Arts

Arts

The Daily sinks its teeth into 'Twilight' star

November 5

     The Daily got a chance to speak with British actor Robert Pattinson, star of the new film "Twilight," which was adapted from a series of books by author Stephenie Meyer. In "Twilight," Pattinson, best known as Cedric Diggory from the "Harry Potter" franchise, plays Edward Cullen, a vampire who is trying to hide his secret from the world. He falls in love with Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart), and together they try to deal with their differences and with other vampires trying to get in their way. Question: What was it like stepping into the role of Edward [Cullen], since there were so many pressures behind it? Robert Pattinson: I guess just by ignoring it? I put off going into the audition because of that reason, and then I really thought I had no chance of getting it at all. When I went into the screen test with Kristen, I played him sort of different and not as strong. I tried to play him [as] a lot more broken. I was just thinking that the book was from Bella's perspective, [and how she] is completely in love and obsessed with Edward [and] would see him however she wanted to see him; it doesn't really have to correspond with reality. Q: You wrote a song for the film's soundtrack. Would you think about pursuing a musical career or just sticking to acting? RP: I have absolutely zero plans to actually actively pursue music. I'd like to record an album at some point, but I don't care if anyone buys it. Q: Is there added any added pressure to playing a character from a book compared to playing a character from a script? RP: I guess it's different. I guess there's more pressure when there is no book because your performance has to make the movie. You have to make the character memorable for the film to be successful. When there is already a popular character, I guess the pressure is living up to other peoples' expectations, but in some ways it takes the pressure off. It's like you can still do what you want and everyone will still like the character. Q: How much of an influence did Stephenie Meyer have on the filmmaking process? RP: I think she had a lot of influence in the beginning and in pre-production, and I talked to her about some things, but by that time I had already been working on the character for about two months before I saw her. I pretty much knew what to do; I just had a few specific questions. Q: Is there anything that interests you in these supernatural films, or are you looking toward a different subject matter for other films you will be making? RP: It's been totally random that I've been doing these sorts of supernatural jobs. I definitely want to eventually play a normal person; everything I have done has been a period piece or a supernatural piece. Everything that I have coming out next year will also be really random. Q: How have you been affected by the rising fandom surrounding the "Twilight" series? RP: I haven't really been too affected, since I can really separate myself from it. I can step into a room full of teenage girls and it doesn't really go to my head. I think that I have finally gained an influence in America because of this role, so that definitely is something different. Q: What was it like doing a lot of your own stunts and wire work? RP: It's really hard. I did wire work with "Harry Potter," but that was just getting hit, which is not really hard to act out. On this, I had to be sort of agile, and you actually had to look like you were controlling the movements. There is no weight or anything that you have to deal with, but you just have to keep your body in the right shape and keep the physics correct. It was really hard and you need to be very talented to be good with wire work. It is also incredibly painful because all of your weight is on two little straps in your crotch, which is not always the most pleasant experience.

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Arts

Networks show more restraint this cycle

November 4

When the networks finally announced an Obama victory around 11 p.m. last night after polls closed on the West Coast, Americans had already been on a rollercoaster ride through the airwaves.

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Arts

Saint Joan' tests viewers' sympathies

November 4

"Saint Joan," written by Nobel Prize-winning author George Bernard Shaw and performed at the Wheelock Family Theatre, tells the infamous tale of Joan of Arc, the zealous 17-year-old girl on a God-given mission to see the Dauphin crowned king and to lead France to victory over the English. Few characters in the play are truly likeable, and most fall into a trap of oscillating hypocrisy, where they make statements that serve their present purpose but leave the audience confused as to their true intentions.

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Arts

There's more than meets the eye in the minimalist 'Interesting and Dull Shapes'

November 4

Shapes occur everywhere in nature, yet they are also recreated in man-made objects. A careful look around reveals the way in which shapes, both natural and man-made, can combine, forming an endless repetition of form and patterns. John Kramer examines just that in his multimedia show in the Art Institute of Boston Gallery at University Hall at Lesley University, entitled "Interesting and Dull Shapes." Through a multimedia presentation of photographs, prints and film, Kramer examines the relationship between shape and form.

