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"Wife to James Whelan"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Taut character study, with reservations

The Mint Theater Company presents an interesting offering in "Wife to James Whelan." Written in the 1930s by Teresa Deevy but not produced until 1956, the work is now receiving its U.S. premiere. However while the play certainly has a lot to say when it comes to the limits people will go to achieve success, and how much farther they will go when it comes to literal survival, the messages are obscured by a lot of dead spaces in the story, which could benefit from either some judicious cutting or serious sharpening of the direction.

In the small town of Kilbeggan in the Irish countryside, a young worker named James Whalen (Shawn Fagan), a man with an enormous drive to make something of himself, has been promoted to a job in Dublin. It's a move rankling some in the town who had hoped to win the job themselves, such as the somewhat loutish Bill McGafferty (Jeremy S. Holm). In addition to his drive to succeed, James also has a roving eye for the ladies, who flock to him continuously. Numbering among said women are his good friend Kate Moran (Rosie Benton), and the fiery Nan Bowers (Janie Brookshire), the latter being the love of his life. Nan however, refuses to promise to wait for James until he returns (part of her resentment coming from the fact that James never asked for any kind of a commitment from her till he's about to leave). Then again, concerned about her own future, Nan already has a replacement waiting in the wings, in the form of one Jack McClinsey (Thomas Matthew Kelley).

Act two takes place seven years later with James running a successful bus company and about to inaugurate a new transportation route. A hard taskmaster with a set way of doing things, he is someone who can be a decent sort or an outright basted if the mood strikes. He also doesn't seem to be all that happy in his own skin. The one person who can talk to him is Kate, who visits him frequently and would marry him in an instant if he asked. However because they're "too different" (his words), she's long since settled into best friend/confidant status.

James, who now has Kate's younger brother Apollo (Jon Fletcher) working for him in "the outer office," is possibly interested in Nora Keane (Liv Rooth) as a potential wife. (Her father is quite wealthy, which may make her a suitable match in James' eyes.) But his quietly ordered and controlled world is threatened when Nan reenters his life. Having fallen on hard times and now almost destitute, Nan has come to beg James for a job. After some feigned hesitation he agrees to hire her, although the conditions he sets are somewhat humiliating. However James flies into a righteous rage when he catches Nan stealing from him; letting his past feelings for her and what he sees as a betrayal, coupled with his personal sense of right and wrong, dictate a punishment that may be harsher than she deserves when one considers all the circumstances involved.

In James Whalen Deevy has created a man filled with anger and bile (much of it directed at himself) along with determination, a perennial chip on his shoulder and someone determined to escape his past and succeed on his own terms (as he pointedly tells Nora at one point). Yet at the same time one can almost see how unhappy he is, with an almost self-destructive streak when it comes to his relationships. Fagan strongly brings to life this fascinating and multilayered character, one that is not really all that likable, yet complex enough to make him quite interesting to behold.

Another strong asset of the play is the author's keen ear for dialogue (surprising when one considers that Deevy was deaf by age 20, long before she became a playwright). From the early line "is the sun warmer on a rich man's skin," to the proclamations from the title character, as well as the pleadings of Nan and the advice of Kate, all of the words spoken (and manner of their delivery) seem quite suited to the various characters and setting depicted.

Sadly, both the first and third acts (act one being mainly a set up for what is to follow) are interminably long at points. (Which is rather jarring, considering each of the three acts run only approximately 40 minutes in length.) The text contains numerous and continual entrances and exits of characters, with scenes that could be combined, condensed, or cut altogether. The information may have been put there to add depth and characterization, but the way it's currently structured and executed causes large portions of the story to drag. Something forgivable perhaps in the beginning, but not so much so when it comes to trying to reach a conclusion; the extra bits of business interfering with the flow of the story. It's a problem that must be laid at the feet of the playwright, as well as director Jonathan Bank, perhaps a bit more on the latter. As director, it is his responsibility to ensure that the production plays on an even keel. Because the show lacks proper pacing, it has a habit of being somewhat "off" at points, with no connection to watching something happening in the moment. Instead it comes off as a stage play with a curio shop feel.

Casting is mostly strong throughout. In addition to Fagan's aforementioned excellent job as Whelan, Brookshire does a powerful turn as Nan, a once proud woman, who through a series of circumstances now has no pride or respect for herself whatsoever, and will do whatever it takes to keep herself and her family from starving. Watching the character throughout the piece, one can't help but feel pity for this woman who has fallen so far so quickly. Benton is good as the dependable yet perennially lovelorn Kate, her quiet words and mannerisms revealing volumes about her own struggles with loneliness. Fletcher offers some earnest comic relief as Apollo, a young boy on the verge of manhood; Aidan Redmond adds quiet charm to the role of Tom Carey, a bus driver for Whelan and a person who once had an eye for Nan and who may have again. Kelley is okay as McClinsey, the "new kid in town;" and Holm is fine as the somewhat sneering and too-sure-of-himself McGafferty; in his own way, a sort of darker version of Whelan-though neither man will ever admit it.

The only real misstep when it comes to casting occurs in the small but pivotal role of Miss Keane. On the surface a more than slightly spoiled rich girl, she is supposed to have a bit of iron underneath, but Rooth's portrayal comes off as a bit too cartoonish and one-dimensional to really have the desired impact-even for someone Whelan may or may not see as a simple marriage of convenience. Whether this is primarily the fault of the performer or director is open to interpretation.

Sets by Vicki R. Davis are sparse but functional throughout; costumes by Martha Hally work well, and the lighting and sound design (by Nicole Pearce and Jane Shaw respectively) are fine. However one of the more physical scenes depicted, where one character throws another to the floor in act two, comes off as far too theatrical to seem real.

"Wife to James Whelan" certainly has a lot to say and offers some intriguing characters, especially when it comes to the title role, but in its current incarnation the show just doesn't seem quite yet ready for its way-too-long-in-coming New York bow.

Wife to James Whelan
Mint Theater Company
311 West 43rd Street
3rd Floor
Tickets: 212-315-0231 or www.minttheater.org
Running Time: Two Hours, Twenty Minutes, with two intermissions
Closes: October 3, 2010

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"Summer Shorts 4 - Evening B"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Mostly Quite Good Indeed

A batting average of .700 would be great for a ballplayer and that's the approximate percentage "Summer Shorts 4, Evening B" connects with in this set of four one-acts of new American plays now at 59E59 Theaters. Not all of the works presented are home runs, but the many solid hits and numerous strong performances make for a very enjoyable evening at the theatre.

The first offering is, unfortunately, the one solid miss of the group. Entitled "The Graduation of Grace," and written by Wendy Kesselman, the show is a one-person piece where a young girl's (Clara Hopkins Daniels) commencement speech turns into a discussion on race as she wonders if the graduating students, who have been pretty much insulated from the outside world, will be able to survive once they no longer have an academic safety net to protect them. It's an interesting topic and one which can go in a number of directions, but Daniels' delivery lacks an engaging quality to really draw the audience into her recitation. Instead, the entire speech quickly begins to have a rather dragging and monotone quality to it.

Making matters worse are the various dance movements the character breaks into. Movements which, one assumes are there to add emphasis to her various points, but end up being more distracting than anything else. Daniels tries gamily with what she has to work with, but the entire piece feels rather lifeless. Direction by Stephanie Berry is also weak, as it is quite unable to bring the story to life. Assistant director: Jeffrey V. Thompson. Assistant to the director: Emma Strauss.

The most fully developed piece of the four (and the one with the most heart) is the second show in the lineup, that being Alan Zweibel's "Happy." In 1997 Florida, Donald (Scott Adsit) a middle-aged man, has tracked down Happy Haliday (Arthur French), the latter now an aging building superintendent but once upon a long time ago a member of the 1962 New York Mets, enjoying a brief career (28 games) before an accident ended his playing days. Unsure as to why Donald has taken so much trouble to find him, the two begin a conversation with Happy tossing off caustic one-liners while the apologetic Donald becomes almost a man of two minds; part of him seeming to desperately want to be here and the other part needing to be somewhere else. (As Happy observes when he sees Donald continually looking at his watch.)

During the course of talking, and waxing nostalgic, Donald produces a baseball. One signed by the entire 1962 Mets team, all except Happy. Donald, it seems, is a dealer in sports memorabilia and the baseball he has will become extremely more valuable if Happy adds his signature to the others. However Donald is not simply here to make some quick cash off of Happy's name, as Happy first believes; nor is Donald some kind of crazy sports-fanatic going around the country stalking former ballplayers. Rather the play is a touching and gentle story of long-ago memories, a relationship between a father and son, and the renewing of a special connection formed 35 years earlier; one which Happy was never aware of, until now.

French plays Happy as a genial "take no guff" type of guy, having reached the age where he has no use for fools, but is more than happy to listen to a good story if there's a reason for telling it. He's also the type of person who, once he likes you, can become your friend for life. Adsit, meanwhile, is perfectly believable as a man trying to settle an old debt and acknowledge the past, while at the same opening up to a stranger, something quite difficult for him. Sensitively directed by Fred Berner, the play is a profoundly moving piece with a simple setting, and a tale which provides a satisfactory sense of closure without tying things up too neatly.

This same sort of open-ended ending is also present in offerings three and four, with differing results for each. In Neil Koenigsberg's "Fit," the show opens with Walter (Liam Torres), a middle aged but rather vital man (and as we later find out, a sort of randy fellow), getting a massage from a young trainer named Billy Butch (Jose Joaquin Perez). (This is, as Walter notes, the first time he's ever done something like this.) The encounter stirs up feelings deep inside Walter, ones which Billy Butch, who could use the money, is more than happy to encourage, even through there's more insinuation and surface denial than anything more overt. It's not long before Billy Butch has been hired to act as Walter's personal trainer, both men now living in the same building (albeit on different floors). Complicating the situation is the fact Billy Butch is deeply in love with Kimmie Rose (Kate Cullen Roberts) and she with him, and Walter has a wife, one who will be arriving quite soon. It also turns out that despite all of Kimmie Rose's complaining about this situation, she may have gotten a little too intimate with Walter herself at one time.

Happily brimming with sexual overtones, the play is also a spoof about the ultra-fitness fanatics among us, with Billy Butch and Kimmie Rose more concerned about being totally buff than anything else. Indeed they often get out their frustrations (sexual and otherwise) by doing isometrics and other exercises while talking or yelling. (After all, nothing says "I love you" then dropping down and doing twenty pushups.)

Roberts is especially brilliant here, playing Kimmie Rose so perfectly straight (no pun intended) that she comes off as a gym instructor gone Colonel Kurtz. Perez does a good job as a fitness nut trying to provide for his soul mate while making sure he doesn't cross the moral line into betrayal completely. Torres offers an interesting combination of determination and pathos for Walter, showing the audience a man yearning for something very special, yet he's also someone who may quite willingly end up hurting a lot of people. Unfortunately, things come unraveled towards the end with a great final set-up, but one which deprives the audience of knowing what comes next, the resulting abruptness making one feel somewhat cheated after watching all that has come before. Merri Milwe's direction is nicely timed, handling the ever-changing pace and flow of the story (from comic fitness sequences to ones of uneasy intimacy). The ultimate fault however, is not with the direction or the performances, but with the text. Assistant director: Gina Femia. Movement: Liz Milwe.

The final work, and the most riveting of the group, is Christopher Stetson Boal's drama "Jonathan's Blaze." Thomas (P.J. Sosko), a somewhat burned out Iraq veteran, whose wife left him and who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (or so he says); and who runs a gas station in the middle of nowhere in order to get by, finds himself on the receiving end of a gun held by Joseph (J.J. Kandel), a righteous scripture quoting fellow who has tracked him down in retaliation for the death of a young man who died under Thomas's command. (A death not due to enemy fire.) Yet Joseph, who Thomas is certain he's seen before, is not there follow the "eye or an eye" philosophy and kill Thomas. Rather, he's there to save his soul. Joseph will do this by reenacting the circumstances which lead to the controversial death (with himself as the stand-in for the departed); having a firm belief that Thomas will act completely differently this time around and save him. This despite Thomas's definitive declaration that he will do no such thing.

As the two men argue back and forth, exactly what happened in combat is slowly revealed as it turns out both men have secrets they've kept hidden, and lies they've used in an attempt to get what they want. Powerfully performed, both actors are excellent. Sosko plays Thomas as a sort of semi-burn out (calling to mind Ed Harris in the film "Jacknife"), wanting things to go back to the way they were before he was "over there," but knowing deep inside this will never happen. Kandel, who has to keep Joseph very tightly wound, plays the character as a guarded sort, and one single-minded in purpose, lest things become more complicated, and more human, than he can deal with. Although certainly not a laugh-a minute production, there are several instances of black humor present, such as when Joseph is explaining just what he had to go through with in order to get close to Thomas.

Direction by Alexander Dinelaris is superb, giving the audience the feeling of being right in the middle of the action, at times not daring to breathe for fear of interrupting what's unfolding onstage. Assistant director Jenna Lazar. Fight direction by Ron Piretti.

"Summer Shorts, Evening B" is a mixed bag to be sure, but with two solid works in its lineup, plus a third that has more than a few bright spots, the entire evening, while not totally satisfying, is quite worth seeing. Costumes by Michael Bevins are fine throughout, the changing sets by Robert Gould are always believable, and the lighting by Greg MacPherson and sound design by Tim Pioppo work well.

Summer Shorts 4 Evening B
59E59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.summershortsfestival.com Running Time: Two Hours, 10 Minutes
Closes: September 2, 2010


Clara Hopkins Daniels in a scene from THE GRADUATION OF GRACE
Photo: Carol Rosegg


José Joaquin Perez and Kate Cullen Roberts in a scene from FIT
Photo: Carol Rosegg


J.J. Kandel and P.J. Sosko in a scene from JONATHAN’S BLAZE
Photo: Carol Rosegg

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"Princes of Darkness"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Devilishly Good Time

Bill Connington, who created one of the most intense, uncomfortable and unforgettable performances at last year's New York International Fringe Festival with "Zombie" is at it again, this time playing The Devil himself in his new one-man show "Princes of Darkness" (which he wrote and performs in) at the Dream-Up Festival at Theater for the New City.

Also known as Lucifer, Satan and Beelzebub, it is another title, that of the "Prince of Lies," which best describes the character here. Connington playing Old Scratch as a sort of charming con man, looking like a cross between the M.C. from "Cabaret" and a snake oil salesman. Clad in a red jacket and exuding such a calm and seemingly welcoming manner, one can't help be wary of him and everything he says. Indeed, his first act is to urge those watching to join him in prayer, a strange enticement coming from the ruler of hell.

Satan is not here to steal your soul, (or so he says). Rather his purpose is to make you angry, as he goes through a litany of things that are wrong with the world (war, disease, crime, famine, etc.), shouting "where is God" then offering a rather unusual declaration. That anyone in the audience could run the universe just as well as the Almightily, and probably do it better.

To illustrate this possibility, Satan assumes the guise of a variety of famous characters, including Hamlet, Ophelia, Oedipus and Dracula, showing how each of them attempted to rule, only to be brought crashing down to defeat and destruction. In each scenario Connington literally becomes the character in question, leaving no trace of what has come before, other than the occasional aside from Satan, mocking those he is portraying.

At the same time, Lucifer plays an ongoing game of slight of hand, offering amateur magic tricks with cards, flowers and other paraphernalia, designed to confound and distract from the truth. However while he continually roars about how God is not fit to rule, his own past and fall from grace (aided by some very good sound effects and a regal voiceover by Connington), shows just how weak a figure he himself is.

An involving experience, Connington's performance raises the entire show from the simply interesting to the totally fascinating. Moving around at times like a sort of demented, yet fluid, marionette, he strikes a chilling figure, one to whom nothing is scared. Quite arresting are the way he takes various songs ('In the Bleak Midwinter," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise") and turns them into something macabre simply by changing the tempo or adding emphasis on certain words and phrases. Also quite impressive is the way he throws himself (almost sensually at times) into the various characters. Such as how he holds his fingers when he assumes the persona of Dracula; or the climax of the Oedipus sequence, which is quite different than what is usually seen.

Rachel Klein's direction and choreography are quite good. The effect she and Connington create is one that draws the audience into the tale, the black box space being a perfect stand in to a netherworld where anything can happen and anyone can pop out of the shadows. The only problem occurs when Satan keeps getting interrupted by the continual ringing of a telephone. Said "person" on the other end being a former lover of the Devil who wants to get back with this Evil Number One; with Satan doing his best to appear as a sort of henpecked fellow trying to get rid of a stalker. This may be a way for Satan to cast himself as a sort of "regular guy," but it ends up being more distracting than anything else, with a through line that's never fully explored (or given a reason for being there in the first place).

This minor quibble aside, the rest of the show succeeds on the strength of its concept, delivery and Connington's performance. Sean Gill's sound design is excellent; Klein's costumes are quite good, each fitting the various characters perfectly; and Kia Rogers' lighting design works very well.

As Satan notes in the beginning of the play "you can't believe everything you hear," a comment that is a statement of fact, a warning, and a challenge to the audience to see beyond what is presented and look beneath all of the Princes of Darkness to the underpinnings that drive them. Not a play for everyone's taste, but one that's definitely thought-provoking and ultimately quite satisfying.

Princes of Darkness
Presented by Theater for the New City and Razors Edge Productions
Dream Up Festival
Theatre for the New City
155 First Avenue
Running Time: 55 minutes
Closed: August 14, 2010


Bill Connington as Odeipus
Photo: Beau Allulli


Bill Connington as Lucifer
Photo: Beau Allulli

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"Freud's Last Session"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Quite a Stimulating Time

You can learn a lot more about a man from what he doesn't say than what he actually does. So is the underlying message (one of several) in the very interesting and intellectually challenging "Freud's Last Session." This work by Mark St. Germain, (suggested by "The Question of God" by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr.) and nicely directed by Tyler Marchant, is now playing at the Marjorie S. Dean Little Theater.

"Freud's Last Session" deals with an imagined 1939 meeting between Dr. Sigmund Freud (Martin Rayner), and author and Oxford professor C.S. Lewis (Mark H. Dold). The latter at the time just beginning his career, while Friend was at the end of his. While there is no definitive poof that the two men ever met, Freud did meet a professor from Oxford in 1939; though who that man was has never been conclusively established. The playwright uses this situation as the basis for a meeting/face-off between these two very different individuals.

With England on the brink of war, Lewis has been invited to Freud's estate in Hampstead (not far outside London), the questions of religion and belief (or lack thereof), being the reason for the meeting. Freud, a longtime avowed atheist, has asked to see Lewis, a man who once shared a similar worldview, but who underwent a conversion and become a true believer regarding the existence of God. As such, Freud wants to find out just what could make a man change his convictions so completely. With the two diametrically opposed on such a contentions point, it's a sure bet that several strong differences of opinion will follow.

The actual clash of opinions cover no real new ground and who one chooses to believe depends on where the audience member stands on the subject matter discussed. What makes the play so interesting is each man's absolute certainty that they are in the right; as well as the methods they use to make their case and poke holes in the perceptions of their opponent. Freud asks if there is a God, how can he allow there to be much suffering in the world, while Lewis believes it is all a part of a master plan. A belief which crystallized for him on a trip to the zoo. ("When I set out I didn't believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. When I arrived, I did. It was that simple.") Exactly how Lewis arrived at this belief (with the help of people on both ends of the "does God exist" spectrum), is explained quite believably, as he treats both Freud (and the audience) to an unlocking of his own very personal take on this age-old question.

Using these arguments as a starting point, the play slowly begins to peel back the outer layers of both men, showing the complex personas within, as issues such as family, war, love, literature, and humor are examined and dissected. (The joke about the priest and the atheist is very funny.) The two men's actions during an air raid are particularly telling, with each man having been profoundly and painfully touched by war. Lewis from his service in the First World War, ("The War To End All Wars. They'll never be such a thing."); and Freud who was forced to leave his native Vienna at the onset of the WW II, though not before his daughter was interrogated by the Nazis.

It's interesting to note how both Freud and Lewis are confident about discussing certain aspects of their lives, but become quite guarded when things get too personal. Freud may speak quite plainly of his determination to kill himself when the cancer he battles becomes too much to deal with, (two weeks from the time the play is set, Freud would indeed take his own life), but he remains rather tight-lipped regarding his relationship with his daughter Anna; a woman he both dominates and is quite dependant on. (Another topic both men keep coming back to is the preciousness of life and the quality of same.) Lewis, meanwhile, has his own relationship with the mother of one of his friends who died in the war ("I promised I'd look out for her"), that he would rather remain off limits.

Rayner plays Freud brilliantly, showing the recognized public perception of the psychiatrist as well as the conflicted and tormented man underneath. Rayner also gets the best laugh lines, often tempering his remarks with a dash of humor. Also quite poignant is his heartbreaking portrayal of someone in the final stages of oral cancer. 30-odd operations have left him with a lower jaw removed and in constant pain from an ill-fitting prosthesis. Pain which has reduced this brilliant intellectual to a terrified child at times.

Dold has the more difficult task with Lewis, at the time not yet as well-known and also a bit more limited with the persona of a stiff and proper Englishman; (compared to Rayner who has Freud's irascibility to play off of.) Still, Dold carries the role off well, making his point with calm and well-thought out reasoning. (Interesting to note that it's the atheist who is the more emotional of the two.)

Marchant's direction starts the pace off slow, then gradually moves things into high gear as the two men begin to realize their time together is growing short and that they will probably not meet again. The result being a gradual increase of tension (and interest) as the story builds to its conclusion.

Brian Prather's set of Freud's study is excellent; the area cluttered with books and papers, yet still comfortable enough to make one feel at ease when talking. (And yes, we do see the "famous" couch.) Costumes by Mark Mariani are fine, (the suit Rayner wears fits the character perfectly); lighting by Clifton Taylor and sound design by Beth Lake work well.

"Freud's Last Session" is a well-plotted and stimulating sojourn into the minds of two men on two very different paths. They may not meet in the middle, or even understand the other's point of view, yet when it ends there is a quiet respect and admiration each has for the other in the wake of what has transpired. While not exactly riveting theatre throughout, it is certainly quite involving and well worth seeing.

Freud's Last Session
Marjorie S. Dean Little Theater
5 West 63rd Street
Tickets: www.ovationtix.com
Information: www.freudslastsession.com
Running time 70 minutes
Open Run

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"The Winter's Tale"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

The Dangers of Jealousy and Pride, and the Power of Forgiveness

The Public Theater gets it gloriously right with their standout production of "The Winter's Tale," the Bard's story of love, power, vengeance, jealousy, bitterness, chicanery and redemption; and one filled with lovers, rogues, innocents, prophets, fools and beauty; all brought bewitchingly to life in this touching and lesson-filled work. ("The Winter's Tale" is currently running in repertory with "The Merchant of Venice" as part of the annual "Shakespeare in the Park" series.)

In ancient Sicilia, King Leontes (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) and his beautiful Queen Hermione (Linda Emond) are enjoying the company of Polixenes (Jesse L. Martin), King of Bohemia. The two Kings are great friends, treating and regarding each other as brothers. However, when the Queen entices Polixenes to stay a while longer, after Leontes' own entrustments to that effect have fallen on deaf ears, Leontes finds the embers of jealousy stirring within. It's a fire that quickly grows stronger and hotter, with the Sicilia ruler soon believing himself to be little more than a cuckold and that the child his very pregnant Queen is carrying actually belong to Polixenes.

Enraged, Leontes plots to have Polixenes murdered, but Leontes' trusted friend Camillo, (Bryan Jennings), a Sicilian Lord, cannot bring himself to follow his King's commands and instead warns the intended victim, causing Polixenes to flee, taking Camillo with him to safety. Seeing this as proof that his suspicions have been right all along, Leontes has Hermione thrown in jail until the time of her trial for adultery. This despite the continual pleading of numerous members of the court, including Antigonus (Gerry Bamman). Even the birth of his daughter does not soften Leontes' wraith. Nor do the torrent of angry words unleashed upon him by Paulina, (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), wife of Antigonus. (Leontes is indeed the father of the child, as Hermione and Polixenes are innocent of the charges.)

In the end, it takes a rebuke from the gods themselves to make Leontes realize the error of his ways, but by then it is too late. Almost immediately after the ultimate defiance by Leontes, his young son (Alexander Maier) succumbs to a fatal fever, while the Queen herself collapses due to the combined strain of giving birth and her almost immediate appearance thereafter at the trial. Even the newly born infant is gone, taken by Antigonus, on orders from Leontes, into the wilds beyond the boundaries of Sicilia and left to her apparent death.

The action then shifts 16 years into the future where Perdita (Heather Lind) the now-grown daughter of Leontes and Hermione, having been found abandoned and raised by a Shepherd (Max Wright) and his somewhat dimwitted son (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), has become known for her magnificent beauty. It is this beauty, and her sweet and gentle soul, that has captured the attention of Prince Florizel (Francois Battiste), son to King Polixenes, the Prince having fallen in love with her, and she with him. However while they are determined to marry, Polixenes learns of the young couple's intentions and forbids such a match from taking place, proclaiming he will put Perdita's loved ones to death if she ever sees his son again. Yet Camillo, who has become a trusted confidant of the Bohemian King, tells Florizel and his intended to flee to Sicilia where the long-since penitent Leontes awaits. With Polixenes and Camillo following close behind, a long-overdue reunion between the two rulers draws near, one which may finally result in the ghosts of the past to being laid to rest.

Told on an epic scale, "The Winter's Tale" follows a theme present in many of Shakespeare's later works; specifically, the focus on the need to forgive oneself for past injustices done to others (or those brought upon oneself) and the healing power forgiveness can bring. Told here as a costume drama, the play is engrossing from start to finish, with colored outfits, fiery dancers and powerful sound effects at key points. The work is also peppered with a host of memorable characters, almost all of whom make a lasting impression.

Act two also contains a large and rather humorous subplot concerning Autolycus (Hamish Linklater) a lovable rogue, who would steal the shirt off a person's back and then sell it back to them for a profit, the victim being none the wiser in either action. A nice, scenery chewing role (and wonderfully played by the actor), this is someone who never saw a situation he couldn't turn into an opportunity, and one who sees everyone he meets as a potential source of income. (The Shepard and his son (the latter character named "Clown") are also quite funny in these sequences.) It's this blending of humor, drama, redemption and healing that makes the show's various elements come together in a very enjoyable whole.

Great credit must go to Michael Greif's excellent direction; a process which draws the audience into the tale almost from the beginning, as the stories and plots are played out before their eyes. Even if one knows the ending (and many do when it comes to Shakespeare), the way key scenes are delivered brings forth a freshness that allows the work to come alive in the here and now, rather than being yet another restaging of a tired old museum piece. (Also, each moment and sequence gives no hint as to what is coming next.)

The casting is very good. Santiago-Hudson is striking as King Leontes, his initial jovial moods switching almost effortlessly to one of a man blinded by jealousy, envy and betrayal; and then just as quickly becoming filled with remorse and repentance when he realizes the immense wrongness of his actions. Martin cuts a fine figure as Polixenes, at heart a good man who has a blind spot where his son is concerned, and who dispenses the rule of law as harshly or as kindly as he sees fit. Jennings performs very well as Camillo, the moral center of the tale and one loyal to his own convictions above all else. In a similar vein, Jean-Baptiste does a wonderful job with the determined and righteous Paulina, a woman who becomes the eventual conscience of a King. Also appealing are Bamman as Antigonus (and who later does a nice turn as the audience's guide through the passage of time); and Emond as Hermione, a honest and loyal wife, condemned simply for following her husband's wishes; though (as it turns out) obeying them a bit too well in his eyes.

As noted above, Linkater is wonderful as Autolycus, clearly having fun with the comical part, taking advantage of man's base fears and needs, and enriching his coffers thanks to their gullibility. Also nicely played are the Shepard and his son, by Wright and Ferguson respectively. Battiste and Lind are good as the young lovers, through their roles come off as a bit bland compared to the other characters in the story.

Costumes by Clint Ramos are excellent with garments that clothe those at the court (ornate and resplendent with color at times) and those worn by thieves and peasants equally realistic. The scenic design by Mark Wendland is also very good. Lighting by Ken Posner and sound effects (Acme Sound Partners), and original music (Tom Kitt) all work well.

"The Winter's Tale" offers harsh lessons on the dangers of letting one's passions and imagination take total control, and the joys such sensations can bring when they're tempered with reason and logic. It's a story where the characters must look to themselves for forgiveness and understanding, for only then can they move on to their just and final rewards, being both older and wiser for the experience.

Also in the cast are Shalita Grant, Liza J. Bennett, Bethany Heinrich, Tia James, Nyambi Nyambi, Bill Heck, Matthew Rauch, Richard Topol, Happy Anderson, Tyler Caffall, Cary Donaldson, Luke Forbes.

The Winter's Tale
Delacorte Theater
81st Street in Central Park
Admission: Free
Information: www.shakespeareinthepark.org
Running Time: Three Hours
Closes: August 1, 2010



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"Ideal"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

All that glitters is not gold, but this play shines brightly

For a real summer treat, (and if you can score a ticket) make haste to 59e59 Theaters and check out the rarely performed Ayn Rand play "Ideal." Written in 1934, the work looks at the trappings of fame and idolatry from the eyes of those who live it as well as those who see it displayed before them; all while looking at some of the baser human emotions and desires, as well as some lofty dreams along the way.

Hollywood, circa early 1930s. Kay Gonda (Jessie Barr) is the world's most famous actress, making between $20,000-30,000 per picture. She is also considered by many to be the most beautiful woman on the planet. At the same time, she can be the most erratic, demanding diva in history, regularly driving film studio bosses, as well as her own personal staff, completely crazy. Yet people clamor to work with her because of her unquestioned box office appeal.

On this particular day Kay is to appear at the offices of Farrow Film Studios to sign a contract for a new film, only she is nowhere to be found. In the meantime, rumors are flying in the press that Ms. Gonda may have had something to do with the recently announced death of millionaire playboy Granton Sayers, with whom she has been linked in the past. The police are silent on the issue; Goneda's publicist won't talk about it and the dead man's sister (Kim Rosen) barges in, demanding to see Kay at once. All the while the various executives and creative personnel at the studio gnash their collective teeth wondering just what is going on.

Kay may be on the run, but at the same time, she's also embarked on a spiritual quest for salvation, trying to figure out if her life and work really means anything to anyone, including herself. Before she disappeared, she took six very special fan letters with her. (Letters whose messages reached deep inside and touched her very soul.) Over the course of this eventful day and night she appears at the doorsteps of all six, asking each for a place to stay and hide, while warning them that granting her sanctuary may be very dangerous.

Among those Kay meets in her travels is a working-class minion (Ted Caine), stuck in a rut of a 15-year marriage; a communist couple (Andrew Young, Elizabeth Alderfer) whose battles against the bourgeoisie establishment cuts no ice with bill collectors as they are facing eviction yet again; an inner-city evangelist (Lee Kasper) more concerned with spreading the Lord's message than making his congregation feel good; a driven and egocentric artist (Bill Griffin) who uses Kay's image as his muse, a wealthy gentleman (Sean Ireland) on the verge of losing it all; and an angry young man (Don Pfau) with a terrible temper, no prospects and who sees the world more clearly than most people.

More than a mystery, “Ideal” is in actuality a fascinating series of morality tales, where each of the people Kay visits is presented with an ultimate test of faith as they struggle to find out which is most important; this stranger, an illusion from the silver screen come to life, or their own day to day struggles and commitments. Will they sacrifice everything they hold dear to help her, or will they betray her instead, putting their own need of survival ahead of Kay's?

At first the play seems tired and clunky, with the first scene at the studio feeling as if the people are trying too hard with each line, and performance feeling just slightly off from where they should be. That is, until one realizes Rand (and director Jenny Beth Snyder) are using this snapshot of studio life to show how empty this world, which exists simply to create make-believe, can actually be. (It's also the only scene where the characters are not given any back-story to pique the audience’s interest.)

However when the play delves into the lives of the various people Kay visits, as well as Kay herself, it becomes painfully real, showing people at different points of the social and financial spectrum, often at the end of their emotional rope. Among the best of these are Caine as a working stiff finally getting his long overdue promotion and dreaming of a vacation with his wife, only to be confronted with the reality of bills, responsibilities and a new baby on the way; Young and Alderfer as two communists, almost comical at times, yet also committed true believers who begin to find reasons for turning Kay in as part of the greater good; and Kasper as the earnest preacher Brother Bix, more concerned about Kay's soul than what happens to her in this world. Also quite good is Pfau as a young man who will do anything for Kay to keep her safe and is quite happy about doing so.

Barr's compelling performance as Kay is the linchpin which holds the story together. An actress at the top of her game, the continual pressure to be the most famous and beautiful women in all the world has become so overpowering, she just wants it to end for a while so she can get to know some real people and find out if there's anyone who really cares about Kay Gonda the person, rather than just the movie star image. Barr convincingly carries the tragic aura of this world-weary woman, one needing to know there's a reason for her doing what she does. (The character is also plagued by fear and self-doubts, just like everyone else.)

Snyder's direction is nice and sturdy, keeping the play moving nicely and never letting the audience get one step ahead of the story, with an ending one does not see coming. Rachel Schneider's set works well in the somewhat cramped quarters of the venue, envisioning everything from a ritzy hotel suite to an apartment just a notch above skid row. (However the phone cord used in the studio scene is wrong, showing that someone didn't do their research on the period.) Amy Suttons' costumes are good; especially the sharply tailored outfits Barr and Rosen wear (the latter in her role as Miss Sayers). Lighting by Vadim Ledvin and sound design by Ryan Maeker work nicely.

At its heart "Ideal" asks the question what is really important in life, and where do specific individuals fit into that equation. Rand provides the audience with an answer, each differing as to the different situations, but all of which pack quite a thoughtful wallop.

Also in the cast are Bill Griffin, Emily Marro, Cara Massey and Carly Walsh.

Ideal
59e59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.59e59.org
Close July 3, 2010
Running Time: Two hours, 25 minutes







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"Sister Myotis's Bible Camp"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Big Hale, Hearty and Hoary Amen!

In a secret meeting hall, in an undisclosed location, deep within the bowels of that city of sin, Manhattan, a small but determined group of women known as The Honeybees have entered said location which has immediately been placed under lockdown. So begins the hilariously ribald and no-so-gentle (but gloriously funny) satirical piece "Sister Myotis's Bible Camp," (actually it's a Bible Boot Camp) written by Steve Swift, which takes deadly aim not at the sacred cows of God and religion, but at those who preach the message and who take themselves way too seriously in the process. The entire production is directed to perfection by Jerre Dye.

The Sister Myotis characters have become something of a long-running sensation, (much like "Nunsense" or "Greater Tuna"), being featured in a number of similarly themed shows, with the result being that many of these people feel like old friends. (Or eccentric relatives or annoying neighbors you know so well, but would cross the street to avoid at times.)

With Manhattan a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, and true believers becoming scarcer and scarcer (at least those who will publicly admit their status), Sister Myotis (Swift), founder and President of the Honeybees Ladies Auxiliary International, and her loyal associates and fellow Honeybees, Velma Needlemeyer (Todd Berry) and Ima Lone (Jenny Odle Madden ), have gathered together a group of sisters (as the entire audience is referred to), to join their crusade of bringing family values back to America and become members of the Coalition of Ordained Christian Homemakers in the process. This is assuming they can survive the upcoming week-long indoctrination period. (It seems at least a few women have attempted to scales the walls to freedom in the past.)

Once this premise has been explained, Sister Myotis (played to sheer perfection by Swift), lays out the game plan for the next few days, complete with hand-drawn pictures on an old fashioned overhead projector, and more than a few "Amen's." Upcoming activities will include personal testimony, grooming, marriage, ("Nothing gets in the way of cleanliness more than a husband"), home and hearth, motherhood, death and homecoming, and more. There are also Christian calisthenics and yoga exercises, and even a sort of "gift swap" where the audience greets one another and exchanges small tokens of affection to show that they're all in the proper spirit.

The entire experience is a laugh riot from start to finish, with various sayings having double and triple meanings, many which can't be printed here (such as Sister Iva Brown's last name), and chock full of references ranging from sex and marriage ("you ever let your husband think you enjoy sex, you'll never get to bed before 9:00 p.m. again"), to free thinking ("we do all that for you"). But what makes the show so much fun is Swift's absolutely dead-on persona of Sister Myotis. The spiritual leader and ring-mistress of ceremonies, she looks like a cross between Vestal Goodman of The Gaithers, cooking television star Paula Dean, and Lulu Roman from Hee-Haw. Swift's utterly deadpan delivery, even when saying the most ridiculous things, results in sheer hysteria from the audience. (Listen for stories involving a loom in a cotton factory, a man who works making balls of thread, and the Dick Cheney's Children's Rifle Range.)
Best of all, Swift has gifted Sister Myotis with a personality so off the wall one can't help but like her, even as you shake your head in disbelief. This is a completely clueless woman, yet so firmly convinced in what she's saying, she comes off as both appealing and amusing, grabbing the stage and holding it with the sheer force of her will; even as it's obvious she can't see the acorns for the nuts, let alone the forest for the trees.

Berry and Madden are very good as the somewhat underused Needlemeyer and Lone. While neither gets as much time in the spotlight as Swift, both are terribly funny. Berry steals moments with quiet double takes and silent looks, while Madden works well as the somewhat frazzled, but earnest Ima, a woman who has finally stopped howling at the moon (long story). The two are also quite excellent singers, getting in some good musical licks during the performance. Berry also shakes a nice tambourine, Needlemeyer being a player of the instrument of some renown. (She toured for 3 years with Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters.)

Jerre Dye's direction works well, keeping the action movingly nicely, allowing each sequence, sentence and postulation by Sister Myotis to become bigger and more outrageous than the one before, and keeping all things moving nicely to their final conclusion. The set (designed by Dye) is fine, its bunker-like atmosphere working well with the intimate theatre space. Lighting effects by Travis McHale are good. The use of sound is a key factor here (good job by sound designer David Newsome), with efforts ranging from the lockdown alarms, automatic doors settling into pace and various voice warnings all being a factor in the production. Special mention must go to the work of costume designers Ashley Whitten Kopera and Kim Yeager, with help by Kathy Farris; especially the elaborate outfits designed for Sister Myotis. (Her "homemaker" outfit in the beginning of act two is a hoot.)

This is one show that must be seen, so run, don't walk, to the Dorothy Streslin Theatre before "Sister Myotis's Bible" Camp moves on to its next destination after July 4th. You have been warned!

Sister Myotis's Bible Camp
Dorothy Streslin Theatre
Abington Theatre Arts Complex
312 West 36th Street, 1st Floor
Tickets: 212-868-2055 or www.abingdontheatre.org
Running time: Two Hours
Closes: July 4, 2010


Steve Swift as Sister Myotis
Photo: Kim T. Sharp


Steve Swift as Sister Myotis and Todd Berry as Velma Needlemeyer
Photo: Kim T. Sharp


Todd Berry as Velma Needlemeyer, Steve Swift as Sister Myotis, Jenny Odle Madden as Ima Lone
Photo: Kim T. Sharp

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"Dusk Rings A Bell"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Poignant Look At The Past Through Future Eyes

How many of us would like to go back to that one day in our lives when everything was perfect, when the future was gleaming brightly before us like an endless road and where anything was possible? This is the premise explored in Stephen Belber's very involving and surprisingly touching "Dusk Rings A Bell," at the Atlantic Stage 2.

Molly (Kate Walsh) works at CNN, in a public relations capacity, and is quite good at her job. She has no real relationships in her life, though she is attracted to her boss. She also discovered the secret of life was she was 14 while her family was summering at a beachfront community in Delaware It was a revelation so profound, it caused her to stop her childhood habit of stuttering. Feeling she might need to remember this secret someday, she wrote a note to her future self which she would return for (if she needed to) 25 years later, which she is now doing.

Arriving in the middle of February, Molly breaks into the house where the once stayed, finds the note where she had hidden it and, to her surprise, realizes someone has written an answer. When she starts to leave, she finds her way blocked by a quiet, yet strangely familiar figure. He turns out to be Ray (Paul Sparks), the local caretaker. As the two start talking and Molly attempts to explain what she's doing there, she begins to realize that a quarter of a century earlier, the two of them sat on a lifeguard tower, staring at the beach just as the sun was setting in a moment both will separately describe as being absolutely perfect.

However, as the two begin to renew their acquaintance, Paul reveals a dark secret from his past, namely that he was involved in a drunken racial incident and, as a result, ended up serving 10 years in prison. (He didn't actively participate in the actual act but didn't do anything to actively stop it either.) Initially horrified by what Paul has revealed to her, Molly finds herself almost inexplicably drawn him, wondering not only how someone could have done what he did (or didn't do), but also how the boy she once knew could have changed so much.

