The Daily Princetonian
Thursday March 7, 2013
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the daily
PRINCETONIAN CHECK OUT OUR ARTS AND CULTURE BLOG, INTERSECTIONS.
‘ADMISSION’
Abby Williams gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Princeton’s role in Tina Fey’s new movie. The road outside of Whig Hall
Blair Arch The movie opens on this classic Princetonian image. Later, inside of the arch, Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) spies Mark (Michael Sheen), her ex-boyfriend, and his new wife at the bottom of the steps. She turns around and pushes her way through the Nassoons as they perform “Tigertown Blues.”
Portia drives by as her ex-boyfriend and his new wife exit their wedding to the cheers of their guests. Portia accidentally rearends their car.
The path from Alexander to Blair Portia runs into John Pressman (Paul Rudd) and his student Jeremiah Balakian (Nat Wolff) as they take a tour of campus.
Q&A with Paul Weitz Street sat down with “Admission” director Paul Weitz to talk about his experiences filming at Princeton. Q: You filmed at Princeton over the summer. Could you describe your time on Princeton’s campus? A: Well, there were certain things that we weren’t supposed to shoot, like the admissions building. So that was a bit of a puzzler, because you’d have a character walking across campus and you’d say, “Wait a minute; I can’t shoot that,” and then you’d have to find a different place to put the camera. I think the thing is that when you’re going to a place, there are certain iconic images of the place that, if you are living there or going to school at Princeton, you’re not necessarily looking at Blair Arch all the time and going, “Wow, it’s Blair Arch!” That’s not how you experience the University. So while there’s some of that in the film, it was almost preferable to shoot things that were visually interesting but were not necessarily what would be on a brochure. And then we were just running around as fast as possible to shoot as much as possible because we only had a limited time. It was certainly exciting to be there. Q: How did you decide to feature the Princeton Nassoons in the arch sing scene? A: It seemed like the epitome of a certain type of tradition. Clearly Princeton has changed so much over the last few decades and is an extremely diverse place, and yet part of the diversity is this tradition. We really wanted that represented in that exact moment, which is Tina’s low point in the movie — she’s sobbing and comes across these guys in blazers singing “Tigertown Blues.” So that was great. It was so nice to not have to worry about whether they were going to do it properly, because they so know how to do it. Q: What drew you to the character of Portia Nathan? A: I felt like her strengths were her weaknesses. Her intellectual ability and ability to justify her decisions in life allowed her to hide an aspect from herself, and I really like that. Because I think that’s the case with a lot of people who are smart, and I imagine it’s the case with a lot of Princeton students. They’re so capable of doing certain things that it’s easy to neglect large aspects of your growth. And even sort of the aspect of having gotten over this huge hurdle of getting into Princeton, which is an amazing achievement, and at the same time your life doesn’t stop then — it’s just at a new phase, so what are you going to gain from it? I like that aspect of her character, that she’s achieved something and then she’s just stuck there.
Q: One of my favorite parts of the movie was the round table discussion about applicants and the visual in which applicants would literally fall through the floor after being rejected. How did you craft the tension of qualified applicants slipping through the cracks? A: Well, I definitely believe, and especially in talking to admissions officers, that they’re not cynical about the process. They’re really trying to get people who are going to succeed and benefit from being there. My personal belief is that there’s almost like a DNA double-helix effect of your education, and what breaks you get in life, and your personality. That situation [in the movie] is fun because Tina suddenly is so desperate to get this one kid into the school, which seems kind of horrible, and at the same time that is some essence of it, that you’re making an arbitrary decision about who’s going to have this particular experience of going to Princeton. And you don’t know who’s going to benefit from it. You can have somebody who’s an incredibly high achiever who’s going to crash and burn, or you can have somebody who’s underachieving but at the point when they’re exposed to certain classes or a certain community might really come to life. So it seems like a really hard job, and a very, very subjective one, no matter how hard they try to make it objective. Q: Did Princeton give you all of their actual promotional materials for the film?
