scene

The Queen of Comedy Reigns Once More

By The Observer · Thursday, April 15, 2010

Chelsea Handler released her latest book, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," this March, and has it ever made a bang. She is in the midst of a huge book tour that 32 cities and 47 shows, and she's still managing to maintain her five half-hour installments of the hit late-night talk show "Chelsea Lately" each week. "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" hit No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list in March and currently holds the No. 2 spot in the Hardcover Nonfiction category. Although people may speculate about whether it belongs alongside books like Karl Rove's "Courage and Consequence" on the Best Seller List, even more people will wonder how this hilariously unbelievable set of essays can be classified as nonfiction. Handler also has two other books to her name. Her first book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands," is a memoir detailing the outrageous, not-so-romantic flings of her younger years. Her second, more successful work has sold close to half a million copies and is appropriately named "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea." Not surprisingly, this collection of raunchy anecdotes from Handler's past mirrors only slightly the quintessential coming-of-age tale in Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" is also comprised of a plethora of short stories concerning hilarities in Handler's life from childhood on. She was the family misfit as a youth, living with her Mormon mother, Jewish father and six siblings who chose their varying religious sects. Several of the anecdotes from Handler's upbringing exhibit her early independence and aloofness from her family. In the book, her parents often mumble, "Jesus Christ, you'd think she was raising us," as a response to her strong-willed and sarcastic personality. In one story, "When Life Hands You Lemons, Squeeze Them into Your Vodka," Chelsea writes a report on Reaganomics to earn the Cabbage Patch Doll she longs for in third grade. As it turns out, her father brought home a bald preemie doll named Stanley, leaving Chelsea no choice but to steal the real thing from her creepy next-door neighbor Jason. Many of the more "mature" stories center around her relationship with her "live-in lover" Ted Harbert, who oversees E! Entertainment as the CEO of Comcast. Handler is contracted until 2012 with E! for her talk-show "Chelsea Lately," but the couple is rumored to have split recently. Perhaps he finished reading "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," in which Chelsea affirms, "I'm a girl, but not as much of a girl as my boyfriend." Still other stories revolve around different family members: her "off" sister ("off" meaning Mormon, in Handler's words) or her brother employed as a public accountant who couldn't possibly have a "real life" like her. Each essay contains at least five to 10 laugh-out-loud irreverent quotes that readers will have the urge to memorize so they can shamelessly attempt to entertain their friends with Handler knowledge. Handler's voice in her work, though completely unique, can be most closely compared to the honest vulgarity in the Tucker Max memoir "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," which is also a New York Times Best Seller. Not a bit less provocative than this male author, Handler holds nothing back when she rips on others or recounts awkward stories about herself. The only complaint a reader may have about "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" is that they wish it were audible. Handler's wit definitely comes through more evidently live on "Chelsea Lately"— the delivery of her quips is so sincere and her facial expressions are priceless on television. And no Chuy in the book? Her little nugget is greatly missed! But any true Handler fan will appreciate the background on her life uproariously outlined in "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang." There are no regrets after reading this comedienne's chronicle, except the embarrassment to endure when you realize you've been laughing out loud alone.

Lollapalooza lineup revealed

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

It's that time of year again — the annual release of the Lollapalooza lineup.

By the beat: a non-fan chronicles the return of 'Glee'

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Scene section is written by volunteers. It may be hard to believe, but we're not paid for our efforts; we write because we like writing, culture and deep down, we believe we have good taste. The articles reflect this: They are usually about subjects we love or hate. To combat this, I'm writing about a show I've never seen but is hugely popular, "Glee" on Fox.

Urinetown: Student-produced satire comes to Washington Hall

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The St. Edward's Hall Players bring the subversive Broadway hit "Urinetown" to Washington Hall today and Thursday. Tickets for the 7 p.m. shows are $5 for students, $7 for the general public and are available the LaFortune box office or at the door.

