City Week

Vroom!

Fourth Annual Tucson British Car Roundup

9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 26

St. Philip's Plaza

4280 N. Campbell Ave.

400-3337;

www.tucsonbritish.com

James Bond drove them, so they have to be cool.

About 50 British automobiles will be on display this weekend at St. Philip's Plaza as part of the Fourth Annual British Car Roundup.

Featuring everything from cutting-edge Jaguars and tricked-out MINI Coopers to timeless Sunbeams, this car show promises fun for everyone from newcomers to purists.

"In my experiences, I've found British car owners to be some of the friendliest (people)," said Car Roundup coordinator Rex Funk. "This show is a great opportunity for outreach, where people can really come to learn a lot about both the automobiles and the people who own them."

Funk is a part of the Tucson British Car Register (TBCR), a group of about 95 Tucsonans. For the past three years, members of the TBCR have invited car buffs from all over the Southwest to view the collection of vehicles they have to offer.

"We've heard of some people coming down for this from as far as Washington state," Funk said. "This event has become one of the largest in Arizona, and it's a great way to preserve these vehicles."

Funk admits that the British-car bug is contagious. He has been the proud owner of a Sunbeam Alpine Series II for more than 20 years and is still excited to show it off.

"The show has a really laid-back atmosphere, and although we have some competition like 'Best in Show,' it's not dog-eat-dog out there," Funk said. "We're just trying to have some fun."

As times change, the classics remain classic.

"As the hobby ages," Funk added, "It's great to see more and more young people get involved."

The show is free, but food donations for the Tucson Community Food Bank are appreciated. —T.K.


Sublimely Silly

Found Footage Festival

7 and 10 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26

Loft Cinema

3233 E. Speedway Blvd.

795-7777;

loftcinema.com;

foundfootagefest.com

"Inside and Outside of Custodial Duties," found in the break room of a McDonald's, is the origin of the Found Footage Festival.

"I just could not believe how insultingly dumb it was," said Nick Prueher, co-founder of the festival. "As if it isn't demeaning enough to be a McDonald's janitor, you have to sit through this video."

Prueher said he used to have friends over to watch videos and make funny comments. Thanks to thrift stores and garage sales, their collection grew.

"By 2004, we had a pretty big collection," Prueher said. "We thought, 'Let's take it out of our living room and bring it to a larger audience,' and to our surprise, people showed up, and it struck a chord with people who were feeling nostalgic."

This year marks the biggest Found Footage Festival to date—and it even includes a video found in Tucson, called "Crystal Sticks," made by a man who hosted a public-access show.

The festival's tour around the country helps it continue year after year. The Loft reached out to Prueher and co-host Joe Pickett and asked them to bring the festival here.

"I think it was 2005 or 2006 when they (the Loft) e-mailed us and said, 'Hey, we have this great theater in Tucson and have built an audience that would really like your videos,'" Prueher said. "Now it's one of our favorite cities in the world."

Not only does Prueher encourage people to come out; he also encourages them to bring videos.

"We're always looking for new tapes, and we're showing them across the country. We would love to have Tucson represented in next year's show," he said. "And, obviously, we give these tapes a good home."

Tickets are $8, or $6 for Loft members. —J.W.


Sleuths!

Holmes and Watson II

7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m., Sunday, through April 10

The Comedy Playhouse

3620 N. First Ave.

260-6442;

thecomedyplayhouse.com

Tony Eckstat and Drew Kallen are making yet another appearance as one of literature's most famous detective duos at the Comedy Playhouse in Holmes and Watson II.

"There's a lot of my audience that enjoys Alfred Hitchcock and Agatha Christie and old-fashioned mysteries, and that's why I put Sherlock Holmes on the schedule," said Bruce Bieszki, who opened the Comedy Playhouse last year. "(These) are all adaptations from the original (Sir Arthur Conan) Doyle stories."

In the play, the pair muses on four different cases: "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton," "The Adventure of the Second Stain," "The Adventure of the Empty House" and "The Adventure of the Final Problem."

"People know what they are going to get when they come through the door, and that's good for theater, when people know what they are going to see," Bieszki said.

This show includes new cast members, according to Bieszki. The seven-week preparation for the play lent itself to its seven-week run—which concludes on the playhouse's one-year anniversary.

The interaction of the audience with those onstage in solving the mysteries is a feature which makes this play special, according to Bieszki.

"It's a chance for the audience to match wits with Sherlock, because they get the same clues he does ... but my money's on Sherlock," Bieszki said.

This interaction feeds into Bieszki's feelings about the importance of community in theater.

"My goal and my attitude toward theater is: I want my audience to walk out my door feeling better than when they walk in," Bieszki said. "I want people to feel that."

Tickets are $18, or $16 for seniors and students. —J.W.


Bach to Basics

God Glimmer

3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 27

Berger Performing Arts Center

1200 W. Speedway Blvd.

400-5439;

www.cmpsouthwest.org

Harry Clark knows his cellos.

Recognizing their presence in commercials, movie scores and other moments throughout his day, Clark, the artistic director of Chamber Music PLUS, was inspired to embark on a journey of everything cello in his newest show, God Glimmer.

This Sunday, Clark invites audiences of all ages to join in a four-part exploration of this classic instrument.

"I've written scripts before," Clark said, "but this is the first time I'll be playing and acting all at once. This is by far the hardest undertaking of my career, and I'm a little bit scared, but altogether very excited."

Clark has created a philosophical and musical experiment focusing on the cello's history. His script includes a detailed perspective on the origins of the instrument, beginning with the Bach Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello; his personal experiences with the cello; a hypothesis on how the instrument evolved musically; and attempts to explain why famous musicians like Bach were so enamored with this particular instrument.

Clark said the cello has experienced a recent rebirth in popular music, as the world approaches the 300th birthday of the Bach suites—but few people get a chance to ever witness a solo cellist at work.

"I've had this idea simmering for years, but it's amounted to nearly nine months of solid, hard work," Clark said.

Although the show is designed to be informative, Clark is confident in the piece's entertainment factor.

"This isn't a lecture," Clark said. "I write drama, so, yes, there will be information, but what I really want is for people to feel."

Tickets are $36, or $15 for students and children younger than 12. —T.K.