Category Archives: A&E

A&E

‘Willy Wonka’ provides family-oriented experience

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By: Amanda Millea

2.5/5 Stars

Roald Dahl was an author of every kid’s childhood, or a least a large majority. I remember sitting on the floor during reading time in the library, listening to the school librarian read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” to the entire class. So naturally, when I heard FC would be putting on the production, I was really excited considering how well the plays here turn out. However, after seeing “Willy Wonka,” I left the theater with my sweet tooth barely satisfied.

Willy Wonka is the story of Charlie Bucket and his family. Just as Charlie’s family thinks that they have lost all luck, Charlie finds the last of five golden tickets the famous chocolate maker Willy Wonka has given out in a contest. The contest gives these five kids—Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Mike Teavee, and Violet Beauregarde, and Charlie—the chance to visit Wonka’s factory and win a lifetime supply of chocolate. As the children and their chaperones are given their tour of the factory, they visit rooms that tempt their own personal cravings and wind up in more trouble than anticipated.
This play was definitely colorful, at times even trippy. The costumes were very playful, clearly reflecting the childlike spirit of the play. The technical aspects of the show also had some minor complications on the opening night of the show, but those may have been specific to that night only. The special effects could have been better, especially when Augustus was sucked up into the tube, but I understand that is probably the only way to portray that part of the play. The play was adapted from Dahl’s book by Leslie Bricusse and Tim McDonald, but the script itself was poorly written and parts of it got rather annoying after a while, such as Grandpa George’s (Aaron Johnson) hearing loss antics. The songs all had a bubbly beat, making you want to skip like all of the Chocolateers onstage, but this bubbly quality made some of the songs sound a lot alike. There was an exceptional amount of talent in some of the younger performers, such as 5th grader Jordan Burger (Mike Teevee), who was one of the stronger singers in the show, and sophomore Mark Merk’s, who had an exceptional radio voice. The Oompa Loompas were still as terrifying to me as they were in the movie adaptations, but the kids seemed to have a fun time singing all of the classic Oompa Loompa songs.

Overall, the play gave me a few small laughs and really made me want to watch the film adaptations. “Willy Wonka” wasn’t all I expected it to be, but the cast seemed to have a great time performing it and the audience was packed with supportive parents. I would say that the play was definitely more family oriented, due to the adolescent jokes and the many laughs I heard from children during the play. So, if you’re looking for a family night out, “Willy Wonka” is a great way to fill your own sweet tooth with some family fun.

A&E

“Iron & Wine” provides a different sound

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Very few times in my life have I been so taken aback by an album as I was by Samuel Beam, more commonly known as Iron & Wine’s fifth album. When I popped Kiss Each Other Clean into my computer I was fully expecting the same folksy tin can sound I love and everyone else thinks is boring, to come flowing back at me. What I actually heard was jarring. The usual acoustic guitar was replaced with a piano, a drum set, and electric feedback on “Walking Far From Home,” causing me to write question marks followed by exclamations after almost everything in my notes.

The funky baseline, psychedelic electric guitar on the  following track “Me and Lazarous” actually made me double check the album cover to make sure I was in fact listening to Iron & Wine and not Peter Framton’s Frampton Comes Alive. But as my confusion and shock subsided, I realized that my foot was tapping happily along with this strange Shaft-inspired tune.
While I approved of this funky, fresh sound I heard, I was still waiting to hear the poetic lyrics that make me love Iron & Wine so much. My wish was granted in the song “Tree by the River,” an upbeat track featuring a xylophone. With lyrics like “Mary Anne, do you remember the tree by the river when we were 17? Dark canyon road, I was coy in the half moon. Happy just to be with you, and you were happy for me,” it became evident that his lyrics are as romantic as ever.

Not all of the poignant lyrics on the album have to do with young love. The track “Rabbit Will Run” makes a statement about keeping faith with lyrics like, “We’ve all heard the rooster and all been denied and we’ve seen through the spit in our eyes and I still have a prayer, a well-weatherd word to the wise.”

Even though this track sports ideas typical for those of Iron & Wine, the sound is far from typical. The most unique song on Kiss Each Other Clean, however, would have to be the track “Big Burned Hand.” With an introduction featuring a jazz saxophone, the song was different from anything Iron & Wine had ever done from the very beginning.
While this album is far from the norm, loyal fans like myself will realize that different can be a good thing after overcoming the initial shock and confusion. As for listeners who have been bored with Iron & Wine’s albums in the past, I urge you to give them another chance. If anything, I can guarantee that the album is everything but boring.