(04/27/10 4:00am)
Brandeis is hosting a unique opportunity for students and faculty alike to enjoy a special mélange of both Eastern and Western influences in music. The Pacific Rim Festival, which started yesterday and continues today, will be taking place in Slosberg Recital Hall. JustArts had an opportunity to interview Prof. Judith Eissenberg (MUS) by e-mail about the festival.JustArts:What exactly is the Pacific Rim Festival? Is it a celebration of culture? A social statement?Judith Eissenberg: The Pacific Rim refers to countries and cities located on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The festival was founded in 1996 to celebrate and explore the rich variety of musical cultures of the world; this year's festival features over thirty composers from both sides of the Pacific. A special feature of the Festival, whose motto is "Music from the Past, Music for the Future" is the presentation of world premiere compositions from the Cultural Synthesis Project, written especially for the combination of western and traditional Asian musical instruments. Your instinct to ask if the PR festival is a social statement is right on-Artistic Director and composer Hi Kyung Kim [said]: "We hope to gain a deeper understanding of the music and the people of our nations. Through music we celebrate the common bond of our humanity."This week (beginning in Santa Cruz, [Calif.] and heading toward the two concerts at Brandeis on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7 has been an incredible experience. All of us in this project realize that the music that we performed was necessarily new-that in order meet each other, violin and daegum, cello and gayagum-we needed to play music that was somehow OF and at the same time NEW to each of our traditions. We learned from and were inspired by each other, and helped each other through the journey of each piece. One of the composers, when confronted with composing music that adapted stylizations of traditional Korean repertoire or the vernacular of Western contemporary music, decided to create a fictitious folk tradition, from the mythical island of N'Shima. The music he wrote came from this new imagined place. JA: What types of instruments are going to be played?JE: The Western ones will be violin, viola, cello and clarinet. The traditional Korean instruments will be daegum (long bamboo flute), haegum (two string violin), agaeng (giant zither, bowed with a stick), and gayageum, (zither). The Korean performers are revered soloists making up the Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea.JA: Can you tell us a little more about the specific groups collaborating on this project? JE: There are three groups that are coming to Brandeis:CMEK (Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea) is renowned as one of the most innovative ensembles in the world, on the forefront of new music creation in Korea and abroad. The four members who will be at Brandeis are Sang-Hun Kim, ajaeng; Soo-Neon Chung, haegum; Jeong-Seung Kim, daegum; and Jiyoung Yi, gayageum. CMEK was founded in 1998 with the aim to construct a new kind of music-one that goes beyond a distinction between Western and Korean music-and promote it in the world as part of a universal musical language.The Lydian String Quartet . has been on the faculty for 30 years. In that time, we have championed the new, explored the traditional, and recently have been on a musical journey with our project "Around the World in a String Quartet." This festival has opened up our ears and imaginations to new possibilities, and we have had the great pleasure of working with our colleagues from the Pacific Korea. As part of the festival, another ensemble as well is taking part, the Del Sol String Quartet from San Francisco, known for their adventurous programming. Together, the musicians from these groups are performing stunning new compositions, most of them world premieres. Included are works from Brandeis faculty composers Yu Hui Chang and [Prof.] David Rakowski (MUS), Brandeis graduate Laurie San Martin '03, and Brandeis Ph.D. candidate Seunghee Lee. JA: Why these two types of music? Is there some sort of special thing going on that can't be achieved with other types of musical collaborations?JE: One of the hardest things I am asked to do is to talk about music. I can tell you that to me, these two musics concentrate on different aspects of sound, . one (the music from my own Western European tradition) seems concerned with harmony, hierarchies of structure and materials, . the other with what happens with the sound of a single note after it is first presented. Before playing with these musicians I never considered that so many potentialities existed. How do these two perspectives interact? What is the chemistry of the music that results when these aesthetic values meet? Are these things in fact more than aesthetic viewpoints in music? . Could they reflect cultural perspectives, or even represent world views?If it is this last, I can't help wondering more about the composer's mythical land of N'Shima. N'Shima was imagined to create a soundscape where the two musics can meet on equal footing, both adventurers in a newborn world. Here, dissonance offers possibility and we treasure difference. There is a lesson in that.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
There's a certain difficulty that arises when describing the experience of seeing great live jazz. Call it the "vibe," the overall time-feel or some type of spiritual connection that the players make with each other when improvising. However you put it, there is an emotional, transcendental element of live jazz that can hardly be expressed in words. A few words do come to mind, however, when I think of the Dave Holland Quintet's performance last Friday at the Regattabar in Cambridge-words like startling, raw, innovative and dense. The moment the quintet came on stage, I instantly sensed the "vibe." I felt this before they played any notes, when they had just picked up their instruments. Even when they were just warming up, the musicians handled their instruments like they were extra arms. It's not every day I see people play horns who have spent the majority their lives acquainting themselves with them. Dave Holland, especially, manipulated his bass with a type of energy and wisdom that I had never seen before. Holland was the bassist for Miles Davis in the trumpeter's Bitches Brew era and has continued to rise in prominence in modern jazz fusion. He has played with an assortment of other big names in jazz, including Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Pat Metheny, Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock over the course of his five-decade career. The Dave Holland Quintet, which consists of Holland, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, drummer Nate Smith and tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, played a total of four sets last weekend, with 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday.I caught the late set on Friday, and the venue was packed. The environment was sophisticated and friendly, and I could tell that everyone present had a deep respect for each member of the quintet. Rather than rows of seats, the Regattabar seats listeners at tables of four, so people may engage in casual conversation with each other or order food and drinks. My friend and I sat near the front right next to Nelson's vibraphones.We soon realized that we had some of the best seats as we could carefully observe Nelson's playing. While accompanying other soloists, he'd use three or four mallets, but he would switch to two for his virtuosic solos. During one of his improvisations, he played so furiously that I felt like the mallets were flying out toward me. Every hit of the vibraphone was precise, yet unexpected enough in timing to keep the rhythm exciting. The entire quintet was, in fact, characterized by this sense of rhythm that was simultaneously rock-solid and syncopated, which kept me on the edge of my seat. This is due in part to Holland's love for odd meters and polyrhythmic figures. I lost track of the downbeat often if I did not count carefully, but Smith's spectacular drumming and Holland's ingenious bass lines kept my foot tapping. Eubanks gave an especially stellar solo in "Secret Garden" that demonstrated the group's mastery of irregular rhythms, emphasizing select offbeats and creating an alternate groove within his solo.The other horn player, Chris Potter, is an entirely different story. My friend referred to him as "John Coltrane on crack," but his style is completely his own. I could see Coltrane's "sheets of sound" quality in many of Potter's ridiculously fast improvisations, but he uses a variety of other techniques that create excitement. The quintet ended the set with "Vicissitudes," one of Potter's compositions in which the saxophonist demonstrated a type of modern ferocity that was never found in jazz during Coltrane's time. He is, in my opinion, one of the best current jazz saxophonists in the world, a view shared by many others. It wasn't a specific solo or segment of the concert, however, that left me feeling dazed after seeing the Dave Holland Quintet. I do recall a few moments that stood out, such as when Dave Holland broke into a sizzling groove during one of his solos, but it was the combination of astounding rhythm and improvisation from each player that, to put it plainly, blew my mind.Those who don't usually listen to groups like the Dave Holland Quintet are missing out on a thrilling and constantly evolving form of music. The modern jazz scene in Boston and Cambridge is huge. The Regattabar, which is located in the Charles Hotel at 1 Bennett St in Cambridge, features at least four shows a week, and tickets are generally only around $20. Next week begins the annual Jazz Week, when Boston will host tons of jazz artists from around the area from April 23 through May 2. Performance schedules and more information can be found at www.jazzboston.org.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
CORRECTIONS APPENDEDThe spelling bee has never been funnier. Tympanium Euphorium's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a complete riot from start to finish. The plot is simple enough-six elementary school students from all over Putnam County gather in a gymnasium to battle for the title of County Spelling Champion-but the combination of a great script, hilarious acting, beautiful singing and superb directing made the show a phenomenon that should not have been missed.Alex Davidson '10 made his Undergraduate Theatre Collective directing debut with Spelling Bee. In his director's note, he mentioned how important it is for him to have fun and excitement in theater, and he made that quite evident in his directing. The production seemed effortless and well-rehearsed, making it a joy to watch.The entire production fit together perfectly, and a good deal of that had to do with the skill of the musical direction. Mindy Cimini '12 was both the musical director and the pianist for the show. The musicians were able to support the action onstage without ever detracting from it. The performance was clean and blended beautifully with the voices of the actors.This was a highly talented cast of actors and singers. The actors were able to pass beyond acting and actually become the characters. All of the 20-or-so-year-old actors were completely believable as elementary school-aged children. In one case, it may have been slightly overdone: Julie Stein's '11 character had an overpowering lisp that made it difficult to understand her when she spoke, even though that may have been the intention. Nick Maletta's '13 song "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor" was a stunning song with every note piercing the heart of the audience. Adam Levine '11 sang about the embarrassment of having an uncontrollable erection in the song "Chip's Lament (My Unfortunate Erection)." He sang with realistic emotion and had everyone watching feeling his pain. I would say that the stand-out acting job of the performance was that of Jeremy Weinberg '12. He played a home-schooled child named Leaf, and every single movement he made while onstage intensified the depth of his character. One of the amazing aspects of the play was watching the actors change roles. Many of them played multiple and varied parts. Maletta and Weinberg slid seamlessly between playing their main roles and portraying two flamboyant gay men, while Levine made a brief appearance as Jesus. This use of doubling, and the fact that it was done so well, made it obvious how talented the actors were. These abrupt appearances kept the audience perpetually on the edge of their seats.Another great aspect of the play was the audience participation. Four members of the audience at every performance were pulled onto stage to participate as the additional spelling bee contestants. For the performance on Sunday at 2 p.m., the audience members were Prof. Harry Coiner (ECON), Carly Saada (an eight-year-old), Josh Basseches '12 and Melanie Steinhardt '13. The actors onstage were able to improvise around all of the audience members. Herbie Rosen '12, playing Vice Principal Douglas Panch, did a great job at making sassy comments off the cuff at Prof. Coiner, and economist jokes abounded. The set on which the actors stood was simple yet evocative. Although sparse with only a set of bleachers, a judging table and a chair for the Comfort Counselor, it had the essential set pieces to make it clear that the play took place in a school gymnasium without adding visual distractions. In addition, there were little details on the walls of the auditorium that added to the elementary school ambience, like posters of art projects from a fourth grade class and juvenile science projects.In my opinion, the play was a complete success. The directing of both actors and music coupled with an enthusiastic cast made every moment of the production a pleasure. I have rarely laughed that hard in my life, especially at something as trivial as a simple spelling bee.Corrections:The article originally misstated the name of a theater organization. It is the Undergraduate Theatre Collective, not the University Theatre Company.The article originally misstated the age of an audience member. Carly Saada is eight years old, not nine.