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Arts

Eagles of Death Metal's boogie-rock effort, 'Heart On,' takes chances that pay off

November 4

These days, rock music remains as prevalent as ever. Though genres fall in and out of fashion as bands seek to break new ground, the fact remains that the guitar-bass-drums-singer combo is here to stay. As most groups look forward, with some transcending genres even as they reinvent them a la Beck, a few look back. One such band is Eagles of Death Metal. This band worships at the altar of The Rolling Stones and T-Rex and feels that there is a real lack of old-school, good-times music. The group's latest, "Heart On," which seeks to inspire the listener to dance all of their troubles away, delivers an excellent set of toe-tappers and hip-shakers, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

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Arts

Samuel Bak uses personal Holocaust experience to create broad reflections

November 3

In general, artists are most profoundly impacted by the contexts — both historical and cultural — in which they live. Impressionists, for example, painted fluttering landscapes due to contemporary science about atoms and light waves and drew sidewalk scenes as Haussmannization transformed the Parisian streets. The current show at Pucker Gallery, "Icon of Loss: Recent Paintings by Samuel Bak," features an exhibition by Bak, a surrealist painter and, perhaps more importantly, a Holocaust survivor. His works are inspired by the atrocities and brutalities he witnessed in Poland during the 1930s and 1940s, but they are painted in such a way as to reflect on the Holocaust in an overarching sense.

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Arts

Chiefs lose their minds on 'Off With Their Heads'

November 3

Kaiser Chiefs are something of a phenomenon in the U.K., but they have yet to catch on here in the states. It's possible to be a fan of Kaiser Chiefs, but it doesn't quite seem possible to be a Kaiser Chiefs Fan; to define one's musical tastes through a band that lacks its own discernable identity just doesn't feel right. Their third LP, "Off With Their Heads," with its 11 tracks weighing in at just over a half-hour, is simply more of the same inconsequential, guilt-free Brit-pop-rock that they have been churning out since their debut, "Employment," in 2005.

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Arts

Kaufman manipulates moods, multiple realities in 'Synecdoche'

November 3

The works of Charlie Kaufman can never be confused with something conventional. Prior to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004), for which he wrote the screenplay, Kaufman's films were intellectual exercises, constantly engaging the viewer's mind but lacking any emotional impact. The characters in "Adaptation" (2002) and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" (2002) are cold and emotionally distant, leaving the viewer in a similar state. Even "Eternal Sunshine" gets its feeling more from Michel Gondry's direction than from Kaufman's words. "Synecdoche, New York," Kaufman's directorial debut, is the apotheosis of the trend to this point. It challenges the viewer in ways normally reserved for David Lynch, yet it is almost completely devoid of emotion.

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Arts

Flaming Lips entertain with new, bizarre film 'Christmas on Mars'

November 2

Everyone knows The Flaming Lips as those self-proclaimed fearless freaks, purveyors of weird in any and all forms and makers of sublime music. What may come as a surprise is the fact that, for the past six years, they've also been amateur filmmakers. Their new film, "Christmas on Mars," lives up to most people's expectations: It's bizarre. Wholeheartedly a B-movie, it is one that recognizes and embraces its own faults and limitations, yet remains ambitious, striving to touch upon themes of despair, isolation, hope and religion. The result is a depressing yet hilarious, disturbing yet heartwarming film that seasoned critics will hate, but fans of the band and low-budget films will love.

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Arts

Zack and Miri' mixes porn and potty humor to create an endearing romantic comedy

November 2

Tapping into the endless humor of parody porn, Kevin Smith has successfully pulled off a hilarious romantic comedy. Yes, romantic! Past all the light saber dildos and fart jokes, the core of this film is a love story. "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" is invested in the difference between bumping uglies and making love, and as it is still a Smith film, there are still plenty of "Star Wars" references and potty humor to satisfy his geeky fan base.

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Arts

Copeland's newest effort, 'Sunshine,' proves lackluster

November 2

Copeland has historically been lumped in with numerous other indie-rock acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, though the band really doesn't deserve such denigration. But with its newest release, "You Are My Sunshine," Copeland seems content to associate itself with other indie-rock groups by solidifying its roots in a banal, flavorless sound. While the band should have pushed to create 11 distinct tracks, it instead settled to give listeners an album of indistinguishable atmospheric dirges.

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Arts

Grant Beighley | Pants Optional

November 2

What the hell Chronos, God of Time? I thought we had a deal. I'm taking back my four bushels of potatoes and three goats I sacrificed to you last week. Moloch the Owl God will not be pleased when he hears of this. You know Moloch, right? I think you met at last year's mixer; he was the one with the body of a man and the head of a Moloch. Good guy, Moloch.

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Arts

Top Ten | Characters who should face off

October 29

    In keeping with the Halloween spirit, we couldn't help but notice that rival films are getting bigger and bigger these days, such as "Alien vs. Predator" (2004) and "Freddy vs. Jason" (2003). With that in mind, we set out to decide what other famous faces should duke it out. 10. WALL-E vs. E.T.: If WALL-E had come out of the closet with E.T. dressed in Drew Barrymore's clothes, we might understand his obsession with "Hello, Dolly!" a little more clearly. 9. Jigsaw vs. Steve Stifler: One is named after a tool, one is a tool. It's not really fair, though;, Jigsaw is dying (or is he already dead?) anyway, though I guess Stifler is dead inside. 8. Miley Cyrus vs. Ashley Tisdale: Ashley Tisdale and her updated nose would be no match for Cyrus, who, in case you hadn't already guessed, is a cyborg, hell-bent on the destruction of the human race. 7. Passion of the Christ vs. Little Nicky: The only thing that could make this worse is if it were written by Adam Sandler and directed by Mel Gibson. Sandler isn't Jewish, right? 6. Edward Scissorhands vs. The Rock vs. The Paperboy: Talk about the ultimate roshambo. Pit these three against each other and call it the best out of three. Although, if Johnny Depp beats the Paperboy in round one, there might not be much of him left, and nobody really wants to see The Paperboy resort to suffocation. 5. The 40-Year-Old Virgin vs. Josie Grossie (Never-Been-Kissed Girl): Imagine the heated, cherry-poppin' competition between Steve Carrell and Drew Barrymore as they play the lengthiest game of Never Have I Ever and fight to win at Spin the Bottle. 4. Beverly Hills Cop vs. Chihuahua vs. Ninja vs. Hillbillies: In Beverly Hills, amongst all of the huge houses, flashy cars and designer clothes, there are bound to be some outcasts ... and plenty of movies about them. Between Beverly Hills Cop, Ninja, Hillbillies and most recently Chihuahua, characters are going to have to start fighting for the "King of Beverly Hills" title.  Now that the application is open to other species, the brawl is bound to escalate into an epic battle, extending beyond 90210 borders. 3. LOLcats vs. Faildogs: When Internet memes collide, everybody wins. The cutest kittens face off against the dumbest dogs in a battle that will leave you saying "Awwwww, how cute. Brutal rampage, but cute." Let's hope that Numa Numa Guy and Tron Guy don't team up for a sequel. 2. The Yes Man vs. Liar Liar: It's Jim Carrey versus himself in the epic battle between resisting the urge to say no and telling lies. Imagine the possibilities: "Honey, does this make me look fat?" / "Yes, it certainly does! (D'Oh)" The film will most likely end with "the claw" savagely killing them both — or perhaps just the fact that someone asked him if he wanted to try self-immolation. 1. Zombie Strippers vs. Striptease: Sure, Demi Moore has been the reigning Hollywood stripper since the mid-'90s, but the soft-core film got shaken up when Jenna Jameson proved that strippers can actually strip better and make more money post-zombification. One has to strip so she can get her kids back; the other has a thirst for human flesh. Really, who cares which one of them wins, so long as the battle takes place with plenty of chairs, lights and poles at their disposal?

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Arts

Smith: 'Zack and Miri' reflects my own start in filmmaking

October 29

    Already famous for his creation of many cult figures, including the dynamic duo of "hetero lifemates" Jay and Silent Bob, writer/director Kevin Smith pushes the limits of awesome with his newest film, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," which stars key members of the Judd Apatow hit-making crew Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. The Daily sat down to discuss what it takes to make it in comedy, as well as a few other, less-appropriate topics… Question: It is pretty apparent that Jason Mewes is kind of a crazy guy, but I was wondering what it was like when you told him he was gong to have to do frontal in "Zack and Miri Make a Porno?" Kevin Smith: I thought Mewes would say yes immediately, because this is a dude who shows his cock quite readily to anybody he knows for maybe a little over five minutes. I have known the dude for 18 years and I have seen his dick more than I have seen my own, so I didn't think it would be any big deal for him to whip it out. When I said, "OK, when you come out of the room, I think you should be completely naked," he balked. For the first time in years he balked, because he's got a fiancée and what not. It is one thing to show you my dick all the time, but film is forever. And it will be on DVD and whatnot, and [he didn't] want to be picked on and crap. I said, "Don't worry about it, man, ask your lady." And he asks his lady, and she said she was OK with it. And the weird thing is, he comes out of the room, and mind you I am used to seeing his dick, and I never saw it like this. He came out looking like he was sporting prosthetics from "Boogie Nights" [1997]. And I was kind of flabbergasted. I didn't know how he had gotten that big. I got it confirmed by me months later when Ben Affleck came over to the house to watch the movie for the first time. The third thing he said about the movie was, "You realize Mewes is one pump away from total liftoff. He kind of looks engorged." And Affleck said, "I have seen that dude's dick so many times; it has never looked that big. It is usually all veg and no meat" ... We were both impressed. I told Mewes that Ben had said that, and he said, "You tell Ben from me that it was not me on the way up but on the way down." Q: How much of this film is autobiographical, with a group of high school friends doing a do-it-yourself film? KS: If you scrap away the pornography and the kind of overt trappings of the story in terms of a bunch of people getting together to make porn, it is kind of the story about how we made "Clerks" [1994] to some degree: a bunch of knuckleheads who don't know anything getting together and making a feature. There just happens to have a lot of dicks and tits in it. The experience of making "Clerks" 15 years ago definitely inspired the plot of this movie. But have I ever made homemade porn with a bunch of people? No. I have never even made one with the wife. [I have] certainly never made one with myself. No one needs to see me f--k, and I know I never need to see me f--k. The moment I see myself f--k, it will put me off [from] having sex, and it will put me off [from] sex in general. Period. I am disgusting. I am grotesque and morbidly obese. I don't need to see that many rolls moving around at one time. The closest I ever got was taking a picture of my dick with an iPhone to send to my wife when I was on the road. And I couldn't even do that, because how do you hold the camera and lift the gut at the same time and kind of get the dick looking impressive enough to take a picture of it? So me and porn: not a good mix. I like to watch; I don't like to make or be involved. If I were thin, I would totally do it. But looking the way I do now, hell no. Q: How do think this new romanticized idea of porn will affect college students? KS: I think most people will take this movie for what it is. I don't think people will look at it and say, "Suddenly this is changing everything I felt about the porn industry." I am not looking to convert people; I am just looking to entertain them with this one story. There are a bunch of people who find pornography offensive, and I get that. And there are a bunch of people, mostly dudes, who see it as an essential part of their day. I don't think the movie will affect that. Q: How did growing up in New Jersey affect your filmmaking style? KS: I think the area in Jersey I grew up in certainly affected the dialogue I write: rather frank and candid dialogue, peppered with vulgarity. That was my circle of my friends, that was how I grew up and that is how we all speak. I imagine if I grew up somewhere else, it wouldn't be that much different. I can't say the great state of New Jersey necessarily influenced that as much as the people I hung out with definitely did. You grow up in NJ and you grow up in the shadow of NY and you are the butt of many jokes because it is NJ. All the toxic-waste jokes have calmed down over the years … Growing up in Jersey is like growing up fat. You just try harder. You just always try to outdo the thin people. Not just outdo them, but just be accepted. Q: Can you discuss the different styles Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson and all of them bring with the Apatow group to your little group of Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson? KS: It really combined rather well. At the end of the day, they are consummate professionals who love to act and they all honor the script. It is not like they get there and say, "Well, we won't be needing this anymore." We did everything that was in the script. What Seth is kind of genius at, he is innately talented at ad-libbing material that sounds like it is organic to the film or, more specifically, to the character. When you are on take eight or nine on a set, even if you are doing what was really funny material on the page, after the cast and crew has heard it eight or nine times, the laughs start dying down. At that point you just have to say one funny thing to get people laughing. But none of that is good for the story; it doesn't help you propel the story. It is great for the deleted scene section or the outtakes of a DVD, but it doesn't propel the story forward. Seth, however, is brilliant at being able to ad-lib material that is absolutely usable. When he makes a joke that wasn't there in the script, it sounds like it is coming out of the character's mouth, not Seth's mouth. Q: "Zack and Miri" was originally [rated] NC-17. How much did you have to edit out of it? KS: I actually didn't edit anything out. Initially, the MPAA gave us a NC-17. We tried to work with them, but they were kicking it back as NC-17. I [prefer to] take the appeals route; I was not comfortably cutting into the movie anymore. The appeals process allows you to have this final bite at the apple, so we put everything in the movie that we wanted in the movie and then took it to the appeals screening, where it is … taken out of the hands of the MPAA rating boards and placed in front of an audience that is made [up] of 50 percent … MPAA members and 50 percent members of NATO — The National Association of Theatre Owners. They watch the movie, the filmmaker gets 15 minutes to plead their case for why it should be an R-rated, and then the head of the MPAA gets 15 minutes for why it should be an NC-17 and why that shouldn't be overturned. You get 10 minutes to rebut her, she gets 10 minutes to rebut you, which sounds dirty but it isn't. Then, by secret ballot, they vote on whether or not it should be R or NC-17. I had done this twice before. "Clerks" had gotten an NC-17, and I got it to be an R. "Jersey Girl" [2004] had gotten an R, and I got it down to a PG-13. But this time I wasn't feeling it. This was the first flick where they could point to visual sequences and say you can't show that in an R-rated movie. But they overturned it to an R rating. So all the sequences I wanted in the movie are there. Q: Were there any filmmakers who influenced you? KS: When I was a kid, I never thought I wanted to be a filmmaker. It was a Hollywood thing, and I never thought of it as an option. But then I saw Richard Linklater's "Slacker" [1991], which opened me up to the world of independent film. So I started to go back to early Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese films. I loved the movies, and there are definitely filmmakers like John Hughes that were influential down the road. But definitely "Slacker" was the one that got me off my ass. Q: What do you have planned for the future? KS: Hopefully, in the spring I will be shooting this flick "Red State," this little political horror movie that I wrote right after "Zack and Miri." I am looking forward to it because I don't really feel like a filmmaker most days, I just feel like a guy who writes, and directs the stuff he happens to write. With "Red State," I get to switch genres altogether. There are no laughs in the movie whatsoever. I feel if I could pull this off, I would feel more like a filmmaker. If I don't get it, then I will have realized I am the dick-and-fart joke guy and do that for the rest of my life.

