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SITE OF THE DAY xrio/vn/Wv Hr-ml It's a ro Androt \ - 4 ; >jUj^H Hv ^ Androeles (Terrance Henderson) warily pre of the lion (Jennifer Moody) in Theater USC' Low-Fat Menu Items Mastered the Ad 2030 Devine Street 799-0196 ETC ON WEDNESDAY _E taring g< des and the L li Ik f 1bPHhE^S^^ THEATER USC pares to remove a thorn from the paw s Androclea and the Lion. 1 muaKjusm not flutter/ House Spec t of Serving the Publi Delivery (PM only) and http://www.sc/ivepc . - . .* s-./T* Hp | i , r^, jsBk HttBtt ' NNi * *5? Music, CD reviews and let the g yf? wts.com WMBB II JL. lh ood pla ion meets wi LUCY ARNOLD Features Editor Unlike March, the Theatre USC production of George Bernard Shaw's Androcles and the Lion comes in like a lion and goes out in much the same way. In the first, enthralling moment of the performance, a lion leaps onstage and emits a wall-shaking roar at the audience. The production proceeds from there to bring humor, wit, tragedy and thought-provoking philosophy into the theater in two short acts. The plot revolves around the fete of a group of Christians who refuse to make a show of worshipping Roman gods. Because they refuse to worship as the Romans do, they will be thrown to the lions in the Roman Coliseum. In the group is Androcles, who, like Christ, apparently doesn't have a hurtful bone in his body?except when it comes to protecting animals. Androcles is in some ways comparable to animal rights activists today?although if s difficult to picture him splashing red paint uver minic coats. Shaw uses the example of early Christians to explain his own views of spirituality. Certainty his visionary Lavinia, one of the doomed Christians, spouts offloads of Shavian philosophy as she attempts to explain herself to the Roman "handsome captain." It is easy, however, to lose sight of the fact that Shaw is almost certainly comparing the Roman religion, not early Christianity, to Christianity today. Lavinia's speech about the Romans who don't even believe in their own religion and yet refuse her true spirituality is parallel to some of the empty ceremony in ialties ? ic I Take-Out ood times roll! y th success at I Christianity today. But naturally it is neither Lavinia's i spirituality, the captain's pragmatism nor < even the courage of the little Christian troupe < which forms the focal point of the play and ? steals the audience's hearts. That place is < reserved for the simple story of Androcles and 1 the lion. The first action of the play involves < ____________________ k Vital Information \ i Play: Androcles and the ! Lion ] Dates: March 21-29 1 Times: 8 p.m. (Tues.-Sat.) 3 p.m. (Sun.) Place: Longstreet Theater Androcles removing a thorn from the lion's paw. As in the popular fable, The Lion and ? the Mouse, this action has beneficial ] consequences later. ! The cast takes this plot and soars. In the 1 program notes, Jennifer Moody refers to the ' part of the Hon as a challenging role. This is < true, but it is also true that she conquers it and makes it her own. Moody is outstanding < with her lion movements and facial expressions. i With the help of costume designer Rebecca L Doeen and sound designer Rebecca R Richey, . she really is the heart of the show. What is se: The body's important... but the mind... oon be Simple Now Open in Five Poi jPPOTS? Street Mon. thru Sat. 10-6pn S ^L'Sn Dtljal Monday: $10 for an 18 Tuesday: 2 for 1 anythi i Wednesday: 250 1 top Thursday: Buy a 6-pac and aet a free 18' 2 tODDi (Not with any other special off Friday: Free slice of piz Happy Hour: 4-8p We now r JI pastas 749 Saluda Avenue I Five Feints I 758-0070 ) ?4 I've seen a lot more people using the whole PE center, especially since the aerobics studio was renovated and more equipment was added to the weight room. ? _? n Liiuiiii znurp fitness coordinator, Blatt PE Center * ,ongstreet Darius L. Jamison as Ferrovius steals ilmost eveiy one of his scenes. If everything dse about the play were mediocre (and it certainly is not) this play would be worth seeing because of Jamison. His back and forth emotional states and true inner torments are Doth hilarious and heart-breaking at times. Other nntehles emnncr the cast are Lisa 3nyder (Megaera) and Frank Maharajh ISpintho). Although Snyder appears only in the first scene as Androcles's wife, she is memorable. Next time Theatre USC puts on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, I hope they'll remember Lisa Snyder for the role. Maharqjh's wide-eyed floor-scuttling was funny at first, but it was he that brought tinges of tragedy to the play with his panicky final scene and his ultimate fate. And although I didn't go through every member of the cast, I could. They were all extraordinary. Longstreet's theater-in-the-round set up makes scenery a tricky venture at best, but Theatre USC usually comes through. Kim Jennings' first design at USC is quite successful. Particularly good was the lion's habitat in Act t. The gorgeous cloth tree lent the set exactly the right touch without being cumbersome. The set change in Act I was admirably carried off with humor. Richard Jennings orchestrates each aspect of this production seamlessly, and in the final analysis it just looked fabulous. Androcles and the Lion will playing at THEATER page 6 ?y? I Judge ^ I true, tby! ints u, 1, Sun. l-5pm 254-9488 j Come try these late night specials from 9pm' til nloQinnr? " 4 topping pizza with two drinks ng on menu (excluding drinks) ping slice of pizza k of Bud or Bud Lite for $10.50 ng pizza. ers) :za with every beer purchase m $1 slices with one topping nave saiaas, i, and subs! Monday-Wednesday 4pm-12am Thursday and Friday 4pm-2am Saturday 4-12am Customers must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol