Theater Opinions/Commentary

[mamaleh]

ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD, an Off-Broadway play at the Atlantic Theater, takes its title from a poem by Keats. The playwright, Simon Stephens, also authored the prizewinning play CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. Catch this one if you can over the next few days, as it's closing Sunday. The beautifully rendered portrait of three generations of a struggling lower-class British family stars Blair Brown, Ben Rosenfield and Peter Maloney. My only demur: the largely American cast put on extra-thick Northern English accents, making some lines difficult to decipher. But this touching play is worth the effort.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Couldn't resist catching the Broadway mounting of last season's best-reviewed Off-Broadway musical, THE BAND'S VISIT, which I truly loved. I'm happy to report that it hasn't lost any of its warmth or intimate charm in the trip to the Barrymore Theater. That score is pure magic. David Yazbek is a super-talented composer-lyricist (THE FULL MONTY, WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN), and this score is right up there with those. Katrina Lenk (INDECENT) steals the show as Dina, a bored cafe owner in a tiny Israeli town, and Tony Shalhoub is wonderful as the buttoned-down conductor of the Alexandria, Egypt, police orchestra mistakenly sent to the wrong town. The show runs 1:45, no intermission. There aren't too many discounts out there for TBV, but rushing (which I did) costs only $40. Highly recommended.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Not having seen the original production of M. BUTTERFLY, I have no basis for comparison, but I was riveted by this new and somewhat revised version of the play starring Clive Owen. He plays a married French diplomat who is obsessed with the "perfect woman" he sees in a Chinese performance of "Madame Butterfly." Amazingly, after a 20-year affair with his "butterfly," as he calls her, he learns she is not a woman but a man engaged by the Maoist regime to pry secrets from the diplomat about American troops in Vietnam. Even more amazing, this is a true story. Besides the inherent drama, Julie Taymor's production also features bits of colorful Chinese opera. The leads are very effective and believable, even if the diplomatic community scoffed at the eventually imprisoned diplomat's improbable tale. For my rush price of $35 I got a first row, side aisle seat, a very good deal. At the Cort Theater; recommended.

Side note: Those of us who saw the 2006 arena version of TBFO (wasn't that heaven!) might remember Murray Bartlett, who played Peter's lover Greg. He has a featured role in M. BUTTERFLY as a married-but-playboy pal of Owen's character who, early on, prods the reluctant diplotmat to be like him and indulge his sexual appetite wherever and whenever.

Ellen

[hemma]

DVR'd LOVE NEVER DIES because I knew I'd get back from the Celebrate Israel parade after the local PBS showing. I just finished watching it. Agreed about "'Til I Hear You Sing" being one of the few memorable songs from the show. The production looked lavish, but the book was a bit jejeune. I did not expect that ending--don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but was that the original ending in London?

Also, couldn't get over how much Maria Mercedes as Mme. Giry sounded like Patti LuPone! Anyone else notice that? Or is that just me?

[mamaleh]

THE WOLVES at Lincoln Center is a visceral, kinetic play about a girls' high school soccer team that I missed when it premiered a year ago Off-Broadway. Much of the energy is provided by funny and sometimes touching overlapping dialogue as the team members stretch and exercise before their matches. As spelled out in the playbill, the characters don't have names, only numbers, but as the 90 minutes proceed, you get to understand each one as a person with imperfections, passions and secrets. Very nicely done; recommended.

THE PORTUGUESE KID stars Jason Alexander, Sherie Rene Scott and best of all, Mary Testa as the Alexander character's overbearing Croatian mother. I usually like films and plays by John Patrick Shanley. (MOONSTRUCK, DOUBT), but I found much of the humor in this play forced. The comic scenes tend to go on too long, and several key plot points are simply unbelievable. Comedy should always be based in reality or else it's just cartoonish. The players are all talented farceurs, but the script is just not up to their talents. Testa steals the show; I found myself laughing every time she appeared on stage. At the Manhattan Theater Club on 55th, downstairs stage. Recommended only for fans of the players.