(04/13/10 4:00am)
The Brandeis men's and women's track and field teams competed in the George Davis Invitational Track & Field Meet at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell on Saturday and came away with noteworthy finishes. The Judges' top performances came in the women's jumping events, including top finishes in both the women's high jump and long jump.Suzanne Bernier '10 won the high jump with a height of 1.60 meters. Lily Parenteau '12 jumped 1.50 meters, which was good for ninth.Lucia Capano '11 won the long jump, jumping 5.31 meters. Capano also finished third in the triple jump with a distance of 11.02 meters. "[Capano] is a really good jumper with great form. Everything is precision-cut, and it all really came together today," sprinter Anna Sinjour '13 said. The women were also quite successful in the distance running events. In the 1,500-meter race, the Judges placed two runners in the top five. Beth Pisarik '10 finished third with a time of 4 minutes, 50.44 seconds. Marie Lemay '11 finished exactly four seconds off of Pisarik's pace, good for fifth. In the 3,000-meter race, the team took home three of the top four places. Alyssa Pisarik '12 finished second with a time of 10:30.99. Ally Connolly '10 took home third with a time of 10:33.48, and Kate Warwick '12 finished less than a second behind her, good for fourth.The men's distance team's best performance came from Devon Holgate '11. Holgate finished fourth in a competitive 1,500-meter field with a time of 4:01.14. "Devon has been running great recently, and he will continue to improve. He is definitely going to have a breakthrough," fellow distance runner Jake Newfield '13 said.In the two-mile event, the men were paced by Marc Boutin '12, who took ninth place with a time of 9.33.75 seconds. Also competing for the Judges were captain Dan Anastos '11, who took 17th with a time of 9:50.65; Newfield, who finished 30th with a time of 10:15.65 and Raymond Chen '10, who finished in 10:50.10, good for 42nd place.Ryan Cheng '11 turned in an impressive third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase event, finishing the race in 10.24.51.Arguably the men's team's most impressive individual result came in the 800-meter race. In a field of 62 runners, Aaron Udel '10 finished third with a time of 1:56.45. "Udel has been very solid all season long," Newfield said. "He's hovered around the 1:56 mark all season long and has been edging closer and closer to breaking it." Also competing in the race for Brandeis were Mik Kern '13, who finished 19th, and Will Collins '10, who took 35th.The women's 800-meter race had a surprise ending for the Judges. Runners Emily Owen '11 and Erin Bisceglia '12 both finished the race with a time of exactly 2:21.12, which was good for a seventh-place tie. "I had never seen two runners finish with the exact same time in a track and field event, let alone two runners from the same team," Sinjour said. "It certainly was a bizarre ending to the race but was also pretty exciting."In the women's 200-meter event, Brandeis placed two runners in the top 10 in a field of 42 runners. Sinjour finished in fifth place with a time of 26.91 seconds, while Michelle Gellman '11 finished in 28.08, good for 10th place.The women also had a runner finish in the top 10 in the 400-meter race and the 100-meter hurdles. Casey McGown '13 finished eighth in the 400 with a time of 1:03.53. Kayley Wolf took 10th in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 17.39 seconds. The women's 4x100 relay team also fared well, finishing third. The quartet of Capano, Gellman, Sinjour and Farrington finished the relay in 50.79 seconds. "We were really happy with how the 4x100 team did" Sinjour said. "It was our first time running together as a team, and we ran a really respectable time." The Men's 4x100 team also did well, taking home seventh place. The youthful group of Stanley Ye '12, Mingkai Lin '12, Brian Foley '13 and Charlie Pino '12 finished the relay in 44.75 seconds.Ye was also the top men's runner in the 100-meter individual race, finishing 21st. Lin was the men's top runner in the 400-meter race, finishing 16th with a time of 52.99 seconds. Rounding out the field events for the Judges was Desiree Murphy '10's 12th-place finish in the discus with a distance of 34.01 meters. Steve Melnik '12 competed in the javelin for the men's team and finished 11th with a distance of 46.78 meters.The Judges next compete at the Fitchburg State Invitational this upcoming weekend.
(03/23/10 4:00am)
The men's and women's tennis teams traveled to Maine and faced Bates College, coach Ben Lamanna's alma mater, on Saturday. The women walked away with a 5-4 win, improving their record to 5-5, while the men lost a close 6-3, giving them a record of 5-5.The Judges, ranked No. 29 nationally, managed to take an early lead against Bates in doubles play, winning both first and third doubles. The team of Faith Broderick '13 and Rachel Rosman '11 edged out the Bates team 8-6. At third doubles, co-captain Ariana Sanai '10 and Nina Levine '12 took the match 8-3. Bates was able to take a close second doubles victory, winning 8-6 over the team of Mackenzie Gallegos '11 and Sarah Richman '12.In singles play with the Judges leading 2-1, both teams earned three points, securing the win for Brandeis. At first singles, Broderick faced senior Alex Piacquad, with Broderick taking the first set 6-3 and falling 6-7 in the second set. With a tie score, the match went to a third-set super-tiebreaker, in which Piacquad defeated Broderick 10-5 for the match. At fifth and sixth singles, Bates was victorious, defeating Levine 6-7, 7-2, 6-2 in the fifth spot and defeating Richman 6-3, 6-4 in the sixth spot. However, the Judges were able sweep second, third and fourth singles, with Rosman, Sanai and Gallegos earning easy victories and clinching the match for Brandeis."Our women's team is showing a lot of heart and competitiveness," said Lamanna. "They are really going to fight to the bitter end, and it all comes from leadership, from upperclassmen who step up [and] call people out when they need to and get the job done."Despite the win, the Judges learned that co-captain Emily Weisberger '10, who had injured herself playing against Middlebury College, had torn her ACL and MCL, thus ending her season and her tennis career at Brandeis. "She is a fantastic athlete who always brings a level of experience and consistency to the court," said Lamana.On Saturday, the men also faced Bates, whose men's squad is ranked No. 30 nationally and No. 7 in the Northeast. The Judges, ranked No. 14 in the Northeast, lost to Bates 6-3.In doubles play, the first doubles team of Simon Miller '11 and Nick White '11 won 8-5. At second doubles, the team of Steven Milo '13 and Dave Yovanoff '13 were heading toward a second Brandeis victory, leading senior Max Berger and sophomore Jeffrey Beaton of Bates 6-1. However, Bates fought back to tie the match at eight games apiece. Beaton and Berger eventually completed their comeback to win the match 9-8. "[Milo and Yovanoff] came out fired up, playing aggressive tennis," said Lamanna. "We would overpower them on most points and force them to back up, but there was a little momentum, and ultimately they couldn't finish the match."With the team of Steve Nieman '11 and Michael Tatarsky '12 falling at third doubles, the Judges were down 2-1 after doubles play.In singles play, the Judges back end of the Judges' lineup was able to earn the squad victory points, with Nieman beating his opponent in a third set super-tiebreaker 10-6 at fifth singles, and Milo easily winning 6-2, 6-1 in the sixth singles spot. However, Bates was able to take the other four singles spots, defeating White, Miller, Yovanoff and Fred Rozenshteyn '13 at first through fourth singles, respectively.The men began the week with a 7-0 loss to strong Divison I opponent Boston College on Wednesday. The Judges' lone win came from rookies Milo and Yovanoff at the second doubles spot in an 8-5 victory over junior Adam Davidson and senior Brian Garber. The score of the match does not reflect this win, because according to Division I rules, all three doubles matches count as one point combined."[Milo and Yovanoff] came out relaxed and fired up, and when they reached the point of the momentum switch, the moment of truth, they were able to finish it," Lamanna said.White and Rozenshteyn both fell 1-6, 0-6 at first and fourth singles respectively. Milo, who played sixth singles, won three games in each set before falling to Davidson. Simon Miller '11 and Yovanoff both managed to win two games each off their Boston College opponents at the second and third singles slots, respectively. At fifth singles. Nieman, who lost the first set 1-6, brought the second set to a 6-6 tie before narrowly being defeated 6-7.The men's team will play Amherst College at Babson College on Saturday, and both squads will then face University of Rochester at home on Sunday. The men start at 11 a.m. and the women begin at 3 p.m.
