Performance Review- David Chen

Importance of Being Earnest at UK, October 2015
The play from the very beginning seemed to match most other plays I've seen, nothing very unusual or eye-catching from the set. The actors were good in the sense they could portray the characters to make the story come alive, although some of the actors were a bit too enthusiastic for my taste in portraying emotions. I remember the casual mannerisms of Algernon were a little too noticeable for the audience as no one in their right mind would flourish their limbs so illustriously. This would have been good for those that weren't familiar with the story and characters but for those that were it looks forced and unnatural. Apart from that, I was able to follow the story with relative ease and could understand most of the scenes that took place after. All in all, most of the acting was quite believable to say the least if not noticing some of the actors' physical appearances weren't particularly descriptive of the character, such as Chausable as an Indian guy. The props of the food that were eaten by Jack and others were actual edible items and the actors incorporated those quite nicely in the act. These food items allowed the characters to pompously eat them to portray pride or the opposite by nibbling.

Sonnet Analysis- David Chen

Sonnets from the Portuguese 43: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

By: Elizabeth Browning

This is a classic petrarchan sonnet example, fitting in as close to perfect as you can get. The poem has an ABBAABBA octave and a stanza of six lines, sestet. The volta switches from depicting what boundaries of love she would go through, into the griefs and sorrows caused by love. Like many other sonnets, love and life is a primary focus as much of human life revolves around the duo. She seems to be solely devoted to this affection as the end tells of her unwavering love that cannot be stopped by death nor loss. 

Sonnet- James Jones

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/249356

          I chose the sonnet "On an Acura Integra," a poem someone wrote as a note to the owner of a car they hit. This sonnet is indefinable because it doesn't follow any of the regular organizations of the other types of sonnets besides having fourteen lines. It has no rhyme scheme that is easily recognizable and is somewhat random which helps make it sound like a note frantically written by someone that dented someone's fender. The volta of this poem is around line nine when the asks the reader to appreciate the writing as a nice little poem not just a simple note apologizing for a screw-up, a that point the writing changes from poetic to straightforward speaking to the owner of the car. I chose this poem because I drive an Acura Integra so I was immediately interested in finding out what the poem was about. I think that the poem (if used as an actual note on a car) asks the reader to appreciate the note that is being written as more than insurance information but also as a kindness done by the author as an apology for the dented fender.

Sonnet- Caroline Totty

When I Consider How My Light Is Spent 

by John Milton

When I consider how my light is spent,
   Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
   And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
   My true account, lest He returning chide;
   “Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
   Either man’s work or His own gifts. Who best
   Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed,
   And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
   They also serve who only stand and wait.”

"When I Consider How My Light Is Spent" by John Milton is written as a Petrarchan sonnet in iambic pentameter. It is divided into two sections of eight and six lines that follow rhyme scheme ABBAABBAC CDECDE. It contains five iambs although Milton wrote some of the lines to not fit the pattern exactly. This poem differs from other Petrarchan sonnets because the volta is not as defined as it normally would be. After line eight the reply that the man is looking for comes, but it is not totally clear cut and defined that it is a reply and instead the sonnet just seems to keeps flowing. 

This sonnet is about a middle-aged man who claims he has lost sight of his goals and can no longer see where he is headed or his vision and is wondering if God needs him to serve him even without having a vision of where he wants to go or who he wants to be anymore. In line 9 a figure named Patience answers him stating that God has servants who run all over land and sea to serve him and he is in no NEED of this man's service. I think the subtle volta contributes to this sonnet because it is Patience interrupting the man before he can say anything more, and the volta helps display that by making it seem as if the man faded out as Patience slowly came in to talk. I chose this poem because I enjoyed the fact that it was a conversation between two people and I just honestly found it to be an interesting poem in the sense of it being about a middle-aged man basically questioning his whole life up until that point.

Acquainted with the Night Sonnet Analysis-Maddie Wheeler

I have been one acquainted with the night.

I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.

I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I have passed by the watchman on his beat

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet

When far away an interrupted cry

Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;

And further still at an unearthly height,

One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. 

I have been one acquainted with the night.

This sonnet by Robert Frost features terza rima, meaning a rhyme scheme of aba, bcb, cdc, with the last two lines both rhyming with the middle line of the preceding stanza. The meter is iambic pentameter without any instance of substitution. The volta of this sonnet is in the last two lines, as in many sonnets. The general topic of this poem is light and dark, as you would expect, but it also has a lot to do with loneliness and distance from the world. I chose this poem because I really like Robert Frost, and I also really appreciate poems that can be subjective to whatever you want. Any life experiences light, dark, distance, and feeling alone, and this poem allows you to appreciate those things and gain the view point of another. I enjoy poems that are full of metaphor, because you can get anything out of it that you want, and metaphors often lead you to make the decision that you were on your way to making anyway. This poem has done this for me, and I'm sure for many other people. 