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Arts

Frontrunners' explores the cynical side of teenage politics

October 29

    At its core, high-school politics is really nothing more than a microcosm of the real thing. Whether the candidates are 16 or 60, the process is essentially the same — the electorate is shallow and superficial, the candidates are manipulative and political, and blatant pandering often reigns supreme.     One should expect nothing different from Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School, one of the most competitive private schools in America and the subject of "Frontrunners," an 80-minute documentary by first-time director Caroline Suh. Suh follows the four candidates in the school's 2006 election for student council president from beginning to end, starting with the first day of primary season and finishing with a fiercely contested general election.     Suh opens with a quote from Dick Morris, a former Clinton advisor and 1964 Stuyvesant graduate, who called the school's presidential race "the hardest race I ever fought." That opening, to borrow a line from a campaign speech made later in the film by a boy a quarter of Morris' age, "sets the bar high."     Despite the brilliance of many of Stuyvesant's students, the election itself is really nothing extraordinary. Just as in any other election, the candidates look to pander to as many social and ethnic groups as possible, trying to compile "tickets" that blend presidential candidates and running mates who are white, black, Asian, Jewish, male, female, jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, what have you. The goal is simple: pull in as many groups as possible.     But just as in all other American politics, the running mate is mostly an afterthought. The three stars of this film are the three presidential candidates. There is Mike, the council's CFO and the former sophomore class president, who tries and fails miserably to shirk his label as "the cocky one." There's Hannah, the government outsider, actress and cheerleading captain. And then there's George, the current chief of staff, who has ambitious visions of fiscal reform in student government. (There is also a fourth candidate, a jock named Alex who's a little too lazy to bother with campaigning. When asked about his lack of campaign posters, he deadpans, "Saves paper. I'm all for the environment.")     Suh depends on three non-actor high school juniors to carry the drama of a feature-length film. The results is that certain parts of "Frontrunners" seem a little lacking in the dramatic, suspenseful element one would expect given the subject manner. Suh has an awkward way of shying away from the plot's crucial moments; for example, avoiding the candidates' faces as their winning or losing vote totals are announced.     While the directing in "Frontrunners" is not ideal, a compelling story remains because of the strength of the character development. It's jarring to see the ever-confident Mike advising voters to "Make the right move" and select him. It's funny to see the visionary George talk about investing student funds "in our country's trusty banking system" (irony to come two years later), only to prompt his own running mate to ask, "Are we even allowed to do that?" And it's thought-provoking to see Hannah, making her first foray into student government, tell voters that the outsider is the best candidate for change. These speeches sound vaguely familiar, don't they?     While many among Stuyvesant's electorate are shallow teenagers, with most of them readily admitting that high-school politics is a popularity contest, they are also savvy. They understand politics on a level far more cynical than the average high-schooler. The way these students talk about race, class and money, one can tell this is no ordinary election. But it is Suh's job to show, not just tell, how extraordinary this story is, and something about "Frontrunners" — the cinematography, the music, maybe just the pacing — isn't quite right.      This story in general, however, is certainly enjoyable. The twists and turns in this plot cannot be scripted; these characters' arcs seem as fickle as the teenagers themselves. That's part of the fun of this film; perhaps it's fitting that the campaign theme music blasting from one candidate's boom box features Pete Townshend singing about a "teenage wasteland."     Not to spoil the ending, but one of the three candidates is elected, fulfills all of his or her campaign promises and parlays the presidency into a fat envelope from Harvard. Did you expect anything less?