(03/09/10 5:00am)
Nate Westheimer is a model example of today's technological entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Web site BricaBox, LLC. He is executive vice president of Product and Technology at a startup company called AnyClip, which runs a Web site that indexes films and allows people to watch videos and search within them for information, scenes and actors that current data cannot find. He is also executive director of the NY Tech Meetup, an organization for tech startups in the New York area. Where did he go to school? Brandeis, Class of 2005. Although Brandeis is one of the most prestigious liberal arts schools in the country and has only recently launched its own Business major, it is a place where aspiring entrepreneurs can come to not only learn about business but also to discover passions that will fuel later entrepreneurial ventures. The Brandeis International Business School and its Asper Center for Entrepreneurship provide courses in entrepreneurship that are available to undergraduate students. Many Brandeis students have gone on to become entrepreneurs after graduating, but their personal traits all differ. "[Entrepreneurs have] almost every personality characteristic identified," says Prof. Charles Reed (IBS), co-director of the Asper Center for Entrepreneurship and former entrepreneur. Reed was a "global marketing exexecutive," as he thought of himself back then, and he managed companies and parts of companies. Westheimer describes entrepreneurs as "people who wake up every morning with a fire in their belly." "The people I know all have a burning desire to be excellent," says Westheimer. He tells the story of an entrepreneur named Kevin Ryan, who was then CEO of online advertising network DoubleClick and who now runs business incubator AlleyCorp, a firm that helps new business ventures develop into mature, profitable companies. Ryan went on to buy one of the countries he was managing.Ryan wanted to learn how to play Ping-Pong. To discipline himself to achieve a sense of excellence, this entrepreneur took lessons from a pro until he was not good at it, but excellent at it. Reed says that passion is an integral part of being an entrepreneur. "There are so many obstacles that if you don't have passion, you're just going to give up," says Reed. However, while Westheimer agrees that passion is a good thing, he cautions that passion requires a vetting process where the entrepreneur must play the role of venture capitalist, not visionary. The difference? A visionary looks at a business venture for factors like its possibilities and creativity; venture capitalists use a more realistic approach and judge the value of a business venture by whether there is a need for it and whether or not it can make money. Westheimer advocates this latter point of view. According to Westheimer, entrepreneurs must also practice their craft. Westheimer suggests that especially those students interested in tech entrepreneurship should start to "hack," meaning they need to come up with projects and experiment. Students can create coded Web sites or use a simplified content management system like Wordpress or Drupal to build their ideas into reality. Students need to scratch that entrepreneurial itch, as Westheimer calls it. Westheimer himself was very involved in Brandeis Television while at Brandeis. In fact, when he was trying to decide what career field to choose, people suggested film and video based on how much time he spent working at BTV. At BTV, he helped introduce video streaming and user-generated videos. The club also did a live webcast in December 2004. And this was before the concept of big video-sharing sites like YouTube, Westheimer points out. Now he works at AnyClip, a startup company that advances the way people use and interact with video. Mark Shirman '79 is what's called a serial entrepeneur, or a person that starts several companies, one after another. He started his first company, Innovative Information Systems, 2 1/2 years ago after getting his M.B.A. from American University. In August 2001 he started another business, GlassHouse Technologies, a consulting services company focused on data center operations. Shirman suggests that students should get used to learning from their mistakes, especially for tech entrepreneurship.Shirman says the next best thing after learning the technology on your own is to surround yourself with people who have that technical knowledge needed and whose skills will complement your own skills. Shirman also advises students to become more flexible and resilient because in businesses. Shirman says, aspiring entrepreneurs will face a lot of people saying "no" and will have to build up their resilience to succeed. Former IBS professor, CEO of Marketing Edge Consulting Group and author of The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit Beth Goldstein '85 also lends her advice on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. She says that while being an entrepreneur is exciting, it still involves a lot of risk-taking. "Entrepreneurs need to be good risk-takers," says Goldstein. Because of this, Goldstein thinks a liberal arts education is important to entrepreneurship."[Students] need to discover new things, which is why I think a liberal arts education is phenomenal: because it teaches you how to think. You learn how to ask really tough questions. That's how you get good at what you're doing. And the best entrepreneurs I've worked with are really effective at that," says Goldstein. Goldstein says the key for students is to learn new things.She says the teachers who gave her the most valuable advice were those who pushed her to think outside the box. What could it look like instead of what does it look like. Goldstein says that students should not just accept everything they learn as fact, but should learn to think for themselves.Correction appended: The first version of this article referred to the Asper Center for Entrepreneurship as the Aspen Center for Entrepreneurship.
(03/02/10 5:00am)
Let's face it, most video game sequels aren't exactly paragons of originality: Final Fantasy's writers are becoming progressively lazier with each installment in the series. It seems like every title features an androgynous protagonist with a weather-related moniker who has to overcome a scientific/spiritual source of doom with the aid of a ragtag bunch of loveable and/or annoying sidekicks. Similarly, most of the new games in the Mario and Zelda franchises only feature the bare minimum amount of alteration to the original game's plot or setting. But when I heard a follow-up to the 2008 action title No More Heroes was going to hit the streets in January, I dared to hope: How could the series' creator, Suda51, possibly produce anything unoriginal?Alas, Suda51 seems to have fallen victim to, for the first half of the game, at least the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality that plagues the aforementioned games and so many other titles in the video game medium.For those unfamiliar with the prequel to No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle, the original Wii title followed otaku Travis Touchdown as he battled the top ten killers of the United Assassins Association. In reality, the plot is of little import; what makes the game is its over-the-top brutality, twisted sense of humor and unique character personalities. And, while I hoped Desperate Struggle would be much the same (just because the original was so fantastic), I still expected some innovation and a few improvements. Instead, Suda51 and his company, Grasshopper Manufacture, just took the best features of the original game (including its plot-Desperate Struggle is essentially the same journey, except with a briefly touched upon revenge element tossed in) and exaggerated them to an unappealing degree in Desperate Struggle.In the first No More Heroes, for instance, characters were outrageous but frequently had some depth to their personalities. In Desperate Struggle, however, assassins are so extreme and so shallow that they sometimes border on uninspired stereotypes: There's the jock and his legion of murderous cheerleaders, the poison-spitting nymphomaniac, two subservient schoolgirls (which is two more than I needed) and a bounty of other caricatures with no backstory and massive cases of hero-worship. Fortunately, as Desperate Heroes progresses, the game moves beyond the "Whoa, Travis! I joined the UAA to fight you!" dialogue that dominates the first portion of the game; by the second half, in fact, it has been replaced by the witty banter and somewhat disturbing back-and-forth that made the original title so entertaining. And, while I was fond of the first No More Heroes' helter-skelter battle system and even enjoyed the button mashing it required, I expected Grasshopper Manufacture to come up with something a little more advanced for Desperate Struggle. But I hoped in vain: You still bring about bloodbaths by frantically pressing the A button and occasionally pulling off a randomly generated wrestling move. No combos, no Wii-remote-enabled swordfights and no innovation were involved in the making of this game's fighting style, or in the layout of its "levels." For, much like in the first title, each ranked assassin is preceded by a series of rooms filled with lackeys, although Desperate Struggle does occasionally switch things up a bit by throwing you right into the boss' lair or by giving you an opportunity to ride your trusty steed/chopper, the Schpeltiger, into battle. And, for several brief periods of the game, you'll get to play as a giant robot and also as Shinobu (who is now one of the subservient schoolgirls I mentioned; what happened there?) and Henry, both of whom made an appearance in No More Heroes. But, I suppose I shouldn't complain about the lack of innovation in Desperate Struggle, as some of the title's greatest flaws lie in its new features. When you do get a chance to fight astride the Schpeltiger, for instance, you'll find yourself facing an opponent capable of performing donuts on his motorcycle while you're stuck spending 15 to 20 minutes turning around to face him. Don't worry, though: If you're having difficulty dealing the winning blow, just wait a bit, as chances are the boss will run himself off a cliff due to the game's poor artificial intelligence. (No, really: I did, in fact, win a portion of the game after an assassin ran himself off of a cliff. The UAA's standards are pretty low nowadays.) Further, while Shinobu's jumping abilities make for a fun battle mechanic, they are next to useless while you're trying to navigate the landscape of certain levels, as Shinobu is apparently physically incapable of grabbing ledges and thus slides off of the edges of half of the surfaces you attempt to climb. Regardless, I have to give credit where credit is due. Suda51 fixed a significant amount of the original title's greatest flaws. The money-earning mini-games are now fun throwbacks to the eight-bit era, and the boring, empty Santa Destroy (the city in which both games take place) of yore has been replaced by a streamlined map from which you select your next destination, and Desperate Struggle is still a better title than 90 percent of those games that are currently available for the Wii-unless, of course, you're a fan of titles composed primarily of mini-games featuring avatars with obese skulls. And, the boss battles are, at the very least, interesting and occasionally challenging to a frustrating degree: In the first fight, the room in which you battle will be filled with falling objects and lasers before finally catching on fire. However, don't be fooled by your starting position as the 51st-ranked assassin in the UAA: By the time the game concludes, you'll have engaged in only 13 ranked battles (two of which feature assassins from the first No More Heroes, if you have taken the time to play it) and two other "boss" fights, one of which is hidden. Ultimately, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy another round of swinging ye olde Beam Katana. But, while the game is certainly worth playing for its end-game content, excellent soundtrack and characters who could only have been created by Suda51 himself, the title will most likely only feel fresh for those who missed out on Desperate Struggle's predecessor.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
