KWSAN REVIEWS
FESTIVAL: 'Kinetic Art I'
By RICHARD GEARY Assistant Arts & Reviews Editor
The first offering of this year's Festival of the Arts was probably a disappointment for some. The scheduled speaker, film director Martin Ritt, had been kept in Hollywood by his studio, and in his place was shown "Kinetic Art I" a program of eleven short films from all over the world. But despite the initial letdown, and despite the small 16mm screen and poor sound reproduction, the selections proved highly entertaining and offered a vivid look at the state of world cinema.
When one is offered the term "experimental film," one is reminded of the countless inane, immature efforts by the American underground. But the films shown last night in Hoch Auditorium, though a few were mediocre, displayed imagination and thought, as well as the less important experiment-for-its-owned-sake.
They were also of incredible variety: animated, abstract, dramatic, lyrical, comic; from France, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.S. The best on the bill were 1) "A Life in a Tin," a delightful Italian cartoon about the life and death of a machine-age man; 2) "Sophie et les Gammes," the story of a little girl at her piano lesson, using the technique of live animation and recalling the spirit of the silent comedies; 3) a little black comedy from Czechoslovakia, using antique toys and puppets; and 4) "An Apple," a poetic French piece about an artist's celebration of the ordinary things of life.
"Phenomena," a feast of moving color by the American Jordan Belson was also memorable as was a powerful Hungarian work about a small boy and the horrors of war, but the remainder of the program fell below the expectations that the other films exceeded.
Most movie programs of this kind are erratic and poorly constructed, but those who put together "Kinetic Art" (a three-part show of which this is the first segment) can be admired for the perception of their choices. This was a last minute substitute that deserved primary consideration.
Kyogen shown in three plays
By MARILYN McMULLEN Kansan Staff Writer
Kyogen, the formal comic theater of Japan, will unfold at 8:20 p.m. Thurs. on the KU Experimental Theater stage and run through April 11. Three plays, one of which will be presented in Japanese, have been selected by director Andrew Tsubaki, visiting professor of speech and drama, to represent the style of Kyogen.
Kyogen, according to Tsubaki, dates back to the 14th century. The plays have been used traditionally as comic relief, and are presented in conjunction with the serious and stylized Noh plays.
"Although it is formalized, Kyogen is humorous and down-to-earth," said Tsubaki. "Usually one Kyogen play is presented between two Noh plays."
Authentic costumes have been ordered from Tokyo for the performances. They are the same costumes used in Japanese presentations.
Tsubaki said Kyogen follows set patterns of structure and plot. They relate to American TV situation comedies, and Tsubaki said he believed they would be meaningful to Westerners.
"It's a typical way of letting off steam," he said.
The first two plays will be in English. "Busu" tells the story of two servants, one clever and one stupid, and how they deal with their rich master after angering him by disobeying his orders.
"Dondaro" is a tale of a husband with a mistress, who tries to secure love from each.
LOOK, DON'T TOUCH
PETERBOROUGH, England (UPI)—When a labor union complained that a local firm sometimes ordered women employees to strip to make sure they weren't stealing, company manager Tommy Thomas said, "Some of our women employees have been known to tuck goods under their girdles and slips. Our security officers have strict instructions not to touch the flesh."
Mar. 31
1970 KANSAN 5
"Kamabara," which will be presented in Japanese, is the story of a farmer who plans to commit suicide with a sickle, and the problems he encounters while trying to kill himself.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, one of America's foremost living poets will perform as part of the annual SUA Festival of the Arts, at 8 p.m. March 31 in Hoch Auditorium.
Ferlinghetti's second book of poems, "A Coney Island of the Mind," is now going into its 16th printing with a quarter million copies in print. A novel, "Her," was published in 1960 and is now in its seventh printing.
Festival previews—Ferlinghetti
He has written poetry books such as "Starting from San Francisco." "Routines," and "Unfair Arguments with Existence." Other Ferlinghetti books include "After the Cries of the Birds," "Moscow in the Wilderness," "Segovia in the Snow," and "Pictures of the Gone World."
Born in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1919, Ferlinghetti received an A.B. degree from the University of North Carolina and a M.A. degree from Columbia University. Following Navy service in World War II, he emptied wastebaskets at Time magazine after which he lived in Paris from 1947-61 where he received a Doctorat de l'Universite from the Sorbonne.
When Feringhetti returned to the United States, he settled in San Francisco where he and Peter D. Martine founded City Lights, the first all paper-bound bookstore in the country.
While in San Francisco, Ferlinghetti began publishing the Pocket Poet Series, which included work by William Carlos Williams, Kenneth Rexroth, Allen Ginsburg, Kenneth Patchen, and many other young writers who he "discovered."
On campus this week
Tuesday
LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI (Festival of the Arts)-Reading by one of America's foremost poets.
SENIOR RECITAL — Suzanne Jouvenat, soprano in Swarthout Recital Hall.
Wednesday
NEW YORK ROCK AND ROLL ENSEMBLE (Festival of the Arts)—A highly unique musical group, combining the traditions of pop, classical and rock.
"THE CRAZY QUILT" (Classical Film) - A modest, lyrical little movie about an unlikely marriage. Made in 1966 by John Korty
FESTIVAL OF ORIENTAL
THEATRE (University Theatre)
An evening of Korean theatre, poetry and dance presented by Won-Kung Cho.
FINE ARTS HONOR RECITAL.
Swarthout Recital Hall.
Thursday
BARBARA ROSE (Festival of the Arts)—A leading American art critic talks on "The Uses of Modern Art."
"D A V I D COPERFIELD"
(SUA Special Films)—The American version, directed by George Cukor in 1934, gives us W. C.
Fields in his classical portrayal of Micawber.
FESTIVAL OF ORIENTAL THEATRE (Experimental Theatre)—"Kyogen: Comic Theatre of Japan."
STRUCK GOLD
NEVADA CITY, Calif. (UPI)— One October day in 1850, George McKnight was chasing his cow across a pasture in Nevada County when his foot struck an outcropping of rock that broke off quite easily. He stopped to examine the rock and found it was quartz that was shot through with gold.
From the very spot where the rock broke off came $1.5 million in gold and from just 150 feet away came another $4 million in gold.
Today a granite shaft topped with a large piece of gold quartz marks the spot.
Ferlinghetti has given poetry readings in this country and abroad including the Spoleta Festival, Berlin Literary Colloquain, and the historic poetry evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
His plays have been widely produced in college theaters and he has written film scripts for avant-garde production.
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