MOVIE PREVIEW Fact: Tina Fey’s hair is as glossy in real life as it is in her Garnier Nutrisse commercial. Fact: Paul Rudd is actually as charming and funny as he is in Judd Apatow’s films. I was able to glean these critical journalistic tidbits from a short press conference on Fey and Rudd’s newest project, “Admission.” After pre-screening the film for an audience of college journalists in New York, Fey, Rudd, actor Nat Wolff and director Paul Weitz answered questions for a student press corps. Street was there with the people behind “Admission” to discuss the film, Princeton and the cancellation of “30 Rock.” “Admission” follows Portia Nathan, an admission officer at Princeton, as an explosive secret from her past lands on her desk in a single college application. Portia, played by Fey, begins the movie as a careerdriven employee who seeks validation for her hard work in a major promotion within the admission office. But when John Pressman (Rudd) calls to invite Portia to visit the alternative high school New Quest, he inadvertently changes the course of her life and career. Portia encounters John’s student, Jeremiah Balakian (Wolff), a prodigy with an abysmal transcript. Initially dismissive of Jeremiah’s chances at admission to Princeton, Portia changes her tune when John informs her that he believes Jeremiah is her son. She
Outside Firestone Portia sits and cries as she realizes that Jeremiah might in fact be her long lost son. Her ex-boyfriend finds her there, and awkwardness ensues.
MAP COURTESY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MANAGING EDITOR EMILY TSENG PAGE DESIGN BY STAFF WRITER LIN KING
begins to question the validity of the admission process and the value of her personal relationships as she struggles to grant Jeremiah admission. In doing so, Portia is forced to make several admissions of her own. The movie’s message about the subjectivity of the college admission process comes through loud and clear on screen, a point that Weitz reinforced during the press conference. “It’s not about where you go to college but who you come across when you’re there,” he said. “You could be coming out of a great school having no idea of the most important things in life.” Paul Rudd added a light-hearted anecdote to the discussion. “I didn’t apply to colleges,” Rudd said. “You just showed up?” Fey interrupted. “Yup, I bought the shirt,” he joked. “Like, okay, this is the high school I go to, and this is the college I go to.” Despite the film’s not-so-rosy outlook on the admission process, Fey still enjoyed her time on Princeton’s campus. “My favorite scene that we shot on campus was with the a cappella group,” Fey said, referring to the cameo by the Princeton Nassoons. “I’m, like, in tears, and they are singing their collegiate a cappella song, and they always sounded so good that we kept on letting them finish the song every take.” Tina, you’re welcome back to the Orange Bubble anytime! Be sure to look out for “Admission,” coming to theaters near you on March 22!
PROS
Tina Fey and Paul Rudd have compelling chemistry. Princeton’s campus is heavily featured.
CONS
Fey is a crying mess for much of the film. The film makes heavy-handed moral judgments concerning the admission process.
A: Yeah, they did, which was very lucky. I mean, I was really scared about what we were going to do if we didn’t get Princeton because I didn’t think there was any other university that fit the bill in this way, because of the size of the school and because of the range of applicants. So it was a huge relief when they said, “Okay, we’ll let you do this.” Q: What are your words of advice for high school students who are currently waiting on acceptances from schools? A: It probably, on some level, feels like the end of the world, whether you get in somewhere or not, but it doesn’t matter. You have to have control over your intellectual growth and your growth as a person. Good for you if you get into Princeton — that’s fantastic, but that doesn’t solve anything. Don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not worthwhile because you don’t achieve a specific thing. Sometimes it’s how you react to failure that makes you as a person. I definitely feel that for myself. You can be a champion prizefighter and step into the ring and get hit with a hook in the first minute and fall to the ground. Just keep arm’s-length from it psychologically.
COURTESY OF ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR MEREDITH WRIGHT
Tina Fey and Michael Sheen take a break between takes while filming near Blair Arch in July 2012.
Thursday March 7, 2013
The Daily Princetonian
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FACES OF FRIST By Shannon McGue
1. What are you studying right now?
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHANNON MCGUE PAGE DESIGN BY STAFF WRITER LIN KING
2. Where are you going for Spring Break? From left to right: Hannah Rajeshwar ’14 ORFE 1. Doing ORFE homework. 2. Going home to suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. Avneesh Sarwate ’14 Computer Science 1. Doing some philosophy right now. 2. I might either go home (right on the Jersey Shore) or go to Duke. Nora Chen ’14 Molecular Biology 1. Sort of working on cell dev. 2. Going home to Memphis. Amy Sun ’14 Economics 1. Math 175. 2. Going to Florida with a bunch of friends because one of them lives there. Dror Liebenthal ’15 CBE 1. Orgo. 2. Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s a trip through the CJL.