"Dusk Rings A Bell" is, at its heart, a story of what happens when years of reality contrast with a shining youthful memory; one that tends to grow more and more idealized with special significance with each passing year, especially if one feels rather unfulfilled with what has happened since. On one level a very simple story, but at the same time, because Belber's script pulls no punches and offers no easy answers, the end result, if not completely satisfying, feels completely realistic.

Acting is quite important here and both Walsh and Sparks more than up to the challenge. Walsh, whose character carriers much of the exposition, is very good as Molly, a woman always active, both physically and mentally; and always trying to come up with nicely compartmentalized answers to her various questions. All too often forgetting that life doesn't always work that way. It's also interesting to note that while Molly tries to understand what happened with Ray, she ends up being the less confident and poised of the two as the play progresses and she questions whether it is right for her to get involved with this man.

Sparks is intriguing as the haunted Ray, defining himself by a long-ago incident, which makes him cautious about opening up to anyone and perhaps somewhat unsure if what he let happen before could happen again. At the same time, one can sense the inner turmoil in this man who just wants to be able to talk to someone. (His choice of job is especially illuminating). He also has a habit of talking more to the audience than he ever does to Molly.

Sam Gold's direction is quite good, taking the various layers of the script and mystery therein and quietly allowing the actors to build onto the story till its final conclusion. Takeshi Kata's set is fine and the costumes by Theresa Squire are okay.

Special mention must go to Ben Stanton's lighting as it is pivotal to the play, especially in the final flashback scene when Molly and Ray are seen as teenagers, with none of the pain and baggage the succeeding years will bring. Sparks is particularly striking here, his happy and carefree demeanor showing nothing of what is to come. "Dusk Rings A Bell" recalls a very special moment in time, seen both as it actually happened and as how two lonely people remember it.

Dusk Rings A Bell
Atlantic Theatre Stage 2
330 West 16th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.atlantictheatre.org
Close: June 26, 2010
Running Time: 90 minutes

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"Restoration"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Bit Too Much by the Numbers

The danger of getting too close to something one is passionate about is the message behind Claudia Shear's "Restoration"; a nicely serviceable drama with more than a few comedic overtones. However the piece covers no new ground in an emotional or intellectual sense.

Giulia (Shear) is an art restorer, good at her job and quite passionate about it as well. In fact, she's a bit too passionate at times. After publicly criticizing a colleague's work, she has been ostracized by her profession and banished to teaching school and doing tiny projects on the side to keep her hand in her chosen trade. The fact that she was right in regards to what she said doesn't enter in the picture, as politically it was the completely wrong thing to do.

Salvation arrives in the form of Giulia's former mentor, Professor Williams, (the delightful Alan Mandell), who offers her the chance of a lifetime; to be the restorer on Michelangelo's David, a year-long project in Florence, Italy. After flying over for an interview and immediately tangling with the projects' public relations manager, Daphne (Tina Benko), Giulia ends up getting the job and begins at once on the painstaking project, working on the statue a piece at a time and racing the calendar to have everything completed in time for the sculpture's 500th anniversary celebration.

However as she gets deeper and deeper into her work, Giulia becomes so involved with the sculpture, she begins to treat it like a living thing; talking to it, touching it tenderly, intimately and even more, all to the initial bemusement, and then shock of Max (Jonathan Cake) the security guard assigned to the statue. It soon becomes quite clear that for Giulia, her work is all she has in her life; as she puts all her yearnings, energy and loneliness into things that cannot love her back; or people who are unable to give her what she wants, because their hearts are somewhere else.

The core of the play deals with the issues of transformation and restoration. Not only for the statue, which undergoes a cleansing and cleaning process during the play but also for Giulia, who goes from a passionately obsessive person, one who has no time for anybody else, to someone who begins to realize that her life needs to be more than just fixing things for other people, no matter how important. There's also the interesting question about restoration art itself, i.e. should one simply restore a work or also attempt to make it better, brighter, or more relevant for today's audiences and patrons? (It's a question every restorer must face during their career.)

This is a case of the performers being better than the play, one which, while certainly not terrible in any sense, has a story which is a bit too predictable to be really engaging; the piece shifting from month to month and point to point almost as if it were a textbook exercise. In the end, everything comes full circle and is tied up nice and neatly, all of which really doesn't allow (or seem to ask) for any serious discussion about what one has just seen.

Wearing two hats here, Shear is fine as the actress portraying the character of Giulia, a woman who puts her job above all else and who eventually realizes just what restoration really means. As the writer, she tosses in numerous humorous bits, (such as Giulia working on the statue's various private parts) and some emotional nuggets (with Giulia's slowly-changing relationship to Max and Daphne) to keep things interesting. However she never really takes the work where it needs to go-deep into the souls of the characters-to really make it stand out.

Mandell is excellent as the aging professor, stealing the show whenever he's on stage and reminding one of an impish John Gielgud; loving but firm, always ready with a quip or snappy comeback; and aware that one can get farther with a carefully chosen nice word rather than an angry one.

Cake is another standout as Max, a seemingly stereotypical Italian, even playing up that image to give the various female tourists a virtual thrill with a kind word or smile (no sex, he's married). But like Giulia, he's become so involved with what he does (and what's been done to him) that he overlooks what's always been right in front of him. As a result, the two end up bonding not only over their feelings for the statue, but also over their feelings for each other, though each may have a somewhat different definition in regards to what their feelings mean.

Benko works well as the publicist who soon is seen as quite human under all that official sheen. (It would have been nice to see this character developed a bit more.) She also looks good in David C. Woolard's costumes. Natalija Nogulich works well in multiple roles, including a frequent elderly visitor to the museum section where Giulia is working on the David; and the head of the restoration project, who has to continually mediate between the needs of Giulia and Daphne.

Christopher Ashley's direction is fine, though it's nothing special in the long run. Like the play itself, Ashley's work is a bit too by rote, allowing for numerous predictable emotional ups and down as the story wends its way to its inevitable conclusion. Scott Pask's set, especially how the statue is used, is nicely done; and David Lander's lighting is good.

"Restoration" is by no means a bad play and it definitely does have something to say. Unfortunately what is does say has already been said many times before; and while nice enough, the show is sadly not much more than that.

Restoration
New York Theatre Workshop
79 East 4th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200
Information: www.nytw.org
Running Time: 1 Hour, 35 Minutes
Closes; June 13, 2010

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"Dr. Knock Or The Triumph of Medicine"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Diagnosis: A winner!!

People tend to believe what their doctors tell them. This trust is a doctor's greatest power, greatest responsibility and greatest failing; as powerfully shown in the biting and satirical "Dr. Knock Or The Triumph Of Medicine" (the K is not silent), a 1923 French play by Jules Romains now being given an absolutely brilliant revival by the Mint Theater Company. The production is also winningly translated and directed by Gus Kaikkonen.

In 1923 in the town of St. Maurice, Dr. Knock (Thomas M. Hammond) is coming into town to set up shop having just purchased the practice of the retiring Dr. Parpalaid (Patrick Husted). However, Dr. Knock soon learns, in a hilarious sequence involving Dr. Parpalaid's motor car and Parpalaid's disgruntled chauffer Jean (Scott Barrow), that the life of a doctor in St. Maurice is not all that busy. Most of the people in town are, on the whole, quite healthy, only bothering to seek a physician's help if something is seriously wrong. Dismayed and astonished that the doctor's office would not be continually filled, Dr Knock vows to immediately rectify the situation.

Offering free consultations to everyone in town, Dr. Knock uses his knowledge of the human body, and his almost humorless bedside manner, to play on the medical ignorance of the townspeople to convince them they are all in need of serious medical attention. Interestingly, all of these conditions are ones that require a very long series of treatments. In short order, Dr. Knock's practice starts growing by leaps and bounds, forcing him to recruit a staff, including Jean and Madame Remy (Jennifer Harmon), owner of the local hotel, to help him keep up with some of his more routine duties (taking temperatures, collection urine samples, etc.).

However Romains has crafter more than a simple satire on the medical profession and the gullibility of those who believe them outright. The play is also a withering indictment on the doctor/god complex. Dr. Knock is not simply a physician determined to have the townspeople provide him with a steady income, he is also a full-fledged megalomaniac with an almost religious fervor to show people how sick they are. His speech to the incredulous Dr. Parpalaid is priceless, (especially his passion when it comes to rectal thermometers). Dr. Knock is also revealed to have a socialist bent, as noted when explaining his differing scale of payments, with the rich paying more for longer treatments and the poorer classes paying much less. (The ultimate results of these treatments never seem to enter into the equation.)

Hammond is perfectly cast in the title role. Quiet, soft-spoken, unassuming and with a near-monotone delivery, he projects an air of knowledge, disapproval, and mystery, always cutting right to the chase, so to speak, and instantly diagnosing other people's "illnesses" with little time for social niceties or tomfoolery. Moving in a simple and methodical way, he capitalizes on his patients' innocence and fills them with the fear and dread of the unknown. (It's also impossible for one to know if he's kidding or not when discussing his ultimate plans.) Hammond takes the role, in itself a caricature, and projects just the right combination of airs and attitudes to ram home the playwright's cautionary message.

The rest of the cast (several of whom play multiple roles) are, by necessity, all overshadowed by Hammond performance, but all acquit themselves quite well. Especially good is Husted as Dr. Parpalaid, a sort of good-natured buffoon, but knowledgeable in his work, while also blissfully ignorant of the damage the misuse of his professional can do. Chris Mixon gets some nice laughs as the town crier and Harmon is enjoyably hysterical as The Lady in Black, one of the patients to whom Dr. Knock shows the dangers of her condition (via a hilarious use of a drawing he sketches). Also used nicely for laughs are Barrow as Jean and Harmon as Madame Remy.

Kaikkonen's direction is nice and tight, keeping the story moving smoothly while allowing the general absurdity of the situation to continue to build until it reaches its completely illogical crescendo, and yet one that is all too true in some circumstances. He also deserves great credit for his translation, making the 77 year-old play feel completely fresh and new. Charles Morgan's sets and set pieces, ranging from a crank-driven motor car to an examination room are nicely functional, as are Sam Fleming's costumes-used here by the characters as status symbols. Lighting by William Armstrong works fine.

Hilariously tragic, "Dr. Knock" shows all too clearly the dangers of trusting any one man, even if he can be the only game in town, just a little too much. Of course with the introduction of the Internet and the subsequent wealth of information at ones fingertips, such as situation as presented here could never happen today, or could it?? Go see this one if you can.

Also in the cast is Patti Perkins.

Dr Knock Or The Triumph Of Medicine
Mint Theater Company
311 West 43rd Street
Tickets: 212-314-0231 or www.minttheater.org
Running Time: Two Hours
Closes: June 6th, 2010


Thomas M. Hammond and Patrick Husted
Photo: Richard Termine


Patrick Husted, Thomas M. Hammond, and Patti Perkins
Photo: Richard Termine


Thomas M. Hammond and Jennifer Harmon
Photo: Richard Termine


Scott Barrow, Thomas M. Hammond and Chris Mixon
Photo: Richard Termine

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"Creditors"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Absolutely Riveting

There is a payment required for every action taken and every decision made. When that debt eventually comes due, the resulting bill can be quite devastating. Such is the case in the absolutely riveting and soul-destroying tragicomedy "Creditors," written in 1888 by August Steinberg, and recently given a top-notch revival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Adolph (Tom Burke), an artist, is in a rather bad funk. Recovering from an accident, he is also terribly missing his wife, muse, and soul mate Tekla (Anna Chancellor). (Tekla has gone away for a bit, but will be returning soon.) Feeling terribly incomplete without her, Adolph has gotten so depressed it's become almost impossible for him to function. Or so he tells Gustav (Owen Teale), who he's just met. As Gustav tries to get to the crux of Adolph's tale of woe, it's revealed Tekla left her first husband in order to be with Adolph, and that she is much more of a taker than a giver; scooping up all of her new husband's love, energy and passion, all of which Adolph gives more than willingly. What follows is not so much the deconstruction of a marriage, but rather a tearing of such a union limb from limb. With the ultimate question being can Adolph actually trust his wife or will she betray him as she has previously betrayed another?

The title of the play says it all with the idea that we are not only responsible for our actions, but also the consequences that arise from the actions we take; the characters moving about the stage in a brilliantly choreographed dance of power, each movement and action ratcheting the tension up just a little higher, until everything comes crashing down. Yet while the show is almost brutally dark at points, there is also a surprising amount of humor present, much of it coming from Teale. Such as when Gustav is describing the various sexual aspects of marriage, accompanied with numerous innuendos and gestures. That the actors play these scenes perfectly straight, only adds to the hilarity of these moments.

Giving away too much more of the story would reveal some key plot points, but it is sufficient to say that this new version of the Strindberg work (wonderfully adapted by David Greig) is a treasure to behold. (Spot-on direction by Alan Rickman and excellent performances by the three-person cast doesn't hurt either.) The intermissionless evening is broken into three segments with the cast pairing up and breaking apart into different couplings to argue, cajole, rage and pontificate on just what marriage is supposed to be as scabs are torn off old wounds and hidden insecurities are brought screaming to the surface. By the time it is over, it becomes obvious none of the three are completely innocent, just as no one is completely at fault. As for who survives this interrogation, and what state they are in at the final curtain, that is open to question.

Teale makes an excellent Gustav, a man who seems to want to help Adolph, yet who also seems to know perhaps a bit more than he is telling. All throughout the piece Gustav appears to be the only one in control, setting the stage and forcing the other two to jump to his tune. Yet at the same time, Gustav is also a victim of his own personal demons and has been helpless to conquer them, at least until now. Indeed, his actions turn out to be a sort of desperate cry for justice and, in his own way, understanding.

Burke is very good as the weak-willed Adolph. A dreamer and loving (and subservient) husband, he becomes buffeted by doubts whenever Tekla is not near, and desperately seeks a continual affirmation of his wife and marriage, not trusting himself to be the final arbitrator in such matters. Hobbled by an injury, his attempts to make a point, or get away from the others in his orbit are at times both painful and pitiful. Looking for a perfection which is impossible to attain, his dreams and self-created illusions begin to come apart one by one, threatening to cost him not only his happiness, but also his very soul.

Chancellor is strong as Tekla, the woman who in a way instigated the crisis depicted here, yet resoundingly defends her actions as something beyond her control. However while she tries to find sympathy and acceptance from her critics, she faces the very real possibility of losing everything she holds dear, with only herself to blame.

Alan Rickman's direction is wonderful, powerfully guiding the actors through the story, and the single set (an examination room); keeping the lines and performances exploding everywhere like fireworks. Completed in 90 powerful minutes, it feels as if one is watching a three-segment relay race, each piece just as striking as the last (if not more so).

The set by Ben Stone is nicely functional; costumes by Fotini Dimou are good, and the lighting design by Howard Harrison works very well-especially in the dramatic moments.

"Creditors" offers a scathing look at the subject of personal responsibility and a warning that for every move made in one's life, no matter how important or trivial, there may always be consequences that come back to demand their due at the most inopportune and unexpected moments.

Creditors
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Bam Harvey Theater
651 Fulton Street
718-636-4100 or www.BAM.org
Running Time: 90 Minutes, no intermission.
Closed: May 16, 2010

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"Limonade Tous Les Jours"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Love Is Where You Find It

Love can drop down like a thunderbolt in the most unexpected places, as evidenced in the New York premiere of Charles L. Mee's very enjoyable short play "Limonade Tous Les Jours."

In Paris France, Andrew (Austin Pendleton), is waiting at a café for Pascal, a business acquaintance, only to find the very pretty Ya-Ya (Eleanor Handley) waiting instead. As the two chat over a drink of lemonade, Andrew makes small talk to pass the time, while Ya-Ya begins to talk about love, sex, her previous romantic entanglement, one which ended badly, and how she is not ready to fall in love again. In short order, Andrew learns that Ya-Ya is a cabaret singer, that she has a father fixation, (coincidentally Andrew is more than twice Ya-Ya's age), and that she was in a somewhat sadomasochistic relationship. Initially a bit stunned by all this information and getting over a relationship of his own, Andrew finds himself unexpectedly intrigued by Ya-Ya and she with him. Before it's time to leave, she's invites him to see to see her sing and he eagerly accepts.

Shortly thereafter two begin an affair, enjoyable for what it is (or so they tell themselves), with neither looking for a full-on commitment. In addition to the fact that they live on separate continents, Andrew feels he can't exactly bring Ya-Ya home to face the smirking looks of his friends, while Ya-Ya certainly doesn't want people thinking of her as little more than a gold-digger. So the question, which unfolds during the course of the play, becomes not only what do each of them want, but how far are they willing to go to get it.

Mee has crafted an interesting tale, made enjoyable by the easygoing chemistry between the two leads as the playwright examines the subjects of love, lust and commitment. The theme here seems to be that no one expects a relationship to be easy, but when the opportunity presents itself, whether ready or not, one had better be prepared to grab it with both hands and hang on tight. Love also requires making sacrifices for one's significant other, as such situations are not often easy and rarely prefect, requiring substantial give and take between both parties if things are to work at all. Universal feelings to be sure, but the play is given a more immediate intimacy by Pendleton and Handley's ability to make the text jump off the page and turn what could be rather silly or easy to caricature, into something quite real.

Pendleton nicely embodies the somewhat world-weary Arthur who finds this whirlwind fling/romance/whatever it is at first surprising, then enjoyable and then breathtaking. Handley, who carries most of the play's exposition, delivers the various dialogues nicely, playing the somewhat funny situations in all seriousness, and also showing a bit of vulnerability, making her character both interesting and appealing.

The choice of the Cell Theatre for this production is an interesting one as the show is done in the round with only a relatively small area for the actors to perform. The creative team adapts to these restrictions by using a series of filmed montages, (in the form of handheld cell phone shots) of the two sightseeing and having a good time in and around Paris. Handley also has a wonderful voice, nicely handling the musical chores when called for.

The play does get somewhat static at times, particularly when Pendleton is doing a monologue/explanation of commitment and what it all means while Ya-Ya is trying on various dresses at a Parisian store (in a scene reminiscent of "Pretty Woman"). It's also interesting to note this is really the only scene Pendleton has major dialogue to deal with, he being a stronger reaction character in the story than Handley.

Diana Basmajian's direction works nicely for the most part, especially when using Anton Briones, who plays a café waiter (the only other character in the piece), one who, though he never says a word, gets in some good laughs with his expressions, movement and occasional tap dancing.

Hilary Noxon's set nicely fits the stage, Kathleen Dobbins' lighting and Tito Fleetwood Ladd's sound design works well. Costumes by Charles Schoonmaker are very good.

Limonade Tous Les Jours
The Cell Theatre
338 West 23rd Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.Limonadetouslesjours.com
Running time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Closes: May 9, 2010


(l-r) Eleanor Handley, Anton Briones (standing), Austin Pendleton
Photo: Brant Underwood


Eleanor Handley and Austin Pendleton
Photo: Brant Underwood

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"Candida"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Complex and Involving Look At Marriage

Playwright George Bernard Shaw had a real gift for the written word when it came to crafting his plays, his works filled with often roundabout speeches, many containing pointed asides, all of which made some surprisingly direct points. Such is the case with the Irish Repertory Theatre's sparkling revival of Shaw's 1895 play "Candida," a look at the sacrifices a lasting marriage demands, and the dangers of taking one's spouse for granted.

In a London suburb, circa 1894, The Reverend James Morrell (Ciaran O'Reilly) is a very contended man. He has a successful parish, a loyal staff in Reverend Alexander Mill (Josh Grisetti) and typist Proserpine Garnett (Xanthe Elbrick), and a loving and faithfully devoted (and somewhat younger) wife in Candida (Melissa Errico). In addition to his church duties, Morrell is also a much in demand speaker, often appearing at various reform-minded organizations and speaking out on the social causes of the day.

However Morrell's seemingly happy home life is called into question with the announcement by young Eugene Marchbanks (Sam Underwood), a young man the Morrells took in when he had no place to live, that he's in love with Candida. Telling Morrell he doesn't properly appreciate his wife, Marchbanks goes on to say he would never allow Candida to do such mundane work as setting the table or filling the oil lamps; offering instead promises of poetry and passion. While Morrell initially pooh-poohs the whole idea, Marchbanks' continual insistency and Candida's warm overtures to the younger man begins to raise the specter of doubt in Morrell's mind. So much so he decides to test his wife's resolve and when he sees her as failing said test, demands that she chose between the two men.

Far more than a play about a marriage in trouble or one that is perceived to be, Shaw instead takes a look at what marriage really means; with such elements as trust, understanding and security just as important as love and passion. There's a reason the play is named for title character, as it soon becomes apparent she's the one in control, making sure Morrell's world runs in an orderly fashion so he can deal with his various duties and obligations. She also does not take kindly to being regarded as little more than a possession to be bargained for, quickly turning the tables on both her husband and would-be lover, making them bid on her so she can see if their offers are worthwhile.

The piece is lovingly directed and designed by Tony Walton, who uses the relatively small playing space to give an imitate feeling to this almost universal tale. The pace of the evening moves quite nicely, with never a feeling of dragging of extraneous business that can often find its way into a play of this type. Walton's set of the church offices nicely recreate the feeling of place, while the text recreates the era outside those walls. The costumes are also nicely done.

The cast is quiet good. O'Reilly makes a nice, if deliberately bland Morrell. A man sure of his place in the world, with which comes just a bit of moral superiority. Yet while quite intelligent, he is in a sense too blind to see what is happening right before his eyes. An example of this is evident in the mention of "Prossy's Complaint," a phrase coined by Candida in reference to Miss Garnett, and all of the young ladies of Morrell's congregation, being fascinated by the Reverend. Which also explains why he's so popular at speaking engagements.

Morrell's antithesis is his father in law, Mr. Burgess, a factory owner brilliantly portrayed by Brian Murray. Burgess represents Shaw's opinion of big business, which makes no change unless extreme pressure is brought to bare; such as Burgess increasing his worker's wages, (a move he touts) only after being forced to do so by the unions. Burgess is also not above using Morrell's connections to get what he wants, such as having his son-in-law introduce him to people who can help him close a business deal or gain an inside track on a contact he's seeking. Murray plays the role with a twinkle in his eye, allowing the message to be leavened with a gentle dose of humor.

Errico is excellent as the posed, polished, beautiful and quietly vulnerable Candida. A strong woman, she is above petty games of lovers competition and has little patience for them. While she is quite committed to her marriage and happily outwardly subservient in the relationship, she is definitely her own woman, quite able to make decisions on her own.

Underwood makes an interesting Marchbanks, a young man with huge dreams and romantic poetry swirling around his head, and who believe that he has found the ultimate soul mate in Candida; even though he has never told her of his intentions. His youthfulness and wild romantic streak puts him on a completely different level than the realistic "feet on the ground" Morrell, thus showing the different aspects of a relationship.

Elbrick works well as the officious Garnett, her civil exterior hiding a fountain of untapped passion; while Grisetti works well in the sometimes comic relief role of Reverend Mill.

While many of Shaw's works have had their messages somewhat dimmed with the passage of time, "Candida," which focuses on morality, love, marriage and personal responsibility, is perhaps just as effective as the day it was first staged. Of course having a top notch cast and a strong directorial guiding hand certainly doesn't hurt.

Candida
Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: 212-727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Running Time: Two Hours
Closes: April 25, 2010


Ciaran O'Reilly as Rev. Morell and Xanthe Elbrick as Prossy
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Brian Murray as Mr. Burgess and Melissa Errico as Candida
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Sam Underwood as Marchbanks and Melissa Errico as Candida
Photo: Carol Rosegg

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"The Cocktail Party"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Strange and Intoxicating Brew

Long forgotten plays seeing the light of day after a lapse of several decades usually fall into one of three distinct categories: those that should have never been revived in the first place; those that are rather interesting curios but pretty forgettable once one leaves the theatre; and those select few which burst upon the stage like an unexpected gem, providing not only enjoyment, but also making you think about what you have just seen for a long time to come. Falling into that rarified final category is The Actors Company Theatre's absolutely brilliant revival of T.S. Elliot's "The Cocktail Party," winner of the 1950 Tony Award for Best play and now running at Theatre Row Studios.

In the fashionable London flat of Edward and Lavinia Chamberlayne (Jack Koenig, Erika Rolfsrud), a cocktail party has gone horribly wrong. The couple was supposed to be throwing the affair, but at the last moment Lavinia had to leave to take care of her sick aunt, forcing Edward, who seems rather ill at ease, to handle things while making small talk with the various guests. Among those present are Peter Quilpe (Jeremy Beck), an up and coming young writer; Celia Coplestone (Lauren English) a young woman with the soul of a poet; Alexander MacColgie Gibbs (Mark Alhadeff), a sort of globetrotter and chef; and, in a brilliant performance, Cynthia Harris as Julia Shuttlethwaite, an aging busybody on the social circuit, using her very intuitive people stills to get to the crux of any matter she wishes, even if those involved really don't want her to do so.

There is also one final guest, who is played by Simon Jones. A quite and rather serious man no one seems to have invited, he appears to know everyone at the gathering, in particular certain details about Jack and Lavinia only someone quite close to them would be privy to. The mystery deepens when, as the rest of the guests file out, this man remains to offer Edward a strange proposal. He knows Lavinia has not gone to visit a sick relative, as well as the real reason behind her disappearance. Just as astonishingly, he offers to return Edward's wife to him on one condition. That he never ask her where she has been. She, in turn will never tell him. Puzzled, and filled with conflicting feelings about whether he actually wants his wife back, Edward agrees.

Revealing too much more of the plot would be a disservice as there are surprises upon surprises and layers upon layers to be unveiled in the story. Sufficient to say, very few things, and very few of the people depicted, are actually what they seem. In "The Cocktail Party" Mr. Elloit has crafted a masterful work that is basically a deconstruction of relationships and marriage. Edward and Lavinia's union has been in a rocky state for some time, and they have long since taken each other for granted. Yet when both are offered the chance to make a clean break from their current situation, both are hesitant about leaving, without really knowing or understanding why they want to stay.

Exactly who the mysterious guess is revealed in act two, but his words and actions also lead to more questions than answers. Is he some sort of otherworldly guide, trying to help Edward and Lavinia with their lives; or are the Chamberlaynes actually dead, and is this a test to determine where they will end up for all eternity? (Both seem plausible at points.) Also, just how much do the other members of the cocktail party know about what's going with the Chamberlaynes? A collective meeting of the minds at one point seems to indicate everything presented is part of a vast cosmic scheme. One offering not only a close examination of the human condition, but also the barest chance at redemption. (Or is the actual answer much more simpler than that?)

One gets the feeling Elliot wrote the play almost as an in-joke as he seems to be smiling with satisfaction on every page of the text. The playwright's look at an awkward cocktail party is spot-on (as anyone who has ever been in such a situation can attest); and Edward's ever-increasing annoyance at having to deal with the various guests as they leave and return multiple times, each offering advice, support, or seeking the same, is priceless. In addition, almost every word, line and scene in the play seems to have at least two meanings; where curiosity and hope run headlong into cynicism and reality, and where even those pulling the strings can be surprised at the eventual outcome.

Casting is letter perfect. Koenig is wonderful as Edward. Someone who, at first glance, seems to have it all, but is actually a conflicted man, suddenly alone, hurt, and unsure why he feels the way he does. His trying to decide if he wants to continue in his situation with Lavinia turns into a fascinating explanation of what marriage could be-for better or worse. Rolfsrud is fine as Lavinia. Unfortunately, she doesn't have much to do in the beginning; yet by act two the character also gets to explore her needs as it comes to marriage and personal identity. The two play off each other nicely, showing strong chemistry between the characters.

Jones is wonderful as the mysterious "uninvited guest" (so billed in the show program). A man whose every movement, word and speech is calculated for maximum effect, he seem to have a sort of strange control over Edward, the latter drinking in his every word as he searches for the answers this man seems to have in his possession. There's also the interesting point of Edward and his guest repeating certain lines again and again, leading one to wonder if what is happening has actually happened innumerable times before. Jones's character also has a certain amount of deadpan humor, coupled with a tired understanding of how humans act and behave, adding yet another level to the mystery of just who this person is.

Harris cuts a hilarious path as the whimsical Ms. Shuttlethwaite. A longtime fixture of the London social circuit; she literally glides from one event to another, while madly interested in everything and everybody. As well as quite determined to find out what's going on with Edward and Lavinia, no matter how many times she has to "conveniently" just drop by. However she is never malicious or hurtful in her actions, rather simply curious for her own sake and also somewhat lonely. She is also a person quite capable of great caring and will do whatever she can to help her friends, even if it requires her going to some rather unusual extremes.

The wild card in the complex equation that is "The Cocktail Party" is Celia, a character with strong religious overtones. Ending an affair which has left her unhappy, and horrified at the way her life seems to be heading, she reminds one of a lost lamb or a little bird scared to leave her nest, but at the same time, completely terrified to stay. More than a coming of age crisis, this is a character in spiritual turmoil, wanting to make her existence matter to someone, most of all herself. A very complex creation, nicely brought to life by English's performance, the character projects a mixture of faux confidence, some very real fear and a quiet determination.

Alhadeff works well as Gibbs. At first he seems a bit too sure of himself and living in his own little world; yet, as with so many others in the story, there is more to him than meets the eye. Beck cuts a nice figure as the earnest and love-struck young Quilpe, a fellow who unwittingly inserts himself into a situation where he has no control of the outcome.

Direction by Scott Alan Evans is sure-handed, keeping the action focused and the story moving with nary a feeling of wasted time or extraneous business. Despite the somewhat long running time, the play never feels like it's overstayed its welcome. (Something especially hard to achieve when there's much more talking than action.). He also gives the actors enough freedom to really sink their teeth into their roles, while at the same time allowing the message of the play to come through.

The set by Andrew Lieberman and Laura Jellinek is very good, nicely projecting a homey yet somewhat businesslike effect; and the costumes by David Toser are enjoyable (especially the outfits worm by Harris). Lighting by Aaron Copp is fine.

Fascinating to watch and offering quite a lot to think about, "The Cocktail Party" is a beautiful piece of theatre brought lovingly to life thanks to the very able cast and crew. While this is one show where you definitely have to pay attention to in order to understand what's going on, it is more than worth the effort.

Also in the cast are Celia Smith and Ben Beckley.

The Cocktail Party
Presented by The Actors Company Theatre
Beckett Theatre
Theatre Row Studios
410 West 42nd Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.tactnyc.org
Running Time: 2 Hours, 45 minutes
Closes: April 17, 2010

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"Top Secret: The Battle For the Pentagon Papers"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Message Is Lost In Mixed Mediums

Radio and live theatre are two very different forms of communication, which can lead to trouble when adapting a radio play for a live stage production. Such a problem occurs with "Top Secret: The Battle For the Pentagon Papers" now at the New York Theatre Workshop. The piece is subtitled "A Radio Play" and it shows, being caught between the two genres and not doing much justice to either. Which is sad as the incident the story depicts recalls one of the most pivotal incidents in journalism history.

In 1971 the New York Times got hold of several thousand pages of documents from a report originally commissioned in 1967 by then U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara depicting the United States involvement in Viet Nam. The Times began to publish a series of articles based this report (it becoming known as the Pentagon Papers) until the government got a court injunction against them, claiming that continuing to run the stories constituted a threat to national security.

At this point, the Washington Post was able to obtain a copy of the Pentagon Papers and the Post's editor Ben Bradlee (Peter Strauss) calls together a team to craft a story on the material, which he intends to run the next day. As reporters Chal Roberts (Larry Bryggman), Murrey Marder (James Gleason) and George Wilson (Matt McGrath) work on the story, Bradlee, Fritz Beebe (Peter Van Norden), the chairman of the Post Company, and Brian Kelley (Jack Gilpin), one of their top lawyers, go over the legal ramifications of publishing the documents; with Kelly urging them to wait an extra day and let the government know what they're doing, thus giving the administration time to respond. However Bradlee, who is desperate use this story to make the Post into a paper of national importance, wants the material to be published immediately, a feeling echoed by others on the staff, though for more altruistic reasons (i.e. freedom of the press, the public's right to know) than Bradlee's.

Unfortunately one never feels the urgency that should be present in such a moment, with the stakes very high if the paper makes the wrong decision, even if that decision is now an historical fact. Since the work is presented as a radio play, with the actors speaking from a series of mike stands situated in a row at the front of the stage, one never feels as if one is watching the events depicted. Making matters worse is that the actors are all carrying copies of the scripts, continually referring to them, which also takes away from the feeling of witnessing something as it is actually happening. This makes the various segments, such as a meeting in the White House with President Nixon (Larry Pine) and attorney-general John Mitchell (Bryggman, one of several actors playing multiple roles), or one of the Post reporters threatening to resign if the story doesn’t run immediately, carry little emotional impact. (All of the material used was based on interviews with the participants and actual trial transcripts, though some things were changed or condensed for clarity and dramatic purposes.)

Another problem is that there is way too much exposition given in terms of the backstory. Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham (Kathryn Leslie) acts as a framing device, giving a terribly overlong introduction to what's about to take place on stage, which could easily have been done with a handful of voice over lines and a few video clips. Writers Geoffrey Cowan & Leroy Aarons, who adapted the text, may have felt much of today's audience would be unfamiliar with many of the events depicted, but having said information literally spoon-fed to those watching comes off as rather condescending and amateurish. Also off-putting was that the actors used almost no props during the show, with the required sound effects handled by an on-stage member of the production crew using various devices to illustrate the opening and closing of doors, the ripping of paper envelopes, etc. All of which tended to be more distracting than anything else.

It's not until the second act that the play really begins to come alive, when the Post is brought into court with the government claiming the paper has published classified material that could endanger the lives of soldiers in the field. The courtroom scenes are quite riveting, with the paper seemingly going down for the count, until the government's case begins to unravel and it becomes clear the issue at hand is only peripherally about the Pentagon Papers and that both sides are seeking a legal precedent. The paper to be able to publish what it deems fit, and the government wanting to be able to muzzle the press under the umbrella of "national security." Gilpin works well here as Kelly, using the government witnesses’ own words against them; Gleason is excellent as the presiding non-nonsense judge who quickly becomes impatient with the government's over-emphasis on security and protocol (especially after what he has to do to open a sealed affidavit); Bryggman is very good as Lamont Vanderhall, representing the administration's case and nicely embodying one of the countless bureaucrats trying to stamp out the opposition, and McGrath does a nice job as George Wilson, the paper's Defense Department correspondent.

There are some very interesting points brought up here, ones which Cowan and Aarons wisely don't hit the audience over the head with time and again. Such as not only when do you decide to run a story, but when do you decide to hold something back for the greater good (i.e. the movements of a troop ship during wartime). There's also the issue of which is more important, taking the time to get the story right or just getting it out before some other publication finds out about it? This question is personified through Bradlee, who is furious that the Times originally scooped his paper on the Pentagon Papers and is determined to use them to put the Washington Post on the national stage. The show also includes several mentions of how different journalism used to be, such as the media deliberately not reporting on President Kenney's womanizing and reporters perhaps getting too chummy with him. As one of the characters points out "we were blinded by the moonbeam;" which might be a not-so-gentle jab at the way some of today's media has been seen as fawning over the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Acting is fine all around, though some of the depictions of actual people don’t quite work. Larry Pine is the best on this score as Richard Nixon, both in voice and appearance, though he slips in and out of Nixon's accent during the play. (Strauss has a similar problem with Bradlee.) However, Norden's portray of Henry Kissinger, comes off more as parody than anything else. John Rubinstein's direction is fine as far as it goes, but the play would have been much better had it been staged as a full production. Costumes by Holy Poe Durbin are okay.

When the reporters are going through the Pentagon Papers and finding one piece of revealing information after another concerning the government's role in world events, Roberts remarks "in those days [1965] no one wanted to believe that the government and the president and everybody else was lying to us." To which Wilson replies "things are simpler now. Now we assume they're lying to us, " prompting Roberts to note, "that's a sad commentary about something." Those words showcase what the Pentagon Papers actually became, a vehicle from which sprang disbelief of the government's actions, where government came to be seen as secretive and untrustworthy, and where conspiracy theories and the "us vs. them" mentality came to the modern fore. Quickly overshadowed by showier incidents such as Watergate, the Pentagon Papers were a seminal event in journalistic and political history. It's a great story and one that should indeed be told, both to students and theatergoers as often as possible. Unfortunately, the current offering is less concerned with what it's representing than how it's presenting it, with the end result, a mixture of stage and radio, being more distracting than interesting; coupled with the feeling that one is seeing a book read on stage rather than being transported back to the time and place of the actual events.

Also in the cast are Diane Adair, John Getz and Russell Soder.

Top Secret: The Battle For the Pentagon Papers (A Radio Play)
New York Theatre Workshop
79 East 4th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.nytw.org
Running Time: 2 Hours
Closes: March 28, 2010

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"Room #103, Hotel Chelsea"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Fascinating Look At A Fascinating Place

One of the most storied locations in New York City and yet one of the most unknown to the general public at large, at least those without an artistic bent, would have to be the Hotel Chelsea. A place which, over the decades, has been home to a literal "who's who" of artistic and literary personalities. Arthur C. Clarke wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey" here; Arthur Miller scripted "After the Fall," and poet Dylan Thomas put pen to paper to and set down "Under Milk Wood" before he "sailed out to die" as noted on a plaque outside of the hotel. (According to legend, Thomas drank 18 shots of whiskey one night at the White Horse Tavern and later died of alcohol poisoning.) It's a place where the phrase "if these walls could talk" rings truer than most anywhere else. While no one has been able to perfect that trick just yet, Pale Fire Productions has certainly come up with the next best thing, presenting a very enjoyable site-specific production with "Room #103, Hotel Chelsea."

Room 103 was where Thomas (Kevin Confoy) stayed; where punk rocker Sid Vicious (Justin Perkins) murdered his girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Katie Beard) and where he later took a fatal drug overdose. Walking into Room 103, which has been dressed up a bit, (or perhaps the better term is "dressed down"), with a nice lived-in look by set designer Jonathan Cottle; one can literally feels the walls and floor bursting at the seams to reveal their secrets.

After starting off with an enjoyable musical montage (about the hotel of course), the show turns its focuses to Thomas, who forms the centerpiece of the story, here brilliantly portrayed by Confoy, and seen as a man tormented by success. Under ever-increasing pressure to make everything he writes better than what has come before, a burden no one can live up to, he has become perennially afflicted with writer's block, which pushes him literally to the breaking point.

There are also the countless young women throwing themselves at him time and time again, offers he gladly accepts, (despite his being married). Yet these women are often more interested in the bragging rights of saying they've slept with Dylan Thomas, as well as getting him to read their own attempts at poetry, than trying to establish any real connection with him.

While many of Thomas's qualities are, on the surface, rather stereotypical, (i.e. the self-destructive artist) Confoy is able to make his performance rise above the simply familiar by allowing his portrayal of Thomas to literally explode with passion. One can feel Thomas's, anger, pathos and the desperate need to find some sort of peace as he struggles with the daily grind of writing while continually looking for solace in the bottom of a bottle and escape in the arms of a pretty girl.

The play also makes clear why Thomas likes the Hotel Chelsea and America in general much more than his native land of Britain. He's held in high regard in the New World, with people always falling over themselves to be his friend. Unlike his wife Caitlin (Beard) who makes demands that he is simply not able to deal with. (Such as his being a loyal husband and more than an absentee father).

In between the Thomas storyline, numerous vignettes are played out on the periphery so to speak. There's Clarke (Confoy) and Miler (Perkins) discussing the merits of "2001" and just what the monolith means (and continually calling each other Arthur to humorous effect); as well as fanatical speeches by Valerie Solanas (Lucia Brizzi) castigating the entire male sex and clamoring for its execution. (Solanas would later earn her 15 minutes of fame by shooting Andy Warhol.) There are also references to Jack Kerouac, who wrote "On The Road" while at the hotel, and singers/songwriters Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen; the latter who wrote the song "Chelsea Hotel," based on his experiences there.

In terms of overall weirdness however, nothing can match the filmed interview Vicious and Spungen gave in Room 103. Watching Perkins and Beard with their drugged out mannerisms (both Sid and Nancy were heavily addicted by that time) and how their speech and movement uncannily match the words and gestures of Vicious and Spungen as the actual interview is shown on the wall behind them is positively eerie, especially when one knows what is to come for the pair

James Veitch's direction is very strong, making good use of the performance space and not confining the action to any one section of the apartment, thus allowing Room 103 to become a full participant in the action being presented. If there is a complaint here it's that the show could not shoehorn anymore stories, trivia or historical references into a work that is already brimming with them.

The entire cast is excellent. In addition to Confoy's winning portrayal of Thomas, Beard does well with the somewhat thankless role of Caitlin, a woman closer to Dylan than anyone else, yet still unable to reach him. Beard and Perkins are quite believable as the burned out Vicious and Spungen, while Brizzi presents an interesting effect with her portrayal of the "obsessed with a cause" Solanas.