Sonnet - Charlie Grimes

Amoretti LXVII - Like as a Huntsman
by Edmund Spencer

Like as a huntsman after weary chase,

Seeing the game from him escap'd away,

Sits down to rest him in some shady place,

With panting hounds beguiled of their prey:

So after long pursuit and vain assay,

When I all weary had the chase forsook,

The gentle deer return'd the self-same way,

Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook.

There she beholding me with milder look,

Sought not to fly, but fearless still did bide:

Till I in hand her yet half trembling took,

And with her own goodwill her firmly tied.

Strange thing, me seem'd, to see a beast so wild,

So goodly won, with her own will beguil'd.

Edmund Spencer's "Amoretti LXVII: Like as a Huntsman" is a Shakespearean-like sonnet (containing 3 quatrains and an ending couplet), but with a distinct variation on traditional rhyme scheme. Instead of the "abab, cdcd, efef" rhyme scheme, Spenser implements a system where the final line of each quatrain rhymes with the first line of the next quatrain, effectively making the pattern a "abab, bcbc, cdcd" format. The volta occurs in line 7, when the narrator realizes that after all of his tiring hunting, a deer has in fact decided to calmly move towards him: "The gentle deer return'd the self-same way." This sonnet initially drew me in because I love the classic "hunter-hunted" dynamic in literature and poetry, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twist. I believe this sonnet has ties to the common sonnet subjects of love, in the way that the hunter and deer have a moment of brief moment of union and harmony, despite their inherently antagonistic relationship. Nature itself was tamed for just a fleeting, beautiful moment, and I believe this poem masterfully depicted the moment. It recalls tales of unrequited love, but in this instance, the affection is actually returned.

Sonnet--Gabriel Molina

The Craftsman
By Marcus B. Christian 1900–1976
     

I ply with all the cunning of my art

This little thing, and with consummate care

I fashion it—so that when I depart,

Those who come after me shall find it fair

And beautiful. It must be free of flaws—

Pointing no laborings of weary hands;

And there must be no flouting of the laws

Of beauty—as the artist understands.

Through passion, yearnings infinite—yet dumb—

I lift you from the depths of my own mind

And gild you with my soul’s white heat to plumb

The souls of future men. I leave behind

This thing that in return this solace gives:

“He who creates true beauty ever lives.”

By rhyme scheme and location of the turn, I identified this poem as a Shakespearian sonnet, though I do think it's interesting that the stanzas are structured like a Petrarchan one. The dominant rhyme scheme seems to be iambic pentameter, as it should for a Shakespearian sonnet, but there are times where the feet are not necessarily iambic. Words like "consummate" and "beautiful" just read differently and change the rhythm. There are also a significant number of enjambed lines, which also messes with the rhythm and is almost confusing at times. I would say that the volta/turn happens with the last two lines, which kind of sum up the poet's message.

I chose this poem because I just thought there was a lot that was interesting about it. I liked the content, first of all. It fits very well with our time spent earlier in the year about the role of the artist. I, a kind of craftsman myself, like the way he portrays his role. I also like to think of the poem as an application of the content, about what goes into a craftsman's work. The poem itself has so much thought and intentionality put into it, that it reflects the same message it is communicating. I also found that the structure, especially all the enjambed lines, made the poem more interesting to read. The time that I had to spend to understand the sentence structure made me appreciate the craftsmanship of the poem more.

Sonnet - Emily Cashman

After 50 Years by William Faulker

Her house is empty and her heart is old,

And filled with shades and echoes that deceive

No one save her, for still she tries to weave

With blind bent fingers, nets that cannot hold.

Once all men’s arms rose up to her, ‘tis told,

And hovered like white birds for her caress:

A crown she could have had to bind each tress

Of hair, and her sweet arms the Witches’ Gold. 

Her mirrors know her witnesses, for there

She rose in dreams from other dreams that lent

Her softness as she stood, crowned with soft hair.

And with his bound heart and his young eyes bent

And blind, he feels her presence like shed scent,

Holding him body and life within its snare.

