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Jason G'Sell

Antonin Artaud’s “Spurt of Blood,” long regarded as the archetype for Theatre of Cruelty, left its mark on Notre Dame’s Regis Philbin Studio Theatre from September 23–28. Professor Mark Pilkinton assembled an exceptional cast to produce a play that had been considered unstageable for 40 years. An outright attack on the senses, “Spurt of Blood” looks to redefine theatre by stripping away any preconception of plot or dialogue and embracing a new reality in which communication is not hindered by the restraints of language.

Despite an extremely limited script, the cast successfully physicalized Artaud’s vision for an experiential theatre, forcing the audience members to remove their veil of reality and see the true world in which they live. The audience has all notions of theatre ripped away and becomes uncomfortably aware of the action taking place. Members were suddenly moved to different seats, confronted by strangers, bombarded with popcorn and forced to give up their programs, all in an attempt to challenge their notions of Aristotelian theatre. Actors shined as they turned surrealist stage direction into a visual playground, taking a once impossible play and creating a testament to Artaud’s work.

Final Verdict: “Spurt of Blood” stands out as a sensual experience that all should encounter.

Nicole Eggenberger

“Images from the Era of the French Revolution” is on display at the Snite Museum September 7 through October 19. The exhibit was created to coincide with the French-American Conference being held October 6–8, as well as courses this fall at Notre Dame and Indiana University-South Bend.

Anyone who attended the conference or has a class this semester on the French Revolution would benefit from seeing the exhibit. It’s doubtful that anyone else would find it very impressive.  The exhibit is small, with only 14 drawings, and is located in a gallery the size of a large closet.  “Portrait of General Regnie,” c. 1809, was painted in a full spectrum of rich colors, but the rest of the drawings were done in faint pen and black chalk.

A plaque in the exhibit states: “Artwork at the Snite Museum offers a privileged glimpse into the hopes and fears inspired by the French Revolution (1789-99).”  If you love the French Revolution, then this “glimpse” is for you. If not, “glimpse” away.

Jen Wulf

Let’s just face it — 80 percent of the Undertones’ fan base consists of googly-eyed co-eds, and the other 20 percent are boyfriends dragged along for the ride. But those who don’t check out their new album, “Stranded,” for fear of being grouped in with the swooning masses are missing out. The album is both solid and unique, featuring covers that range from Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” to Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio” to Howie Day’s “Collide.”

Newcomers to the Undertones bandwagon will first notice their innovative vocal percussion, which is strongest on their cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” The percussion can prove somewhat distracting on a few tracks, however, most notably the “doo-pas” that frame soloists Joe Varchetto (’08) and Brian Green (’09) on the duet of the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.” Varchetto, however, shines on this album, particularly in “Mr. Brightside” where he channels his controlled passion into a beautiful performance. On the other end of the spectrum, soloist John Fister (’08) confidently tackles “Crazy” and delivers a smooth, engaging rendition of this dorm favorite.

“Stranded” is a success. For the most part a lighthearted collection of pop covers, it also includes such emotive gems as “Mr. Brightside” and Dave Matthews Band’s “Satellite.” It is definitely worth a trip to the bookstore, if for no other reason than the security guards won’t let you come to any more Undertones concerts. Or maybe that’s just me.

Mike Tresnowski

The California indie rock band Rogue Wave will play at Legends this Saturday, October 11 at 10 p.m. This band follows in the Death Cab for Cutie tradition of pop music with acoustic guitar accompanied by simple three-note guitar riffs, mellow vocals and cutesy lyrics that don’t actually mean anything (i.e. “heaven is a switchboard that you want to fight”). Unlike Death Cab, though, Rogue Wave’s pop numbers don’t really stick in your head. You hear a Rogue Wave track, think “Well, that was nice,” and you move on with your day. There’s nothing too out-of-the-ordinary here.

I’ve seen two Rogue Wave shows, both at outdoor venues in downtown Chicago in the summertime. Both times, I was pleasantly occupied for 45 minutes but did not feel any pressing need to explore the band after the show. I do think, however, that the upcoming Legends show is the perfect venue for this band. It doesn’t get much more mellow than an October Saturday evening in Indiana. Rogue Wave’s lush autumn sounds will provide a fitting soundtrack.

So if you are looking to rock on Saturday, this band won’t get the job done. If you are looking to get hooked on some irresistible new indie-pop, this show probably won’t snag you. But if you are a sucker for brown, crinkly leaves, shorter days, and that, “Wow, it’s kind of chilly, and I kind of like it” feeling you get this time of year walking across South Quad, I encourage you to indulge in a few hours of Rogue Wave’s wistful, gentle acoustic pop.