British Comedy comes to ND

By The Observer · Tuesday, April 13, 2010

It's what writer Noël Coward called a "farce in three acts." It's the story of a séance that actually went right, then went horribly wrong. It's the story of a violent love triangle. It's the comic play being put on by the Department of Film, Television and Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) tonight through Sunday. Jay Skelton, an assistant professor in the Department, is the director of this witty British comedy, "Blithe Spirit," in which novelist Charles Condomine, played by Ryan Belock, wishes to learn about the occult for his latest project. He and his wife invite friends and a quirky psychic to their home to hold a séance. Hilarity ensues when eccentric medium Madame Arcati, played by Shay Thornton, actually manages to bring Charles's first wife Elvira, played by Sloan Thacker, back from the dead. It's bad news for current wife Ruth, played by Clare Cooney, who finds herself beset by an invisible nemesis, still jealous though she no longer holds human form. The comedic journey through this world and the next is a comedy classic. The play appeals to a broad range of audiences and promises to be an enjoyable evening for all. From its beginning in 1941, the play provoked controversy. Coward wrote the play during the Second World War in an attempt to lighten the hearts and minds of the beleaguered Brits, but many thought he might be making fun of death at the height of the war. Objections, however, quickly fell to the wayside as the play went on to set British box-office records. Its run of 1,997 consecutive performances set a record for non-musical plays in the West End, held intact until "Boeing Boeing" in the 1970s. The actors in this performance said they had a great time putting on the play, which helps bring extra emotion and zeal to their already marvelous performance. Belock, who plays protagonist Charles, said he found this production one of the "most rewarding theatre experiences." "We adopted a new vocabulary, a new accent and a new look," he said. All of this is evident in the cast's beautiful performance, complete with zinging lines and upbeat humor. Clara Ritger plays gossiping dinner guest Mrs. Bradman. She said she also enjoyed working with the "stellar cast" of the play, a statement echoed by Thornton, portrayer of Madame Arcati. Ritger said she loves that Coward "poured humanity into his characters, which is not usually what you'd expect in a farce." "You're able to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the plot and utter truth of the situation," she said. It's the humanity in the play that really helps to draw in the viewer, helping them relate to the characters while keeping them hooked with the comic aspect. Director Jay Skelton was also instrumental in making this comedic masterpiece come to fruition. Over the last 18 years, Skelton has directed, written or produced more than 90 plays, musicals or operas in the Chicago, New York and Boston areas, and it is an honor to have such an esteemed thespian at Notre Dame. Belock and the other actors had nothing but glowing compliments for Skelton, saying that he has worked incredibly hard to "fully capture the sophisticated world of this play." We may finally be leaving winter behind us, but we could all still use some laughs in our lives this week, and the play promises to deliver quite a few hearty chuckles and more, in British accents nonetheless. So make your way to DPAC to enjoy the fantastic work that the Film, Television and Theatre department is doing. The play is at 7:30 p.m. tonight through Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Decio Mainstage. Tickets are $15 for regular admission, $12 for faculty, staff and seniors and $10 for students.

