The good things in WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING are so good that I feel like Scrooge for not liking it. Andrew Bovells' play is arresting in its form as it goes back and forth in time between the years 1959 and 2039 and it has been given a beautiful production, but I found it to be a cold and uninvolving work for the stage..
The play deals with four generations of the same family. Every relationship from parents to children to spouses to lovers is explored in a back and forth time travel concept, but Mr. Bovell never makes the time changes clear,and that is the main problem with his play. I was never sure what period of time I was in and because of that any concept of what the playwright was trying to say was lost.
This is too bad because there are many lovely things in the production. Director David Cromer has staged the show masterfully and the acting company is from top to bottom beautiful.
But this time the good things can't hide the sad fact that WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING is a confused and confusing play that never lives up to its' concept or potential.
AT THE MITZI E. NEWHOUSE THEATRE LINCOLN CENTER N.Y.C. THRU APRIL 18th.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
ANYONE CAN WHISTLE A THOUGHT
The popular Encores series of little known and underperformed musicals in concert winds up its 15 th season with a spiffy revival of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE.
This is the legendary Arthur Laurents-Stephen Sondheim musical flop that ran only 9 performances on Broadway in 1964. I was at the closing night of the original production[ and have the playbill to prove it] and loved every minute of its' offbeat, quirky and undisiplined book and new style score.
Now after 46 years it's a pleasure to hear Stephen Sondheim's score performed with the original Don Walker orchestrations, and it is splendidly conducted by Rob Berman leading the always teriffic Encores orchestra.
Forget about Arthur Laurents' convoluted book dealing with a corrupt mayoress who invents a fake miracle to save her bankrupt town. It was a mess in 1964 and is still a mess in its cut down David Ives version.It's the score that matters, and what a score it is.
The cast is perfect from top to bottom,especially Donna Murphy as the corrupt mayoress and Sutton Foster as the head nurse of the local insane asylum,and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw keeps the show moving at top speed, and has provided some zippy dances as well.
Mr. Sondheim is celebrating his 80th birthday this year, and it is fitting that his famous failure should be seen at this time.
Even back in 1964 ANYONE CAN WHISTLE was a true demonstration of Sondheims' genius and Encores is to be congratulated for giving us a chance to see it again.
At THE N.Y. CITY CENTER 131 WEST 55th STREET N.Y.C. APRIL 8THRU APRIL11.
This is the legendary Arthur Laurents-Stephen Sondheim musical flop that ran only 9 performances on Broadway in 1964. I was at the closing night of the original production[ and have the playbill to prove it] and loved every minute of its' offbeat, quirky and undisiplined book and new style score.
Now after 46 years it's a pleasure to hear Stephen Sondheim's score performed with the original Don Walker orchestrations, and it is splendidly conducted by Rob Berman leading the always teriffic Encores orchestra.
Forget about Arthur Laurents' convoluted book dealing with a corrupt mayoress who invents a fake miracle to save her bankrupt town. It was a mess in 1964 and is still a mess in its cut down David Ives version.It's the score that matters, and what a score it is.
The cast is perfect from top to bottom,especially Donna Murphy as the corrupt mayoress and Sutton Foster as the head nurse of the local insane asylum,and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw keeps the show moving at top speed, and has provided some zippy dances as well.
Mr. Sondheim is celebrating his 80th birthday this year, and it is fitting that his famous failure should be seen at this time.
Even back in 1964 ANYONE CAN WHISTLE was a true demonstration of Sondheims' genius and Encores is to be congratulated for giving us a chance to see it again.
At THE N.Y. CITY CENTER 131 WEST 55th STREET N.Y.C. APRIL 8THRU APRIL11.
NEXT FALL A REVUE
It's always exciting to go to the theatre and discover a fresh voice with something to say and say it with humor, honesty and dramatic force. That voice belongs to playwright Geoffrey Nauffts and his maden Broadway effort NEXT FALL is a play that heralds the arrival of a major talent.
Mr. Nauffts tells the story of a gay couple and their struggle for acceptance in a society that is still sharply divided over same-sex marriage. The subject of faith and human connection is also explored with an understanding rare in todays' home grown plays,and director Sheryl Kaller [making an impressive Broadway debut] has staged it beautifully getting the best out of her acting company.