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE has been around for more than 20 years now. A revised, updated version for the digital age is having a short run at the George Street Playhouse in NJ. I found most of this musical revue to be crass, insipid, playing to stereotypes and just plain boring. The performers, however, were first rate. A few songs/scenes in the second act almost redeemed the evening, but it remains a head-scratcher how this musical revue has flourished for so long. Yet much of the audience seemed enthusiastic, so what do I know? Only that CLOSER THAN EVER comes much closer to the mark of a successful revue about relationships than this one does.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

A longtime fan of the late Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company, which flourished in the Village during the 1960s and 1970s, I could not pass up a revival of his first super-campy, fun--and yes, sometimes a bit disgusting--way out comedy, CONQUEST OF THE UNIVERSE OR WHEN QUEENS COLLIDE. Most of. his plays tied a gay sensibility to outlandish scenarios involving larger-than-life characters and their preoccupation with bodily functions. But when the plays are this funny, a little frat humor is well tolerated. Downtown at LaMama; might be closed now.

BRIGADOON has ended a short run at City Center. What a lovely production! It was supposedly concert-style, but it seemed a lot like a fully fleshed-out performance. Patrick Wilson, Kelli O'Hara and especially TBFO's own Stephanie J. Block were fantastic. Plus, Robert Fairchild's athletic dancing was amazing. (You may remember him as the lead in the recent revival of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.) The score contains my two all-time favorite showtunes: "Heather on the Hill" and "Almost Like Being in Love." I hope it garners an open run or at least a CD.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Caught up with JUNK at Lincoln Center, a crackling, fast-paced drama that draws its inspiration from the financial crises of the '80s. One of my musical favorites, Steven Pasquale, plays the central role, obviously modeled on junk bond financier Michael Milliken. Wow, Pasquale is an absolute powerhouse in this intelligent play. At first I was annoyed that he skipped out on doing BRIGADOON in favor of JUNK, but his lightning-bolt performance is not to be missed. Broadway veterans Michael Siberry and Matthew Rauch provide great support.

Next week: FARINELLI AND THE KING. Looking forward!

Ellen

[mamaleh]

FARINELLI was beautifully performed. The play concerns King Philippe V of Spain and his obsession with a certain castrato opera singer. Only when he hears him sing, does the king seem able to surmount his mental demons and rule wisely. I'm not exactly a fan of opera, so with aria after aria, especially in Act II, I grew a bit restless. But if you love opera and good acting, this is a very entertaining play. Mark Rylance, whom I used to number among my favorite actors. is great as the king---but after learning certain things about Rylance's politics, well, I'm sorry I spent $$ on him. I will not be seeing him again. (He's one of those Brit "artists" who have chosen to obsess on and boycott Israel for defending itself.) If that's not an issue for you, go ahead and enjoy.

MANKIND at Playwrights Horizons is a jumbled, overlong mess. Great premise for satire: It's the future and women are extinct because of pollution and climate change; men have adapted by being able to procreate. All newborns are male--except one, around whom a new religious and social order is established. But the play is way too long, languidly paced, repetitive and often just plain stupid. What a waste.

Ellen

[carouselkathy]

Just saw a clip from SPAMILTON, playing in L.A.. Looks like fun, and a lot cheaper than HAMILTON.

[mamaleh]

It started out really cheap. Because HAMILTON was/is offering $10 lottery seats, SPAMILTON parodied that by offering 10-cent seats. (That’s how I saw it.). That PR stunt has since run its course in NYC. . But at whatever price, the show is a lot of fun. Yes, a good deal of it skewers Lin-Manuel Miranda’s and HAMILTON’s ubiquity in magazines, on TV and social media, but it’s essentially the latest edition of Gerald Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY series. It contains numerous references to Sondheim and Broadway classics, too.

Enjoy!