Music Under the Radar: European Symphonic Metal

By The Observer · Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who has name-dropped a band and you've nodded emphatically, agreeing that said band is so good/cool/innovative, only to completely forget its name the minute you walk away? Fear no more, because here is a list of some of the most note-worthy music out there today, with a focus on bands that are successful but that you may not have listened to yet. Did I unforgivably ignore your favorite? E-mail me and maybe I'll include it in the next list. Thanks to all the feedback I've received so far. Look for your suggestions when I write up their appropriate genres. Under the tutelage of acts like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, heavy metal made its way to the mainstream in the late 70s and early 80s. Bands got louder and the music got, well, heavier. This hasn't stopped, though it has fractioned a bit. Nowadays there are so many genres of metal and so many bands that cross labels that it's often hard to find exactly what you're looking for. Most bands get thrown into the pot of "progressive metal," which doesn't really indicate anything. From thrash/speed metal to doom metal to Christian metal (oh yeah, it exists) there are literally thousands of bands screaming for your attention. This column focuses on prominent European metal bands. Europe has become particularly well known for its symphonic metal, which refers to metal that employs classical orchestra instruments, whether they be backing up electric guitars and drums or plugged in to create a new sound. If you have any suggestions for the next installment in the metal genre, e-mail the names in. Apocalyptica From Finland with love. If Beethoven were alive today, he would be playing with these guys. This electric-cello-centric Metallica cover band from the 90s has morphed into the premier collaborator for anyone with metal street cred. Nowadays they release all original content, often with guest vocals by lead singers from other bands (such as those listed below). They pioneered the format of "let's plug an amp to the cello and see what happens." Tracks to tap: "Grace," "I Don't Care" Lacuna Coil Italian grace meets spurned lover — and I'm not talking Puccini. Male-female vocals arch over the most "rock" sounding group on this list. These guys are what Evanescence failed to be — a musically relevant metal catharsis. Hooks are prominent in their radio-ready songs, and indeed, much of their success has been alongside such mainstream American acts as Slayer, and the cross-pollination can be heard. (It helps that the lead female singer Cristina Scabbia is dating a member of Slipknot). Lacuna Coil survives not so much on interesting orchestration as it does providing basic metal music that is inventive enough to keep the ear of a connoisseur. Tracks to tap: "Spellbound," "Our Truth," "Senzafine" Nightwish This is the great-granddaddy group of symphonic metal. Direct from Finland, this five-part, female-fronted metal royalty manage to marry pumping guitars and heavy bass lines with full orchestration (we're talking horns and violins) and soprano vocals. With lyrics that are as ethereal as they are operatic, this band has earned its spot as the golden standard of successful European metal. Dashing fearlessly from an orchestral interlude into a speedy guitar solo (often layered on top of the classical instruments), this is the most "epic" music you will find on iTunes. If the Fellowship of the Ring were a band, they would be Nightwish. Tracks to tap: "Amaranth," "Nemo," "Ghost Love Score," "Bye Bye Beautiful" Within Temptation Another European super-group, this female-fronted band from the Netherlands has a massive world following. These guys don't just do metal and orchestra, but often like to throw a choir in the background (just check out their 2008 live album "Black Symphony," which features electric guitar, bass, drums, and … a choir and 60-piece orchestra). The usual themes of lost love and unrequited passion are present in nearly every song, but Within Temptation maintains a sound that is so accessible one might even call them the "pop group" of the symphonic metal scene. If you fear the word "metal" for thoughts of silver spikes and over-extended tongues, let the corset-wearing soprano of Sharon den Adel change your mind. Plebes, start here. Tracks to tap: "Angels," "Stand My Ground," "The Howling"

The Roots and Mike Posner Concert at ND

By The Observer · Monday, April 12, 2010

Going into The Roots/Mike Posner concert Saturday, I didn't really know what to expect. I had never heard of Mike Posner before he was announced as the opener, so I didn't know a lot about him. I liked The Roots a lot, but many of my favorite songs by them are collaborations or feature substantial guest performances, so I was wary that their live set may not be as good as their production sound. I showed up late and missed the first few songs of the Mike Posner concert, but what I saw was good. He worked the crowd, encouraged participation and did everything a good entertainer should do. Honestly, however, it just wasn't memorable. I remember having a good time during his set, but there were no specific moments that I remember because of him — I remember Notre Dame concert security, but that's for later. Again, it wasn't a bad concert: it was entertaining, but I probably won't remember much from it a week from now. The Roots' set, however, was epic. The band didn't really adhere to a set list; instead, they took a much more "jam band" attitude towards the show. They interspersed in their songs short covers of other songs, individual musician showcases and just pure jamming. They were able to control how the crowd felt at nearly all times, taking the room from just chilling and bobbing their heads to raging and bouncing in a matter of seconds. The Roots are known for their amazing live sets, and now I know why this is their reputation. Also, their after-show demeanor — namely, the way they catered to the fans by coming out at the end to throw memorabilia into the crowd — was some of the best I've seen at a concert. The only major issue I had with the whole experience was the setting. Notre Dame does not now how to host concerts. I've been to concerts at home and concerts at other schools, and both the crowd and the concert security at Notre Dame were both such downers — it was the same for the Matisyahu concert. Some people in the crowd did not even seem like they wanted to be there, and even more were hostile to many actions that I find essential to the concert experience: jamming out, singing, shouting, crowd surfing and moshing, among other things. Concert security wasn't any better. In fact, their main purpose there seemed to be to quash any attempt to do anything besides stand stationary, maybe allowing a bit of head bobbing and quiet talking to those around you. If this is your idea of what a concert should be, go to a jazz club or lock the dorm to your room and listen to a CD by yourself in the dark. I like to go to real concerts, not ones that make me yearn a concert thrown in Chicago, at Madison or a junior college.

Tina Fey's Successful Return to 'Saturday Night Live'

By The Observer · Monday, April 12, 2010

This weekend, "Saturday Night Live" returned after a four-week break with an impressive lineup. "SNL" alumna Tina Fey hosted and teen heartthrob Justin Bieber was the musical guest — the ingredients for what was sure to be an entertaining episode.