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1st appeared 12 July 2000 NINA'S ARTS NOTES
The Art and Science of Piddling "Brilliant! Doctor Hinman has produced the most authoritative account of what goes on when water must be jettisoned. Things we sure needed to know." Neal Headstrong, Astronaut
The author is Frank Hinman, Jr., who probably wrote the comments, too. He is also the publisher, one suspects, as "The Vespasian Press" is too perfect to be true. Vespasian was the Roman Emperor (69-79 AD) who introduced public lavatories; he did so much for mankind that in France and Italy those street conveniences still bear his name. And could it be that the very font in which the book is printed -- the hitherto unknown Hinfontline2 -- owes its origin to that same UCSF urology professor? The book is based on a one-hour lecture of his and it’s sponsored by, among others, Friends of Noah, whose motto is "Never again, without better facilities." Starting with training, then hovering, then marking, Hinman takes us through those curious byways where science and behavior meet. Finally, he answers the key questions he asked at the start: Why does a rhinoceros piddle that way? That may not be information you most urgently need to know, but with humans it becomes a vital matter indeed. When San Francisco’s grand War Memorial Opera House closed in 1996 for extensive repair and refurbishment, the most frequent question was, "Are there going to be more ladies’ rooms?" During almost all of the 20th century, Frank Hinmans have been associated with urology at UCSF. The first department chairman was Frank Hinman, Senior, who arrived in 1915. His son began urologic residency in the UCSF rotation after medical studies at Johns Hopkins and surgical residency in Cincinnati, following his two years on the aircraft carrier Intrepid, which took frequent hits during World War II. Hinman, Jr., has been a clinical professor at UCSF since 1962. He writes serious professional tomes, such as his Atlas of Urologic Surgery, which has been translated into five languages, and he has won all the major awards in his field. He is also a skilled painter who exhibits regularly at the UCSF art shows and, as his little yellow book shows, he is a gifted cartoonist. The Art and Science of Piddling by Frank Hinman, Jr., is available for your own enlightenment and for gifts at www.vespasianpress.com. Encore Les Misérables - Extended to September 16
Doubt it, because audiences at the current revival, which runs at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre through September 16, seem to be composed of other newcomers, as well as those who have seen this hugely successful pop-opera several times before. If you did see Les Miz during its previous SF runs in 1989 and 1992 you may have forgotten how good it is. Now you will be seeing and hearing a completely different cast, improved lighting design, new costumes and a new state-of-the-art sound system. And of course any live performance is somewhat different from night to night. All 36 actors in the cast are highly skilled. Ivan Rutherford is a superb Jean Valjean, believable as the fiercely rebellious convict and later as the fatherly savior of Cosette and Marius. His high voice extension is extraordinary, even to a listener accustomed to opera countertenors. Bass baritone Stephen Bishop sings strongly; he is an imposing figure and has made a rounded character of Javert, much more than a stock bad guy. Aymee Garcia and J.P. Dougherty are simply marvellous as the Thenardiers, whether they’re thieving innkeepers, corpse robbers, or hilariously gussied up nouveaux riches. Because this is a musical and the singers are miked, the smallish voices of Joan Almedilla as Fantine and Regan Thiel, the winning little Cosette, come through very audibly, which would not happen in opera. Above all, it was the power of the story and the theatrical wonder of the production that made Les Miz thrilling for me, rather than the nursery-rhyming lyrics or the banal music, though the 18-member orchestra in the pit played it very well. Action is propelled realistically on a giant turntable and by means of swift scene changes. Most impressive were the two large scene sections rolled in from the wings to form a bridge in Paris or high-piled to become the revolving barricade. On it the revolutionaries, led with fine fiery singing by Stephen Tewksbury, climb and shoot until they are defeated, and then their bodies are shown draped over the barricade in dramatic tableau. My highest praise for Les Miz: At times it’s almost as good as opera. Les Misérables, running until August 20 at the Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street at Taylor, Thurs-Sun eves, Thurs, Sat, Sun mats. Tickets at Curran Box Office; Ticketmaster 415/512-7770, or online. Buckminster Fuller When I was in high school many many years ago, one of my classmates was Bucky Fuller’s daughter Allegra, so I knew about this unique American visionary, though I was too young and too dumb to understand what an extraordinary man he was. Later his Geodesic Domes became fairly familiar, but