Carly Jackson ’16 Undecided (Wilson School) 1. For midterm week, I have exams in pol stats, microeconomics, and French. And a writing seminar draft. 2. Home, to Chicago. From left to right: Melissa Bales ’15 History 1. About to start reading this biography for my English class on Oscar Wilde. 2. I have a job interview in Washington, D.C., so I’m going to go down there for a few days. Brendan Toole ’15 Economics 1. Midterm for ECO 202. 2. I don’t really know. I might go to Montreal, and at least I’m going home to New York. Sam Lichtenberg ’15 Computer Science 1. I have mostly COS classes: Networks, COS 340 and Survey of Modern Architecture. 2. I live pretty close to here, so I might just go back for a bit.
Stephanie Teeple ’14 Wilson School 1. Studying for Literature & Food class and trying to wade through readings for International Relations. 2. I might be going to Virginia Beach with Sympoh. We take a service spring break every year. We work with students at local Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs, teaching them how to dance. Hee Jae Yuna Jang ’16 Undecided (physics or COS) 1. I have four midterms coming up: Chinese, COS, physics and math. 2. Philly. It’s my first time in the States, and I haven’t had an opportunity to go there. I’m from Korea.
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday March 7, 2013
Ask the Sexpert
LOVE AND LUST IN THE BUBBLE
One foot outside the Bubble
This week, she discusses UTIs. dear sexpert, I became sexually active with my boyfriend this year, and we use a diaphragm for contraceptive purposes. We don’t use condoms because I have a latex allergy. However, for the past few months I have been experiencing a burning feeling when I urinate, and a number of frequent and intense urges to urinate, even though not a lot comes out when I do. Have I contracted an STI? Should I stop having sex with my boyfriend? —Tired of Always Having to Pee dear tired, Ouch! It sounds like you might have a urinary tract infection. UTIs are usually caused by bacteria (most often E. coli, which live in the colon and rectum) entering the urethra. The good news is that UTIs are treatable and symptoms should improve quickly if you seek medical care promptly. Another reason to seek care as soon as possible is to prevent the UTI from becoming a kidney infection. A couple of STIs, trichomoniasis and chlamydia, can cause UTIs, as can a suppressed immune system, stress or a poor diet, among other things. So yes, it is possible you have an STI. Additionally, herpes lesions can also cause burning with urination. The only way to know for sure is to get diagnosed by a medical professional and get tested for STIs. You can make an appointment at Sexual Health and Wellness (SHAW) at University Health Services or a different health care professional for an official diagnosis. It is relatively easy to contract a UTI. Anything that brings bacteria into contact with the vulva and/or urethra can cause a UTI, such as when tiny particles of fecal waste enter the urethra during foreplay or even when water from the toilet splashes. More serious UTIs spread from the urethra up to the bladder. Diaphragm use can contribute to UTIs because the spermicide used in conjunction with diaphragms can change the pH in the vagina, increasing the growth of bacteria that leads to UTIs. Ex-
perts recommend that women who have trouble with frequent urinary tract infections while using a diaphragm try a new form of birth control. Due to your latex allergy, you might want to try latexfree lubricated condoms without spermicide or latex-free condoms with a non-spermidical lubricant. SHAW can also help you with your birth control options. If you do not have an STI, your boyfriend will not contract an infection from you. However, it is not recommended that you engage in sexual intercourse until the infection has been treated. The infection will most likely cause discomfort during intercourse, which can further irritate the infected area, increasing the amount of time required to treat it. If your UTI is caused by an STI, you should not engage in sexual intercourse with your boyfriend until the infection is gone in order to reduce the risk that he will contract the STI. There are a number of other precautions you can take to prevent UTIs in the future. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, because it helps dilute urine and increases the frequency of urination, ensuring that bacteria is regularly flushed from the urinary tract before an infection can develop. Wipe from front to back to help prevent the transfer of bacteria. Avoid using feminine products, such as deodorant sprays, douches and powders, as these can irritate the genital area. An irritated urethra is more susceptible to infection. I hope you are better soon, and remember that while you are recovering there are plenty of other ways for you and your boyfriend to enjoy each other’s company! —The Sexpert
Anonymous Staff Writer
W
