This Charming
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Where do you go when the record is ov Angeles on Tuesday. In between slow drags on a name-brand cigarette while his sweat dried in the warm air of Santa Mo nica Boulevard, he offered a few thoughts on making beautiful music and the ugly business of selling it. This Charming Artsweek: Is there any chance you might go electric, or would you fear a Jason backlash? Elliot Smith: Fear or expect? (pause) I Saltier don’t care: I do what I do and everyone can listen to whatever music they want talks to No one’s going to start making people lis ten to music they don’t want to. Mr. Smith Where are you living now? onight could be a big night for the Nowhere really, just moving around a downtown Santa Barbara music lot. I’m moving to New York; I spend a lot Tscene. Singer/songwriter/ of time there already. acoustic-guitar virtuoso Elliot Smith per Do you like Southern California? forms with Pete Krebs at Toes Tavern this I don’t know. Some parts of it. Every evening, offering a vastly different flavor one is dressed too well here. to the typical attempts at popular music Do you have a name for your guitar? and trends usually seen on State Street No ... Yamaha. Smith often receives mentions as the What records do you like that have latest “new Bob Dylan.” He emulates the come out recently? Dylan of the early ’60s—with captivating Right now? I like Quasi, a band from poignancy, artistic individuality, and Portland. And I like Pete Krebs’ [music], song-writing mastery. Alone, with only a that’s about it miked acoustic guitar and his voice, I’ve heard that one of your videos is Smith achieves a depth of sound and pas starting to get some play. sion that the typical four-person ensem Yeah, it’s the one for “Coming Up ble only dreams of. Roses” [off his first full-length album El His lyrics depict intimate situations in liot Smith). It’s old, they just decided to familiar terms that sound new and pro start playing it. vide universal kernels of wisdom, such as: Is it strange to see yourself on MTV? “’cos everyone is a fucking pro / and they I don’t know, I don’t see it all got answers from the troubles they’ve You don’t get too involved with the known / and they all got to say what you business part of this? should and shouldn’t do / though they No. I don’t know the situation at all. I don’t have a clue.” just like making up the songs and playing Elliot Smith took a few minutes to them. That’s where it's at for me. The rest speak to Artsweek after a packed perfor of that stuff, God only knows what that is mancein the No Life Record Store in Los all about. 2 A Thursday, May 8,1997 Daily Nexus you say, ‘Wow. That’s pro found.’ [Shakespeare] lived, that’s what people forget. His plays are filled Shake 'Em Up with passion and joy for Hey, I M s Going On? life.” This marks the fourth A Noise Within is more than a simple stage direction Shakespearean play Manke has directed for ANW, but Oh boy. My girlfriend just left me this morning. Of from “Hamlet” It is metaphorical for the passion within he has acted or directed in about 20 different plays by the course, my boyfriend found this out, which prompted the artist released during performance—releasing a pas bard. Yet he doesn’t feel it can ever become mundane for him to dump me as well. Now I'm all alone, with a sion in the audience, according to Art Manke, director of him or the audience. weekend packed with entertainment just ahead. Hey. Shakespeare’s “The Winters Tale.” The work is being “The characters, relationships and plots are com What about you? What are you doing this weekend, hot brought to UCSB by the Southland Theater Company, pletely separate and unique. The more you work with stuff? duly named “A Noise Within.” and do detailed analysis, file more you realize what a ge Tonight, you can meet up with me at Toes Tavern, ‘The Winter’s Tale” begins as a story of Leontes, King nius this man was. He’s a dramatist, poet and comic. He where they will be hosting the Songwriter’s Acoustic of Sicilia, who suspects that his pregnant wife has been invented vocabulary.” Shows at 9. Jennifer Terran, Pete Krebs and Elliot adulterous with his childhood friend and house guest— The Glendale-based company prides itself in provid Smith will be performing. If you would rather stay on the King of Bohemia. His