---A steal and assist by forward Shannon Hassan '12 set guard Jessica Chapin '10 to knock down her seventh 3-pointer of Sunday afternoon's game at Carnegie Mellon University as the Judges defeated the Tartans 59-50. The win locked Brandeis into third in the University Athletic Association standings with a 6-3 record. Overall the Judges are 13-6.Chapin had yet another career day as she established school records with 36 points and seven 3-pointers in one game. The Brandeis co-captain notched 17 points in the first half and 19 more in the second to secure the Judges' victory and her place in the record books. Chapin shot 67 percent on the day and added four steals.Co-captain and center Kasey Gieschen '10 commented on her teammate's vital role in the pair of wins. "Chapin really had a great weekend where everything was going for her," she said. "That was great for her, and it was great for us as a team. She had the hot hand so we gave her the ball, and a couple threes by Chapin at the end of the game put us up by 12."Chapin remanined humble when asked about her performance."We were just running the plays through and taking the open shots that were given to us," Chapin observed.Hassan led the team with six rebounds and guard Diana Cincotta '11 added 6 points of her own.Chapin referenced Cincotta's impressive defense play Sunday afternoon."Diana was playing really great defense and just running around everywhere," she remarked. "She is a really tough person to play against." Guard Carmela Breslin '10 found that the post players were crucial to the second-half start."I think when we started the second half we started with a lot more energy," she said. "That had a lot to do with our first few possessions. Amber [Strodthoff] '11 and Shannon crashed the boards and got a couple key rebounds in a row, . and that set the tempo for the rest of the half."The rematch from last week appeared to be a fairly equal bout with the teams entering the locker rooms looking to throw a dagger early in the second half. The deadlock continued from Brandeis' narrow 28-26 lead at the half. Brandeis jumped ahead with a 3-pointer by Chapin just under four minutes into the second half to put the Judges ahead by one. It wasn't until 12 minutes, 18 seconds remained in the game that a set of free-throws by Hassan would give the Judges a 2-point edge and a lead they would carry to the end of the game.Gieschen noted that teamwork really allowed the Judges to succeed last weekend."We knew these were two tough teams, and we couldn't go in with a chip on our shoulders," she divulged. "We especially couldn't let up when [Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon] had home court advantage."Friday night the Judges put Gieschen's advice into action as they claimed a decisive 65-56 win over Case.It was an odd defensive day for Brandeis as they stole the ball nine times but eked out only 27 of the game's 69 rebounds. Defensively, the Judges only grabbed 10 defensive boards while the Spartans grabbed 18 offensive rebounds."Pretty much, we weren't being disciplined, and we weren't doing what we needed to do while rebounding," Chapin stated. Chapin continued her path of domination with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Cincotta and Morgan Kendrew '12 notched 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Strodthoff held down the boards for Brandeis with seven rebounds. A 3-pointer by Cincotta only seconds into the beginning of the game started the Judges off strong. With 8:52 remaining in the first half, Brandies scored 13 unanswered points and ended the half with a 38-22 lead. Cincotta had 11 of her points in the first half.The lead increased to 19 in the second half and was vast enough that the Judges shook off an 8-point run by Case to cruise to victory.Gieschen thought that points off of turnovers (26 for Brandeis compared with 12 from Case), which, combined with bench points, assisted the Judges immensely."We really turned it up on defense in the second half against Case," she said. "We really didn't ever feel threatened by Case even when the score was close. We were just playing our game."The Judges next play Washington University in St. Louis at home Friday at 6 p.m.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
In 1981, Henry Kreiger and Tom Eyen wrote Dreamgirls, a musical loosely based on the story of the Supremes and the founding of Motown Records. This revolutionary production went on to be nominated for 13 Tony Awards and win six. Twenty-five years later, the movie version starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx won two Oscars, three Golden Globes, two SAGs and a Grammy. That's a lot of pressure.Now, with a new national touring production recently mounted after an engagement at New York City's Apollo Theater, the show has some big shoes to fill. This production is an interesting combination of the original Broadway production and the movie, adding the songs written for the film to the script.The show follows three female vocalists known as the Dreams in the midst of the Motown revolution. They sign a contract with Jimmy Early (loosely based on James Brown) and soon their careers begin to rise. When the television era is born, however, Effie White, the heaviest member of the group, is replaced. She goes solo and battles her old group to top the Billboard charts in an ever-changing world of music.With a stellar cast, cutting-edge technical elements and the combination of an onstage and pit orchestra, this production is unlike any of its predecessors. Each character in the show stands out as much as the portrayal before it. After Jennifer Holliday's original stage performance as Effie White and Jennifer Hudson's award-winning on-screen portrayal, I must admit, I was skeptical to see how this new production approached the character. When the end of Act One came, however, and Moya Angela belted the award-winning song "And I Am Telling You," all doubt was forgotten. For as great as she was in this number, she truly shone in Act Two's "I Am Changing." She tore down the house with her powerful vocals and snappy attitude.Her sassy performance is only outdone by that of Chester Gregory, who put Eddie Murphy's Oscar-nominated performance of Jimmy Early to shame. His comedic timing was impeccable and his astounding movements are reminiscent of James Brown and perhaps even a young Michael Jackson.Additional noteworthy performances are American Idol's Syesha Mercado (Deena Jones), who gives Beyoncé a run for her money, and Trevon Davis (C.C. White).This production would not be half as impressive, however, if it were not for the astonishing technical elements. Kudos to Scenic Designer Robin Wagner for revamping his original 1981 design and finding the brilliance in absence of set, going so far as to make all furniture transparent. His five-paneled grid-like LED screens set the mood for every sequence in the show, along with the helping hand of media designer Howard Werner. The icing on the cake in this technical extravaganza seems to be Ken Billington's lighting design, composed of over 300 lights, finely tuned to create mood and, in some instances, setting.It is also impressive to watch the combination of pit and onstage orchestras help the show come to life. The use of the onstage band allows opportunities to create such settings as a recording studio or even as simple a place as a night club. This also creates the perfect opportunity for co-choreographers Shane Sparks (So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew) and Galen Hooks to have ensemble members blend with the band as dancing instruments, a key feature sure to leave any jaw on the floor.The acting is excellent, the singing astounding, the set and lighting revolutionary and musical elements perfected. However, it is when these elements are all combined that they create an extraordinary performance that transports the audience throughout the decades of Motown history. With only one week left to see this stellar revival, buy your tickets, stand in line for student rush and do whatever you can to see one of the finest musical spectaculars to hit Boston in a while.
(02/02/10 5:00am)
On its Web site, the restaurant Ghazal explains that "Ghazal may be understood as both the pain and loss of separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain, but traditionally deals with one subject: love, and, in our case, our love of our cuisine." I have to admit, that little bit of linguistic flourish is no empty advertising. Ghazal promises unique and flavorful food made with plenty of careful consideration, and they definitely deliver. Ghazal is located in Jamaica Plain, a trendy neighborhood near downtown Boston. It's a part of a long strip of chic restaurants along Centre Street, where the options for cuisine-be it classic American, Asian fusion or entirely vegan-are endless. Still, your best bet for an awesome evening is, without a doubt, going for Indian food at Ghazal. Make sure you're looking for number 711, or you might just miss it-the restaurant, like so many quaint New England establishments, is narrow, deep and relatively plain on the outside. The inside, however, is very elegantly decorated with exotic wood-panelled walls, pleasantly low lighting and polished hardwood floors. If you decide to spend your Valentine's Day evening here, count on getting a cozy table for two with a little candlelight to go along with it. Ghazal's menu is extensive, though it includes all of the favorite Indian standbys. As a vegetarian, I was quite impressed by the offering of nonmeat selections, from appetizers and soups to entrées. For those who enjoy their meat, the menu is divided into subsections based on the type-chicken, lamb, beef-and is very easy to navigate. For starters, my dining parter (that is to say, my dad visiting from Dallas) ordered the cheese pakora and vegetable samosas. The cheese pakora is delicious and absolutely not to be missed. It consists of delicately fried fritters of spiced homemade cheese, with a thin layer of garlicky potato nestled in the center. If you're interested in a bit of kick or hint of fruit, try drizzling on one of the three sauces placed on the table; I recommend the sweet plum chutney. The vegetable samosas come two to an order and are similar to the fare at other Indian restaurants, with flaky pastry, fragrantly spiced peas and potatoes. Always an Indian staple, a number of varieties of naan bread are available at Ghazal, though we chose plain and did not regret it. A single order comes with one round of naan sliced in two, so if you're enjoying a large group, consider multiple orders. The naan itself was crisp along the edges and warm and chewy on the inside, with a pleasantly light flavor. Though the selection is wide and tempting, I chose the malai kofta for my entree. It consists of tender dumplings of cheese and mixed vegetables in a curry sauce, mild, medium or hot as per your taste. I ordered mine mild, and it was pleasantly flavorful without much bite; therefore, expect to have your tastes met precisely. The dumplings arrive quite submerged in sauce, which is the perfect consistency to drizzle over any leftover rice and enjoy in its own right. While the dumplings are quite hearty, they're tender enough to enjoy in a couple of easy bites and are savory and complex in taste, with hints of garlic and basil. On a cold night, malai kofta- a sort of exotic, vegetarian chicken 'n' dumplings-might be just the ticket. An established omnivore, my dad ordered the chicken biryani. At Ghazal, there is enough to go around, so don't order counting on particularly small portions. The biryani is fragrant and full of complementary vegetables, a mixture of sauteed bell peppers, peas and onions. It comes accompanied by a side of raita, a cool Indian cucumber and yogurt sauce with a hint of mint to cool down the spicier variations of the dish.A number of awesome-sounding desserts are available, from pastry balls in a honey sauce to exotic Indian ice cream, but I chose the rice pudding and enjoyed it immensely. After a spicy meal, the soft rice in sweetened milk with raisins and sliced cashews is just the thing to cool down the palette. Ghazal is a great experience, from the atmosphere to the awesome service to the excellent food and reasonable prices. Whether you're entertaining out-of-towners, enjoying a night on the town or going out for your Valentine's celebration, it's the perfect answer to the omnipresent question "What's good around here?" It's a bit of a hike to Jamaica Plain, but Ghazal is well worth the trip.
