2The Daily Tar HeelFriday, November 30, 1990
God put on trial for abandoning faithful in latest Lab Theatre show
By KITT BOCKLEY
Stan Writer
The Lab Theatre's latest production,
"The Trial of God," by the famous
German writer Elie Wiesel, is an ex
ploration of faith. The theme centers
upon the question of how people can
believe in a God who allows so much
suffering.
Director David Massachi, a sopho
more RTVMP major, explained, how
ever, that he is more interested in em
phasizing the nature and causes of evil
than in making a religious statement.
"I tried not to make it a religious
play," he said, "but more a play about
good and evil and man's relationship to
them."
Set in 1649, "The Trial of God" takes
place at an inn in the fictional East
European villageofShangorod on Purim
Eve, an important Jewish holiday that
celebrates life. Ironically, to innkeeper
Berish, played by Greg Miller, and his
daughter Hanna, played by Wendi
Black, this holiday has come to mean
only death and destruction.
One year before the play takes place,
the town experienced a pogrom, in which
every Jew in the village was murdered.
Only Berish and Hanna, who was bru
tally beaten and raped, survived. After
the death and suffering that has taken
place in his life, Berish has concluded
that God has abandoned his Chosen
People. When three minstrels come to
the inn and ask to put on a play in
celebration of Purim, he instead sug
gests they stage a mock tribunal in which
God is indicted.
Wiesel's inspiration for the play came
from a real-life experience, Massachi
said. As a survivor of the concentration
camps of Nazi Germany, Wiesel actu
ally witnessed a similar trial in which
three rabbis accused God of being in
different to His people. In the play, he
asserts that evil primarily originates in
people's belief of miracles.
"If you believe in miracles, you tend
to allow the evil to go by and not fight
it," Massachi said. "Part of a miracle is
hoping that someone will come in and
fight the bad for you. This kind of
mentality is evil itself."
Katie Sherman, a junior biology
major, plays Maria, a barmaid at the
inn, who becomes a maternal figure to
Hanna after her mother's death. Aside
from the basic challenge of learning
such a large number of lines, Sherman
said the character of Maria was difficult
to play because of a fundamental con
tradiction in her personality.
"Maria has got a very hard exterior,
but actually she cares a lot about the
people she's chosen to be close to,"
Sherman said. "At a dramatic level, it
was hard dealing with the way she has a
tough self, but then transforms into a
person who shows a lot of passion and
feeling."
Allen Simpson, a senior drama ma
jor, plays Sam, a mysterious stranger.
Just when it seems that no one will
defend God in the mock trial, Sam shows
up and acts the part of God's defense
attorney.
"Sam seems to have something which
sets him apart from normal people.
'Twelfth Night' humorous, successful
introduction to UNC for theater group
which allows him to be at peace with the
world and take suffering in stride,"
Simpson said. "Part of the play is trying
to figure out who or what Sam real ly is."
Simpson said a major difficulty he
encountered in playing the role of Sam
was understanding Sam's absolute faith
in God. "Sam is supposed to be some
one who is very confident with his
spiritual beliefs," he said. "Most people
go through some sort of questioning
process, maybe not doubting faith, but
at least really wondering what's out
there."
Despite the fact that the people and
events of the village of Shangorod are
far removed from the UNC campus, the
themes of "Trial of God" are universal
and offer something to people of any
time period.
"Some are born great, some achieve
greatness and some have greatness thrust
upon them," propounds Shakespeare's
comedy "Twelfth Night." The first
production of the new Theatre Arts
Committee succeeds as an effective and
funny adaptation of this timeless com
edy. The accomplishments of this com
mittee are astounding, considering their
only goals were to give non-majors an
opportunity to act and to make the theater
accessible to every student.
The lead characters work well to
gether and obviously enjoy their roles.
Duncan Boothby provides much of the
play's slapstick humor as Malvolio, a
prudish servant to the Countess Olivia,
played by Isabel Barbuk. The antics
begin when Malvolio is tricked by his
fellow servants into believing Olivia is
enamored of him.
Barbuk is excellent as Olivia who,
decked out in 1920s garb, rejects the
attentions of Duke Orsino and falls for
a man who is really a woman in disguise.
Oliv ia is the type of woman who knows
what she wants and doesn't hesitate to
go after it. Barbuk adds a seductive
determination to Olivia that makes the
Mondy Lamb
character enjoyable.
Also notable is freshman Julia Smith,
who plays Viola, a woman who dis
guises herself as a man named Cesario.
Smith successfully portrays her dual
role of playing a women playing a man.
The plot is the usual Shakespearian
challenge. Duke Orsino is in love with
the Countess Olivia. Viola, believed to
have drowned, comes back disguised as
a man, Cesario, in order to be a servant
to her beloved Duke. The Duke sends
Viola, as Cesario, to woo Olivia. Olivia
falls in love with Cesario. Sebastian,
Viola's brother, also mistakenly thought
to be drowned, makes his appearance
just in time to be seen by Olivia. Mis
taken identities, mayhem and awkward
situations ensue.
