Arts P.D.Q. Bach Is Back "Teacher V Flunks
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Page4 The Observer Oct. 17, 1984 Arts P.D.Q. Bach is Back could not possibly have been sired by The show is sponsored partly by Johann's Last and Least Son Johann, who died in 1750. CUBOM, partly by the Augustana Va- His life history is a glimpse of riety Series, and partly by the Illinois what his show is best described as — Arts Council, a state agency. Swan- by Kay Denney a parody. His show, titled A Look at son stated, "The act is different in the Life and Works of Bach's Last that we don't deal exclusively with a Due to popular demand, Professor and Least Son, is a spoof of classical campus audience. My hope, however, Peter Schickele and his alter-ego music. Included in his show are such P.D.Q. Bach will return to Augustana, parodies as Sonata Abassoonata in F is that students take advantage of it where he played just three years ago. Major (for bassoon and piano), Shep- and see it as an opportunity." Schickele created the fictitious son of herd on the Rocks with a Twist, Gold- Johann Sebastian Bach several years brick Variations, P.D.Q. Bach: His Schickele's previous performance ago — after graduating from Julliard Life and Times, and the infamous at Augustana drew a full capacity — and continues to traipse around opera, Hansel and Gretei and Ted crowd. Swanson commented, "From the U.S. as P.D.Q. what Fve heard, he's hilariously What is a P.D.Q.? Professor Schi- and Alice, an opera in one, unnatural funny." Steve Lund, co-chair of ckele describes him as the only son of act. Karen Swãnson, co-chair of the CUBOM, added, "It proves that cul- Johann. The most controversial CU BOM Cultural Events Committee, ture can be fun." aspect of his life is on the inscription stated, "Fm really excited about see- The act begins Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. in of his tomb, which lists his birth and ing him. I have no idea what he'11 be Centennial Hall. The show is free death as 1807-1752. There is, however, like." with CUBOM, or $4.50, $6.50, or $8 for no doubt in the artisf s mind that the students without CUBOM. Prices are inscription was simply a clumsy at- Schickele will be joined by the $1.50 higher for the general public. tempt on the part of certain influen- Semi-Pro Musica Antiqua with co- According to Swanson, there are tial members of the Bach family to horts John Ferrante, bargain counter quite a few seats left, and tickets are make it appear that P.D.Q. Bach tenor, and David Oei, key boardist. currently on sale. I strongly recommend this álbum, especially to R.E.M. fans, as Cypress Albums is a fine blend between that band and the Byrds. And do keep an eye out for this new group — if Lefs Active ever hits the área, I have a feeling they'll A Hit and a Miss be worth seeing. by Chris Zayner General PUBLIC "Teacher V Flunks A Bad, Philosophical Film The movie cast is played by a highly by Nathan Stoffregen diverse group of people, in an at- tempt perhaps to represent a variety Sometimes, when a band splits up. What does a teacher do for fun on of teacher types. The cast includes the individual members create al- a weekend? Whatever he or she does, Nick Noite as the main character, bums that sound completely different it often begins at the corner Bar & than anything their band ever did — Grill with a few colleagues or co- with Jo Beth Williams, Ralph Mac- Lefs Active but not this time. Even if you didn': horts, and a pitcher of beer. That idea chio and Richard Mulligan in sup- I really, really like this álbum. know that the frontmen of General porting roles. Lefs Active has sprung from the Public, Dave Wakeling and Ranking sounded mighty fine to me on Friday, same Southeast musical womb that Roger, used to lead the English Bt< folio wing a week of student teaching. The format of the show is a copy you would be able to guess that atu off of the T.V. series "Emergency," has also produced R.E.M., Pylon, the High school students are typically d'B's, and the Bongos, and Cypress listening to this record. very active, and the fact that they which was discontinued years ago. The idea is that there are several dif- shows that they are a worthy addi- ...ali the rage sounds like nothing had homecoming celebrations ali tion to that list of talent. so much as a good English Beat re- ferent stories to tell, and each is told cord. This doesn't mean that ifs a week made them hopelessly hyper. I in a piece-meal fashion. The produc- Lefs Active is led by Mitch bad álbum, but it certainly is disap- watched as hair was spray-painted ers have seven different stories to Easter, who is better known for his pointing. Most of the songs, in fact, flourescent green in order to match tell; these stories take place in the production of R.E.M.'s two albums. sound as if they were intended for multi-colored togas, and as sleazy pa- classrooms, in the teacher lounge, in Together with bassist Faye Hunter English Beat LPs, but two in particu- jamas were banned from the school the main office, in the conference and drummer Sara Romweber, gui- lar stand out. premises. room, and one with just a kid and his tarist Easter has created what rock "Never You Done That" is as good as anything the Beat ever did (with After a week of that, a pitcher of problems. The director manages to writer David Fricke accurately de- make each cut at a climactic mo- scribes as a "beckoning web of lacel- the possible exception of "I Con- beer would sound good to anybody; fess"), and Wakeling shows that he is perhaps two or three pitchers. So ment, in order to maintain the audi- ike guitars, shy harmonies, and play- interest levei. The girl next to fully knotty tunes." still a classy vocalist. The real sur- what did I do Friday night? I went to prise on this record, though, is "Ten- see a movie called "Teachers." I me fell asleep. I suppose each five Those tunes are indeed what car- derness," and it is one of the most en- minute skit is intended to give us ries this record. "Blue Line," with the joyable pieces of pop music I've know; I should have my head exa- some great insight into why people combination of Easter's guitarwork heard this year. mined, but I was led into believing teach; the problem is that the next and Hunter's vocais, has been called I liked the English Beat, and I like that the show was a comedy, so I by- scene has already started before the the LP's "natural single." "Easy this record. passed Lee's and went straight to the concept is given the time to sink in. However, it doesn't tell me why theater. Does" and "Waters Part" are like- Wakeling and Roger had to leave the Noite is portrayed as the Joe-aver- wise spectacular, and "Flags for Beat in order to create an álbum that In the first five minutes of the age teacher just trying to survive in a ^.verything," my favorite, is musi- sounds a great d^al like what they show, a female teacher cracked; she harsh school system. He has to deal cally the album's strongest track. had done before. began to hysterically attack a male with uppity administration, angry teacher. After she was dragged from parents, kids who seem to have no the room and subdued, somebody motivation at ali, and a school atti- asked, "Who was that?" The answer? viewer's intelligence. They beat the film finally answers a few of the tude of "I just don't give a damn." dead horse issues, then kicked them questions in the last three minutes: "The school psychologjst." As the Macchio plays the student who again for good measure. The viewer teachers should be proud to be teach- movie progressed, I had this sicken- doesn't really seem to care, and Wil- cannot remain passive in this movie, ers, schools are for children, and we ing feeling that I was going to relive liams is a lawyer trying to solve the and maybe thafs what bothered me. teachers have the chance to make the past week in bright, living color, riddle of: What purpose does this The actors asked questions of each our society a better place in which to and pay good money to do so. I was schoolserve? other innocently enough, but then no live through our daily efforts. After not let do wn. This question continues to resur- answer is given, and the viewer must two hours of hearing that, I felt che- face, often along with the unes of quickly come up with an answer in ated — cheated out of $4.50, and che- The movie nas its funny unes, but "are the teachers there for the stu- order to make any sense out of the ated out of two hours of drinking with it is not a comedy. It tries to give the dents, or are the students there so film. This would be analogous to my friends. viewer an insighí into what makes a.