The poem I chose, After 50 Years by William Faulker, falls into the category of Petrarchan sonnets. It begins with an octave followed by "the turn" and then a sestet. The rhyme scheme also fits with Petrarchan poetry: ABBAABBA CDCDDC. The sestet has a slight variation from the typical Petrarchan sestet, but it is still very similar. The end is much darker and lonelier than the beginning, and this change coincides with the shift from the octave to the sestet. Faulkner's vivid imagery enhances the shift as well. 

Sonnet- Mikaela Gatewood

Never give all the Heart- William Butler Yeats

Never give all the heart, for love

Will hardly seem worth thinking of

To passionate women if it seem

Certain, and they never dream

That it fades out from kiss to kiss;

For everything that’s lovely is

But a brief, dreamy, kind delight.

O never give the heart outright,

For they, for all smooth lips can say,

Have given their hearts up to the play.

And who could play it well enough

If deaf and dumb and blind with love?

He that made this knows all the cost,

For he gave all his heart and lost.

This sonnet most closely resembles a Shakespearean sonnet, although the majority of the poem is heavily modified. 

Instead of using iambic pentameter, Yeats uses iambic tetrameter, with a few modifications. The lines "To passionate women if it seem" and "Have given their hearts up to play" both have anapestic foots at the end of each line, while the line "Certain, and they never dream" shows iambic trimeter with a catalectic ending. This semi-frequent variation in the meter intentionally breaks up the rhythm of the poem, calling the readers' attention to those lines.

Unlike a Shakespearean rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, this sonnet closely follows the rhyme scheme of AA BB CC DD EE FF GG. Unlike the meter, the rhyme scheme of the sonnet intentionally flows very well, yet is very much unlike either of the typical rhyme scheme used in most sonnets. This is most likely so Yeats could follow a more free verse style, while still keeping the typical lyricism of a sonnet.  

One of the similarities to a Shakespearean sonnet is seen in the placement of the volta. The majority of the poem talks about why women never fall in love with men who give them all their love. In the last two lines, however, it is shown that Yeats was a man who "gave all his heart and lost", and in turn, "knows all the cost."

That being said, another similarity to a Shakespearean sonnet within the poem is the topic of love. Following the majority of Shakespeare's sonnet topics, this poem discusses not only love, but most importantly heartbreak. The volta at the end of the poem transforms the sonnet from a story of silly women into one of a heartbroken man.

Overall, I believe that the modifications made to the sonnet symbolize the ups and downs that love may have. The discontinuity of the meter breaks up several parts of the poem, similar to the disjointedness love may have. At the same time, the rhyme scheme maintains a relatively consistent flow throughout the poem, similar to the ease that love may also have. The poem's heartbreaking ending and beautiful diction is what ultimately attracted me to this piece.  

Strange! by John Frederick Nims- Andrew Collins

I’d have you known! It puzzles me forever   

To hear, day in, day out, the words men use,   

But never a single word about you, never.   

Strange!—in your every gesture, worlds of news.   

On busses people talk. On curbs I hear them;   

In parks I listen, barbershop and bar.   

In banks they murmur, and I sidle near them;   

But none allude to you there. None so far.

I read books too, and turn the pages, spying:   

You must be there, one beautiful as you!   

But never, not by name. No planes are flying   

Your name in lacy trailers past the blue   

Marquees of heaven. No trumpets cry your fame.   

Strange!—how no constellations spell your name!

Rhyme Scheme- ABABCDCD EFEFG G

This Sonnet is of the Shakespearean form, with the only alterations being the grouping of the lines. There is also a slight de-emphasis on the rhyme in lines 5 and 7 where the rhyming word isn't on the last syllable. The overall idea of this poem is very Shakespearean in that it is celebrating a woman's beauty, in this case by wondering why she isn't given more credit for it. The shift or volta occurs around line 9, when the speaker switches from wondering why the woman isn't talked about more often to explaining how he thinks she should be honored. This shift marks the change in the speaker's tone from frustrated and confused to proud and flattering. Something that emphasizes the confused tone in the first half is his use of feminine endings. The poem as a whole is in iambic pentameter, but many of the first few lines have an extra feminine syllable that leaves them very open-ended and confused just like the

There are also many caesuras that emphasize different aspects of the speaker's point. In the second stanza they emphasize the lack of celebration of the woman, and in the first they emphasize the amount of communication that the speaker observes while he listens for the one topic that he believes is worthy of discussion. And in the final stanza they emphasize the speaker's overall feeling about this situation—that it is strange. That same effect is achieved by the separation of the last line. His entire point is summarized in one line, which is made more effective by its isolation.

