Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 22

C-2 ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL Sunday, September 20, 1970 Strong Roles Keynote 4.. 'Merchant of Venice I -1 srK y't j- A i 1 ipvv i v. I $4 '4 I i I i i v'X 1 Smith's absorption with the skeletal form, stripped of protective flesh and outer garments, gives both figures the heightened effect of personal shock as bones, muscles and tissues are bared. THE CAVE: Pat Smith displays her teak wood and bronze sculpture titled "The Cave." Dramatizing the futility of trying to the crouching figure is discovered by another, looking in from above. Mi's.

Pat Smith Show at New West Sculptures Focus on Human Condition PhU Mead ol a a balanced handling traditional villain a a challenge. FOR EXAMPLE, the quirement for fuller terpretation enhances The continuing popularity of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," which will be performed starting Thursday at Popejoy Hall, owes much to the fascinating complexities of several of its characters. I) KING Shakespeare's lifetime, no well-defined doctrines on the art of character depiction had yet been formulated. But Shakespeare if he did not know they, possessed an instinctive germs for character drawing. The most notable character of "The Merchant of Venice," Shylock, is larger than life and looms darkly over the romance and comedy of the play.

THE REALISM of Shylock is remarkable in view of the unlikelihood that Shakespeare ever met a Jew, for Jews had been exiled from England in the Middle Ages and the law which kept them out was still in effect. Thus, the only model available to Shakespeare was the stereotype of a malevolent fiend, depicted by Chaucer as a ''cursed Jew'' that murdered little Christian boys and by Marlowe in "The Jew of Malta" as a would-be poisoner of an entire city of Christians. IT IS TIICS astonishing that Shakespeare was able to break away from this tradition in his creation of a humanized Jew. Indeed, the playwright eloquently pleads the Jew's cause in one of Shylock's most famous speeches: "Hath not a Jew eyes. The stage history of "The Merchant of Venice" is essentially a history of changing interpretations of Shylock.

it is testimony to the multi-dimensions of his character that Shylock has withstood ever-shifting emphases. TRADITIONALLY, Shylock was played as a comic villain with a red beard and a hooked nose. In 1741. however, Macklin, the actor, created a more forceful and realistic characterization. The actor was so intimidated by the daring of his interpretation that he waited until opening night before springing it on his startled fellow thespians.

His characterization laid the basis By FI.O Wn.KS Bronze figures crouch or stand demandingly, others relax to reflect on life's complexities, in sculpture by Pat Smith being exhibited through September in the New West Gallery, 5008 Lomas NE. The works show dramatic abandon in casting off all outer encumbrances, to expose vital muscles, sinews and bony structure, both attracting and re.peling the viewer. The artist also is a noted painter whose outstanding figure studies are the result of both talent and superior coaching from great masters. BOKN in New York City, Pat Smith came to New Mexico as a child, living in Taos with her mother and stepfather, John Evans, where their handsome home, La Posta, was a wedding present to them from Evans mother, Mak-l Dodge Luhan. It is now the Holy Cross Hospital, given to the nuns after Mr.

and Mrs. Evans returned it to Mrs. Luhan when they moved to Albuquerque. Evans as superintendent of the pueblos of the state during the war years, and they lived in what later became Albuquerque Indian School. Pat accompanied them to all the Indian dances, where they conference room of Sinjeer-Frulen.

Among bronzes in the show is one titled "I saw a very small lion," a male figure peering upward to the damty bronze lion high above him. "The Cave" is another of the intriguing collection, a flowing teakwood form containing a crouched figure, appearing to be hiding from the world about him, while another bronze figure leans in to seek him out, "for there is no real escape." BOTH MALE and female figures are included in the fascinating collection by Pat Smith. "Joyce" is a beautifully were received as friends, invited into homes of the participants. This enabled her to attain a true concept of the religious significance and beauty of these performances. THERE'S evidence of this background in her recent Indian dance figures, displayed in the current show.

Her Santo Domingo Koshare, Apache Crown Dancer and Santa Clara Eagle Dancer are part of a series she and sculptress Bonnie Erbe did to submit in the Albuquerque Sunport Mural competition. At the conclusion of the exhibition, the Indian figures will be moved to the Lois orey for a more humane portrayal of Shylock. Since then, interpretations of the role have ranged from pure comedy to pure tragedy and somewhere between these two extremes is the soul of a character that the greatest Shakespearian actors have sought to capture and comprehend. PHIL MEAD, who portray? Shylock in the current production, has molded a sympathetic, though far from likable, character who has been goaded to extreme actions by Christian tormentors. Soif-confident, philosophical in the face of prejudice, even capable of sharing a joke, Shylock becomes vengeful and cruel only after he feeis he has been wronced.

