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The Setonian
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Theater Review | 'Shining' performances make for a haunting play

March 23

As the divorce rate grows every year, the concept of marriage (and loyalty) comes into question. For what reasons ought a man stay faithful to his wife? Should he feel guilty if he does not? Conor McPherson's Tony-nominated ghost play, "Shining City," examines the lives of two Dubliners: John, a recent widower driven to therapy by the appearance of his late wife's ghost, and Ian, his young priest-turned-psychologist with relationship troubles of his own. When John (played by John Judd) first enters Ian's (Jay Whittaker) office, he is reluctant to tell his story, but once the words start flowing, he is unable to stop them. Throughout the play, John slowly reveals the nature of his relationship with his wife, their inability to have children, and his desire to "just know there's somethin' else" to life other than his stale marriage. His problems stem from the appearance of his wife's ghost in his house, forcing him to flee to a motel and to seek psychological help. The parallels between Ian's and John's troubles ultimately suggest that the ghost appears because of John's lingering guilt over his lack of fidelity. Early in his sessions with Ian, John wonders aloud if he has settled for second best in his life and his marriage, rather than pursuing a "better" wife. Throughout the course of the play, John slowly heals as he unloads his guilt, transforming himself from a troubled and lonely man to one that is vivacious and content. Ian is stricken by his conflicts with the living. He left the clergy in favor of living as a layperson, yet has clearly failed to adjust fully to such a life. While Ian seems to be a fairly competent therapist, his greatest problem is his lack of communication skills. The action of the play never leaves Ian's office, which is set up with a large, leather couch at center stage and surrounded by the various daily trappings of a psychologist's office. Robert Falls, who directed the original production of "Shining City" on Broadway, uses light and shadow to a remarkable effect, creating stark images to move between scenes. Just as his office is the only location of the action, Ian's story is the heart of "Shining City." Although John's narrative often steals the spotlight, there is a sense that his story is at an end. His wife is gone, but he will recover and move on. As he leaves Ian's office for the last time, he seems settled and at peace. On the other hand, Ian is still at an impasse when the curtain falls. McPherson makes it startlingly clear how he feels about Ian's decision to renew his relationship with the mother of his child. The resemblance to John's experience leaves no doubt that Ian too has settled for second best. "Shining City" combines aspects of a psychological thriller and a ghost story without being overly frightening. Instead, the presence of a ghost serves to both motivate John's revitalization and to sharply contrast it with Ian's experiences. McPherson masterfully delves into the psyches of both Ian and John, forcing them to consider their duties as husbands and fathers. Ian's doubt stems from a completely different source than John's, but his dilemma is essentially the same. The story raises issues of when a person should stay in an unfulfilling relationship, and where the breaking point is. The beauty of the play is most evident in its circular dialogue and long, emotional monologues that move the plot forward without any real action. So much is revealed through word alone that nothing else seems necessary; the play could nearly be performed standing still. Robert Fall's genius is that he has directed very little gratuitous movement, instead allowing the characters' emotions to become the motivation for organic motion around Ian's office. The two scenes with the most movement, when Ian breaks up with his child's mother and when he invites in a drifter, are both staged like chases, frenetic and anxious. Whittaker otherwise keeps his character very still, almost unnaturally so, as if he is attempting to keep himself under the tightest control for fear of bursting out. At its barest, "Shining City" is about human contact. McPherson created two characters, trapped in isolation by their own inability to communicate, desperate to find themselves.

The Setonian
News

'Funny Games' offers audience few laughs

March 23

Michael Haneke mounts a relentless assault on American audiences with his latest release, a shot-by-shot remake of his provocative 1997 film "Funny Games." The entire movie works as a commentary on the saturation and glorification of graphic violence in Hollywood cinema. Rather than appropriating the conventions that turn brutality into a digestible form of entertainment, Haneke dwells on the horrifying nature of human suffering.

The Setonian
News

Students aid New Orleans rebuilding effort

March 23

Members of the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) and the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) took service trips to New Orleans during spring break, improving areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The Setonian
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Face it Fletcher: You're Part of Tufts