Drunk Sonnet 14 - Aislinn Langley

Drunk Sonnet 14, by Daniel Bailey

IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON EVER THEN HEY

I AM HERE IT WOULD BE NICE TO TALK SOMETIME

INFOMERCIALS HAVE STARTED AND I KIND OF WANT TO DIE

I’M PRETTY SURE THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY FOR A MORGUE

 

OK SO ACTUALLY IT’S FOR THE BIBLE OR SOMETHING

SO IT’S A COMMERICAL FOR TRYING TO BE HAPPY OR SOMETHING

BUT I AM NOT HAPPY TONIGHT NO I AM NOT JUST HERE

IF HAPPINESS EVER WORKED THEN HOW—I DON’T KNOW

 

HAPPINESS IS A LIZARD IN THE SUNLIGHT GETTING WARM

AND THEN IN THE NIGHT BENEATH A ROCK EATING FLIES

AND SWALLLOWING THE MEAT OF THE TRASH OF THE DIRT

 

AH, SO TONIGHT IS A LITTLE DRUNK AND OK OK OK

THAT IS GOOD SO LET ME BE—THERE IS NO LOVE TONIGHT

GOD IS LIKE BONO—SOME DICKWAD NO ONE WILL EVER MEET OR LIKE

 

This poem is a Petrachan sonnet, made of two related quatrains that form an octet and two related tercets that form a sestet. Most notable about the structure of the sonnet is how unlike a sonnet it is. There is no discernible rhyme scheme or predominant meter, which leaves the poem disjointed, confused and, as the title would suggest, drunk. The octet relates a very specific, yet widely-known feeling. The speaker is wasted, tired, and upset. They feel alone and morbid and see their own fears of death and hopelessness reflected in infomercials. The repetition of "or something" in the fifth and sixth lines emphasizes the speaker's disorientation and confusion, be it a result of their intoxication or some late-night existential crisis. They move on to speculate that "happiness is like a lizard," something that warms you in the day and then abandons you to your own thoughts and solitude when you sit alone at night. Then comes the turn in the last tercet, proclaiming that "that is good so let me be," and acknowledging that times can't always be happy and it's okay to just be sad and cynical at times. Having previously felt bitter about religion, the speaker now gets over this bitterness and even goes so far as to make fun of the warmth and love of religion, calling God "some dickwad no one will ever meet or like."

Sonnet- Brandon castillo

Music I heard with you was more than music,
And bread I broke with you was more than bread;
Now that I am without you, all is desolate;
All that was once so beautiful is dead.

Your hands once touched this table and this silver,
And I have seen your fingers hold this glass.
These things do not remember you, belovèd,
And yet your touch upon them will not pass.

For it was in my heart you moved among them,
And blessed them with your hands and with your eyes;
And in my heart they will remember always,—
They knew you once, O beautiful and wise.

Conrad Potter Aiken

I consider this sonnet even though it does not have 14 lines like tradition sonnets do for these reasons: It has a rhyme in the second and fourth line of every quatrain, the dominant metric line of iambic pentameter, has a volta, and the main focus is love.

There are two places that the volta could be, on line three or on line eleven. I think the more major one takes place on line eleven because the poem had a sad tone up until that point, where it changes to a more upbeat tone that describes the love that his heart has for the one that has died.

On the second and fourth line of every quatrain, I believe there are feminine endings on them and I think this helps add to the feeling of sadness in the poet's voice; it makes it seem as if he talks of a memory that is gone.

The actual message of the poem to me is that he is remembering all the things that he shared with the person who has passed away and that a lot of things that seemed small were actually important to him. He then goes into saying that there's nothing that can bring her back and that some things might not remember her but he always will.

Sonnet - What to Say Upon Being Asked to be Friends - Walt Finch

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/244002

This poem holds true to Shakespearean rhyme scheme in the first seven lines, following the pattern ABABBCB.  After that it loses all rhyme going to FGHIJ, and then lines 13 and 14 are back to Shakespearean KK.  The rhyming is not perfect, it is all near rhymes.  The poet does this because in the poem he even says, "till I taste the stuff that makes my rhyming rough". 

The loss of the rhyme scheme lines 8-12 helps to emphasize the rhyming in lines 13 and 14, which makes the shift really stand out.  It also stands out because of white space but yeah.... This is another thing that matches Shakespearean sonnets, the shift/volta in the last two lines.

In the groupings, although the poet didn't split it with white space, he did split it with end-stopped lines.  It's structured in a quintet, a tercet, a quatrain, and then a couplet. 