e met long before my introduction to the Bubble, in my junior year of high school. He was a football player; I was a cheerleader and it was cute, cliched and comfortable. Our relationship started out of mutual attraction and then blossomed into something real. He didn’t understand my interest in schoolwork, just as I didn’t understand his obsession with sports, but despite our not having much in common, we were happy together for a year and a half, even when he was in college one state away. We proved my senior year that we could handle the long-distance arrangement, so he assumed that we would stay together when I went away to college. We never discussed the future, even after I had decided on Princeton, which would put a whole country of distance between us. I secretly agonized all summer about whether or not to break up with him; deep down, I knew that I wouldn’t be happy staying together once I left for school. But I also knew that seeing the look on his face when I broke the news would hurt too badly. He was my sweet security blanket, and I was scared to cast him off right before moving across the country and starting college. My conflicting emotions led to our staying together, but just days into my Outdoor Action trip, I realized that not talking to him for a week wasn’t all that bad. I returned to campus and began to make friends, but I found it was difficult to be fully present in the Bubble when I had one foot still on the West Coast. By the time frosh Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert week rolled around, I was feeling is always looking for members of the like a kid in a candy shop, except community to join the team of sexual I wasn’t allowed to eat any of the health educators who, along with fact- candy. I had never been around so checking from University health profes- many smart and attractive boys, sionals, help write these columns. Email and after spending my first few sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com for days at the Street, I knew I would more information and questions about be missing out by staying with my sexual health. Don’t be shy! high school boyfriend.
Arts housing: Edwards Collective Katie Bauman
Associate Editor for Street
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horeau had walden. Renoir and Matisse had Saint-Paulde-Vence. Hemingway had Cuba. Across time and generations, artists have been captivated and inspired by spaces. Their inspiration often stems from the environment around them: the people, culture and other artists pursuing their creative ambitions. Next year, a group of Princeton students will join this pursuit as a part of the Edwards Collective. The Mathey Arts and Humanities Residence is bringing together 20 students to live on the third floor of Edwards Hall and create an atmosphere that facilitates creative expression and artistic collaboration. Dr. Kathleen Crown, Director of Studies for Mathey College, has overseen the creation of the residence and will be an adviser throughout its implementation. “Our focus here was on arts and humanities partly because we have the Writer’s Studio and the Firestone Society. We knew there was a need for an artistic community,” Crown said. The Edwards Collective hopes to integrate art and humanities into the Princeton residential experience. Crown has a background in the arts as a poet, scholar and critic. “I’ve always been interested in how humanities intersect with creative arts. There is a trend of both wanting to read, analyze, interpret and critique and wanting to make something new. [I’ve] seen this a lot on campus,” Crown said. Pelin Asa ’16 echoes this sentiment in her motivations for joining the collective. “Although I’m interested in many different branches of art, as a Princeton student you can’t really find time to be engaged in an independent project; I thought I would be more inclined if I was encouraged to,” Asa said. As a member of the civil engineering and architecture program, art plays a role in Asa’s major but she said she is also interested in focusing, with others in the collective, on other artistic pursuits like music and filmmak-
ing. The Collective hopes to encourage individual projects and facilitate group collaboration through the relationships formed in this unique setting. The hall itself is mainly comprised of singles, which will allow personal space for artistic pursuits. Bryan Pannill ’14, a poet who said he hopes to write a creative thesis next year, sees potential in Edwards Hall to be a space where he is free and encouraged to immerse himself in his craft. “I’ve struggled with how my main interests and passions can be somewhat isolating and not conducive to fostering real communities. I’ve been looking for a community that will bring creative and artistic people together, to facilitate friendship and the exchange of ideas, while also redeeming that solitary space needed for individual creation,” Pannill said. The idea of living with fellow artists on campus, despite the students’ class years spanning from sophomore to senior and majors across the academic spectrum, appeals to the members. Jun Kuromiya ’14, a filmmaker, said he is drawn to the Collective as a congregation of artists brought together by a shared living space rather than a camp or program that brings artists together for a more goal-oriented reason. “Princeton is not a university where many people leave and follow their passions at the risk of making very little money. The artists who do so often depend on a community of artists that help each other sustain this lifestyle,” Kuromiya said. This sense of community is a driving force behind the creation of the Edwards Collective. “In the current economic climate, it is not easy to dedicate time and energy to arts and humanities. Being around other people who say this is a priority can be empowering,” Crown said. Kovey Coles ’15, a Wilson School major, has an interest in various arts but was drawn in by the opportunity to mold this program. “This is the first year they are doing it, and I feel it would be really cool to be a part of the establishing class. Whoever joins will set the groundwork for what it’s going to
