 n 1 ? . , " WA anu euucauunai tuiinore difficult, Gillespie said, because a show's oiumbia area, whether the show is deemed itically significant, is unpredictable. production of the experimental, lyric "For Who Have Considered Suicide / When the nuf" sold out every night plus a,holdover Sm 'GHtetpk' 14