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■ BEST BET
6 • The Red and Black • Thursday, September 20, 1990
A&E
Attention all REM fans —these local heroes have just released
"Tourfilm," a film shot during their 1989 world tour. If you went
to any of the shows, check and see If you made it Into history.
Theatre is trying to find its place in Athens
‘Gargantua Platoon’ to present plays and poetry at The Downstairs
By NOEL MURRAY
Staff Writer
One of the frustrating things
about living in Athens, Georgia is
that, despite the town’s reputation
as a fertile and innovative art and
music scene, there is a general lack
of interesting theatre happening
here. So, three years ago, local poet
and self-described “beatnik” Chris
DeBarr recognized this void and
decided to fill it.
For the last three years, DeBarr
and Co. have been producing
obscure one-act plays, visual po
etry readings, and improvisations,
First under the name C.C. Gar
gantua, and now under the current
moniker, Gargantua Platoon.
“It's sort of a play on the old
acting ‘troupe’ concept,” DeBarr
said in his explanation about the
name change. “Someone used the
word ‘platoon’ one day and I liked
the sound uf it.”
Tonight at The Downstairs, Gar
gantua Platoon will be performing
four pieces - one new one and
three old favorites. The fresh piece
is a bit of improvisation based on a
reading of Ismael Reed’s “beware:
do not read this poem.”
DeBarr said, "The poem is about
disappearing. What we try to do is
spin off the reading of the poem,
much like how jazz artists impro
vise around rifTs. So it’s a struc
tured piece, but there’s room to
breathe. Amy Hairr and I will be
presenting it, and we’re excited.”
We’ve done reasonably
well every time we’ve
performed. We’re trying
to put together about
three shows this
quarter—solid shows—
in an attempt to fill
that noticeable gap in
this town
Gargantua Platoon is also ex
cited about bringing back Samuel
Becket’s “Catastrophe.” Becket
wrote the play for Czechoslovakian
playwright/dissident Vaclav Havel
in 1984. Last November, when the
Platoon first performed “Catas
trophe,” Havel had just been re
leased from prison and was leading
the protests against the fascist
Czech government. Today, Havel is
the president of Czechoslovakia.
“‘Catastrophe’ is about the
images of politics,” DeBarr ex
plains, “Like most Becket, it’s
stark and minimal, but it’s a little
more interesting because it uses
theatre as a metaphor.
A political prisoner tries to make
himself as presentable and ... well,
he has to appear pathetic in a pre
sentable way, if you see what I
mean. Last time, the audience had
trouble getting it, I think. But it’s
still worth doing.”
Bracketing the two aforemen
tioned pieces are two other very di
vergent works. ‘The Man with the
Flower in his Mouth” is a one-act
from the ’20s by Luigi Pirandello.
DeBarr said he didn’t want to ex
plain that one too much because it
might spoil the effect. All he would
say is that it’s about a man driven
to be philosophical, and that
Richard Loe and Kris Perry will act
in it.
Last, but not least, and defi
nitely most unique is DeBarr’s own
“The Flag Washing Ceremony.” Es-
195 Epps Bridge Rd.
546-9000
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You have to dirty it up
before you can clean it
sentially a monologue on political
symbolism, ‘The Flag Washing
Ceremony” i3 enhanced by
shocking visuals such as a flag
being pelted with eggs.
“You have to dirty it up before
you can clean it,” DeBarr smiles.
‘The flag has been dirtied up a
lot in the last twenty years by poli
ticians who claim to be protecting
it. It’s time for a good cleaning.”
DeBarr blames the theatrical
vacancy in Athens on a lack of good
training programs and places to
play, but he said he believes the
audience is out there.
“We’ve done reasonably well
every time we’ve performed. We’re
trying to put together about three
shows this quarter— solid shows —
in an attempt to fill that noticeable
gap in this town. You know, we
don’t want people coming as an act
of charity. We’d just like to see
some genuine interest and sup
port.”
There will be an open party for
the local alternative magazine, The
Flagpole, at 9 p.m. before Gar
gantua Platoon’s performance. The
Downstairs is currently wallpa
pered (figuratively) with back is
sues of The Flagpole in honor of
this event.
The party will feature lots of
food and beverage, as well as an
award for the winner of the festive
“Deface Ort” contest. DeBarr
promises fun for all at both func
tions.
FLAGPOLE
. The Colorbearer of Athens' Alternative Music
THIS WEEK: Ort Returns, Diitman (Of Course), Cryin', Ask Earlinc, Deco,
Save the Uronti, Cellos, This, That, The Other Thing and More.
Flagpole Magazine: new wallpaper at The Downstairs
‘Ska’ creates their own kind of new music
By SHERELL SCARBRIEL
Contributing Writer
. The Street Sound of Freestyle
Ska: Ska Beats Number One.
(Roir)
I know you’re wondering —
what the hell is ska music? Just
imagine rap, hip hop, house and
reggae all rolled into one and
what you get is Ska Beats
Number One. Ska is the latest
British/Jamacian- based music to
hit the country, and it is be
coming increasingly popular.
Side one of this compilation
album begins with Longsy D’s
“Mental Ska,” a Jamacian rap
laced with a house beat.
Skankers Double Trouble and
Rebel M.C. render a first class
hip hop sound with their funky
delivery of “Just Keep Rocking.”
Where else but Ska Beats
Number One can you find the
house mix of Rockit Allstar’s
“Musical Scorcha”?
Side two jams as hard as the
first with cuts such as “ Rock to
Dis,” an example of hip hop at its
best and “ Skanking Joe.”
Ranking Roger, formerly of Gen
eral Public, teams up with the
Children of the Night for “We
Play Ska,” to make a combination
definitely worth checking out.
The tape ends with Buster’s
original ska mix of This is Ska.”
This cut adds that extra ingre
dient that makes Ska Beats
Number One the best collection
of Ska jams available.
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Congratulate our 1990
pledge class:
Ashley Atwood
Jennifer Dobson
Laura Herndon
Nicole Porth
Julie Barron
Lisa Dorazewski
Beth Holman
Beth Purvis
Jennifer Beard
Carrie Ehrig
Laura Hooven
Leah Quan
Robin Blackburn
Lauren Engleberg
Cheryl Hudson
Amy Robison
Christy Boone
Dana Falligant
Milissa Joyner
Amy Sheperd
Jennifer Bowers
Tracy Fischer
Paige Kienel
Curry Spell
Kelly Brashear
Jill Floyd
Dorothy Kirbo
Sonia Stafford
Bayh Brindger
Laura Folsom
Leslie Lusk
Jennifer Streib
Alicia Bruner
Jessica Frankie
Molly Martin
Christina Thurston
Pain Butler
Robin Gaffney
Sarah Miller
Courtney Toflinski
Laura Cagle
Michele Gibbs
Abby Moore
Stacie Wall
Cathy Campbell
Dana Grace
Dana Newbern
Laura Yunger
Jennifer Claxton
Dana Hawkins
Kim Nichols
Jackie Zureich