FILMS: Falling 'Star'
By MIKE SHEARER
You can forgive a musical for lacking a plot. You can even forgive a musical for lacking a cast.
But a musical without music should be premiered on television after impressionable children are asleep.
"Star," a film with a plot similar to "Funny Girl" (the former about Gertrude Lawrence, the latter about Fanny Brice), has a tragically unmemorable selection of songs to hold up Julie Andrews and the standard success-on-stage, troubles-off-stage plot.
After intermission, at which point Miss Andrews and the story have sunk to the neck in boring music, things brighten a little. One number Miss Andrews does of Miss Lawrence working her way out of bankruptcy is almost excellent. The finale also does something to rescue the film, but a life jacket should always be thrown to a drowning man before he goes under for the third time.
Daniel Massey turns in the film's best acting job in the role of Noel Coward, who was Miss Lawrence's sidekick despite what history tells us of his genius. Massey does very well in both his musical numbers and in scenes where he consoles the star.
About Miss Andrews' performance: One can easily say she has not come a long way, baby. In fact, she is still the actress she was in "Mary Poppins" (an Academy Award for that one), "The Sound of Music," "Hawaii," and "Thoroughly Modern Millie." She has improved a bit—in "Star" there are a few moments when she looks almost human.
Why does Hollywood continue to squeeze Miss Andrews' acting turnip? For the same reasons accounting for the success of such stagnant talents as John Wayne and Doris Day. Evidently movie-goers want to know what they are going to see before they see it.
Then again, Miss Andrews and her flicks are not sinking ships, financially. Too bad.
Who should see "Star"？
Anyone who enjoys watching Doris Day look pretty and angry or who enjoys watching Gary Grant walk around with hairy legs hanging from boxer underwear or who enjoys watching John Wayne shoot Indians, Mexicans and Viet Cong.
RECORDS: Hairy love
By WILL HARDESTY
There should be a class in this University substituted for Western Civ. The class should be called The Philosophy of Real Living. The only required text would be the original Broadway cast recording of the American tribal love rock musical "HAIR" on RCA.
The play has caused more controversy than any other recently. "HAIR" talks about modern life as it is and as some wish it would be. Philosophers have often put their ideas into plays and this is evidently so with Gerome Ragni and James Rado, creators of "Hair."
The theme of the whole play is getting along. This means getting along between the generations. At one point, a song called "My Conviction" says, "You know, kids, I wish every Mom and Dad would make a speech to their teenagers and say, 'Kids, be free. Be whatever you are. Do whatever you want to do, just so long as you don't hurt anybody. And remember, kids, I am your friend."
"Hair" also talks about getting along with just plain other people. 'n essence, "Hair" says something Country Joe and the Fish once said when they hinted they would like to drop a little acid in LBJ's coffee. Perhaps, the "Hair" cast says, if the whole nation had a little acid with their morning cup things would be a lot less complicated, a lot more peaceful. Life would be life instead of games. People would be people instead of facades. Persons would be persons instead of wops, spics, niggers, WASPs, rednecks, whites, blacks, gooks, Polacks, and japs.
The philosophy of "Hair" apparently works, too. One journalist who was doing a story on the cast had a dialogue with some of the members which went like this:
"Which of you are real hippies?"
"What do you mean?" a cast member asked.
"Well, which of you were
hippies before you got in the play and which of you just dress and look like you do for the play?"
"What difference does it make? We're all people."
Mar. 7 KANSAN 5
1969
French 'Phedre' coming to KU
A French language production of Racine's "Phedre" will play at the University of Kansas March 11. Curtain time will be 8 p.m. in Hoeh Auditorium.
The show is part of a national tour sponsored by the cultural affairs section of the French government. It marks the third time Les Productions D'Aujourd'Hui has sent a French production to the United States for such a tour.
La Comedie de Bourges, one of France's leading theatrical companies directed by Gabriel Monnet, will present the five-act play that has been called the only true tragedy in French theater.
"The group is characterized by a new emphasis on provincial theater in French drama," Dennis Dinneen, associate professor of French, said. "They have won prizes as the best provincial troup in France."
The classical tragedy written by Jean Racine in 1677 is a story of passion and death based on Euripedes' and Seneca's dramas of a woman in love with her stepson.
The touring company has appeared at every major festival in Europe and throughout Africa. It has a reputation as the company that regularly presents the most vital and original theater available.
Dinneen said one of the most interesting features of the production will be the rubberized, blown-up stage setting.
Tickets are available at the University Theater box office in Murphy Hall or may be purchased at the door for $1.50.
'Everything's gonna be plastic before long'
Inflated impressionistic sets will be one of the features of the French language production of 'Phedre,' to be presented by Les Productions D'Aujourd'Hui March 11 in the University Theatre.