(02/02/10 5:00am)
Casting Mel Gibson in the lead role of a movie is a dicey move in Hollywood these days. The fact that he has not headlined a film in almost eight years, combined with his very public drunken tirade of racial, anti-Semitic and gender slurs, led to great uncertainty regarding whether Mel Gibson would ever make an acting comeback. Edge of Darkness, released Friday, marked Mel's return to the big screen and the big question on everyone's mind was twofold: 1) Does he still have the acting chops to handle the heavy roles, and 2) Can viewers forgive him for his wrongdoings? The answer to the first one is very much yes, while the second question will not be determined until the box office numbers start to roll in. But I digress. The film is not about Mel Gibson's personal life nor is it even about Mel Gibson-in short, it is a story about a father in his search for revenge against a corrupt and greedy corporation.Edge of Darkness, directed by Martin Campbell-director of arguably the best two modern Bond movies, GoldenEye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006)-is a remake of a six-episode 1985 BBC miniseries also directed by Campbell. The story starts off with a fairly basic plotline. Detective Thomas Craven, a war veteran and Boston police officer, is meeting with his daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic), with whom he has fallen out of touch. As he is standing beside her, a mysterious man shows up, yells, "Craven" and murders his daughter. Everyone seems to think that Detective Craven himself was the intended target and his daughter was the victim of a wrong place, wrong time scenario. Faced with the grief of watching his daughter die right in front of him along with the suspicion that he was in fact the intended target, the straightlaced detective has to throw aside some of his morals to investigate the story behind a seemingly random murder. As more and more becomes clear about his daughter's life and Northmoor, the company she worked for, what he finds reaches much farther than he ever could have imagined into lies, deceit and scandal. What must be cleared up almost immediately is that unlike what the trailers portray, Edge of Darkness is not an action movie and should not be compared to the 2008 thriller Taken, starring Liam Neeson. Action truthfully only makes up about 10 percent of the film, with the other 90 percent entirely driven by characters and drama. What results is much better than the alternative. Edge of Darkness is a well-acted, well-paced drama with interesting characters well worth developing. While Mel Gibson has played the role of an angry man (parent, soldier, detective) in many movies, it is a role that he clearly reprises for a reason-he is good at it. He plays the role with apparent ease, and it is very easy to forget that it is Mel Gibson we are watching instead of Thomas Craven, a forsaken father looking for revenge. The only times I found myself thinking of Mel Gibson the person was during the many scenes in which his character, Craven, refuses and clearly detests alcoholic beverages-something I found to be a little ironic and hopefully true to the real Gibson now.Though the film relies heavily on the personal and emotional growth of Gibson's character, there are a slew of excellent supporting characters who help develop the interesting but unfortunately predictable plotline. Danny Huston is perfectly cast as the slimy boss of Northmoor, Jack Bennett, whose lack of morals makes him an excellent antagonist to the play-by-the-rules Craven. Ray Winstone's mysterious Jedburgh throws a much-needed element of surprise into a story that has been seen many times before. As the most interesting character in the film, nobody really ever knows who Jedburgh is working for, a mystery that extends to almost the very last scene. With his smooth British accent and his love for scotch and cigars as well as some great one-liners ("everything is illegal in Massachusetts"), I likened him to a quasi-Bond character who plays off of both Craven and Bennett.Taking a 25-year-old, six-hour miniseries and turning it into a successful two-hour film could not have been easy for director Campbell, but with very good performances and pacing he has done it. Mel Gibson makes a successful transition back into acting in a role that is familiar to him and is supported by a great cast and a very intriguing story. The only noticeable flaw of the film is that the plotline has been rehashed many times and is quite predictable. There is never an "aha" moment and the "bad guy" becomes very obvious from the trailer alone. Also, for the squeamish: Although the violence is rare, it is fairly graphic. In an age of technology it is nice to see a straightedge thriller drama once in a while. Predictability aside, Edge of Darkness is very well-done and a welcome comeback for actor Mel Gibson, who from now on, will hopefully only be seen on the big screen instead of TMZ.
(01/26/10 5:00am)
Say what you will about their personal drama and bad decisions, but when there's a real tragedy, Hollywood celebrities have a habit of getting their acts together and stepping up to help.More than 100 of the biggest names in music, movies and television worked as phone operators in the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, which aired Jan. 22 on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. The lineup included Jennifer Aniston, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Craig, John Cusack, Ellen DeGeneres, Zac Efron, Neil Patrick Harris, Debra Messing '90, Jack Nicholson, Adam Sandler, Steven Spielberg, Ringo Starr, Robin Williams and Reese Witherspoon-just to name a few.The telethon also included performances by Wyclef Jean, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira and Sting in New York City; Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder and Taylor Swift in Los Angeles; and Beyoncé and Coldplay, as well as a group performance by Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z and Rihanna in London."Hope for Haiti" was hosted by Wyclef Jean in New York City, George Clooney in Los Angeles and CNN's Anderson Cooper reporting in from Haiti. (You may remember the media frenzy and hero worship for Cooper that erupted last week, when footage of him abandoning his camera to rescue a young boy from a violent looting was aired on CNN.) President Bill Clinton was also featured, as well as Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jon Stewart, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson (Twilight fans, I hope you were watching!), Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hanks and Muhammad Ali, each of whom briefly addressed viewers to report statistics, share anecdotes and ask viewers to donate to Hope for Haiti Now. The telethon raised over $57 million, benefiting a number of charities including the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, the UN World Food Program, the Red Cross, UNICEF and Yele Haiti Foundation.
(01/26/10 5:00am)
Last Saturday, the Brandeis fencing squads traveled to Boston College to compete in this season's second and final Northeast Fencing Conference meet. The women's team finished the day perfect at 6-0, while the men posted a 2-3 record with victories against Tufts University and Dartmouth College. For the women, the foil team finished with a record of 4-2 against their opponents, while the saber and épée squads each went undefeated. For the men, foil posted a record of 1-4, saber was 2-3 and épée finished at 3-2. On the women's side, the impressive results mirror their last NFC Meet in November, as the team went 6-0 to claim their second-straight unbeaten NFC crown. The Judges posted decisive victories against five of their six opponents, including a 19-8 win over Dartmouth and a 21-6 triumph of Tufts. Against Brown, the meet's runner-up, Brandeis edged out a 14-13 win, with the decisive blow coming from épée Emma Larkin '11, who finished 11-1 on the afternoon.While the foil team suffered the only two losses of the day, Coach Bill Shipman was particularly happy with their performance. Vikki Nunley '13 led the team with 14 wins, posting a record of 14-4, and Emily Levy '12 finished at an impressive 13-5. Other standouts included sabre Anna Hanley '11, who went 10-2, continuing her strong performance this season, which now amounts to only seven losses in 50 bouts. Fellow saber Alex Turner '11 came out strong with a 9-5 record on the day, including a big win against Brown. Despite their impressive performance in the NFC's, the team has not fared as well in other meets. This, Coach Bill Shipman says, is due to the quality of opponents:"Most of the teams in the Brandeis Invitational were Division I and more established and just bigger programs," Shipman said. "Basically, just the quality of the opponents was higher at the [Brandeis] Invitational. We didn't fence much worse, I don't think. Maybe we have a little bit more confidence now, especially in foil."The team can take that confidence into the upcoming Brandeis/MIT Invitational on Saturday, where they will face many of the same teams seen at the last Brandeis Invitational. Nunley believes Saturday's meet may be their key to the team's success."[At the Brandeis Invitational], we lost every single [match], but yesterday, the whole meet kind of re-energized everybody," says Nunley. "We went undefeated, and so going into our next meet, I think we'll be way more confident. This time, we're trying to just do better than last time, which will help us to continue on."Shipman believes that the team has the ability to compete against many of those Division I squads."I think the women's team has gained some confidence, and they're pretty well balanced," he said. "We don't have too many really stand-out stars, but we don't have too many weak spots on the team either. Everybody's fairly good, so it's a nice, balanced team."On Saturday, the men started the day strong, winning their first two matches against Tufts and Dartmouth 15-12 and 19-8, respectively. They followed with 16-11 and 19-8 losses to host Boston College and Brown University and ended with a tight loss to Vassar College, 14-13. Like the women's team, the men's squad has had trouble this season beating its tougher opponents."The two victories we had were against club teams, and our three losses were against varsity teams," said épée Andrew Travis '10. "We definitely need to start being able to beat varsity teams." The team posted a 3-2 record at its first NFC meet in November and a 1-3 record at the Brandeis Invitational. Shipman believes the team needs to perform better."We're not fencing as well as we should, especially in foil and saber. . [We're] not fencing with the confidence and the good tactics that we need to," said Shipman. "The foil team is fairly young, and saber is not extremely deep. There's no really heavy guy we can count on for three wins every match. If our best guys are off a little bit, then we're in trouble."Despite having one junior and no seniors on the foil team, Shipman believes it has a strong potential."I think all of them can raise their level enough so that we can get over the hump," he said. "In some of those close matches, like the Vassar match and the Boston College match, we can compete with them. But we'll keep working on it and see what we can do."The women's team is back in action tomorrow at Wellesley College. After tomorrow, both teams will compete at Brandeis next Saturday in the Brandeis/MIT Invitational, which takes place at 9 a.m.
