The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 61

wooaooooeoaeooooi Why they're uptight over Ipi-Tombi IHU' CM; Tral; Irfeh tMtMtmtiU By Clive Barnes New York Times Service Appaartng For 1 More Waak Gerry O'Kana A Rakish Paddy Saturday matins at 3 p.m. Authentic Irish Entertainment Join us for lunch and a beverage NEW YORK There are times when art encroaches on oolltics. Just as there are moments (occasionally 2S7 RIDEAU ST. 235-1072 centuries) when politics flavor art A new musical, Ipl-Tombl, opened at the Harkness Theater this week -and was being picketed by the Socialist Workers Party and the Patrice Lumumba Coalition, among others. The cause for the picketing is that this is a black South African musical, conceived and produced by national theatre school happy time because we always seemed to be singing and dancing." Well, perhaps that could describe Fiddler on the Root, but when the hero announces, "Today I must shake off the coat of sadness," one does get a little worried.

Unquestionably, black life in South Africa is to an extent criticized remember the three banned songs but it still seemed all pretty cheerful to me. And this is the truly important point Do you remember Mel Brooks's movie, The Producers, in which there was a mythically triumphant Broadway monster called "Springtime for There were times in the drabness qL Ipl-Tombl when -one wondered whether spring had come around again. It is interesting. We have never questioned why the Moiseyev Ensemble never spoke out against Stalinism. We watched In silence or, perhaps, with a few embarrassedly strangled cries of "Ole!" while innumerable Spanish dance companies glorified the bullfights and orange Juice of Franco's totalitarian Spain.

Hungarian dance companies have been here without our feeling the need to recall the spirit of 1958. And yet an all-black troupe from South Africa arouses the ire of our pickets. It does seem Inconsistent It could be because it is so boring, but one suspects that the very sincere people picketing have never actually crossed their own lines to see the show. It hardly matters. The dancing is moderately good, but everything else Is tedious.

But what would have been the moral issue had It been a work of genius? Perhaps we should not be so uptight about Ipl-Tombl. whites, which the demonstrators felt offered an unrealistic picture of the black In South Africa and could consequently be regarded as propaganda for the present South African government and apartheid. Redgrave puzzled over court case CINCINNATI (AP) Actress Lynn Redgrave says she is puzzled over her possible involvement in the obscenity trial of Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt and three magazine employees. Curiously, the controversy regarding the presentation is more interesting than the show itself. "Ipi-Tombi" the title apparently means "Where Are the -Women?" Is not at all unlike the song-and-dance shows we have become accustomed to from various African companies.

Most of them originate as I recall it, in France and, much more significantly, the Caribbean revues of the great Katberine Dunham. I saw the show at a preview and, frankly, wondered what all the fuss was about It.appears that most of the people doing the picketing have, not actually seen the musical. That may be their advantage. Unfortunately, the first, and probably the last, thing to be said about "Ipl-Tombl" is simply that it is a genial bore. It has run for months in London, but then look at the wild successes there of The Mousetrap or No Sex Please, We're British.

In New York we have seen far better African shows than this, which happens to make tedium into a Jingle and life into a tribal drumbeat Nevertheless, the political point of the revue's existence does seem worth exploring. Apart from the people picketing that evening there was, for example, Bayard Rustln, generally regarded as a pillar of the black establishment, making a statement, vigorously defending the show. I must say the defense was on political rather than artistic grounds Rustln is a friend, and I would not wish to quote him wrong. The musical has been devised by Bertha Egnos and It seems that some of the music has been based upon traditional music. Unquestionably.

The show is not Jiuite as Uncle Tom-ish as one might have expected rom a musical that is, apparently, one of the biggest hits ever in Johannesburg. But as three of the songs in the New York version (I do not know which three, but can make a guess) are, according to the management actually banned in South Africa, we are, perhaps, seeing a slightly different version. Even so, tills does start with a man singing: 'It was a auditions lor the school year 1977-78 Miss Redgrave along with Journalists Vincent "Canby, Liz Smith and Patrick McGrady is Included on a list of possible defence witnesses. unl JtJ-ll A 1 iLI 1 1 DEADLINE famjunoik February 15 ACTUM SECTMN 'DESIGN SECTION TECHNICAL SECTION sir THE ROLLING one uiun 1 seem 10 Know anyuiing aouui iv, sum a spokesman for Miss Redgrave in New York. Flynt, his wife Althea Leasure Flynt, his brother Jimmy Flynt and Al Van Schalk are charged with engaging in organized crime and pandering obscenity.

Jury selection in the Hamilton County common pleas court trial entered its fifth day Thursday. Opening statements are expected next week. Lawren Harris PIN A Fine Cake and Pastry FOR INFORMATION. PLEASE WRITE TO; THE NATIONAL THEATRE SCHOOL 6030 St-Oania, Montraal, Qua. H2J 2LB Shop in your community We use pure ingredients for our products such as Black Forest Cake and Butter Cream Cake, Pastries for all occasions.

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Harris, is giving his first one-man show In Ottawa. The display opened Thursday at Gallery Graphics, 521 Sussex Dr. It will be until Feb. 1. Harris is showing silkscreens and four oils.

The latter are called Diagonals, Parallels, Horizontal and Verticals. They are colorful hard-edge paintings. The artist's father was a member of the Grouo of THB TROPiCANA ROOM proudly presents THE TROPICTOHES wtth imwio from tha Carrlbaan fTHURSOAT thru SATUHDAV 8 PM. 1 A.M. LAFONTAINE MOTOfl HOTVU.

as atoMTitaAi. no. 74-aS7 Amp) Fraa Parking Covar Charoa S1-00 Par Paraon Friday and Saturday Only 741-2320 'j Seven. He formerly headed the Fine Arts Department of -Mount Allison University. He has been living in Ottawa since last April.

It Is recalled that Harris attained distinction as an official war artist in the Second World War. Dr. Charles Comfort, formerly director of the National Gallery, was associated with him in that phase of his Interesting and diversified career. Harris, has been both a landscape artist and a por- hnlHct i THIS WEEK aaaaa REVIVAL 'The Meeting Place" taRcii STEEL FIELD YOU TRY THE REST NOW YOU TRY THE.BESTI! ii ii 3f UWIIOh Harris has exhibited widely both In Canada, the United States and abroad. He Is represented in the collection of the Dept.

of External Affairs, the Lord Beaverbrook Art Gallery and many other exhibition areas. Noted for his self-discipline when painting he does several canvases at one time that he finds "assist each other." Harris is an A.R.C.A. and he has headed a number of organizations asociated with art and artists. MEET MIX at Ottawa's No. 1 Fun Spot Dance to the music of the 20's 70's with DICK MALONEY AND MIDWAY Always tuperlor Chinese and Canadian Dishes Open weekdays until 1 a.m.

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