"Room #103, Hotel Chelsea," is a wonderful example of art making the past come to life while being presented by a company that took great care to treat the source material with respect. While the show has since closed, there's always the hope the piece will be staged again someday. In the meantime, this is one group definitely worth keeping an eye on for what they come up with in the future.

Room #103 Hotel Chelsea
Presented by Pale Fire Productions
Staged at Room 103 in the Hotel Chelsea
222 West 23rd Street
Running time: 65 minutes
Performed from March 18 - March 27, 2010
Information: www.james-veitch.com


Justin Perkins & Kevin Confoy
Photo: Hunter Canning


Justin Perkins
Photo: Hunter Canning


Katie Beard
Photo: Hunter Canning


Katie Beard
Photo: Hunter Canning


Kevin Confoy
Photo: Hunter Canning


Lucia Brizzi
Photo: Hunter Canning


Lucia Brizzi
Photo: Hunter Canning

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"The Miracle Worker"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Still Works In Spite Of Staging Problems

Poignant and touching, (and set in 1880s Atlanta) William Gibson's "The Miracle Worker" tells the story of how Annie Sullivan (Alison Pill), taught Helen Keller (Abigail Breslin), a 10 year-old deaf and blind girl, to understand the relationship of words to the objects they represent. Thus freeing Helen's mind from the prison her body had become and allowing her to interact with her family and eventually, the world at large. However the current New York production, the first Broadway revival since its initial appearance there in 1959, is often undone by the poor manner in which it is staged, with the audience often unable to see the actors faces and expressions at pivotal moments during the show.

After a devastating opening scene, where Captain Keller (Matthew Modine) and his wife Kate (Jennifer Morrison) realize their daughter has lost her sight and hearing due to an illness which nearly killed her, the play powerfully tapping into every parent's fear, the action jumps forward nearly a decade where Helen has become, quite simply, a terror. Prone to fits of rage and anger in order to make herself heard, and doing whatever she can to get her way, she has her parents wrapped around her little finger as they indulge her every whim, they feeling guilty about her condition and also because acquiescing is much easier than actually doing anything about the situation. All of which annoys James (Tobias Segal), the Captain's son from a previous marriage, to no end; while their cook Viney (Yvette Gainer) accepts it all with tired resignation.

Only when Kate has another baby and the family becomes worried Helen might unintentionally harm the child do they consider writing to a specialist in Boston (Daniel Oreskes) for help. (They had previously taken Helen to numerous doctors in an attempt to "cure" her.) In return, he sends them Sullivan, a 20-year old teacher on her first assignment. She's also a blunt, opinionated Irishwoman with flaming red hair and a temperament to match. Not surprisingly, her direct manner quickly brings her into conflict with the Kellers. Especially the Captain, who basically puts Sullivan on probation the moment she arrives.

Filled with sharply drawn roles, the play is able to convey the anguish all the characters are feeling, the chief ones being helplessness and impotence. Such as Helen's parents' pain at being unable to reach her their daughter; Annie's urgency in trying to teach Helen to become more than a trained pet; and Helen's anger at having her own private world upset by the interloper she sees (no pun intend) Annie as becoming. In addition, while the family is overjoyed at the progress Helen is making under Annie's tutelage, such as sitting quietly at a table and folding a napkin for a meal (not to mention using eating utensils), Anne sees this as only simple parlor tricks and desperately tries to get Helen to start learning on her own, so she can start to live her own life.

For a very serious play, there's also a surprising amount of humor present. Particularly in regard to Helen's early reactions to Sullivan's methods. (There's a scene at the Keller's dining room table which feels like an extreme episode of "SuperNanny;" and which also gives new meaning to the term "food-fight.")

Perhaps most telling is a scene between the Captain, Kate and James, taking place after Sullivan has taken Helen from the Keller household for two-week period As the three sit in silence, they guiltily, grudgingly, and finally openly admit how quiet and normal their lives have become since Helen has been gone; (no disruptions at meal times, no having to walk on eggshells around her, etc.); with Helen's effect on the rest of the family becoming painfully clear. However, as the play notes, while life can indeed be cruel, it is the determination of the human spirit that can make every person rise above our situation if they put their mind to it, and if they get a little help along the way. A point brought home again and again, not only in the play's more dramatic moments, but in the smaller and quieter ones as well.

Pill is excellent as Sullivan, presenting a compassionate woman with a ramrod straight and no-nonsense demeanor. Someone who's had to overcome incredible hardships to get where she is, having been raised in an orphanage and been blind herself for a time. (Sullivan went through several operations to restore her sight.) As such, she knows firsthand the hardships that come with a disability and sincerely wants Helen to be able to deal with hers. (Many of Sullivan's childhood memories involver her bother Jimmie (Lance Chantiles-Wertz) who was not as fortunate as she.)

Breslin is similarly strong as Helen. On the surface a spoiled and bitter child, underneath she's seething with the frustration of being unable to communicate with those around her (as shown in her reaction to an eyeless doll at one point). At the same time she is still a child who is used to having everything being done for her. Sullivan's battles with Helen are quite intense and exhausting (as well more than somewhat funny at points), yet there is no denying the growing bond between the two as they take one baby step after another towards their eventual goal. It also helps tremendously that Pill and Breslin have a wonderful chemistry together.

Morrison is very good as Kate, a mother still carrying guilt for what happened to Helen, wanting to her love her in spite everything but also blind to the fact that her own overcompensation for her child's disabilities is a major reason why Helen has become the way she is. Morrison works well as the stern Captain, who often wilts (after appropriate bluster), in the face of Annie's determination. Segal is fine as James, a young man fighting for his own acceptance in his father's eyes. Said story taking a back seat to the main tale, but rather compelling nonetheless.

Unfortunately the play suffers from the decision to have it staged in the round, with the actors playing first to one part of the audience then another; forcing those watching to contend with seeing the backs of the performers when they should be observing faces and gestures. Making matters even worse are the placement of props and sets pieces in the sightlines of the patrons, continually blocking a clear view of what's going on, especially in the pivotal final scenes. Both director Kate Whoriskey and set designer Derek McLane must share the blame equally here. (Although Whoriskey's direction is spot-on otherwise.) This may have been the only theater available when the producers wanted to bring the play to Broadway, but show's creative team is simply not up to the demands of making the show work within its spatial limitations. Which is a shame as this is a piece with a lot to say and which deserves to be seen completely. Costumes by Paul Tazewell are good.

Also in the cast are Michael Cummings, Elizabeth Franz and Simone Joy Jones.

The Miracle Worker
Circle In The Square Theatre
235 West 50th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: MiracleWorkerOnBroadway.com
Running Time: Two Hours
Open Run













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"Defending The Caveman"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Absolutely Funny and Absolutely True

One would be hard-pressed to find a better understanding of the differences between men and women than the one shown by writer Rob Becker in penning the one-man comedic work "Defending The Caveman." The piece is so hilariously dead on it should be required viewing for anybody who's in a relationship, has been in a relationship or is thinking about being in a relationship. Becker originally starred in the production when it opened in New York in 1995, the show going on to become the longest-running one-person play in Broadway history. Now, in it's first New York revival, the show is playing at the Downstairs Theatre at Sofia's and stars actor Paul Perroni who brilliantly takes the text, and makes it is own.

The tone is quickly set with a collection of video clips, showing a man and a woman at their wedding, followed by what happens when the honeymoon is over, everyday life begins, and they start getting on each others nerves. Such as the guy drinking milk from the carton, throwing his clothes on the floor and, while the woman is trying on dress after dress to see what looks best for a night out, the man goes to the laundry hamper, and puts on a shirt that doesn't smell too bad.

According to the show's pontifications, the differences (and resulting friction) between the sexes can be traced back to the caveman days when men were hunters and women gatherers. As hunters, the guys started out with a specific objective in mind (i.e. get food by killing something) and thus learned to be focused on that one task; while talking little to those in their hunting party (they didn't want to startle their prey). This is why today, men have trouble doing two things at once (i.e. having a conversation while watching television) and have learned to communicate, for the most part, in a series of short words and grunts. Women on the other hand, as gatherers, were trained to observe what kind of fruit to pick, where it grew, how to judge when it was ripe and at what time of year to pick it. As such, they learned to collect, process, and retain information; and thus it is easier for them to examine things and situations more closely and carefully.

The problem, as Perroni points out, occurs when men and women get together and try to talk to each other via their own special languages, each of which operates under different principles, those being negotiation versus cooperation. The end result is a classic case of meaning becoming lost in translation. Perroni wonderfully illustrates these theories with numerous examples, ranging from friends meeting for drinks and two couples having dinner together, to guys going fishing and men and women having sex. Not only do all of his observations ring true, Perroni also punctuates these suggested scenarios by recalling similar examples from his own life, thus giving the narrative a more personal feel.

Watching the production, one can't help be surprised (when not laughing hysterically) by how simple, yet perfectly sensible, the show's message actually sounds. To the author's credit, the play is not offering a quick fix regarding the battle of the sexes or favoring one group over the other. Rather, it is presenting some very pointed and humorous situations while examining an age-old problem, all of which has the audience nodding, laughing and shooting looks of rueful resignation to their friends and significant others.

Perroni is perfectly cast here, coming off as an everyday day working stiff; a guy who goes out with the boys once a week, and who actually looks a bit like he's descended from cavemen, with a sort of benign, burly and brutish air abut him. (His example of going to the mall to get a shirt is priceless.) He also has an amiable stage presence, the audience quickly hanging on every word, gesture and facial expression he makes. At the same time, he imparts the information with the manner of a kindly professor, laying out his ideas piece by piece, with numerous examples to back them up.

"Defending The Caveman" is a prefect example of what could be called "date theatre." It's a show a person can take their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/lover/friend/relative to and be assured of having a good time. In the press notes, it's stated that Becker wrote the show after making an informal study of anthropology, prehistory, psychology, sociology and mythology over a three-year period. With "Defending The Caveman" as the ultimate result, it's safe to say he did a pretty good job with his research.

Defending The Caveman
Downstairs Theatre at Sofia's
221 West 46th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200, www.telecharge.com or www.cavemanticketsnewyork.com
Information: www.DefendingTheCaveman.com
Running time: 1 Hour, 40 Minutes
Closes: April 18, 2010









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"The Boys In The Band"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Still Packs A Wallop

Matt Crowley's "The Boys In The Band," one of the first plays to deal with the gay culture in a serious manner, is as powerful as ever, thanks to some very strong direction and a top-notch cast. There's also the added attraction of staging the show in a site specific location, designed to a look like a spacious New York City loft/duplex, (great choice by the company), and a nicely functional and slightly overstuffed set by Sandra Goldmark. (The zebra print rug in the bedroom is an especially nice touch.) This allows the actors to move amongst the audience, making the play much more intimate and immediate.

The apartment is the home of Michael (Jonathan Hammond), who is throwing a birthday celebration for Harold (Jon Levenson), a man so worried about his appearance he's perennially late for everything, even his own party. In preparation for the festivities Michael has gotten Harold a rather unique gift, in the form of a singing Cowboy (Aaron Sharff). Michael is currently in a relationship with the somewhat younger Donald (Nick Westrate), who he sees every week or so. (Donald is currently living in the Hamptons as he has a phobia about New York. He also has parental issues and failure issues.) Michael is also enjoying his fifth week of sobriety, having given up the drink, something Donald is rather grateful for.

In addition to Donald, also arriving are Emory (John Wellmann) the screaming queen in the group; Bernard (Kevyn Morrow), the lone black, who does a bit of a good natured Uncle Tom act when Emory is around; and Hank (Graham Rowat) and Larry (Christopher Innvar). Hank left his family for Larry, who he sees as the love of his life. However Larry has a habit of sleeping around, and has no desire to be tied down to anyone.

As the group begins to gather, Michael gets a frantic call from his college (and very straight) friend Alan (Kevin Isola), who has no idea of Michael's sexual preferences. Despite a promise that he will meet him the next day, it's not long before Alan drops by, in the throes of a crisis, and desperately needing to talk to his friend. With people of such opposite moral viewpoints (Alan and Emory don't get along from the first moment they set eyes on one another), it's obvious that there will be fireworks before the night is through.

While such encounters could easily be played for laughs (i.e. La Cage Aux Folles), Crowley has no such intentions. Not only is Alan quickly pulled out of his comfort zone, but Hank and Larry are soon at each other's throats over just what their relationship means. In addition, the strain of the gathering quickly becomes too much for Michael who, succumbing to alcoholic temptation, soon reveals himself to be a mean and angry drunk, forcing everyone to face their inner feelings in a bitter game of who loves who. However, as it turns out, Michael may be the one with the deepest fears of all.

Written 40 years ago, in an era before anyone had ever heard of AIDS, and before gays become a powerful political force or significant part of the national consciousness, "The Boys in the Band" works because at its heart, it's a story about human beings, about love and commitment (gay and straight) and about facing who one is. The script also brilliantly shows that the only ones who evolve or change are those who are not afraid to put their feelings on the line and risk getting hurt. Those that do so have the chance of something greater; those that do not are condemned to continue the way they are now, which as Crowley shows, can be very sad.

Casting is perfect down the line, with each character having their own voice, and point of view to expound on. Hammond makes a perfect Michael; at first glace the leader/ringmaster of the group, but soon revealed to be someone who hides a huge amount of anger at having to be closeted to many of his old friends, a point revealed when he is forced to juggle his two worlds; and a situation that may actually mask a much deeper turmoil within. Isola is very good as Alan, the homophobic straight man who may be protesting against the gay lifestyle a bit too much; and who delivers one of the major knockout punches of the story. Rowat and Innvar work well as the somewhat mismatched couple, held together by affection, but kept apart by their different definitions of commitment.

Morrow and Wellmann are both fine in their roles, though these two characters have a bit less to do in the story. Wellman is funny as the effeminate Emory, who gets off some great one liners, often using humor to hide his own hurts; and Morrow is strong as Bernard, a man trying to come to terms with a long-ago incident in his past; one he thought he had put behind him. Westrate is okay as Donald, the rock on which Michael leans on time and again. Adding some comic relief is Sharff as Cowboy, the dumb blond whose thoughts are at least two times zones behind everyone else's.

An interesting surprise is Levenson with his portrayal of Harold, at first glance an appearance-obsessed fellow who moves and speaks as if permanently stoned. Yet there is intelligence and experience behind the mannerisms. This is a man who is quite sure of himself and who has little patience for game playing. As he tells Michael at one point, "don't push me," for Harold is the one person who just may be able to get at the truth Michael keeps deep inside.

Jack Cumming III's direction is excellent, not only keeping the action moving nicely, but also having several scenes going on at once, (i.e. bedroom, bathroom and living room), opening up the story and allowing little bits of business to become just as important as the tightly constructed dialogue. Costumes by Kathryn Rohe are nicely done, as is the lighting by Dane Laffrey.

The script deliberately leaves a large amount of loose ends, showing that, like life, things don't always end in a nice neat little package. It would be interesting to learn what happened to these men down the line, especially knowing what seismic changes there are to come. (Donald's past in particular could be a play all it's own.) Now, with Crowley's sequel ("The Men From The Boys"), we may not have to wait that much longer to find out.

The Boys In The Band
Presented by the Transport Group
37 West 26th Street, Penthouse
Tickets: 212-352-3101, 866-811-4111 or www.transportgroup.org
Running Time: 2 Hours, 15 Minutes
Closes: March 28, 2010

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"The Pride"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Strong Performances, Undermined by Mixed Messages

Alexi Kaye Campbell's "The Pride" has an intriguing premise and some excellent performances by the four-person cast. However, this can't disguise numerous holes in the plot and the realization that the play covers no new ground from what has come before.

The story switches between 1958 and 2008 featuring different characters with the same names (played by the same actors) in each era. (Though it would have been nice to have this indicated in the show program.) In 1958, Philip (Hugh Dancy) works in real estate and is married to Sylvia (Andrea Riseborough), a former actress who became an illustrator. Both are frustrated in their careers. Philip had a creative bent he had to set aside when forced by necessity to take over the family business, while Sylvia longs to be back on the stage, something she apparently gave up when she got married.

This particular night, the two are welcoming Oliver (Ben Wishlaw), a quiet and introverted author of a children's book Sylvia is working on. As the three pass the time with small talk, an unspoken tension begins to fill the air. A tension of sexual passion, frustration and feelings no one is willing to acknowledge, much less talk about; at least not yet. But the truth can never be kept hidden for long and what will later emerge threatens to tear them all asunder.

The Oliver fifty years in the future is quickly revealed to be a young gay man depressed over his latest breakup with Philip, the love of his life. (It seems Oliver can't stop having sex with complete strangers, and Philip has trouble getting past that little fact). Helping Oliver get through the night is Sylvia, his best friend and a bit of a flake, who he leans on a bit more than he should.

At the story flips back and forth between the two eras, a common theme begins to emerge, specifically that one needs to accept oneself for who they are, for trying to suppress the truth will destroy both you and those in your immediate orbit. While this is a strong point to base a play on, (and indeed, many have done so already), the effort here feels too familiar, with too many loose ends to really be satisfying.

A major flaw is that the character of Oliver, the catalyst of both storylines, doesn't change or grow emotionally. Rather, he is more apt to wait until everyone adjusts to him. This is especially true in 2008 when, angered at his inability to stop sleeping with strangers, he falls into deep despair, using Sylvia as an anchor he can hold on to. Yet instead of coming to terms with his problems, he continues on the same path until everyone eventually accepts that this is who he always will be. Philip's final reaction in this regard, especially taking into account their romantic history, is rather surprising to say the least.

The 1958 sections are more interesting simply because the characters had fewer choices and opportunities available to them. (Divorce was something that was frowned upon, and an open homosexual relationship was pretty much unthinkable.) Nowhere does this ring truer than with Philip (in a stellar performance by Dancy), a man trapped by feelings he's unable to accept. (Something which finally causes him to explode in a particularly graphic segment.) Also quite powerful is a scene with a doctor (Adam James) where Philip tries to get rid of his homosexual urges and is finally is forced to open up about his true feelings. It's a shame this storyline is not followed further as the actors do a masterful job with the material.

Wishlaw does good work as Philip, a terribly repressed man who just wants his own special love, and then as a more outlandish and sure of himself fellow who's still battling with his sexual needs. However in terms of plot and story line, there is really little emotional development for this character.

Riseborough works well as Sylvia, a loyal wife who watches her marriage come apart (and who may have had a hand in it, albeit unconsciously); and also a young woman torn between friendship and a chance for a real love of her own.

Adding some needed filler to the piece is Mr. James; playing multiple roles, ranging from comedy (in a hilarious scene with Wishlaw) to drama, where he explains the process of negating (rather than removing) homosexual impulses in a chilling and clinical way. He also does quite well as an obnoxious editor who, in a surprisingly poignant moment, reveals a personal connection in his past regarding AIDS and "the love that dare not speak its name."

Joe Mantello's direction is good, keeping the action moving and letting the actors go full bore when necessary. David Zinn's sets are nicely functional, as are Mattie Ullrich's costumes. Lighting by Paul Gallo is fine.

"The Pride" makes a valiant effort, but all too often its message of accepting who you are goes hand in hand with "settle for less." These mixed signals make the final product somewhat less than what it could be.

The Pride
Presented by Manhattan Class Company
Lucille Lortel Theatre
Address: 121 Christopher Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Info: www.mcctheater.org
Closes: March 28, 2010
Running Time: 2 Hours, 40 minutes

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"Clothes for a Summer Hotel: A Ghost Play"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Not worth checking in

While Tennessee Williams will always be remembered for such theatrical classics as "The Glass Menagerie," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "A Streetcar Named Desire," he also created a huge cache of now mostly-forgotten works, many of which have been resurrected over the years to decidedly mixed results. There was an absolutely brilliant production of "Vieux Carre" by the Pearl Theatre Company last summer; the powerful "Not About Nightingales," done on Broadway several years ago; and an interesting collection of pieces presented by The Manhattan Theatre Club under the umbrella title "Five by Tenn."

Now comes "Clothes for a Summer Hotel," presented by the White Horse Theater Company. "Clothes" ran for only 15 performances on Broadway when it premiered there in 1980. Unfortunately the current effort is saddled with a rather weak book going in, with subsequent errors in the production making for a seriously flawed undertaking.

Subtitled "A Ghost Play" and taking place on a windswept hilltop in Asheville, North Carolina, the play imagines a final otherworldly meeting between writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (Peter J. Crosby) and his wife Zelda (Kristen Vaughan). The hilltop is also the location of the Asheville asylum where Zelda was institutionalized until her death there in a fire in 1948. As the story begins Scott, who is in between writing assignments, has come to visit his wife to see if there is any way to fix the issues that have driven them apart. Scott also seems to have no idea that he's dead, though Zelda, and those around her (i.e. the nuns who guard the institution's gates, and various hospital staff) seem to understand what's going on. (At point Zelda mentions that she was of the opinion that her obligations would end with death, only to be told that she must let these events play out.)

Even before the two characters come face to face, it is obvious they are both carrying substantial emotional baggage, but neither is willing to make the effort to work through it, albeit it for different reasons. Zelda has become quite used to marching to her own drum, and cares little about what anybody else thinks. Scott on the other hand, is desperately yearning for things to go back to the way they were long ago with no more said about the intervening years. Not surprisingly, it's not long before old wounds are reopened, with Zelda blaming Scott for failing to encourage her own literary career (and indeed, deliberately sabotaging it; while Scott condemns his wife for her continual vocal outbursts, (he has a fear of public embarrassment) wanting her to be quiet, dutiful and happy. There are also frequent references to Scott's ever-increasing drinking problem, as well as his disdain for all things homosexual, which may actually be a way of masking what he is unable to acknowledge.

Williams certainly has an interesting idea for a story; indeed, the relationship between Scott and Zelda has fascinated the literary world for decades. In that regard, Vaughan makes an interesting Zelda, an opinionated and passionate woman, suffocated by the more repressed and unbending Scott, and forced to go to extreme measures (such as taking a lover) just so she can feel alive. Crosby meanwhile, plays a completely unsympathetic Scott, a man taking refuge in the bottle and the written word in order to hide from things he would rather not face.

However for these portrayals to really resonate the characters need to be more than one-dimensional and that is not the case here; the play never offering anything new or going below the surface when trying to explain the relationship between the couple. Even more glaring is the fact that neither Scott nor Zelda change significantly over the course of the story, severely blunting any emotional connection the audience may feel to the pair. Among the things not explained are why Zelda continually chooses to stay married to Scott, how long she was in the asylum before she died, and how often Scott came to visit her. (This last point is all-too-briefly touched on.) It would also have been nice to see what made them fall in love with each in the first place

The portrayals from the rest of the cast, many of them playing multiple roles, all suffer from this same lack of detail, with just about every character in the play feeling incomplete and, as such, rather uninteresting. Although Rod Sweitzer does cut a nice figure as Ernest Hemingway.

Cyndy A. Marion's direction is lackluster for much of the play. Her being hamstrung by the weakness of the material certainly doesn't help, but she is still unable to make any elements of the story, come alive for any length of time. The set (original design by John C. Scheffler, additional set design and execution by Randall Parsons), especially the fire-scarred walls of the asylum, is done nicely; costumes by Adam Coffia and lighting by Debra Leigh Siegel are okay.

The White Horse certainly deserves credit for try to resurrect this long-dormant play, (it was last done in New York in 1995) but this is one time where the dead should stay deeply buried.

Also in the cast are Julie Kelderman, Ambien Mitchell, Tom Cleary, Montgomery Sutton, Mary Goggin, Lisa Riegel, Christopher Johnson, Kyle Lamar Mitchell and Sarah Levine.

Clothes for a Summer Hotel
Presented by the White Horse Theater Company
Hudson Guild Theatre
441 West 26th Street
Tickets: 212-868-4444 or www.smarttix.com
Information: www.whitehorsetheater.com
Running Time: 2 Hours, 20 minutes
Closes: February 21, 2010


(L-R): Kristen Vaughan as Zelda Fitzgerald and Montgomery Sutton as Edouard
Photo: Joe Bly


(L-R): Kristen Vaughan as Zelda Fitzgerald and Peter J. Crosby as F. Scott Fitzgerald
Photo: Joe Bly


(L-R): Kristen Vaughan as Zelda Fitzgerald, Lisa Riegel as Sara Murphy, Tom Cleary as Gerald Murphy and Peter J. Crosby as F. Scott Fitzgerald
Photo: Joe Bly


(L-R): Kristen Vaughan as Zelda Fitzgerald and Peter J. Crosby as F. Scott Fitzgerald
Photo: Joe Bly

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"Venus in Fur"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

An Erotic Theatrical Journey

Classic Stage Company pushes all the right buttons with a standout presentation of "Venus in Fur" by David Ives. Using the famous 1870 erotic novel of the same name as a starting point, the play offers a fascinating look at the issues of control, sensuality, and the interchangeability between the sexes in this regard.

Writer Thomas Novachek (Wes Bentley) is not a happy man, as he explains via cellphone to his fiancée Stacy. After a lengthy audition process for the female lead of his adaptation of the stage version of "Venus in Fur," he has been unable to find anyone even remotely right for the part. About to leave the deserted audition room, he is stopped by a somewhat flighty actress named Vanda Jordan (Nina Arianda), apologizing madly for being so late. Despite her not being on the audition list, Thomas agrees to give her a reading where, to his astonishment she completely nails the role, barely looking at the script (of which she has a complete copy, something no one outside the production team should have).

With Vanda reading the part of Vanda von Dunayev, and Thomas reading Doctor Severin von Kushemski, the two begin to work through the entire play, which charts the year-long relationship between Dunayev and Kushemski; specifically, his need to be completely dominated by a woman, both sexually and erotically. It's an idea Dunayev initially rejects, but as she's attracted to the doctor, she begins this journey with him, eventually throwing herself into it wholeheartedly. As Vanda and Thomas read the various scenes, they argue about plot points and bits of dialogue, switch roles, ad lib, and even wear each other's clothes to a degree while acting out the story.

Fascinating to watch for the performances alone, (both Bentley and (Arianda are excellent), the real strength comes from the playwright's understanding on the subject of control, specifically looking at just who is in charge in a dominant/submissive relationship, and whether control is something to be taken or willing given. It also helps tremendously that the various scenes crackle with sexual tension as the play progresses. Such as when Thomas' hand lingers on Vanda's shoulder after he places a fur around her neck, or Vanda demanding Thomas call his fiancé and tell him he won't be joining her for dinner that evening.

There's also the interesting question of just who Vanda is and how she can know the play so intimately. In an interesting bit of direction, Bentley often refers to the script of Thomas' play when reading the work aloud, while Arianda, as Vanda, barely glances at it. She gives various explanations in this regard, but none of them really seem to ring true, with the actual answer perhaps in another direction entirely. Arianda makes a perfect Vanda/Dunayev. Tall to begin with, her wearing spiked heels adding to her stature, she plays Vanda as a combination overeager actress (with a cute warm up scene) and posed and powerful diva, giving one the feeling she knows exactly what she's doing every moment of the story.

Bentley has the more difficult role as the earnest and determined Thomas, a man thrust into a situation where the play is the thing, but the story that play is trying to tell soon threatens to take over the entire situation in a sort of intense, erotic mind game. (Sometimes Thomas is the one in control, other times he ends up "going with the flow" so to speak and seeing where the current takes him, even as he is literally overwhelmed by what's going on.)

Walter Bobbie's direction is strong, taking what is basically a play reading at points and making it come brilliantly alive through a powerful text and the ability of the actors to put the story across. In another plus, the show never overstays its welcome, moving in a straightforward line, both in terms of the two characters on stage and the play within a play scenario.

John Lee Beatty's set of the audition studio is very good, the actors using a few important props and set pieces to set the stage for the "Venus in Fur" story that is to follow. Anita Yavich's costumes are excellent, especially those Arianda wears when auditioning for the role of Dunayev, the effect being a surface of civility and purity covering the passion and sensuality beneath. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting and the sound design by Acme Sound Partners also work well.

Another question asked in the Ives play is just who has the right to tell this story and hopefully do it justice. The answer, at least the one the playwright has presented, is only one who has actually lived through it on both ends of the spectrum. "Venus in Fur" offers an intriguing, sensual and quite intelligent look at what happens when what's printed on the page becomes perhaps just a little too real.

Venus in Fur
Classic Stage Company
136 East 13th Street
Tickets: 212-352-3101, 866-811-4111 or www.classicstage.org
Running time: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes
Closes: February 21, 1010


Nina Arianda and Wes Bentley
Photo: Joan Marcus


Wes Bentley and Nina Arianda
Photo: Joan Marcus

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"The New York Pops Celebrates the Holidays with Sandi Patty"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Festive Fun and Frivolity for All Ages

Christmastime in New York City offers a wide variety of holiday musical opportunities. One such example was the very enjoyable joining of the New York Pops and celebrated vocalist (and Grammy Award winner) Sandi Patti at Carnegie Hall. The resulting show, which took place December 18 and 19, featured a very entertaining selection of yuletide favorites, while also offering a nice respite from the roaring blizzard which was raging full force the night this reviewer saw the show.

Taking place in Carnegie's Isaac Stern Auditorium (with a 2084 seating capacity), the evening got under way with a lovely version of the "Deck The Halls," with the Pops guided by the able hand of guest conductor John Morris Russell. The program then segued into a melody of children's holiday songs, including "Christmas Time Is Here," best known from the 1965 animated television special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

However there was no doubt who most everybody came to see, as evidenced by the tumultuous applause Patty received when she first came on stage, a few minutes into the program. Quickly making the audience feel welcome, (and kudos to whoever designed her gowns), Patty could easily teach a class about the concept of stage presence, with her ability to grab and hold people's attention before even singing a single note. (Though when she sang, she sang quite wonderfully.)

Her voice, which can best be described as an operatic soprano, and her singing style, which can best be described as "smooth," was filled with passion as she delivered strong renditions of the nostalgic-inducing "Home for the Holidays," and "The Christmas Song." She was also quite good when singing some of the faster, and more upbeat tunes; such as with "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." (In an especially nice moment, she was later joined onstage by her husband Don Peslis in a duet for the inspirational song "The Prayer.")

Patty also got to sing some Broadway and Hollywood yuletide tunes. The former when performing the bouncy "We Need A Little Christmas" (from the musical Mame), and the latter with the lovely balled "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas; where she expertly put across a song made famous by Judy Garland in the movie "Meet Me in St. Louis."

Also adding to the festivities of the event was the presence of the Young People's Chorus of New York City. Seated in what can best be described as an elongated jury box, located on the back of the stage, behind and a bit above the orchestra, the occupants threw themselves into their singing with poise and enthusiasm. Included among their repertoire was the afore-motioned "Deck The Halls," "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer," and the stirring "I Believe." There was also "Angels We Have Heard On High." "O Holy Night," and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas;" these among the tunes they sung with Patty. She and the Chorus also did a very nice vocal collaboration with "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day."

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the entire program was the relaxed and intimate atmosphere, making one feel at times as if being around a warm fire, rather than in a gigantic auditorium, watching the performers and musicians on an immense stage. Much of this easy-going feeling was due to Mr. Russell, who served as a sort of combination conductor, ringmaster and emcee, keeping the entire evening moving nicely, while always ready with a quip or off-handed comment, his actions acting as a sort of congenial bridge between the various segments.

Helping to tie evening together was the New York Pops, each section of the orchestra getting their own moment to shine at different points during the performance (in both songs and instrumental pieces) and using such instruments as bells, a triangle and a kettle drum). A nice orchestral highlight was "Ave Maria," performed by violinists Erica Kiesewetter and Sara Caswell. Another high point was a very lovely arrangement of "Sleigh Ride."

One particularly nice aspect was not only the chance to hear some well–known tunes (both religious and secular) done by a full orchestra, but also the opportunity to hear them sung in a more complete version, rather than the truncated way one usually hears; i.e., with "Deck The Halls" and "Silent Night," among others. It should also be noted that not all of the songs pertained to the Christmas holiday, with such numbers as "The Festival Sounds of Hanukkah" on the bill.

All told, "The New York Pops Celebrates the Holidays With Sandi Patty" was a wonderful holiday treat for all ages, with never a false note sang or played to spoil the experience, all of which was enthusiastically received by the audience. One hopes this will become an annual New York holiday tradition-or at least be recorded for posterity.

The New York Pops Celebrates the Holidays with Sandi Patty
Carnegie Hall
December 18 and 19, 2009


Sandi Patty
Photo: Michael Gomez


Sandi Patty
Photo: Michael Gomez

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"Bye Bye Birdie"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Gone Not A Moment Too Soon

"Bye Bye Birdie" (book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams) was never a top drawer musical but has nonetheless proven to quite popular since it first premiered in 1960. Indeed, it has been a fixture on the high school and college theatre circuits for decades. However when one prefers a "Birdie" production they saw when they themselves were in high school to the first-ever revival of the property on Broadway (as was the case with this reviewer), it's safe to say that this new production, which wraps up its run on January 24th) has some serious problems.

"Birdie" was envisioned by its creators as a spoof of the rock and roll genre, making it one of the first modern teenage angst musicals. Unfortunately, the current Broadway offering, which opened the newly refurbished Henry Miller Theatre, treats the entire property as little more than a cutesy caricature, with almost none of the plot or people therein anywhere close to being real.

Rock singer Conrad Birdie (Nolan Gerard Funk) is the teen idol to end all teen idols. With his pouting lips, swiveling hips and brooding good looks, he has girls panting to be with him and boys wanting to be just like him. As the media and the ever-growing throngs of hyperactive teenagers follow Birdie's every move, his songs head into the stratosphere of the record charts. He is also a complete airhead with a roving eye for the fairer sex, much to the chagrin of his long-suffering milquetoast manager Albert Peterson (John Stamos).

Albert is also being forced to contemplate the loss of his meal ticket as Conrad is about to go into the army. (The show is partly based on the media hysteria created by Elvis Presley's induction into the army in 1958.) Meanwhile, Albert's long time girlfriend and secretary, Rosie Alvarez (Gina Gershon) wants him to give up the entertainment business, accept a position as an English teacher; and marry her. Standing in Rosie's way is Albert's domineering mother Mae (Jayne Houdyshell), who wants her son to continue with his show business career (all in the memory of her dead husband) and she is not above using guilt as a means to get him to do just that.

Coming up with a publicity idea guaranteed to send Conrad off with a bang, Rosie selects 15 year-old Kim McAfee (Alice Trimm) of Sweet Apple, Ohio to receive a final kiss from the singer on a visit to her hometown. However, there could a few problems with this, such as the fact Kim has just gotten pinned to Hugo Peabody (Matt Doyle), who's rather jealous when it comes to someone else kissing her. There's also Kim's father Harry (Bill Irwin) who fiercely disapproves of the whole rock and roll "fad." It's not long before Albert, his mother, Rosie and Conrad are disrupting the entire MacAfee household, not to mention the town in general. Increasing the resulting hysteria, Albert wangles a deal whereby Conrad will kiss Kim live on the Ed Sullivan show, with the entire family looking on. Not surprisingly, it's not long before three generations of viewpoints and attitudes collide.

There's a lot of potential for fun here, but any attempt to make the property engaging or interesting pretty much falls flat. Many of the problems in this regard can be laid squarely at the feet of director and choreographer Howard Longbottom, who seems completely out of his element here. One glaring example of this is how too many of the songs are over staged and over thought; i.e. "The Telephone Hour," not to mention the entire Ed Sullivan show sequence.

Another major problem is the casting of the leads. Stamos, while likable enough and a good fit as the mealy mouth Albert, is not a strong song and dance man; passable in the former category, and rather weak in the latter. His footwork also seems more of an afterthought rather than an integral part of any dance sequences he does. Because of this, such showstoppers as "Put on a Happy Face," come off with precious little passion or severely lacking a "wow" factor.

Much of these same problems befall Gershon. Although a competent actress and one nicely demonstrating the required fiery attitude and put-upon persona of Rosie, (the scathing glances she gives Mae are priceless),-she seems completely unable to hold a tune. Each attempt to do so simply calls attention to her severe vocal shortcomings in this regard. In addition, Gershon and Stamos have little chemistry in their scenes together, further lessening any emotional impact of their characters.

On the plus side of things, Ms. Trimm makes a fine Kim, her singing voice quite enjoyable and nicely conveying the rosy-cheeked innocence of the character and era depicted. In a smart move, the decision was made to cast the teenagers of Sweet Apple age appropriately, thus adding to the authenticity of their roles. Doyle works nicely as the love-struck but rather vapid Hugo; and Funk plays a convincing and somewhat deliberately over-the-top Birdie.

Other problems however, abound with the key supporting roles of Mae and Harry. Houdyshell is pretty much wasted as Albert's congenial mom from hell, decent in the role, but with precious little to do, the character being little more than a stereotype of an overbearing mother. The actress also offers nothing in the character to make one really care about the role one way or the other. In regard to Irwin's portrayal of Harry, it is pretty much a mess. A versatile actor and a gifted mine, someone seems to have decided to combine his different acting styles for his part in "Birdie." The result being that Harry moves with a continual jerkiness, speaks with a voice that is constantly changing in tone and pitch, all the while using numerous mugging mannerisms and annoying facial expressions. As such, he looks completely (and unintentionally) ridiculous.

There is one fleeting moment in the second act, during the song "A Lot of Livin' to Do," which shows what the musical has the potential to be if handled correctly. It's nighttime and Birdie and some of the Sweet Apple kids are hanging around a playground singing of all the future possibilities life has to offer. Sung with passion and sex appeal, the song shows "Bye Bye Birdie" to be a musical about generational jealously, with the older folks guarding the status quo and the youngsters wanting to shake things up a bit and strike out on their own. However the moment fades all too quickly, the production returning to being somewhat interesting, but also tired, bloated and way too concerned about getting to the end of the journey (and the show) instead of really looking at the journey itself.

Andrew Jackness' sets are okay, as were the costumes by Gregg Barnes, though nothing was really eye-catching in either case. Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations are, at best, a mixed bag; the same being true for David Holcenberg's musical direction. At least the theatre was nice.

Also in the opening night cast were Dee Hoty, Catherine Blades, Paula Leggett Chase, Deanna Cipolla, Riley Costello, John Treacy Egan, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Todd Gearhart, Patty Goble, Suzanne Grodner, Natalie Hill, Will Jordan, Julie Knitel, Jess Le Protto, David McDonald, J.C. Montgomery, Jillian Mueller, Paul Pilcz, Daniel Quadrino, Emma Rowley, Jake Evan Schwenke, Tim Shew, Kevin Shotwell, Allison Strong, Jim Walton, Brynn Williams.

Bye Bye Birdie
Henry Miller Theatre
Address: 124 West 43rd Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com Information: www.byebyebirdieonbroadway.com or www.roundabouttheatre.org
Running Time: Two Hours, 20 Minutes
Closes: January 24, 2010





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"Ernest in Love"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Cute Musical, but a Pale Imitation

There are certain shows that really don't need to be musicalized. Such a case in point would be "Ernest in Love," (book and lyrics by Anne Croswell, music by Lee Pockriss), a musical version of Oscar Wilde's witty 1894 comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest," now bring performed at the Irish Repertory Theatre. The tuner, which first premiered in 1960, is pleasing enough; it's just that the work doesn't cover any new ground or have a reason for the songs to be there in the first place.

In Victorian London, Jack Worthing (Noah Racey) is madly in love with the Gwendolen Fairfax (Annika Boras), a feeling Gwendolen happily reciprocates. However, Jack has a secret that his very good friend, and Gwendolen's cousin, Algernon Moncrieff (Ian Holcomb) has just become aware of. To wit, Jack, who also has a home in the Hertfordshire countryside, goes by the pseudonym of Ernest whenever he travels to London and it is by that name Gwendolyn and her mother, Algernon's aunt, Lady Bracknell (Beth Fowler) know him by; as did Algernon, until this moment.

It seems Jack has invented a roguish younger brother named Ernest who gets into all sorts of romantic and financial trouble, forcing Jack to travel to the city and rescue him time and again. However in reality, Jack uses Ernest as an excuse to break away from his various responsibilities in Hertfordshire for the adventure and excitement of the city, and the romance he has found there.

Far from being upset at this breach of social etiquette, Algernon finds the whole idea great fun; revealing his own secret in this regard. I.E. an imaginary friend called Bunbury whom Algernon visits whenever he feels like skipping out on a social or family obligation he would rather not deal with.

About to propose to his beloved, Jack is all set to reveal the truth to Gwendolen when she announces she has always dreamed of marrying a man called Ernest, while finding a name Jack rather ordinary and vulgar. Of course this naming conundrum may not matter when Lady Bracknell learns of Jack's parentage, (something to do with a railway line), which she considers much too ill-suited for someone such as Gwendolen.