(01/19/10 5:00am)
An expanded Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering committee called the Brandeis 2020 committee, to be appointed by University Provost Marty Krauss, will examine which academic programs constitute the University's strengths and which are of lesser importance or inferior quality, Board of Trustees member Meyer Koplow '72 and Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said yesterday after a special faculty meeting. According to Koplow and Jaffe, these programs would be considered for termination as part of the resolution of the University's long-term budget challenges."To be concrete, what we're talking about are academic programs that would be phased out," Jaffe said. "That might not save money for a while, but eventually, as faculty do retire and departments are reconfigured, that means that that's a need in the curriculum that will not have to be met." Both he and Koplow emphasized that a student pursuing a major chosen for elimination would still be able to complete the degree. Koplow said he told faculty at yesterday's meeting that cuts to the academy would be just one of many components to solving the budget challenge "and quite possibly the smallest of them."He added that the Board and the University were looking at other ways to increase revenue. Koplow stated that the International Business School and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management would play one important role in this regard and that the Board of Trustees would need to do a better job at raising unrestricted funds for the University's general budget. He added he had told faculty that "some of the solution will come from realizing value ultimately from some of the art at the Rose [Art Museum]".According to an e-mail this Monday from Krauss, the committee will be composed of members of the original CARS committee, the Dean's Curriculum Committee, the faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees and the chair of the Faculty Budget Committee. Former Student Union President Jason Gray '10, a member of the original CARS committee, attended Wednesday's meeting and will sit on the new committee. The committee is expected to report to the Board of Trustees March 23.Jaffe explained that the new committee's mission differed significantly from that of the CARS committee formed last winter to respond to the University's plan to increase the undergraduate student body by 12 percent and decrease the Arts and Sciences faculty by 10 percent. He said that a key factor in reconsidering the University's budget challenge was the realization that the amount of time it would take to implement the faculty reduction through attrition was greater than expected. Participants at a Jan. 12 faculty retreat had recommended the creation of the new committee."It's not just that we're going to do CARS again but do more of it," Jaffe said, "The framework in which we working on last year was very explicitly a five-year budget planning horizon, and there were a number of changes that the CARS committee considered recommending and decided not to because we couldn't make the case that in the five-year budget period it would save significant money."Jaffe and Koplow emphasized that this committee was not about short-term gains. "The question we've been asked [now] is are there academic commitments that we have in the form of ... degrees that we offer ... that are not as important as others or as high quality as others, which if [phased out] in the long run would make it easier for Brandeis to balance its resources and its commitments, and that's a different question from will it save any money in the next five years," Jaffe said. "I made it very clear: I didn't expect the kinds of things we were talking about would save any money in 2011 or 2012," Koplow added.Koplow, chair of the Trustees Budget and Finance Committee, said he emphasized to faculty the crucial need to address the institution's budget shortfall of $25 million, with deferred maintenance one large factor. He said that when the University decides to postpone renovating buildings, for example, "that doesn't mean that the cost of it goes away or that it isn't part of our budget shortfall."The measures enacted in response to the budget gap are not compatible with the University's ideals, he stated. "The fact is that the University has lived with this kind of shortfall since its creation, and we just shouldn't be living on the edge," he said. "It's not 'Brandeis' to be laying off employees; it's not 'Brandeis' to be asking people to give up their retirement contributions. ... Frankly it's not 'Brandeis' to be asking students to wait in line because we've cut cashiers at the food services. That's not who we are, and we have to fix it."Koplow stressed that Brandeis needed to build on its strengths. "What we do have to do is make sure that everything that should be part of a first-class liberal arts college is here and that the areas in which we excel are strengthened and fostered, and if that means we can't spend money on programs where we don't do as well, that's what it means," he said. He said he did not envision across-the-board cuts but rather the termination of specific programs. Asked which areas were under consideration, he stressed that "the Board is not in a position to make those decisions and shouldn't be making those decisions. They have to come from the academy." According to the Dec. 3 Faculty Senate minutes, Koplow had suggested that "a major pillar of this university is the mission of social justice, and this could be pushed more to the forefront and integrated into many of the programs."In appealing directly to the administration and faculty through Koplow, Jaffe stated that the Board was not leaving the University with any other options. "Last spring the discussion in the faculty after the CARS recommendations was should we accept those recommendations or not. And there was a lot of sentiment that the answer is we should not," Jaffe said. "[Now] the board has essentially told us that we need to make reductions in our academic commitments, so I certainly anticipate that there will be a lot of opposition, ... but at the end of day, we're in a different place. We're not being given the option of doing nothing."One proposal the administration and Faculty Senate Council first offered at the start of the financial crisis last year envisioned replacing the currently offered 43 majors and 47 minors offered to undergraduates with a much smaller number of interdisciplinary meta-majors, a suggestion rejected by many faculty at a subsequent faculty meeting. Among faculty at this January's retreat, Jaffe said, "there actually was some resurrection ... of the meta-major idea and related ideas" that the committee might consider."I thought [Koplow] presented a compelling case. I thought the faculty received it very well," Gray said. "[While] undoubtedly cuts are painful and no one wants them, if we need to go through cuts today to ensure long-term financial security and to continue to make Brandeis one of the top universities in the world, then I cautiously commit to being a part of the committee and doing the best that I can."--Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting.
(01/19/10 5:00am)
Director Miguel Arteta's Youth in Revolt is like a lot of quirky, horny teenager-driven movies. Actually, I haven't seen many of those lately, so my sources aren't credible, but what I'll say for sure is that the way the movie starts is trite and familiar. The narrator comes in with a deadpan voiceover. Usually, he is witty and clever to a fault. A montage of highly edited and impeccably timed scenes will be shown under the voice, providing timely visual humor for the jokes. The exposition will be approximately 5 minutes long, usually ending with a short and powerful final sentence. In Youth in Revolt, it's this: "Needless to say, I'm a virgin." But it's also kind of cute how the first few sounds that precede this tired practice are those of the 16-year-old protagonist Nicholas Twisp, played by virgin-portrayer extraordinaire Michael Cera, masturbating quite fiercely to a nudie magazine. It was a normal movie opening, with a little something extra. I could tell that I would enjoy this movie.Twisp is a loser in a lot of regards: He collects old records; he completely fails at being smooth with the ladies; he wears high tube socks with his shirt tucked into his shorts; his voice is reminiscent of that of a prancing woodland fairy. One day, when his mother's boyfriend, Jerry (played by the increasingly popular comedian Zach Galifianakis, whose recognition is well-deserved), makes an error in judgment with a few Navy men, he takes Nick and his mother to a trailer park in northern California where Nick meets the love of his life. Sheeni Saunders, played by an average-looking-with-an-edge Portia Doubleday, is frank and bold. She also likes old records. She loves France and French people. She is daring and forthright, and she wants a bad boy. This is where Francois Dillinger, Nick's second personality and a badass in every right, comes in. Smoker, smart-mouth and arsonist, he helps Nick with his one ultimate goal: to be with Sheeni. Even if it takes millions of dollars worth of property destruction, getting an old-fashioned belt beating or taking dangerous hallucinogens to do so.The acting in Youth in Revolt is quite good, with subtle but honest performances given by prominent actors in secondary roles. Jean Smart gives a particularly amusing but genuinely maternal quality to Estelle Twisp, Nick's mother. But Michael Cera is the one who outshines them all, even though he is a young actor only on the cusp of becoming incredibly famous. Francois Dillinger, though he looks strange with that ill-attached moustache, is an exceptionally performed foil for the gangly and doe-eyed Nick. This character finally gives the now 22-year-old Michael Cera a chance to act his age, and badass at that.This movie sparked in me a feeling that I haven't felt in a long time: a spark of childish fantasy, a kind of desire to be a rebel. I felt proud to be a youth in revolt. I wanted to be a badass like Francois right after I saw the movie, and as I walked to my car, I had a strut in my step. It was kind of like that feeling you got when you read the Harry Potter books for the first time. You wanted to be a wizard after you finished. You wanted to have magic powers, have a pet owl and fly on a broomstick to play a ridiculous ball game. The film was heartwarming and sweet but still had a melancholy and quiet sadness that dampened what would have been overly bright undertones. Like when you realized that you really never could be a wizard, but being able to escape into the books was an experience in itself.Youth in Revolt is sweet and very funny, happy but underwhelming, with a heavy and unmeasured dose of sexual humor thrown in. Let me prepare you before you go to the theaters, though: There is animated sex and velcro wallets, Cera is pantsless for 40 percent of the movie, and the slow-motion shower scene is not really what you would expect.
(11/10/09 5:00am)
Over the weekend, we undertook an expedition along with three friends into the world of exotic desserts. Our itinerary led us to international bakeries all around the metro area, where our palates were transported across the globe: Denmark across Europe to Turkey, all the way to China, then back to Eastern Europe and, finally, ending in Russia. What follows are our evaluations of the many tasty treasures we discovered along the way.Danish: Danish Pastry House330 Boston Ave., Medford, Mass.Our first stop was the uncreatively-named Danish Pastry House at the edge of Tufts University. Airy and well lit, the café manages to be both spacious and cozy at the same time. Through vigilance and fierce jostling, our intrepid quintet was able to push together two tables and dig in. I had been here before and was lucky enough to have sampled their decadent Sacher Torte, based on the famous Viennese concoction. To my disappointment, they were out of that when I visited, so instead I picked the Danish chocolate cake, rationalizing that names were not this place's strong suit, but that perhaps authenticity lurked behind the unimpressive nomenclature. This was easily the worst thing our group tried. This so-called cake, in actuality a very large brownie covered with shaved coconut, was certainly more than edible, but it was uninspired and hardly worth the almost-$4 price tag. The ham and cheese quiche was better, if no more original-a regular, satisfying quiche with a crust of perhaps above-average construction: crumbly and crispy enough to frame the gooey insides and not overwhelm the rich savory taste. The blueberry square was much better. This pastry, essentially a traditional crisp/crumble dessert rendered in bar form, was excellently crafted. The crumbly bits managed to be just crunchy enough, while complimenting the excellently moist fruity portion- too often, treats of this kind can be excessively dry. The blueberry, however, was an unfortunate choice; the flavor was too sweet and mellow and did not cut across the rest of the rich flour. I bit in hoping for cranberries, apples, or even blackberries, but the blueberries kept this very good dessert from being truly excellent. Jim's Potato was easily the most confounding and divisive selection but was still fairly delicious. A dark, oval concoction (which did bear a slight resemblance to the tuber), this pastry was made of cream cheese, marzipan and strawberry. The flavor was not unlike cheesecake but was somehow much mellower while also lighter and fluffier. I personally found this a most unusual treat but one for which the deliciousness was not at all overwhelmed by the novelty. Some felt it was the other way around and that this was just to bizarre to enjoy fully. The Kringle slice was perhaps the consensus favorite: a delicate, fluffy slice of almondy goodness. The Danish Pastry House also serves sandwiches, soups, coffee, gelato, cakes and an assortment of whimsical, brightly colored sugary creations-but with pastries