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/ the gamecock E ntertainment October 1, 1984 ? Page 9 New York co fty Maria Baens Comedians are generously introspective. They draw from their own experiences to transform the ordinary to the funny and bizarre. By being absurd, they reflect truth. David Brenner, a fine comedian often featured on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," has written his first book, "Soft Pretzels with Mustard." It is a collection of anecdotes from his life in West Philadelphia, his family, his friends, his career as a documentary filmmaker and his rise to fame as one of America's foremost comedians. Ci rowing u p in a toug h neighborhood, Brenner found in his family an incredible source of humor. L aughter was an escape and he often shared it with his parents, Lou and Estelle and his older brother Mel. "Moby Dick." ONE MEMORABLE account tells of Estelle's bad cooking. Brenner wrote, "My father to this day insists that wc could've shortened World War II by at least two years if the Air Force would've dropped Mom's matzo balls on Germany." Lou also let action speak louder than words. One evening at dinner, Lou vainly attempted to slice a tough nippp of liver Fxasnernted. he not un. went down the cellar and returned with a linoleum cutter, a hammer and some nails. He then cut and nailed a peice of liver onto the sole of his shoe and sat in the living room with his leg crossed to drive home the point. Many critics have received Brenner's book favorably. Joan Rivers, his longtime friend, called it "wonderfully funny, yet personal." She even sent in her favorite photograph of the two of them. It (Despite good cinemi UAIUIU DIUC5 ldUM> ' ' . By Robert O'Connor Rob Lowe seems destined to becom Tiger Beat' hall of fame. Unfortunately/that statement hok reason ''Oxford Blues" fails with such j Agreeably, Lowe possesses a wholesorr age mat can assureaiy precipiuuc mc i\ prepubescent females, but a movie cant peal alone. "Oxford Blues" is heavily weigh monotonous, cliehed script. Anchored dull cast with average talent. Written and directed by Robert Bor models itself after the old Mickey Roc at Eaton," but the older film appar dusted off. Lowe stars as brash Nick D'Angelo, attendant with a oenchant for being r devious. His father insists that Nick is v film's beginning, but all Lowe's chara Lady Victoria ? a British socialite realize D'Angelo exists and seems h< reach. Leave it to a satisfied but lonely wid to reimburse Nick for his services, an Nick's school records, and his fan realization. Before any teenage girl disbelief for their hero, Lowe's ehara tage of John Darner's lovely ciriematc Oriel College. D'Angelo is immediately outcast but his attraction for the engaged lac Pays) prevails. With the gain of sup* dent Ally Sheedy and riel's rowing t< comes humiliation to find that; he wrong goals. In 90 minutes, "Oxford Blues" atl -? ?/ r limy UCSpHJftUlC UtIVUIC VI* JUUVTt i> v???i misjudgements with a sappy, sewed Blues" is a lesson in contrived pk resolvement. ! "Oxford Blues" is an exquisitely fi English countryside and way-of-Hfe \ on an otherwise poor film. Boris* idea but it is ruined with only small h character lowe portrays wades his w too easily, making his sheer preser Ireamy, "Oxford Blues" might have work flat on its extremely unrealistic face. median's auti shows the two of them in a car with the windshield completely obliterating Brenner's lace. HE ANI) his old childhood friends have remained close. Barry "Beb" Black and Edward "Dee-dee" Romoff wrote the preface for the book despite the many misadventures told about them. Brenner as a teenager was a proctininiic nr!icl ip!il inlpr Hie fripuHchinc u,b,uu'' I" -...,,.. stood the test of time and torture. He once told a white lie for Beb who backed out of a double date at the last minute. The next time Beb encountered the girl, she screamed and fainted, thinking that he had come back from the grave. In a trek to Atlantic C*ity, Brenner and the gang Mad one ot them, Joe, convinced that he had slept for 15 hours instead of just a half of an hour. BELIEVING IT really was morning and seeing it was growing very dark, Joe thought he \sas going blind. He started to scream hysterically on the boardwalk till an irked stranger yelled that it was 9 p.m. 4'Dvino nn the Rpnrh" is a colorful recollection that accurately sounds like any 13-year-old boy's account of a favorite beach game: War. Brenner wrote, "one of the most prestitious award achievement of the war was dying the best ? sort of an Academy Award for acting." One such dying act was colorfully depicted : "Only Bernie 'The Buzzard' Lazowick was killed before hitting the beach. He floated face down right up to the shoreline, an excellent example of dying, had he not gotten concerned about sand getting in his horn-rimmed glasses and sat up. There are also some sad stories. His Jtography, Clirtc maSkm * VUIIWIII J Act I e a member of the Is the key to the B J( K ? grandiose expertise. ? " le and innocent im- You would gues >mantic longings of One Theater's cur u>t stand on sex ap- Davis, is a firm b( ited down With a ? ne piay, wnici to this is a relatively opened because C dent, the part of h is, "Oxford Blues" enough, the heatii mey film, "A Yank ently has not been While Quick wa a Las Vegas parking wait. tide, obnoxious and vasting his life at the NOW, QUICK icter can focus on is Mark Dolson and who does not even heater in Septemh apelessly out of his "Mass Appeal' ow (Gail Strickland) loving and witty y d a friend to falsify | Mark Dolson, the tasy moves toward nuence 01 cnurcn can utter officials - panic graphy at England?^ Mark learns th; own Mercedes, d< fWjiijl Ptcrsl between the two I* Wt<fcmmand# "verbal acrobatic x>rt from'fettp*/^; ''self. ^^carching(<for?j|? Though Farley * is PerhaPs on :empt$ to redeem the succumbed to a acter and shadow his stopped fighting ?m ending. "Oxford liis only "friends ,rr ? ?t and unbelieveable MARK CONS ilmed movie, with the amusing, yet son shedding a lovely not are good, but wh< i is initially intriguing, ol God or to ? - ~ against all that h ints ot realism, me ay through lift much . 