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Arts

Students hook up to produce Jumbo TV series 'Mouthwash,' a look into the college culture

October 29

    The set of "Mouthwash,"  a TV show about college students and the hookup culture, looks different from what one might expect. If not for the masses of equipment lying around, it would seem as if some friends were just hanging out on the weekend. According to sophomore Lily Zahn, who is also a copy editor for the Daily, filming "Mouthwash" actually does mostly involve just hanging out and having fun, with a few breaks in between to shoot scenes and produce the only Tufts television show with a fictional narrative.     The project began last year after sophomore Eric Nichols, creator and co-director, had the idea to create a show specifically for college students. Discussing his initial venture into the television world, Nichols said, "I was in film school for a year before I transferred to Tufts, and I wanted to continue working in the medium. I decided to make a television show about something we all know and can relate to."     Nichols said he went around trying to get people involved one-by-one until he had enough interested in auditioning. "We put up an announcement on TuftsLife[.com] for casting calls, and a surprising amount of people turned up. It was kind of a snowball effect as to how the thing got rolling," he said.     What he ended up with was a cast of five students. After one girl graduated last year, another female cast member, sophomore Marielle Hampton, was added to the mix this season. Sophomores Alec Ernest, Paige Haverstock, Jack Esposito, Lily Zahn and Hampton make up the five main characters for Season Two of "Mouthwash."     The show's plot is about a group of friends in college making their way through the perils of the hookup culture. The title of the show references our generation's obsession with the quick hook-up and how a swish of mouthwash is all someone needs for a good experience. "Mouthwash" chronicles the exploits of friends Jess, Travis, Owen and Rosie, as well as the newly created character of Scarlett.     Jess, played by Haverstock, is a typical college-aged girl; she's interested in hooking up, but is also looking for a more meaningful connection. She seems to take interest in her friend Travis, played by Esposito, and at the end of the last season, they finally hooked up, both cheating on their significant others, in the finale.     Meanwhile, Owen, played by Ernest, is the resident ladies' man, seemingly interested only in the casual romance, until he hooks up with Rosie (played by Zahn), Travis' girlfriend. Yes, Rosie and Travis cheat on each other on the same night. Scarlett is Jess' new roommate for this season, and she seems to have no problem with the casual hookup either.     For many of the cast members, this is their first time doing film acting. "This is different from anything I've ever done," Haverstock said. "You don't always go in order while filming, so there might be multiple scenes in different episodes all shot in one dorm room over the course of one or two days. You have to feel different emotions and act in different situations very quickly, whereas in a play, everything builds and you can find the motivation for the character more easily."     Haverstock auditioned after Esposito, a friend from her dorm at the time, encouraged her to try out for a part. In Haverstock's eyes, Jess seemed to be the epitome of an average girl in her college years. "It's really not too hard to get into the character of Jess," she said. "We have a lot of similarities, and I've been playing her for almost two semesters now, so I think she's a more solid character now."     Travis is Jess' counterpart in that he also appears to be the typical college guy, according to Esposito. "Travis is definitely the kind of guy that anyone can find something to identify with," he said.     While acknowledging the differences between the stage and film, Esposito cited increased creative freedom as a major benefit to working in the foreign medium. "This is the first time I've had a continuously developing character," he said. "We're also given a lot of freedom and [are] allowed to give our ideas on the script, which makes for a fun and enjoyable environment."     The character with the most punchlines on the show is Owen, played by Ernest. Though Ernest, unlike the others, had never performed theater, after taking Acting one, he decided to give the auditions for "Mouthwash" a shot, and found the character of Owen to be a perfect fit. "Everybody thinks that I'm just like him," he said, "but there's only a part of me that's like that. While it's easy for me to play him, there's definitely more to me than there is to Owen."     The character of Rosie came on a little later in the first season as "T Girl," a girl that Travis meets in the Davis Square T station. Zahn emphasized how acting in "Mouthwash" has cast her Tufts experience in a new light. "It's sometimes satirizing the awkward moments of college life, but other times, it really tries to capture those moments that all college kids go through," she said. "What's great is that sometimes you can laugh at it, and sometimes you can relate to it."     The newest member of the cast, Hampton added, "The most fun is bonding with everyone and just getting to know each person individually."     This year, Nichols added sophomore Alorah Kwock as co-director. Since his expertise lies in the area of technical filmmaking, she walks through the scenes with the actors and helps them relate to their characters and to the other actors. As Nichols gets ready to shoot a scene, Kwock explains to the cast how the scene should go in terms of interaction and spacing.     During the filming process, the cast and crew go through lots of trial and error. For example, in one session, the actors discussed whether Owen should be wearing a leather jacket — lots of Fonzi jokes ensued — before Nichols called, "Quiet on the set, rolling and action." The scene went well until Scarlett had to run in, pushing both Jess and Rosie out of the way. In doing so, Hampton nearly took out both girls and some of the lighting equipment as well. Everybody laughed, and they started over for a second take.     Senior Harry Waksberg wrote the script, which has become more complex and nuanced since the first season. "A lot of the storyline comes from the characters," Waksberg said. "Eric has created solid two-dimensional characters. I personally have a tendency to make the characters really mean, and they just end up insulting each other. But, after a while, I got them to interact the way real people do, and in the end, you end up caring about the characters."     The second season has no shortage of surprises and twists in store. Audiences will find out exactly what happened between Jess and Travis, as well as Rosie and Owen. There's a trip to Cape Cod, and, of course, lots of hooking up. But most of all, it's a chance to watch fellow Jumbos' artistic endeavors. "Mouthwash" season two premieres today on the show's website, Mouthwashtheshow.com.

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Arts

Performance of 'The Madwoman of Chaillot' juggles current economic and ecological

