Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Nov. 20, 1979, edition 1 / Page 3
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Mwwfcir 20. H7t iJoHcb W Sfeftai Kl'Us C p^t*cp^pf v V\tl /cU*MMl*p No/. ' Utc. '** W lo*se fbu**ier& Hfcll | &* l&dr GJy (srgg*\sfcbs , NJ-C. QoeWrvv Ctceptbw : tbc. _____ n p^ Audience smiles for 'Giaconda' By Brian Carey Editor Why does she smile? Now we know. Those who attended the Rev elers's production of Aldous Huxley's "The Ciaconda Smile" were treated to a drama tic unfolding of the story of Janet Spence's unreciprocated love and the madness to which it eventually drives her. Lisa Morton gave a fine performance as the steely and calculating Janet Spence. Al though she seemed to lack the necessary ingredients early on in the play, Morton was very convincing in her excellent por trayal of a woman shattered by the burden of her conniving murder. The suave and superficial Henry Hutton, played by Tom Abrams, was a fascinating char acter to watch develop, the Giaconda and cast smile for photo, Abrams more that did him justice. Blessed (or cursed?) with a inheritance and an invalid wife, Henry attempts to internally reconcile his playboy lifestyle with the normal order personified by genteel Janet and the backstage Emily. Andy Milliken did a superb job as Dr. James Libbard, the stylish Marcus Welby-Columbo who obtains Janet's admission of guilt in time to stay Henry's execution. Symbolizing the two extremes of womanhood, Liz Allen (Doris Meade) and Dee Smith (Nurse Braddock) were both great as the sexy, doll baby wife of Henry and the hard, men-hating pawn of Janet. Dave Jewett humorously pro vided the comic relief and a few probing insights as the invalid Ceneral Spence. Guilfordian Armatrading - one side, but worth it By Bryan Smith Columnist Joan Armatrading Normally, in this column I review albums. Armatrading's new release contains only four tunes pressed on one side of the record. However, the work is new material, hence the review. So, without further ado, here it is: half an album review. A sticker on the jacket reads "four new songs so good they couldn't wait for an album." the material contained within is indeed good, but I'm not sure why it could not wait for an album. "Rosie", perhaps one of the better tunes on the album, was being performed by Armatrad ing last summer. Possibly, she has had some of this material in her repertoir, and has finally decided to record it. This un predictable quality is what makes Armatrading such an interesting artist. Armatrading's West Indies roots are evident in the album. The steady, rythmic beat com bines genre Jamaican flair with a contemporary rock sound. Also making the evening enjoyable were Michelle Adams (Clara), Jo Allison Johnson (Maid), and Dennis Kirsch baum and David Bardley (wardens). While lacking the spine-chill ing suspense of a Hitchcock thriller, Huxley's play afforded an excellent opportunity to wit ness the reactions of people plunged into unexpected crises and traumas. One suspects Janet from the beginning, and this is reinforced by her casual smiles and the suspicions of Dr. Libbard. But what was suspenseful to watch was the development of the characters, especially Henry's painful maturation and Janet's growing paranoia. It's a happy ending, but, "in real life, there are no endings, only transitions." Bravo, Revelers! Photo by Steve Lowe Armatrading plays acoustic guitar with such diversity that the music can be appealing to various musical tastes. The back-up band is a key factor to the unique sound of the album. As diverse as Armatrad ing, the band can roll from a calypso driven piece to a very Album Jo&k Review credible rock tune with the greatest of ease. On "He Wants Her", the listener is pleasantly surprised to hear Winston Delandro's powerful guitar licks, some times with the immediacy of some of the better "New Wave" material, and other Synfuel-for better or worse? President Carter and Con gress have proposed a crash effort on the part of the United States to develop the synthetic fuels industry. Is this the best route for the United States to take and, if not, is it too late to stop this massive committment? Synfuels are liquid and gase ous fuels, usually oil and natur al gas, derived from coal, oil shale and tar sands. Since we have so much coal, it is hoped that we can covnert it into oil to help lessen the amount of oil we need to import. In June, the House approved funding for the production of two million barrels of svnfuel by 1990. This will entail constructing 20-30 synfuel plants, each at a cost of over two billion dollars. There are several serious drawbacks to such a committment to synthetic fuels: 1. Mistakes will be made because it is a relatively new technology that will be forced to develop quickly. 2. It will direct capital and effort away from research in other alternative energy programs. 3. It will have a tremendously detrimental effect on the environment. If the proposed Energy Mobilization Board is formed, it will be able to overturn federal environmental safety laws with the approval of the President and Congress in order to help speed the industry's development. There will be an increase in all types of coal mining, including strip mining The President's Council on Environmental Quality has warned that there could be a serious warming of the atmosphere due to the large amounts of carbon dioxide let off in the mass production and combustion of synfuels. 4. Synfuels will cost S3O-40 a barrel by today's standards,and its cost will always stay ahead of rising oil prices. 5. For a S2O-30 billion (at least) investment in synfuels, the resulting benefits will only be a 25% reduction in imported oil. 6. Coal, oil shale and tar sands are not renewable resources. The drawbacks to synfuels seem to far outweigh any advantages it has. Such a mass development of this industry is a questionable move at best. Certainly an immediate alternative such as conservation and various long-range soft energy paths would be cheaper and safer. The synfuel path would appear to be one of blind desperation on the part of Congress and the President which, if not checked soon, could be unstoppable. times with straight forward honesty, reminiscent of Brin sley Schwartz of "The Rumour." Two different styles for two different moods: this is what is most appealing about Arma trading's work. This inablility to categorize her material shows that Armatrading's approach to music is unique and refresh ingly creative. Armatrading is doing a lot of work out of London. This keeps her contemporary. But she never forgest her roots. The lyrics of her tunes reflect some of the expectations and disen chantments that a rural person has when she finds herself in a very urban and somewhat fast society. Sometimes bitter, sometimes happy, but always reflective, Armatrading's lyrics reflect her personality. The lyrics, like the melodies, are unpredictable, but always complement the tunes to add vitality to the work. Joan Armatrading is a rela tively new face in the musical world. Hopefully, her musical works will remain as new and as refreshing as herself, to breathe a breath of fresh air into a stagnant atmosphere. by Bob Cluck Columnist m. page three
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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