Friday, November 18, 1977 Weekender 3
Language Dept. open house
chance to quench 'saudades'
This painting, Joaqutm do Joaqum, is a work by Brazilian artist lara Turynambas,
and is among the items of Brazilian culture that will be exhibited during an open
house sponsored by the Dept. of Romance Languages tomorrow. Staff photo by
Fred Barbour.
UNC students and other members of the
community are invited to a Portuguese
Brazilian open house Saturday.
The Luso-Brailian open house, which is
sponsored by graduate students and
professors in Portuguese in UNC's
Department of Romance Languages, will
take place in Toy Lounge, fourth floor of
Dcy Hall, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Saturday.
The open house will feature free Brazilian
coffee and typical native refreshments, a 1 5
piece show of modern Brazilian art, craft
displays from Brazil and Portugal, films and
popular music.
"We find that there are many people in
Chapel Hill who are friends of Brazil or
Portugal for one reason or another," said
Antonio Simoes, coordinator of the open
house, "and this is a good chance for us all to
get together and quench our 'saudades.' "
"Saudades." he said, is an important word
in the Portuguese vocabulary that has no
exact equivalent in English, but means
Durham Guild's 'Boys from Syracuse'
Material, facilities hamper production
something like "fond longings."
Simoes said that besides nearly two dozen
native Brazilians or Portuguese on campus,
there are many students who have lived in
one country or the other. He said UNC has
the largest Portuguese language program in
the country, with about 300 enrollments per
semester.
The art collection will feature Brazilian
artists from the state of Minas Gerais. The
best-known of the artists, Siinoes said, is
Lasar Segall, a European expressionist who
immigrated to Brazil and w as responsible lor
many reforms in that country's graphic arts
in this century. A series of pieces by Yara
Tupinamba will portray the woman's role in
the history of Brazil.
Films to be shown are Cities of Yesterday
and Tomorrow, a contrast of Brazil's
baroque colonial cities with its ultra-modem
capital. Brasilia; and films on Erico
Verissimo, a popular Brazilian novelist; and
Manuel Bandeira, a Brazilian poet, both of
whom have been translated into English.
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This month the Durham Theatre Guild is
attempting a revival of Rodgers and Hart's
The Boys from Syracuse. The musical, at
best, is a second rate A Funny Thing
Happened On The Way To Tlie Forum. This
, effort to revive the tired piece is less than
second rate.
Syracuse, a shaky parody of Greek drama
(and of Elizabethan interpretation of Greek
drama) is not a masterpiece of the musical
theatre. Perhaps the only excuse for a
community theatre troupe to launch a
production of this play is that its utter
silliness and banality may provide an easy
escape from the heavier moments of day to
day living in the '70s. But this is a comedy
that must be particularly well done to be
mildly enjoyable.
This production of the show does have its
satisfying moments. The capable rendition,
by Pamela Harris (UNC graduate) and
cohorts, of two (of the fourteen) musical
numbers ( This Can't Be Love and Falling In
Love With Love) is most pleasant. The
theatre
The Boys From Syracuse
Durham Theatre Guild
-By PATRICIA C. GREEN-
tongue-in-cheek aura of fantasy created by
UNC student Robert Byrd (the sorcerer) is
delightful. And Betty Setzer (ever-loyal to
the Guild), as chief courtesan, lends sparkle
to the show.
There are other valiant efforts on the part
of the hardworking cast and crew, but the
task of breathing life into The Boys From
Syracuse proves to be more than hard work,
dedication or good intentions can
accomplish.
The production is staged in a rather small,
hall-like room in the Durham Arts Council's
headquarters. These facilities may lend
themselves to certain types of productions
but not this one. With its cast of thousands
(despite some doubling), musical numbers
and changing scenes (the stagehands actually
changed sets during some of the musical
numbers) this show needed more room.
Well-cast professionals would find it
difficult enough to breathe life into some of
the characters (caricatures?) drawn by the
writers. This production features rampant
miscasting. (The director of a musical must
remember that the chosen performers should
be able to sing and dance, as well as act.)
Community theatre can provide
opportunities for needed cultural stimulus
and artistic growth within a community.
Despite the lack of facilities, the Durham
Theatre Guild has managed to do this in the
past. The talented and devoted people
involved in this production are capable of a
better product.
- f j
Robert Byrd, a UNC student who stars as
Aegean and the sorcerer in the Durham
Theatre Guild's production of The Boys
From Syracuse. Photo by John Miles.
HO
or
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Friday and Saturday
ARROGANCE
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$1.50 Cover 8-12 P.M.
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