By taking Shakespeare out of the
El izabethan context and placing it in the
'20s, a time-period people are familiar
with, director Tessa Blake has made it
easier to find depth and significance in
For the Record
each character.
However, this young theater com
pany still has some problems to work
out. The Cabaret is unsuited for a pro
duction of this caliber. Like a night
club, the Cabaret's tables lend them
selves more to intimate conversation
and treat the stage as secondary enter
tainment. Acoustics are also bad in the Caba
ret, and hearing the dialogue is crucial
to understanding Shakespeare. The
beauty and wit of his writing are often
due to the subtlety of language and the
puns and allusions found in the text.
Blake said the biggest directing
challenge of the play was overcoming
the bad acoustics of the Cabaret. This
hilarious rendition of this classic com
edy is, unfortunately, marred by bad
acoustics. Although commendable as a
comedy of errors, the biggest error of
'Twelfth Night" is the location.
"Twelfth Night" will be performed
at8p.m.onNov.29,30andDec. I, and
at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 2, in the
Cabaret, downstairs in the Student
Union. Admission is $3 for students and
$5 for the public. Tickets are available
through the Union Box Office.
"If you're tired of 'Dukes of.
Hazzard,'" Simpson said, "and you're:
not averse to a little soul searching,:
come to 'Trial of God" and be prepared -to
think."
"The Trial of God" will be performed. '
at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday and. -Monday
and at 5 p. m. on Tuesday. The
Lab Theatre is located in the basement. -of
Graham M emorial. Admission is free.
Arts coordinator' s Note: Auditions
for next semester's Lab Theatre and -DD
A production "LittleVictories," will.
be held from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Dec.
3. A two-minute Shakespearian mono-
logue and a two-minute contemporary '
monologue should be prepared. A sign-,
up sheet is located in Graham Memo
rial, and all students are welcome.
Ensemble helps ring in season with concert
By JEFF TRUSSELL
Staff Writer
With temperatures in the 70s and
exams around the corner, it's easy to
forget it's almost Christmas, but
there's one sure way to banish these
most unseasonable things attend
the Waverly Consort's performance
of 'The Christmas Story" in Memo
rial Hall tonight.
Since 1964, the Consort has per
formed the story of Christ's birth for
audiences around the world. Basing
its performance on 13th-century li
turgical plays, the group uses medieval
music and costumes to bring the leg
end to life in its original context. The
Consort's use of this type of music
has, over the years, sparked a revival
of "early" music styles in North and
South America.
The performance of "The Christmas
Story" is a festival in itself. The pro
duction consists of eight singers and
five instrumentalists, attired in lavish
costumes. They re-enact the journey
of the Magi, Gabriel's message,
Herod's court and of course, the famed
Nativity scene.
This ensemble was started by
Michael and Kay Jaffee, two students
at New York University. Interested in
performing with medieval instruments
such as the vielle, gemshorn and the
citole, they assembled a group of
The Waverly Consort's first concert at
the Metropolitan Museum was greeted
with almost unanimous praise and
was proclaimed "a worthy addition to
New York's holiday season"
fellow graduate students in musicology
and named themselves after a street
near NYU's campus Waverly Place.
The group is now in its 26th year of
public performance, and their "Christ
mas Story" is an annual event in some
of the world's largest cities. Since 1980
the Consort has performed for New
Yorkers at the Metropolitan Museum.
Their first concert at the Museum was
greeted with almost unanimous praise
and the New York Times proclaimed it
"a worthy addition to New York's
holiday season."
Europeans and people of the Far East
have also hosted the Consort. The group
has played at major events such as the
Hong Kong Festival, the Madeira Beach
festival and the Casals.
In addition, a series of CBS specials
have featured the ensemble and the
group has also been included in several
Today Show Christmas presentations.
The Waverlys have even been guests
on the Dick Cavett Show.
Much of the group's music, includ
ing "The Christmas Story," has been
produced under the CBS Masterworks
label, a label which includes artists
such as Vladamir Horowitz.
Other full productions the group
has mounted include "Las Cantigas de
Santa Maria" and "Le Roman de
Fauvel," the latter a 14th-century sat
ire of political and ecclesiastical in
stitutions of the late Middle ages.
The Waverly Consort's "The
Christmas Story" will be performed
today at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall.
Tickets are $8 for UNC students, $14
for the general public and are avail
able at the Carolina Union Box Office.
The ticket price for Miracle Legion's
concert at Cat's Cradle tonight was in
correctly quoted as $12 in Thursday's
Omnibus. The actual ticket price is $5.