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Since my adult children were already past the point of watching cartoons such as "SpongeBob Squarepants" when it hit Nickelodeon, I wasn't very familiar with the show. A couple of years ago I read that a musical based on that kiddie show. (!) was in the works. I didn't think it would have much of a future and so was surprised when it got fairly good reviews when it opened at the Palace Theater last month. I didn't feel like spending a lot of $$ on it, so tried the lottery several times. The other day, I hit it and saw the show. It's silly and goofy in an affectionate way. You might wonder how someone goes about enacting a strange cartoon character; I did, too. But Ethan Slater, who plays the eponymous sponge, won me over with his likability and amazing multi-talents--he's a true triple threat. The costumes and sets are eye-popping and the characters, all denizens of the underwater town of Bikini Bottom, are endearingly realized. No, it's no THE BAND'S VISIT. But for an evening of pure fun, you could do worse than SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. Note: the lottery used to be $30, now it's $40. But my Orchestra Row K center seat was worth it.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Caught the final performance of METEOR SHOWER, an absurdist comedy by comedian/playwright Steve Martin starring Amy Schumer and Jeremy Shamos as a nervous host couple hoping to impress a visiting power couple, Laura Benanti and Keegan-Michael Key during an evening with meteors lighting the night sky. I can’t call it great, but it does have some very funny/crazy moments, mostly physical bits between Schumer and Benanti, who obviously had a lot of fun interacting, even if Schumer’s stage inexperience showed. Key and Shamos were top notch. Among the celebs in attendance: Eugene Levy, Caroline Rhea and director Jerry Zaks.

This show marked the first time I availed the services of StubHub’s Last-Minute Pickup Center for my ticket, where I played “chicken” waiting out the clock less than an hour before curtain for one of the online sellers to reduce the price of an unsold ticket. (No discounts had been offered by the producers). After a couple of price reductions, I held out till about 40 minutes before curtain and took what might have been a final reduction. Or maybe it wasn’t—but I’d felt I got a pretty good deal. It’s a fun, yet nerve wracking way to gamble.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

AMY AND THE ORPHANS, a Roundabout production, is an affecting seriocomic look at dysfunctional surviving middle-aged siblings en route to their elderly father's funeral--with complications. Debra Monk and Mark Blum are wonderful in their bickering moments, even as the tone changes when we learn they must stop off to pick up their youngest sibling, who has lived nearly her entire life in a group home for those with Down syndrome. Played by Jamie Brewer (from AMERICAN HORROR STORY), Amy has had a tenuous relationship with her family at best, who rarely if ever visited her in the past. Secrets unfold and truths come out, not all of which are what the "orphans"--her much older siblings--expected to hear. It's not a great play but one that may stay in your memory.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA translates all the Grand Guignol tropes of the raucous talk show (and often slugfest) into an operatic treatment of what happens when Springer’s audience warm-up guy shoots him. The wounded host (Terrence Mann) then imagines he’s conducting his show in a kind of hellish netherworld populated by religious figures as well as the ol’ devil himself, who looks a lot like his warm-up guy (Will Swenson). The first act is a fairly funny spoof of the wild variety of talk/interview shows, but the second act is unfortunately a plodding, redundant and way too long slog.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

The revival of MY FAIR LADY at Lincoln Center is gorgeous to behold: sets, costumes, everything. Lauren Ambrose (SIX FEET UNDER) makes a charming Eliza, even if she is a bit unsure of her lines, especially in the Ascot scene. But it's still very early in previews, and I'm sure it will all gel as it's supposed to. (Added plus: Only in live theater can you see Diana Rigg as Henry Higgins' mother softly trying to feed lines to her young costar.). By the way, Ambrose's singing voice is lovely; no complaints there. And Rigg is downright delightful.

Nor any complaints about Harry Hadden-Paton (DOWNTON ABBEY, THE CROWN), who plays Higgins with just a bit more humanity than you might be used to seeing. I liked that he actually sang many of the sharp, clever lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner rather than talked them in the Rex Harrison style, although he did dip into that familiar pond, too. I like both styles, but it made for a nice, unexpected change. Speaking of change, the much-loved classic musical has a somewhat different ending, which I liked very much. But judge for yourself.

Norbert Leo Butz stole the show, though, as Alfred P. Dolittle, Eliza's wayward dad forced into "middle-class morality." His biggest number, "Get Me to the Church on Time," is a showstopper and likely, I think, to be featured at the Tonys.

Keep in mind that the show is running at a few minutes over three hours as of now. It may get pared down as the pace picks up, but good to know for meet-up purposes.

Ellen

[jo]

Wasn't the main reservation the age of Lauren Ambrose for a fairly ingénue role ( at the beginning of the story anyway)? I guess, in live theatre, that doesn't matter too much.

What about Freddy Eynsford Hill's big number ( the longtime favorite from the show for many movie and stage fans --On the Street Where You Live) ?

The role of Eliza's Dad will always be a crowd pleaser.

