Shakespeare never looked so sexy with a quartet of scantily clad strippers dressed in fishnet stockings, fluorescent tinted wigs and not much else for the opening of the theatre and dance production Measure for Measure.

“We wanted to help set the mood,” said director and second-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) student Randy Symank, “[and] we wanted to give a peek inside a brothel.“

The quartet of gorgeous and leggy beauties cast their sublime shadows over the four matching pillars directly behind them and established the provocative and daring style desired by its director. And as sexy as the opening scene of the Symank’s interpretation of Measure for Measure, he also underlined Shakespeare’s timeless social commentary on transparent government and the role of supposed moral politicians.

“I wanted to show how relevant the [Shakespearean] script is even 400 years later,” Symank said. “I wanted to draw attention to political corruption and the effects of a politician.“

Measure for Measure tells the story of a morally corrupt Vienna under the rule of the duke played by first-year MFA student Timothy Orr. The duke abdicates his city and allows the law enforcing deputy Angelo, played by second-year MFA student Jesse Merz, to clean up Vienna.

Meanwhile, the duke returns to the city he loves so dearly, but under the disguise of a friar to observe his replacement clean up Vienna. Under the guise of moral righteousness, Angelo begins to rid the city of its corruption, as when he catches petty corruptors such as Claudio, who had premarital sex with his consenting lover.

In spite of his desire to rid Vienna of its immorality, Angelo falls prey to one of the seven deadly sins. He lusts after Claudio’s sister Isabella – who is an aspiring nun – played by first-year English and dramatic arts major Gia Battista. Lust overrides morality, and Angelo promises to free Claudio if the virtuous Isabella will sleep with him.

“[The character Angelo] has lots of levels and gray [areas],” Merz said. “He is a good guy who makes mistakes … and a politician being a hypocrite.“

Symank pointed out the similarity between the play and recent headlines like the sex scandals of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, Senator Larry Craig of Idaho and former House of Representative Mark Foley. Orr agreed and said he felt the hypocrisy of Angelo was reminiscent of the current state of American politics.

“Shakespeare is relevant only if we make it relevant,” Orr said. “A lot of the things Shakespeare grappled with are universal.“

Symank made several adjustments to update his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. He placed the plot in present-day Vienna and had his actors dressed in pantsuits, while the addition of the strippers left nothing to the imagination of the seedy city of Vienna.

However, Symank’s boldest experiment was having his actors sing the several of the lines of Shakespeare.

“I wanted to show use music to remind the audience of the [Isabella’s] predicament,“ Symank said.

Though Shakespeare never intended to have his lines sung, the numbers add yet another layer of complexity to Symank‘s vision. Isabella is choreographed alone on stage and sings away her alienation.

“It was an interesting choice because I had never done that for Shakespeare,” Battista said.

The political overtones are further accentuated by Orr’s comedic delivery. Switching between the duke to the friar, Orr seamlessly points out the hypocrisy of Angelo. In showing the corruption of a public figure in office, Orr and the rest of the cast communicate how the complexity of government by people, and of the people, is not always for the people.

Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure will finish its two-week run this weekend and wrap up Saturday at 8 p.m. at Main Theatre. Tickets are $15 for non-students and $10 for students and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the ticket office.

The department of theatre and dance has a new production opening this weekend with a preview this evening at 8 p.m. in the Wyatt Pavilion Theatre.

JACKSON YAN can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Paramount Pictures

Rating: 4

It‘s 1957, America is deep in the Cold War and Indiana Jones is at it again in the entertaining fourth installment of the series.

Fans who enjoy the humor and unapologetically farfetched action sequences of the previous films will find a lot to like in this film, but those who want a cohesive plot and complex villains should look elsewhere.

In Crystal Skull, Indy is on a quest to keep a mysterious and suspiciously alien-shaped skull out of the hands of the Russians and restore it to its rightful place in the fabled city of El Dorado.

