Idaho Free Press from Nampa, Idaho • Page 51

The Idaho Free Press It The News-Tribune, Saturday, August From summer theater roof hangs happily By Gregory Jensen I England (DPI) What is Rex Harrison doing dangling on a rope from Ihe roof of a summer theater in this little English cathedral (own? Having the time of his life, that's what. Harrison opened with great high spirits recently in the title role of a 115-year-old French comedy called "Monsieur Perrichon's Travels." is a fluffy, light-hearted romp which greatly amuses a summer evening audience. But nobody has more fun than Rex. Perrichon is a puffed-up Parisian touring the Alps who manages lo fall off the Mat- terhorn and there, dangling high above the theater's highest back tier, hangs Rex in a rope sling, uttering strangled cries. Challenged to a duel, Harrison arms himself with four swords for a fight he has taken careful steps to ensure will never take place.

He has fun with an echo, flounces delightedly in wild Tyrolean garb, flourishes a succession of black stovepipe hats and a mountaineering one adorned with an aviary of feathers and displays immense pride in a cuckoo clock. Finding an actor of Hex Harrison's stature at Chichester, 85 miles south of London, is not so strange as it seems. The Chichester Festival Theater's four-play summer seasons are really extensions of London's West End. II attracts top stars every year, and London's corps of critics was out in full force for Harrison's debut. The slim story concerns Perrichon, an immensely vain coach builder, who takes his wife and daughter to the Alps to contemplate the beauty of nature.

Two suitors contemplating the daughter's beauty trail along to compete good-natured- ly for her hand, which mostly means impressing Perrichon. Harrison totally dominates the evening with consummate skill. JOHN WAYNE and Jimmy Stewart portray long-time friends who realize (heir way of life in the Old West is fast disappearing, in the Dino De I.aurentis presentation of "The Shootist," directed by Don Stigel. The film is now showing at several area theaters. Filmmaker visits Tinsel Town By Joan Crosby HOLLYWOOD Annett Wolf is a beautiful, brown-eyed redhead from Denmark who is visiting Hollywood and its film sets, making documentaries on entertainment personalities for Danish television.

She's a multi-talented woman who produces, directs, writes, sings, acts and is good-looking enough to be a high-fashion model. She is as several of her subjects have told her the best interviewer they have ever met. She is also a sensitive and eloquent filmmaker. While here, she is scouting American TV for shows for Danish television, where they never dub but merely add the sketchiest of subtitles. Mostly because the majority of Danes understand a good bit of Mayor Daley praises Chicago CHICAGO (UPI) Like i and wine.

Mayor Richard J. Daley and rock music has always been a dangerously volatile combination, to be mixed only at your own risk. But times can change, even on i floor of City Hall. Friday afternoon, the band that bears his city's name was ushered warmly into Daley's inner sanctum lo be presented with gold medallions, marking Ihe group's 10th anniversary. Then the mayor of Chicago and the members of Chicago emerged to engage in a bit of mutual admiration and to show off Ihe medals for the press.

11 was quite a turnabout for Daley. Six years ago, rock fans battled police in a cloud of tear gas during what was to have been a free concert by Sly and the Family Stone at Grant Park. A furious Daley banned outdoor pop concerts in the city. But it seemed Friday that all has been i if not forgotten. "This is a very happy occasion," Daley said.

"We oil know the great talent and pride Ihe members of the musical group Chicago have in what they do and what it means to so many people in our city. So today it's an honor to present them on behalf the citizens of Chicago with this medal.of merit and lo thank them for the fine entertainment they've given all of us." No one present had the i to ask his honor if he had any nf Chicago's albums, Daley could scarcely have a. more a a rock pas-? the peace pipe. Chicago plays music (hat is strongly rock based, but heavily influenced by the brassy big band jazz sound with which Daley and other mature Chicagoans can readily identify. Trombonist James Pankow brought a roar of laughter and applause from the reporters and onlookers by presenting the mayor with a blue football jersey, emblazoned with the Chicago band logo on (he front and "Mayor Daley'' and the number "1" on the back.

English. Of the new shows she has seen, she likes "Serpico" best and will recommend it. "I kind of like old but that has been canceled," she said. 'Starsky and Hutch' would go for a certain period then the audience would tire of it." She also loves "Welcome Back, Kotter" and has picked such special events as "The Adams Chronicles," "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom," "Eleanor and Franklin" and "Mitzi Gaynor's Roarin' 20s" as shows for Danish audiences. Further, she plans to make selections from variety series and mini-series, picking one "Sonny and Cher," one "Lola Falana" and so on.

a "Columbo" and "McCloud" are popular Danish TV fare: "You see, we like heavier things," she says. I've viewed several of her documentaries. One, an interview with Jerry Lewis, is a powerful piece of film which will never be shown because it dealt with a film he was producing and directing from his own script and which was never completed because money ran out. It's rare to see an interview with a star which leaves the viewer in tears, bu! that's what happens here as Lewis himself is seen crying and totally vulnerable. A remarkable portrait of a human being.

But then Annett's very humanity is Ihe essence thai permits her to gently and deeply probe her subjects until they strip away the professional facade and reveal the human beneath. It's a rare art, not generally known to American TV interviewers. Annett is due to return lo Denmark in mid-summer with the film she has shot on such people as Jack Lemmon, Alfred Hitchcock, Walter a a Steven Spielberg, and John Cassavetes. She plans lo return tor the U.S. in January of 1977, already having a commilment for a series of lectures at Cal State Northridge.

Additionally, she would like lo direct as she has at home a play by either Ibsen or Strindberg. "Direct it in Scandanavian slyle very heavy because American audiences don'l sec these playrights (hat way." But most of all, she wants to become totally involved in filmmaking and to lhat end she is already at work on a screenplay which she aims to direct next year. City opera New York (UPI) New York City Opera will present four new productions in its Sept. 1-Nov. 14 season at the New York Stale Theater at Lincoln Center.

They are: "II Barbiere di Siviglia," Wagner's "Der Fleigehde Hollander," Offenbach's "La Belle Helene" and Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Saint of Blcecker Street." Barbiere," starring Beverly Sills as Rosina, will be directed and conducted by Sarah Caldwell, in her first appearance with NYCO. Boston opera BOSTON I Sarah Caldwell, artistic director of the Opera Company of Boston, announced that (he 19lh season, running from January to June 1977, will include Bellini's "La Sonnam- bula," Verdi's "Stiffellio," Glinka's "Russian and Ludmila," and Puccini's "La Boheme." OF THE A2BORN horn band Chicago, gather in Chicago Mayor Richard J. Dajey's office on their tenth together; for a presentation honor" ra behalf of city. Trombonist James Pankow made a humorous presentation (o Daley, giving the mayor a Chicago 'logo an the back..