Re the ending -- sounds like they are not going to get accustomed to each other's faces till forever


Jo

[jo]

On a side note, the Lincoln center musical revivals seemed to have all worked very well, because they draw from the great muscials of the past ( the age of Rodgers&Hammerstein, Lerner&Lowe, the Oscar best-picture movies, etc). It is sad to see that the younger crowd who populate the theatre boards ( BWW) especially seem to prefer reviving more recent ( in terms of age) musicals, which are not as spectacular as those from that real golden age. If one wants a contemporary tone, then new work should probably be more supported than reviving more recent musicals that have not really won the hearts of many across all ages.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Jo

[mamaleh]

Jo, the actresses who have played Eliza, not just in MY FAIR LADY, but in its source play, PYGMALION, have been all over the map in terms of ages. For instance, Audrey Hepburn was 35 in the film version of the musical. Even more interesting, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, whom Shaw himself chose to play Eliza in the original production of PYGMALION, was 49 at the time! True, Ambrose is not exactly in the neighborhood of 19 as was Julie Andrews in the original musical, but she looked fairly believable as a youngish woman who'd seen some years of the harsher side of life but was still young enough to have hopes and dreams. And when she said the line, "You'r nearer my age than what [Pickering] is," to Higgins, it seemed more authentic than I've seen in some iterations of the story.

Don't worry, the Freddy Eynsford-Hill character still sings. "On the Street Where You Live" and its reprise.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Won the lottery for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Circle in the Square, a theater many of us visited numerous times during the run of HJ's THE RIVER. (Side note: I learned yesterday that Tim, the very friendly box office staffer during that run retired about a week and a half ago.). But back to the subject at hand. OOTI is a charming albeit bittersweet fable with a lilting score infused with Caribbean/West Indies melodies. The plot is pure fairy tale but with a darker take: a young woman from the poor half of an isolated island falls in love with a young man from the upper classes. He loves her, but.... The youthful leads are appealing. Lea Salonga has a relatively minor role as the goddess of love but she still makes a striking presence 27 years after the debut of MISS SAIGON.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is a marvelous piece of stagecraft, full of real magic---theater magic, that is. The effects that propel the multilayered, two-part story at the renovated Lyric theater are amazing and will undoubtedly win awards. The story deals with adult Harry's coping with his disaffected teenage son Albus, who has become best friends with Draco Malfoy's teen son, Scorpius. Both are misfits at Hogwarts as well as at odds with their parents. But they find there are more important things than doing well in their wizardry studies: saving the world, for one thing. The producers and actors say you don't have to be familiar with the Potter universe, but that's being overly optimistic. While synopses of each book are included in the playbill, it really helps to have read the books or at least seen the film series.

Three members of the cast have been nominated for Tonys, but for me the technical aspects--which earned another eight nominations--are what steal the show. It's a wow. But if you see both parts in one day (each part is over 2 and a half hours long), prepare for your gluteus maximus to feel it the next day. . Nonetheless--Definitely recommended.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Lost the MEAN GIRLS lottery, but they offered standing room, so I opted. It's a bright, bouncy musical with just a so-so score but lots else to recommend it. The staging is clever, the dances energetic, and the performers hit all the comedic high notes. The sight gags are fun, too. Tina Fey's book hews closely to the script of the 2004 movie of the same name but goes a few steps further in emphasizing girl power and why girls putting each other down is hurtful to everyone. At today's matinee, Taylor Louderman, who plays Regina, the full of herself "apex predator" and queen of the Plastics, had mic difficulty during an important scene late in the show, engendering some extra chuckles as the situation was creatively resolved. OK, it's no THE BAND'S VISIT, which I'm pretty sure will cop the Tony for Best Musical, but it's a fun, upbeat two hours and 35 minutes at the August Wilson theater. Standing room, at $30, is still a bargain, even though it went up $5 from the preview period. Just make sure to wear comfy shoes.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Too bad City Center Encores!'s run of ME AND MY GIRL was scheduled for only seven performances. While the book creaks louder than my knees do, the songs from this 1930's British musical hit are mostly bright and hummable. Christian Borle.(CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, FALSETTOS, SMASH), in the lead role of a simple cockney guy who suddenly finds out he's an earl, was an absolute delight. The more famous songs include "The Lambeth Walk" and "Leaning on the Lampost." I doubt this show would ever reach Broadway in an open run, but if it does--and Borle remains in the cast--I'd go again.