The poet's message is that the friend-zone is killing him, because he really loves this girl, but the shift in the end says it's okay because although it's killing me being her friend and seeing her is better than not at all.  At his position now he doesn't see her, and "shuns" her, even though inside he "mourns" the loss of her.

Why did I choose this poem?  I chose it because I can relate, but I kind of just shun the girl and inwardly mourn like the author did at one point.  Maybe we'll come around to being friends again who knows.

Prof of Profs- Jacob Young

I was a math major—fond of all things rational.

It was the first day of my first poetry class.

The prof, with the air of a priest at Latin mass,

told us that we could “make great poetry personal,”

could own it, since poetry we memorize sings

inside us always. By way of illustration

he began reciting Shelley with real passion,

but stopped at “Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”—

because, with that last plosive, his top denture

popped from his mouth and bounced off an empty chair.

He blinked, then offered, as postscript to his lecture,   

a promise so splendid it made me give up math:

“More thingth like that will happen in thith clath."

The rhyme scheme goes as follows: ABBA, CDDC, EFE, FGG

It seems to follow a modified Petrarchan sonnet scheme, as there is an octave split in half and a sestet split in half. The reason for why he goes about this scheme is because throughout the first two quatrains, the narrator feels negatively about poetry and the class. However, the shift occurs after the first terset when the narrator claims that he gave up math. The author makes these tersets separate because he emphasizes the humor and spontanaiety of the events that occurred. By not following the traditional form, the author isolates the dentures popping out of the professor's mouth as something funny, important, and spontaneous. It even inspires the narrator to change his college major from math. He further emphasizes the last terset with all 3 lines being end-stopped, so each line stands out on its own. The caesura in the first line of the sonnet also shows how the narrator was very much not enthusiastic about learning poetry, which is not rational in the least bit. He even takes shots at the professor at first, by saying he had the air of a Latin priest. The poet's message in this sonnet is that poetry can be exciting, spontaneous, and unrealistic, and it certainly has the power to drastically change people's lives. By something as simple and humorous as a professor's dentures falling out, poetry has the capability to cause a dramatic shift in a person's life. 

I chose this sonnet because it is entertaining and funny, and very relatable. A lot of students have had a single experience in a class that changed their studies dramatically. 

The Winter Soul Among Wisteria - Sloan Warner

One need not read her horoscope to know
this woman’s fate, and though wisteria
cascades sweet blooms of lavender like snow
outside her door, it’s still Siberia
pervading the dimensions of her mind,
for not one fickle thought or patch of moss
can thrive where bleakest shadows are enshrined.
No bittersweet, no dewdrops… only loss
surrounds her heart. She tries to reminisce,
but like a barren continent grown cold,
she can’t perceive one particle of bliss.
She’s clasping grief and cannot be consoled!
Wisteria’s perfume is in the breeze,
but in her soul remains a winter’s freeze.




I would have to say that "The Winter Soul Among Wisteria" would most identify with a Shakespearean Sonnet; however, it has a few differences. Throughout the poem, there is a consistent AB rhyme scheme from line one all the way down until the final couplet which goes AA, thus the rhyme scheme in total is ABABCDCDEFEFGG. Moreover, there are iams all the way through the poem which is also very Shakespearean and a couplet at the end; however, this a lack of 3 quatrains which is classic Shakespearean poetry which would be the modification of the poem. The volta can be identified in the final couplet which is also typical Shakespeare. This style of poetry is normally used in poems to convey love, but it can be determined from the couplet that this poem is quite the opposite of love. It is actually about a desolate soul which is still so depressed despite being surrounded great smells and sights of wisteria.

Two Minute Thank You-Mikaela Gatewood

Tayler let me play with her American Girl doll. George gave me a picture album- full of pictures of himself. My grandma baked me cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Zoe said "I like your stickers." Maddy complimented my bow. Kristina said "I'm going to miss you. Starbursts will never be the same." Samantha said my hair was pretty and that she liked my music. Catherine told me, "I like your boots." Jordan said "You have potential." Sierra straightened my hair. Emma sat with me in my room when I was sick. Mark told me, "It tells a story." Andrew said "You're the best girl I know."

