t"earts ·Yi·~ain l '

Chaucer's'greatest work adapted for stage The "Canterb~ry Tales," by Southward. All are embarking on ' a Priest, ' the Clerk, the Squire, and the

Geoffrey Chaucer, perhaps his greatest pilgramage to ' Thomas Beckett's Friar. work, has been adapted for the stage. , shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. The company approves the Host's

Based on a translation from The personages from the suggestion that each Pilgrim tell two Chaucer b1 Nevill Coghill and contemporary life, which Chau'cer so stories on the sixty-mile ride to associates, it has become an inventive , vividly created by skillful use of the Canterbury and two on the way back. musical comedy. One which I feel, in pregnant phrase, have been kept alive The best raconteur is to bJ rewarded its ribald approach" the University throughout by means of the links, the upon their return by a dinner at the Theatre at Eastern can be proud to prologues and epilogues between the others' expense. present ot you - our patrons. ,\ stories. Of the number of tales which

In the prologue, Chaucer tells of Here are glimpses of the Pilgrims as Chaucer wrote at the height on his meeting a company of twenty-nine they move along on their journey. The powers, Coghill has chosen four-each persons at the Tabard Inn in authors of this "ribald musical de~ling comically with love and

comedy" have treated them as real ' marriage as a debate on the comedy of eastern news

Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Ill. 61920

Monday, April 1, 1974 ' Printed by the "

• Coles County Dai'ly Times-Courier Charleston, Ill. 61920

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human beings, instead of mere literary the relations between the sexes. figures. ' The first, "The Miller's Tale",

It is evident that Coghill recounts how a jolly clerk cuckolds a ,. recognized the possibility afforded rich carpenter at Oxford and plays a

him by Chaucer's choice of a lewd trick on a parish clerk who also pilgrimage as a unifying device t~ loves the carpenter's wife . heighten the dramatic interest. ). The second, "The Steward's Tale", Chaucer , himself chose to bring the is' a retort to the Miller's tale since the smalL group together for a number of Steward had been. a carpenter. Two days in close contact and it is expected clerks are robbed of a part of a meal that ,antagonisms would arise among ' by a miller,. They take their rev.enge on tl;1em. tne Miller's wife and daughter.

These same antagonisms , serve as The third, "The Merchant's,Tale", the motivating forces for the tales. is' about a young wife and her lover, Thus it is quite understandable that who is married to an old man. The each pilgrim tells a story aimed at the husband becomes blind. The young other. woman and her lover make love in a

The list of personages include the pear tree ill his presence, whereupon Host, the Merchant, the Wife of Bath, his sight is suddenly restored. With the Cook, the Miller, the Knight, the help, the wife and the lover are able to Steward, the Prioress, the Nun, the deceive the old man ..

And, "The Wife of Bath's Tale", much like most fairy tales, recounts

, the story of a knight who must answer with the provision that he marry her. He carries out his promise reluctantly, and is iewarded.

Once you have seen "Canterbury Tales," you will agree that-the authors have preserved Chaucers' remarkable ability for storytelling and you may even come away whistling the tunes which the authors have created in a modern ' popular idiom with a Chaucerian flavor.

The production is scheduled to open April 4 at 8 p.m. with other performances on April 5,6,8,and 9 at 8 p.m. and April 7 at 2 p.m.

Reservations may be made at the Fine Arts ticket office, which is open from . I to 5 daily, or by phoning 581-3110.

Tickets are $2.00 for adults, $1.00 for youth and 75 cents for Eastern students.