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ANIMATION FESTIVAL The International Tournee of Animation is a forum for future greats of animation. Among those who have had their work featured in past tournees are Mike Judge of Beavis and Butt-head fame as well as Tim Burton and Henry Sellick who worked together to produce A Nightmare Before Christmas. Ren and Stimpy and The Simpsons also saw early exposure at the tournee. Given such fine company, this year's shorts promise orgasmic fun. One great film pertinent to revelers of campus is I Think I Was an Alcoholic. The film short features violent puking and killer toilets. Another creative short was Words, Words, Words. Set in a bustling cafe, people's words are creatively represented as dominos, breasts, elephants and amorphous shapes that portray the essence of what is being said. When two lovers in the cafe open their mouths shapes float out and up where they gather to become pieces in one jigsaw puzzle. All of the pieces fit until the last bounces off and falls to the floor when the two realize that they are not compatible after all. In the cafe also is a sly little dog that we catch glimpses of slinking around and sucking down any form of alcohol in any unattended glass he can lay his paws on. The 24th International Tournee of Animation is being featured at the Ritz at the Bourse on 4th St. between Market and Chestnut until April 21st. Call 925-7900 or 440-1180 for movie times. --Rand Orban ART The Subculture Gallery is not only for the penny loafer-wearing, 'I own a two millimeter by two millimeter original Degas' art connoisseurs. Rather, the ambiance is relaxed and informal. In fact, upon walking in, one is not greeted by the owner but his friendly, good ol' American mutt of a dog. The Subculture Gallery is not like the galleries of the Old City where the prices start at $2,000; it's a modest co-op of dedicated artists who choose themselves what to display. Among the more amateur compositions lie a sprinkling of standouts. Owner David Schwartz (himself an artist) has a number of pieces on display. One frustratingly untitled work by artist Spencer Sweeney depicts an intriguing, peculiar male face. The layering of color is thin, done with a very dry brush, as if to avoid path tread of Van Gogh, whose thick application of paint often cost him many-a-days meal, (literally -- Vincent starved himself in the name of artistic expression). In another innovative manipulation of medium, mosaics are created from interwoven strips of two pages of a magazine, creating a checkerboard-like pattern. The two pages somehow combine ironically to form a politically biting commentary. The Subculture Gallery, located at 820 South Street, is a multi-media display of about fifteen local artists. Pieces are usually up for two months, and most are for sale. -- Fritz FridlYnd RESTAURANT Dinner in a bank usually isn't the most appealing prospect. Austere walls and drab decor have never done much to whet the sinful appetite. Circa will change this perception. Converted from the Old Industrial Valley Bank at 15th and Walnut, Circa offers a unique setting for a fine meal. Upon first entering, one is struck by the enormity of the restaurant. Refined yet elegant marble walls and floors form a long pathway to your table as candelabras guide you on your way. An enormous but unobtrusive mosaic hangs on the wall, setting a mellow mood. "Um," she says, "The wine does go well with the chicken." Yes it does. The wine list offers a wide variety ranging from the moderately priced to the expensive. The menu also reveals a wide selection from Italian, to continental, to seafood. Everything is generally palatable, and the lamb is especially tasty. Talk to Phillipe, a co-owner, and he'll tell you that the Salmon Osso busso, an entree, and the duck ravioli, an appetizer, are specialties of Circa. The food just doesn't stop. Don't worry about the bill though. The prices are relatively moderate, and make for a good deal given the large portions. Circa seems to cater largely to the '40-ish' crowd, providing a casual (perhaps dull) ambience that makes for a relaxing meal. As many of Penn's social mavens have discovered, Circa doubles as dance club at night. Though the owners prefer people to think of it as a restaurant first, this combination offers a nice opportunity for dinner and dance. Just remember to let your food settle. For reservations call 545-6800. --Ted DeBiase PLAY What started as the simple idea of professor and drama expert Lynda Hart, the Women's Theater Festival has entered its fifth year backed by thousands of corporate dollars and a rising reputation among local and national thespians. Hart's creation, which first ran over one weekend, has expanded to include two full weeks worth of performances and socializing among Philadelphia's theater elite. This upcoming festival offers the most impressive and varied list of performers ever to hold court at the Festival's home base, Movement Theatre International on 37th and Chestnut. The festival runs from April 13 to 23, and will feature ongoing performances from women dramatists, comics, and satirists. Perhaps most prominent is storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki, who was the first Asian American storyteller to be featured at the National Storytelling Festival in 1988. Comedy remains the Festival's strongpoint, and a series of troupe and one-woman performances will attempt to make sense of the recent encroachments on artistic rights that have been implemented by well-meaning but misguided institutions. In past years, the Festival's best comedy was linked to less political topics. Jokes about womanhood, dating and tampons are topics to which all women can relate, and shows entitled "Dirtbags," "Curses! Foiled Again," "Of Mice, Bugs, and Women," promise to inject bits of that universal humor. Tickets and reservations for the Festival can be made through Innovation Arts Box Office at 963-0345. --Dennis "Pee Wee" Berman