Or, You Could Plead Temporary Insanity

In the interests of hilarity and anarchy, we are pleased to present: Three Theories to Get You to Sneak Off to the Theater When You Probably Should Be Studying Instead.

1. The Live-Life-to-the-Full Theory. Look at it this way: in five years you won't remember your grade in whatever course you're cramming for. Your mother might--but you won't. And neither will your roommate, your tutor, or whoever's teaching the course. What you will remember is a fantastic evening's entertainment. So what are you waiting for? You never know, you might be missing a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

2. The Therapeutic Theory. Seriously, it isn't healthy. Nobody can study all the time. You know perfectly well that you're going to goof off anyway, so why not do it right? You need a break. Go see a show, and when you get back those lectures notes might even make sense.

3. The To-Hell-With-It-All Theory. So who needs rationalizations, anyway? Just do it. Stand up this evening. Put one foot in front of the other, get to a theater.... (Note: The author takes no responsibility whatsoever for the repercussion of this column.)

The Boston stage this month offers a handful of unusual events, with one or two classics thrown in for good measure. On the Twentieth Century, a new musical comedy set in the old Twentieth Century Limited train, plays at 8 daily, and Thursday and Saturday at 2, at the Colonial Theatre. Another new play, a murder suspense thriller entitled Deathtrap, by Ira Levin, starts January 26 with performances Monday through Saturday at 8, and Wednesday and Saturday at 2, at the Wilbur Theatre.

The Harlequin Theater Company presents Total Eclipse, a biographical drama about poets Rimbaud and Verlaine, at the Agassiz Theater in the Radcliffe Yard, Thursday-Sunday at 8, through January 29. Also at Harvard, the Loeb features the National Theater of the Deaf in The Three Musketeers, January 26-29.

As for the classics, the Boston Shakespeare Company presents an offbeat Much Ado About Nothing, January 18-21 at 8 and Thursday and Saturdays at 8, until February 26; Henry IV Part I is also offered, Fridays at 8 and Wednesday, February 1. Ibsen's Hedda Gabler runs through February 11, Wednesday and Friday at 8 and Saturday at 5 and 8:30, at the Lyric Stage.

But perhaps the most noteworthy offering of the month is not drama but dance, as MIT, in conjunction with the recently-formed Boston Repertory Ballet, presents A Week of Ballet, culminating in a performance at MIT's Kresge Auditorium at 8 on Saturday, January 28. The evening will feature special guest artists Lydia Abarca and Ronald Perry of the Dance Theater of Harlem in pas de deux from the virtuoso "Le Corsaire" and the Balanchine-Stravinsky "Agon," as well as the Repertory company in Antony Tudor's "Soiree Musicale," Director Samuel Kurkjian's snappy "Speed Zone", and the world premiere of a new Kurkjian work, "A Cole Porter Suite." The week preceding offers lecture-demonstrations and master classes by members of the Company. For ticket and general information on what should be an unusually in-depth look at dance, call 253-2195.