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SPORTS, PAGE 20
FEATURES, PAGE 12
NEWS, PAGE 5
M c G I L L Vol. 23 Issue 22
a c tio n
T R I B U N E
Published by the Students' Society of M cG ill U niversity since 1981
W ednesday
March
2004
Ahoy Savoy! The pirates argggh coming! Panthea Lee
Fireworks exploding in the distante. Montreal Festival of Lights in front of Placodes Arts.
McGill pushes for tuition hike Adm inistrators address parliam entary commission Society political attaché. “I think we all knew going into it that that was At the February 17 presentation what was going to be said.” to the Quebec parliamentary com Munroe-Blum said that Quebec mission on post-secondary educa universities are underfunded by tion, Principal Heather Munroe- $375-million compared to universi Blum and Provost Luc Vinet said ties in other provinces. that tuition rates must rise in order “As a result of underfunding for to relieve the severely underfunded the past decade, Quebec universities are increasingly unable to compete university system. The 49-minute presentation with their peers in terms of quality from the McGill administration and accessibility,” said Vinet during highlighted the need for higher the presentation. “We are approach tuition, but made almost no men ing a crisis in our system of post-sec tion of undergraduate students ondary education.” Vinet said that underfunding thereafter. “I don’t think anybody was real has resulted in smaller library collec ly surprised,” said Baijayanta tions, less financial aid and difficulty Mukhopadhyay, the Students’ recruiting graduate students and fac Jennifer Jett
ulty. “In an increasingly competitive marketplace for students and faculty, our buildings and classrooms are in bad shape even by Quebec compar isons,” he said. McGill in particular is under funded, said Munroe-Blum. Fifteen per cent of students in Quebec are studying at McGill, which is award ed almost a third of competitive research funding, she said, but the university only receives 6 per cent of provincial funds to maintain infra structure. While the government must commit more to universities, she said, it will not be enough.
Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates o f Penzance is one of the most beloved operettas of all time for one good reason: it is great fun. No profound dissection of theatrical or musical theory is required to explain its appeal. Pirates bases its longstand ing success upon a simple formula: catchy tunes, a loopy plot and slap stick characters. The McGill Savoy Society’s rendition of the produc tion is a grand effort that dazzles and delights. The operetta opens off the coast of 19th century Cornwall, as the audience meets a gang of pirates and their apprentice, Frederick, who has just turned 21. This mile stone frees Frederick from the pirate band—he'was mistakenly appren ticed to it as a boy because his hardof-hearing nanny Ruth mistook his father’s words of “pilot” for pirate. From the outset, the campy, goofy nature of the production is evident. And it doesn’t let up. The tempo increases gradually, easing into a frolicking, shtick-a-minute pace. As an orgy of action and colour explode onstage, the audience isn’t sure where tq look—the hilarious gags of the pirates, the playful flirta tions of the coquettish wards, or the main action up in front. Ivan Corpus plays an earnest
See SSMU, page 4
Frederick, but he rushes his line delivery and neglects to milk comedic opportunities and really ham it up. Frederick and his love interest, Mabel (Rachel Hamilton), fall short of great chemistry—their mutual adoration is muted— though their voices complement each other nicely. Hamilton’s singing flaunted the soprano’s amazing vocal range. The choruses are dazzling, from the pirates to the wards to the bungling policemen, all possessing brilliant comedic timing. As they scurry around the stage, the pirates grunting and the wards giggling, their collective caricatures provide many knee-slappers. The policemen resemble the chorus of a Greek tragedy at times, delivering their lines in robotic unison. The major-general, played by a talented Peter Giser, steals the show. He makes his entrance on a Razor scooter and performs his trademark tune with an altered last verse. Ah yes, boasts the major-gen eral gleefully, he is indeed a “the very model of a modern metrosexual” (rather than major-general) that loves boy bands and is down with P-Diddy, while showing off wacky
See ADVENTURE, page 17
Rob Salerno becomes the new AUS president, with 44.4 per cent of the vote. NEWS, PAGE 3
I Graber looks at the sponsorship scandal and reveals how oral sex just might kill you. OP/ED, PAGE 10 d
Andrew W.K. faces the prospect of being labeled a novelty act for the rest of his career. A&E, PAGE 16
2 0 0 4 C IS I c e H o c k e y C h a m p i o n s h i p s See M c G ill b a ttle fo r a n a tio n a l title HERE a t M c C o n n e ll A re n a ! M a rch 11- 14, 2 0 0 4 . G old m e d a l g a m e te le v is e d on TSN! 2004 S&3& :!«wssv
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A,
GAME
TIMES
March 11-13: 4:30& 7:30 pm ( Mc Gi l l plays March 12,13 @ 7:30) Sun March 14: Bronze Game (10:00 am). Gold medal game (1:00 pm) w w w .ath letics.m cg ill.ca
M cG ill ATHLETICS