wrath is turned against his ing a unique service to its community by performing only campus, Monique Guillory will be presenting a lecture, wife, who dies just as their only daughter is bom. The classical plays. Every season it include a Shakespearean “Some Enchanted Evening on the Auction Block,” at 8 child is ostracized and sent to be raised by a lowly she and an American classic in its repertoire, Manke said. p.m. in the Women’s Center. pherd. Sixteen years later the orphaned girl falls in love “L.A. doesn’t need more of the commercial. There is No? You have to wash your hair tonight? OK, well on with the Prince of Bohemia. When her father comes to an audience for this kind of material.” Friday we can go swing at the Veteran’s Memorial Build terms with the ramifications of his jealousy, the play be According to Manke, one of the reasons for perform ing, where the Swing and Ballroom Dance Club is host- comes an inspired tale of love, redemption and rebirth. ing plays like “The Winter’s Tale” is because they are ing a shindig at 8:30 p.m. Slimer with One by One and This production is a blend of tradition and mysticism. challenging. This play in particular is one of Shakes The costuming is very eleg peare’s more obscure, less ant, yet not from any parti performed plays because it cular period. Manke ex is so difficult to make clear plains that because the and exciting to a modem play deals with mythical audience. ideas and fantasy, setting it “[Shakespeare] intro in modem times wouldn’t duces fantasy and magic. work for the audience. He experiments with Riff Raff will play at Emerald City. Spank, Drop, “It needs to be far forms, qualities, themes nine and Grain of 8 will be shaking up the Living Room. enough away to be able to and poetry. The vocabul Also, Cool Water Canyon will be at Toes with Mother believe the fantasy,” he ary is more complex,” Hips. said. Manke said. What else to do Friday night? Well, the undeigraduate For the same reason, the ANW has about 20 ac- one-act plays will begin and run through the weekend at actual set revolves around _ tors who are cast through- 8 p.m. in the Studio Theater. Or maybe we could go to a giant zodiac. Lighting design, the choreography of two season, giving the^company a collective know the Fiji house to see Buck-O-Nine, Gravity Kills and dances in the second act and the original musical score ledge and experience in classical, especially Shakespea I.V.’s own Henchmyn at 10 p.m. all contribute to the cosmic, distant, fantastical setting. rean, drama. Roles that cannot be filled by resident ar What’s that? You have to wash your dog? Well how *But this tragi-comedy offers more than great words, tists are filled by guest artists and students in the com ’bout Saturday night? Yet another swing dance will be settings and emotions. pany's intern program. hoppin’ at 8 with a live band, this time at the Living “Parts are very funny and sexy. It’s all part of the play ANW has performed at UCSB twice in the past. Two Room. What about seeing Electric Blue and Calobo at — the humor and excitement,” Manke said. years ago the company presented Oscar Wilde’s “The Toes? Or we could make yet another attempt to see Cool ANWis not new to performing Shakespeare. In fact, Importance of Being Earnest,” and the group brought Water Canyon at Emerald City. it’s the group's specialty. Of the 35 plays the company Moliere’s "Tartuffe” to campus last winter. Huh? You have to bathe your elderly uncle, Amos? has performed since its inception in 1991, this is its 11th The company enjoys coming to UCSB because the au Sunday would be fine with me. We can head over to Bor Shakespeare production. dience draws out the metaphorical noise within. der’s Cafe for the inspirational sounds of Karie Hillery at “He’s the greatest dramatic author in our language,” “The audiences are tremendously responsive and in 7:30 p.m. There is also a show at the Living Room with Manke said. “He’s the cornerstone of the work we do as telligent. Very stimulating,” he said. Capitalist Casualties, the Missing 23rd arid a whole a classical company. Everything else is measured by it.” Arts & Lectures presents A Noise Within in Shakes bunch of other punk rock tonnage. Manke points out that in. the past, every English peare’s “The Winter’s Tale" Thursday and Friday at 8 Yeah? You’ll actually go with me? OK.