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be like for future students,” Coles said. This initiative and desire is going to play a large role in the Collective’s inaugural year. “I think there is a hunger for cross-discipline collaboration. The Collective could forge new bonds across music, theater, poetry and painting,” Crown said. There is a hope that the Collective will contribute to campus life and conversation in many ways. Mathey College master Harriet Flower saw the Collective’s potential to enrich both student life and academics and has been instrumental in its creation from the start. Crown said she believes the Collective can play a role in increased arts citizenship and in supporting civic engagement in the arts. The current times are important and revolutionary ones in the art world. Technology and changes in mediums have propelled the arts into new territory. Art has always broken down boundaries, and the rise of the “digital humanities” offers the Collective a unique opportunity to explore the future of various art forms. The Collective’s pursuit of art extends beyond the confines of the Orange Bubble. The group hopes not only to learn and contribute to art on campus but to also extend connections into the surrounding region. New York and Philadelphia are clear hotbeds for art, but Crown emphasizes the artistic presence that is also in New Jersey and the network of alumni pursuing art in the region. “We have some fascinating alums, both recent and older, doing amazing things, and we want to tap into that to change the ‘trips’ culture,” Crown said. The Collective will delve into smaller scale events, from the cutting-edge avant-garde to the “off-off-off” Broadway. The Collective, like any work of art, has inspirations and goals in its creation. There are conversations it aims to promote and creative minds it hopes to ignite. But this work of art is yet unfinished, and the beauty of it is that it never will be truly finished. It will evolve in the hands of the artists, both current and future, whose visions will grow and intertwine in the molding of the Edwards Collective.
The day of Lawnparties, I called him to say that long distance was too hard and our relationship was over. It was painful; he didn’t understand why I wouldn’t give us more time to try and make it work. He wasn’t ready to let go, so I softened the blow by saying that we should remain friends and that we could reassess our feelings over winter break. The breakup was hard, but I finally felt free to live my life fully in the Bubble. By the time Third Eye Blind performed “Semi-Charmed Life,” I had experienced my first Princeton DFMO. I had always considered myself to be a “boyfriend girl,” but suddenly, I wasn’t quite sure what to be. I was a week into Princeton, single for the first time in over 18 months and feeling both intoxicatingly independent and unsettlingly vulnerable. I decided to shed, at least temporarily, my self-applied “boyfriend girl” label. A period of fun indiscretions and self-exploration followed. It included a series of sexual misadventures with my mostly gay friend and a friends-with-benefits arrangement with a self-assured football player. That period came
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: He was my sweet security blanket, and I was scared to cast him off right before moving across the country and starting college. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: to a dramatic crescendo with a personal best of “five-guy Friday” — thank you, Charter. Occasionally, I’d receive texts from my exboyfriend. Our conversations were short and polite, and I made sure not to mention his lengthy line of successors. Although I can’t say I missed my boyfriend, I sometimes missed the girl I used to be when I
was in a relationship. The feeling of missing my former self only strengthened over the course of the semester. Late one Friday night in early December, I realized I was stuck in a romantic rut. I called my mom in tears, telling her that I longed for something more than just casual hookups, but I didn’t think I had the chance of finding it on this campus, even less so on the Street. My mom was more optimistic about my romantic future than I was. She was proven right; the next night I found a true boyfriend prospect on Prospect. I descended the steps into TI’s basement on State Night, and less than five minutes later found myself drenched in beer and dancing with a boy I had never met. We went back to his room and spent the night giggling, talking and smiling goofily at each other. After that we were inseparable: my State Night hookup turned out to be everything I was looking for. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to find an amazing boy the night after I had despaired of ever finding someone like him. I discovered that he and I were perfectly compatible: We had similar interests, beliefs and aspirations. We even shared the same odd sense of humor and could talk to each other about anything. I was on cloud nine, but a darker cloud loomed in the distance — the promise of seeing my ex-boyfriend over winter break. When I left the Bubble with the beginnings of a great new relationship, I would be heading home to clean up the broken remnants of my last one. My high school boyfriend asked me to meet a few days into winter break. I dreaded facing the fallout of our breakup, but I knew that I owed him that much. We met for coffee and made stilted conversation for a little over an hour. I was reminded as I repeatedly steered the conversation safely back toward college football how little we ever had in common and how much less we had in common now. He eventually brought up