Meanwhile, back at Jack's country estate, his ward Cecily (Kate Fabel) and her governess Miss Prism (Kristen Griffith) have an unexpected visitor in Algernon, who has taken on the role of Ernest in order to meet Cecily, with who he precedes to immediately fall in love with. Unfortunately, it seems she too has a love of the name Ernest and would not consider marrying someone with any other moniker. Things get ever more perplexing when Gwendolen appears looking for Ernest (a.k.a.) Jack, causing a sticky wicket for all concerned, to say the least.

Wilde's original script looks at the impetuous and foolishness of love as well as the somewhat strange idiosyncrasies of the middle and upper class when it comes to what is accepted and what is not. However, the musical aspect of "Ernest in Love" does nothing to really add to the original story, with much of Croswell's text feeling simply a retread of the Wilde tale, with the musical itself having little to offer in the way of standing on its own.

There are some enjoyable songs, such as "The Hat" where Gwendolen sings about what to wear to a marriage proposal; "Mr. Bunbury," a delightful romp where Algernon waxes about all the fun the character has given him; and the enjoyable "A Handbag is Not a Proper Mother," a tune spun in regard to Jack's past. Yet fun though they all are, none of these songs, or any of the others used in the play, serve to advance the plot or the various characters in any significant way, thus severely lessoning their impact.

Another major problem is a serious bit of miscasting in that Racey, while enjoyable in the role of Jack, looks at least a decade too old to play the 29-year old character, as he is so described in the story at one point. Rather Racey comes across as sort of elder statesman, one in the ecstasy of a serious love, but with none of the youthful spark that Holcomb nicely embodies in the role of Algernon. Indeed, Algernon is the most enjoyable character in the piece, a devil-may-care fellow determined to live life as one big adventure. At least until he too falls in love, and starts learning about the responsibilities that come with any serious romantic entanglement.

Fabel makes a decent Cecily, though she comes off as rather stiff at times, while Boras is nicely serviceable as Gwendolen. In one of the funniest sequences in the show, the two ladies go from being strangers to the best of friends to the worst of enemies when they both think they are engaged to the same man (Ernest). The segment is a nice touch showing how "the weaker sex" must stick together when deceived by the male animal, though at the same time, it's every woman for herself when it comes to getting the guy the want. Elsewhere, Fowler does a nice scenery-chewing turn as the pious Lady Bracknell; her attitude nicely haughty while secure in the knowledge that she, being the matriarch of the family, knows just what's best for all concerned. Also quite fun as comic relief are Brad Bradley and Kerry Conte playing various servants. Bradley in particular does a nice turn as Algernon's manservant Lane, who is all too willing to help out with his master's particular talent of "Bunburying."

Charlotte Moore's direction is okay, but parts of the show tend to drag, especially in the opening and closing musical sequences, which seem both a bit tiresome and gratuitous. James Morgan's set is fine, and Linda Fisher's costumes are quite enjoyable.

"Ernest in Love" is not a particularly bad musical and will probably attract many serious historians of musical theatre. Wilde devotes and lovers of theatre in general however, are advised to wait for a revival "The Importance of Being Earnest" instead.

Also in the cast is Peter Maloney.

Ernest in Love
Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: 212-727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Running Time: 2 Hours, 15 Minutes
Closes: January 31, 2010


Noah Racey (John Worthing) and Ian Holcomb (Algernon Moncrieff)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Ian Holcomb (Algernon), Beth Fowler (Lady Bracknell), Brad Bradley (Lane)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Annika Boras (Gwendolen) and Kerry Conte (Alice)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Katie Fabel (Cecily) and Annika Boras (Gwendolen)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Beth Fowler (Lady Bracknell)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Katie Fabel (Cecily), Annika Boras (Gwendolen), Noah Racey (John)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Noah Racey (John), Beth Fowler (Lady Bracknell), Annika Boras (Gwendolen), and Katie Fabel (Cecily)
Photo: Carol Rosegg


Beth Fowler (Lady Bracknell), Annika Boras (Gwendolen), Noah Racey (John), Katie Fabel (Cecily), Ian Holcomb (Algernon), Peter Maloney (Dr. Chasuble) and Kristin Griffith (Miss Prism)
Photo: Carol Rosegg

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"a British subject"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

An Involving Drama

In a perfect world, a person's time in jail should be determined solely by their guilt or innocence. Sadly, all too often justice falls victim to political pressure and the unwillingness of people to get involved. Few plays point this out as clearly as Nichola McAuliffe's stark and riveting drama "a British subject," part of the Brits off-Broadway Festival at 59e59 Theaters.

In 1988, Mirza Tahir Hussain (Kulvinder Ghir), an eighteen year-old British subject, flew to Pakistan to visit a family he barely knew. Within 24 hours of his arrival, he was accused of the murder of a taxi driver, thrown in jail, beaten, tortured and condemned to death. After seven years on death row, his case was overturned on appeal. However, as was literally about to be released, the taxi driver's family invoked Sharia Law, while resulted in Hussain being kept in jail (and back on death row) for an additional eleven years. Finally in 2006, with Hussain having been in prison for more than half of his life, his final appeals exhausted and his date with the hangman's noose looming ever closer, the case has come to the attention of British journalist Don Mackay (Tom Cotcher) and his girlfriend actress Nichola MaAuliffe (the playwright, who plays herself here, among other roles). Intrigued with the story, Mackay makes arrangements to travel to Pakistan and get an exclusive interview with Hussain.

The play is basically divided into two separate sections: Mackay's conversation with Hussain, and the efforts of the journalist, McAuliffe and members of Hussain's family as they try to help him avoid the death sentence. Both quite powerful in their own right, the juxtaposition of the two pieces is intentionally jarring, with Hussain's calm resignation about his current state a sharp contrast to the continual frustration others feel as they try to help him. Told on pretty much a bare stage with only a few set pieces and a strong use of lighting (good work by designer Christopher Richardson in that regard), the play's events take center stage thanks to a very descriptive text and strong direction by Hannah Eidinow who keeps building up the tension. There’s also the fact this is a true story, which adds an additional layer of urgency to the proceedings.

The play’s four actors, three of whom play multiple roles, are all quite excellent. Especially Cotcher who, as Mackay, drives much of the story. One can literally feel the character’s impotent rage as he encounters wall after bureaucratic wall of resistance in his efforts to get the word out about Hussain. An ordeal which starts when he first arrives in Pakistan only to find he will receive no official help from anyone. Indeed one official (McAuliffe) express surprise that Mackay has actually shown up, despite their having previously talked and he making assurances that he would indeed do so. This unwillingness (more than an inability) to help is a situation Mackay and McAuliffe face time and again from numerous diplomatic channels, including the Prince of Wales's office, by people who seem to want the entire matter to just go away.

Mackay's recollections about his time in Pakistan also serve as a window into that world for the audience. Extremely powerful are his memories about the terrible conditions in the prison where Hussain is incarcerated, (i.e. ten men crowded into a single cell with only a hole in the floor for their waste, with the smell of human excrement hanging heavily in the air). Also quite unnerving are the journalist's descriptions of the finality from the steel doors in the prison clanging shut behind him as he moves through various parts of the structure.

On the other side of the picture is Hussain, who is quite the opposite in temperament from Mackay and McAuliffe, Ghir turning in an excellent performance in the role. Incarcerated for 18 years, he is concerned only about the here and now, rather that what happened before or the possibly of his getting out. (I don't think that, he notes.) Long past the point of feeling anger or regret, his faith in Islam is what keeps him going and also causes him to project an aura of quiet and peace. While Hussain would of course love to be released, he has gotten to the point where allowing himself to think of such things would drive him mad. So he waits for whatever will happen to happen.

Hussain's attitude is also quite different from that of his brother (Shiv Grewal) who is overjoyed at the thought of Mackay's visit to Pakistan, convinced that this will be the beginning of turning Hussain's confinement into an international cause ultimately leading to his release. This almost blind optimism (tinged with desperation) serves to add to the strain Mackay is feeling, as he has to continually disappoint Hussain's family with the news that nothing they do seems to be able to attract enough attention for anyone to care about the case.

McAuliffe does a competent job in her acting, though interestingly, she hasn't given herself that much to do in the play, other than provide moral support to Mackay and offer some pivotal suggestions at certain points. Still she works quite well in the various characters she takes on in the story; and as the writer of the play, her efforts are absolutely superb.

There are several themes running throughout the tale, none of them happy or uplifting; such as that justice will triumph or that the true will set one free. Instead, "a British subject" clearly shows how one man's freedom (as is often the case) rests on the question of who is in the right place and the right time to do something about it, assuming they even want to. Not an appealing thought to anyone stuck in jail that doesn't deserve to be there, but the message is quite sadly all too often true throughout the world. This truism is also what makes the play required viewing by any one interested in the law, international politics and human rights; for the play has a lot to say about all three.

a British subject
Presented by Pleasance Theatre Trust LTD
Part of the Brits Off Broadway 2009 Festival
59e59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentralcom or www.britsoffbroadway.com
Running Time; 80 Minutes
Closes: January 3, 2010







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"Misalliance"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Production Lets Shaw's Wit Shine Through

Staging any work by Bernard Shaw is a tricky proposition as most of his plays are filled with rather dense speeches attacking such things as middle class morality, the evils of big business, etc. Fortunately, The Pearl Theatre Company's offering of his 1910 work "Misalliance" is delivered completely spot-on with a production that feels fresh and lively, allowing the message of the story to take center stage without it becoming overpowering in any way.

The story takes place on the country estate of John Tarleton, (Dan Daily), also known as. "The Underwear King." A bit of a bombastic sort, he delights in the power and recognition his business has brought him. Perhaps delighting a bit too much, as noticed from the reaction of his somewhat stiff and formal son Johnny (Bradford Cover). The father, being a literary sort, is always quoting themes or sayings from various authors, (i.e. Dickens, Ibsen, etc.), as well as setting up numerous free libraries throughout England as sort of as a way of giving something back to the people, while also hoping to instill his own passion for reading in others.

This particular weekend the family is playing host to Bentley Summerhays (Steven Boyer), the fiancée of John's daughter, Hypatia (Lee Stark). Bentley is a whimpering sort of fellow and man small in stature; one a strong wind could blow right over. His is also prone to throwing wild tantrums when he feels threatened or doesn't get his way, as Johnny is quick to find out. As for Johnny, he would like nothing more than to give Bentley a good thrashing, a feeling shared by Bentley's father, Lord Summerhays (Dominic Cuskern), a former colonial governor.

As the group is relaxing, talking about such things as "the toffs in the aristocracy," the question of whether one should be forced to pay more than their fair share of taxes, or how one loses interest in the formal niceties (i.e. political correctness) when one gets older; the relaxing interlude is shattered when a two-person plane crashes into the family greenhouse. The occupants of the aircraft, shaken but unhurt, are soon revealed to be Joey Percival, (Michael Brusasco) a handsome young man with a proper British upbringing; and Lina Szczepanowska (Erika Rolfsrud), a woman from a family of acrobats, one of which must risk their life at least once a day.

While Joey fits in well with everyone present, he is rather unprepared for the advances of Hypatia who, following the path preached by her father, has thrown convention to the winds and has become a free thinker, at lease where romance is concerned. Lina meanwhile, begins to attract the attention, and arouse the libidos, of just about every male in the house. (She also recognizes one of those present from an episode in the past.) Add to this the sudden appearance of a bookish man with a gun (Sean McNall) who aims to settle an old score and it's not surprising that any plans for a quiet afternoon go completely out the window.

After perhaps a little too much preparation in setting up the various plot points and character perceptions, Shaw and director Jeff Steitzer proceed to turn it all askew as everyone's carefully ordered worldview begins to collapse like a house of cards amidst an atmosphere of continual verbal jousting and physical action. Shaw's text, which can seem tired and onerous in the wrong hands, here explodes like firecrackers with the most of the cast gleefully embodying personas perhaps a bit too sure of themselves. This reality crystallizes when Hypatia and Joey's romp in the heather is discovered and both try to deny the events via such defenses as morality and honor. However, Mrs. Tarleton's (Robin Leslie Brown) unwillingness to "play the game" as it were, as well as the continual presence of various unexpected guests, eventually leaves everyone present understanding far more than they ever really wanted to.

At its heart the play is a satire on the foibles and perceptions of the middle class and how each one of us believes certain realities chiefly because we want to, and because it's easier than dealing with the harsh, unvarnished truth. An explanation nicely delivered by Lord Summerhays when recounting his experiences as governor of Jinghiskahn. There's also the idea of having your life all nicely compartmentalized, be one a business man or a risk taker; and how, when a person's comfort zone is unexpectedly pulled out from under them, they will go to extraordinary lengths (and rantings) to get it back.

Casting is excellent down the line. Daily makes a fine patriarch in Tarleton, a man slightly full of hot air, with a "know it all" attitude, as well as a quick thinker when confronted by an unexpected situation. However he is helpless when he has to face the truth head-on. Cuskern is good as Lord Summerhays who, like Tarleton, is a man who has learned that with age comes wisdom, experience and a license to philosophize. However, as with Tarleton, the meanings behind his verbal musings don't always translate well with his immediate family.

Boyer is surprisingly good as Bentley, a character who initially seems both annoying and irritating, with no redeemable qualities. Yet in the end is he is revealed to be a boy suffering from an extreme lack of self-confidence, but also one who is not afraid to learn something new. Brown nicely bring the role of Mrs. Tarleton to life, a person seemingly always in the background, but as with many of Shaw's older female characters, she is actually the one who is the wisest of all. Stark and Brusasco are fine as the young lovers, while Rolfsrud is simply a delight as a woman who lives life to the fullest and is both unbelieving and horrified by the sedate climate and cautious people she finds at the Tarleton home. McNall is fun as a person who arrives with a deliberate goal in his mind; only to have everything he thought was true called into question once he tries to put his plan into action.

Jeff Steitzer's direction is quite good, giving the actors enough room to have fun with their roles, all the while delivering the various (and lengthy) monologues with energy and passion. In addition, all the characters are played perfectly serious, even as the situation itself is getting more and more absurd, making the entire experience ever more enjoyable.

Bill Clarke's set of the Tarleton estate works well, giving the story the proper feeling of place; Liz Covey's costumes (mostly white) add a nice tough to the family's image of themselves; and Stephen Petrilli's use of lighting is strong.

Misalliance
The Pearl Theatre Company at New York City Center Stage II
131 West 55th Street
Tickets: 212-581-1212 or www.nycitycenter.org
Information: www.pearltheatre.org
Running Time: 3 Hours
Closes: January 24, 2010

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"The Holiday Guys"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A welcoming intimate treat

For a fun evening of songs, quips, and enjoyable tweaks at the yuletide season, one could do a lot worse than "The Holiday Guys," featuring Broadway stars Marc Kudisch and Jeffry Denman, here doing their bit to help make the season bright. The show can be seen on Monday nights at the Gotham Comedy Club through December 21st.

Taking place in front of a faux fireplace with a video of the yule log burning within (once a New York City television tradition), Kudisch and Denman, their trademark phrase being "Happy/Merry Hannumas," present a nice blending of songs and comedy patter, starting out with "I Saw Three Ships" with Kudisch on the guitar and Denman on the ukulele. The two are backed by an excellent band, led by Dan Lipton on keyboard.

Kudisch and Denman have an easy give and take rapport, giving one the feeling of being in their living room rather than watching them on stage. Their banter reminds one of the Smothers Brothers, the two at times trying to one-up each other, but always with a strong pull of affection present. They are also quite different in their personas, with Denman appearing more uptight and formal (and dressed in a vest, suit and tie while sipping a cocktail), with the more relaxed Kudisch clad in an old pullover sweater and pair of pajamas bottoms, and drinking from a beer stein.

An atmosphere of nostalgia is present throughout the show with several of the numbers having a sort of folk song feel, particularity in a very lovely rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," and a comic duet regarding solidarity for elves. (It seems there are some unfair labor conditions going on at the North Pole.)

Each actor also gets his own individual moments to shine. For Denman, it's a hilarious song where he waxes about what he wants for Christmas with a number a pre-reformed Ebenezer Scrooge might have warbled. He also has a wonderful "dream" tap dance solo which morphs into a weird parody of "The Nutcracker". The actor cuts a nice figure when dancing, his movements nicely fluid and his body and facial expressions at time calling to mind a young Dick Van Dyke.

As for Kudisch, he talks about growing up Jewish and the annual conflict that occurred as a kid when Christmas rolled around. (As he noted, it was the eight days of Hanukkah vs. the twelve days of Christmas.) All feelings brought to the fore in the enjoyable "It's Tough to be a Jew at Christmas." However, after poking fun at the situation he reveals his true feelings toward his religion with some lovely "Light the Candles." (There's also a hilarious song duet between a rabbi (Kudisch) and a Christmas caroler (Denman).)

The production also features some surprise guest stars. Jill Paice (currently starring on Broadway in "The 39 Steps") was the guest on the December 7, reading from the Clement Clark Moore tale "Twas The Night Before Christmas," with the guys providing various sound effects, some delivered via the traditional method (i.e. sleigh hells), others in a more high-tech manner. Upcoming guests include Richard Kind and John Tartaglia.

Other enjoyable segments included a "re-gifting" presentation. A nod to the myriad of holidays presents received that one has no use for whatsoever, the guys presented members of the audience with rewrapped gifts they themselves had once been given.

Nostalgic, merry and warm, "The Holiday Guys" is a nice little treat for the Hanukkah/Christmas season and definitely worth checking out.

The Holiday Guys
Gotham Comedy Club
208 West 23rd Street
Tickets: 212-367-9000 or www.gothamcomedyclub.com
Running Time: 1 Hour, 25 Minutes
Closes: December 21, 2009

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"A Streetcar Named Desire"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Hot, Powerful and Riveting

Cate Blanchett gives this generation's definitive interpretation of Blanche Dubois in an absolutely brilliant production of the Tennessee Williams work, “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Presented by the Sydney Theatre Company, the show is currently at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and it would be a tragedy if the play didn't move to Broadway upon the completion of its run at BAM.

An aging Southern belle and the outward picture of refinement, schoolteacher Blanche has left her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi and come to New Orleans to visit her younger sister Stella (Robin McLeay). However Stella's circumstances are not exactly what Blanche has come to expect from her sibling’s letters. Stella is living in a two-room apartment with her distinctly working class and hard-edged husband Stanley Kowalski (Joel Edgerton). The street where the Kowalski's live is ironically named "Elysian Fields," one of many outer coverings in the story under which are found things not often that pretty.

Always high strung, Blanche has come to New Orleans to rest after suffering a kind of nervous condition, brought on after seeing the loss of the family estate, due to generations of mismanagement, not to mention endless medical bills related to the death of their parents and other relatives. It’s situation Blanche knows noting about, having left Mississippi ten years earlier to make her own life, and only coming back for a funeral or two. As Blanche bitterly tells her sister "funerals are pretty," but death and dying is not.

From the word go, Blanche and Stanley are at odds with one another, the violent, almost brutish Stanley having little use for Blanche and her high-faluting ways, not to mention her trunk of seemingly expensive dresses and jewelry. Stanley is also a man who considers himself the king of his castle and resents Blanche upsetting his routine and lifestyle. Said existence consisting of (when he’s not working) drinking, playing poker and going bowling, not to mention enjoying a very passionate relationship with his wife. As such, it's not long before Stanley and Blanche, forceful personalities both, one via physical prowess, the other through feminine wiles and machinations, find themselves in a battle for control. A battle from which there can be only one winner.

A masterful work, “Streetcar” is a play is about personal choices; character, and about facing the truth not only as it actually is, but also as one would prefer to be. This is a story filled with such distinct characters and personalities, that even one error in casting can derail the entire production, as happened with the ill-fated 2005 Broadway revival of the show. Fortunately, there is no such problem here with each actor fitting perfectly into their respective roles, all the while being authentic to the text. Running more than three hours in length, there is never a false note or extraneous bit of business anywhere. Kudos must also go to Liv Ullmann's direction in that regard for the deliberate pacing and continually building of the tension, not to mention the occasional flourishes of humor, (such as Stanley trying to explain the Napoleonic Code to Stella and Blanche), making the entire show fascinating to watch.

Blanchett, quite simply, is Blanche Dubios, a terribly fragile and vulnerable woman who has suffered more than any one person has right to. From the death of her husband years earlier, to watching the family home "slip through her fingers." This is also a woman who, despite her current circumstances, has lost none of her pride and dignity, still believing that she can do something to make things turn out all right, all the while battling a terrible loneliness she keeps hidden inside. (It’s an ache that won’t go away despite numerous attempts to ease it, at least for a little while.) With movement and gestures that are very carefully choreographed, to maintain the image she creates of always being in control (unless alone on stage), her various conversations reveal tantalizing glimpses, but never quite offer the complete facts, of who she really is. (Leaving the audience to fill in the blanks obtained from information conveyed elsewhere in the story.)

Edgerton is superb as Stanley. A man easily prone to violence, he can be very dangerous when crossed, or when he gets drunk, as Blanche discovers during her stay at the Kowalski home. Animalistic in his moments and sexuality, Stanley deals with things on a visceral level, going straight at a problem or obstacle; unlike Blanche who tries to circumvent it, or entice someone else to take care of it for her. It also helps that Edgerton and Blanchett have a good chemistry together, making their scenes smolder with tension and energy; sort of like a case of dynamite waiting to explode.

The character of Stella is a particularly interesting one, all too often relegated to the background in some productions. Here however, McLeavy nicely brings forth a vibrant and youthful Stella, moving with energy and purpose. This is a woman completely in love with her husband, so much so she is deliberately blind to certain issues which should not be ignored. Stella unfortunately, has precious little back story, one that that would have been quite interesting had Williams chosen to write it. In Stanley, Stella sees not only his animal passion, but also someone who will take care of her, just as Stanley needs someone that he can take care of and look out for, albeit on his own terms. But why has Stella rejected her past so completely? It’s a question Blanche spends considerable time pondering. At the same time, Blanche deliberately turns a blind to incidents in her own past, preferring to concentrate on only the good things from that time. For if either sister were to acknowledge things unspoken, their entire life’s illusions would shatter like a pane of glass.

Tim Richards is very good as Mitch, the bachelor friend of Stanley who becomes enamored with Blanche, and she with him. If Stanley represents the societal opposite of Blanche and Stella is one who moved from one level of society to another, Mitch is one who tries to make that same move, but without being willing to assume a subservient role to Blanche, (as Stella did with Stanley), in order to do so. As with Stanley, Mitch can be charmer on the surface, but dangerous and cruel underneath, which can lead to trouble for those who don’t play square with him, whatever their reason might be for doing so.

The rest of the cast works together quite well, even those with only a few lines of dialogue, all perfectly fitting into their roles and, more importantly, getting the accents and dialects down pat, all of which add to the believability of the story. One indeed feels transported to New Orleans, circa 1947, with these not so much colorful characters, but rather everyday working stiffs and housewives. All people simply trying to get by and playing out the hand life has dealt them, with no illusions whatsoever. (All except Blanche; a dreamer whose flights of fancy are both her greatest strength and greatest weakness.)

Ralph Myers's set is of the Kowalski's apartment presents a domicile both run down and well lived in, and completely appropriate to the story. Nick Schlieper's use of lighting is excellent, including a shadow effect after a major altercation between two of the characters; an early face off between Blanche and Stanley; and in the very powerful beginning and final scenes. Tess Schofield's costumes are enjoyable, with Blanche's outfits offering a stark contrast to the clothes worn by the people in Kowalski's world. Also good is Paul Charlier's sound design.

Shining through every page of the script is the Williams story itself, a tale of a faded woman refusing to end her days in obscurity, and who is determined to hold on to her dignity while accepting a helping hand no matter from who it is offered. “A Streetcar Named Desire” is a non-stop exploration of the human psyche in a world peopled with characters of no consequence whatsoever. Except to themselves, with makes them all the more real.

Also in the cast are Sara Zwangobani, Mandy McElhinney, Michael Denkha, Jason Klarwein, Morgan David Jones, Gertraud Ingeborg, Elaine Hudson, Russell Kiefel.

A Streetcar Named Desire
Presented by the Sydney Theatre Company
Brooklyn Academy of Music
BAM Harvey Theatre
651 Fulton Street
Tickets: 718-636-4100 or www.BAM.org
Running time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Closes December 20, 2009


Cate Blanchett as Blanche Dubois.
Photo: Richard Termine


Robin McLeavy (standing) as Stella Kowalski and Cate Blanchett as Blanche Dubois.
Photo: Richard Termine


Cate Blanchett as Blanche Dubois and Joel Edgerton as Stanley Kowalski.
Photo: Richard Termine

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"In The Next Room or the vibrator play"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Frank, Funny and Sensitive Look at Sex

It's not often one wants to see a play that appears to be at least part museum piece, but that's one of the reason why Sara Ruhl's new Broadway show "In The Next Room or the vibrator play" works so well. It's a story deliberately seeped in the time and medical mindset in which it takes place, a prosperous community outside of New York City, sometime after the American Civil War (circa 1880s).

Dr. Givings (Michael Cerveris) has a thriving medical practice, operated out of his home, where he specializes in treating women for hysteria; a common label slapped on females at the time for numerous conditions (i.e. depression, loss of appetite, lack of energy, episodes of manic outbursts, etc.).For a "cure," Givings uses an electrical device to release excessive pressure in the womb by applying said device to the vaginal area. The apparatus is a vibrator and when used as described above, it produces an intense paroxysm effect. It should be noted that the entire experience at the doctor's is strictly above board, all done in the presence of a female assistant (Wendy Rich Stetson), with Givings being the perfect physician, looking at the entire process strictly from a medical and scientific perspective.

However the application of the device (and occasional accompanying hand massage and finger stimulation to aid in the treatment) have an unexpected effect on the ladies, awakening feeling many of them had never experienced; sex being something not talked about between a husband and wife (at least in polite society) back then. An example of this can be found in Mrs. Daldry (Maria Dizzia) who goes through a major transformation during the course of the treatments. Seeking a kindred soul and unable to confide in her husband, she encourages Mrs. Givings (Laura Benanti) to try the devices herself. The doctor's wife, who has been feeling more and more cut off from her husband as he has continually excludes her from what is happening in the next room, soon becomes Mrs. Daldry's co-conspirator in some impromptu treatments, such actions and the understanding it brings causing a strain on the Giving's marriage.

What makes the entire play work is not only the humor of the situation but the very serious way the story deals with a serious subject of the time, specifically, the lack of communication between husbands and wives. Mr. Daldry (Thomas Jay Ryan) for instance, is a delightful, happy and passionate man when talking to Mrs. Givings, with whom he has no romantic attachment, yet he is completely cold to his own wife about anything of depth. (Ironically he's also the one who brings her to Dr. Givings for help with her "condition."

Also good is the letter perfect direction by Les Waters who is able to bring forth the deadpan humor in the text which, when combined with the excellent performances of the cast, makes some of the scenes play out beautifully. Such as when Mrs. Daldry entices Mrs. Givings to try the machine, after the doctor's wife breaks into the medical office by picking the lock with a hairpin. The two married ladies seem almost like a comedy team at times, acting and moving in unison and sharing a special secret between them no one else can seemingly understand.

Cerveris, who is often known for playing larger than life characters (i.e. Sweeney Todd), here complete submerges himself in the persona of the repressed doctor, channeling all of his passion into the job of curing his patents, be it female or the occasional male. (Such as the artist Leo Irving (Chandler Williams).) Yet when it comes to his own wife, the doctor sees her as being so perfect and with his medical ethics so rigid, he is unable to unbend his principles to reach out to her. At the same time, this learned man is simply unable to understand why women react to the device in different ways at different times, (even if it's the same woman).

Benanti is excellent as Mrs. Givings, a woman torn with conflicting passions, wanting to be closer to the man she loves, but feeling as if he is continually pushing her away. At the same time, she is also battling her own feelings of inadequacy when she and her husband are forced to hire Elizabeth, a wet nurse (Quincy Tyler Bernstine) for their newborn child, Mrs. Giving's own milk having been deemed "inadequate" by the doctor. This turn of events only serves to increase her feelings of low self-esteem.

Dizzia makes a good Mrs. Daldry, a woman who starts to come into her own sexually and who continually finds excuses to return to the Doctor's examination room ("I forgot my gloves"). Her scenes with Benanti are both funny and wistful, and their character's attempts to describe the vibrator sensations, first to each other, and then to the nurse, quite hilarious.

Bernstine makes an interesting character as Elizabeth, albeit one that is not fully explored. A woman from a lower class, and one who is treated as such, she ironically seems to have a much better worldview, as well as a deeper understanding of sex, than either Mrs. Daldry or Mrs. Givings. However her character is played on mostly a surface level, so one never really knows what drives her. Also, Elizabeth's final scene and exit plays a bit awkwardly, leading one to suspect something was cut during the preview process. Elsewhere, Williams makes a good sensitive artistic type suffering case of unrequited love, and thus developing a "rare" case of male hysteria. Treatments of which release enough of his pent up energy to allow him to paint again and fall in love once more-though with the wrong person(s). Ryan works well as the doctor's assistant.

Annie Smart's sets and David Zinn's costumes are wonderful, nicely setting the period depicted, yet keeping things vague enough to avoid too much specificity. The lighting by Russell H. Champa is very effective, especially in the final scene; and the sound design by Bray Poor is both appropriate and amusing throughout.

Most effective is how the play, initially seen through the lens of history, becomes totally in the here and now at a key turning point, when some of the participants are threatened with losing everything they held dear. The story also works in that one never guesses the fate of the any of the characters in advance, so the audience must wait to see just who will end up with who and which, if any, of the participants learn that intimacy, communications and the sexual act are and have always been deeply intertwined.

In The Next Room or the vibrator play
The Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th Street
Tickets: 212-212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.lct.org
Open Run
Running Time: Two Hours, 20 Minutes













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"Zero Hour"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Almost a Perfect Bulls-eye

It's a tough job to take on the mantle of someone who is usually remembered as being much larger then life, but that's exactly what Jim Brochu is able to do in his fascinating one-man show "Zero Hour," (in which he wrote and performs) about the life of comedian/actor/painter Zero Mostel, now at the Theatre at St. Clement's.

The time is July 1977 and Mostel (Brochu) is painting in his New York City studio when he grudgingly welcomes an interviewer from the New York Times. This will be Mostel's final interview before leaving to begin a pre-Broadway tryout in the play "The Merchant." (Mostel appeared in only one performance of the production in Philadelphia before dying of a burst aorta at the age of 62.) Angered by what he sees as the interviewer's ill-preparedness (and that fact this interloper is wearing a hideous-looking jacket), Mostel launches into an extensive tirade/monologue in which he looks back on his life, a history which includes his time as a child growing up Jewish in New York City, his triumphs on the nightclub circuit, his struggles with the Communist Blacklist and his Broadway successes, ones which included such vehicles as "Rhinoceros," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "Fiddler on The Roof."

A show likes this only works if one likes the actor onstage and the character he is portraying. In this aspect, Brochu succeeds beautifully, perfectly embodying the public persona (and physical size) of Mostel from the moment he walks on stage. While Brochu doesn't always get the voice quite right, it's close enough to create the needed believably for those who those who have seen Mostel on stage and film.

Not also does Brochu have Mostel physical presence down cold, but also his oversized public personality, one that seems to be always "on." This leads to one of the play's few drawbacks, with many of Mostel's conversations with the writer containing perhaps too many quips and sarcastic asides, all of which temporarily halt the forward motion of the play. It's a condition that fortunately lessens as the production move along.

Brochu is also able to give Mostel a self-deprecating sense of humor, such as when Mostel describes how he first auditioned for an acting class, doing a scene for the teacher on the spur of the moment; as well as explaining the reason for his nickname "Zero." (Mostel's actual first name was Samuel.) Also covered was Motel's continual penchant for adlibbing during performances, something which audience's undoubtedly found funny, but of which his producers and directors were at times none too pleased.

Humorous episodes aside, there was a great deal of drama in Mostel's life, from a troubled first marriage, to his wedding to Kathryn (Kate) Harkin, a Catholic-a loving union which led to a lifelong estrangement from his parents, as well as an early failed attempt in Hollywood, a process which was derailed after Mostel had what might be characterized as "a difference of opinion" with MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. There was also a serious traffic accident in which Mostel was involved. One which actually had a few good outcomes professionally, as he explains.

A good part of "Zero Hour" deals with the Hollywood Blacklist and events leading up to Mostel's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1955. Giving his answers to the Committee with his trademark sense of humor (even though, as he later says, he was quite terrified), offers a wonderful insight into Mostel's mindset and sense of right and wrong. In addition, his reminiscences of the effects of being blacklisted (in regards to both himself and others) are quite heartbreaking. The show also looks at Mostel's love-hate relationship with director/choreographer Jerome Robins, one of the people who named names during the hearings. Mostel had nothing but total disdain for Robbins the man, but had the ultimate respect for Robbins's talent and ability. Indeed at one point Mostel credits Robbins for saving his professional life by convincing the actor to go on stage for the opening night in "Fiddler on the Roof," after Mostel realized one particular scene in the show cut way too close to an experience in the actor's own life.

Throughout the entire play, Brochu nicely holds court as the Mostel character, effortlessly shifting gears from telling show business stories to exploring the actor's personal pain. If there is a complaint about what's presented here, it's that there's not enough time to cover more of Mostel's life. It would have been interesting, for example, to hear more about his experiences working with Mel Brooks on the 1968 film "The Producers," a picture the actor says he didn't like making, also noting it is the one film for which he will probably be most remembered. There is also surprisingly no mention of his working on the 1976 Woody Allen film "The Front," which deals specifically with the Blacklist. There is a certain scene in that film, involving Mostel's character, which dovetails somewhat with an incident related in "Zero Hour," and one wonders if this is a deliberate move by Brochu.

These minor quibbles asides, "Zero Hour" is a very involving play about a much beloved and colorful figure of the theatre, which grabs and holds the audience's attention from the world "go." It also makes one want to learn more about Mostel's history and theatrical work.

Piper Laurie's direction works well, though it does appear somewhat stilted at times, especially when Brochu delivers one-liners in continual rapid succession. However, the direction is a lot stronger when delving in the Mostel's personal history and when Brochu is telling stories rather then just tossing off zingers. Josh Iacovelli's set of Zero's artist studio is nicely realistic and the lighting design by Jason Arnold works quite well.

Zero Hour
Presented by Kurt Peterson & Edmund Gaynes
In association with The Peccadillo Theater Company
Theatre at St. Clement's
423 West 46th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.ZeroHourShow.com
Closes: January 31, 2009.
Running Time: Two Hours, with an intermission


Jim Brochu as Zero Mostel in ZERO HOUR at Theatre at St. Clements
Credit: Stan Barouh


Jim Brochu as Zero Mostel in ZERO HOUR at Theatre at St. Clements
Credit: Stan Barouh

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"My Wonderful Day"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Ayckbourn Scores With Biting Comedy

One of the reasons children are so precocious is because they have no filter, as playwright Alan Ayckbourn shows in the ruefully funny comedy "My Wonderful Day," now at 59E59 Theaters.

Laverne (Petra Letang), a maid in present-day London, usually comes to clean the Tate's house every Wednesday. However, this time she has to do it on Tuesday as she is less than two weeks away from giving birth and has an appointment with her obstetrician on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Tates aren't quite ready for her, with Paula Tate (Alexandra Mathie) having left suddenly and her husband Kevin (Terence Booth), meeting Laverne and her nine year-old daughter Winnie (Ayesha Antoine) in his nightclothes and is rather grumpy about the whole matter. (He doesn't even know what Laverne's first or last name is.) Nevertheless, Laverne starts to work, sitting Winnie down at a desk to write an essay for school entitled "My Wonderful Day."

While Winnie tries to write, she also has to deal with innumerable questions from her mother, who keeps coming to check on her, as well as well as dealing with the various people who come in and our of her line of vision; Winnie being on stage for the entire play, all of which is seen solely from her perspective. A somewhat shy and introverted girl, she also has to speak only French on Tuesdays, as a better way to learn that language. While the audience can pretty much pick up on what is being said, or at least the meaning behind it all, the language barrier causes great consternation for Kevin, as well as two other people who pop by. (Said co-workers being Tiffany (Ruth Gibson), who may be closer to Kevin than his wife would like, and his friend Josh (Paul Kemp).

The pace of this relatively short, intermissionless evening seems rather tedious at first until one begins to see where Ayckbourn (who also directed this production) is taking the plot. After carefully setting up the story, he begins to send things delightfully off kilter with secrets about hidden mistresses, angry wives, and the things people will do when they're hungry, all coming to the fore. (The story also includes an unexpected addition to a DVD recording and a novel use for a film award.)

The dialogue is rather middle of the road, with a few sarcastic quips here and there. Instead, it's the strangeness of the situations that steer the play, as one keeps wondering just what will happen next.

It's very interesting to note how adults often regress to baby talk when they're around a child, talking in idiotic sentences and saying nonsensical things, all of which may seem cute to the elder parties, but are rather ridiculous to the child in question, especially when said child is 9 years old. Plus, in this case, when they're not talking gibberish, they're using Winnie as their confessor, believing that since she can only understand French, their secrets are safe. All the while, Winnie silently observes everything and writes it down in her notebook. In the midst of all this, Laverne suddenly goes into labor (she being more concerned about her water breaking on Mrs. Tate's favorite sofa than anything else) and is quickly taken to the hospital, while the three remaining adults try to figure out what do with Winnie until someone can come and get her.

The play also makes much over class distinction, on both sides actually, with Kevin, Tiffany, and Josh all viewing Laverne, and to a lesser degree Winnie, as strictly hired help. At the same time, there's a bit of a "leave me alone" from Winnie, who really doesn't want to get involved with these people, preferring to just do her homework and get out of there.

Casting is very good. Antoine is a perfect fit as Winnie, her expressions and gestures saying much more than her dialogue ever could. She is also the rock of sanity around which the various adults in her orbit, all of whom are dealing with such issues as denial, anger, loneliness and betrayal, move through. (The look on her face when Paula asks her where her husband has gone is priceless.) Booth is fine as Kevin, a man with a roving eye and sexist attitude, one somewhat echoed in Josh. Gibson does a nice comic turn as the good hearted, condescending, and somewhat air headed Tiffany. Letang gives a nice earthy performance as Laverne; her happy attitude hiding some serious personal pain. Mathie cuts an interesting figure as Paula, a woman trying to connect with Winnie and be more than an employer, her outward civility masking a woman with a terrible temper and one who is always on a hair trigger.

Roger Glossop's set works well here, with a nice use of lighting by Mick Hughes to illustrate the movement of the characters through the various rooms in the Tate's house. Costumes by Jennie Boyer are fine.

On its surface "My Wonderful Day" is pretty ordinary, but that's the beauty of it, with Ayckbourn showing snapshots of other people's lives as seen through the eyes of a child who is taking it all down for posterity. Winnie's report will probably make a great comedy act someday. (And the show is a lot of fun.)

My Wonderful Day
59E59 Theaters
59 East 59 Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.59e59.org or www.britsoffbroadway.com Closes: December 13, 2009
Running time: 1 Hour 40 minutes









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"The Late Christopher Bean"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Forgotten Chestnut Shines Brightly

The Actors Company Theatre presents a wonderful revival of the 1932 comedy "The Late Christopher Bean," a show that looks at the subjects of greed, ethics and class distinction, all of which are still relevant today.

In the Great Depression of the 1930s the respected Haggett family, living in a town not far from Boston, Massachusetts, is feeling the financial pinch. Patriarch and general physician Dr. Haggett (James Murtaugh) is a valued member of the community, often out at odd hours on emergency house calls, but is hamstrung by the fact many of his patients can't or won't pay their bills. This forces the family to cut back on luxuries, something which upsets the doctor's somewhat haughty wife (Cynthia Darlow) and older daughter Ada (Kate Middleton). When it's suggested that he not treat people who don't have the financial wherewithal for his services, he calmly replies that all sick are entitled to receive medical care.

Things change drastically for the family when the doctor gets a telegram from New York from a man named Davenport regarding a deceased former tenant of the Haggetts, one Christopher Bean. A dying, drunken and destitute artist, Bean spent his last months with the Haggetts and painted a series of canvasses the family couldn't make heads or tales of. Indeed, most of them have little use of anyone in the artistic profession, especially Mrs. Haggett, who goes into near hysteria when their youngest daughter Susan (Jessiee Datino) becomes engaged to Warren Creamer (Hunter Canning), a local paper hanger who knew Bean and who hopes to become an artist himself one day.

It turns out only now, ten years after Bean's death, that his paintings were finally shown in New York, where they have become an immediate sensation, with Bean being hailed as a dramatic new voice in the art world that died too soon. As such, the search is on for any of the works Bean had painted during his time at the Haggetts.