Patrick Breen and Patrick Heusinger are first rate as the couple the story revolves around and the rest of the cast could not be better.
By telling its' story simply and honestly NEXT FALL marks the arrival of a fresh new American playwright and is in a small way a cause for celebration.
At THE HELEN HAYES THEATRE 240 WEST 44th STREET N.Y.C.
Mr. Nauffts tells the story of a gay couple and their struggle for acceptance in a society that is still sharply divided over same-sex marriage. The subject of faith and human connection is also explored with an understanding rare in todays' home grown plays,and director Sheryl Kaller [making an impressive Broadway debut] has staged it beautifully getting the best out of her acting company.
Patrick Breen and Patrick Heusinger are first rate as the couple the story revolves around and the rest of the cast could not be better.
By telling its' story simply and honestly NEXT FALL marks the arrival of a fresh new American playwright and is in a small way a cause for celebration.
At THE HELEN HAYES THEATRE 240 WEST 44th STREET N.Y.C.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
LOOPED A REVUE
Tallulah Bankhead was one of the entertainment worlds most colorful characters. Be it on radio, stage, or screen, Ms. Bankhead was larger then life, and Valerie Harper[a talented actress herself] has a ball playing her in Matthew Lombardo's minor but sometimes entertaining comedy LOOPED.
The time is summer 1965 and the place is a recording studio in Los Angeles California where Ms.Bankhead has gone to redub one line for what was to be her final movie. She arrives drunk and high and in a grueling eight hour session she tosses her customery insults and zingers at her hapless recording engineer and her harried producer/ director.
You may wonder why it would take all day to record just one line of dialog, but you have to remember that this is Tallulah, and she is apt to say or do anything on a moments notice so nobody knows what this foul mouthed, outspoken talented lady will say next.
The trouble with Mr. Lombardos' play seems to be its' generally flat dialog and plain lack of excitement, and the stage direction by Rob Ruggiero is right off the assembley line without much in the way of wit or invention. Still,every so often Mr. Lombardo comes up with a bright scene or peice of dialog that shows what he is capable of doing and Ms.Harper is simply sensational as the drunk pill addicted Tallulah, and she is capably supported by Brian Hutchison an her put upon producer and Michael Mulheren as the sound engineer.
So while LOOPED is unexciting and sometimes on the level of low grade stock Ms. Harper is a hoot and single-handedly makes the play entertaining and just maybe worth a visit.
At THE LYCEUM THEATRE 149 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.
The time is summer 1965 and the place is a recording studio in Los Angeles California where Ms.Bankhead has gone to redub one line for what was to be her final movie. She arrives drunk and high and in a grueling eight hour session she tosses her customery insults and zingers at her hapless recording engineer and her harried producer/ director.
You may wonder why it would take all day to record just one line of dialog, but you have to remember that this is Tallulah, and she is apt to say or do anything on a moments notice so nobody knows what this foul mouthed, outspoken talented lady will say next.
The trouble with Mr. Lombardos' play seems to be its' generally flat dialog and plain lack of excitement, and the stage direction by Rob Ruggiero is right off the assembley line without much in the way of wit or invention. Still,every so often Mr. Lombardo comes up with a bright scene or peice of dialog that shows what he is capable of doing and Ms.Harper is simply sensational as the drunk pill addicted Tallulah, and she is capably supported by Brian Hutchison an her put upon producer and Michael Mulheren as the sound engineer.
So while LOOPED is unexciting and sometimes on the level of low grade stock Ms. Harper is a hoot and single-handedly makes the play entertaining and just maybe worth a visit.
At THE LYCEUM THEATRE 149 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
RED A REVUE
Mark Rothko was one of the better known American abstract painters of the 20th century. In his later years he battled depression, alcaholism and personal demons, but his genius was always there. That genius is celebrated in John Logan's exciting and entertaining new play RED.