October 29

                Due to the financial crisis in America these days, no one seems to have much to smile about. Lately, it seems like the country has engaged in a tug-of-war about who is to blame and what went wrong. Jean Giraudoux's "The Madwoman of Chaillot," though written in France in 1945, is a surprisingly keen commentary on modern economic and ecological concerns here in America. It is a call to action about solving environmental and financial issues, but at the same time an entertaining comedy.     Director Downing Cless, an associate professor in the drama department, decided to emphasize the circus-like aspect of the play when he chose it and was surprised to find his vision corroborated by the entire design staff at their first meeting. "I have never seen such unanimity during the first production meeting," he said.     The play centers on a scheme to drill for oil under the city of Paris, which a band of madwomen and vagabonds plan to thwart. With modern chants of "drill, baby, drill!" it's easy to forget that this play was written over 60 years ago. "Madwoman" has been performed stateside on Broadway before, but as an adaptation. Tufts' production is a direct translation by Professor of Drama Laurence Senelick of the original French version.     Working with an original translation offers many unique opportunities for this production. The material is already closely relevant to modern issues, but some references have been added to speak to modern audiences; Southern flood victims and hedge funds are mentioned, for example.     Though the play is set in Paris, the time period is deliberately unspecified in this production. "It could take place anywhere from the 19th century to the present," Cless said. The hazy time period adds to the whimsical, circus-like feel of the show. The arena space also suggests the appearance of a one-ring circus — characters are constantly entering and exiting the "ring," juggling or dancing over the dialogue.     "The play is a fantasy; it deals with the Madwoman eliminating [the corporate oil prospectors]. It is something for the audience to enjoy vicariously," Cless said.     Another prominent feature of the show is the relationship of humans to nature, and the way that relationship comes into conflict with corporate excess and economic expansion. "[The Madwoman] definitely has eco-feminist undertones," said junior Emily Code, who plays the title character. "The play centers on very relevant issues in our current economy and environmental conditions."     The Madwoman is not so much mad as she is an eccentric character who is called to action by one of the vagabonds of Chaillot, the Ragpicker (played by senior Ben Samuels). "The show is a circus, and the Ragpicker is the painted clown," Samuels said. "He is the nostalgic who was alive when we were treating the earth well. Though he is a coward on many levels because he can't elicit change on his own, he later proves to be the catalyst for the Madwoman's change."     Code agreed. "He has the drive, she has the ability," she said.     This politically charged play has proven a challenge for the small cast in many ways, one of which being the direct emphasis on language and plot. "The play is very French," Code said. "Plot progression, not character progression, is the main focus. It's all about the words."     Working with an original translation has also been a challenge, though a pleasant one. "It's exciting to be the character the first time it's seen by the public. Of course, it's also kind of scary!" Samuels said.     "The Madwoman of Chaillot" opens tonight at the Balch Arena Theater and has additional performances this Friday and Saturday as well as next Thursday through Saturday. Tickets are $12 or $7 with a Tufts ID on all nights, with the exception of a $1-ticket performance on Nov. 6.

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Arts

From the Office of the Tufts Daily

October 29

Dear Beyoncé,     We at the Daily are rather befuddled by your recent decision to change your name — or, at least, stage name — to Sasha Fierce. Since your marriage to long-time bf Jay-Z, it seems that you can no longer associate your real name with your overly sexed stage presence. This sudden split personality is not only silly, but downright confusing. Next time you tell us to "Say My Name," we won't know which one you mean, because, frankly, "you actin' kinda crazy."     Did you hit yourself on the head with one of your big, metal Grammy awards? If you're going to choose an alter ego, at least make it something catchy. You've really spoiled the single-name, Madonna-like fame you had going for you by choosing a title only Tyra Banks would find empowering. You don't need to adopt a porn-star persona to establish that you're bootylicious.     We had hoped you wouldn't follow the clichéd path of the fallen sex symbol, á la your gurlz Britney Spears and Mariah Carey, but with this name change, it frankly doesn't look good. Be careful, or the next thing you know, you'll be starring in a "fictional" movie thinly masking your own music career, entitled "Sparkle."     On the plus side, your attempt at creativity has inspired us to adjust our image at the Daily. We ask that you now refer to each of us as "Editor Sassy" in an effort to recognize our wittier, sexy writer personalities. What's that? You think the name is ridiculous? Clearly, you just aren't ready for this jelly. Sincerely, The Daily Arts Department

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Arts

Devin Toohey | Pop Culture Gone Bad

October 28

If you have good taste in television (or have friends with good taste), I'm sure you're very familiar with the rumors of an "Arrested Development" movie. Many fans are seeing this possible feature film as a godsend, a sign that there is still an outlet for some intelligence in Hollywood. While I was definitely among the voices crying out when the Bluths sailed off into the sunset back in February 2006, I must say that I for the most part am hoping that the rumors of an "Arrested Development" film stay just that: rumors.

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Arts

Abdessemed's work is violent protest against modernity

October 28

An artist hangs suspended from a helicopter, scrawling on a series of wooden panels. A feral cat graphically eviscerates a rat. Behind the ruined frame of a car, a vampire sings a medley of national anthems. In his newest exhibition, "Adel Abdessemed: Situation and Practice," Adel Abdessemed pulls together video, performance, photography and sculpture to explore his own interesting, if convoluted, perspectives of violence and religion in the context of the modern global community.

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