Silver fox Harrison Ford is as dashing as ever as the aged yet spry Dr. Jones. Judging by how often he leaps in and out of moving vehicles, gets dragged behind speeding trucks and jumps off of waterfalls, he must have had his hips replaced with titanium at some point. Karen Allen also reprises her role as Marion Ravenwood, Indiana‘s sassy leading lady in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Otherwise, the cast is all new. Shia LaBeouf (Transformers) plays Mutt Williams, Marion‘s cocky-yet-good-at-heart greaser son. Williams enlists Indiana‘s help in rescuing his mother and mentor, Oxley, who have been kidnapped by the Russians. Cate Blanchett plays the cold and relentlessly commie Irina Spalko, who is hunting down artifacts she believes will help her fellow Soviets develop some sort of “mind-weapon.“

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull stays true to the spirit of the previous films. After all, an Indiana Jones movie without an ancient temple full of sophisticated booby traps and a bunch of bad guys who are utterly incapable of shooting a man-sized target from 50 feet away is really no Indiana Jones movie at all.

But for the most part, the film stays mercifully clear of gratuitous “fan-pleasing“ references. The action scenes are entertaining and exciting – they are definite throwbacks to the older films in tone and scale – but they are also fresh. Nobody has to run away from a giant boulder or wriggle out of a dungeon with a rapidly descending spike-covered ceiling. The villains too reflect those of the previous installments. They are one-dimensional and severely lacking in redeeming qualities, but the fact that they are Russians and not jungle savages or Nazis is a nice change of pace.

The film does have its problems, however. The plot is somewhat disjointed, especially near the beginning where there is a bizarre, albeit highly entertaining scene involving a nuclear testing site. Some of the subplots are problematic as well, including a seemingly disposable one concerning Indiana‘s old friend and fellow war veteran Mac McHale.

The film also falls short with its pacing. The great mystery of the crystal skull seems momentarily perplexing at best, as Indy seems to decipher all the dead languages and riddles he encounters with relative ease. There is little room for anyone to doubt that the characters will figure everything out in time.

That being said, the film does have some nice subtleties. While the previous Indiana Jones films certainly glamorized archaeology among the general public, they also portrayed it as little more than treasure-hunting and temple-looting. In this film, the focus has shifted to returning artifacts to their original resting places, rather than stealing them.

Overall, the film offers an enjoyable and entertaining couple of hours. Those who are willing to laugh along with a film that does not take itself too seriously will not be disappointed.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opened at midnight and is now playing Regal Davis Stadium 5 on G Street in Davis.

–Brittney Ross

The basic history of the United States of America should be a familiar story to any college student, but writer and UC Davis professor emeritus Jack D. Forbes wants to rethink the way textbooks cover American history.

In his latest book The American Discovery of Europe, Forbes inspects a different role of Native Americans in U.S. history. He explores the journey of America’s natives to Europe long before Christopher Columbus came to North America. With this new investigation, Forbes hopes to change the way America as a land and as a nation is considered.

“That has to be changed to the point where when people begin to think of the fact that we live in North America – that North America is our homeland, rather than Europe,“ Forbes said.

“Basically, the way U.S. history is taught, … it’s very Eurocentric. It really celebrates the adventures of white Europeans, particularly the British in North America. It’s really a celebration of Anglo-American adventures.“

The American Discovery of Europe is the product of years of extensive research that started in the ’80s when Forbes was working on another book project in England. Though he admitted that a change in the way American history is taught would be a long process, Forbes has already made notable strides in terms of the Native American community and its place in the educational system.

In the early ‘60s, he and his colleagues pushed forth proposals that started the Native American studies program at UC Davis, and Forbes became the department chair in 1969. The program was born out of UC Berkeley’s Third World Strike, a student movement that worked toward developing an ethnic studies program. The year 1971 marked the establishment of D-Q University, the only tribal university in California.

“What I thought was really interesting about Native American studies was that people oftentimes don’t give it the kind of respect that it deserves because it’s a smaller major in comparison to the other minority majors,“ said senior English and American studies double major Hailey Yeager. “To deny Native American studies and to not include that as part of the dialogue between different cultures is to miss a big chunk [of history].“

In addition to numerous books about Native Americans and issues of the community, Forbes has published several poetry books that also address the Native American community, including Naming Our Land, Reclaiming Our Land and El-Lay Riots = Memorias de Ya-Town and Home Boy Poems. This past month, Forbes read at Poetry Night at Bistro 33 from his most recent poetry manuscript California Songs.

“I like to use poetry to discuss ideas as well as feelings,” Forbes said. “I wrote from the very beginning different kinds of poems – some poems were romantic, some poems were about adventure and some poems were philosophical.“

Andy Jones, a lecturer within the University Writing Program, described Forbes‘ poetry as “historical and trans-historical.” Jones, along with UWP lecturer Brad Henderson, hosts Poetry Night at Bistro 33.