Sonnet Emmet

Sonnet ["If I were fire, I'd burn the world away"] by Paul Violi
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/249368

This poem follows the Petrarchan  standard for sonnets. The first two quatrains, which constitute the octave, is typically meant to contain the argument of the poem. In Violi's work, however, the argument is intentionally avoided. The entire poem consists of conditional, hypothetical observations that describe the writer's would-be willingness to wreck havoc.
There is no defined volta for this same reason. Despite the formal alignment with Petrarchan poetry, he never offers a conclusion or a reason--he only provides statements of fact. I read this as meaning that, if he were in any of the various positions of power specified by the poem, he would abuse his power. Those who can, do.
The rhyme scheme alternates throughout, as all it does is add musicality and intermittent emphasis, there is no consistent pattern.
The lack of conclusion makes the author's point more clearly, as he cannot give any reason for the actions. He does not claim that abuse of power is legitimate, only that it is a matter of fact. For that reason, the modification regarding the volta strengthens his message.

Performance Review - Charlie Grimes

Daisy Helmuth, The Rells, & Johnny Conqueroo at Chuck’s Music (Dec. 5, 2015) – Performance Review

Charlie Grimes

AP Literature & Composition

Ms. Whitman

Johnny Conqueroo is a local “swampy blues-rock” band consisting entirely of high schoolers, but do not be fooled by their age -- lead vocalist and guitarist Grant Curless, drummer Wils Quinn, and bassist Shawn Reynolds have been making waves in the Lexington music scene. Whether it’s scoring gigs at local joints such as Willie’s Locally Known and Morris Book Shop, getting major play time on local radio stations, or selling surprisingly high amounts of their debut CD’s, Conqueroo’s striking talent has not gone unnoticed.

I had the privilege of getting to see Johnny Conqueroo play at Chuck’s Music on Southland Dr. this past Saturday, December 5, with their opening acts, Daisy Helmuth and The Rells, beginning at 7:00PM. The experience was truly a treat. Immediately upon entering the upstairs mini-concert hall (we’ll call it a corridor) of Chuck’s, I was struck by the sheer number of people crammed together, eagerly awaiting the performance. When it began, any semblance of order almost immediately vanished, and the band’s energy filled the room. I found myself; however, very intrigued by the powerful stage presence that Conqueroo retained throughout the entire show.

The band played a full hour-long set containing a variety of original songs, such as “Night in Jail” and “Summer Blues,” as well as some mesmerizingly energetic and creative takes on classic blues tunes. In general, the band’s instrumental talent, especially Curless’ guitar, is beyond what one would imagine most teenagers could do. His electric guitar cries, soars, and dives wildly, but I will focus instead on the beautiful, simple poetry of his lyrics.

Conqueroo’s original song lyrics often concern love and turbulent relationships. Curless has a knack for songwriting that harkens back to Mississippi delta blues, with musicians of the likes of Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf. “Well I’m feelin’ so dead now, but she’s doing so well now,” lamented on “Night in Jail,” a song about the consequences of an abusive relationship. “You took my heart. I gave my love to you, and you ripped it apart!” Curless sung over a moody guitar riff on “Took My Heart”. While Conqueroo’s lyrics are not overly complex, they are delivered with great emotional heft, giving them significantly more power when experienced rather than read. It is, once again, hard to believe at times that such a performance is coming from a group as young as Conqueroo is. The subject matter of their songs is often mature and they were performed with incredible focus and intensity at this venue. “Baby baby, where were you at, now? I knew you were screwing behind my back now,” Curless shouted over only the sound of Wils Quinn’s pulsing kick drum.

What blew me away most, however, were Conqueroo’s heavy, energetic covers of classic blues songs. Most notably, Son House’s “Grinnnin’ in Your Face,” a highly influential blues tune from the early 1930’s. “Don’t you mind, people grinnin’ in your face? You know they’ll jump you up and down, they’ll carry you all 'round and 'round, but just as soon as your back is turned, they’ll be tryin’ to crush you down.” Conqueroo delivered these lyrics with such real anger and enthusiasm, with everyone in the crowd watching and listening in amazement. The group also performed “Smokestack Lightning,” another classic blues song by a legendary artist, Howlin’ Wolf, and a nice acknowledge of the deep influence of African-American blues on rock and roll. Occasionally the group toned down the energy, especially on their performance of the song “Salad Days,” which contains the memorable lyrics “As I'm getting older, chip up on my shoulder / Rolling through life, to roll over and die.”

Ultimately, the energy, lyrical delivery, and stage presence that Johnny Conqueroo has made for a highly entertaining performance that left everyone in the audience, including myself, in awe. Conqueroo’s very own bluesy song lyrics, amazingly, stack up nicely against the lyrics of their legendary influences, and the emotional depth with which they are delivered makes for a sonically diverse and mature performance that far surpassed my expectations.