the breakup; now that I was no longer protected by distance and the Bubble, I finally was forced to see the hurt in his eyes. He told me how angry he had been and made me answer why I hadn’t
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I was upset to realize that while I had been creating a new love life in the Bubble, my old love life had been waiting for me on the outside. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: given the relationship more of an effort. After half an hour of painful discussion, he asked, “So what, then? Are we just over?” I was upset to realize that while I had been creating a new love life in the Bubble, my old love life had been waiting for me on the outside. I told him that I had a new boyfriend, and he left with the words, “Have a nice life.” I drove away from him nearly in tears. Finally facing the goodbye that I had put off for months hurt more than I expected. It took a little while, but we parted on good terms. I was hurt that my quick breakup phone call had caused my ex-boyfriend so much ongoing pain, but I also realized that if I hadn’t ended our relationship when I did, I wouldn’t have been ready to welcome new love into my life when I finally found it. When I returned to Princeton after winter break, I was happier in my new relationship because my loose ends outside the Bubble were finally tied up. Now my boyfriend, the same boy I met at State Night, is rubbing my feet and smiling at me over my computer, and it’s hard to believe that three months ago I was despairing over my love life, when at this moment, I can’t imagine having a more fulfilling one.
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday March 7, 2013
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{ your guide to weekend arts & entertainment }
CAMPUS PICKS Theater: Student Playwrights Festival Come see the theatrical prowess of your fellow Princetonians! Theatre Intime presents four plays — each written, directed and performed by your peers. “Dirty Dogs,” an exciting crime noir piece, was written by Ben Barron ’13 and directed by Tyler Lawrence ’16. “Mix ‘n Match” investigates the power of massage therapy and was written by Ava Geyer ’15 and directed by Jack Moore ’15. “What in Creation Was That All About?” is a quirky adaptation of the biblical creation story, written by Sonya Hayden ’16 and directed by Emily Fockler ’16. “Tops, Bottoms and Sidepockets” is based on the novel by Robin Versage and portrays the story of a young man’s survival and search for companionship in L.A. This adaptation was written by Sean Drohan ’14 and directed by Rachel Wilson ’16. Don’t miss this powerful lineup! Theatre Intime Thursday through Saturday, 8 p.m.
Theater: “In the Next Room” Are you feeling stressed? Lonely? Well, have no fear, for the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater presents a production of Sarah Ruhl’s play, “In the Next Room,” directed by theater student Sarah Hedgecock ’13. This play, dubbed the Vibrator Play, brings to life the creation of a certain medical device pioneered in the dawn of the electrical age to treat “hysteria.” This play is the perfect relaxer for all you tense students stressed about midterms. Go see what the buzz is all about! Berlind Theatre Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.
Tempers flare in PCT’s ‘12 Angry Men’
Concert: Princeton University Orchestra March 2013 Concerts You’ve probably heard about parents who play classical music to their newborn babies in the hope that it will make them smarter. Well, here at Princeton, we have a lot of geniuses who also happen to be incredibly talented musicians! Coincidence? We think not! PUO is putting on two concerts featuring three winners of the 2013 Concerto Competition. There will be performances of Bach’s “Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor” by Paul Von Autenreid ’16, Vivaldi’s “Bassoon Concerto in E Minor” by Louisa Slosar ’15 and Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major” by Jeff Li ’13 Additionally, the orchestra will be performing Preludes to Acts I and III of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” Richardson Auditorium Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Comedy: Third Floor Snicker! A Stand-Up Comedy Show! Tired from sitting in class all day? Balance it with some stand-up comedy! The newly rebooted Stand-Up Comedy Club is presenting “Third Floor Snicker,” which will be its first show of the year. Performers range from experienced stand-up comedians to amateurs, so you’ll be sure to laugh, whether it be at the jokes themselves or simply your friends’ failed attempts to be funny. If you’re feeling extra bold, why not sign up to perform as well? Email dgupta@princeton.edu to participate. Rocky Common Room Saturday, 8 p.m.
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Campus picks compiled by Lillian Xu, Zoe Perot, Aoi Senju, Livvy Robbins.
