THURSDAY,OCTOBER 24,2002
ARTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 11
Wilson brothers arise as new funny family
POP VULTURE
One staple in the world of showbiz throughout time has been the brother comedy team. Whether it is the Marx Brothers, the Lawrence Brothers (Joey and those two younger ones) or the Wayans Brothers, the idea of comedic antics kept all in the family has never failed to amuse mainstream audiences worldwide.
Marc Ingber
mingber@kansan.com
Today, however, we are lucky enough to be blessed with a group of brothers who can't really be compared to anyone else in the history of the brother comedy team. Their names might not be as funny as Groucho or Zeppo, but Owen, Luke and Andrew Wilson can be just as funny in their own way.
In films such as Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums, the Wilson boys show that brothers can be funny without
throwing pies at each other's faces. The Wilson brothers create humor beyond the world of physical comedy, and they don't have to even play brothers to do it. In fact, they have never played brothers in any of their movies.
Andrew has bit parts in all of the movies Owen Wilson has co-written with his college friend Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums). He
usually has only a few lines in the movies that he's in, but he makes the most of them. He's quite amusing as Margot Tenenbaum's biological father in The Royal Tenenbaums.
Luke is the Justin Timberlake (a.k.a. the cute one) of the Wilson brothers.His meltdown in the tennis match scene in Tenenbaums is hilarious, and he even shows his dramatic ability in some of the most serious scenes in the movie.
But, without a doubt, Owen is the true jewel of the Wilson clan. He's the one with the blond hair and the straight nose. He steals the show, no matter what movie he's in.
He's excellent in Bottle Rocket and Zoolander. However, his role as Eli Cash in The Royal Tenenbaums puts him in legendary status in my book. And that's not
even his best role. That would be his stint as Kevin, the ex-fiance, in Meet the Parents. It is true genius. When I think of the great minds of the last thousand years, I think Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Owen Wilson.
The type of comedy that the Wilson brothers do is not for everyone. It's one of those things you either love or hate. Whereas most of my friends and I are in the "love it" category, my parents are without a doubt in the "hate it" category after seeing The Royal Tenenbaums.
But those who love it know that movies such as Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums are truly some of the most original ones to come out in years. The Marx Brothers they're not, but would Groucho ever star as a male supermodel named Hansel? I think not.
Greek tragedy chosen for University Theatre
By Donovan Atkinson
datkinson@kansan.com
Jayplay writer
Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides, which opens the University Theatre's Inge series tonight, explores how far one's loyalty to his country will go.
A country has been wronged. After suffering an attack, leaders decide to strike back in order to prevent any future battles. But, in order to be successful, they must make a sacrifice: the daughter of the general.
"It's really an interrogation of how soldiers and the populous deal with war," said Sara Armstrong, director and Stillwater, Okla., graduate student.
Iphigenia also examines the impact war and patriotic fervor have on soldiers and their families.
In the play, Agamemnon is told that, for his army to be successful in its campaign, he must sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia.
Armstrong said she was initially drawn to Iphigenia, one of Euripides' lesser known plays, because of its strong portrayal of women. But,the theme of war and patriotism resonated with her after the attacks on Sept. 11,2001.
Erin Burns, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore and chorus member, said war and patriotism were parts of life that students saw.
"It's very poignant right now," she said.
For the production, classical Greek theater and modern theater elements have been combined. An updated translation by Elaine Terranova has been selected. The
lead actors are costumed in modern clothing, while the chorus wears Greek-inspired clothing.
"It's a counterbalance," Armstrong said. "It gives students a chance to see another kind of theater."
—Edited by Lauren Beatty
The chorus is a part of the Greek theater tradition. In Iphigenia, the chorus is played by five women who represent femininity and the emotion of the populous.
The chorus also wears masks, a convention from classical Greek theater. The masks limit facial expressions actors can make, so other methods are used to demonstrate emotions.
The emotion in Iphigenia leans toward the tragic, a departure from the University Theatre's season of comedies on the main stage series.
"You have to use your entire body," Burns said.
The Greek tragedy by Euripides, translated by Elaine Terranova, will be performed on Oct. 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 and Nov. 1 and 2 and at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 at the Inge Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
Iphigenia in Aulis
Tickets are $12 for the public, $6 for students and $11 for senior citizens.
The play is directed by Sara K. Armstrong, with scenic design by Emily Elder and lighting design by Brian Diltz.
John Nowak/Kansan
Elisabeth Ahrens, Topeka sophomore, portrays a member of the chorus in Iphigenia in Aulis. The play opens tonight at the Inge Theatre in Murphy Hall.