However, soon not one, but three different people arrive at the Haggett house, each at first claiming to be Davenport and each not only searching for the paintings of Christopher Bean, but also knowing intimate personal details about Beans' time there, the Haggett family, and Abby (Mary Bacon), the family maid. Abby is treated as little more than an afterthought by the elder Haggetts and Ada, despite the fact Abby basically runs the household, doing everything from setting the table to managing the doctor's appointment schedule. Abby also apparently had the closest relationship with Bean while he lived there.

While most of the Bean paintings appear to have been destroyed, the family never caring about them until now, it seems at least one has survived. Said painting being a life size portrait of Abby which she has kept hung in her room these past ten years. Now with the bidding on Bean's paintings going ever higher, Ada and her parents scheme to get the picture away from Abby, a person they see as one who can't appreciate great art. (A delicious irony as the family can't see what make the portrait interesting in the first place.) As for Susan, she just wants to elope with Warren and get away from all this scheming.

The work's themes about the corruption money causes and the differences in class are reflected brilliantly in the persona of Dr. Haggett, a character brought hilariously to life by Murtaugh. Over the course of the play, the character changes from a wise old country doctor, to one obsessed by the promise of quick money, money that could allow him and his family to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. He's also a master of the slow burn and quick fuse when things don't go his way; all the while making up one excuse after another to justify his determination to get his share of the monetary pie, even if said pie may not belong to him.

Also present is the age-old issue of commerce v. art. This is personified by the art critic Davenport (James Prendergast), who wants to see Bean's pictures given their proper respect (and at one point makes a speech about the responsibility of those who are entrusted with such art), and the art dealer Rosen (Bob Ari), who want to make the best profit he can on the paintings and who is not above using a little bit of chicanery in the process. (Both actors giving their characters a nice mixture of earnestness and pomposity in their portrayals.)

The real surprise is Bacon's performance as Abby, a somewhat cynical woman, whose years hide a deep innocence of a time long ago when Bean, through his painting and attention, made her feel like someone special. It's an attitude and knowledge she carries with her in secret, with the feeling that as long as she knows the truth, it matters not if anyone else does.

The play is nicely constructed, with several surprises one never sees coming, and all moral lessons couched in a very large wrapper of humor. Jenn Thompson's direction nicely moves the action along, allowing the actors to have great fun with their roles, making them all not only quite real, but giving everyone qualities (both good and bad), that are quite familiar to a modern day audience.

The only complaint is that the first act goes on a bit too long and should have been played somewhat faster, with various explanations, lies and questions coming at the characters literally one after another, forcing them to quickly adapt to the changing circumstances (which many of them are forced to do in act two).

Charlie Corcoran's set of the Haggett living room gives off a nice lived in and homespun feeling, and easily establishes the time indicated in the play. (Kudos to whomever got the telephone cord right.) Costumes by Martha Hally work very well.

"The Late Christopher Bean" is a gentle morality tale about the important things in life, with a winning cast and story that makes one glad his long-forgotten work has been unearthed for a new generation of theatergoers

Also in the cast is Greg McFadden.
The Late Christopher Bean
The Actors Company Theatre at Theatre Row Studios
410 West 42nd Street
212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.tactnyc.org
Running Time: Two Hours, 15 Minutes
Closes: December 12, 2009


(l-r) Cynthia Darlow, James Murtaugh (seated), Kate Middleton, Greg McFadden, James Prendergast, Bob Ari
Photographer: Stephen Kunken


(l-r) Cynthia Darlow, James Murtaugh (seated), Kate Middleton, Greg McFadden, James Prendergast, Bob Ari
Photographer: Stephen Kunken


(l-r) Cynthia Darlow, James Murtaugh, Kate Middleton, Hunter Canning, Jessiee Datino, Mary Bacon
Photographer: Stephen Kunken


(l-r) Kate Middleton, Hunter Canning, Jessiee Datino, Mary Bacon
Photographer: Stephen Kunken


Mary Bacon
Photographer: Stephen Kunken

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"Idiot Savant"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Fascinating Journey

Writer director Richard Foreman takes the audience on a wondrously twisted ride through the off-kilter mental landscape of the title character (as brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe) in the fascinating "Idiot Savant," now at the Public Theater.

An idiot savant is a defined by Webster's Dictionary as "a mentally defective person with an exceptional skill or talent in a special field;" i.e. music, mathematics etc. As such, he can also attach importance to things most "normal" people might find ludicrous, yet to him, they make perfect sense. It is in this mental psyche that Foreman sets his story, a world where numbers, time and the meaning of words have great importance to the Idiot Savant and where various objects (such as ducks, the moon, a yellow suit) take on great significance and then fade away from his consciousness (and the story) just as quickly as they appear. During the course of the show, the Idiot Savant also talks about various subjects, (such as invisibility, the correct distance to open a package from one's body, and even it it's safe to open said package), and then in the middle of doing so, goes off on a verbal tangent to other topics that attract his interest, never returning to the starting point.

There is no linear storyline here per se, only events occurring as the Idiot Savant sees them. Some things happening only once, others going on again and again until he is happy that said moments have reached their proper conclusion in his perception of the scheme of things.

The Idiot Savant is aided/hindered by two other characters during the piece, said persons designated as Marie (Alenka Kraigher) and Olga (Elina Lowensohn), both of whom seem to represent different aspects of his personality. The story is also interrupted by an omnipresent voice, one not so much narrating the action as offering comments, guidelines and information. But whether this voice (uncredited in the program) is part of the Idiot Savant's consciousness, an aspect of reason from the outside world, or simply another part of his personality is completely open to interpretation, which is probably what Foreman intended. (Although the voice often says "watch out" at certain times, as if to warn that things aren't going according to the Idiot Savant's plans; and at other moments notes that "the secret is no longer hidden…rejoice" when it's time to move on to the next part of the story. This may possibly indicate that the voice is indeed part of the Idiot Savant's mental make up, in one form or another.)

The Idiot Savant may say "Why do I solve mysteries, when other people cannot solve such mysteries," but the real question is, what is the mystery one is asked to solve and who is supposed to be doing the solving? Thus the play becomes one large question about the human mind and spirit. What one draws from this experience is up to the person observing the action on stage.

The acting is excellent with Dafoe completely immersing himself in this enigmatic character, one who places just as much importance in a talking duck as he does in the power of words and his very existence. To his credit, Dafoe is not afraid to go wherever the script takes him; and with so much open to interpretation, Dafoe, like Foreman, can have a field day with the character and situations. (Dressing up like a crazed samurai doesn't hurt either.) Kraigher and Lowensohn work well as the Idiot Savant's foils/accomplices, both at times in control and completely helpless to alter the course of events unspooling before the audience's eyes. It's a testament to the two performers that they emerge as fully distinct individuals, when they could just as easily get lost in the maze of choices and distractions the play presents.

Best of all is Foreman's intense direction, creating a world where nothing is what it seems (or maybe it is), all of it perfectly executed with split-second timing to keep the story moving in one way or the other – in fact moving everywhere except from point A to point B. The set (designed by Foreman) nicely creates the semi-surreal environment the play explores; lighting by Heather Carson and sound design by Travis work just fine to compliment the absurdly ridiculous, yet very involving, tone the play has set. As do the outlandish costumes by Gabriel Berry, all of which make perfect sense in the end.

"Idiot Savant" is, by its very nature, hard to describe, and certainly not for everyone. But for those into experimental theatre or theatre of the absurd, the Idiot Savant is definitely one show worth seeing

Also in the cast are Joel Israel, Eric Magnus, and Daniel Allen Nelson.

Idiot Savant
The Public Theater in assocation with Ontological-Hysteric Theater
Presented at the Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street
Tickets: 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org
Running time: 80 minutes (no intermission)
Closes: December 20, 2009


Willem Dafoe and Alenka Kraigher in IDIOT SAVANT, written, directed and designed by Richard Foreman, running through Sunday, December 13 at The Public Theater.
Photo credit: Joan Marcus

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Actors Remembered at Historic New York Church

By Judd Hollander


Natasha Richardson, Bea Arthur, Clive Barnes, Harold Pinter, Horton Foote, Karl Malden and Patrick Swayze were some of the three hundred and twenty eight artists remembered at The Episcopal Actors' Guild of America's 86th Annual Memorial Evensong Service, held this past week at The Church of the Transfiguration, also known as "The Little Church Around The Corner," in New York City. The reading of the names of those who had died this past year, a tradition dating back to 1923, took nearly 15 minutes, followed by a standing ovation in honor of their lives and contributions to the arts.

The memorial address was delivered by theatre and television critic Peter Filichia, who also writes a regular column for www.theatermania.com and is working on his new book "The Biggest Hit of the Season/The Biggest Flop of the Season: The Last 50 Years of Broadway Musicals." In addition to the reading of the names, the service also included a reading of the Shakespeare poem "Fear No More the Heat o' The Sun," and the playing of the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of "Pie Jesu" (a choral musical composition frequently used at Requiem masses) and sung by the Transfiguration Men and Boys Choir.

The service also included the rededication of the Edwin Booth Memorial Window. The stained glass window was given to the church by the Players Club in 1898, (an organization Booth (1833-1893) had formed), and had been undergoing a thorough restoration for the last four years. The window features Booth as Hamlet, a role for which he was highly acclaimed.

In 1870 actor Joseph Jefferson was unable to arrange for the funeral of fellow thespian George Holland at a local church, acting not being a profession that was looked kindly upon in some parts of society at the time. Jefferson asked the priest who turned him down if there was anyone who might be able to help and was told "there is a little church around the corner where it might be done," to which Jefferson exclaimed, "[t]hen I say to you, Sir, God bless the little church around the corner!" The church accepted the burial without question, the incident was reported in newspapers across the country, and the church nickname stuck.

Over the years numerous theatrical and literary luminaries have been associated and/or worshipped at the church. Funeral services for Actor Edwin Booth were held there in 1893, and author and playwright P.G. Wodehouse married Ethel Waymen in the church in 1914. The ongoing theatrical relationship also led to the founding of the Episcopal Actors' Guild in 1923, which carries on an active program at its national headquarters in the Guild Hall in part of the church complex.

The Guild has its origins in the Actors Church Alliance (1899-1923), an ecumenical organization founded by Walter Bentley, an actor who gave up his career to become a priest. In 1923, its members and officers founded the Episcopal Actors' Guild, encouraged by Father Bentley and welcomed to its permanent headquarters by The Rev. Randolph Ray, the newly seated Rector of "The Little Church Around the Corner." Father Ray, a cousin to actress Tallulah Bankhead, was a lifelong theatre devotee, who had a very young Fred Astaire confirmed at the Little Church, and often hosted his friends Gertrude Lawrence and Noel Coward for lunch at his Rectory.

Erected in 1849, "The Little Church Around The Corner" was designated a United States Landmark in 1973. More information can be found at www.actorsguild.org and www.littelchurch.org.

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"Memphis"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Good, But Not Great, Entertainment-With A Powerful Message

Which is more important, staying at home and fighting for change or going somewhere new where change is easier? This is the question that is asked and answered in the very lively and engaging (if a bit lightweight) Broadway musical "Memphis." (Book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan, based on a concept by George W. George.)

In 1953 Memphis, Tennessee, a white man walking into an all-black nightclub is bound raise a few eyebrows, which is certainly the case when Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball) saunters in. Huey, it seems, has fallen in love with "race music" i.e. rhythm and blues and rock n' roll) and has a dream to bring that music to the white people of Memphis.

Not bad with a tune, Huey can play the piano and sing, and also soon become quite attracted to the pretty Felicia (Montego Glover), younger sister of Delary (J. Bernard Calloway), the owner of the nightclub. A man who is not about to have his kin get involved with a white man under any circumstances. Huey however, soon shows that he is not one to take "no" for an answer.

After seeing the power of the music first hand, by gauging the reaction after playing records at a department store, Huey talks his way into a job as a disc jockey on a local radio show where, going against orders, he starts broadcasting his beloved tunes which becomes an immediate sensation. Proving once again that the one thing that brings down racial barriers (at least on the surface) is the color green. Pretty soon Huey becomes an economic powerhouse to be reckoned with, first on radio and then on television, as a sort of cross between David Letterman and Stephen Colbert, pushing the limit whenever and wherever he can, building up quite a following in the process. He also buys a new house for his mother and becomes a concert promoter for Negro performers, all the while doing his best to bring people together-at least insofar as the music is concerned. He and Felicia also continue to grow quite close (albeit in secret).

However despite all Huey may do to change to world, or at least his little corner of it, change will take someone only so far, with the very idea of an interracial relationship something that will not yet be tolerated in many corners, as Huey soon learns. However this is not the only problem on the horizon with Felicia being offered a recording contract in New York. While Huey is offered the chance to go with her by taking his television show national, in order to do so compromises must be made, some of which will call for Huey's ideals to be sacrificed on the alter of the so-called "greater good."

"Memphis" deals not only with black v. white, but also the idealist v. the pragmatist. Huey has this dream where the music he loves so much can be heard and experienced by everybody, but at the same time, he wants to use it to bring about social change, a dream that works to a degree, but when he gets too impatient, wanting everything on his own terms, he is threatened with losing everything. (Everything that is, but his self-respect.) At the same time Felicia is chomping at the bit to get out of town and start her career, and her life, in an environment where racism will at least be tempered with more opportunities. So the question becomes who is the one selling out? Felicia because she may move on to something better for herself and her loved ones, and never mind everyone else; or Huey, who refuses to see anything but his own vision for the world, one where compromise is akin to capitulation.

While "Memphis" does a good job raising and examining these issues, in other areas the story is a bit weak. Too many of the characters, especially the white ones, are one-dimensional and stereotypical, and it would have been nice to see them given some real depth. Scenes where white folks start moving and grooving to Huey's music when hearing it for the first time come across as annoying parodies, instead of some kind of musical awakening. Also, after a climatic shift in the story, the final ending comes a bit too fast, with one song (albeit a very good one) used to cover over a large amount of time, with few details showing how the characters get to the events depicted at the final curtain, and what actually happened to all of them.

Glover is superb as Felicia and definitely a shoe-in for a Tony nomination, her voice hitting all the right notes and literally belting out the songs when called for. Kimball is a good Huey, an ordinary man with passion and dreams, thrust into the position of having the opportunity for making them all come true. Though one wonders how this man can be so naive about certain realities that exist in the society he has lived in all of his life. (His song "Memphis" is wonderful, revealing how deep his roots go, to both his work and his hometown.) Kimball and Glover also have a nice, although not perfect, chemistry together. Calloway is good as Felicia's big brother, terribly protective and wanting her to have more and be more than he ever could. (His determination ironically threatening both his own chance of success and his sister's chance of happiness.)

Elsewhere, James Monroe Iglehart is fun in the sometimes comic relief role of Bobby, while Derrick Baskin is very effective as the silent Gator. There are however, a few cases of overacting, such as with Cass Morgan as Huey's mother during the musical number "Change Don't Come Easy." Her antics reminding one of Mary Testa's embarrassing turn during "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" in the recent ill-fated revival of "Guys and Dolls." In both cases, not only was the acting/mugging way over the top, but also more importantly, it was not in keeping with the reality of the character.

Christopher Ahsley's direction is good, moving the story along nicely, although the book doesn't work as well as it should, with too many serious points (i.e. a brutal beating and its after effects) glossed over too quickly.) The score is very enjoyable and Sergio Trujillo's choreography is excellent and also quite a lot of fun.

David Gallo's sets are okay, but never really convey the atmosphere of being in the 1950s. (At least until after the first hour or so.) The costumes by Paul Tazwell work well.

"Memphis" is a show with a lot to say and one that certainly gives audiences quite a good time. However, with some tweaking of the scenes and sharpening of the underlying subject matter, the end result could be so much more.

Also in the cast are John Jellison, Rhett George, Jon Eric Parker, Tracee Beazer, Dionne Figgins, Vivian Nixon, LaQuet Sharnell, Ephraim M. Sykes, Danny Tidwell, Daniel J. Watts, Dan'yelle Williamson, Michael McGrath, Jennifer Allen, Kevin Covert, Hillary Elk, Bryan Fenkart, Cary Tedder, Katie Webber, Charlie Williams and Brad Bass.

Memphis
Sam. S. Shubert Theatre
225 West 44th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.memphisthemusical.com
Running Time: 2 Hours, 30 Minutes
Open Run

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"Oleanna"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Unforgettable and Riveting

Few plays have the ability to evoke as much emotion and vicarious participation from the audience as David Mamet's "Oleanna." Although the play doesn't have as much shock impact as when it first appeared in 1992, due to the unfortunate proliferation of the subject matter depicted, it still packs a tremendous wallop.

At a college, John (Bill Pullman), a professor awaiting tenure, meets with Carol (Julia Stiles), a student who is having major problems in his class. Basically, she is unable to grasp the concepts presented in the course. As the two talk, John attempts to reach out to her, offering advice and trying to explain the situation in a roundabout way; while at the same time, recalling something of his own past, i.e. that he was a "stupid kid," that he often felt inadequate, and does his best to let Carol know she is not alone.

However while John may have seen this as a way to connect with a student, Carol sees it as sexual harassment and, aided by the copious notes that she is always taking, files a complaint again him, threatening not only his tenure but also his well-ordered life. As John struggles to understand what he has done to trigger this situation, the purpose of the play emerges. Specifically, that it is not so much a question about sexual misconduct, but rather about class distinction and perception, with both people guilty of various infractions in that regard. The question of harassment is open to interpretation, though Mamet pretty much stacks the deck in one person's favor, at least in the beginning, (and the audience overwhelmingly agreed on that point the night this writer saw the show). Mamet also wisely made both characters Caucasian, eliminating any racial overtones.

As was said in the film "Cool Hand Luke," "[w]hat we have here is a failure to communicate," which is exactly the problem between John and Carol and to a larger degree, their different generations and upbringings, neither of which can understand the other's situation, and neither of which makes a serious effort to do so. Carol is someone who got to college by studying her butt off, probably with the aid of a scholarship, and is not only overwhelmed by the courses she has to take, but also has little patience for the good-old-boy network she sees at the college, with its tendency to talk down to the students and make things all about the professors. (Especially those professors who go out of their way to state how much of an effort they're making.) John on the other hand, sees nothing wrong with the teaching methods he's used for years and, like many people, is loath to change what has worked for him. A good illustration of this problem becomes evident when the audience sees how incensed Carol gets when John calls the college review board "good men," even through there's at least one woman on the board.

Kudos both to the powerful text and the just-as-powerful direction by Doug Hughes, which makes the first scene long and meandering, but in actuality serves to lull both John and the audience into a form of lethargy, making everyone completely unprepared for the twists Carol springs in scene two and beyond.

Pullman is quite good as John, a genial man who unfortunately has taken to wearing blinders as the years have passed and is unable to realize he's dong anything wrong, intentional or not, with the audience feeling his alternating moods of confidence, anger, helplessness, and rage. Stiles meanwhile, is excellent as the student who changes from a seemingly helpless girl to a determined woman with a mission, and whose performance will almost assuredly bring out strong emotions and passions from the audience.

In the end, both John and Carol are found to have feet of clay. John as shows he is more than the cerebral academic, becoming both desperate and furious when his lifestyle is threatened. In the same vein, Carol weakens her position as the righteous rebel or the angry young woman, where she not only reveals her belief system, but then fails to stick to it all the way through.

It should be pointed out that in all likelihood the situation presented would never have taken place (i.e. student and professor meeting in his office after hours with door closed), but these semantics can be easily overlooked as Mamet delivers a powerful message of what happens when miscommunication and misunderstanding can spiral out of control and where a chance for a meeting of the minds was lost long before the first scene in the play. On terms of every level, both emotional and intellectual, "Oleanna" is a winner!

Oleanna
The Golden Theatre
252 West 45th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.OleannaOnBroadway.com
Running Time: Approximately 80 Minutes
Open Run





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"Superior Donuts"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Superior Indeed

The consequences of decisions made in one's youth can follow a person around for the rest of their life, as starkly shown in Tracy Letts's "Superior Donuts," now at Broadway's Music Box Theatre.

Arthur Przybyszewski (Michael McKean), an aging white liberal in present-day Chicago, is the quiet sort who, at first glance, seems to have given up on life. The child of Polish immigrants, he runs Superior Donuts, an eatery his parents started nearly 60 years ago and one which has clearly seen better days. He's also dealing with multiple unresolved issues, many revealed in quiet monologues to the audience. These include his relationship with his father and how it fell apart due to their different political views during the Viet Nam conflict. There's also the matter of his long-ago divorce and an apparent estrangement with his daughter.

While trying to cope with these various situations, Arthur has let his business slide, keeping the donut shop closed more and more often. He also shows no interest when the place is broken into, offering no leads to Randy (Kate Buddeke) and James (James Vincent Meredith), two police officers investigating the incident. (This despite the fact that Arthur may actually have a good idea of who have committed the crime.)

Soon after the break-in, a young man named Franco Wicks (Jon Michael Hill) comes around looking for a job. Franco, a street-smart African-American, is the complete opposite of Arthur. The youngster is completely self-assured, always ready with a quip or comeback, and filled with plans for expanding the store, such as having a poetry night or adding low fat donuts to the menu.
Franco and Arthur rub each other the wrong way in terms of their various worldviews, but eventually arrive at a place of mutual respect, with Franco offering Arthur tips about how to make a date with Randy, who has long shown interest in the store owner. Franco also has big plans for his own future, having written the Great American Novel, which he lets Arthur read, (once the latter passes a racist test). Yet both men have areas in their past which are strictly off limits, (such Franco owning some serious gambling debts), creating a wall between the two that may be impossible to breach until it's too late.

Deceptively simple, "Superior Donuts" offers a touching and introspective look at folks on the lower rungs of society with, all trying to move through life the best way they can. From law enforcement to criminals, from the liberal to the bigoted, to an elderly lady (Jane Alderman) whose routine consists of drinking at bars and going to AA meetings, all are people simply trying to survive, sometimes on the backs (and labors) of others. Most interesting of all are the various interactions between the characters and situations, all of which are both interesting and realistic enough for most people to relate to.

McKean cuts an intriguing figure as Arthur. A man carrying demons from decades earlier (especially the last word his father ever said to him), he sees in Franco a younger version of himself, at least in terms of idealism and dreams. Arthur is also someone who was probably more open and engaging as a youth, but as time wore on he continually becomes more and more withdrawn. (A telling point in Arthur's past is when he describes what drove him and many others to flee the draft-and it's not all about politics.

Hill gives a good performance as the seemingly always in control Franco, a young man with an attitude, who has something to prove and who also carries a bit of a racial chip on his shoulder. The actor also nicely brings out the fact that Wicks, like many people in his age bracket, is a young man in a hurry, with little initial thought regarding the effects of his choices. (A theme brought up repeatedly in the play.)

Probably the most colorful figure presented is Yasen Peyankov as Max, a somewhat racist Russian owner of the shop next door, who is trying to get Arthur to sell so he can expand his own business. A firm believer in the American dream, and someone who could use a full-on sensitivity course, Max's actions (especially when drunk) can be extremely cruel, but he can also be a loyal friend, willing to bend the rules and help a buddy in need.

Also good is Robert Maffia as Hick's bookie, Luther. Outwardly friendly, this is not someone to cross, his actions reminding one of a deadly cobra, biding his time before he strikes.

Tina Landau's direction is quite good, though McKean's monologues of recollection are a bit disconcerting at times, not quite blending in with the ongoing story. At the same time, one wishes there were more of them as they might give a more rounded insight to this very interesting character. James Schuette's set of the donut shop is fantastic, calling to mind any one of the thousands of such places that dot the country, all feeling as if they belong to another era. (One that, in this age of Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, has quietly passed them by.) Also good is the work by fight director Rick Sordelet in staging a confrontation scene without any bells, whistles or accompanying mood music; instead showing the story and characters involved for what they are. Determined individuals for whom victory comes in getting their message across, no how much money one has or who is left standing at the end.

Also in the cast are Cliff Chamberlain and Michael Garvey.

Superior Donuts
Music Box Theatre
239 West 45th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Info: www.SuperiorDonuts.com
Open Run
Running Time: Two Hours, 10 Minutes


(l-r) Michael McKean, Jon Michael Hill
Photo Credit: Robert J. Safterstein


(l-r) Jon Michael Hill, Michael McKean
Photo Credit: Robert J. Safterstein

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"Vigil"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Interesting Premise, But Not That Much To Say

Playwright Morris Panych spits in the eye of the grim reaper in his black comedy "Vigil," which unfortunately isn't as sharp or as pointed as it needs to be to really deliver the goods.

In an apartment that has seen better days (nice work by scenic designer Andromache Chalfant in giving the set a claustrophobic feel), a middle-aged man named Kemp (Malcolm Gets) suddenly arrives, startling his aunt Grace (Helen Stenborg), whose home this is and whom he hasn't seen more than 30 years. It seems Grace is dying and sent a letter to her nephew asking him to take care of her in her final days. In response, Kemp has quit his job, planning to move in with Grace until she passes on.

It quickly becomes apparent Kemp is not that nice of a guy, with his continual ramblings about his lonely and unhappy life. His father was manic-depressive, his mother was a drunk, (his father eventually shot himself), he grew up pretty much alone and now has no friends or family to speak of. Except for Grace, who cut off all ties from her relatives decades earlier. Now Kemp is basically waiting for Grace to die, not so much so that he can inherit what there is of her estate, but so that he can go and rejoin the world outside. However Grace is not willing to go gently into that final good night any time soon. Indeed as the days, weeks and months go by, Grace seems to have a few tricks up her sleeve, what with her getting up and walking about when Kemp is not around, sneaking a cigarette or two, and basically having a good time being waiting on hand and foot.

Eventually Kemp decides he can't simply wait for Grace to kick off and begins doing what he can to nudge her along. Every conversation, (when he's not complaining about his rotten childhood or how Grace deserted him, or being a martyr for taking care of he)r, is filled with asides about death and dying. These include he disposition of her organs, whether she wants to be cremated or not, typing her obituary for the paper, and getting rid of her possessions. When Grace still shows no signs of breathing her last, Kemp ups the ante, introducing such items as a healthy dose of ant poison, or a contraption he constructed that can kill her in several different ways.

If the show was done as a full-on farce, it could probably work nicely. (The one bit played that way is quite funny.) However as a black comedy, one of the hardest genres to tackle, the show is crying out for a dramaturg.

A major issue is that neither of the characters is very likeable, with Gets' monologues going on endlessly, many of which take on a monotone feeling. While the character may be deserving of sympathy on some level, (as he comes from a painful childhood and is one of those nameless, faceless people who toil away unnoticed in a job they hate), he is given no redeeming qualities except at the end of the play when it's too late to really care. (There is an attempt to show how this lonely man is staving for love and affection, as is Grace in her own way, but the method of doing so simply doesn't work.)

Things aren't helped by the fact that Grace speaks very little in the piece. Since one never really sees who or what Grace is or where she's coming from, it's up to the Kemp character to carry the plot. But since he's not all that interesting, there's no reason why the audience would want to go on this journey with him.

Additionally a major plot twist, late in act two, played mostly for laughs with the idea of conveying pathos and understanding for both of the characters, doesn't really come off, making the ending a bit hokey and too neat to really be believable.

On the plus side, Gets nicely gives off the aura of a defeated man whose life has come to nothing and has come to his aunt's simply because he has nothing better to do. (Though one wonders who is paying the bills while Kemp is staying there.) Stenborg nicely plays a stereotypical old lady seemingly on death's door.

Direction by Stephen DiMenna is lackluster, with the action feeling too disjointed. It's almost as if one is watching an overindulgent one-man show rather than a play about two people who are very much alone. Also, at no time does either of the characters feel anything close to being real, which severely hurts the story. The lighting by Ed McCarthy is okay and the costumes by Ilona Somogyi are fine.

Ultimately "Vigil" is not a bad play, just one that's rather uninteresting and while the actors gamely solder on, at the end there's not that much to cheer about.

Vigil
DR2 Theatre
103 East 15th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.VigilthePlay.com
Running Time: Two Hours
Open Run


Malcolm Gets and Helen Stenborg
Photo credit: Carol Rosegg


Helen Stenborg and Malcolm Gets
Photo credit: Carol Rosegg


Malcolm Gets and Helen Stenborg
Photo credit: Carol Rosegg

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"Tanguera: The Tango Musical"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

The Magic Is In The Dancing

Dance is universal. It can tell a story that transcends the barriers of language and culture, with power and emotion that makes the intent behind it all completely understandable. Such is the case with this work about star-crossed lovers, "Tanguera: The Tango Musical," (story by Diego Romay and Delores Espeja, original music and arrangements by Gerardo Gardelin, tango arrangements and musical direction by Lisandro Adrover).

At the beginning of the twentieth century, waves of immigrants were arriving in Buenos Aries, Argentina from Europe, hoping for a better life than what they left behind. Among them is Giselle (Rocio de Los Santos) a young, pretty French woman who comes over at the bequest of Gaudencio (Oscar Martinez Pey) a powerful gangster, who controls the criminal activities in this part of the city. Gaudencio is helped by Madam (Maria Nieves), a woman who acts as his companion and who wields at least some power in her own right. Although Giselle's head is quickly turned by Gaudencio's outwardly smooth manner, not to mention his offer of the material things in life (i.e. expensive jewelry and fancy clothing), her heart is quickly captured by Lorenzo (Esteban Domenichini), a young dockworker. From then on, the two only have eyes for each other.

However Lorenzo is not the idealistic boy one would expect in a story like this. Rather he is a tough young man with his own ambitions in the criminal world, and frequently moves in Gaudencio's circle, causing both men (and Giselle) to encounter each other time and again. While Gaudencio may accept this young upstart in his criminal organization (perhaps Lorenzo even reminds Gaudencio of himself when he was that age), the crime lord is not about to allow Lorenzo to steal a woman he regards as his to do with as he sees fit. This last point becomes obvious when Gaudencio forces Giselle to work in a seedy nightclub. However, just as Gaudencio will not be denied, neither will Lorenzo, setting the stage for an angry showdown where love battles power and the themes of manhood, honor, freedom and consequence all collide.

The dialogue, except for a few songs, is non-existent. What make the story so easily identifiable are the excellent sets by Valeria Ambrosio, which could easily transport the story to New York City's lower east side during the same time period. Not to mention the sharp and descriptive costumes by Cecilia Monti), and most of all the fluidity of the dancing which is, quite simply, breathtaking to behold.

Most importantly the dancing is filled with emotion, the movements telling a story which covers, just like a good song in a Broadway musical, pages and pages of exposition in a matter of moments. From Giselle and Gaudencio's sharp and fast duets where it becomes obvious that she is little more than his possession, she always straining to break away from him while he continually pulls her strings; to the love shown in the gliding and synchronicity of Giselle and Lorenzo together; to the comfortable movements of Madam and Gaudencio, both showing the power they hold and the respect they have for one another, it is the dancing that carries the story and takes the audience along for the ride. There are also some powerful group numbers, such as Lorenzo and his friends at the docks when it seems the world is their oyster for the taking; and an early confrontation between Gaudencio, Lorenzo and their respective friends at a neighborhood gathering where the men vie for the attention of the women present; the dancing being both an act of individuality as well as an ominous precursor to the violence that is soon to follow.

Pey cuts a nice figure as Gaudencio. With his broad shoulders, dark sunglasses, sharp suits and entourage, he is recognizable almost immediately as force to be reckoned with. He is also a man who has a strong sense of power and pride, however misguided that sense may be. As such, there are certain things he will not tolerate, such as disobedience or humiliation of any kind.

Domenichini is good as Lorenzo. At first a seemingly naive young man with only love in his eyes, he soon turns out to have the beginnings of a dark side of his own. Santos works well as Giselle, a girl who comes to Buenos Aires on the wings of a promise, only to soon find out that nothing comes for free. Nieves is excellent as the Madam, showing a loyalty and understanding to the point where she is willing to do anything to maintain the status quo. Also quite good is the songstress Marianella. Billed only as "Singer" in the show program, she has a fine voice, setting up the action through song in the prologue, epilogue and several other places.

Chorography by Mora Godoy is outstanding, the dancing becoming so individualistic to the different performances, yet all combining to form a cohesive whole. The footwork is particularly fascinating to watch. Omar Pacheco's direction is strong, allowing the dance to take center stage but still allowing the performers to integrate themselves into the story. The lighting by Ariel Del Mastro works fine.

Also in the company are Dabel Zanabria, Maria Sol Alzamora, Leandro Capparelli, Carolina Castiella, Magdalena Cortez, Norberto Cosentino, Gustavo Fortino, Cristian Garcia, Melina Greco, Albano Jimenez, Gisela Kargel, Carolina Rocchietti, Paola Rodolfo, Fernando Rodriguez, Silvio Sotomayor and Nahuel Gonzalez Yannucci.

Tanguera: The Tango Musical
New York City Center
131 West 55th Street
Tickets: 212-581-1212, 877-581-1212 or www.citycenter.org
Information: www.tanguera-muiscal.com
Closes October 18, 2009
Running Time: 95 minutes


Photo Credit: Manuel Navarro de la Fuente


Photo Credit: Manuel Navarro de la Fuente


Photo Credit: Manuel Navarro de la Fuente


Photo Credit: Herbert Schulze

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"Summer Shorts, Series A"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Interesting Summer Confections

For an enjoyable summer treat, one need look no further that the two series of plays currently at 59E59 Theaters, (under the umbrella title of "Summer Shorts"), each consisting of four one-act works running the gamut from light comedy to thought-provoking drama.

"Series A" opens with a hilarious monologue by actress/comedienne Nancy Giles, entitled "Things My Afro Taught Me." In this funny curtain raiser, Giles talks about how, over the years, she both battled and tried to come to terms with the hairstyle and hair consistency she was pretty much born with. The result is a self-deprecating look at a woman on a journey of self-discovery, and a lesson about how much emphasis society places on appearance. It's also a journey that includes learning the pain of eyebrow, lip and chin waxes. (There's also a wonderful segment where Giles details the various hair-care products she used over the years, most of which ended up in the garbage can) Part coming of age story and part comic rant, Giles touches on a couple of universal points, i.e. wanting to fit in, wanted to look good, and the struggle to find one's own unique style. Giles's amiable manner and genial personality makes the work enjoyable to which while also allowing it to hit home emotionally.

The second show, and weakest work of the four, is John Augustine's "Death By Chocolate." Sheila (Sherry Anderson) is trying to come to terms with the sudden death of her husband, a lawyer who was mired in an investment scandal, which has left her in a precarious financial situation. (It's also her birthday.) As she considers her options and tries to contact her twin sister (who's currently in a hospital for treatment for manic depression), she also has to deal with various people who want a piece of her husband's estate, including her sister-in-law, (May Joy) who's angry about not being mentioned in the will and who wants Sheila to sell her house so she can pick up a hefty commission.

This is an interesting story of a fifty-something woman forced by circumstances to re-invent herself. However neither of the two women depicted are as fully drawn as they should be, with the situation itself not all that interesting. Additionally, several of the scenes (many including Aaron Paternoster, who plays multiple rules in the story) seem more contrivances than anything else. There are some good points, such as a Sheila's hilarious one-sided telephone battle with the hospital, and the showing of various people all trying to aid Sheila for their own financial gain, but the work never really comes together as it should. The play is directed by Robert Saxner.

A situation that is both realistic and fun to watch is Neil Labute's "A Second of Pleasure," expertly directed by Andrew McCarthy. Taking place in a train station, Jess (Margaret Colin) and Kurt (Victor Slezak) are about to embark on a long-planned romantic weekend getaway. However, as they're about to board the train, Jess begins to have second thoughts, something Kurt is definitely not happy about. Not only that she's changing her mind, but also that she's waited till the last minute to do so. (After the reservations have been made, the train tickets purchased, etc.). As the two discuss the matter, it begins to become apparent that Jess and Kurt are not man and wife, but rather two people having an illicit affair.

The high point of the show is LaBute's depiction (brilliantly interpreted by Colin) of one of these ordinary, everyday moments which illustrate what a serious relationship really means; one which shows why people get married in the first place-and why they stay together. Colin gives a realistic portray of a deeply conflicted woman, one caught between love and passion, and the status quo and the need to be spread her wings as it were. Slezak is good as a man upset at seeing his plans possibly go awry, but he's somewhat hamstrung by the more one-dimensionality of his character. However Kurt still manages to have a least a little crisis of conscience over his role in the events. The two actors also have good chemistry with each other, with the back and forth dialogue expertly showing a couple who know each other quite well, while at the same time the audience is only slowly allowed to become aware of exactly what's happening.

The capper for the series is "The Eternal Anniversary," (Book by Bill Connington, Music and Lyrics by Skip Kennon). Hauntingly poignant and almost entirely sung-through, it's the story of Tom (Robert W. DuSold), a middle-aged chef who is taking the night off to celebrate his 20th anniversary with his younger wife Sarah (Leenya Rideout). Tom has spent the day cooking numerous dishes and when Sarah eventually enters (resplendent in a lovely period gown), it is obvious the two are still very much in love. However, it soon becomes obvious all is not well in paradise. It seems Tom has long suspected Sarah of having an affair and, despite her protests to the contrary, she has never been able to convince him otherwise. This pattern of accusation and denial has continued every year on this night and may continue for who knows how long, unless a way is found to break the cycle and finally free them both.

The work is a brilliant portrayal of two people whose love and passions bind them together, but at the same time nearly tears them apart. There are several plot twists in the story, at least one of which is visible almost from the beginning, but the solid structure of the piece, strong direction by Thomas Caruso, and wonderful acting make it all blend perfectly together. DuSold excellently portrays a outwardly jovial man so eaten up by jealously he is unable to move on with his life, with the result that he both punishes himself and the woman he loves. Rideout in turns gives a tender portrait of am outwardly fragile woman with a moral core of common sense and right and wrong. Kennon's music and lyrics are quite good and realistic for the story. Andy Parkhurst's choreography works quite well and Karen Bray's costumes (she did the costumes for all four shows) are excellent here.

All told, the shows make for some very interesting summer viewing.

Summer Shorts
Series "A"
59E59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.summershortfestival.com
Running Time: Two Hours
Closes: August 25, 2009


A scene from THINGS MY AFRO TAUGHT ME, Written and Performed by Nancy Giles
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg


A scene from DEATH BY CHOCOLATE by John Augustine, Directed by Robert Saxner with (left to right) Sherry Anderson and Mary Joy
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg


A scene from THE ETERNAL ANNIVERSARY, Book by Bill Connington, Music and Lyrics by Skip Kennon, Directed by Thomas Caruso, with (left to right) Leenya Rideout and Robert W. Dusold
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg

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"Summer Shorts, Series B"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Summer Fun Continues

Expect the unexpected. This seems to be the underlying theme percolating in the four pieces that make up Series "B" of the "Summer Shorts" group of one-acts now at 59E59 Theaters. Each story presents a carefully ordered world or situation that is suddenly upended, leaving those involved scrambling to regain their footing before it is too late.

Things start off with the cute (and brief) curtain raiser "Don't Say Another Word" by Carole Real. (A title which has the unspoken tag line "If You Know What's Good For You.") Husband and wife Josh (Andy Grotelueschen) and Laura (Stephanie D'Abruzzo) are eating at a restaurant and talking about nothing special, when Josh repeats an offhanded comment he made about his wife when he was out with the boys. (Something about her having true beauty inside.) Not surprisingly, Laura becomes upset when she thinks her husband doesn't see her as pretty and Josh's attempt to convince her that's not what he meant only serves to make matters worse.

Real has crafted a cute story, one helped immeasurably by the fact Grotelueschen and D'Abruzzo are perfectly cast in their respective roles. Roles most people can relate to, with pretty much everyone having been on one or the other side of this conversation at least once in their lives. Ultimately a play about perception, forgiveness and acceptance, the play is an enjoyable snapshot of two people who love each other very much but who also realize (at least Laura does) that marriage means compromise and really listening to the words behind the words. The show is smoothly directed by Ian Belknap.

Love taken to its ultimate extremes is the basis for the second, and most strongly constructed, work in this series: Keith Reddin's "The Sin Eater," which offers an urban take on the classic Greet tragedy "An Oresteia." El, (Clara Hopkins Daniels) a young girl, is planning to kill her mother Cleo (Rosalyn Coleman) because she murdered El's father. (Her dad came home from military service overseas to find his wife and her lover together.) Despite the law having cleared Cleo of any crime, El remains resolute in her objective, so much so that Cleo has taken to locking her bedroom door at night. Even sessions with a court-ordered psychiatrist (Jamie Watkins) cannot cause El to waiver in the slightest. El's only obstacle in this matter is her youth and she desperately wishes her long-vanished older brother Oral (Sheldon Wooleyd) would return to do the job. When he does reappear, the stage is set for a bloody showdown.

