Actors overcome Devils in script, tech

Last weekend the Brandeis Ensemble Theater opened the Undergraduate Theater Collectives season with a production of David Lindsay-Abaires A Devil Inside in the Shapiro Theater. Although troubled by technical issues and an especially confusing climactic scene, the strength of the cast paved the way for an overall success.
The play begins with Mrs. Slater (Catherine Wagner 09) preparing for the twenty-first birthday of her apathetic son Gene (Michael Carnow 07). During the preparations, she informs him that his father, whom Gene was told died of heart failure, was actually brutally murdered. Mrs. Slater encourages Gene to avenge his fathers death. Gene thinks little of this and goes off to class on the subway, where he finally gets the courage up to talk to Caitlin (Erika Geller 09), a classmate of his who is 'aroused' by the lectures of their Russian literature professor, Carl (Aaron Arbiter 10). Carl has his own problems, having become obsessed with killing a dull man who owns a repair shop. This dull man, Brad (Josh Mervis 08), is trying to bring excitement to his life by writing a story about a devil he sees in his wallpaper. He is also renting a room to a mysterious artist named Lily (Sarah Jacobs 09). As the play progresses, Carl becomes paranoid that the dull man will kill him first. Caitlin then steals Carls notebooks and seduces/blackmails him into going through with plans to kill Brad first. Mrs. Slater shows Gene his fathers severed feet to convince him of the truth of her story while Lily starts vomiting blood. Caitlin and Carl paralyze Gene while botching an attempt to kill Brad, and the devil Brad sees in his wallpaper comes to life to fight with him. The play concludes with four characters are dead, a fifth dying, and Gene ironically rolling away on his wheelchair to seek his fathers killer;

the killer is in fact already dead.

Reality check

Im sorry.

Now, I realize it may not be the journalistic norm to begin a column with an apology, but in this case I feel it is a necessary first step. See, I know Ive been a bad columnist for not having written at all since the new year, but Im going to need your forgiveness before I drop this bomb on you.

Hot summer festivals, cool fall concerts

Seeing one band perform live for one night is a treat in itself, but to see several dozen groups over a period of multiple days is an entirely new experience. As the weather gets warm, festival season hits its peak. The several festivals being offered this year around the U.S. and Canada will give fans the opportunity to take in a combination of new groups, established headliners, and even old acts returning only to play as part of a festival. Here is a look at some of the upcoming festivals across the country that promise to be quite the experience, although some might require a bit of driving and planning ahead for the Brandeis student.

This year’s midyears up to full time status

Despite starting their Brandeis careers a semester late, this year's midyear class are already involved in the community. Despite living in separate housing, midyears have also made friendships with their 'regular' counterparts.

Strange but true

Israel recalls Ambassador After Sex Acts
Israel told its ambassador to El-Salvador to come home after police found him drunk in his office. He was bound and gagged, wearing nothing apart from sex accessories and a rubber ball in his mouth. The event, which occurred two weeks ago, is a new addition to a long list of recent scandals within the Israeli political realm.

Gravity Magazine: Ideas floating everywhere

At a typical Gravity meeting, the only way to be taken seriously is to make a joke out of everything. Every week, at 7 PM in the Brandeis Media Coalition (Shapiro Center, 3rd floor) a small group of Brandeis students meets to discuss the humor of the week. Any topic – the Brandeis meal plans, recent club activities, the structure of someone's face- you name it, and it's open game for jokes and hilariousness abounds. Unlike more serious publications on campus, Gravity is intended to be, as put by its current President Benjamin Douglas, a magazine that “makes people laugh and have fun.”

Fire alarms become a nuisance, not a warning

On Sunday morning, I was trying to get a good sleep. Daylight Savings Time had started, meaning one less hour of rest and I remember having a dream about conducting a band. Soon my swings of the baton were matched to a screeching sound. All of a sudden I realized that the fire alarm had gone off! Full of anxiety, I rushed out of bed, grabbed some clothes and ran out the door. In my frenzied escape, I checked the time and it read nearly 5 A.M. As I stood outside Cable hall with my shadily-clad, sleepy-eyed dorm-mates, I realized that there was no fire. After the fact, I discovered that someone had been trying to cook popcorn and the smoke from their attempt set off the alarm. Once again the system that is intended to save our lives has just caused unimaginable frustration, and as the Brandeis Police allowed us return to our rooms I am sure all of us lost a little faith in our fire detection system.

Letter to the editor: Clarification of a theatrical review

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify both the expected content and purpose of a theatrical review. A reviews purpose in the professional world of theater and journalism is to inform the public as to whether or not a particular show is worth seeing. A review of a theatrical production speaks to the designers work, the performance of the actors, the direction of the show (including the directors artistic vision when evident), and occasionally comments on the script. Because the shows that campus publications review are published post-mortem, it surely puts the reviewer in an uncertain position when writing their article.

Letter to the editor: RSA/SDS to remain uninvolved with Finkelstein

To Whom It May Concern:

We, the members of the Radical Student Alliance (RSA)/Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), wish to clarify our purported involvement with bringing Norman Finkelstein to campus. This point of misinformation has been circulating by word of mouth, and through campus media, when, in fact, RSA/SDS has not in any way committed to such a project. Though it is true that the Finkelstein event was proposed to RSA/SDS, there was no agreement reached among group members to invest group effort and resources in such an undertaking. It appears that the discussion surrounding Finkelstein was mistaken for group consensus to organize his visiting the campus, and thus, confusion ensued.

Editorial: Sponsorship Silliness

The upcoming elections have brought a flurry of club endorsements over this past week. The Hoot would like to recognize the individual achievements of the individuals running for office, but it does not feel the endorsement of a single candidate is appropriate.