like these, I'm not sure why anyone would bother. When you visit the House (and you should), take my advice: Pick whichever dessert has either the funniest name or the most marzipan. Turkish: Sofra Bakery and Café1 Belmont St., Cambridge, Mass.Among bakeries in the Boston area, Sofra Bakery and Café, run by chef Ana Sortun of Oleana, is an obvious standout, right down to the external appearance of the building. Drivers on Route 16 between Waltham and Cambridge are no doubt often distracted by the unusual retro design of the small green structure, situated on a corner lot across from Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Walk into the place on a Saturday afternoon and you're bound to end up in the midst of a crowd of hungry customers waiting for their chance to sample the tempting fare. A glance at the menu dispels the sense that this is a standard gourmet sandwich and coffee shop: On the contrary, the offerings are primarily Turkish recipes. If one so desired, it would be possible (and certainly advisable) to order a "real meal" here, as the café serves a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and specialties. But to ignore the sweets would be to miss the fun.If you just want a beverage and a light treat, the sesame scones are a good choice. Essentially consisting of a sweet, fluffy bread of even consistency, coated in a crisp outer layer of sesame seeds, these scones are not too dry, nor are they lacking in flavor. But perhaps you're in more of a dairy mood, in which case you won't want to leave without tasting the kunefe. This is a Turkish dessert that has a filling of smooth haloumi cheese bounded by two layers of sweet, crisp shredded pastry and spiced syrup with a sprinkling of various nuts. Be that as it may, the true jewel of the menu is the chocolate hazelnut baklava, a decadent twist on the traditional Middle Eastern pastry. The construction is impeccably balanced and harmonious: moist without dripping, cohesive without it affecting the taste and flavorful without any one particular element overwhelming the others. Hours after having eaten one, I was still remembering it, and yes, my mouth was watering.Chinese: Eldo Cake House36 Harrison Ave., BostonChinatown's Eldo Cake House provided a relief to our wallets, if not our waistlines. Straying slightly from our sugarcoated path, we tried one of Eldo's many savory pastries, the beef curry turnover. As a full-blooded American, I'm still slightly skeptical of this whole meats-baked-in-pastries thing, but if anything were to convert me, it would be this. Excellently flavored beef curry, neatly chopped, baked into a pastry that's both crispy and flaky, is an excellent argument for embracing the unfamiliar, particularly when the unfamiliar is so delicious. The sponge cake is also very interesting; it tastes like the impossibly fluffy center of a croissant or even a popover, but sweeter and stickier. The egg tart is not exactly my style-a creamy and definitively eggy goo baked into a familiar crust. If you're into that, this is the place to go. The pineapple bun, however, is still my favorite-some may call it bland, but to me it's just infinitely subtle. The bun is essentially a classic brioche roll, lightly flavored with pineapple. It's rather addicting, and also functions as a palate-cleansing pastry, something to keep in mind should you ever find yourself visiting five different bakeries in one day. The best part about Eldo Cake House? All of that cost about three bucks, less than any one item at most of the other bakeries. Jewish: Cheryl Ann's of Brookline1010 West Roxbury Parkway, Chestnut Hill, Mass.A suburban shopping center is not a place where one would expect to stumble across a quality sampling of traditional Jewish baking. But regardless of its unassuming and perhaps uninspired location, Cheryl Ann's of Brookline provides every bit of what its reputation promises. Brandeis students have probably heard about or even purchased the legendary, shiny glazed challah from here. Here is the truth about their challah: It is that good. But if you go to Cheryl Ann's, please don't stop at the braided bread. The bakery also offers a selection of wonderful sweet treats that run the gamut from hamentaschen to babka. Fans of rugelach will enjoy their cinnamon-apple-raisin and apricot flavors but should avoid chocolate (somewhat dry and bland) and raspberry (overwhelmingly sweet). Also noteworthy are the apple hamantaschen, which are huge. The doughy crust on these is well crisped and not too thick, while the sweet flavor of apple filling, mixed with a hefty dose of cinnamon, provides the perfect complement to a skillfully balanced texture. Suffice it to say that these are worth coming back for.Russian: Baza World Market30 Tower Road, Newton Upper Falls, Mass.Toward the back of this Russian supermarket, which is hidden in a back alley in Newton, lies the bakery section. If, like me, you are not familiar with Russian cuisine, you might have a hard time figuring out what to order. The woman behind the counter made a valiant effort to assist me, but as she spoke English with difficulty, her food-related vocabulary was limited, and of course included no non-Russian dishes with which to draw comparisons. In the end, I decided to take a shot at a few desserts that caught my eye. The apple- and cherry-filled piroshki (stuffed buns) certainly turned out to be worth trying. The bread was delicious-very sweet and fluffy-though overall the ratio of bread to filling was somewhat higher than I had hoped. Next up came a strange-looking pastry called a margarita, essentially a creamy, sugary glob coated in a crumbly layer of light cookie crust. Lastly, I purchased a slice of a mixed fruit and nut cake called muraveynik. This was too dry and therefore less enjoyable than the previous two items, but still recommendable for its subtle tastes. As I learned, anyone who is making their first foray into the world of Russian desserts should embrace the mystery and not worry too much about what is in something as long as they try whatever looks appealing. Clearly Baza is a good place for such an immersion, given its large selection and diverse array of exclusively Russian items.
(11/03/09 5:00am)
After posting consecutive nonconference wins against Springfield College and Lasell College two weeks ago, the men's soccer team posted a loss and a draw last week in two hard-fought home games against University Athletic Association opponents No. 9 Washington University in St. Louis and No. 7 University of Chicago. After a 1-0 loss to WashU, the Judges played to a scoreless tie against Chicago last Sunday, giving them a 6-9-2 record on the year and a 1-4-1 mark in UAA play.In the game against Chicago, the Judges battled hard against one of the top teams in the UAA. Despite being outshot 19-12, Brandeis had several opportunities to come away with the win. In regulation, defenseman Matt Hohtmann '11 had the Judges' best opportunity to score. In the second half, Hohtmann put a header on target off of a corner kick, but Chicago sophomore goalie Chris Guisto barely pushed the shot over the crossbar.The Judges salvaged the draw despite playing down a man for the last 15 minutes of the match as midfielder Kyle Gross '11 was given a second yellow card in the 95th minute. The Maroons took advantage of the extra man and controlled play much of the second overtime but were unable to knock in the game winner. Brandeis goalkeeper Matt Lynch '11 made two saves, including a diving kick save that barely pushed the ball outside of the post.Overall, Lynch had 11 saves, a career high for him. The shutout was his third of the year and second in UAA action.Coach Mike Coven noted how important his goalkeeper's play was in keeping the team in the game over the last few contests. "[Lynch] played very well for us and has really come into his own over the last four games," Coven said. "The mental aspect of goalkeeping is very important, and he has matured into a great keeper and is playing wonderfully." Despite playing a man down, forward Corey Bradley '10 had two shots that just missed the net in the second overtime. "Bradley played very well," Coven said. "He got two great opportunities in the 18-yard box and pushed one just wide and one just high, but he was really making plays for us tonight." In the game against WashU, the Judges went up against one of the most talented teams in the conference.In the 13th minute, a Brandeis defender was whistled for a handball in the box. Coven thought the call was questionable as the ball took an awkward bounce at the last second but still resulted in a penalty against the Judges. "[The call] could have gone either way," Coven said. As a result, WashU senior John Hengel knocked the ball past Lynch to put the Bears ahead.From then on, the Judges dominated much of the game. Brandeis outshot WashU 14-12 for the game and also had a 4-2 edge in corner kicks. "We did a lot of things right, we just didn't score," Coven said.The Judges' two best opportunities came in the second half. Both Bradley and midfielder Mike Silberstein '10 put well-struck shots on goal, but both were corralled by Washington senior keeper John Smelcer. Smelcer finished with two saves on the night. In both contests, the Brandeis defense allowed the team to stay in contention. The group of Hohtmann, Nick Howard '11, David McCoy '12, Ari Silver '12 and Matt Hauser '13 helped deflect much of the pressure off of Lynch. "The group has been really playing well for the past few weeks," Coven said. "They've become quite adept at starting counterattacks for us and made a lot of great plays." The Judges will close out the season Saturday with a home match against rival New York University at 11 a.m.
(11/03/09 5:00am)
"Happiness hit her like a train on a track, coming towards her stuck / still no turning back," Florence Welch whispers above the lulling ukulele of "Dog Days Are Over," the opening track off of her first full-length release. And before anyone can say much of anything, the ropes have been let loose, the horses are in full gait, and Welch's wild shouts and yelps lead the raging pack's charge until there's no turning back: "Leave all your loving, your loving behind / You can't carry it with you if you want to survive."July 6 marked the official U.K. release of Lungs, the aptly titled debut of a fresh, exciting new troupe known as Florence & The Machine, fronted by a witchy chanteuse that coos much sweeter and cries out much louder than the vast landscape of dull, auto-tuned drones currently on the scene. Three months after its initial debut overseas-after having already hit the No. 2 spot on the U.K. Album Charts and nabbing a nomination at the prestigious Mercury Awards, Lungs entered onto American shores on Oct. 20.Florence Welch is a voice to be reckoned with, represented within both the she-beast of "Howl" and the lion-hearted girl of "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)." She tears through octaves and rips into full-throated shouts without ever drawing a breath. She is of her own brand stylistically, although armed with a quirky quivering reminiscent of Kate Bush, the bounding howl of Bjirk and, perhaps most glaringly, the uncompromising female rock-chic edge of legends such as Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. Luckily for us, the triple-punch production behind this album proves to be rooted in equally diverse sounds: There's James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco, Paul Epworth of Sam Sparro and Kate Nash fame and U.K. musician Steve Mackey, responsible for tracks off of albums by M.I.A. and Marianne Faithfull. It's surprising then, that a cast and crew of such diverse sounds could produce an album like Lungs. After all-and let's prepare for the possible punny outcome here-Lungs is fluid. It's an incredibly cohesive production as a whole, sounding like one long session recorded from the dingy confines of a medieval dungeon. If there's anything that comes to mind in thinking about this album, it's texture. Each track is carefully constructed from top to bottom with pounding instruments, layered vocals and fiery spirit and emotion. It is, as Florence might say, a beast.While the singles have all been good, the album tracks are arguably even better. "Howl" bursts forth with the kind of animalistic energy you'd expect from a song titled as such, while "Girl With One Eye" merges a confident guitar swagger with vindictive lyricism, a combination so murderous it ought to have Quentin Tarantino giddily jumping up and down like a schoolboy before shoving it into the soundtrack of his next gore-fest. But "Girl With One Eye" isn't the only song dripping blood from the speakers. In fact, basically every track does: "Kiss With A Fist" morphs the act of domestic abuse into a balls-to-the-wall garage rock ode, "My Boy Builds Coffins" reeks of ill-willed premonitions, and "I'm Not Calling You A Liar" sees an ex-flame in the form of a scorned ghostly apparition. Even the album's soaring ballad "Cosmic Love" revels in a kind of Tim Burton-esque embrace of romantic macabre: "A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes / I screamed aloud, as it tore through them, and now it's left me blind." In a post on her official Web site discussing the story behind each track off the album, Welch said of "Dog Days Are Over": "A lot of people have said they think it's about the Apocalypse. Or freedom. And someone said it was about the recession. But to me it just signifies being free, in that I'd made music in a way I'd never made it before."At a time when every up-and-coming artist seems to be marketed as the next Depeche Mode-meets-Madonna-meets-Queen (but always end up sounding like Cascada in one way or another), it's beyond refreshing to hear an artist who couldn't be further from being considered an imitation act. Florence & The Machine's Lungs is honest music making, real music made through creative innovation for the new age. Bottom line: Macabre, magical and anything but predictable, Lungs is still the album to beat for 2009, and Florence is an artist to watch for years to come.