Rating: 4/5

Performance Review- Walt Finch

The Importance of Being Earnest, as performed by the UK Department of Theater and Dance

Walt Finch

     It is easy for us to get caught up in the petty drama of our day to day lives.  When we are active in it we think that it is very important.  We think these things really matter, and see our actions as right, or noble.  Last Sunday, October 11^th, I saw a matinée performance of The Importance of Being Earnest, a play by Oscar Wilde.  This is a play that challenges that view of our petty drama being important, and pokes fun at it.  The play was very well done, particularly considering it was an amateur performance.  The play was put on by the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance, directed by Christina Ritter and Russell Henderson.  As I said before, the play pokes fun at the petty drama and lifestyles of the upper class aristocracy in late 19^th century England, by following the lives of Algernon and Jack; two upper class males who lives separate lives in the city and the country, and their fiancés do not know the real them. 

     This makes for quite the funny show.  Algernon was played by Peter Laprade, and he did an excellent job.  My favorite part was by far when Mr. Laprade was bantering with Jack while eating cucumber sandwiches, and also when he entered the room playing a violin after Jack had talked to Gwendolen.  The way he carried himself contributed very much to the play.  It brought a feeling of self-absorption, and childishness that made it so obviously satirical, and entertaining.  The thrust stage used also helped to create this air.  It really allowed you to be close to the actors, and feel the air and attitude they created with their body language.  It helped to make the play more engaging.  In normal stages, it is easy to think of yourself as just watching a play, with this performance I really felt like I was right there, involved in the action.  This was also helped by the use of a light up backdrop, which was a different color based upon the setting. 

      For example when they are at Jack’s house in the countryside, the backdrop was a light blue.  Having it split along 3 tall panels, with significant black space in between each helped to make it feel light and airy.  It felt almost as if we were outside, really on the porch listening to Cecily, Jack’s ward and Algernon’s soon to be fiancé, go through her lessons.   All of this really helped to make the play quite enjoyable, but at times the dialogue could get quite long.  The actors did a magnificent job of standing up and moving around to keep the audience’s attention, but at times I could help but get a little bored and begin to doze off.  Due to these few disengaging moments, I feel compelled to give this play a 4/5, although it was still great and I would definitely recommend to a friend if they perform it again.

Performance Review- Caroline Totty

Caroline Totty

December 7, 2015

Whitman

Performance Review

            On December 6, 2015 I went to Lafayette High School to watch the 2:00 performance of SCAPA’s The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest is a trivial piece of satire based in the late Victorian England. Its outrageous plot portrays the absurdity of upper class in England at the time and will no doubt make any viewer laugh.

            This performance, directed by Paul Thomas, was overall a well-performed and entertaining take on the play. Algernon was played by Scott DiMeo, Jack by Shelby Nance, Lady Bracknell by James Carter, Gwendolen by Sarah Morgan, Cecily by Abigail Tick, Miss Prism by Bennett Creech, Rev. Chasuble by Cooper Fitch, Lane by Joshua Dhir, and Merriman by Jared Sayers. The two lead rolls, Algernon and Jack, were both acted with a wonderful mix of enthusiasm, drama, and seriousness causing the play to appear very professional. The two boys knew when to over dramatize their lines and facial features to evoke laughter from the crowd and they knew when to draw it in and act more serious. There was never once a hesitation to remember lines or a stutter in the fast paced speaking. Although, sometimes I struggled to understand what was being said because of the heavy British accents the actors adopted and how quickly they were speaking at times. Luckily, I just read this play for English and am familiar with the plot or else I fear I might’ve been a bit lost in the beginning especially when it was the scene between just Jack and Algernon. They were oftentimes speaking rapidly and facing each other so much that their voices were not projecting to the crowd and their dialogue was getting lost. However, as the play continued it improved and the issues vanished.

            While the two lead roles were what seemed to be the backbone of this performance, Lady Bracknell is who really stole the show in my opinion. Played by a boy, this woman’s role was fulfilled beyond my wildest expectations. James Carter fully embraced the part of a middle-aged woman whose face was caked in makeup and undoubtedly made the whole performance ten times funnier. His accent he used was so humorous the audience couldn’t help but laugh at every word and grand gesture that was made.