“[Forbes‘ work] talks about the human condition,” Jones said. “But it also touches upon issues of justice, geography, a sense of what makes up a people, what makes up a society – the responsibility we all have to one another and to the earth. These are important, enduring themes.“

Although Forbes‘ poetry is undoubtedly influenced by his background (he is part Powhatan-Renápe and Delaware-Lenápe), Yeager said that it shouldn’t be cast off as esoteric and specific only to the Native American community.

“I think the experience of any one culture can be universal – I don’t think that there is any one culture that’s so removed from all the others that you couldn’t identify yourself or appreciate it,” Yeager said. “It’s a really interesting perspective because it’s close to his heart, and it really brings a lot of depth into his poetry.“

RACHEL FILIPINAS can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com. 

080522_ar_conchords.C

Flight of the Conchords

Flight of the Conchords

Sub Pop Records

Rating: 4

Comedic music doesn’t ever stay fresh for very long – nobody regularly listens to Tenacious D or Weird Al anymore, and few probably ever did anyway. The comedic folk duo of HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords,“ on the other hand, is set to last for quite a while.

Starring New Zealand natives Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, Flight of the Conchords is as much of a show as it is a full-fledged two-man band, whose songs serve as a centerpiece for the show’s subtle, awkward humor. Their second release and first feature-length album brings most of the show’s diverse array of songs together into a 42-minute compilation that’s both entertaining and impressive from start to finish.

Though the music of FOTC is most often described as acoustic/electronic folk, their songs incorporate a surprisingly wide range of styles, as most are parodies of similar genres and artists. Clement’s deep and often breathy vocal style compliments McKenzie’s softer melodic touch in songs that travel from narrative ‘70s soul to guitar-based rap in “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros.“

Clement and McKenzie’s lyrics are what truly constitute the subtle hilarity of the band’s songs. “Think About It” is a satirical and hilarious version of a MTV-saturated world critique. “Foux De Fa Fa” comes across as a very convincing French-Brazilian number yet is entirely composed of intro-level French vocabulary, such as “soup du jour” and “baguette.“

Despite the comedic nature of the show, the album is extremely impressive and elevates FOTC’s music to a higher level than other artists of the “genre.“ Clement and McKenzie showcase their astounding musical ability in every song, typically through the simplicity of acoustic guitars, synthesizers and a basic drum rhythm. It is hardly a cut-from-the-film soundtrack, as each song has been carefully recorded and produced at professional studio quality specifically for the album. And though FOTC still discusses things like robots and David Bowie in space, they’ve achieved a level of musical sophistication that’s unmatched even by many serious bands.

However, the full effect of FOTC’s subtle humor isn’t all quite there on the album alone and is slightly dependent on the physical picture. The lack of McKenzie’s flowery mannerisms and Jemaine’s massive face slightly dilutes the lyrical comprehension. Anyone unfamiliar with the show most likely won’t get it, especially since the music is so well done.

Those who haven’t experienced Flight of the Conchords by now are in for some serious enjoyment. Rent the DVD first, though, and get the album once you’re hooked.

–Justin Ho

For fans of: Tenacious D, Birdstrike Theatre, Adam Sandler

Give these tracks a listen:

“Think About It“

“Mutha’uckas“

An excerpt from “Think About It“

There’s children on the streets using guns and knives

They’re taking drugs and each other’s lives

Killing each other with knives and forks

And calling each other names like dork

There’s people on the street getting diseases from monkeys

Yeah that’s what I said, their getting diseases from monkeys

Now there’s junkies with monkey disease

Who’s touching these monkeys please

Leave these poor sick monkeys alone

They’ve got problems enough as it is

A man is lying on the street, some punk’s chopped off his head

I’m the only one who stops to see if he’s dead,

Turns out he’s dead

And that’s why I’m singing, what, what is wrong with the world today?

What’s wrong with the world today

What, what is wrong with the world today?

You gotta think about it, think, think about it

Monday was a particularly lucky day to be a music journalist at UC Davis: Adam Green made an unexpected yet marvelous guest appearance on the air at KDVS 90.3 FM.

Sort of shaky, nervous and trying extra hard to memorize some quick biographical facts, I joined Elisa Rocket on her weekly radio show Analog Oatmeal to interview the anti-folk artist from the now defunct band, The Moldy Peaches. Yes, they did that song in Juno.