He bears his defeat in the courtroom with controlled and cynical disda.n arid exits with dignity. In the intricate structure of the play, this interpretation necessarily influences that of the other roles. To point up the theme of prejudice, the more human Shylock appears, the less admirable his antagonists appear and the bigotry inherent in their speeches is emphasized to the fullest. JOHN GARDNER, who is directing the play with Phil Mead, regards this more formed figure study. The "Head of Pan," a "Man in a Tree," of bronze and wood; end vibrant skeletal bronze of Orpheus complete the exhibition.

Married to Peter Smith, designer and contractor, the artist has resided with her husband in Corrales for 17 years. Their five children grew up in the sunlit valiey, their lives a combination of camping and fishing trips, and the inspiration of their parents' artistic pursuits. Their swimming pool is fed by waters from Pat Smith's sculptured fountain; her garden sculptures form the setting for the patio where a gazebo lends gracious shade. THEIR CHILDREN include Carson, now married and residing in Corrales; Becky, an artist now in San Francisco after a summer visit with her parents when she returned from Mexico; Poppy and her husband, both enrolled at the University of New Mexico; George, a UNM freshman this fall, and Claudia, a sophomore at West Mesa High School. Pat Smith attended the Art Students League.

New York City, and while there studied anatomy with Bridgeman, drawing and sculpture with Paul Manship, Mohonri Young characterizations of Antonio, played by Bill Carstens and of the effete, supercilious Solanio and Salerino, played by Bob Lloyd and Phil Nicholson. Portia's lover, Rassanio, played by Martin Fleck, often is depicted as little more than a fortune hunter, but in the current production he matures in the course of the play and is ultimately saddened by the hatred and bigotry displayed by both sides during the courtroom scene. THE ROMVSTIC Oread of the plot is dominated by another of Shakespeare's most famous characters, the enchanting Portia, played by Lois Corey. Grave and regal, yet flippant and mischievous, feminine and yielding, yet forceful in the courtroom, her many-faceted personality has challenged the capabilities of the world's finest actresses. "The Merchant of Venice" will be presented at Popejoy Hall Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 15 rn.

with a -in planned on are available 15 matinee Friday. Tickets at the box office 1 and Jose de Crecft. She also i .4 worked in stone and wood a ii'r it Old Town Studio Giving it' the studio of De Crecft. Her work is shown in various 'Festival of Short Plays private collections and by portrait and architectural commissions. AMONG HER recent commissions is a portrait of his three children done for the office of Dr.

Albert Smith, and an earlier commission for him is a redwood construction with bronze figures far his patio. Her intriguing fountain of beavers for the children's zoo, and a figure of St. Francis, displayed at the New Center exhibit her diversity of interests and techniques. During a recent visit to Taos, the Smiths saw their daughter, Becky, and Pat's sister, Mrs. Alfred Bell, appear in a segment of the television show "Gunsmoke," to be aired next week.

ml si EAGLE DANX'EIl: Pat Smith, Corrales sculptress, captures the feeling of flight in this dramatic figure of a Taos Eagle Dancer, one of several ceremonial figures currentJv exhibited at New West Gallery. Mi's. Smith lived in Taos as a child, and recalls much of the excitement of these dances, carried over into their performances in New Mexico pueblos each year. (Journal photos by Ray Gary) cely energetic version of the Falstaff tavern scene from Shakespeare's "Henry IV." Tlte scene will then be "rerun" with interruptions to explain point by point their method of developing the tension and humor in tiie situation. Persons who missed TAP'S recent seven play cycle in their own outdoor theater near Cernllos can get an inkling of how the unique group works from this production.

MYSTERY, humor and politics will share the stage Saturday night when four plays by Albuquerque authors are presented. Lncluded are "The Movers" by Curt Stolier, "The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat" by Paula Paul, "Liberty Gash" and "Mr. Dick Puts I's All Right" by Charles Coombs. The Sunday afternoon event will be a lecture demonstration by the Ensemble Theater Laboratory, illustrated by a scene "from a work in progress." The group recently arrived in Santa Fe from New York and is in the process of establishing what is hoped will be the state's first fully professional school of acting while preparing two plays for a winter tour of the state. II FESSIONAL standing of ETL is indicated by the fact that a recent play by Ionesco has been "donated by the author" for the group use on the tour.

On the program for the final evening of the festival are three plays. "Aria Da Capo'' by Edna St. Vincent Miliay. presented by the Unitarian Players, "The Stillborn Manuscript" by Bruce Porter and "Tripping in God's House" by Lawrence Elwood. THE SUNDAY performances will bo followed by the awarding of cash prizes totaling $100 for the best festival productions, made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, administered by the New Mexico Arts Commission.