            The biggest critique I would have of this performance was the chemistry between Abigail Tick who played Cecily and Scott DiMeo who played Algernon. Yes, they are engaged in the play and meant to act in love, but what was happening between them was to the point where I felt uncomfortable. While the other actors and actresses were several feet apart from each others faces while staring into their partner’s eyes, these two were not even an inch from each other. They had their noses touching and were kissing throughout the whole last half of the play. While I understand they were suppose to be in love it just made me very uncomfortable to have to sit there and watch that for so long.

            Besides that the play was fantastic. The costumes were just as I imagine people of the Victorian Era would have dressed. The set was nothing eccentric, but it got the job done. Overall I would rate this performance somewhere around an 8 out of 10.

Performance Review Emmet Allen

Music allows for a much deeper level of communication than many other art forms simply because it incorporates such complexity that the specification of expression (often times emotional expression) can be nuances and accentuated more than merely written verse. Last Thursday, I attended a show played by Lexington band Alcatraz Shakedown, led by frontman Eric Bolander (Vocals, Guitar). The venue was the Manchester Music Hall, and the crowd had drawn a number of Lexington's elite, including the infamous "LogDog" of Henry Clay High School.
The band played a timeless blues-rock style that appeals to a wide audience--nearly anyone who listens to music. However, it was not the band's choice of genre that made them such a success on that cold December night. Bolander uses his songs as an outlet for highly descriptive, sometime repetitive analyses of what the audience can only assume were real events. The lyrical formulation of the songs alone was enough to draw listeners in. For example, the opening line of the song "One Shot, One Chaser" drew us in from the start, beginning the tale that constituted the bulk of the piece with a vivid description of the chronologically primary factual observation "saw her walk through the door in the bar with the dress down to the floor."
Now, if the band's intention were merely to craft passable poetry with enough artistic mechanization to withstand scrutiny, they would have achieved their goal. However, as a rock band, they were able to do much more in order to engage their audience as best they could.
First, the mere tonality and volume of Bolander's voice gave an impressive level of emotional connection and presentness to all who were in attendance. Secondly, the rhythm of the set was adjusted in order to best convey the message of each song (or song section) as it came along.
Much like the Shakespearean use of rhyme and meter to control the reader's speed and understanding of emphasis, Alcatraz Shakedown switched during sections of extreme commotion and activity to cut time, essentially allowing the drummer to take control of the music and the retain the melody and rhyme scheme while still increasing the "feel" of the song and thus creating a more stressed, anxious sound.
It was the combination of all of these outstanding literary choices that led to the success of the Manchester Hall gig. Alcatraz Shakedown earns a resounding 5/5.

performance review - Emily Cashman

To Kill A Mockingbird Performance Review

On Friday night, in a very hot room at the Downtown Arts Center, I watched the AthensWest Theatre Company put on To Kill A Mockingbird. The stage was intimate, with the audience taking up two walls and the stage taking up the two walls in the other corner. Because there were only a few rows of chairs, most of the audience was up-close and personal with the performers.

As the play opened on the porches of a few modest houses in Maycomb County, Alabama, Scout (played by 7^th grader Emily Reed) ran on stage. I found the kids’ performances to be particularly convincing especially considering their inexperience compared to their adult counterparts.  8^th grader Galen Arnett played Jem, and 6^th grader Nate Krohmer took on the role of Dill. Only once during the show did I notice a flaw with one of the kid’s performances, and this was during a somewhat serious moment towards the end of the play.  Krohmer was trying with all his might to conceal a smile, but wasn’t entirely successful. I don’t think it detracted from the overall play in the slightest, but only gave the audience a reminder that he is in fact just a kid.

Atticus Finch and Mayella, played respectively by Kevin Crowley and Gabrielle Miller, were, in my opinion, the best actors in the entire production. I thought Crowley effectively and gracefully brought Harper Lee’s complex character to life. Miller had an emotional scene during the courtroom section of the play where she was brought to tears when describing her version of what happened with Tom Robinson on that fateful night, and her ability to cry and give off such a visibly shaken demeanor was great.

My favorite part of the play had to be when Scout and Jem were walking home in the dark holding hands. I liked this scene not for it’s importance in regards to the play, but because Reed and Arnett had to hold hands. I remember middle school vividly, and holding hands was always awkward. As an audience member, I couldn’t tell that they felt awkward, but as someone who has been through those middle school years, I know they did. That was all I could think about during that scene, and even though I know I should be focusing on the play itself, I felt it was necessary to mention that part.

Overall, I enjoyed AthensWest’s rendition of To Kill A Mockingbird. The costumes were accurate, and the actors, under the guidance of director Jeff Day, did a good job of effectively communication the story to the audience.