March 22

In this space, I have previously shared some of my frustrations with the new No Name Café. It has recently been brought to my attention that a group of Tufts students is up in arms about an aspect of No Name Café that I failed to mention. The group is Fletcher students, and their complaint is that undergraduates have the gall to enter their vaunted dining facility, causing them to have to wait for their smoothies and overpriced burritos. While the simple response to this complaint is "Don't get mad at the undergrads, get mad at the management," a far more complex issue is raised. Simply, Fletcher students look at their association with Tufts as a burden. They want nothing to do with us: not to see us, not to hear us, and certainly not to have to share their facilities with us. When I first got to Tufts, I had not heard of the Fletcher School at all. This may come as a shock to Fletcher students, but in most of the world, save diplomatic circles, Tufts has a more recognizable name than Fletcher does. However, the Fletcher School fails to even acknowledge the Tufts name in its logo and most of its promotional materials. In fact, the only time I recall seeing the Tufts name displayed prominently alongside the Fletcher logo, it was followed by the line "Jointly administered with Harvard University." Now, I don't care what technical affiliation Fletcher has with Harvard. Fletcher is part of Tufts. There is no way to argue around that. The only access Fletcher students have to Harvard is via cross-registration and use of some of their libraries. Compare that to their use of Tufts services and facilities. Fletcher students can be found riding the Joey, living in University housing, eating in our dining facilities, using our athletic and fitness facilities, and attending campus events, in addition to complete access to Tufts courses and libraries, plus the Boston Library Consortium, a network of a dozen or so other university library systems that Harvard does not belong to. Fletcher students also have access to student employment positions across campus and serve as teaching assistants in several undergraduate courses. If Fletcher were not a part of Tufts, these resources would not be available. Fletcher students need to recognize this despite their desire to be independent from Tufts. C'mon folks, you can't have your cake and eat it too. During my first year here, I saw Fletcher as hallowed ground. With visiting statesmen and diplomats galore, and a "world-renowned" diplomacy program, surely the student body must be remarkable. However, upon interacting with Fletcher students in campus activities, classes, and in everyday life, I must say, I'm not impressed. Sure, there are some very bright students at Fletcher. But Tufts' undergraduate population isn't short on intelligence either. The intellectual climate of life on the rest of campus is far more diverse, with students pursuing fields other than diplomacy and international relations. Fletcher students could benefit from engaging in this environment. On a purely academic level, it is obvious how a Fletcher education could be strengthened by partnerships with other disciplines. But the social level is important, too. There are other graduate students on this campus, who are also largely snubbed by Fletcher students. Fletcher students form their own separate student organizations and rarely intermingle with these other graduates, who are a great potential source of friends and, perhaps, romantic partners. Even undergraduates could serve a social purpose for Fletcher students though, as Fletcher students a few years out of college have more in common with Tufts seniors than some of the older Fletcherites. The main 'advantage' Fletcher students have over Tufts undergrads is experience, mainly a function of age. I believe that Tufts graduates in ten or so years will have just as interesting experiences as Fletcher students do. Many Fletcher students have returned to academia after a stint in the Peace Corps, or something like it. Interesting, because for the past two years, Tufts has had more students enter the Peace Corps than any other school in its size category. Perhaps instead of using their experiences to separate themselves from the rest of the campus, Fletcher students can share those experiences and talk to undergrads. Maybe our commitment to public service can serve as an inspiration. Maybe our relative youth and vitality can serve as a source of fun. Maybe our intelligent minds can serve to engage them in thought. I think the biggest reason why I have little respect for Fletcher students is because many of them are simply not nice. Nowhere else on campus can you pass a crowd with no one even acknowledging your presence. But beyond ignoring us "outsiders," Fletcher students have been known to spew hateful language in reference to undergraduates in their publications and email listservs. If this is representative of Fletcher students, they are a superficial, sexually harassing bunch. If this is representative of future diplomats, the world is in for some interesting foreign conflicts. Over the past few years, I have constantly heard administration discuss the need for greater interaction between the undergraduate and graduate schools. Unfortunately, plans have almost exclusively focused on our health sciences schools. For example, the Summer Scholars program places undergraduates in all of Tufts' divisions, except Fletcher. With the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy relocated to the Health Sciences Campus, the Fletcher School is the only graduate-only program left on the hill. On a campus where international relations is the largest undergraduate major, the faculty and students of Fletcher both have an obligation to leave the Cabot Center and interact with the greater University community. Chances are they'll probably get something out of it, too. When it comes down to it, we're all Jumbos. Adam Pulver is a junior majoring in political science and community health. He can be reached at pulver@tuftsdaily.com. This article has been amended from its original version. Several sentences were removed because they posited an argument that was based on a factual inaccuracy.

The Setonian
News

Music Review | Janet Jackson's new album 'Discipline' fails to show just that

March 17

As her brother Michael's infamous Neverland Ranch goes into foreclosure, Janet Jackson adds another line to her already long résumé by putting out her tenth album, "Discipline." For those expecting a delicious slice of pop genius, this will come as a very by-the-numbers platter that lives up to its namesake. But even the blandest fare ends up growing on the masses, and the best songs on Janet's latest sound catchy to the extreme.

The Setonian
News

Distinction Awards to recognize Tufts employees

March 13

The university has already received a number of nominations for its new Tufts Distinction Awards, a new series of prizes that will recognize staff and faculty members who give back to the Tufts community.

The Setonian
News

Tour Preview | Popular rock bands to stop by the Boston area on spring tours

March 13

As the weather gets warmer and the mini-skirts-with-ugg-boots gradually turn into mini-skirts-with-flip-flops, college students will begin searching for ways to spend their spring days and nights. Perhaps one of the favorite pastimes of college folk is attending concerts, and in preparation for the spring tour season, the Daily is here to give you a look at what rock acts are coming through Boston in the next two months. Let it be noted that there are many groups on tour besides rock groups, but one article was barely big enough to hold this genre alone.

The Setonian
News

New building to integrate biology, engineering

March 13

Tufts will build an integrated biology and engineering building in an attempt to facilitate greater multidisciplinary collaboration and remedy the current space deficiency in both departments.

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