This is an interesting work with a powerful core story (with themes of revenge, justice and retribution) and one that could easily be expanded to a full-length play. However the presentation as it stands now is somewhat uneven; with certain characters (such as Cleo's lover) talked about and then never mentioned again. There are also certain lapses of logic. I.E. would the courts allow El to continue to live with Cleo under the circumstances Reddin has presented? The acting is also off at points. Daniels is fine when being deliberately emotionally flat and talking about her revenge, but scenes needing more outward showing of feelings, such as when she meets her brother for the first time in years, don't have the power they should. (Either from Daniels or Woodley.) Coleman however, is very good as the mother at wit's end and Watkins works well as the psychiatrist. A nice touch was to have characters speaking some of their lines in the style of the ancient Greek works. The direction by Billy Hopkins is okay but also not as focused as it could be. Still the play has enough potential that, with a bit of tweaking, it could be something quite special in the future. Also in the cast are J.J. Kandel and Teala Dunn.

Next up is Roger Hedden's "If I Had," a telling work about class and the haves and have-nots. Slim (Shane McRae) and Augie (Andy Powers) are two working-class guys who run a lawn care (excuse me, landscape maintenance) business. One of their clients owns a lakefront home where their twenty-something daughter Audrey (Emily Tremaine) spends most of her time sunning herself in a deckchair, clad in a bikini and oblivious to all else. On this particular day, her parents have gone off on their boat forgetting the fact that its payday for the guys. While Slim is quite willing to wait to get their check, not wanting to make a scene which might cost them the job, and possible recommendations for future work (Audrey has no control over the family finances), Augie is having none of this, demanding said money due them be paid immediately. (This despite Slim's offer to loan him any cash he needs till the check comes in.)

For Augie, the matter isn't only about the money; it’s also about respect. He demands to be treated properly and Slim's groveling (in his eyes) to the "rich folks" is completely unacceptable. However, in an almost overlooked moment, Audrey is shown to be more than the stereotypical spoiled rich girl, and also having some very real problems of her own. Yet any attempts by the three to forge a relationship are made impossible by their various differences; differences that lead to anger, recriminations and the possibility of a shattered friendship. Nicely staged by Billy Hopkins, the show has a very good cast, all of whom use their scenes and dialogue to maximum effect. This is another play that could easily be expanded into a full-length, and one that has many directions and genres (comedy, drama, romance) in which it could go.

The most absorbing work of the four is the final piece in the series, the two-hander "The Killing," by the late William Inge. Set in a nondescript apartment, Mac (Neal Huff), an intelligent and sensitive soul, has invited Huey (J.J. Kandel) a gruff and perhaps violent fellow, back to his lodgings. But it is companionship Mac is seeking, not sex; along with something even more personal. For Mac has been so consumed by loneliness, and a life he feels is going nowhere, he is desperately seeking someone to kill him. (Mac's religion forbids suicide.) Huey, who was figuring he might make some quick cash, either by willingly sleeping with Mac or by robbing him, is naturally taken aback by this turn of events. Yet Huey cannot help but be drawn into his host's tale of woe. Mac, it turns out has thought this entire matter through quite carefully, from purchasing the gun which will be used to kill him, to how the deed can be done to make it look as if he pulled the trigger himself.

This is a fascinating tale about the right to die and the right to determine the circumstances of one's own death, but at the same time the play also asks if one has the right to draw others into such a plan. Huey may decide to do the deed, but will he be able to live with himself? Also, if Mac orchestrates the entire affair, isn't that a form of suicide, even if he doesn't actually pull the trigger? Very well directed by Jose Angel Santana, the play has just the right amount of tension, one that is gradually increased as the two men talk around the issue, slowly and inexorably coming back to the subject at hand. Huff nicely embodies a man who has fallen so low emotionally he sees no way to end his pain except through death. Indeed, one can feel the emptiness he carries inside with every word he utters and every gesture he makes. Kandel has the tougher role here, trying first to find sympathy for someone he initially saw as little more than a mark, and then trying to really connect with him on a deeper level, but he acquits himself well.

While Mac may think he's planned the perfect crime, there are a couple of loose ends (i.e. two glasses of whisky on the table), which say otherwise. Even so, "The Killing" offers a very interesting look at a subject that has occupied the word for centuries. Also deserving of mention is the set (uncredited in the program), which nicely brings out the feeling of endless despair depicted in the play.

Series "B" of "Summer Shorts" is a bit on the heavy side for summer entertainment, but in terms of story and subject matter, the works hit home most of the time and are well worth seeing.

Summer Shorts
Series "B"
59 East 59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.summershortsfestival.com
Running Time: One Hour, Fifty Minutes
Closes: August 27, 2009


Neal Huff and J.J. Kandel in the THE KILLING By William Inge
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg


Shane McRae, Andy Powers and Emily Tremaine in IF I HAD By Roger Hedden
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg


Rosalyn Coleman, Clara Hopkins Daniels, and Jamie Watkins in THE SIN EATER By Keith Reddin
PHOTO CREDIT: Carol Rosegg

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"Burn The Floor"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Burning Indeed

If the art of the dance is one of your passions, look no further than "Burn The Floor," a wondrous exhibition of ballroom dancing.

According to the press notes, the show was originally conceived in 1997 as a special performance for Sir Elton John's 50th birthday. Two years later the show opened in the U.K and, featuring an international company of dancers, has subsequently played all around the world, and has now found a home at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway.

The evening is divided into four specific sections: "Inspiration," Things that Swing," "The Latin Quarter," and "Contemporary," (in regards to the type of accompanying music), with various subsets in each segment, all showcasing dances ranging from the elegant and flowing Viennese Waltz, to the faster Lindy and Jive, and the somewhat sexier Rumba and Salsa.

While there is no through storyline per se, many of the individual dances have interesting tales to tell. For example, there's "The Dirty Boogie," where a young man continually watches the proceedings in a nightclub, desperately wanting to take part in the fun, but not having the nerve to really join in, at least until the end. There's also the very funny "I Just Want To Make Love To You," where several women compete for the attention of one man, and where one of the girls realizes, just before the final chorus, that in order to win this gentleman, she has to let him her know intentions once and for all.

If there were a single word that could used to describe the various styles of dancing showcased, it would have to be "graceful." Slow or fast, solo or as couples, quiet or frenetic, each of the dancers exude an aura of power and confidence; all the while perfectly in synch not only with the dancing, but also with each other. This feeling of effortlessness is especially evident in the transition sequences as the dancers (as well as the musicians) effortlessly switch from one style to another.

Great credit must go to director and choreographer Jason Gilkison, who flawlessly stages the entire production with great skill. Each number is done in such a way that it not only highlights the various dances, but also the smaller moments. This is especially true when most of the cast is dancing onstage and acting as a team, but at the same time, each person is also doing a different bit of business which, when taken together, makes all of the parts of the number combine into a joyously cohesive, yet at the same time, individualistic whole. Indeed, often there is so much going on one isn't sure where to look first. Glikison also makes a wise choice by staging of several segments in the aisles of the theatre.

The dancers also get some strong help in the vocal department from Ricky Rojas and Rebecca Tapia, both of whom have the ability of taking a song and emotionally ramming it home. Tapia has a strong, sultry quality to her singing, while Rojas has a lighter and quieter tone-while at the same time, just as powerful an effect. The company is also backed by a team of strong musicians: (Henry Soriano: Conductor & percussion, Roger Squitero: percussion, David Mann: saxophone, Earl Maneein: violin, guitar). Good work also by music coordinator John Miller.

Also deserving of mention are the excellent costumes by Janet Hine (based on the original design by John Van Gastel), with the women's outfits especially well done, (offering at times, marvelous splashes of color) and acting as a nice contrast to the men's quieter apparel. Lighting design by Rick Belzer is also especially good. There was a bit of a problem with Peter J. Fitzgerald's sound design, as some of the lyrics by Rojas and Tapia got lost in the music, but that's a minor quibble, as is the occasional feeling of repetitiveness early on in the show-a feeling that quickly dissipates. Scenic design by Ray Klausen was nice.

Accompanying "Burn The Floor" is the inevitable linkage to the reality television show "Dancing With The Stars," a program which helped bring ballroom dancing back to the forefront of the American consciousness. It's a link made stronger with the inclusion of "Dancing With The Stars" regulars Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy in the "Burn The Floor" troupe (billed as "Special Guest Stars"). Not to mention the fact that, according to the show program, 11 of the 18 dancers in the company have also appeared one the TV show. However there have been dance shows and revues on Broadway long before "Dancing With the Stars" came into existence, and they will probably continue until long after the television program has faded into memory. Plus, unlike "Dancing With The Stars," which features professionals and amateurs doing 3-4 minute dance pieces, in "Burn The Floor," we see a group of professionals giving it their all with immensely complicated numbers and lengthy dancing sequences, all of which bring forth continual bursts of applause, from the audience, as well as bringing them to their feet at the show's end.

"Burn The Floor" dancers: Sharna Burgess, Henry Byalikov, Kevin Clifton, Sasha Farber, Jeremy Garner, Gordana Grandosek, Patrick Helm, Sarah Hives, Melanie Hooper, Peta Murgatroyd, Giselle Peacock, Nuria Santalucia, Sarah Soriano, Damon Sugden, Rebecca Sugden, Trend Whiddon, Damian Whitewood and Robin Windsor.

Burn The Floor
Longacre Theatre
220 West 48th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Closes: October 18, 2009
Running Time: Two Hours











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"Mother"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Quirky, Yet All-Too Realistic View of Family Life

"Amiable" is perhaps the best way to describe Lisa Ebersole's dysfunctional family comedy "Mother," (which could also be subtitled "a group of people sitting around talking"), now playing at the Wild Project in the East Village. This enjoyable effort offers an interesting take on the annual family gathering, and also shows why some such gatherings are never more than annual.

At a West Virginia resort on December 29, 2009, the Leroy family, parents Joseph and Kitty (Buck Henry & Holland Taylor) and adult children Kate and Jackie (Ebersole & Haskell King) have come together for their annual holiday vacation. It's a tradition that stretches back to when Kate and Jackie were children. This is also the first time they have all been together for three years. However while the family may love each other, it's quite obvious that they don't always like one another or their actions. The family dynamic is set almost from the moment the foursome begins to appear, with sniping about what to order, throwing tantrums if the soup is cold, complaints if the drinks are not served correctly, or if the bread is late, etc. This is especially true when Joseph comes on the scene, showing himself to be a sort of bombastic oaf whose actions embarrass his more straight-laced children. It's a situation most people can relate to, and one that allows the characters to strike a familiar cord with the audience.

What's interesting about the play is that there is really very little of a through plot line. The piece is instead a snapshot of the lives of these four people, with the various moments and conversations offering hints to what has gone before. What is shown are old arguments where the family is concerned and, regardless of how infrequently they are together, they all know exactly the right buttons to push to alternatively infuriate and placate the others. Yet at the same time, all four are so self-absorbed, they never really seem to know one another at all.

Through it all there are various hints about some darker issues, such as Joseph's inability to handle money, Kitty's deep-rooted guilt about an incident that traumatized a then two year-old Kate, (even though Kate claims she doesn't remember it), and the ever-increasing jockeying for power and independence among the quartet. There's also the somewhat inexplicable relationship between the Leroys and the unseen Wilson family. There seems to be a long-running feud between the two groups, with the entire thing taking on a sort of "secret agent" feeling at times. However this matter is never really explained, resulting in the one really false note in the play.

Another interesting (and somewhat sad) aspect is that none of the characters really change over the course of the evening. Their circumstances may alter, (be it financial, emotional, or in regards to their individual support systems), but the characters themselves do not. This in turn provides a poignant look at how empty and lost these people really are.

Though the story does tend to drag at points (how many times can people come in and out of the dining room looking for one another), the fact that the play does work is a testament to the strong direction by Andrew Grosso, and the good efforts by the various cast members, each of whom are able to grab onto their roles and, if not fully bring them to life, at least make them interesting. Henry is the standout in this department, playing a father who often acts like a spoiled child when he doesn't get his way. (Or when he realizes his soup is going to get cold if he leaves to go look for his daughter.) His actions remind one of an embarrassing friend or relative who has no idea of proper family, or dining room, etiquette.

Taylor is good as the mother, a woman who drinks too much and suffers from a perennial migraine headache, desperately trying to keep the family together and awaken in them a feeling of nostalgia for a time that none really recall with happiness. King is fine as the somewhat spoiled son who may be having an affair with a married woman, while Ebersole is okay as someone desperately yearning to break free of her family, but who needs their financial support to do so. Adding a nice touch of poignancy is Keith Randolph Smith as a hotel employee who has known the family for years and who brings up moments some of them would rather forget. Providing comic relief is David Rosenblatt as the unlucky waiter (a sort of stand-in for the audience) attending to the family's various wants and whims, while wishing he could be anywhere else. (Rosenblatt's character never says a word, but his expressions speak volumes.)

The show is helped tremendously by the nicely kitschy set by Sandra Goldmark, which call to mind one of those places that displays their holiday decorations all year round. Lighting by Brian Jones, sound design by Daniel Kluger and Brandon Wolcott, and costumes by Becky Lasky all work nicely.

The title of the show becomes clear in the last moments in the play, as well as with the final line, all of which illustrates just how dependant on one another this family truly is.

Mother
The Wild Project
196 East 3rd Street
Tickets: 212-352-0255 of www.theatermania.com
Information: www.mothertheplay.com
Running time: Approximately 85 minutes
Closes: August 1, 2009







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"Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Good Time, With a Few Speed Bumps

Religious and moral hypocrisy take it on the chin in the biting, and deliberately over the top "Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe," a fresh look at the Moliere classic, presented by the Classical Theatre of Harlem and starring Andre De Shields in a hilarious scenery chewing performance as the title character.

The philosophy of the Archbishop (full title: Archbishop Reverend Supreme Magic Most Divine Supremest Tartuffe) is simple. It's not that money is the root of all evils, but rather the lack of money is. A mantra Tartuffe does his best to live up to by surrounding himself with fine clothing, fine women and enjoying a high style of living. (He also owns seven Cadillacs - one for each day of the week.) Most of Tartuffe's cash comes from the open wallet of his latest convert, a businessman named Orgon (Ted Lange), who has all-but deserted his family to become a part of the Archbishop's flock.

Not surprisingly, Orgon's sudden transformation doesn't sit well with his rather uptight family, (Jabari Brisport, Kym Brockington, Soneela Nankani, Lawrence Street), all of who are dependant on him for their financial livelihood, and who plan to stage an intervention in an effort to woo him back to the straight and narrow. However Orgon will have none of it, returning to Tartuffe's web again and again to become one with the church-which sometimes results in his doffing his clothes with joyous abandonment in a sort of melding of body and spirit.

Rather than a straight take-off of the Moliere work, playwrights Alfred Preisser and Randy Weiner instead use the Tartuffe concept as more of a jumping-off point as they turn the original story on its side more than on its head. Where Moliere was interested in pointing out the gullibility of man, "Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe" instead looks at the hypocrisy of people who hide behind a cloak of morality to disguise who and what they truly are, even refusing to admit it to themselves. Indeed just about every member of Orgon's family is concealing something, be it secrets from their past or their innermost sexual proclivities. As for Orgon himself, he is no fool to be hoodwinked by Tartuffe and his spirituality show, but rather has "gotten religion" simply because for the first time in his entire life, he is doing something that makes him happy. Orgon is also smart enough to know nothing comes for free and if his time with Tartuffe costs him monetarily, well so be it. What Tartuffe has done is introduce Orgon to the "you can't take it with you" school of thought and Orgon has become a happy and willing disciple.

While the show is a lot of fun, there are more than a few moments of disjointedness. The two parallel storylines (events with Tartuffe, and those dealing with Orgon's family) don't always mesh well, with most of the characters in latter tale being little more than cardboard cutouts of stereotypes rather than flesh and blood figures. The family's dialogue (some of it in rhyme) also often falls flat. Plus, the family's hidden sources of shame, when revealed, are at times a bit too far out there to evoke much sympathy. It would also have been nice had the musical been given a stronger sense of place in regards to exactly when it is set. Early indications seems to put it in 1930s Harlem, but various hair styles, costumes and references could put the show at least a decade earlier or much later. Not a major sticking point to be sure, but still a bit disconcerting. A large part of the responsibility for these missteps must be laid at the feet of Mr. Preisser, who also handles the directing chores.

Holding the show together is Mr. De Shields who plays the Archbishop as a magnificent strutting force of nature. From his first entrance in a suit of red velvet, pleading for people not to hate him because he is beautiful and fabulous, De Shields grabs and holds the audience's attention, presenting a character in almost constant motion. Whether one agrees with Tartuffe or not, it is immediately obvious the man is a power to be reckoned with and one wonders how far he can go before he is pulled back to earth by those who will try to stop him at any cost.

De Shields is helped by his enthusiastic choir (Jennifer Akabue, Gina Rivera, Charletta Rozzell, Kisa Willis) and cohorts (Tyrone David, Jr., Rejinald Woods), who turn the church services into a rousing good time of music, dance and excess. A nice touch in these sequences was the decision to include some audience participation, as well as to stage several of the numbers in the aisles of the theatre. Musical director/composer Kelvyn Bell does good job with these section, ably helped by choreographer Tracy Jack. Costumes by Kimberly Glennon work well, as does the lighting by Aaron Black and sound design by Bret Scheinfeld. A special mention must go to set designer Greg Mitchell, whose work makes the interior of the theater take on the appearance of an enthusiastic church service about to commence. Another good point was to have some of the cast greet the audience as they came in, welcoming them to "the service."

"Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe" is no classic work of theater, but to its credit, it's not trying to be. All it wants to do is give the audience a good time and poke fun at some of the hypocrisy in the world, and in that manner it succeeds admirably.

Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe
Presented by the Classical Theatre of Harlem
The Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row Studios
410 West 42nd Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.classicaltheatreofharlem.org
Closes: July 19, 2009
Running Time: Approximately 1 Hour, 40 Minutes







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"Twelfth Night"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Simply Magnificent

Every so often a play is presented where the various elements come together in such a way the resulting production can only be described as "magical." Such is the case with the Public Theater's offering of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," now playing at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Just about the only fault to be found is the fact the show is only running until July 12th, denying so many the chance to experience what the fortunate few will be able to enjoy.

Miraculously surviving a shipwreck, Viola (Anne Hathaway) is washed ashore in a land called Illyria. However it appears her twin brother Sebastian, who was also on the ship, was not so lucky. With no other prospects, Viola disguises herself as a man, taking the name Cesario, becoming a servant to Orsino (Raul Esparza), the Duke of Illyria. Orsino is desperately in love with the Countess Olivia (Audra McDonald) and dispatches Cesario/Viola to plead his case. However in the wake of her brother's death, Olivia has become something of a recluse, shutting herself away from the world and refusing all offers of love. This despite the entries of Feste (the wonderful David Pittu), a sort of clown/fool in Olivia's service, who seeks to rouse her from her doldrums.

Yet Viola is not one to take no for an answer (especially where Orsino is concerned, with whom she has fallen in love). Her resolute attitude eventually results in her being allowed to see Olivia and deliver the Duke's message. However Viola/Cesario's forceful manner is like a breath of fresh air to Olivia, who quickly falls in love with her/him. Realizing what's happening, Viola finds herself in a conundrum. Does she continue to see Olivia in the Duke's stead, while allowing Olivia ardor for Cesario to grow, or does she report back to the Duke that her mission was a failure, thus hurting the feelings of the man she loves?

While Viola tries to figure out her next move, and keep the ever-increasing passions of Olivia at bay, she also finds herself beset by an imagined rival for the Countesses' affections, one Andrew Aguecheek (Hamish Linklater). A rather inept person to be sure, Aguecheek is aided in his quest by the equally inept, but somewhat cunning, uncle to Olivia, Sir Toby Belch (Jay O. Sanders), who has a vested interested interest in who his niece marries. More confusion reigns when Sebastian (Stark Sands) also turns up in Illryia, believing Viola to have drowned, their uncanny resemblance to one another leading to more than a few mistaken identity scenarios.

The play is a romp from start to finish, effortlessly blending elements of music, romance, comedy and the occasional bit of farce. Best of all, the actors have taken the Shakespearean characters and made them just a bit larger than life but at the same time, perfectly real. They're are also likable and interesting enough to make the audience follow along wherever the story takes them.

This is especially true with the role of Malvolio (Michael Cumpsty), one of Olivia's servants. An officious figure who becomes the victim of a mischievous plot hatched by Maria (Julie White), who's also in Olivia's service, as well as by Belch and Aguecheek, in order to take him down a peg for two. Where in many productions Malvolio is played simply as a "full-of-himself" fool and cardboard comic character, Cumpsty is able to imbue the role with a sense of dignity, making the audience laugh at his situation in one moment and sympathize with him the next. (One can't help but wonder if someone out there has written a play about Malvolio that takes place after the events of "Twelfth Night" to continue this story.)

Indeed, there are no missteps anywhere in the casting. Hathaway is wonderful is Viola, a rather intelligent woman who finds her situation severely challenged by the effects love has on people. This is a character who must juggle Olivia's seemingly sudden burst of affections, being tricked into a duel with Aguecheek, and trying to fulfill Orsino's commands, something she does not want to do in the first place. Hathaway also gives the character both dignity and common sense as she attempts to retain her composure when it seems the entire world has gone mad around her.

McDonald is a delight as a woman who throws composure and common sense out the window the first moment she sets eyes on Cesario/Viola; literally morphing from a prim and proper woman into a giddy schoolgirl right before the audience's eyes. Not only does McDonald more than hold her own against the rest of the high voltage cast, but she also makes Olivia savor every moment of her reawakening, these emotions played out on her face in a joyous wonder for all to see.

Esparza is quite good as the Duke; although the actor is hamstrung a bit as the character is mostly a straight man, reacting to events around him more than actually setting them in motion. Fortunately Esparza is able to add some deadpan humor to the part, along with a few double takes, presenting a character with a firm hard, a stoic nature, a passionate demeanor, and one perhaps just a little slow on the uptake at points.

The ensemble is nicely rounded out by some powerful supporting performances. In addition to Cumpsty, Sanders makes a nice drunken rapscallion, always looking out for himself and trying to work every angle to his advantage. Pittu is a sheet delight as Feste, a fool in name only, but in actuality, like many such characters in the Shakespeare canon, one much wiser and more level-headed than those who employ him. At the same time, Feste indulges in some gleeful bits of fun, such as when it comes to putting Malvolio in his place. Julia White has a good time with her role as Maria, proving yet again, as Shakespeare often points out, that while men may lead, it is often the women who rule the day.

The entire production is given an extra bonus by the fact many of the performers also have a musical theatre background, with Pittu, McDonald, Esparza and Hathaway joining in on some of the songs, all excellently performed by the show's musicians, adding another level to this already richly layered story.

Great credit must also go to Daniel Sullivan's spot-on direction which brings all the aspect of the story together perfectly, staging the action so the various scenes often appear as a majestic tableau. John Lee Beatty's set works beautifully with the Central Park backdrop, Peter Kaczorowski's lighting is fine, while the costumes by Jane Greenwood are beautiful to behold. Mention must also be made of the good work by wig designer Tom Watson. Also deserving of mention is fight director Rick Cordele, who uses his duties to nicely combine both comedy and action into a seamless whole.

"Twelfth Night" is quite simply, a joyous wonder to behold. Go see it while you can.

Also in the cast are: Baylen Thomas, Herb Foster, Kevin Kelly, Charles Borland, Jon Patrick Walker, Clifton Duncan, Slate Holmgren, David Kenner, Robin LeMon, Dorien Makhloghi, Julie Sharbutt, Zach Villa, Andrew Crowe, Steve Curtis, Leslie Harrison, Christopher Layer and Ray Rizzo.

Twelfth Night
The Public Theatre's Shakespeare In The Park
Central Park at 81st Street
Admission: Free
Information: www.publictheater.org
Running Time: Approximately 3 Hours
Closes July 12, 2009


The company in The Public Theater production of Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park, directed by Daniel Sullivan, running through July 12 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
Photo credit: Joan Marcus


Hamish Linklater (top), Jon Patrick Walker, and Jay O. Sanders in The Public Theater production of Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park, directed by Daniel Sullivan, running through July 12 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
Photo credit: Joan Marcus

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"FUBAR or Interesting, Incredible, Amazing, Fantastic"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

An Engrossing Look At The Dark Side Of The Soul

"Don't push me…I'll win," one character warns another in Karl Gajdusek's edgy drama FUBAR, a play about perceptions and lives in transition, even if those involved don't always know that.

David (Jerry Richardson) and Mary (Lisa Velten Smith) have moved to San Francisco to settle the estate of Mary's mother, said woman having killed herself with a bullet to the head. Mary sees the suicide as the latest action stemming from her dysfunctional family environment; one with an abusive father and a mother who just kept coming back for more. David however, sees the family's history rather differently, having heard endless stories from Mary's mom about growing up in 1960s San Francisco and the magic that came with living in that special time. As such, David has a problem with Mary's recollection of events, despite the fact Mary was actually there while he only has a sort of "fairy tale" version of it all. This discrepancy makes David unable to give Mary the one thing she needs most of all, complete and unequivocal emotional support. (Things aren't helped by Mary's refusal to unpack the dozens of meticulously arranged boxes her mother left behind, each with its own, sometimes cryptic, message.

In an effort to acclimate himself to his new environment, David has reconnected with Richard (Ryan McCarthy), a friend from high school, who's now a successful drug dealer and aspiring book writer. Richard could easily be taken for a pharmacologist, so well versed is he in the various controlled substances (both legal and illegal) he deals with and their effects on the human psyche. Richard also has a very sexy and free-spirited wife named Sylvia (Stephanie Szostak), who David is completely taken with. (Richard and Sylvia are madly in love with one another, albeit perhaps a bit too blindly.)

Things come to a head when Mary is brutally beaten while walking alone at night. Once physically recovered, she starts taking boxing lessons from a trainer (Dan Patrick Brady) who may have a secret or two of his own. She also begins retracing her steps of that fateful night, replaying the events in her mind as she waits for her attacker to find her again, carrying more and more rage inside her with every passing moment. Meanwhile, David finds himself spending more and more time on the computer, and with Sylvia and Richard, experimenting in drugs, partying and playing mental games of sex, with the question being how far can everyone go before there is no turning back?

What makes the show come alive is the complexities of the characters, issues which seem almost hard-wired into their various persons, with each individual looking to themselves for answer when they really should be reaching out to their loved ones for what they really need. The script wisely has the different stories play out parallel to one another, sometimes intersecting unexpectedly. Credit also goes to director Larissa Kokernot for keeping the piece on an even keel and nicely mixing the innate humor and tension of the work.

Winningly played by Richardson, David is the everyman of the piece. The character comes off as a sort of lovable doofus with a bit of a malevolent streak. One who wants to touch the magic of nostalgia and live a life that probably never existed in the first place. David loves his wife dearly, but not enough to understand her and, when he starts off on his own path, he forgets a basic rule of life: do no harm.

Also excellent is Smith as Mary, though that character's pain comes more from a visceral level. This is an already-conflicted woman who, in short order, experiences anger, rage, violation and betrayal, the last by more than one person. It's also deliberately unclear if Mary is stalking her assailant to beat him senseless, or does she want to feel more pain by his hand, something akin to what she witnessed growing up. A conundrum that makes the character all the more intriguing.

It's unusual one finds a drug dealer functioning as comic relief, but that's exactly what Richard does, (at least in the beginning). With McCarthy playing the character square jawed and perfectly deadpan, Richard comes across as fascinatingly likable. He's a man who speaks about his profession in such a matter of fact manner he could easily pass for a corporate CEO. However, like the other characters, Richard has a severe blind spot when it comes to those closest to him and it's a failing which will be ruthlessly exploited.

Szostak is good as Sylvia, the least developed of the main characters, painting a nice picture on a woman so in love she doesn't know when to say "no" or question something she may find out of the ordinary. Even if the situation she finds herself in has never happened to her before.

Best of all is the fact that Gajdusek and Kokernot keep the story spinning in so many directions, it's hard to know where it's all going to end; making some of the revelations and realizations all the more powerful.

FUBAR is a fascinating piece about memories, people in turmoil, and how the things people think are the most stable in their life may be not that secure at all.

FUBAR or Interesting, Incredible, Amazing, Fantastic
Presented by Project Y Theatre Company
59e59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.59e59.org
Running Time: Approximately Two Hours, 10 Minutes
Closes: June 28, 2009







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"Make Me"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Interesting, But Not Quite There Yet

Changing the direction or circumstances of a relationship works a whole lot better if both parties in said relationship are involved in making such a change, as playwright Ayvazian seems to be saying in the somewhat misfire of her dramedy "Make Me," now at the Atlantic Stage 2.

One morning Connie, (Jessica Hecht) a typical suburban mom, after getting the kids off to school, whips off her robe to reveal a dominatrix outfit underneath. She then attempts to order about her stunned and amused chiropractor husband Eddie (Anthony Arkin), who is more interested in getting ready for work. It seems Connie has grown somewhat unsettled in her marriage to the much stronger-willed hubby. To that end, they have agreed that Connie will be the one in control between 8:20 and 8::45 each morning. However saying that and making it so are two completely different things. Since Eddie obviously has no idea of Connie's imagined scenario, he has a problem taking her directions seriously, an attitude which doesn't do much for Connie's confidence, as she's basically unsure how to proceed in the first place. Finally, with her hoped-for plans coming to naught, and in a fit of exasperation, she handcuffs Eddie to a chair and goes off to meet a professional dominatrix, one Mistress Lorraine (Candy Buckley). Mistress Lorraine is a woman who can pinpoint (and hit) a testicle in the dark with a whip. She's also entertaining one of her regular submissives, a fellow named Phil (Richard Masur), when Connie arrives.

What follows is the funniest sequence in the play as Mistress Lorraine tries to tutor Connie in the basic tenants of the bondage and discipline world. Such as the correct way to hold a whip, the type of boots one should wear, the use of safe words and, most importantly, the way a dominatrix should carry herself. Connie, who really has no idea of what she's getting herself into, finds herself asking the most innocent questions and/or making some rather inappropriate comments, all of which continually ratchet up the general hilarity of the situation. Meanwhile, Connie and Eddie's 60-something next door neighbors, Sissy (Ellen Parker) and Hank (JP Horne), find Eddie in handcuffs and quickly put two and two together. However rather than being shocked, seeing Eddie in this position awakens long-dormant passions in Sissy, causing her to literally beg her husband to do the same thing to her.

While this premise could easily be played on a sitcom level, Ayvazian has deeper things in mind. The play instead showcasing the loneliness in these six character's lives and how the words "status quo" strike dread into the hearts of some people, while others find it the one thing they cling to above all else.

There's a lot of material to be mined here. Unfortunately, the way the stories and characters are presented make much of what is shown fall flat. A fault which can be laid at the feet of both Ayvazian and director Christian Parker. The three different storylines play out simultaneously and end up stepping on one another rather than one complimenting the next. The various sequences also go on far longer than they should, with the 75 minute play (which may have been cut down from 90 minutes, the running time listed in the show program), feeling about 35 minutes too long. There is also too much of a feeling of going over the same ground again and again to really make the play all that interesting. Adding to the generally morass of the piece is the direction, which feels both tired and way too loose, allowing the actors and scenes to continuer long after they should have concluded.

Another problem is the characters, most of who come across as pretty one-dimensional. While there are a few glimpses of something deeper, such as Mistress Lorraine remarking that she's getting too old for the domination business; and Connie's unhappiness with her life, they're never given a chance to develop. There's also an inference that Connie may be having trouble remembering things, as she has to makes lists every day of what she needs to do, but this also is never really explained.

Buckley comes off as the best of the bunch, offering a nice combination of sensuality and power (as opposed to raw sex); while Masur does a nice turn as a seeming worm of a submissive, with his own ideas of what should and shouldn't be happening in their relationship. Arkin and Hecht come off okay, but Parker, as a woman yearning to really feel something passionate once again and Horne as her well-meaning but dimwitted husband, seem basically lost in a storyline that never really goes anywhere.

The biggest irony of the play occurs in the relationship between Connie and Eddie when, after some initial awkwardness, Eddie proves himself more than willing to join in the roleplay. However, Connie finds herself too unprepared to really take control, often vacillating between her hoped-for fantasy and the normalcy of reality. A sobering lesson of being careful of what you wish for unless you're prepared to follow it through. Ayvazian has offered an interesting story with a definitely unique take on the challenges of keeping a relationship fresh, but it would have been nice to see a more well thought out and much more strongly directed work.

Sets by Anna Louizos are okay, with the one of Mistress Lorraine's dungeon a sharp contrast to the other settings (the suburbs) depicted. Lighting by Josh Bradford, costumes by Theresa Squire, and original music and sound by Jill BC Du Boff are all fine.

Make Me
Presented by the Atlantic Theater Company
Atlantic Stage 2
330 West 16th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.atlantictheater.org
Running time: Approximately 75 Minutes
Closes: June 14, 2009







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"West Side Story"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Brilliant Musical, With Just One Major Problem

The landmark musical "West Side Story" (book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) makes a return to Broadway with its brilliant Jerome Robbins chorography and wonderful score all happily intact. (Laurents also does double duty as the director of this production.) However, this Romeo and Juliet tale of feuding gangs and star-crossed lovers is partly undone by a major bit of miscasting.

The streets of New York's upper west side are ablaze in turmoil. The Jets, a street gang of local kids, find their territory threatened by the influx of numerous Puerto Rican immigrants (known as the "P.R.s" in the vernacular of the day). Several of these newcomers have formed their own gang, the Sharks, and are not at all afraid of flexing their muscles. While numerous verbal and physical altercations between the two groups have become a frequent occurrence, the overall baleen of power remains at a stalemate. As such, Riff (Cody Green), the leader of the Jets, challenges Bernardo (George Akram), his counterpart in the Sharks, to a no-holds-barred rumble to settle things once and for all.

Thrown into this volatile mix are two unlikely candidates for romance. Tony (Matt Cavenaugh), who founded the Jets with Riff years ago and who is now easing himself out of the gang; and Maria (Josefina Scaglione), Bernardo's younger sister, brought to America to marry Chino (Joey Haro), someone she is not enamored with in the least. When she and Tony meet at a school dance, sparks fly immediately and the two only have eyes for each other. This doesn't sit well with Bernardo, who orders Tony never to see her again. However Tony and Maria's passion will not be denied. Soon they are meeting in secret, sharing a kiss and more. But the hatred between the different factions and races of the community will not leave them in peace. Things come to a head when Tony, having been pulled back into the gang by Riff, attempts to stop the rumble (at Maria's urging), setting a series of events in motion from which none will emerged unscathed.

"West Side Story" is, at its heart, a tragedy where love doesn't always conquer all and where race hatred and generational angst, not to mention the violent impulses everyone has inside of them, all combine to play a part in the events depicted. One of the best explanations of why teenagers feel so misunderstood can be heard in an outburst from one of the Jets, screaming to Doc (Greg Vinkler) the owner of their drugstore hangout, "you were never my age!" Basically saying that no parent, teacher or older role model can ever really understand what's happening to the next generation of kids. (Especially when the kids in question are raised by people who are little more than alcoholics, prostitutes or physical abusers.) This "rebel without a cause syndrome" is also played out for laughs (at least on the surface), in the excellent musical number, "Gee, Officer Krupke."

Definitely a great show, the production is brought crashing down to earth time and again by the miscasting of Cavenaugh as Tony. Too one-dimensional in the part, it always feels as if one is watching an actor simply playing a role, instead of becoming the person in question. Granted, the part of Tony has always written as somewhat bland, but there is little emotional shading in Cavenaugh's delivery and, as such, it's hard to feel much empathy for him. Additionally, while the actor has a fine singing voice, he seems to be giving a concert performance instead of participating in a Broadway musical. Matters are made worse by the much better acting of Scaglione as Maria, who blows Cavenaugh off the stage whenever they appear together.

Scaglione in fact, is perfectly cast as the virginal, innocent Maria, feeling the pangs of first love and growing up too fast in a violent world. Learning not only to love and care for someone, but also unfortunately, how to hate and fear.

Also worthy of mention is Karen Olivo as Bernardo's girlfriend, Anita. Sultry and sensual, she take guff from no one and is a definite force to be reckoned with. She also stops the show in several numbers, including "America." In fact, it's when Anita is trying to help Tony and Maria that the treatment she receives sets the stage for the final ending. Anita is also one of the few characters able to move beyond her personal prejudices. Such as when Maria's stops her during an argument by asking "wouldn't you do anything for Bernardo?"

Akram and Green work well as Bernardo and Riff. Both tough, angry young men pushed too far and wanting to lash out at those they see as threat to themselves and their homes. Neither role is as fully written as it could be, but both actors are able to bring a strong scene of pride and passion to their roles.

However the real stars of West Side story have always been the wonderful score and the powerful Jerome Robbins choreography. The latter reproduced in all its glory by Joey McKneely. From the moments the first notes are heard, one is transported to another time and place and treated to some wonderful footwork. Highlights include the quiet and dangerous "Cool," the dances at the school gym and the violent athletic ballet in the opening sequence.

Among the standouts in the score is the poignant "Somewhere," sung by Tony and Maria; "Tonight;" and the bitter and irony-laced "America," among others. In somewhat of a departure, director Laurents has had much of the dialogue and lyrics by the Puerto Rican characters spoken in Spanish. While this may be a bit disconcerting to purists, it adds an extra layer of believability, with the audience able to pick up the gist of most of the conversations and meaning behind the words.

Laurents's direction is good and, other than the problem with Cavenaugh, the show never really falters. Though the pace moves perhaps a bit too swiftly in the beginning, never really letting the audience get sucked into the story till perhaps later then they should. Still for the most part, Laurents guides the musical with a firm hand, letting the story build to the inevitable conclusion.

The scenic design by James Youmans is nice; the sets giving a nice sense of place and a strong gritty feel to the production. Costumes by David C. Woolard work well. The lighting by Howell Brinkley and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier are fine. The orchestrations by Bernstein, with Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal, are excellent.

Also in the cast are Curtis Holbrook, Tro Shaw, Kyle Coffman, Ryan Steele, Eric Hatch, Joshua Buscher, Pamela Otterson, Marina Lazzaretto, Nicholas Barasch, Kyle Brenn, Amy Ryerson, Mike Cannon, Lindsay Dunn, Kaitlin Mesh, Sam Rogers, Yanira Marin, Mileyka Mateo, Peter Chursin, Danielle Polanco, Michael Rosen, Kat Nejat, Isaac Calpito, Manuel Santos, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Manuel Herrera, Jennifer Sanchez, Yurel Echezarreta, Michael Mastro, Lee Sellars, Steve Bassett.

West Side Story
Palace Theatre
1564 Broadway
Tickets: (800) 982-2787 of www.ticketmaster.com
Information: www.BroadwayWestSideStory.com
Open run
Running Time: Two Hours, 40 Minutes

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"The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Forgotten Story Shines Once More

The Mint Theater Company, which specializes in unearthing little known or rarely preformed works, has found another gem in D.H. Lawrence's 1910 play, The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd.

Set in a mining town in the English Midlands, Mrs. Elizabeth Holroyd (Julia Coffey) is trapped in an unhappy marriage. Her husband, known only as Holroyd, (Eric Martin Brown), works in the mines and is basically a drunk and violent lout. The endless squabbling and fighting has gone on for so long and increased to such intensity, that even the couple's two young children Jack and Minnie (played on various nights by Dalton Harrod and Lance Chantiles-Wertz, and Emma Kantor and Amanda Roberts) just want their father gone. Indeed the youngsters (especially Jack) are quietly bonding with one Mr. Blackmore (Nick Cordileone), a young electrician who works for the mining company and who lately has taken to coming round the Holroyd home quite frequently. It soon becomes obvious Blackmore is smitten with Elizabeth.

Things between Elizabeth and her husband finally come to a head when, one night after work, instead of coming home for dinner, Holroyd goes out drinking and strikes up a friendship with Clara and Laura (Pilar Witherspoon and Sheila Stasack), two of the painted ladies who work at the local pub, not bothering to tell them he's married. The three eventually wind up at the Holroyd residence, the ladies making themselves quite comfortable. Angered and humiliated that Holroyd brought these women into her home and in sight of the children, Elizabeth orders not only the ladies to leave, but her husband as well.

This final rejection of her husband ("widowing" has more than one definition in the play) also allows Elizabeth to open her heart to Blackmore. Since she has a bit of money from an inheritance (something that has caused great problems between her and Holroyd), and Blackmore has no ties to the town, they begin to talk about taking the children and starting a new life somewhere else. But before this hope can become a reality, a tragedy occurs that not only changes Elizabeth's life forever; it also makes a place for her in the community she has for so long denied.