the all-embracing extent of his creative mind still reaches beyond the understanding of most of us. Now a provocative one-man play based on Fuller’s life and work is coming to San Francisco. Playwright D.W. Jacobs, longtime artistic director of the San Diego Repertory Theatre, encountered Fuller first in 1969 at one of his legendary lectures which went on for almost a whole day. Jacobs later read the writings and researched widely, and with the cooperation of Fuller’s family he developed a play which dramatizes Fuller’s key ideas. The man himself is portrayed in this tour de force by Los Angeles actor Ron Campbell, who has said that playing Bucky "is like climbing Everest. ..his explorations are intrepid; he is absolutely fearless...the most human scientist ever encountered..." R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe plays July 12 to August 13 at the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, 620 Sutter Street at Mason, Wed-Sat eves 8pm; Sun.2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets by phone at 415/392-4400, or online. Sparkling Champagne Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is the most effervescent and lighthearted of operas, as you might expect from Johann Strauss Jr., of the Viennese waltz family. It’s full of wonderful waltzes, and of masquerades, flirtations, and really funny jokes. It’s one big champagne party but the only hangovers it leaves are laughter and high spirits, which is why Die Fledermaus is often performed on New Year’s Eve. Ideally, Strauss’s lilting music should bubble up with youthful Verve Cliquot (oops!) and that is precisely what will happen when the brilliant young artists of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program perform it in a new production, delightfully staged and costumed. It’s a show your whole family will enjoy. This is the first time since the Program started in 1957 that Merola’s future opera stars are performing in an indoor San Francisco theatre -- and a perfect one for this show -- in addition to their recent outing in Stern Grove. By now it is well known that many of the biggest stars on opera stages all over the world are Merola graduates; seeing and hearing them "when" adds the joy of discovery to the pleasure of the opera. There are only three performances and seating is limited, so don’t miss out. Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss., Jr. August 12 & 13, 8 p.m.; Aug 13, 2 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street at Third. Tickets at Yerba Buena Box Office, phone 415/928-2727; fax 415/978-5210, and from SF Opera Box Office at 415/864-3330. Greek Gods and Sinking Ships
San Francisco’s own "lost musical" company, 42nd Street Moon, is producing a new version of Cole Porter’s Out of This World, a 1950 comedy that put libidinous Greek gods on the prowl in modern-day Athens. The Cole Porter Trust has given 42nd Street Moon the honor of taking the best from the many different versions of Out of This World, parts of which were originally banned in Boston, and joining them in a new theatrical and musical version, so that Porter’s brilliant score is shown off to its best advantage. Out of This World, July 14 –30, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street at Battery, 8 pm Thurs Fri, 6 PM Sat, 2 PM Sun. Tickets and information 415/788-1125 or online.
Is it safe to go in the water again? Titanic A New Musical comes to San Francisco this summer. Billed as "a seamless blend of epic grandeur, vibrant music, and intimate human drama," Titanic took five Tony Awards in 1997, including prizes for its book and original score. Unlike other recreations of the famous disaster, the musical Titanic is based on the actual passengers and crew of the ill-fated liner. Among them are millionaire John Jacob Astor IV and his new 19-year old wife; Isador and Ida Straus, founders of Macy’s and the ship’s Captain Edward J. Smith, whose crucial decisions were later brought into question. Titanic:A New Musical , Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market Street (Hyde & 8th) Tues-Fri 8 p.m., Wed. mat 2 p.m., Sat. 2 and 8, Sun 2 p.m. Tickets at Orpheum Box Office & all Ticketmasters. For information call Best of Broadway 425/551-2000 or visit the website. A San Francisco resident for 20 years, Nina Beckwith is a longtime arts writer and music critic and a former Time magazine overseas correspondent. She was founding editor of the UC Berkeley Library newsletter Bene Legere and worked for six years with the late Dr. Peter Ostwald, Director of the UCSF Health Program for Performing Artists. |
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NOTES Copyright ©1999 Regents
of the University of California. All rights reserved. |
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This
is one of the enthusiastic comments about a funny little yellow book
written and illustrated by a distinguished UCSF professor. Funny?
Yes, and delightful, telling you all you wanted to know about The
Art and Science of Piddling, Voiding Habits of Man and Beast.
Was
I the only person on the planet who had not seen Les Miz?