The Nov. 29 Daily Tar Heel article
"Policy to prevent homosexual dis
crimination," should have stated that
the University will house homosexual
students together and that a few homo
sexual students live in Odum Village.
The DTH regrets the errors.
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Shakespeare's Classic Comedy
November 23 - December 2
Tluirs. Sun. S:CO pm
Sun. Matinee 2:OC pm
Union Cabaret
S.CC General Admission
S3.ee UNC Students
For more information call 962-1 449
FRIDAY
Noon: CGLA will have a Lesbian Lunch in 218
Union.
5 p.m.: The Senior Class and Alpha Phi Alpha
invite everyone interested in visiting the C.A. Dillon
School for juvenile delinquents, to meet in the Morrison
traffic circle.
8 p.m.: Delta Phi Alpha will hold its annual
Weihnachtsfeiern bash in Toy Lounge (Dey Hall)!
All members and members of the German Department
are cordially invited. Call 933-8837 for more info.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
CAA announces that ticket distribution for the
Jan. 9 Maryland game will be Sunday, Dec. 2 from 6
9 p.m.
Campus Y Crafts Fest Committee announces that
Crafts Fest will be today through Sunday, Dec. 2 in the
Great Hall. It features the work of over40 professional
artists and craftspersons, forexhibit and sale, to benefit
the Campus Y. A 1 2' 1 2' section of the AIDS Quilt,
co-sponsored by The Names Project, will be displayed
for National AIDS Awareness Day. For more info,
call 962-2333.
University Housing announces that RA applica-
The DTH Campus Calendar is a daily listing of University-related activities spon
sored by academic departments, student services and student organizations officially
recognized by the Division of Student Affairs. To appear in Campus Calendar,
announcements must be submitted on the Campus Calendar form by NOON one
business day before the announcement is to run. Saturday and Sunday events are
printed in Friday's calendar and must be submitted on the Wednesday before the
announcement is to run. Forms and a drop box are located outside the DTH office, 104
Union. Items of Interest lists ongoing events from the same campus organizations and
follows the same deadline schedule as Campus Calendar. Please use the same form.
llLIlLLWll.lll.flli.MlMJJmilllULUll.lLm,lil,iu.l..,i
tions for 1991-92 positions are available now though
Dec. 19 in Carr Building, area offices, BCC, CGLA
office and the International Center. Due Dec. 19 at
4:30 p.m.
The BSM will present a Umoja Series, "Hold on.
Let Go, Educate and Celebrate," on Thursday, Dec. 6
in the North Dining Hall of Lenoir. Deadline forthe $3
fee is Tuesday. Dec. 4 and is payable at the BSM
meetings.
CAACarolina Fever wants to know if all you
Carolina basketball fans want to meet the players?
Come to the "Tar Heel Tipoff ' on Wednesday, Dec.
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5 at 7:30 p.m. in 100 Hamilton. Support the team on
the eve of the Big EastACC Tournament.
The Black Pre-Professional Health Society and
Alpha Epsilon Delta invite anyone interested in par
ticipating in a gross anatomy lab tour at the medical
school to contact Nelson Lea at 933-3136 orTifani
Davis at 933-7316.
SAFE Escort needs you! Paid positions are avail
able. Sign up now at the Union desk for interviews to
be conducted all day on Dec. 6! Completed applica
tion not required for interview. Women encouraged to
join!
The 1991 Yackety Yack staff reminds you to put
on your best face! Portraits will be taken by Thorton
Studios through Dec. 13 in 213 Union. Call 1-800-
873-7591 for an appointment.
L'CPPS announces a resume drop for employers .
recruiting Jan. 22-Feb. 1 to be held on Tuesday. Dec.
4.
Tar Heel Recycling Project announces that the
mobile drop-off site for today is on Stadium Drive by
the dumpsters between Teague and Parker dorms.
The UNC GoClubisorganizingGo competitions
for Dec. 11. Games will start at 7:30 p.m. in 220
Union. Competition is open to players of all levels and .
it is free. Everyone who is interested in playing or
watching the game is kindly invited.
UNIT AS applications for 1 99 1 -92 are now avail-
able at the Union desk. BCC and 5th floorCarmichael.
Deadline is coming up soon so don't delay! Find out
what being culturally and racially aware is all about.
PlayMakers Repertory Company will present
"The Nutcracker A Play." Nov. 28-Dec. 22 at the
Paul Green Theatre.
The Carolina Union Activities Board Theatre .
Arts Committee presents William Shakespeare's
Twelfth Night in the Cabaret through Dec. 2. The play "
is set in the 1 920s. Admission is S3 for students and $5 -for
the public. Call 962-1 157 for more info.
The Carolina Union Gallery Committee is
pleased to announce "Recent Works." a sculpture
exhibit by Winston-Salem artist Gregory Podgomy,
in the Union gallery through Jan. II.
j The Daily Tar Heel. The best news on campus! if J
TOM
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