University of South Carolina Libraries
ft THEY SAID IT “Acting is merely the art of keeping a pa jq large group of people from coughing” ^ SIR RALPH RICHARDSON Wcdncsd^yj rcbru^ry 23^ 2005 actor PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Theatre South Carolina will perform the Tony Award-winning play "Dancing at Lughnasa” beginning Friday through March 5 at Longstreet Theatre. USC theatre and graduate students will portray the five unmarried sisters living together in 1930s Ballyberg, Ireland. Friel mixes tragedy, triumph By JENNIFER FREEMAN THE MIX EDITOR on’t let the confusing title scare you away from seeing the, show. The pronunciation of “Dancing at Lughnasa” is easier than it seems - Loo-nay-sa. Theatre South Carolina will continue its season with this Tony Award-winning Irish drama Friday through March 5. The drama, a fictionalized version of author Brian Friel’s childhood, is set in Ballyberg, Ireland, in the 1930s and follows the story of five unmarried sisters living together. In a series of vignettes during Lughnasa, the Celtic harvest festival, the family’s inner workings are brought to light. “It is a story of coming of age and discoveries. It is very relevant, with beautiful language. It is a story of hardship and heartache, but also of dreams,” said Jim Hunter, artistic director of the theatre department. “This is an ensemble piece,” said Tim Gardner, director of USC’s production, in a news release. “The sisters share with each other and the ones they love. A sharp word is followed by forgiveness; a reproach becomes a prelude to a song or a cup of tea. It’s often funny and touching.” “Dancing at Lughnasa” was made into a movie in 1998 starring Meryl Streep, but Hunter said audiences should check out the Longstreet production, as well. “It’s better!” Hunter said. “What’s wonderful about this story on the stage is that you have the emotion and the conflicts happening right there with you.” Hunter said “Lughnasa” is a great first-time Longstreet experience. “The audience surrounds the stage on three sides, so the action is happening right there in your face. You have a connection with the story that you just don’t get in the movie.” Performing in the Theatre South Carolina production of “Dancing at Lughnasa” is a combination of undergraduate theatre students Meghann Marty, Patrick Williams and Nicol Cabe; graduate theatre students Bethany Ford, David Britt and Marybeth Gorman; and April Kreskin, a recent alum. Gardner’s previous work includes the docudrama “Litde Man” and the animated film “I Promise” about life as an autistic child. He has directed, written or acted in more than 100 productions. His credits include the “Elvis Miniseries,” “The Young and the Restless” and many national commercials. Gardner has “It is a story of hardship and heartache, but also of dreams.” JIM HUNTER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE THEATRE DEPARTMENT directed “The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite” and “Always, Patsy Cline” at the Trustus Theatre. He is also the director and partner of Columbia’s Mad Monkey video production company. Authored by Friel, the play won the New York Drama Critics Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Olivier Award. Also a writer of short stories and screenplays, Friel is one of Ireland’s most renowned playwrights. His plays have been performed at Abbey Theatre, London’s West End and Broadway. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday and March 5. Tickets are $10 for students; $12 for USC faculty and staff, military and senior citizens; and $14 for the general public. To contact the box office, call 777-2551. Comments tm this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu CD REVIEW Beep Beep horns in on Omaha scene “Business Casual” Beep Beep ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By PATRICK A. AUGUSTINE THE GAMECOCK A few years ago, the mention of Omaha, Neb., wouldn’t have elicited breathy sighs of contentment from indie kids across America. However, with the breakout of Omaha-based Bright Eyes and its label, Saddle Creek, the totfai that progress forgot has become a legitimate outpost of music literati. Now, Saddle Creek has a diverse stable of artists, from the neo-folk Bright Eyes to ‘80s keyboard revivalists The Faint. With the addition of the electronic art-rock band Beep Beep, the label can claim to be something other than a Midwestern escape for artists trying to reinvent existing genres. Nearly every member in Beep Beep’s lineup has ties with the Omaha scene — bassist Joel Peterson plays with The Faint, vocalist Chris Hughes played with Conor Oberst in The Magentas, and drummer Mike Sweeney also swings sticks for Criteria, a side project with Cursive’s guitarist Steve Pedersen. Only guitarist Eric Bemberger has no obvious links to the sometimes incestuous music scene that Saddle Creek cultivates, but collaborated with Hughes for two years before taking on Sweeney and Peterson to record “Business Casual.” This cross-pollination between artists certainly yields impressive results on Beep Beep’s freshman effort, and the influence of bands like XTC and Arab on Radar is clear in their sound and lyrical subject matter. A driving attack of dense guitars and dark cymbals does its best to cover the post-punk wailed delivery