But this was a particularly unique combination of guest performers – how often does an awkward, quasi-grungy folk musician bring a pair of gospel singers into Studio B? But it was a good choice; listening from a crammed corner of the studio, I became weak in the knees, and my eyes glazed over. The ladies from the well-known London Community Gospel Choir offered their compelling windpipes to create tear-jerking flattery behind Green’s voice.

Green started the set off with “Grandma Shirley and Papa,” from his March 2008 release Sixes and Sevens. Also from that record, Green belted “Getting Led“ and the happy-go-lucky single, “Morning After Midnight.“ Though stripped of its cheery horn section and reed organ sounds, the in-studio rendition of Green’s “comeback single“ ended with a “cha cha cha.“ However, I definitely recommend getting your hands on the studio version, as it jumps tempo with bongo and shakers halfway through.

Of Green’s hour-long set, “Getting Led” dominated. This amazing downtempo number with ascending harmonies really allowed the ladies to shine and easily established itself as one of my favorites on Sixes and Sevens. The acoustic rendition was just as moving if not more without the piano, bell chimes and shuffly snare found on the album version.

Between songs, Green provided some comic relief, telling stories of his fast-paced “no freedom tour” of Europe and now North America. He informed listeners that when you go to a Burger King in Germany (where he happens to be very popular), it’s highly likely to find hookers in puffy jackets and fanny packs loitering outside.

But the pace changed with several numbers, one of them being the bittersweet “I Want to Die” off his 2003 record Friends of Mine. He confessed over the most serene harmonies, “I want to choose to die / and be buried with a rubix cube,” mainly because “the government lied.“

With a bellowing voice as genuine as Buddy Holly’s but also comparable to that of the contemporary Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Green is able to appeal to a large demographic. Some might call Sixes and Sevens a male version of Jenny Lewis‘ Rabbit Fur Coat thanks to the Southern-esque backup vocals and the obvious Johnny Cash influences.

Yet despite the hints of classic styles in this work, Adam Green is an anti-folk artist – and considered a modern pioneer of that genre, as a matter of fact. He has much experience with this “urban folk” phenomena that he foresees will achieve global domination.

“I‘ll probably be giving tours of the East Village when I’m older,” Green said sarcastically, “showing people where Ish Marquez used to play on the bench.“

Green had no problem using the term, as he explained it had a long history in Village venues such as Sidewalk Café. To him, anti-folk is “a community of songwriters, originally started more as a folk-punky kind of thing with artists like Roger Manning and Paleface.“

And as the repertoire of anti-folk artists expands, so does its sound. From the punk side has emerged Defiance, Ohio and from the polished end of folk comes Regina Spektor. Regardless, an important piece of anti-folk culture swept through Davis this week like a hurricane.

To listen to the interview online, go to the Analog Oatmeal’s show page at kdvs.org/shows/view/show_id/376. For more information on the artist, visit adamgreen.net.

NICOLE L. BROWNER hopes that anti-folk will achieve poster boy status now that the Juno soundtrack pwned the billboard charts. She can be reached at nlbrowner@ucdavis.edu.

LIVE MUSIC

Salt & Samovar, Geographer

Today, 10 p.m., $3-5, 21

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

S & S is one of the most entertaining performances one could ever witness, hands down. They’ve so charismatically conquered the rootsy bluegrass sound and retrofitted it for the contemporary ear. Joining the ensemble is the San Francisco-based indie rock band Geographer, marked by addictive vocal melodies.

A New Hope, Nice Monster, Be Brave Bold Robot

Friday, 8 p.m., $10, 21

Fox & Goose in Sacramento

It’s no surprise to find Be Brave Bold Robot and Nice Monster on the same bill; the bands share members! But both will hit the spot for Murder By Death fans, as they incorporate strings and offbeat vocals to a somber, sometimes upbeat sound. A New Hope, on the other hand, is apparently a hip hop group, which makes the range of this bill surprisingly wide.

The Brodys

Friday, 10 p.m., $3-5, 21

The G St. Pub

The Brody bros out of Sacramento mix a little bit of everything you like, and when I say that, I mean pop and punk exclusively. So if you’ve been missing high school and lost your Ataris records, Friday is your chance to relive your gel spike hairdo, T-shirt and tie days.

