The Kansan Revues FILM: A new Bard
Romeo and Juliet
is now showing at the Brookside Theater in Kansas City.
By Bob Butler
Kansan Arts and Reviews Editor
Remember how in your high school English class there was always some kid who complained about reading Shakespeare because "he wrote funny" or "it doesn't make any sense" or "it doesn't say anything to me?"
He had his points. Too often to the average reader Shakespeare's emotionalism is hidden beneath rhetoric, his action buried beneath tons of iambic pentameter. And all too often we feel Shakespeare has nothing to say to us.
We can be thankful, then, for Franco Zeffirelli, who first teamed up with the Burtons for "The Taming of the Shrew" and now brings us his version of "Romeo and Juliet." Zeffirelli has a way of making the words come alive, and on occasion throws Shakespeare's lines out the window to make way for visual impressions which are perhaps more communicative to a cinema-oriented audience.
Zeffirelli employs in "Romeo and Juliet" the same techniques which made a success of "The Taming of the Shrew." His Verona is hot and dusty, the sets and costumes have an ancient, musty quality which contrast with the intense and very live emotions of the characters.
Zeffirelli has shown imagination in the selection of his cast. In the past the star-crossed lovers have been played by such acclaimed (and adult) actors as Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer. Zeffirelli, deciding to present his version as the story of youth's revolt against adult prejudice and stupidity, chose for his leading players two unknown English teenagers with no previous acting experience: Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting.
To begin with, these two look like Romeo and Juliet ought to look—he ruggedly handsome with a mane of shaggy hair and she tiny with great deep eyes that have the audience as well as Romeo in love with her. As actors they are competent, but not spectacular. Often they seem not to realize what their lines mean and Juliet has one terribly unconvincing crying scene.
Zeffirelli, however, knew what to do. He tossed out Shakespeare and threw in a little action. Before he is halfway through his balcony scene Romeo has his arms around Juliet in a squeeze that looks like it should break her. That's all for Shakespeare. Those kids know love isn't flowery talk—it's grabbing and kissing and hugging. In fact., it seems good Friar Lawrence (solidly played by Milo O'Shea) marries the two more to keep them from desecrating his cell in their uncontrollable passions than out of sympathy. In a case like this, a picture is worth a thousand words, even if the words are the Bard's.
And for those persons who feel Shakespeare is too static, witness Zeffirlii's fight scenes. The Capulets and Montagues don't just insult each other, they hack each other to pieces. Theirs is more than a rivalry, it is open war, making the plight of Romeo and Juliet all the more touching. The fight in which Romeo slays Tybalt is a fantastic piece of action photography which leaves the audience limp and sick as Romeo runs his sword through Juliet's cousin.
A few words must be said for Peter McEnergy's portrayal of Mercutio, the character some believe to be Shakespeare's best. McEnergy makes Mercutio a deep psychological figure—an insecure young man frightened and digusted by his world and hiding behind a facade of buffoonery and bravado. In his death scene his comrades laugh as he stumbles about cursing them—they believe he is putting on just another exaggerated show. Only when Mercutio falls dead and his wound is revealed do they realize his curses were meant for them and very real. The horror in their faces could jar any audience out of its apathy.
RECORDS: New rock
By Will Hardesty
Another name now must be considered when one is discussing the best of today's female rock singers-Nancy Jefferies. She can be heard with a new group called The Insect Trust which has just released its first Capitol album-THE INSECT TRUST.
In the last six months (particularly), trends in music have exploded in so many directions new groups seldom fit into any of the old categories. The Insect Trust is one of these groups. Perhaps their music could be described as an electrified, turned-on, down-home, back-woods, hip, pickin'-and-singing'-and-blowin' rock blues sound.
Miss Jefferies carries most of the singing load while the four males who back her play a wide assortment of reeds and stringed instruments. The album allows all members to show off their musical talents, and the album shows they do have talents to show off. It is well done.
It would seem a lighter-than-air-craft made of lead would not get off the ground. However, there is a Led Zeppelin you might not have heard of-vet—which gets high and is heavy.
The group is one of Atlantic's big new finds and now has its first album out.
The group is the product of former Yardbird Jimmy Page, a respected blues man in England, who plays lead guitar, pedal steel guitar and acoustic guitar. John Paul Jones-on bass, organ, and piano—is a tremendous arranger (Donovan's "Mellow Yellow." "Sunshine Superman," and "Hurdy Gurdy Man" and the Rolling Stones' "She's a Rainbow"). John Bonham plays drums while Robert Plant does the lead vocals and also plays harmonica and occasional bass.
Put together, the four are a heavy, excellent blues group.
Strong point of the album is the musicianship. Page is usually in the spotlight, but Jones does some good work on organ and Bonham gets to show why Page called him "extremely inventive, more so than any other drummer I've heard."
Weak point is singing-Plant sometimes sounds like Terry Reid, and, on those sometimes, is inadequate. Some other times he sounds pretty good.
The redeeming social value of HAVE A MARIJUANA by David Peel and the Lower East Side on Elektra, if there is anything to redeem it, is not in its musicality.
The album is unsaveable.
Did "Helga" gross you out? Is your favorite record album so unknown the distributors have never heard it? Has NBC just cancelled your favorite television program to make way for repeats of "My Little Marigre?"
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If you have gripes, opinions or questions on any of the arts, or if you just have a uncontrollable urge to be a reviewer, the new Kansan arts and reviews page can help you out.
The arts and reviews page will accept editorial opinions and reviews from students and faculty members for publication. All articles must be signed and are subject to editing and correction. They may be turned in at the Kansan office. 112 Flint Hall.
Bob Butler Arts and Reviews Editor
Kansan Arts Calendar
Tuesday
7 & 9 p.m.-SUA Special Film-"Contempt"-Dyche Auditorium
Feb. 4
1969
8 p.m.-Chamber Music Series-Brahms Quartet, Swarthout Recital Hall
Wednesday
7 & 9 p.m. Classic Film—"The Caretaker"—Dyche Auditorium
HANSAN ARTS & REVIEWS
8. p.m.-Inaugural Recital
Sites James Moeser-organist
Swift
8:20 p.m.—University Theatre “The Odd Couple”
Thursday
4 p.m.—Poetry Hour—W.S.
Merwin reading his
poetry—Forum Room
7 & 9 p.m.-SUA Special Film-“Old Fashioned Way”-Dvche Auditorium
8:20 p.m.-University Theatre-"The Odd Couple"
7 & 9:30 p.m.-Popular Film-“Raisin in the Sun”-Dyche Auditorium
Fridav
7:30 p.m.—Folk Dance
Club-173 Robinson
7:30 p.m.-International Film-“Chushingura”-Hoch Auditorium
Quartet to perform
The Brahms Quartet will perform tonight at 8 in a Chamber Music Series concert in Swarthout Hall.
The piano quartet, now in their fifth year, will perform ensembles from Mendelssohn, Viozzi and Brahms. Tickets are on sale in the Murphy Hall box office for $2.
One of the newest additions to the chamber music field, the Brahms Quartet embraces not only Brahms but modern composers such as Copeland and Faure.
PANAVISION® COLOR by DeLuxe United Artists
Jack Palance and Brigitte Bardot seem anything but contemptuous of each other in this scene from Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt" showing at 7 and 9 p.m. tonight in Dyche Auditorium.
STARTS WEDNESDAY
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