While the play offers a harsh look at domestic violence and how others in the village, such as Holroyd's mother (Randy Danson) help to enable the situation, the real focus on the play is class consciousness-with a rather ironic twist. Because Elizabeth has money of her own, she sees herself as somewhat better than her husband, and many of the rest of the townsfolk for that matter. Indeed, even without knowing (one assumes) Mrs. Holroyd's financial status, Clara and Laura give her a piece of their mind for daring to assume she is better than they are without first getting to know them. This moral superiority (deserved or not) is something Holroyd simply cannot tolerate. Yet when tragedy strikes, Elizabeth is almost unconsciously welcomed into the fabric of the town, an invitation she just as unconsciously accepts. The question then becomes, now that she has found a home, can she find a way to leave it, or would she even want to?

Coffey works well as the title character, a woman who, to get out a bad situation, married the first man who looked at her (Holroyd) and who now must pay the price for that decision. There's a rugged beauty in her pious anger and no-nonsense demeanor, as she matches her husband blow for verbal blow. At the same time, her attraction to Blackmore allows her to unleash the sensuality and passion she long ago locked away inside herself.

Although written as somewhat one-dimensional, Brown makes for a convincing Holroyd, a man who just wants to do his job and then have a good time, never mind that he's got a wife waiting at home. Yet while he can be terrifyingly violent, he also carries a deep-seated insecurity that he's not good enough for his wife and is desperately afraid of losing her, his home, and family. In his own way, he is tied to her as much as she is to him.

Danson is wonderfully convincing as Holroyd's mom, someone who has suffered great personal pain in her life. Coming in late in the story, and taking her son's side in the family dispute, she immediately takes charge when tragic events unfold, instructing her daughter-in-law in what must be done. Instructions Elizabeth takes to immediately, out of a sense of both duty and love. It's these routines that cause the women to bond with one another and thus open possibilities for the future.

Cordileone comes off nicely as the earnest Blackmore, head over heels in love with the married Elizabeth, and looking like a cross between a sad-eyed puppy dog and a drowning man tossed a lifeline. He and Coffey have great chemistry as the two begin to imagine the possibility of a happy life together. (He can also hold his own with a fight with Holroyd in a pinch.) Witherspoon and Stasack give some unexpected substance to the two ladies of the evening. Two people who, in another playwright's hands could easily be throwaway characters.

Stuart Howard's direction is spot on, not only handling the various violent and passionate scenes, but also the little things, all of which add extra lawyers of emotion and feeling to the story. (Who knew there could be so much said by the simple passing of a washbasin from one person to another?) It also helps that the production has kept the text's original Yorkshire dialect, which gives the story and characters a much greater authenticity.
The set by Marion Williams is nicely sparse, yet homey at the same time. Costumes by Martha Hally and lighting by Jeff Nellis are very good. Sound design by Jane Shaw works well.

Also in the cast are James Warke, Allyn Burrows and Arthur Lazalde.

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd
Mint Theater Company
311 West 43rd Street
Tickets: 212-315-0231 or www.minttheater.org
Running time: Approximately 1 Hour, 55 Minutes
Closes: April 5, 2009







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"The Real Thing"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

This Is One Play That's Real Indeed

Infidelity, trust, and class status-the last as related to Bach and 1960s rock n' roll-all come under scrutiny and make for a rollicking good time in the T. Schreiber Studio's excellent production of Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing.

In 1984 London, successful playwright Henry (Jason Tomarken), is married to actress Charlotte (Aimee Jolson), who is currently co-starring with Max (Brian Drillinger) in a teleplay (written by Henry) about an upper-crust British couple whose life is turned upside down when the husband learns his wife has been having an affair. (Not taking her passport on a trip abroad was a bit of a giveaway). But while Max and Charlotte play an unfaithful couple on TV, in reality it is Henry who is having an affair with Max's wife, Annie (Meghan Jones), also an actress. Unlike the quick and easy way these things can be handled on television, once this affair becomes public it results in accusations, angst, divorce, and for Henry and Annie, the chance to finally be together in public.

Henry, through whose eyes we see most of the story, is a very interesting character. He's always ready with a quip or snappy comeback, using words polished with a layer of eloquence, wit or sarcasm, all barely concealing the serious tone beneath. (His example of a cricket bat in a discussion about the ability to write is priceless). He's also a bit of a snob, loving such musical groups as Herman's Hermits and The Righteous Brothers, but when asked such "important questions" as what eight records he would pick if he were stranded on desert island, he frantically searches for something more highbrow and culturally apropos.

Most importantly, Henry is fiercely protective of the written word, firmly believing that writing is not for just anybody who wants to pick up a pen. (At the same time he has no problem writing for a cheesy television science fiction series in order to pay the bills.) He also has no patience with Annie's campaign to free an imprisoned Scottish soldier named Brodie (Ryan Michael Jones), who set fire to a war memorial wreath during a protest. (Annie wants to get him out of jail because she was at least partially responsible for him being arrested in the first place.) To this end, Annie wants Henry to help with a play Brodie has written about his experiences, one she hopes to appear in. However Brodie can't write to save his life and Henry doesn't want to have anything to do with the project. As Henry (who feels sometimes like a stand-in for Stoppard) explains, "I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect." This entire sequence is perhaps one of the finest explanations of the power of written word.

Henry may be a literary lion with his principles, but he falls somewhat short when it comes to respecting a partner's wishes in a relationship. This highlights another major theme of the play; that of putting someone else's needs ahead of your personal ideals, as well as the fact that love, real love, is not an easy thing to maintain without communication, hard work and understanding. Something Henry begins to find out when he starts to wonder if Annie is now having an affair with Billy (Harmon Walsh), a somewhat younger fellow actor.

The show starts off well thanks to its impeccable script. It's helped even more by the excellent casting choices. Tomarken is perfect in the role of Henry, bringing to life the character's self-assured air, one that masks his insecurity, and which reveals Henry to be a conflicted soul. One who constantly struggles to balance how he feels things should be in life as opposed to how they actually are. It's also worth noting that while Henry may not be the nicest guy around, he's a fascinating person to spend time with.

Jones is quite interesting as Annie, a girl with her own special set of rose-colored glasses. With Annie, it's not the right or wrong of an issue that matters, but rather what's right for her. For example she may (or may not) have an affair if she feels it's the right thing to do, but she'll put Henry first in her relationship hierarchy, defending him to the death if need be. Jones also deserves credit in bringing forth a sort of wide-eyed innocence to the part, one Annie never really loses.

Jolson and Drillinger are good in their respective roles; although neither character is given much to really show what makes them tick. This is especially true in Max's case. Maura McNamara is fine as Henry and Charlotte's daughter. Jones and Walsh work well as Brodie and Billy.

The production has been superbly directed by Terry Schreiber, who has been able to bring forth the essence of the story i.e. that trust can be relative with human beings; that those who think themselves superior to others will inevitability be brought down to earth; and that words contain the seeds of truth. Schreiber also keeps the action moving nicely, bringing out the best in the characters, from their various idiosyncrasies to a perfect delivery of the dialogue. Indeed, there's nary trace of fat during the show's 2 hour and 40 minute running time. One of the best moments occurs in the first scene. Not only is it funny, but it also throws the audience for a loop in scene two when they have to try to figure out what is real and what is fiction. (In terms of the universe that Stoppard has set up, of course.)

The set by George Allison works well, the lighting by Paul Hackenmueller and costumes by Ann Wingate are fine. Chris Rummel's sound design is excellent.

The Real Thing
T. Schreiber Studio
Gloria Maddox Theatre
151 West 26th Street, 7th Floor
Tickets: www.tschreiber.org
Running Time: Two Hours, 40 Minutes
Closes: March 29, 2009





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"33 Variations"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Where Creativity and Obsession go Hand in Hand

One can find endless possibilities in the most ordinary things, a point Moises Kaufman makes clear in his play "33 Variations." Currently on Broadway, the show stars Jane Fonda in her first appearance on the New York stage in 46 years.

Fonda plays Dr. Katherine Brandt, a respected musicologist who is trying to understand Ludwig Van Beethoven's (Zach Grenier) fascination with the Diabelli waltz. In the early 19th century, Anton Diabelli (Don Amendolia), a respected music publisher, wrote what was considered to be a mediocre waltz. He then invited "the fifty greatest composers in Vienna" (i.e. Schubert, Liszt, Beethoven, Czerny) to write their own variations of the piece, which would then be compiled for a book. All gladly accepted the challenge, except for Beethoven, who declined. However soon after, he not only changed his mind, but spent the next several years composing 33 different variations on the Diabelli composition. Obsessed with the question of why Beethoven spent so much time on such a project, and as it is the centerpiece of a paper Katherine is to present at an important music conference, she travels to Bonn, Germany, home of the prestigious Beethoven archives, to see if she can unravel the mystery.

Katherine's journey is laced with urgency. In addition to having to get her notes in order for the conference, she is suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (a.k.a. "Lou Gehrig's Disease"), and has no idea how much time she has before her body starts to atrophy. Katherine is also making this trip against the wishes of her daughter Clara (Samantha Mathis), with whom she has a strained relationship, and Mike Clark (Colin Hanks), a male nurse who examined her before she flew to Bonn.

As Katherine's begins to delve into Beethoven's notes and sketches, while striking up an unlikely friendship with Dr. Gertrude Landenburger (Susan Kellermann), a librarian at the archives who lost a relative to same disease Katherine battles, the story flashes back Vienna, 1819-1823. There, Beethoven has begun turning out variation after variation of the waltz, spending time which might be have been much better utilized, in the eyes of his secretary Anton Schindler (Erik Steele), on more profitable commissions. Like Katherine, Beethoven is also racing time and illness as he struggles to finish not only his work on the Diabelli waltz, which the music publisher keeps pressing him for, but also his Mass, a Ninth Symphony, as well as several other pieces.

It's the idea of finding beauty in the strangest places, a point that Beethoven knows instinctively, that is the main point of the play. While scholars like Katherine look for reason in everything, and men of the world such as Diabelli and Schindler are just as interested in commerce as in art, it is the true artistic souls who finds themselves compelled to create until there is literally nothing more to be done on a particular project. This is evident when one sees Beethoven wrestling with the different variations, using the entire collection to tell a complete and cohesive musical journey.
While this premise does tend to make the play a rather a one-note exercise (no pun intended), and indeed more background on the various characters would have been welcome, the piece is still interesting enough to hold one's attention with a nice blend of humor and drama. Doing double duty as the director, Kaufman also keeps the action moving smoothly, allowing the characters and relationships to develop naturally, never seeming forced or stilted.

Fonda works nicely as Katherine, being quite believable as an accomplished and driven professor who is disappointed her daughter doesn't have the same single-mindedness, Clara being prone to changing careers every few years. Yet to Clara that variety is the perfect recipe for life: do something until you're very good at it, then find something else to do. It's this different way of looking at things that makes their relationship uneasy. (Katherine also doesn't like the laid-back Mike when he and Clara begin a romantic relationship for that same reason. "You need someone who challenges you," she tells her daughter.) Fonda also realistically portrays the desperation of someone running out of time while tapping into one of most people's deepest fears; being trapped in a decaying body while their mind stays active and alert, as she goes from using a cane to a walker, a wheelchair, and finally a hospital bed.

Hanks is fine as Mike, bringing a sort of appealing awkwardness to the role. The scenes showing Clara and Mike's first date are quite funny, as is the segment where he finally tells her how much he loves her-right after he tied her up (to give Clara an idea of the immobility her mother is suffering from due to the disease). Later on however, he becomes caught between both mother and daughter. Katherine being his patient and thus he is not allowed to reveal to Clara certain facts about her mother's condition and final wishes. Mathis, who has pretty much a reactive role to everyone else around her, plays off well against both Fonda and Hanks.

Grenier makes for an enjoyable Beethoven, giving in many ways the stereotypical portrayal of an artist. A bombastic and temperamental sort, he never worries about money or being in debt, firing servants with abandon and trusting Schindler to handle all of the "mundane" details of life. But at the same time he his battling daemons of his own as he continues to wrestle with thoughts and ideas that keep pouting out of his head while trying to transcribe them into a musical text which will make his vision a reality. Amendolia, Steele and Kellermann all work well. High marks go to Kellermann for making Gertrude more than just another no-nonsense German woman. (A scene where Gertrude and Claire are discussing sex for Katherine is hilarious.)

Wisely eschewing an open-ended finale, Kaufman instead opts for one that offers closure for the various characters, with only a few loose ends here and there. The set by Derek McLane, basically a gigantic sort of library filled with boxes and sheet music, works nicely; and the lighting by David Lander and costume design by Janice Pytel are fine. The music by Beethoven (performed on a grand piano by musical director Diane Walsh) is excellent.

Also in the cast are Scott Barrow, Emily Donahoe and Michael Winther.
33 Variations
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
230 West 49th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Information: www.33Variations.com
Closes: May 24, 2009
Running time: Approximately 2 Hours, 20 Minutes





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"The Third Story"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Not Bad, But Maybe Just One Would Be Better

It's the third attempt at a story that usually comes together. So notes the character of Peg (Kathleen Turner), a boozy and much-married Hollywood writer, as well as author/playwright Charles Busch in the latter's latest work, aptly titled "The Third Story." This mix of family dysfunction, film noir and cheesy science fiction is now playing at the Lucille Lortel Theatre Off-Broadway. Taking various plotlines, Mr. Busch attempts to combine them into a cohesive whole, with an extra heavy dose of campy comedy thrown in. It's an interesting exercise to be sure, but when all is said and done the play never really comes together as it should.

In 1949 Omaha, Nebraska, Peg's son and former writing partner Drew (Jonathan Walker), who fled Tinseltown for a quiet life as a mailman, finds his life disrupted by the arrival of his overbearing mom, who is desperate to get him back in the writing game. Peg, a former member of the Hollywood elite, has fallen out of favor due to the changing times. Now nearly broke, she desperately needs Drew's help on a new scriptwriting gig. However Drew who has come to Omaha to get to know his father, wants no part of the Hollywood rat race and immediately turns her down.

Never one to take no for an answer, Peg tries to entice Drew by telling him some of various stories ideas she has in mind. The main plot in question includes a crime family lead by the ruthless (but clever) Queenie Bartlett (Busch) and her cold-blooded killer/mama's boy of a son Steve (Walker). Problems arise when Steve falls for blond babe Verna (Sarah Rafferty) and marries her against very disapproving mom's wishes. (It's interesting to note that Peg has never approved of any of Drew's choices in women, one of several "mother-son" issues explored in the play.) At the same time, Queenie is strangely interested in the scientific research of Dr. Constance Hudson (Jennifer Van Dyck), whose experiments in cellular structure have shown her a way to create an exact duplicate of a human body from cells of the old one. Of course there have been a few hiccups when the process was being tested, such as with Zygote (Scott Parkinson), whose digestive system and means of expelling waste is not quite the same as it is with most humans.

As these plots play out, (along with one about a princess (Rafferty) seeking help from a mysterious old witch (Busch) to help her win the man of her dreams), so too does the destructive relationship between Peg and Drew. It soon becomes obvious Peg is a master manipulator who never bothers with the truth when a lie will work better, and who has made it a practice of steamrolling her mild-mannered son time and again to get what she wants. However Drew, who is finally getting used to being out from under Peg's thumb, is not going back to Hollywood without a fight, and his ever more angry arguments (tinged with a feeling of helpless resignation) make clear.

The scenes between Peg and Drew make up the emotional core of the story and if Busch could have concentrated solely on this angle, it would have made for a fascinating play. However all the other plotlines thrown in only serve to convolute this major element. While there's a lot of fun in the characters of Queenie, Constance and others, they're all drawn as one dimensional and cartoon-like, with precious little to make them all that interesting. Additionally their scenes and dialogue are filled with too many campy mannerisms, double takes and extra long pauses. Camp may be one of Busch's areas of expertise, but without being anchored in a strong storyline (no matter how outlandish) it really doesn’t work.

Turner and Walker are fine as Peg and Drew. At first both seemingly rather shallow and vapid, the play eventually forces them to open up and explode with passion, fear, anger, and a grudging mutual respect. Both are far better here than in their roles of Steve and Dr. Rutenspitz (where Tuner plays Constance's superior). (Though Walker does have some fun in the role of Steve). As for Busch, he cuts a mean figure in a dress and wig and chews the scenery like nobody's business, but his "mommie dearest" routine is one seen many times before (most recently in the far-better "Die, Mommy Die"), and a lot of it is starting to seem a bit old and tired. Van Dyck is okay, if strangely dense at times, as Dr. Hudson, an icy female married to her work with no time for a relationship (at least until she and Steve lock eyes), who learns rather late the importance of sometimes going with her feelings instead of her scientist mind.

Direction by Carl Andress is okay, but without the proper material for him to work with, his efforts pretty much come to naught. Still he keeps the story moving nicely with the action scenes enjoyable and the emotional confrontations ringing true.

Sets by David Gallo are okay, as are the costumes by Gregory Gale and the lighting by David Weiner. High marks to go to the music by Lewis Flinn, sound by Chris Luessmann, and hair and wigs by Tom Watson.

The Third Story
Presented by MCC Theater
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.mcctheater.org
Closes: March 15, 2009
Running Time: Approximately Two Hours, 15 Minutes


(l-r) Sarah Rafferty and Charles Busch in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Jennifer Van Dyck and Charles Busch in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Jennifer Van Dyck and Charles Busch in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Sarah Rafferty and Charles Busch in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Charles Busch, Jonathan Walker and Kathleen Turner in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Kathleen Turner, Jonathan Walker and Charles Busch in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story


(l-r) Kathleen Turner and Jonathan Walker in a scene from MCC Theater's production of The Third Story

The Third Story photos © JOAN MARCUS

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"Speed-The-Plow"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Funny, Satirical and Fun To Watch

The Broadway revival of David Mamet's Speed-The-Plow hits a home run thanks to strong direction by Neil Pepe and an absolutely top-notch cast.

In 1980s Hollywood, Charlie Fox (Raul Esparza), a man who toils away in a movie studio, barges into the office of his friend and colleague Bobby Gould (William H. Macy), the company's newly appointed head of production. Ready to burst with the news, Charlie announces he has the hottest film star in the business chomping at the bit to do a picture based on a script Charlie found in the studio files. It's some type of prison movie/buddy picture, with explicit sex and violence, (but with a social theme), and some romance thrown in. In actuality, the film itself doesn't matter. What's really important is the art of the deal, and the co-producer credit Charlie and Bobby will receive. A meeting is set up with the head of the studio for the next day and it looks like the film will be made, making a lot of money for all concerned.

As Bobby tries to adjust to his new office and the responsibilities that come with it, and Charlie continually prances around the room with glee at finally getting his big chance, both find themselves attracted to Karen (Elisabeh Moss). Gould's somewhat naďve, temporary secretary. Betting he can get Karen into his bed, Bobby invites her to his home that evening on the pretext of getting her opinion on book he asked her to read to see if it has any movie potential. Said book is titled "The Bridge: or Radiation and the Half Life of Society. A Study of Decay." It's basically a novel that talks about the end of the world.

That night Karen shows not only has she read the novel, she's also fallen madly in love with the book's message of fear, rage, despair and pain. Her infectious passion and wide-eyed wonder in turn awakens a long-buried artistic side in Bobby, and convinces him that this is the movie he needs to make, rather than the project with Charlie.

Needless to say, Charlie is less than pleased when he arrives at Bobby's office the next day to find his opportunity has been usurped by Karen's machinations and Bobby's need to believe in something bigger than himself. It falls to Charlie to remind his colleague of some harsh truths about the film industry, and about those involved in it, in order to save his deal.

This is a production that works on every level, starting with the Mamet text, which is filled with cynical observations about the movie business. (I.E. if you can't explain a movie in one sentence, it won't get made; there is no such thing as net profit; there's no such thing as a maverick moviemaker, etc.). Mamet also gleefully explores the eternal battle between commerce and art, noting that movie making is first, last and always, a business and the bottom line is what counts when deciding to make a film. But as the playwright seems to be saying, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as one is able to recognize this simple truth and not try to view filmdom through rose-colored glasses.

Neil Pepe's direction also works perfectly, keeping the exchanges between Macy and Esparza moving on all cylinders. (The two spit out the dialogue like firecrackers.) Pepe also allows a pivotal seduction/realization scene between Bobby and Karen to build slowly to its climax, the question eventually becoming just who is seducing who, and can there ever be such a thing as art for arts sake.

Esparza as the hyperactive Charlie Fox is, quite simply, brilliant. (Can you say "Tony nomination?") Desperately hungry for his big break, this is a man who would kill his own mother (and eat her still-beating heart) to make sure this deal goes through. Continually hopped up on caffeine, he is a self-described whore who knows the power of connections and loyalty in the film business. Which is why he brought the project to Bobby instead of a rival studio-he need's Bobby's protection. (It's also why Charlie swallowed his pride while following in Bobby's wake all these years-knowing this moment would come someday.) Charlie also has one of the most important qualities of any kind of a hustler and dealmaker, the ability to think on his feet; which gets him out of trouble more than once. It also helps that Esparza has such wonderful chemistry with Macy.

Macy, making a welcome return to Broadway in the somewhat more sedate (though not by much) role of Bobby Gould, is also quite good. Like Charlie, Gould is a toiler in the Hollywood ranks who finally gets his shot at the big time; an opportunity that comes with an office and people trying to flatter him in order to get their scripts and deals moved further up the production pipeline. At the same time Gould is a conflicted sort, though he doesn't always know it. Perhaps suffering from burnout, perhaps wanting to be more than he is, definitely a bit lonely, he is easily receptive to Karen's enthusiasm. Her attitude possibly reminding him of who he used to be a long time ago. In the end he realizes, like Charlie, that honestly and loyalty are perhaps the most important things one has going for them.

Moss is fine as Karen, the pretty instigator who throws Fox and Gould for a loop. Fresh-faced and appealing, she gets under both men's defenses until they don't quite know what hit them. Her character may be naive, but she knows full well the aphrodisiac that is power and while she may really believe in the project, her methods might show her to be just as cynical as Charlie, though perhaps not as experienced in going for the jugular.

The sets by Scott Pask are good, as are the costumes by Laura Bauer and lighting design by Brian MacDevitt.

Speed-The-Plow peels back the sheen of the Hollywood dream factory and offers a no-holds barred look at what goes on behind the scenes. But above all, the play is quite a lot of fun.

Speed-The-Plow

Ethel Barrymore Theatre

243 West 47th Street

Tickets: (212) 239-6200 or www.Telecharge.com

Information: www.SpeedThePlowOnBroadway.com

Running Time: Approximately 90 Minutes

Closes: February 22, 2009



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"Ride"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Interesting and Endearing

Two lonely people have a rather unusual first encounter in Jane Bodie's seemingly pedestrian but ultimately touching work, "Ride."

A man (Jeremy Waters) and a woman (Melissa Chambers) wake up naked together in the man's home with neither having any idea of who the other is or how they got there. Both had been out partying and drinking heavily with friends the night before, and each remembers bits and pieces of the previous evening, but exactly where the two hooked up and exactly what they did (both before and after they arrived at their current destination) is shrouded in an alcoholic haze. In halting fashion, the two attempt to reconstruct exactly what happened, their recollections and conversations overlapping with one another, each jumping on clues provided by the other as they try to figure out where they met and if they know anyone in common.

As the two try to unravel the mystery, certain facts about their backgrounds start to emerge. He's a chef, she's a waitress. His girlfriend dumped him, and she was the maid of honor at a wedding for a longtime friend. While both are naturally wary of each other, neither wants to be the first to end the encounter as neither seems to have any place special to be. Soon the two begin to treat the entire episode to a date, relaxing somewhat and playing scrabble on the bed. However all too soon the "honeymoon" begins to end as their tempers and personalities begin to assert themselves, making any meaningful communication rather difficult.

There's somebody for everyone, the playwright seems to be saying; coming up with the rather well-worn situation of throwing two strangers together, while at the same time, succeeding in give the idea a fresh look. At its heart, the play is quite appealing thanks to the strong acting of the two actors and the themes of loneliness, fear of commitment and the need everyone has to connect with someone (or anyone) at one time or another. As the play progresses, the two struggle to trust enough to let down their guard to this person they just met.

Waters and Chambers bring feelings of common sense, devil may care and vulnerability to their roles; coming of as people used to letting their hair down but never really letting anyone get too close, at least until now. The characters also give the impression of always being somewhat on the outside looking in. Part of a group, but never the center of attention or having something they can really call their own. It also helps that the two are not "classic beauties," but rather nice-looking "ordinary people;" ones the audience can relate to.

Even at a brisk 75 minutes, the play tends to drag at points, the characters going over the same ground time and again as they try to put all the pieces together. However, there is a method to the playwright's decision. Like an awkward encounter, which it is for the two principles involved, the story moves hither and yon at times, with the audience forced to work to try to make sense of the continuity and exactly what each is saying, with it all sometimes making sense only when the comments of the other are taken into account. Bodie also wisely doesn't tie everything up nice and neat, leaving things open-ended enough to make the audience wonder just what will happen next.

The play is well directed by Nick Flint, with an interesting set by James Hunting. Lighting by Cory Pattak also works well.

Ride
Presented by Outhouse Theatre Company
59e59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200
Information:www.outhousetheatre.com
Closes: February 8, 2009
Running Time: Approximately 75 minutes





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"The Cherry Orchard"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Powerfully Delivered Production

Anton Chekhov takes a critical look at class status and social prejudice in his 1904 masterpiece "The Cherry Orchard," now being given a winning revival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (Produced by BAM, The Old Vic & Neal Street Productions.)

At a Russian country estate, on which sits a magnificent cherry orchard, a family is reuniting for the first time in five years. However the meeting is not taking place under the best of circumstances. Madame Ranevskaya (Sinead Cusack), the family matriarch, is returning after having fled to Paris following the death of her husband and tragic loss of her only son. (She is also returning from a Parisian love affair gone wrong.) With her is her brother Leonid (Paul Jesson) and daughter Anya (Morven Christie). Awaiting their arrival is Ranevskaya's adopted daughter Vayra (Rebecca Hall), who has been running the estate in her absence, and Lopakhin (Simon Russell Beale), the son of a peasant and now a prosperous merchant. While the estate holds both bitter and joyous memories, this may be the last time any of them will be able to gather here, as the house and lands are deep in debt and scheduled to be sold at auction.

The play is a brilliant example of generational and class conflict amid changing times. Lopakhin, despite becoming a success in his own right, is still treated as little more than a peasant, (his father and grandfather worked on the estate as serfs). This is evidenced by Leonid's continual snubbing of him and his not being invited to sit down with the family. At the same time Trofimov, (Ethan Hawke), a perennial student (aged 30) who used to tutor Ranevskaya's son, and who still lives on the estate, is looked down upon by Varya as a "good-for-nothing." Yet Anya finds a deep spiritual attraction (and perhaps more) in Trofimov's enthusiasm and idealism, something Varya does her best to discourage. There's also Firs, a doddering old manservant (wonderfully played by Richard Eastman), who turned down his freedom when it was offered (most serfs in Russia were freed in 1861) and who has remained with the family, muttering that if he doesn't take care of them, who will. There's also Yasha (Josh Hamilton) an arrogant footman, who despises the idle rich, yet desperately who wants to become one himself; as well as have his way with the housemaid Dunyasha (Charlotte Parry), despite the fact her affections may be located elsewhere. As for the cherry orchard, it represents happier times for the family, even through those times often came on the backs of those who worked the land over the years.

When Lopakhin suggests Ranevskaya rent out the land to summer vacationers and "weekenders," thus allowing the family to live comfortably, albeit elsewhere, (the estate and orchard would have to be demolished and numerous cottages erected in their place), Ranevskaya and her brother keep procrastinating, trusting that a miracle of sorts (or money from a distant relative) will put everything right. Indeed, they go on almost as if nothing was wrong, planning a dinner party and recalling old and better times, almost like fiddling while Rome burned. Then again, they may simply be afraid to face the truth of what's coming, and the question of what will happen to everybody should the estate be sold.

A point Chekhov keeps coming back to seems to be that those who ignore what's about to happen are doomed to be swept aside by the floods of change; yet those who take an active part in such change may find the results tinged with bitterness, as they seek a satisfaction that may never come. It's fascinating to watch the various characters interact with one another, each in their own world, with their own sets of ideals, dreams, needs and levels of determination. Some are determined to deal with (and beat) whatever life throws at them, while some try to make the best of it and go on with a semblance of happiness. Interestingly, the only two people who seem to have their head screwed firmly on their shoulders and feet planted firmly on the ground are the ones who end up the unhappiest of all.

The best part of this production is that at no time does it feel anything like a museum piece. Each of the characters and situations seem fresh and alive. Great credit must go to playwright Tom Stoppard, who winningly adapted the Chekhov text for the BAM production; as well as to director Sam Mendes who guides the production with a firm hand, never letting the action become slow or stagy. Mendes also wisely lets the actors overplay their scenes and characters when necessary, allowing them to be just a bit larger than life, making them funny, interesting and quite often, endearing.

Acting is excellent down the line. Cusack makes a strong and sympathetic Ranevskaya, showing her strength, passion and resiliency as she is forced to adapt to a changing world. Although the character seems somewhat annoying and divorced from reality at the beginning, this is simply her way of coping, having an underlying faith that she will be provided for somehow.

Another strong performance comes from Beale, who perfectly plays Lopakhin as a man who just wants to be treated as an equal, but will never reach that place until he sees himself as being more than where he came from. The character's actions are masked with pretty words and veiled warnings, not to mention a healthily helping of "I told you so," all of which attempt to hide his terrible insecurity.

Hall makes a fascinating Varya, a character who has her own share of problems. She's in love with Lopakhin, but since he's never asked her to marry him, her life is in a sort of holding pattern. A persona filled with various shadings, Varya is a woman one can easily emphasize with, but as with Lopakhin, she's so caught up in feelings of class status (as well as family responsibility), it colors her judgment regarding the rest of her life, at times reducing her to little more than an object of pity.

Among others who take center stage is Jesson as Leonid, the character lapsing into the oddest speeches, and at the oddest times. (His comments about a piece of furniture are priceless.) Also quite good is Hamilton, imbuing Yasha with a cold callow attitude and commanding good looks to make him both completely amoral and quite appealing. Whether Yasha is trying to seduce Dunyasha or figure out his next step on the road to status, this is not someone to cross. On the more moral side, there's Trofimov, nicely played by Hawke, who sees the orchard and estate as a sort of heavy weight tying the family to the past, and only when it is gone will they be truly free. Enjoyable in a comic relief turn is Tobias Segal as Yepikhodov, a good-hearted clerk and a complete klutz; so much so he's known as "catastrophe corner." Finally Eastman, in the role of Firs, combines both humor and dignity as an aging servant, who is perhaps the one true survivor of the upheaval that the family and society in general, has experienced.

Technical credits are excellent. Anthony Ward's sets give the story the proper sense of place; the effect helped immeasurably by Paul Arditti's sound design. This is also one show where the importance of lighting comes through full force as several of the characters describe their memories of the cherry orchard while the scene shifts from cold and bleak to warm and delightful. (Good work by lighting designer Paul Pyant.) Costume by Catherine Zuber also work well, as does the musical direction by Dan Lipton.

Also in the cast are Dakin Matthews, Selina Cadell, Gary Powell, Mark Nelson, Aaron Krohn, Michael Braun, Jessica Pollert Smith and Hannah Stokley.

The Cherry Orchard
BAM Harvey Theater
651 Fulton Street
Tickets: 718-636-4100 or www.BAM.org
Closes: March 8, 2009
Running Time: approximately 2 Hours, 40 Minutes

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"Pal Joey"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Nicely Bewitching, But With A Problem

One of the most difficult characters to portray in the entire musical theatre canon would have to be Joey Evans, title character of the 1940 musical, "Pay Joey," which is currently being given a revival by the Roundabout Theatre Company (music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, new book by Richard Greenberg, based on the original book by John O'Hara). Joey (Matthew Risch), a young song and dance man in late 1930s Chicago, is an absolute heel; a schemer with big dreams who thinks nothing of using his good looks and disarming manner to lie, cheat and sleep his way to the top. In fact, many times in previous travels he's left town barely one step ahead of the law or from receiving a few broken bones for crossing the wrong people. In the past, the part of Joey has been played by Gene Kelly, who originated the role on stage, and Frank Sinatra, who played the part in the 1957 movie. In this latest production, Risch tries hard to make the role his own, but lacks the stage presence to carry the show. A problem that ends up marring an otherwise quite enjoyable evening.

Arriving in town, Joey wangles a job at a club on Chicago's South Side, in one of the many dives which dot the area. Among the girls working there is Gladys Bumps (Martha Plimpton), who has a past with Joey and who trusts him not a lick, warning the other girls to say away from him. That doesn't stop Joey though, who quickly insinuates himself into the lives of two very different women. Linda English (Jenny Fellner), a young, wholesome girl from Wisconsin; and Vera Simpson (Stockard Channing) the older, cynical and neglected wife of a man who made his fortune in the milk business. Although Joey enjoys Linda's company and finds himself responding somewhat to her refreshing and innocent candor, he immediately sets his site on Vera, using his sex appeal to entice her into bed. He quickly becomes her willing boy-toy, while she decks him out in a new wardrobe and buys the club for him, which he sets about turning into the Chez Joey, making it the place to be and be seen in town. However as Joey climbs higher and higher, he overlooks his one weak spot, his ego.

When Joey fires Gladys, who stayed on when he bought the club, she comes up with a plan to blackmail him and Vera, threatening to make their relationship public. Pulled into Gladys' scheme against his will is Mike (Robert Clohessy), the former owner of the place, who has a secret of his own. It's not long before Joey may be seeing his carefully-laid rug pulled out from under him; putting him back where he started, if he's doesn't watch out.

"Pal Joey" is a story of an anti-hero and the Roundabout has done it justice for the most part. Greenberg's book is nice and concise, with little "dead space" to slow the production down. Scott Pask's sets are quite enjoyable, including an impressive winding staircase, used nicely when called for, and the costumes by William Ivey Long are appropriately opulent, especially those worn by Channing and some of the girls in the Chez Joey sequences.

There is also the show's score, which is quite simply, superb. Among the classic Rogers and Hart tunes are "I Could Write a Book" (between Joey and Linda), and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," (wonderfully sung by Channing as an aging woman feeling almost like a schoolgirl in her infatuation for Joey).

Unfortunately Risch, at the center of the tale, fails to bring Joey to life. He tries gamely, but is unable to endow this basically unlikable character with anything more than passing interest. His Joey comes off as nothing particularly special, feeling more of an afterthought instead of having the magnetic quality of a ringmaster needed to hold the story together. (It doesn't help that the major supporting players work far better on stage.) Risch gets off a few good moments, such as his first meeting with Linda, his initial seduction of Vera, and his trying to talk his way out of a situation when the two women unexpectedly meet; but other than a few cute moments, the performance never has any real depth. (It's too bad Harry Connick, Jr. or Hugh Jackman, both of whom were linked with the project at various times, weren't available to play the role.)

To be fair, it should be noted that Risch was a last-minute substitution, taking over for Christian Hoff, who was injured during previews. But the bottom line is that Risch is unable to make the audience really care about the character or wonder how he's going to get out of his latest scrape. As a result, much of the emotional impact of the show is lost.

Risch is also hurt by the fact he's often blown away by the other actors on stage. Channing in particular makes a bewitching Vera. Powerful and rich, she's also terribly lonely (her husband has a series of playmates all over town) and there is something in Joey's sneering and assured manner that touches her deep inside. Vera is also smart enough to know this moment can't last, but while it does she will milk it for all it's worth (no pun intended). Not caring about the monetary cost, she yearns for the physical satisfaction Joey provides, along with the fact that he needs her-albeit for her cash, a fact she knows all too well.

Plimpton is a hoot as Gladys, an aging chorine strutting her stuff and trying to survive. She has several good musical numbers, (such as "That Terrific Rainbow"), all delivered with a bitter edge that comes with years of hard luck and tough living. Indeed, one hopes she will eventually find some sort of happiness.

Fellner is nicely bland as Linda, the new kid on the block who grows up fast in the big city and who soon gets the requisite quick wit and snappy comebacks all Chicagoans seem to possess in this musical. She also loves Joey through all his faults and misdeeds, holding onto the hope he will change. Also good are Clohessy as Mike, and Steven Skybell in a comic relief role as the manager of the shop where Linda works.

Joe Mantello's direction works well, keeping the tone and tempo of the story moving nicely. Musical helming by Paul Gemignani and chorography by Graciela Daniele are fine. Also deserving of mention are the wonderful orchestrations by Don Sebesky. Lighting by Paul Gallo is good. Things take a while to get going, but in a few minutes one is completely immersed in the world of 1930s Chicago, a place where poverty and wealth and sin and propriety walk hand in hand; and beware to those who try to reach too far above their assigned stations in life.

Also in the cast are Nadine Isenegger, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Lisa Gajda, Brian Barry, Timothy J. Alex, Anthony Holds, Eric Sciotto, Daniel Marcus, Hayley Podschun, Mark Morettini, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Krista Saab, Meredith Forlenza, Quinn Mattfeld, Nicole Orth-Pallavicini, Kurt Froman, Abbey O'Brien.

Pal Joey
Presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company
Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
Tickets: 212-719-1300 or www.roundabouttheatre.org
Running Time: Approximately Two Hours, 20 Minutes
Closes: March 1, 2009






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"The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

One of the Year's Best

Comedy and drama walk hand in hand in this excellent production of Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan, now playing at the Atlantic Theater Company. A co-presentation between Ireland's Druid Theatre Company and the Atlantic, and winningly directed by Garry Hynes, this show is one of the must-sees of the 2008-2009 theater season.

The story takes place in 1934 on the tiny island of Inishmaan, located off the west coast of Ireland. Here lives Billy (Aaron Monaghan), the title character, a young man whose limbs are badly deformed, (and who is called "Cripple Billy" by the locals), due to a childhood disease. Orphaned when he was an infant, his parents drowning when they fell off their boat one night (though there may be more to it than that), Billy has been raised by his two "aunties" Kate (Marie Mullen) and Eileen (Dearbhla Molloy) who run a general store. (In actuality, the ladies are not related to Billy at all, but took him in because no one else would.)

Both women can be a bit "off" at times, Kate talks to stones when things get worrisome and Eileen habitually eats all the good sweeties in the store (much to the dismay of the somewhat dim-witted Bartley (Laurence Kinlan), a local lad who keeps looking for them in vain.) In a desperate search for some peace and quiet, and to get away from his rather overprotective aunties for a while, Billy ends up spending most of his time sitting alone, looking at cows. This however, has the effect of making people think Billy's much simpler than he actually is.

Things change dramatically when JohnnyPateenMike, (David Pearse), an oral spreader of news, tells Billy and the Aunties about a movie company from Hollywood that has come to Ireland to make a film local life (McDonagh based this idea on an actual 1934 incident when American film-maker Robert Flaherty made a documentary feature film about the locals.) Upon hearing the news, and that the company will be using local actors in some of the scenes, Billy, seeing a chance to get away from his hum-drum everyday life, convinces BabbyBobby (Andrew Connolly) a rather violent man, who's suffered great personal lost in his past, to take him to the island where the filming is going on. Accompanying Billy are Bartley and Helen (Kerry Condon), Bartley's very hot-headed sister, who takes to pelting eggs at anyone who disagrees with her about anything. (She may also be a bit free in the morality department.) Billy however, gets along with Helen quite well as a friend but may be hoping something more might develop between them.

Once at the filming, Billy is offered the opportunity to audition for a role in Hollywood, (he would be playing a crippled boy), and jumps at the chance, leaving his worried friends and family behind without a word. In the end Billy, if not everybody else, learns what's important and life and where he belongs, if it only isn't too late for him to enjoy it all, as there may be some unfinished business awaiting him back home.

The play literally soars thanks to a tight script, winning dialogue and a top-notch cast. On one level the show is a satire of Hollywood, where Billy finds himself saying completely ridiculous lines for his screen test, and people fall all over themselves to be part of the silver screen "magic," even though what is often the finished product has no bearing on anything resembling reality. (Such as the "film" depicted in the play.) This message holds a sort of double irony these days as McDonagh has, temporarily at least, forsaken playwriting for penning stories for film.

At its heart however, Inishmaan offers a wonderful snapshot of people going through day- to-day life and trying to get by the best way they can, be it with kisses, food, deception, gossip, daydreaming, or violence, among other things. Each of the people depicted come across as fully defined from the first moment they step on stage with every line and action feeling totally believable (if not always grounded in reality). Be it Eileen tossing off sarcastic remarks; Helen letting loose with a stream of biting comments, profanity and eggs; Johnny trying to unearth the latest local secrets, while not being beaten up by BabbyBobby; or Billy just trying to feel normal for a moment, they're all folks interesting enough to spend time with, if one doesn't mind seeing the sometimes desperate loneliness present between the laughter they invoke.