(10/20/09 4:00am)
Correction appendedWhenever I stayed late into the evening for extracurricular activities in high school, there was something about being in a vacant building at night that made the whole affair feel illicit: the narrow, empty hallways; the classrooms devoid of students; the lack of voices in the air. Imagine that feeling, only amplified by the atmosphere of a high school abandoned for decades and a veritable multiroom art installation created by a set designer with an obsession for minutiae. This is what the American Repertory Theater, collaborating with the British company Punchdrunk, has created for its production Sleep No More. Combining themes from Macbeth and the ambience of a Hitchcock thriller and using the Old Lincoln School in Brookline as the perfect set location, directors Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle have created an immersive, nonlinear theater experience that engages viewers completely. First, theatergoers are carefully shepherded into the building at 20-minute intervals to control the flow of people. Luckily, you can wait in Manderley, a 1930s London bar created specially for the production, complete with swanky cocktails and schmaltzy lounge singers. Once your number is called-you're given a Manderley-labeled playing card when you enter-a tuxedoed man will escort you to the elevator and proceed to randomly drop off the participants on different floors. Do note that this is a participatory exercise: You're commanded to stay silent and don a white face mask while in the building, and then you're left to explore the rooms and follow the actors around as they enact various scenes.The price of admission ($15 through student rush) is worth it for the sets alone. Each floor has been completely transformed into an eerie amalgamation of visual, aural and even olfactory elements. One room is filled with stuffed animals, animal models and animal skins with a complete directory of its contents written on the blackboard. Another recreates the inside of a barn with scented hay on the floor and an actor who plays cards with participants and offers drinks to the winners. Other rooms lushly recreate royal chambers, including tiny details like a two-tiered rack holding dozens of small silver crosses, old letters, drawers that actually open, books from the era and numerous other oddities. Perhaps the most impressive is a cavernous stage hall redecorated with mobile and fragrant pine trees. The walls have large stone statues of religious figures recessed into individual alcoves. However, everything is still contained within the framework of an abandoned high school, meaning there are still lockers and long hallways, and sometimes you'll see a curiously modern sign juxtaposed against a sink filled with old-fashioned toiletries.Initially I was concerned that this would be some of kind of creepy haunted house-the rooms are simply left for you to explore, with no narration or explanation, and the music is tense enough to keep you on edge. Everyone wanders around in masks, anonymous, and the lighting is so subtle and dramatic that although most of the time you remain half-hidden, the brief instances of illumination are startling. Even a simple act like opening a door becomes menacing when a stranger's mask can be seen only through a dirty, translucent window, and the timing is fortuitous enough that you face him during a particularly sudden crescendo. Of course, Sleep No More offers more than an extraordinary set-once you've explored the rooms for a while, you can start following specific characters around and thus get some semblance of a story. Unfortunately, this is where the production does not succeed quite so well. Now, I've studied Macbeth, and I still had difficulty figuring out who was who and what exactly was happening. In the first scene I watched, an extremely pregnant woman rushed around madly, lying down and then getting back up again to roll a black cylindrical container in her hands obsessively. She was then engaged by the man whom I took (correctly) to be Macbeth-thus, I assumed she was Lady Macbeth, especially because she seemed so frantic. The pair performed a kind of violent dance together that was fluid yet forceful; they scaled the cabinets that lined the wall and, in a particularly impressive sequence, balanced precariously atop the narrow shelves while weaving above, below and next to one another. However, I never figured out who that pregnant woman was. Lady Macbeth was actually another actress who engaged in a similar dance with Macbeth in a subsequent sequence, where their passion for each other was more explicit.While performing, the actors rushed across the room, disregarding where audience members were; this resulted in many startled audience members jumping out of the way. However, participants were allowed an unusually close vantage point because they could stand very close to the actors while they performed-oftentimes, less than a foot away-and the anonymity of the white masks made it more comfortable to truly stare at the actors. Whenever the actors moved from room to room-and they did this quite often-it would cause a flurry of people to move, lemming-like, in their wake. Although you could follow different actors, central events generally had some kind of rising musical cue, and people would rush to a specific room to observe. The actors were always physically engaging. However, I was often not sure what they were doing. Most of the time they were silent, and though the rare spoken dialogue sometimes clarified who the character was, it never indicated anything beyond what body language and music could have. Of course, because of the nature of the production, several storylines had to happen at the same time, and I probably missed some scenes with other actors in other rooms. Even by the end, I had difficulty distinguishing the characters who were not a) Macbeth, b) Lady Macbeth, c) dead or d) a woman who represented the witches. However, I don't think the experience was supposed to be linear or to even make sense, necessarily-the important part was a complete immersion in the world, and in this aspect the production succeeded admirably. I gave up trying to take notes because the experience was so overwhelming; when I re-emerged downstairs in Manderley nearly three hours after my arrival, I felt disoriented and confused but still in thrall. I spent the next hour puzzling over what had happened to me, because that's what this production is: an imposition on your senses that whisks you into an alternate universe. The Old Lincoln School is located at 194 Boylston Street, available by public transit (T stop-Green line "D" to Brooklyn Village). There is also a nearby parking garage. Performance dates are from Oct. 8, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010. Correction: This article originally misidentified the directors of Sleep No More. Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle directed the play, not Diane Paulus.
(10/13/09 4:00am)
Typical is a word that one might reach for as the play Everything in the Garden by Edward Albee starts. I've seen these types of these plays countless times before: Typical people are put in a typical setting with a typical problem plaguing their lives. Usually, typical gags and laughless silences will follow. All my experiences with such examples came from high school. And, in all honesty, a high school show was what I expected from this production by the Brandeis Theater Company. What an ignorant, first-year thing to think. I take the time now to formally apologize to all those involved with this presentation of Albee's subtle but bold work. It ranks as one of the most enjoyable plays I've seen recently-and I've seen many.The setting is a suburban home in the '60s. Everything is very clean and arranged deliberately. It feels more staged than a natural home should be. Nothing ever changes in the interior of the home. As the play progresses one can see how this might lend itself to the main symbol of the play, the combination of the house and the garden outside. The garden is what the neighbors see and therefore what must be kept up, never mind that the family has some money problems and that the wife wants to supplement her husband's meager income by working as a call girl to the privileged. As long as the garden is beautiful, it's all fine. I find it interesting that whereas the world on stage is focused on exteriors, we the viewers can actually see the truth behind the flowers.What is most intriguing about Garden is that while it is coated with a thick glaze of humor and witty dialogue, the true intellectual and artistic stimulation lies within the revealing asides, the double entendres, the social commentary, the intricately layered symbolism, the incongruous dichotomies and also the significant silences. The beauty is created by the tension that lies beneath the funny. The tension itself is almost tangible and is no small feat accomplished by the sympathetic portrayals of the onstage personas by our own Brandeisian actors.They are plastic. And fake. And sorely in need of a slap in the face to help them differentiate between priorities and selfish obsession. Perfect. That's the type of person that the actors have to portray, and they do it beautifully. But just like the house itself, there lies a layered character behind the cultivated garden. Jenny, played with great emotional range by Tanya Dougherty (GRAD), is a woman with her heart split in two: She wants to put up a facade for the neighbors while remaining a loving wife and independent woman. Richard, played sensitively by Robert McFadyen (GRAD), is a man who wants an honest and good life but can also be prone to dishonesty and jealousy. And Mrs. Toothe, played with impeccable Englishness by McCaela Donovan (GRAD), is a hard-edged businesswoman who takes no prisoners but also suffers from a painful and difficult past. But by far the most interesting and pitiable character in Garden is Jack, played masterfully and frankly by Ben Rosenblatt (GRAD). He is sleazy and impetuous, a drunk and a homewrecker in the most literal sense of the word. However, he is the most honest and scrupulous man in the play: He is the only one of the whole crooked bunch that came into his fortune in an honest and legal way, he plays backgammon with the elderly and he's the only one sincerely kind to Jenny and Richard's son, Roger (Aaron Arbiter '10). Yet his neighbors look down on him because he likes to drink. It is funny how in this staged world the drunken obnoxious sleazeball is the most respectable character in terms of morality. He is true to himself and owns up to his actual house and not his garden. Perhaps inebriation is the savior here in that it takes you out of that state of "bad faith." Jack is a perfect example of those incongruities that make this play so interesting to watch. It's genuine mindplay.Given these elements, Everything in the Garden is a highly accessible experience through both incredible and hilarious circumstances with doses of philosophy and pathos on the side. Its run continues in the Laurie Theater of the Spingold Theater Center this Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 15 to 18, at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