Judges will be Crawford Mac-Callum. John Milhoiland and Paul Davis, UNM associate professor of English, Curtain times will he 2 and 8 m. Single and multiple admission tickets to the festival will be available at reduced prices at the door and students will be entitled to further discount. Reservations, which are advised because of the theater's small capacity, may be obtained by phoning the box office. Ballet Launches Popejoy Season Come Thursday night.

Old Town Studio will pull the opening curtain on its own version of a "mini" State Fair, perhaps more accurately titled "First September Festival of Short Plavs." THE EVENT will pack 11 one-act plays, two Iccture-riemonstratiuns by out of town theater groups and a poetry reading in a saturated four-day weekend. Opening night, Thursday will feature Fedorico Garcia Area's elegant small comedy, "El Amor de Don Perlimplm," directed by Damazio Lopez. The play will be given in Spanish, in recognition of New Mexico's unique bilingualism and in accord with Old Town Studio's tradition of presenting Spanish-language theater. THE PLAY is to be followed by a reading of Lorca's poetry by Chuck Tatum. University of New Mexico languages instructor.

Friday night belongs to Santa Fe, as three authors from the capital city present works: "The Waking Gipsy" by H. Brown, "Village Tale" by Michael Jenkinson and "Playwright" by Jonathan Bahnks. Brown and Bahnks will direct their own works, while "Village Tale," which touches on ancient and recent events in northern New Mexico, will be directed by Geno Silva of Albuquerque. THE THEATER of All Possibilities will come out of the north country Saturday afternoon to present its fier "Command Performance," a ballet production starring Edward Villella and Melissa Hayden, will open Popejoy Hail's fifth season Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. VILLELLA, called by one magazine, "the best trained athlete in America," is noted for his control, agility and fantastic leaps.

He has made a number of television appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. An ensemble from the New York City Ballet will ac company Villella and Miss Hayden to Albuquerque. The ballet is one of 13 major professional programs included in Popejoy Hall's subscription series. MISICAL COMEDY hits booked are "George Oct. 11; "Zorba," Feb.

16; "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," Feb. 23. and "1770," March 12. Broadway hit comedies included are "Forty Carats," Nov. 29; "Plaza Suite," Jan.

22; Feb. 2, and "Hadrain VII." March 8. FOL'R PROGRAMS of international acclaim round out the series, including the Nikolais Dance Theater, Oct. 20; Jose Molina's Ballet Espanol, Nov. 21; Julian Bream, guitarist, March 18, and Stuttgart Bach Collegium and Cantorem, April 5.

Additional events scheduled but not included in the subscription series are the National Plavers production of "Twelfth Night" and "Oedipus Rx" on Nov. 12, Ballet West's all-new production of the Nutcracker Ballet, Dec. 11 to 13, the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera production of "Carousel'' on Dec. 26, 27, 30 and Jan 2 and 3, and the Repertory Dance Theater on May 1. THE POPEJOY Hall box office is open Monday through Friday from noon to 5:30 p.m.

and from 7 p.m on evenings of performances. "THE SCENE was filmed of Mabel's 'big as the driveway was converted to represent a cantina," Mrs. Smith said. "They brought in lots of Indians from the Pueblos and cast them as Mexicans," she continued, ''and had a cavalry charge, careening through Mabel's driveway." The Bells were visiting briefly with relatives in Taos before going to their ranch in Montana, after an extended stay in Mexico, where Becky visited them. EACH of the Smith children evidence talent in the arts.

Carson made museum-like glass cases for each of the Indian figures in the current show; George's sculpture is currently exhibited in the Contemporary Crafts Show at the State Fair and Becky's drawings are exhibited at New West Gallery. 1 ill POPEJOY HALL fit t. a The Classics Theater Presents SHAKESPEARE'S MEMORABLE The MERCHANT of VENICE jit the incomparable VIKKI CARR 23 Piece Orchestra Under Direction Of ANDY THOMAS Plus The Comedy Of LARRY WILDE Civic Auditorium -3 Thurs-Fri-Sat Sept 24, 25. 26 8:15 pm SEPTEMBER 29-8 PM Special Matinee, Reserved Seats Sept. 25, 3:15 $3.00, $2.50, $2 00 For the Benefit of Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town San All Students and Senior Citizens, Vi Price Telephone 277-3121 BOX OFFICE OPEN NOON TO 5:30 PM Monday thru Friday; Saturday, Sept.

26th ADVANCE TICKET SALES AT REDUCED PRICES At San Felipe Church Old Town, Rhodei Dept. Store, Music, Riedlings Downtown, and Record Rndeivou In Winrock. Arrow Super Morket Discount Import. rl Illlll.IiJf 1 Melissa Hayden and Edward Villella.