Kally Price Band, Jay Brown

Friday, 10 p.m., $3-5, 21

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

Grab your honey and hit the dance floor, my friend, because this is the song of romance. Kally’s soulful Nina Simone-like voice backed by old-timey piano and upright bass would fit in any ‘30s saloon, and crossing over from jazz to blues. But Friday, she’ll provide the mood, and the rest is up to you.

Gravel Road, Sidestreet Jenny, The Juggs

Saturday, 10 p.m., $3-5, 21

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

Coming down off (Seattle’s) Capitol Hill is an angry blues band perfect for any Black Keys fan. Sometimes they get a little loud, but it’s all in good fun. Those loose snare beats and blues chords will get you in the mood for drinking and dancing immediately. But don’t come late, because The Juggs are opening up the evening, and don’t you want to know what type of instruments they play?

Parenthetical Girls, Dead Western, Pwrfl Power, AU

Sunday, 8 p.m., $5

Old Firehouse

If you can’t wait until they take the stage in Sacramento with Los Campesinos, then Sunday is the chance to catch Parenthetical Girls. They’ve hit up our cow town before, but now they’ve got a new van to venture out here in from Portland. The mostly male band will surprise you with accordion sounds and catchy experimental pop akin to Dirty Projectors or Xiu Xiu.

Mindless Self Indulgence, The Birthday Massacre

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., $20 in advance and $25 at the door

The Empire in Sacramento

Here’s a show you won’t get into without your Hot Topic frequent buyer card. The New Yorkers have taken punk to a more synth-dance, gothic level, which I guess most would simply refer to as industrial. But I don’t know – Orgy and MSI don’t seem to have a lot of overlap, IMO.

The Fiery Furnaces, Grand Ole Party

Wednesday, 9 p.m., $15, 21

Harlow’s in Sacramento

Watch your heating systems, folks, because they might get set aflame. The brother and sister duo were picked up by Rough Trade records in 2002 and have been writing indie rock numbers ever since. Don’t avoid the White Stripes comparison if you are into it, because it’s actually not so off kilter.

COMEDY / READING

Birdstrike

Friday, 7 p.m.

Griffin Lounge, Memorial Union

Free laughs! Free chances to make a fool of yourself in front of an audience! What more could you ask for? The student comedy troupe returns for their second monthly performance.

Curtain Call at City Hall

Tuesday, 8:30 p.m., $5

Bistro 33

Headlining this week is Andres Fernandez, whose claims to fame include the Latino Laugh Festival and NBC’s “Friday Night.“ Joining him will be Tessie Chua from the city by the bay, and the host for the evening is John Ross.

William R. Hildebrandt

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

The Avid Reader

After years of archaelogical and anthropological research on the Upper Sacramento River, Hildebrandt is ready to unveil Life on the River, which he co-wrote with Michael J. Darcangelo. Listen in as he tells the story of the native villages that precluded our inhabitance of the Sacramento region.

MONDAVI / THEATRE

Nest

Today through Sunday, 8 p.m., $15 in advance and $16 at the door

Wyatt Pavilion Theatre

Nest explores tough issues of 1800s, primarily the hanging of a woman who killed her newborn baby. The original play by Bathsheba Doran has been reworked by director and Granada Artist-in-Residence Irina Brown. The performances will last through June 1, but remember that preview night has a discounted ticket price.

UC Davis Jazz Band

Wednesday, 8 p.m., $12 for non-students and $6 for students

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

They’ll be making your Wednesday night big with help from the Jazz Improv Combo. Don’t miss the jazz ensemble’s last event of the season!

AT THE MOVIES

The Host

Tuesday, 7:30

Chemistry 194

ASUCD Entertainment Council’s Campus Cinema has started the International Film Week off with The Host, an Aussie that comes with high praise.

Pan’s Labyrinth

Wednesday, 7:30

Chemistry 194

Another showing in conjunction with International Film Week, this 2006 film explores fascist Spain. And to be honest, I am too scared to watch it.

Editor’s picks:

Kally Price Band, Jay Brown

Saturday at Sophia’s

Parenthetical Girls, Dead Western, Pwrfl Power, AU

Sunday at Old Firehouse

BLURBS

REVIEW: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

The sexiest man alive is back in action, and he’s in search of a glowing skull.

NAMELESS MAGAZINE

If you missed the quarterly performances from student writers and artists, don’t fret – we’ve got you covered.

SEARCH PARTY ANNOUNCEMENT

The Search Party 2008 concert has been moved to next week, look for more details inside.