Oliver Sun Staff Writer
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ot all of them are angry, and not all of them are men, but the characters in Princeton Chinese Theatre’s production, “12 Angry Men” must overcome their differences to reach a unanimous decision that will determine whether another person will live or die. This play, directed by Bobby Chengming Zhu ’13, is a translation into Mandarin Chinese of the famous film “12 Angry Men,” which was released in 1957. In this play, a 18-year-old boy has been tried for allegedly murdering his father, and a guilty verdict carries a mandatory death sentence. The plot revolves around the discussions among the jurors as they debate the reliability of witnesses and evidence and as they explore their own prejudices. In the beginning, all of the juCOURTESY OF SIYU YANG rors vote in favor of a guilty verdict except for Juror 8, played by Hao The play consists of 12 jurors who decide the fate of a boy accused of murdering his father. Zhu ’16. This infuriates the other jurors: some because they want to leave do not respect their parents. When this exclusion is much more proearly, and others because they are I was a child, I always addressed my nounced in the play. Not being able convinced of the defendant’s guilt. father as ‘Father.’ ” Gu offers some of to see some of the actors’ faces while When pressed for an explanation, the most dramatic dialogue of the they spoke was an issue, particularly Juror 8 repeatedly states, “I don’t play as he rants against what he sees in the beginning of the play. know if he is guilty or innocent.” It as decaying family morals. When a Overall, PCT’s “12 Angry Men” is this seed of reasonable doubt that few jurors dare to side with Juror 8 takes a refreshing look at a closedhe plants into the minds of his fel- in favor of a not-guilty verdict, Gu’s door jury deliberation. As the play low jurors that drives the rest of the character’s rage offers a glimpse at proceeds, the audience begins to play. Zhu succeeds in conveying the his own crumbling family life. An- sympathize with Juror 8 and a notsincerity of Juror 8’s quest for the other element of Chinese culture in guilty verdict, and we cheer inwardtruth. When his character’s delib- this play is shown by many of the ly for each juror he converts to his erate slowness frustrates the other jurors going out of their way to assist side. This production, replete with jurors, he retorts, “When we are de- the elderly Juror 9, played by Alicia the emotions of frustration and anciding the fate of another person, Li ’16. For example, Juror 6 (Victoria guish, is not to be missed. we must be very, very certain!” Zhu’s Su ’15) always helps Li walk to her portrayal of Juror 8, iniseat and leave the tially the lone advocate :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: stage. In addition, for the defendant, offers when the rude Jua convincing look at how ‘Twelve Angry Men’ ror 10, played by one man resists mob psyZhongxing Ming chology in order to make Pros: Chinese cultural elements; GS, yells at Li, a stand for justice. other jurors imstrong acting. The “12 Angry Men” mediately come to film was produced half a Cons: Blocking of actors. her defense. One century ago in America, helps her calm but PCT has adapted it down, while anin two major ways. One other exclaims, change is the moderniza“How dare you tion of popular culture. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: speak to your elIn the film, one impaders this way!” tient juror wanted to quickly reach a Although more references to Asian Have a study group verdict and leave for a baseball game, culture would have been welcome, at Glolonial. while in PCT’s production, this juror the existence of the jury itself pre(Cheng Cheng GS) has tickets for a cludes a setting in China, and PCT is Justin Bieber concert that night. This thus limited by how much it could modification makes the play more change the original film. relevant to modern society; instead The set is, on the whole, fairly Write your philosophy paper of looking at the jury deliberations well designed, but there is a major using only T-Swift lyrics. as if they were taking place in the drawback. The jurors sit in a circle 1950s, the audience can imagine this for some parts of the play while talkvery discussion taking place today. ing about the merits and f laws of The second major change that PCT the case. The issue with this setup is has made to the film is the inclusion that several of the actors have their Invite your preceptor to join you of elements of Chinese culture. The backs to the audience, which leaves strong ties of familial piety are an the audience feeling disconnected in Cancun for spring break. important theme in this play. The from the play. In the film, different primary antagonist, Juror 3 (Shiyao camera angles negate the exclusion Gu ’14), laments that “today’s youth felt by those outside the circle, but
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10 COURTESY OF SIYU YANG
Shiyao Gu ’14 laments decaying family values as Juror 3 in “12 Angry Men.”
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