that is Hughes’ signature. It’s a shame considering the band wades through cultural commentary of the most explicit nature. In doing so, abandoning the Desaparecidos’ poetic take on suburbanites for more of a punch in the gut to sexual morays and office life. While label-mates The Faint are probably the closest thing sound-wise to Beep Beep, the latter trades The Faint’s keyboards for a dual guitar approach that makes for danceable art-punk that never lets up during the album’s 27 minutes. In one sense, the fog of their recorded effort betrays the 12 days spent in the studio with AJ Mogis, and simultaneously promises a life sonic assault that will leave concert-goers with ringing ears and tired legs. None of the songs are much over three minutes, and like listening to The Locust, it’s hard to imagine how the band will fill a headlining set with anything other than a dense wall of sound. On “Business Casual,” Beep Beep is at its strongest during tracks like “Misuse their Bodies” ♦ Please see BEEP BEEP, page 11 PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Matt Heath, Carmen Keigans, Bryan Gibson and Brian Whitman make up the female-fronted alternative rock group I Nine. The band incorporates electric cello and thoughtful songwriting for its unique sound. I Nine uses Facebook craze to broaden college fan base By TIFFANY CAROFFINO THE GAMECOCK First, USC had Hootie & the Blowfish, now I Nine. Another Gamecock band is hitting the scene, this time with a more innovative approach to musical styling and publicity. I Nine is comprised of four members: Carmen Keigans, Brian Whitman, Bryan Gibson and Matt Heath. Whitman calls the band “acoustic alternative rock” and compares its sound to Charleston’s Jump. The members met at USC in September 2003 and formed the band Isle 9. Unfortunately, this name was taken, so they changed it to I Nine. The name stuck, and is quickly becoming a well-known entity around campus. A couple of the members’ friends got together and created a Facebook group to help them gain some publicity. What began as a joke is now a group with more than 1,000 members. Whitman said the first 300 members were the hardest to get, and after that it was easy for I Nine to work its way into the profiles of USC students. Austin Lindsay, a first-year advertising student, said she joined the group without knowing anything about them. “They invited me into their ♦ Please see I NINE, page 11 MOVIE REVIEW ‘ Constantine' one hell of a ride “Constantine” Starring Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By GABRIELLE SINCLAIR THE GAMECOCK John Constantine, the title character of the new comic-book inspired, angel-and-demons trip down apocalypse lane, is damned, and by his own doing. In a successful suicide attempt as a teenager trying to escape his own mind, he committed the worst of all mortal sins. And though brought back to life two minutes later, he’s going to have to pay. And soon. Being damned to hell is bad enough without having to know about it, and so this is Constantine: exorcist, smoker, damned soul, frustrated Catholic. He sees demons. He’s seen and felt the face of hell. He’s bitched to Gabriel the aijgel. He’s pathetic and he’s dying from lung cancer. Faith isn’t really much of an option for Constantine. Even his one-liners are bitter, even weak. Keanu Reeves, last seen as Diane Keaton’s boy toy in “Something’s Gotta Give” and before that as the iconic Neo in “The Matrix,” plays the self serving savior just right. Constantine was born with a gift. He can see “half-breeds,” half-demons and half-angels who live and work on* the normal plane of reality as emissaries of their respective masters. He can also see full demons, who DAVID JAMES/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Keanu Reeves plays John Constantine, a world-travelling, mage like misfit who investigates supernatural mysteries in "Constantine.” sometimes break the rules by crossing over on to the normal plane. Constantine takes it upon himself to “deport” these demons back to hell — wielding relics as supernatural weapons and the like, exorcising monsters from little girls. And it’s not a mission from God. If he is out to save anyone, it’s himself. The concept of motives and meaning are lost. Good and evil are blurred in his psyche. Good is being done, ultimately, but his goal is never reached by those actions. Questions of relevance regarding the value of motivation are raised well in this artful, fast-paced and creative film. A movie involving demons and angels on {ifiy level risks being cheesy and overdone, but “Constantine” is genuine and the special effects are impressive and add to the overall quality of the film. Keanu Reeves gives a surprisingly layered performance. He’s not your typical superhero. He’s stretched out and thin, a man with no future and no hope. A true badass, yet sometimes he just seems to hang there, dragged down by gravity and empty regret. He’s like a failed gambler with nothing left to lose, still trying to con his way back in the game. For Constantine, doing the right thing seems about as decent an option as any. The supporting cast is also excellent. Rachel Weisz (“The Mummy Returns”) gives an American accent a go as Angela, a detective Vvho may or may ntk play a key role in the undoing of ♦ Please see CONSTANTINE, page 11