6The Daily Tar Heel Wednesday, April 17, 1985 C T1 o A o T1 H TT J h i L By SALLY PONT Staff Wrifer When five members of the cast of Epsom Downs, this springs mainstage undergraduate production," were together outside rehearsal, they all talked at the same time but still heard what the others were saying. They were both a group, members of a tight little acting clique, and personalities that had the power to rise above the crowd. Jennifer Deer Johnson, a senior from Atlanta, is beautiful and has a terrific husky voice. Kenn Russell, a senior from Albemarle, converses in an unmitigated flow of witticisms. Dave Gardner, a freshman from Washington, has boy-next-door, teen idol good looks and Patrick Padgett, a junior from Arden, speaks with the slow deliberation of an oracle. Each member of the Epsom cast is a showstopper in his own right, but somehow meshes into the single entity of the crowd for the show, which opens tonight in PlayMakers Theatre. Epsom is a play designed for an ensemble. It is set on Derby Day and takes place at the race track, where a wide assortment of characters meet and interact. The harsh sound of pre-rehearsal chatter carries into the show itself. "This play is about crowds," said Padgett. "The kind of loud fun crowds you see at football and baseball games. It is a celebration of .people and of a society. All types are represented here. It's not just a cross-section of society. It's an entire society." As Howard Brenton, author of Epsom, meant for actors to play more than one role, the crowd effect lacks volume. Ben Cameron, director of this production, endeavored to overcome this problem by presenting his actors with a painting of a marketplace by French artist Bruegel that captures the vitality of a crowd not through numbers but through color and individual expression. Russell stressed the individuality of the characters in Epsom. "It's not just a parade of stereotypes," he said. "It's not like Patrick pulls out gangster stereotype 3 for his gangster scene. Sure, he puts on the accent, but that's just a springboard for all the really wonderful, unique things that he does with his character." Russell, too, has unique moments. As the play's setting is a racetrack, some of the actors play horses. Russell's horses, as described by Johnson, are particularly horsey, with an added dimension. Said Russell: "I play one horse as the aristocrat. We fondly call him Laurence Olivery. Then I play a rougher horse, who's the outside chance in the derby. He's a little nervous." Epsom treads a fine line between the realistic and the unrealistic, the personal and the universal. Padgett believes that above all the stress is on what is real. He said the Americanization of the British play's expressions and characters lended Epsom some of its realism. "It's really the same play, we just changed the colloquialisms," Padgett said. "That'll bring the play home. It would be easy for Americans to avoid the meaning of the play if it were British. Now it's not removed and the meaning is apparent." What does the play mean? To this question, the crowd of actors gave its first moment of silence. "It's about people," said Russell. "It's got a real political philosophy," said Padgett. "It's really about a day," said Gardner. "You tell us," said Johnson. Whatever the play means, there should be a lot happening. As a crowd and individuals, these actors are ready to put on a show. Epsom Downs will be performed through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. in PlayMakers Theatre. Call 962-1121 for ticket information. Campus Calendar Wednesday The Carolina Student FundDTH Campus Calendar will appear daily. Announcements to be run in the expanded version on Mondays and Thursdays must be placed in the box outside the Carolina Student Fund office on the third floor of South Building by 3 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Wednesday, respectively. The dead lines for the limited editions will be noon one day before the announce ment is to run. Only announcements from University recognized and cam pus organizations will be printed. 11 a.m. Information table on Mexi can Health Project in the" Pit. Noon Atomic molecular and optics seminar, "Intrinsic Optical . - ' Bistability," 227 Phillips. 2:00 p.m. Meeting for juniors planning to use the Career Planning and Placement Office next year, 103 Hanes Hall. 4 p.m. UNCDuke physics astronomy colloquim "On Driving 500-Kiloampre Steady-state Currents with Waves in a Tokamak Plasma " 265 Phillips. STAND lobb y i n Washington. 7:30 p.m. "Mass Media Coverage and Foreign Policy in Spain, 209 Manning. Durham Chapel Hill Ski & Sports Club meeting and presentation, Royal Oaks Apartments Clubhouse, Call Rick Burt at 477-8442. UNC Pre-Vet Club, Dr. Harold Rodeffer, "Food Animal Medicine," 204 Union. , 8 p.m. Carolina Indian Circle pres ents "North Carolina Indian Awareness," Reception fol lowing, 21 1 Union. 10 p.m. "The Value of Current Arms Control Agreements with A Look to the Future," lecture by Christopher Paine, front Washington, D.C., branch of PSR, 105 Berryhill Hall. .... Small Business Big Money, two-hour presentation oiv how to start and run a small' business, 224 Union. "The Value of Current Arms Control Agreements with a look to the Future," 105 Berryhill Hall. Anglican Student Fellowship service of Holy Communion, Chapel of the Cross. - s t M " c - -' ? ' ; IISI IIP J rr 'y t ' VW . t Ken Russell (left) and Margaret Jemison in Benton's "Epsom Downs." stafooi socctahies. 3 -y-u i-i i r w e I GOURMET MEXICAN ' SEAFOOD COMBINATION tf&T, 3fS& 4 Otftefc pAKfr it A 44i Wf wtf Open Daily Serving Lunch & Dinners NCNB PJaza 967- 7145 n Avoid the lottery blues Apply now' All apartments on the bus line to UNC Fantastic Social Program Call today for full information 967-223 1 or 967-2234 In North Carolina call toll-free 1-800-672-16 78 Nationwide, call toll-free 1-800-3 34-1656 (() 1 J I t " fW C V. ta A lira f I P M A IMR U Support March of Dimes t . , , ,...,.... LiJWma!. ..h, -r :mW.S 111, '1 ffB.Wi ftayfWI W 1 Vfj JWM"- iliIy'CMWllal'1, mmamamtsxxm m xmwpamtjWIgliBaijl , f ; i .(, , i li i : t ' t i i 9 - ' i - ' ,: ' ' ' 1 " ' ' - 1 ' 5 : ' , , T j . 1 , 4 s fit- i 1 ! 5 !l : ' ii : , ., , , , , , , ; i t ' t i i 4 M . - . j, i , l 1 i t ' i i i j i'l ' ' i .i .... ,. . ! r . " . i ", , , f , (If" tl i ' I -. V ! ! ' i If , , Of ' ' t M ' ''''( i I - I '.i'f: !: . '" ' ' " " " , , i ( " i1 i , ) ' 1 ' f Mi 1 - -j , , Ga3TOa5Ti)a( - - -- - - - i i '" "'''""" .-.rii-...ii...-iTO...i,J.-,. ,r i. . ,.,.,. . nnim ' The Union Weekly Features Committee presents c 1 . ;. The A B C's and 12 3's of car maintenance and mechanics. Wednesday, April 17 7pm McFarlmg's Exxon 126 W. Franklin if 10th Annual 750 domestic bottles 32 oz. house draft $1 .00 157 E. Rosemary ST. ASK-FROFJ-YOUR-PC DAYS! y 1 ; 1 !5lS k WHAT-fylORE-COULD-YOU- The Staff of Vlicroglyphics, Inc. requests your presence during our upcoming 2 day PC exposition. Our presentations are exciting and aimed at making you more productive in your lab, office, and home. Join us for wine and cheese, on-going demonstrations, and a festive look at your PC's potential. Thursday & Friday April 18th and 19th, 1985 1 1 a.m. 'til 6 p.m. Demonstration: On-line Searching Graphics including AutoCAD & Fontrix Utilities Nifty Gadget buy 13 Micro Glyphics Inc. (919)493-8444 3411 University Drlvo Durham, NC 27707 R.S.V.P.

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