11 1S clear> 11(1 ice an unfair ode to tenderemotions; ' 1 IllBHIK ct\ hnf it cirrmlv falls acl 'Mi'ier 1 arle ?o\cr learned a mu bum I Mil I Hi nil H ii lesson. ibiography ma favorite cousin Susan died at the age of 12. A playmate in a game called "Cops and Robbers" really became a robber and died in a shoot-out. On manv nc casions, life was tough for the young Brenner, but he knew he had a way out. BRENNER WENT to Temple University inspired by his family, gang and one teacher. Miss Abromowitz, his biology teacher, told him to "channel his energies and be somebody." He graduated with honors and worked for Westinghouse Broadcasting. He made several award-winning documentaries including one on the inadequacies of the welfare system. His work biought him in contact with a budding journalist named Tom Snyder, director Ingmar Bergman, actors Liv Ulmann and Max Von Sydow and I V host Merv urn nth. It is not clear when Brenner decided to become a comedian. With precious photographs of his childhood, he looks back at his roots with gratitude. He provides an insight into the development of his comedic craft. Although he could have been less self-congratulatory, he drives a sienifi cant point across: He beat the system. He arose from poverty with the help of people who were either willing or unwilling participants in his struggle for success. The book is a comedic look at life on the wrong side of the tracks and the workings of a humourous mind. The anecdotes are real and truthful with a V-?i*-* omH.nntnrpri rvnacism. He wrote "1 hope my book is like its title, one of my favorite treats, different, yet good-tasting, easily digested a little piece at a time." It is a tough act to follow. iin nail A 19 VMBB 's 'Mass Appeal' s that Jim Quick, director and star of Act rent production of "Mass Appeal" by Bill Miever that "the show must go on." h was to be presented last January, never )uick was involved in an automobile acciis co-star had to be recast, and if this wasn't ig system was broken. is recuperating, Columbia audiences waited }ne's second attempt. It was well worth the is better, Mark Shelley has taken the part of the theater doesn't have to worry about the ler. ' is the story of Father Tim Farley, a funet sensitive priest at St. Francis Church, and idealistic youth who is appalled by the inpolitics and the behavior of several church ularly Father Farley. at behind closed doors, priests do swear, do 3 drink and do go to the races. What ensues characters is an hour-and-a-half session of ;s," with each scene becoming an event in appears comfortable with his position, Mark ly one who sees the truth: Father Farley has (.vuimii hp once desnised himself, but who in order to keep the closeness of what were ISTKNTI \ patronizes Farley's behavior in letimes ver ions ways. Mark's intentions ;ther he > be a priest to teach the word le the pulpit a- means of taking a stand e ItTM'lllS 1> Ml- v Ml . wcver, tli i' vharactors are harboring mrl incpiMi , ti1 cm- ist'd in the second y ha tiui^'.r >\o;:> 1 his life, but has most cruci< ! c is . >ut to learn that ikes 'tasty treat' I niviil Rronnor 1/tl* III MlVIII1VI Sort Fret/els with Mustard * mmm^ it-. mSg3SBB& ilBys- j ' . mSSHr f M J M | I | | I, I i I ^BHPHHIi^^BBRilHHBBiMBaHr i 'tflHIIIIHH^^HBI Booking it Comedian David Brenner's new book "Soft Pretzels with Mustard" is an autobiography about how he got into the comedy business. The work is a rags to riches story and includes interesting anecdotes about Brenner's family and friends. nffprs nrpflt nlnt artinn w W WM li |t# I W li f M W kll 1^ This production is worth going to see just what Father Farley learns and what he decides to do with his life. Quick is very believable as Farley. His portrayal is crystal ; clear, and the audience can truly see the inner weakness of , Farley ? even when he delivers the most humorous lines. f Quick adds a very likable boyishness to the role, and the au- , dience quickly identifies with him. SLIGHT PROBLEMS occur in the first act, however, when Quick and Shelley are together. This may have been an offnight for Shelley, but he appeared sluggish at times opposite Oniric who is so eood that- the audience mav not be as apt to take the side of the young man. We are not sure whether he truly believes what he is fighting for, and it is obvious that Mark Dolson must be a fiery youth 3 with clenched fists and a strong will. At times, we have to see how Dolson feels not through Shelley's portrayal but through the director's words. By the second act, however, Shelley appeared quite comfortable as Dolson, and the character begins to shine. Though the show has only two people in the cast, Quick and < Shelley keep with the tight pace and never let the audience out of their grasp. Much credit goes to the skillful directing of Quick and the producing of Linda Teal. rHAHMF AI MOMVS set is verv cnod. He has iuxtanos ed Farley's office with the church ? the link is a stained-glass window that serves as a part of the decor for both locations. Joe Futral's lighting is perfect. It is neither too simple nor too lavish, and the blue hues used above the pulpit and the office add the right touch. THIS SHOW captures the magic and talent ot two individuals and is well worth the time. If you are interested m Catholicism or religion, this production is a wonderfully ample of the theatre arts. The show was well put together and well performed. Noi only are the characters real and understandable, but they draw the audience into the plot in their discussions of the modem world. "Mass Appeal" deserves the hold-over this 1 liday a: Saturday, October 5-6. it is well worth the ticket puce. For reservations, call Act One Theater at 796-7550. ?