Hynes directs the production quite well, keeping the play moving on an even keel and allowing both the dialogue and action to come across with maximum effect. There is also the feeling that not one moment in the play is being wasted. (This isn't the first time Hynes has directed a McDonagh work and her confidence with the material shows.)

Casting is excellent. Monaghan makes a very good Billy, effectively portraying a man with the soul of a dreamer, trapped in a badly crippled body, who just wants to have a normal life and do things everyone else takes for granted. Condon is a hoot as the hot-tempered Helen, a volcano of passion and wit, taking guff from no one and letting people know immediately where they stand with her.

Pearse is fine as JohnnyPateenMike, an effective spreader of news, at least when he's not trying to kill his 90 year-old mother (Patricia O'Connell in a hilarious turn) by giving her enough liquor to hopefully drink herself to death. (Said mother never having gotten over the fact her husband was eaten by a shark, 60-odd years earlier.) Johnny also surprisingly knows when to keep certain news hidden, for the truth is not always something one may want to hear. Elsewhere, John C. Vennema works well as the Doctor, offering a touch of sanity coupled with some plain truths of his own; while Connolly is good as BabbyBobby, an angry but caring man with a hair trigger temper and woe to those who try to cross or deceive him, no matter what the reason.

Almost stealing the show at points are Mullen and Molloy as the delightful aunties. Molloy, as Eileen, in particular gets off some of the best lines in the show. On-the-surface a no-nonsense type, yet underneath always worried about Billy and if he can take care of himself. Mullen does a good job as the more introverted Kate. The two women play off each other perfectly, with a strong chemistry and sense of comic timing.

Sets by Francis O'Connor, going from the aunties' general store, to a meeting hall, to a section of a beach at night (and back again), are excellent. Lighting by Davy Cunningham works well, as does the sound by John Leonard. Costumes by O'Connor are also quite good.

The Cripple of Inishmaan
Presented by the Atlantic Theater Company and Druid Theatre Company
Atlantic Theater Company
Linda Gross Theater
336 West 20th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Closes March 1, 2008
Running Time: Approximately Two Hours, 20 Minutes


(L-R) David Pearse, Marie Mullen, Dearbhla Molloy
Photo by Keith Pattison


(L-R) Dearbhla Molloy, Marie Mullen
Photo by Keith Pattison


(L-R) Aaron Monaghan, Kerry Condon
Photo by Keith Pattison

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"The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Quite Provocative, But Not Quite There- Yet

Be careful what you wish for, because not only may your wish be granted, but you also may be unprepared to handle the repercussions of your desire coming true. Such is the case in Lukas Barfuss's interesting and unsettling tale The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents, which recently received its U.S. Premiere at the Wild Project Off-Broadway.

Dora (Grace Gummer), a young woman in her late teens, has been on numerous medications for most of her life. So much so that she is merely going through the motions when conscious, speaking in a monotone, never saying a complete or cohesive sentence, often repeating words she has heard in a conversation, or simply saying "I Don't Know." Her mother (Laura Heidinger) who has been through more than ten years of watching her daughter exist in a listless, almost vegetative state, has had enough. While her mom certainly doesn't miss Dora's screaming and fits of rage, she feels anything is better than what her child has been tuned into. Saying "I want my daughter back," she instructs Dora's new doctor (Peter O'Connor) to take her off the medication. Which he does, though not without some trepidation.

As the "dampening down" effects of the medication slowly begin to wear off, a combination new old/version of Dora emerges. She still speaks quietly and in halting sentences, yet is completely aware of her surroundings-if unsure how to act. It quickly becomes apparent she possesses a child-like innocence and a one-dimensional way of looking at things (i.e. at face value), with no conception of duplicity or deceit. She is thus easy pray for the first unscrupulous person who comes along. Said person being a Fine Gentleman (Max Lodge), a womanizer with a kinky streak, who meets Dora at the fruit stand where she works.

Dora's parents, and her doctor, are horrified to see the various bruises over her body after her first sexual encounter with the Fine Gentleman. But since she doesn't mind it all (indeed, she rather liked it) there's nothing they can do. Other than the Doctor giving her a long lecture about the dangers, joys and techniques of sex. Said lecture showing that perhaps the Doctor (who's married) is beginning to have lust in his heart for his patient, although it is of the "tease. but do not follow through variety." While her parents struggle with the reality of the situation, Dora happily (and submissively) continues to enjoy the pleasure and pain she receives from the Fine Gentleman. Dora also enjoys pleasing this first man in her life, happily indulging in his various fetishes (one of which includes her not showering) as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Because for Dora, it is, having no outside frame of reference to judge otherwise. Additionally, as time goes on, she becomes more and more of a sexual being, coming on to both the doctor and her boss (Jim Noonan) at the fruit stand.

However Dora's journey of self-exploration and her parent's "live and let live" attitude is thrown off-kilter when she becomes pregnant, leading her parents and the doctor to consider some drastic measures to keep Dora safe, no matter what her wishes in this area might be.

The title of the show says it all in regards to the main point Barfuss is making. It's not so much Dora's reaction to the world, either sexually or otherwise that causes the problem, but rather her parent's reaction to Dora's sexual awakening. At no time in Dora's life has her mother, who loves her dearly, or her father (Charlie Mitchell), who seems to stay pretty much out of the family decision making process, treated Dora as anything other than a child, when in fact she has become a young woman. Lacking any parental guidance in regards to sex or relationships, Dora has to learn to experience things as she goes along. It's a practice that can very easily lead to tragedy and heartbreak. Additionally, Dora's parents treat sex as something to be hidden, sneaking off for their own bouts of carnal relations at a local trailer park so Dora won't have to see them doing the nasty. A practice that is revealed at a most inopportune moment. (Dora actually gets more advice from her boss's worldly mother (Kathryn Kates) than anyone else.

Barfuss has presented an interesting tale, helped here by a strong translation by Neil Blackadder. However, despite the show's relatively short running time, there are sections that drag, such as much of the business with Dora at the fruit stand and a subplot about exactly why she's working there. (Her boss gets paid by the state for employing her.) It would also have been nice to know exactly why Dora has been on the medication for so long, something never really made clear. Did she suffer from schizophrenia or manic depression, or does she have the mind of a child and never fully grew up mentally? Or is it something else?

Gummer works well in the role of Dora, projecting the aura of a child, even when being beaten by the Fine Gentleman or talking about subjects most uncomfortable (and using the "F" word a lot). At times she feels like lost lamb ready for slaughter in the cold cruel world. The only drawback with this portrayal is that at no time is the audience allowed the chance to get inside Dora's head to see what's really driving her, or the effect the medication, or lack thereof, has on her persona.

Easily the most multi-layered character in the piece is the Fine Gentleman, very nicely brought to life by Lodge's performance. A cad and womanizer when first introduced, his reserved aura shatters when he realizes just what Dora is and what she has given to him. Although she awakens a long buried tenderness in him, this is someone who has seen and done too much to ever treat Dora the way he feels she deserves to be treated and his resulting passion, pain and weakness is quite touching.

The rest of the cast is good, though other than the doctor, who has some interesting moments with his sexual lecture to Dora, all are pretty one-dimensional. Having more fully drawn characters would have made the story fit together much better. This is particularly true with Dora's mother. At one point Dora mentions how her mother cried at a pivotal moment, but we never see this particular scene played out, only mentioned, which causes it to have a much lesser effect.

The direction by Kristjan Thor is okay, but often uneven-with certain scenes moving far too slowly and not having the emotional impact they should have. It also doesn't help that he's hamstrung by a script which is too ambiguous at points to give a clear idea on which way to go in terms of subtleties and characterization.

The set and costumes by Moza Saracho all look good, (the costumes being especially realistic when matched to the various characters who wear them) and the lighting by Kathleen Dobbins is fine.

The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents is an intriguing play with a lot to say about innocence crushed and the failure of responsibility, but with a stronger script and better defined supporting characters, the finished product could have been so much more.

The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents
Presented by Electric Pear Productions
The Wild Project
195 East 3rd Street
Tickets: 212-352-3101 or www.electricpear.org
Closes: November 22, 2008
Running time: Approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes


Peter O'Connor and Grace Gummer
Photo by Thomas Hand Keefe


Laura Heidinger, Grace Gummer, Charlie Mitchell, and Peter O'Connor
Photo by Thomas Hand Keefe


Max Lodge and Grace Gummer
Photo by Thomas Hand Keefe

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"The Master Builder"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Strong Man With Feet of Clay

A promise made to a child can be the most powerful of all, as shown in the Irish Rep's very good production of Henrik Ibsen's The Master Builder.

In 1892 Norway, Halvard Solness (James Naughton) is a creator of structures extraordinaire. During his career he has built everything from churches and cathedrals to family homes. Viewing the term "architect" with distaste, he prefers to call himself "The Master Builder." He came into the profession as a young man, mentored by Knut Brovik (Herb Foster) and quickly rose through the ranks, often stepping on whomever he could to ensure himself the top spot in the industry. Now Halvard runs the business and Knut works for him.

Despite all his success, Halvard is a man beset with fear and insecurities. He is terrified of losing his touch and that someone younger and fresher will appear on the horizon, becoming the new hot thing and stealing his thunder. To that end he refuses to help anyone who will not advance his own career, such as trying to prevent Knut's son Ragnar (Daniel Talbott), a young architect at the firm, from going out on his own. Whether Ragnar has talent is matter of opinion, however Halvard has another reason for keeping Ragnar around. Namely pretty young accountant Kaja (Letitia Lange) who was once in love with Ragnar, but who now has given her heart to the married and much-older Halvard.

Halvard is also is also tormented by unceasing guilt. Although extremely lucky professionally, he and wife Aline (Kristen Griffith) have suffered greatly on a personal level. Aline's family home was burned to the ground by a fire years ago, something Halvard wished for more than once but never said aloud. As a result he feels the fire and subsequent loss of his infant twin sons is a sort of cosmic equalizer for the great success he has enjoyed as a Master Builder; and that is was his fault for setting these events in motion via an errant thought in his mind. (It was at this point that he stopped building churches.)

Halvard's uneasy world is shattered with the sudden arrival of a young woman named Hilde (Charlotte Parry). A free spirit who wanders around the country with nothing but a backpack, she has come to collect on a promise Halvard made to her 10 years earlier, one he barely remembers. When she was a little girl Halvard, who was working on a project in her town, promised Hilde that he would one day build her a great cathedral. Now she has come to see her "castle in the sky," only to be horrified to find the disillusioned Halvard no longer builds such grand structures. Taunting, pleading and reminding him how great he once was, Hilde becomes a muse for Halvard, awakens a passion in him he long thought dead, so much so that he dismisses both Ragnar and Kaja and vows to create a magnificent dwelling (one where he and Aline are to live) to honor his promise to Hilde.

In The Master Builder, Ibsen has crafted an interesting psychological drama, which at its heart also shows the lengths people will go for peace of mind and personal satisfaction, as well as the need for communication and forgiveness. A fascinating story, it comes alive thanks to a winning adaptation by Frank McGuinness and strong performances by the actors.

Naughton makes a good Halvard, at first glance someone emotionless, calculating and all business, but it's soon revealed that underneath he is seething with pain and passion. He blames himself for all the misfortunes in his life and loves his wife dearly, but cannot bring himself to express his inner turmoil or his feelings for her.

Parry is superb as Hilda, the scheming catalyst that sets the story in motion. Psychologists would have a field day with her, as she is basically someone who feeds off the misery of others, expecting an offhand childhood promise to be kept and imagined presents to be given because they were promised. She also seems to feel no responsibility for her actions, (blaming all misfortunes on others), and does not always have a firm hold on reality. Then again, reality can sometime be quite boring, as demonstrated by Halvard, Aline and others in their orbit. All basically good people (even Halvard, despite his extramarital affair) but all grounded in everyday life and thus not able to fly as free as Hilde does-and as Halvard once did and tries to do so again.

Also quite good is Griffith as Halvard's long-suffering wife. A strong women, blaming herself for the loss of her children (and convinced Halvard blames her for it), she submerges her personality and feelings, and is completely subservient to her husband even though she is silently screaming all the while (such as when Halvard ask her to do Hilde's laundry.) She also tries to stem the devastation destined for Halvard that she sees in Hilde’s influence, but is be unable to do anything about it.

Ciaran O'Reilly's direction is strong, guiding the story with a firm hand and centering it around the various battles of wills between Halvard, Aline and Hilde, as well as the inner angst of Halvard, a man who acutely feels his own pain but is unable to find a way to heal.

The set design by Eugene Lee is fine and costumes by Linda Fisher are very good. Especially the various outfits Parry wears.

A common theme in Ibsen's works, one that also can be seen in Hedda Gabler, is the danger of getting what one wishes for. And as in Gabbler, the end results might not be exactly what one expected.

Also in the cast are Doug Stender and Janice M. Brandine.

The Master Builder
Presented by the Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: (212) 727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Closes; November 30, 2008
Running Time: Approximately 2 Hours, 15 minutes


James Naughton and Charlotte Parry


Kristin Griffith, James Naughton, and Letitia Lange


Charlotte Parry

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"A Body of Water"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander

A Puzzle Without an Answer

In the classic Twilight Zone episode "Five Characters in Search of an Exit," five people find themselves in an unfamiliar place with no memory of who they are or now they got there. "We will not end the nightmare," narrator Rod Serling notes, "we will merely explain it." However, in Lee Blessing's work A Body of Water, which presents a similar situation at 59E59 Theaters, an explanation is the one thing that is not provided.

Moss (Michael Cristofer) and Avis (Christine Lahti) wake up together in an imitate position (Moss's hand is on Avis's breast), in unfamiliar house with no idea of who or where they are. Making matters worse, there are no specific clues to be found in the various rooms (other than that there are clothes that seem to fit them) to help illuminate their identities. All they can tell is that they are at an isolated location surrounded on almost all sides by water. (There is some kind of road in the distance, going they know not where.)

Their halting attempts to piece things together are thrown for a loop with the sudden arrival of Wren (Laura Odeh), a no-nonsense woman who expresses extreme annoyance at their questions. It soon become obvious Wren holds as least some of the clues to this puzzle, with her comments suggesting she has experienced this situation many times before. At first she spins a tale about her being their jailer/protector and that they are in the witness protection program. A little while later, she changes her story and explains she's their daughter and has been taking care of them for some time. She is also so tired of going through this same situation every single day that she has taken to inventing complex scenarios for the three of them to play out. How they end and whether she tells them anything about their past depends on how Wren happens to feel on that particular day.

The problem is that just as this continually new for Moss and Avis, it's also the first time the audience gets to experience what's going on and there's not enough to latch onto in order to make this rather intriguing premise really work. One can certainly accept that Wren is suffering from severe emotional stress from having to explain things to her parents (if that's who they actually are) time and again, but a few more verbal or visual guideposts would have presented a somewhat clearer picture. For example, what has caused Moss and Avis to be this way? They're almost too alert for them to be afflicted by Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia. If their conditions were caused by an accident, what sort of mishap would affect both of them in the exact same way, the two emerging with all of their faculties intact except for their memories?

There's also the possibility the story is jumping back and forth in time, a theory buttressed by the fact Wren often makes references to what's already gone before and that there are times either Moss or Avis have left the stage and, according to Wren, they are gone (i.e. dead). However, Blessing has made the text so ambiguous, concentrating so completely on the mystery, he doesn't give enough information to allow the audience to draw their own conclusions as to what they're seeing.

On the plus side, the acting is strong throughout. Lahti is fine as a normally strong woman now unsure of her bearings and thrust into a situation she cannot control. Cristofer interacts with Lahti nicely and is quite believable as her possible husband. (He also has some nice bits of humorous dialogue-especially in the beginning). Odeh however comes across as too much of a cipher, and other than a few moments of anguish, where it comes becomes obvious that she is trapped in the same continuous cycle as Moss and Avis, there's little to tell where her character is coming from. And without that extra level of shading, Wren simply isn't all that interesting.

Maria Mileaf's direction works well in delineating the situation and building up the tension. However since the basic questions of who, what, where, when, and why are never really answered, this suspense has nowhere to go and just kind of stays around at the end of the play, making things feel a bit stagnant, with the characters having gone through no change whatsoever.

The set by Neil Patel are very good, showing that the couple is at least well off (if they are indeed a couple and this is indeed their house). The costumes by Candice Donnelly and lighting by Jeff Croiter work fine.

A Body of Water is an interesting effort, but one that doesn't deliver a pay off. In the end the play just treads water instead of swimming strongly in a particular direction.

A Body of Water
Presented by Primary Stages
59E59 Theaters
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Closes: November 16, 2008
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes

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"Fifty Words"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander
October 6, 2008

A Darkly (and sometimes painful) Comedic Look At Marriage

Emotional intimacy is an important part of any relationship and the lack of it can cause trouble for those involved. Case in point: Michael Weller's rather intriguing "Fifty Words," a dark comedy about marital bliss, now playing at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Adam (Norbert Leo Butz) and Jan (Elizabeth Marvel) are going through a lengthy rough patch in their marriage. Adams travels all over the world for his job (he designs houses), while Jan, a former dancer (and somewhat overprotective mother) is spending untold hours on the computer struggling to get her new business off the ground. As a result, the two are finding they have less and less quality time together. Even when such an increasingly rare opportunity does present itself, something usually upsets plans for a quiet intimate moment between the two. On this particular night Greg, Adam and Jan's only child, is away on a sleepover, meaning his parents have the house to themselves literally for the first night in several years. But while Adam tries to make this a memorable evening, complete with romance and sex, Jan is unable to tear herself away from work, which becomes a definite mood-killer for her husband.

Yet Adam is by no means the only person to blame for the current situation. The couple's conversations are continually full of snide remarks and veiled "digs" at one other, with the audience quickly getting the sense that these people are walking on eggshells, afraid to say anything direct that might make an already badly-strained situation even worse. Soon the question becomes not only can this marriage be saved, but should these two have ever gotten married in the first place? It seems Adam and Jan never learned how to really talk to each another. Their initial attraction was based on sex (and the two were both quite compatible and combustible in that department). This led to several years of living together, followed by marriage, but though it all, neither ever really shared much of themselves. A situation which led Adam having a long-term affair (something which Jan confronts him on) because he could not find the physical and emotional intimacy he needed with his wife.

Adam and Jan's marital strife has also affected their son, who has trouble making friends and has taken to hiding under piles of clothes as a way of shutting out the world. Greg's situation is one of several incidents which force the couple to work together even as their marriage is coming apart.

A "slice of life play" about a problem that affects all too many relationships at one time or another, "Fifty Words" is a work which lives and dies on the acting. Fortunately, both Butz and Marvel deliver commendable performances. Both characters are so self-absorbed, they've never trusted their significant other with some rather important personal information. Adam, for example is desperately trying to keep his business afloat (a fact he's never informed his wife about) while Jan wishes her husband would be tougher in character (i.e. not "wishy-washy") something she's never imparted. In addition, they both have strong ideas when it comes to sex and desire, but again neither has really mentioned this aloud. Through it all there is a deep love each has for the other, but whether they will be able to translate that into something more in order to save their marriage is the question.

Butz works quite well as Adam. At first glance, the character is a sort of anxious-to-please everyman, simply being shut out by his emotionally distant wife. Yet the sympathies shift once his affair is revealed. Butz shows Adam going from a man with hurt feelings over being ignored to someone sincerely trying to justify his extramarital activity (which actually started before the marriage). In the end he's so desperate to salvage his relationship with Jan, he'll accede to any of his wife's demands, no matter how dangerous they may turn out to be.

Marvel, who initially has the more difficult role, softly shines in the role of a wife pulled in too many situations at once, throwing herself into all of them so she won't have to deal with issues that are right in front of her. As the play progresses, one can begin to see the passion buried underneath Jan's cold outward demeanor and the emotional and physical needs she carries. Yet until push comes to shove, she is simply unable to ask for what she desires, for fear it will make her less than who she is. (One of the underlying issues in the play is the question of power and its continual shifting between Adam and Jan. At least until one of them seizes control and keeps it.)

Most importantly, both Butz and Marvel nicely deliver the various and sometimes lengthy speeches of the script. Dialogue which, in other hands, could be tiresome and cloying, but are instead nicely infused with passion and emotion, thus giving the scenes a realistic and immediate feel.

Austin Pendleton's direction is mostly strong, combining both verbal and physical jousting to keep the story moving nicely. However, one curious point is why there is no intermission in the play, as there are various pauses in the story to indicate the passage of time and where such a break would seem called for. The ending is also a little abrupt. It works, but there's a feeling that a final scene (or bit of dialogue) is missing to better bring the play (if not the story of these two characters) to a closure.

The set by Neil Patel works well, as do the costumes by Mimi O'Donnell. The lighting by Michelle Habeck is okay, but perhaps more could have been done with the transition sequences. Original music by Josh Schmidt and sound design by Fitz Patton are fine.







Fifty Words
Presented by MCC Theater
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
Tickets: 212-239-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Information: www.mcctheater.org
Running Times: Approximately 1 Hour, 55 Minutes
Closes: October 25, 2008

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"The Glass Cage"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander
September 22, 2008

A Strong Look At Family Ties

The sins of one generation shall be passed onto the next, as clearly evident in the American Premiere of J.B. Priestely's 1957 work "The Glass Cage," currently being given a powerful revival by the Mint Theater Company.

In 1906 Toronto the well-to-do McBane family consists of David (Gerry Bamman), a stern and religious man, his brother Malcom (Jack Wetherall), and their sister-in-law Mildred (Robin Moseley), widow of their deceased brother Richard. Also in the family is David's daughter Elspie (Sandra Struthers-Clerc), who is enamored of young John Harvey (Chap Hoeppner), a theologian student in training. He's also Mildred's nephew on his mother's side. However their existence is about to be upended by the arrival of Jean, Angus and Douglas (Jeanine Serralles, Saxon Palmer, Aaron Krohn) three children by Charlie, another McBane brother, a wild roguish type who was driven out of the family after marrying a woman considered beneath his station.

Charlie's children have been brought to Toronto by David who needs them to sign some legal papers in the wake of their mother's death (their father died some time earlier). But almost immediately the rougher and more free-spirited ways of Jean and Angus, and the quiet calculating manner of Douglas are a cause of friction with their more conservative elder relatives. (They also awaken embers of passion in both Elspie and John.) But the newcomers are more than just youthful upstarts. It turns out they know quite a lot about the family-such as Malcom's relationship with a married woman, a fact they use to blackmail him with when he realizes the three are not what they seem. Charlie's children believe their father was cheated out of his rightful inheritance and they have come back to settle accounts. However all is not as black and white as what Jean, Angus and Douglas believe, nor as simple as David and the rest of the family hoped. The actual truth lies somewhere in-between, where elements of bribery, sin, guilt, family honor, prejudice, righteous rage, and the knowledge of wasted years all collide head-on.

What makes this story work are the richness of the characters, each of whom come across as fully formed and, if not always sympathetic, definitely all quiet interesting. Very refreshing here is Priestley's take on the piousness of religion. David lives and breathes his convictions and, rather than being a hypocrite or an object of ridicule, he is in actuality the most honest and straightforward person in the family. At the same time, he is completely human, full of foibles and mistakes, and honest enough to recognize that he isn't perfect. (As a conversation with his daughter reveals.)

There's also the obviousness of how much alike these people are inside, even though they may not want to admit it. (And how much some of the various characters want to be able to like the others.) Both Elspie and John experience emotional awakenings in their encounters with Angus and Jean respectively, and both are the better for it. At the same time Douglas, who has a good head for figures, would love to join the family business. Meanwhile, Angus and Jean are both tired of traveling around from job to job and would relish the chance to put down roots.

Other than the first few minutes of the play, which drags a bit thanks to a somewhat lengthy exposition, the story moves along nicely, with much of the dialogue filled with half-admitted truths as the various characters try to sound each other out and learn everyone else's intentions, be it about business, love, honesty or lust. This continual verbal (and sometimes physical) jousting gives the play a strong edge and keeps the audience guessing until the very end about how things will turn out. Great credit must go to director Lou Jacob, who guides the production with a firm hand, keeping the show on a steady and intricate course.

The acting is quite strong, with all the performers quite believable in their roles. Standouts include Serralles as Jean, who's seen and done so much that she's "a thousand years older" than John, (as she tells him at one point); and Palmer as Angus, on the surface the rapscallion drunken poet, but underneath a fountain of exhaustion and pain. Also quite good are Bamman as Tom, projecting both a strength and vulnerability in his role; and Struthers-Clerc as Elspie, who begins an interesting (and amusing) journey of self-discovery. Chet Carlin adds some humor and common sense as the McBane's long-time family doctor.

The set by Roger Hanna is excellent, giving the production a sense of place and class consciousness, as well as a bit of sterility (which initially matches the family). Lighting by Marcus Doshi and sound design by Lindsay Jones are very good, imbuing the work with a sort of metaphysical feel at times. Costumes by Camille Assaf work nicely.

At the heart of the play is a warning of the dangers that come with the sin of pride. (Pride of superiority, of entitlement and of the unwillingness to accept a helping hand.) In the end, it is only those who can accept the past and thus move on that will truly be free.

Also in the cast is Fiana Toibin.

The Glass Cage
Presented by the Mint Theater Company
311 West 43rd Street. 3rd Floor
Tickets: 212-315-0231
Information: www.minttheater.org
Closes: November 2, 2008
Running Time: 2 Hours, 30 Minutes

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"THE TEMPEST" - A Magic and Enchanted Tale

Reviewed by Judd Hollander
September 20, 2008

Comeuppance and second chances walk hand in hand with love and romance in Classic Stage Company's winning production of Williams Shakespeare's "The Tempest."

The story takes place on an enchanted island located somewhere between Tunis and Milan. On this island dwells Prospero (Mandy Patinkin), the exiled Duke of Milan, who 12 years earlier fled here with his young daughter Miranda in order to escape a plot by his bother Antonio (Karl Kenzler) the current Duke, and Alonso (Michael Potts), the King of Naples who together conspired to usurp Prospero's rule. (Prospero was able to escape his enemies via the help of his loyal friend Gonzalo (Yusef Bulos). However as we quickly see, Prospero is no ordinary man. His endless hours of study have given him magical powers, ones that enable him to control various spirits of the island, including Ariel (Angel Desai), a being who can command the winds and rain. It is under Prospero's command that Ariel has caused a raging storm to engulf a passing ship-one carrying Antonio, Alonso and Gonzalo; well as Alonso's son Ferdinand (Stark Sands), and bother Sebastian (Craig Baldwin), among others.

Prospero has Ariel bring all those on board the ship (who were forced to leap into the sea and swim for their lives) safely to shore, scattering them on different parts of the island as he sets in motion a plan to regain his dukedom. As he (and Ariel) observe those brought to the island, they witness a plot by Antonio and Sebastian to murder the King and Gonzalo, whereby Sebastian can claim the throne; and the blooming of love between the now-grown Miranda (Elisabeth Waterston) and Ferdinand. There's also a comic attempt to kill Prospero by drunken bothers Stefano (Steven Rattazzi) and Trinculo (Tony Torn), who are both in Alonso's employ, and who team up with the vengeful, if somewhat dim-witted, Caliban (Nyambi Nyambi, a strange native of the island who is now Prospero's slave.


Yet it is not vengeance that drives Prospero's hand, rather it is the wish to set right the wrongs done to him, which will then allow him and his daughter move on with their lives and live in peace. To that end, he tempers his anger with mercy, his power with kindness and shows there is more satisfaction from the olive branch than the sword. (Though it helps to negotiate from a "position of strength," as it were.)

Part ringmaster, part magician, and above all, a garrulous man with a gentle soul, Prospero is one of the more interesting characters in the Shakespeare canon and Patinkin does a wonderful job in bringing him to life. Playing him as a sort of bombastic bear whose bark is far worse than his bite, his Prospero takes delight in keeping those around him off-balance, manipulating like a chess master arranging pieces on a board. Additionally more than a few of his threats and asides are laced with humor (though it may be humor only the audience can see-such as his warning Ferdinand of the consequences if Miranda does not remain a virgin until her wedding night).

It also helps that all the characters in the play are similarly well defined. Waterston and Sands are enjoyable as the young lovers, both caught in the bloom of romance; Potts works well as the desolate and repentant Alonso, believing his has lost his son; Kenzler and Baldwin are good as the scheming Antonio and Sebastian; while Bulos come across nicely as the loyal Gonzalo. Special mention must go to Desai who makes a convincing Ariel, part omnipotent force, part gleeful creature of nature and, like Prospero, yearning to be free from a forced confinement.

Most delightful are Rattazzi and, in a wonderful performance, Torn, as the continually inebriated Stefano and Trinculo, whose subplot presents a very enjoyable comic counterpoint to the other goings on. Nyambi is also very good as the angry Caliban who, helped with a few sips of wine, believes the two bothers to be gods. Perhaps an example by Shakespeare of how native peoples perceived Europeans when they first landed on their shores.


Direction by Brian Kulick is excellent, nicely balancing the play's dramatic and comedic tones, as well as insuring the various speeches are full of passion and meaning and not simply words to be recited. Be it a quiet moment between Ferdinand and Miranda, watching Prospero planning his next move, a comic pause or a deadly plot, the story is always interesting.

Set by Jian Jung, at times only a bare stage with a layer of sand, fits in perfectly with the placement of the story, as does Christian Frederickson's sound effects to simulate a storm at sea. Costumes by Oana Botez-Ban are fine, as are the lighting by Brian Scott and wonderful original music (by Frederickson).

The title "The Tempest" refers to not only a force of nature, but also to the turmoil inside the human spirit. Classic Stage Company has presented a stirring production which not only explains the reason behind such anger, but also explores the means to calm it.

The Tempest
Classic Stage Company
136 East 13th Street
Tickets: 212-352-3101, 866-811-4111 or www.classicstage.org
Closes: October 19, 2008
Running Time: 2 Hours, 30 Minutes

Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage

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"Broadway Blessing Celebrates the New Theatre Season"

Written by Judd Hollander
September 16, 2008

On September 8, 2008, an estimated 450-500 people attended the Broadway Blessing, a service of song, story and dance where representatives from the theatre community came together to ask God to bless the 2008-2009 theatre season. The event was held at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan. Founded and produced by Retta Blaney, the Broadway Blessing been an annual New York event every September since 1997.

The Blessing is a mixture of both the secular and the religious. The evening began with a medley of shows tunes played on the Cathedral organ by Saint John organist Timothy Brumfield, and then segued into a dance piece by Project Dance NYC set to the music of "How Great Thou Art." Things continued with a reading of Psalm 96, (with beings with "Sing to the Lord"); and the song "Nothing There To Love" from the new musical Amazing Grace: The True Story, and which was performed by Adam Jacobs (last seen on Broadway in Les Miserables.) The audience was also treated to a scene from the musical Perfect Harmony, which had a run at the Clurman Theatre off-Broadway this summer and a dramatic reading by actor Boyd Gaines, who is currently starring on Broadway in Gypsy. (Actress Lynn Redgrave was also scheduled to appear, but due to a family situation, was unable to attend.)

Commenting on how the event is received by the theatre community and the public at large, Blaney noted, "the Broadway Blessing seems to touch [audiences] because it is different from any other event. People can see theatre celebrities at other happenings, but those are either for commercial purposes or to raise money for a good cause. Broadway Blessing's purpose is to gather people of various faiths, or no faith, together to celebrate the creative spirit and ask God's blessing on the new season." Blaney also recalled that "after the first service, a young actress came up to me practically in tears and said how depressed she had been and that she had been ready to give up. After the Blessing she said she felt joyful and was not going to quit. I think she was responding to the acceptance and recognition performers feel from the clergy. It's an affirmation that's hard to come by in the difficult world of the performing arts. It's an affirmation that asks nothing of them -- no donation, no conversion; it's just a celebration of their giftedness and a recognition of how important the creative gifts are in all of our lives."

Other events at the Blessing included a candle lighting by Rabbi Jill Hausman of the Actors' Temple and The Reverend Canon Thomas Miller of St. John the Divine, and the song "I'll Walk With God" from the musical The Student Prince, sung by opera singer Jerry Curry. The audience was also treated to selections from Gypsy ("Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Together, Wherever We Go") as performed by the Broadway Blessing Choir. (The latter being a sing-along where the audience was invited to join in.)

In addition to the clergy from St. John and the Actors' Temple, the Revered Mitties DeChamplain was also present, representing St. Clement's Episcopal Church.

Probably the best explanation on the event's appeal was expressed by actor Edward Herrimann before taking part in the Broadway Blessing's 10th anniversary celebration. Herrimann commented at the time "It's reassuring to know there are so many people out there you know that believe in God and want to take that part of their life and dedicate it to the theatre because theatre is a very spiritual endeavor. They come from every conceivable denomination, which I kind of like. It's like a study in architecture of all these different buildings. They come from all kinds of disciplines and it's just great to be among them. It's an annual event, like with spring comes the first buds, now it's fall and we're here to bless our endeavors for the rest of the year and maybe some luck will come out of it, whether that's internal or external."

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"ZOMBIE"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander
August 25, 2008

Revolting and Riveting

Bill Connington brings to life one of the most fascinatingly repulsive characters to come down the pike in a long while, playing a psychopathic serial killer in the one-person play "Zombie." Based on the Joyce Carol Oates' novella, directed by Thomas Caruso and presented by Razors Edge Productions, Connington was also responsible for adapting the work to the stage.

Clad in drab garments, moving somewhat slowly and deliberately, and speaking in a chillingly clear matter-of-fact voice, Quentin P___ is a convicted sex-offender, recalling his love for teenage boys of African-American descent. But after being beaten up by a bunch of assailants, he realizes he what he needs as his sexual playmate is a person who has no will to fight back, someone who will be completely pliable to his desires, i.e. his very own zombie.

To that end, Quentin P___ starts reading up on how one to perform a lobotomy, a procedure which is quite graphically described. (This show is not for the weak of stomach.) But more than simply relating these events, they're given enough vivid details to cause them to be recreated right before the audience's eyes, with Quentin reveling in his passions as he takes the audience through the process of attempting to create his most cherished desire. As well as angrily recalling some of the failures that went along with it. Just as intense is Quentin's way of attempting to create sympathy for himself as he continually (and quite convincingly to the uninformed) insists everything that happened was not his fault, but rather the fault of those who, in one way or another, preventing him from getting what he needed and deserved.

In addition to being a fascinating look at a serial killer, "Zombie" is also an indictment on the failures of the criminal justice system to keep a man like this off the street. As Quentin P___ relates, he was given a suspended sentence the first time he was arrested for a sexual offense (drugging, kidnapping and trying to rape a child), where he was allowed to plead to a "sexual misdemeanor committed against a minor." He was also quickly able to work the system to his advantage by telling his court-ordered psychotherapists and counselors, as well as his probation officers, exactly what they wanted to hear, despite the fact nothing could have been further from the truth.

Connington is excellent in the role, bringing forth a kind of sinister fascination in regard to the character, a person you wouldn't want to be within 100 miles of, but who is so eerily compelling one is hooked by the performance and the story. Caruso's direction is spot-on, continually ratcheting up the tension and never giving the audience a chance to recover from one situation before leading them headlong into the next. Scenic design by Josh Zangen (basically a table, chairs and a few props) works perfectly and serves to add another layer to the seemingly insignificant but oh-so-dangerous Quentin. Lighting by Joel E. Silver worked well.

The final irony is that after all is said and done, one is still no closer to understanding what makes Quentin P___ tick or if he is any way cured of his obsession, despite what he says (or doesn't say) in the matter. Although the play has finished its run at New York International Fringe Festival, it will hopefully be remounted in another venue as it is a story and performance which definitely not to be missed.

Zombie
Presented by Razors Edge Productions
Part of the New York International Fringe Festival
Closed: August 21, 2008
Information: www.zombienyfringe.com

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"Buffalo Gal"

Reviewed by Judd Hollander
August 6, 2008

Quietly Powerful

It's been said "you can't go home again." But sometimes it's more a question of not really wanting go back even if one does have the chance, as noted in A.R. Gurney' well-executed work "Buffalo Gal."

The title character of the play is a fading actress and former Buffalo native named Amanda (Susan Sullivan). With two Oscar nominations (for supporting actress) and three Emmy Awards under her belt, she has piled up a respectable list of credits over the years. However as she's gotten older, work has been drying up and she's been doing television guest roles to make ends meet. She's also a veteran of three failed marriages and has been guilty of trusting the wrong people when it came to financial matters. As a result, she is basically broke. So when Amanda receives an offer to appear in a production of Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" at a Buffalo regional theatre, she jumps at the chance, hoping she will get good enough notices to put her back on top. There's also the hint that if the show goes well it will move to Broadway, something director Jackie (Jennifer Regan) is seriously hoping for, as it will mean a major credit on her resume (providing she goes with the show) and help put the Buffalo theatre in the map, so to speak.

However it quickly becomes obvious Amanda is terrified to be back on stage and would probably rather be anywhere else. All her attempts to be "one of the gang," i.e. living in the same hotel as the cast and taking the company van to work each day, as well as her endless emoting about the glories of the stage, only prove how much of a "star attitude" she has and how far out of her comfort zone she finds herself. Things aren't helped by her continual failure to remember her lines and that one of the leading actors (who she was looking forward to working with) dropped out of the show for a more lucrative gig. This leads Amanda to basically demand his replacement, one James Johnson (Dathan B. Williams), audition for her to make certain he's up to her standards.

As Amanda attempts to get her lines right and familiarize herself with the theatre, her barriers begin to break down and we see glimpses of a person who is almost desperate to belong in this environment, even through she is clearly ill-suited to it. (As she says at one point "it's a long way from Hollywood to Buffalo.") Indeed, interspersed with the conversations on stage are calls and messages from Amanda's unseen agent trying to get her to commit to a highly lucrative part on a television sitcom. One which, if it takes off, will certainly solve her financial problems, if not her satisfy her artistic needs. And so the question becomes will Amanda accept the television offer-a role she could probably do in her sleep, or will she let art, her promise to the theatrical company and her own conscience triumph over the gods of money, commerce and the network "suits?"

There are a number of themes running through Gurney's text. Ones about choices made and roads not taken, about regrets and acceptance over incidents in the past, memories which can comfort and sustain you, and recollections which can envelop and destroy you if they can't be kept in perspective. The latter embodied by the sudden appearance of Dan Ruben (Mark Blum), a former wannabe actor and old love of Amanda; and who has become more than a little obsessed with her. But while Dan decided to go the safe route, getting married and becoming a dentist, decisions that cost him the freedom of an acting life, Amanda made hard choices and sacrifices of her own. In the end Gurney seems to be saying that we must all be able to live with our decisions, because we almost never get a chance to go back and change them.

Casting is letter-perfect. Sullivan is wonderful as the Waspish Amanda, with her superior attitude masking several deep fears, while at the same time putting the blame for anything that goes wrong (i.e. late contracts) on her people back in Hollywood. While she never lets her outside veneer down completely, there are times when she gives the audience a glimpse into the tired and insecure woman she has become. This allows one to understand the character and if not always sympathize with her, to at least see where she's coming from.

While Amanda is an object of sympathy, Dan is one of pity. A mixture of pathos and humor, as nicely portrayed by the always-reliable Blum, the character becomes a literal case study of how unrealistic expectations can lead to emptiness and heartbreak. Dan is so obsessed over lost opportunities, he's basically thrown away the last 30 odd-years of his life.

Regan works well as Jackie, the director of "Cherry Orchard." The character is also a sort of mouthpiece for Gurney, railing at how the "system" works and how we are all slaves to the almighty dollar (herself included). Jackie is also more of a realist than Amanda, in that the former faces reality head on, rather than being someone who tries to hide the truth beneath flowery words or a layer of agents. Williams is good as James, a journeyman actor with limited expectations; his dreams tempered by family responsibility and love for his hometown. Carmen M. Herlihy brings some nice charm and comic relief to the role of Debbie. An assistant stage manager, Debbie is also working on her thesis on the importance of amateur theatre in America, getting in a comment or to about the need government funding in that area (which got a big round of applause from the audience). James Waterston is fine as the company stage manager.

Mark Lamos' direction is strong, allowing the text room to breathe and keeping the action moving smoothly and the actors' tightly focused on their various characters. The set by Andrew Jackness is excellent, giving both a backstage and onstage feel, as well as of being in a place thick with memories. Lighting by Mary Louise Geiger also worked well, as did the costumes by Candice Donnelly and original music and sound design by John Gromada.

There aren't any explosive or life-changing sequences in "Buffalo Gal," rather a gradual realization that we are what we all the product of past choices we have made. It's a show well worth seeing.

Buffalo Gal
Presented by Primary Stages
59E59 Theatres
59 East 59th Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Closes: September 13, 2008
Running time: Approximately 1 Hour, 40 Minutes

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