Ellen

[jo]

Did you ever see ME AND MY GIRL when it first opened to Broadway? I remember that production although I was not able to see it then.

The same production opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on 10 August 1986 and closed on 31 December 1989, after 1,420 performances. Directed by Ockrent with choreography by Gillian Gregory, the cast starred Robert Lindsay and Maryann Plunkett, with George S. Irving and Jane Connell. The production was nominated for 13 Tony Awards in 11 categories and won for Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Choreographer

But can you imagine that this did happen --

In what amounted to an upset, Robert Lindsay, the ingratiating Cockney upstart in "Me and My Girl," beat out Colm Wilkinson, the star of "Les Mise'rables," for the award for best performance by a leading actor in a musical.

Thankfully, LES MISERABLES won the TONY Best Musical award for that year!

[mamaleh]

Did a double header yesterday to the Neil Simon and the Booth theaters, where the lines for the men's room outpaced that of the ladies'. In other words, to ANGELS IN AMERICA: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES and THE BOYS IN THE BAND.

ANGELS: Andrew Garfield does an amazing job as AIDS patient Prior Walter. He lays everything bare (not literally, as Christian Borle did in that last revival), so you see every nuance of his character. Equally good is Nathan Lane as fire-breathing super-lawyer Roy Cohn. Lane is downright scary in his intense scenes with Lee Pace as conflicted Mormon Joe Pitt. I had thought I might skip this latest revival because I'd seen a production not that many years ago, but I'm glad I decided to see whether Garfield, Lane, et. al. lived up to the pre-Tonys hype. They do--and then some. I'll probably catch the second part of ANGELS (PERESTROIKA) in the coming weeks.

THE BOYS IN THE BAND is also a revival. The 50-year-old play remains set firmly in the pre-Stonewall era that heralded the beginning of the push for gay rights. The cast is mostly excellent, especially Zachary Quinto as the sarcastic, acerbic Harold, whose birthday party is being hosted by one of the friends in his group, Michael, played by Jim Parsons. Robin deJesus is very effective as camp queen Emory. The rest of the cast, including Alan Tudyk, Andrew Rannells and Matt Bomer are quite fine. The bitchy, biting dialogue still runs the gamut from funny to melancholy, even if it seems--at least judging from the audience reaction last night--that lines meant to be taken seriously were played for laughs instead. Was that director Joe Mantello's doing? Or perhaps the audience was primed to greet an all-out comedy, not really drinking in the subtleties of the evening's acerbic undertone? I'm pretty familiar with the play and the movie version, and I recall quite a few gasps in past iterations. Last night was almost all guffaws. Interesting.

I thought the only weak link in the stellar cast was Parsons. I simply didn't buy him in his malicious moments or breakdown scene. Matt Bomer was largely wasted as Donald, Michael's closest friend, who mostly stands on the sidelines and observes. Side note: I had the disadvantage of seeing the play via standing room. There are two tiers to the set. A good 10-12 minutes take place on the upper tier, which is difficult to view from standing room. (Annoyingly, Bomer's shower scene is on that upper level.). . Even crouched as low as I could get, the actors' heads were hidden from sight. It was odd to see pantslegs spouting dialogue. . But it's still a good deal for $40.

Almost forgot to mention: Celebs visiting backstage included Sarah Paulson (who appeared with Quinto on AMERICAN HORROR STORY) and People magazine editor Jess Cagle.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

Saw the last performance of THREE TALL WOMEN. Glenda Jackson, 80-something, is a marvel. I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday but that force of nature was able not only to remember her lines (and they are voluminous!) but also deliver them with humor and expressive body language. Laurie Metcalf was also top notch, especially in her reactive gestures of frustration and sarcasm. No wonder those two won Tonys earlier this month. Allison Pill was quite fine, too. The Edward Albee play at first seems about three different women-- an elderly infirm and rich octogenarian, her caretaker, and the woman's lawyer--but it's gradually revealed that is not the case. The staging and set were excellent. I was pleasantly surprised at how funny the play could be, too, made even more so by the adroit cast and impeccable direction by Joe Mantello. The cast received several standing ovation curtain calls, all well deserved. I'm glad I caught this one in time.

Ellen