Fridav.March 22.1974
University Daily Kansan
7
'It' Confronts Reality In Hide and Seek Play
Bv ALISON GWINN
Anyone who still delights in the bizarre childish fantasies of "The Wizard of Oz" or "Wille Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" will surely appreciate the joy of Odyssey of Modeline Gimple. Hassinger Hall's first theater production of the spring season. The hour-long play, which will be presented at 8 tonight and 5 p.m. tomorrow, will feature five children, entitled ethically symbolic for adults.
Kansan Reviewer
The story centers on the fantasy world of 9-year-old Madeline, played by Shannon Green, Moberly, Mo., Freshman, Orphaned, but unable to admit it to herself or others, and finally, a new romance with new fantasies to counter the harsh realities and cruel plagues she encounters.
She learns to hate childish games because in hide and seek, she always has to be "it." In fear of others, she cries that she hates everything, including herself, and decides to run away to where she won't have to worry about every being "it." The place is image her imaginary parents, Hansel and Greed, live in an imaginary sugar house.
Madeline is saved from the harshness around her by Litterman, a protective park guard. She's played the role of Quiva jirau and Chris, a mute boy played by Bob Fletcher, Prairie Village senior. They lead her back to reality as they work on scarcity themselves for her well-being.
Their major foe is Balloon Man, played by Greg Kesler, Overland Park senior, who epitomizes the garish but inviting exterior that hides cruel and unemotional insides. Obsessed with regaining his gaudy nameplate which Madeline wears, Balloon Man follows her around from fantasy to fantasy, and plots her destruction with a
Zane Grey was probably the most famous 20th century writer of westerns, and "ARIZON AMES" (Pocket, 75 cents), which goes way back, is around again. He wrote one of these laughs, lionic guys who must have mocked themselves on Gary Cooper.
Max Birand also wrote dandies and his "THE LUCK OF THE SPINDRIFT" (Pocket, 56 cents) is around, although instead of being a range western, it's an ocean western. You'll find it not too different from "Arizona Ames."
laugh reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Paperbacks
A relatively new name is that of Thorne Douglas, who wrote "Calauhon." His new novel, *The Gold Mountains* (Gold) has 51 casts, which is about a城 empire in Texas, Rancho Bravo.
His evil intentions go beyond the simple greed for his budge, however. As the leader of the group he is not to usefulness or Lavish颂 everything, Balloon Man hopes to make Madeline just like all the other orphans, a simple puppet of his harsh, materialistic nature.
Jack Ehrlich and Peter Field also are of the new generation. Ehrlich's is "THE LARAMIE RIVER CROSSING" (Pocket, 75 cents) and Field's is "OUTLAW EXPRESS" (Pocket, 75 cents). Plots? Well, there's this cowboy, and there are these bad guys, and these cows, and these sheep, and this shootout . . .
Madeline rejects Balloon Man, however, as she learns to trust the friendship of Litterman and Chris. Because Chris has once sacrificed himself for her, she forces herself to escape from her imaginative world and save him from the doom of becoming just like the other children, a boy with a heart of gold, having imagined her parents all along and finally has the courage to face the cruelty of Balloon Man by herself.
The play's ending is expected happily ever-after, as Madeline forgives the Balloon Man and "does what she knows is right." She realizes that as long as she faces reality and stops being afraid of the world's fate, she won't have to be "it" all of the time.
The presentation is concise, without the appearance of any superfluous action. The interaction between the actors is complete and flowing, partially because of the game-like lack of reality that are attempting to protray. They yell and chant and dance in the methodical, repetitions way that only children can achieve.
The props are simple and the characters, as often as not, appear from out of the audience, to whom Litterman delivers his final words of ecological advice and the goodbye: "Come again and, most importantly, have a good time."
One leaves, not necessarily morally enlightened, but with the pleasant feeling that, once again, good has triumphed over evil. "Bag of hot air" has last been deflated.
By STEPHEN BUSER
Korean Bottles
Book Exposes Children's Prisons
"OUR CHILDREN'S KEEPERS" by
william l. cottrell
Publications, Inc.; $9.00
Kansan Reviewer
Larry Cole reports with corroboreative evidence that an invidious fate awaits America's youthful offenders. In an era when preponderant attention has been given to prison reform in adult penal institutions, the state appears to plea for justice and humanity in children's prisons, reformatories and detention centers in the United States.
Cole uncovers a plethora of inhumane and atrocious conditions which create a living bell for the runways, glues-sniffers and uses it to scare off insects, the disparaging methods of discipline and punishment: rubber hose beattings, forced homosexuality and confinement in rats and cockroaches.
In an interview with Betty Portner, former superintendent of the Mount View School for Girls in Morrison, Colo., Cole emphasizes the justification of corporal punishment.
Portner commented, "Look, these girls are in here because they broke the rules of society and if they can't take what we're dishing out, then it's just too bad."
Porter was referring to trying a girl's feet to her hands which were handcuffed behind her back and forcing her to lie on her stomach. The girl was held in this position during her consignment to the Rose Rows, the school's solitary confinement cell.
Cole's best sources of information are interviews with children from schools throughout the country. After describing confinement in "The Hole," beattings with hose pipe and the death of medical and school students is a student told of a typical school day.
"There was school, but they don't learn you nothin'," he said, "You sit in school all day and play cards. They don't give you no books, nothin' like that. They don't teach us
OZARK MOUNTAIN MEDICINE SHOW Wednesday, March 27 8:00 p.m. Hoch Auditorium
Led by BYRON BERLINE, 3 times National Fiddle Champion, the COUNTRY GAZETTE moves through a set that consists of traditional bluegrass numbers with an occasional instrumental or vocal selection.
Originality from the heart of Bluegrass country, NEW GRASS REVIVAL spans the gap between traditional bluegrass and progressive adaptations of that form.
Featured performer of the Medicine Show is MICHAEL MURPHEY, a versatile Texas folk musician, whose repertoire ranges from folk to country standards.
Also included: SAM ROUTH, a Nashville performer-writer equally adept at guitar and the mountain dulcimer.
bottin'. And the teachers just set around and talk with each other, that's all."
Besides reporting on the pernicious activities inside children's prisons, Cole investigates other anomalies in the realm of juvenile justice.
Cole says that court procedures for children are almost totally arbitrary and that the courts ignore the Gault decision of 1948 to declare the Constitution a protection of the Constitution. He says a
speedy trial, bail, counsel and other equal demands to children to adult defendants pre denied to children
Tickets Available at SUA Office, 864-3477, or at the door
Cole prefers his Child Advocate (C.A.) program as a viable solution to the injustices he uncovers. The C.A. is a study of discipline specializing in the education, care, development and protection of children.
Cole's C.A. program is complemented by his apprehension of foster care organizations
and the Institution of Juvenile Justice.
"Our Children's Keepers" deserves credit for exposing the plight of children's priors and attempting to diagnose the reasons behind these delegated institutions of insanity.
Cole erres in giving minute attention to the argument that there has been progress within children's prisons and the system of imprisonment. The preprisal is the only deterrent of the book.
MaDHatter
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Mr. Altman will be replacing the previously scheduled lecture by Otto Preminger. On April 1, Mr. Altman will show his new film, "Thieves Like Us," which will be followed by a question and answer session with Mr. Altman. The Otto Preminger tickets will be good for the Altman presentation.