We first encounter Mr Rothko in 1958. He has been comissioned to paint murals for the about to be opened Four Seasons restaurant in New York and hires an assistant to stretch canvas, mix paints, and buy Chinese food. The play examines the complex and sometimes explosive relationship between this disturbed genius and his young assistant.
This is playwright Logan's first New York effort [ he has had a number of plays done in London]and many of the people who did it in London last year are repeating their assignments here.
Michael Grandage's staging, Christopher Oram,s costumes and set design, and Neil Austin's lighting could not be better.
As the explosive genius Alfred Molina gives his best performance yet [and that is saying alot for he is a splendid actor] and Eddie Redmayne is titanic as the assistant. This role won him a bunch of awards in London, and he reveals himself as a stage actor of uncommon gifts. These are the only two actors on stage and no more are needed.
Fine staging and first rate production values combined with a fine play make RED a true occasion in the theatre,and a high point of a spotty season on Broadway.
At THE JOHN GOLDEN THEATRE 252 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.
We first encounter Mr Rothko in 1958. He has been comissioned to paint murals for the about to be opened Four Seasons restaurant in New York and hires an assistant to stretch canvas, mix paints, and buy Chinese food. The play examines the complex and sometimes explosive relationship between this disturbed genius and his young assistant.
This is playwright Logan's first New York effort [ he has had a number of plays done in London]and many of the people who did it in London last year are repeating their assignments here.
Michael Grandage's staging, Christopher Oram,s costumes and set design, and Neil Austin's lighting could not be better.
As the explosive genius Alfred Molina gives his best performance yet [and that is saying alot for he is a splendid actor] and Eddie Redmayne is titanic as the assistant. This role won him a bunch of awards in London, and he reveals himself as a stage actor of uncommon gifts. These are the only two actors on stage and no more are needed.
Fine staging and first rate production values combined with a fine play make RED a true occasion in the theatre,and a high point of a spotty season on Broadway.
At THE JOHN GOLDEN THEATRE 252 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.
ALL ABOUT ME A REVUE
How you react to ALL ABOUT ME [a cabaret act unwisely being presented in a Broadway theatre]depends on how you feel about Michael Feinstein and Dame Edna Everage[in real life Barry Humphries], the two wildly different personalities the show is built around.
Mr Feinstein is a fine interpeter of the great American songbook. His mellow croon and easy style go well with a cocktail and a good meal,but he seems out of his element in his present surroundings, especially when he tries to match wits with the outragous humor of Dame Edna.
Dame Edna is another story altogether. Her wild performing style had many in the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter. I was not one of them and after about fifteen minutes I had enough of her over the top humor.
Sometimes two totally different personalities can work well together but this is not the case here. The two stars seem to be in a constant battle for the spotlight and Dame Edna's overpowering demenor is clearly the winner.
For some, ALL ABOUT ME may offer great satisfaction. For me it was a cabaret act in the wrong neighborhood.
At THE HENRY MILLER THEATRE 124 WEST 43rd STREET N.Y.C.
Mr Feinstein is a fine interpeter of the great American songbook. His mellow croon and easy style go well with a cocktail and a good meal,but he seems out of his element in his present surroundings, especially when he tries to match wits with the outragous humor of Dame Edna.
Dame Edna is another story altogether. Her wild performing style had many in the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter. I was not one of them and after about fifteen minutes I had enough of her over the top humor.
Sometimes two totally different personalities can work well together but this is not the case here. The two stars seem to be in a constant battle for the spotlight and Dame Edna's overpowering demenor is clearly the winner.
For some, ALL ABOUT ME may offer great satisfaction. For me it was a cabaret act in the wrong neighborhood.
At THE HENRY MILLER THEATRE 124 WEST 43rd STREET N.Y.C.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
MR. AND MRS. FITCH A REVUE
Douglas Carter Beane is one of the more reputable playwrights working today. In plays like "The Little Dog Laughed" and "As Bees In Honey Drown" Mr. Beane has tapped into the problems of simple humans with humor and honesty.However MR. AND MRS. FITCH his latest work is not one of his better efforts.
This time he is writing about two married gossip columnists who are having trouble finding the juicy morsels for their columns so they start making them up.
Mr. Beane sometimes does get in some scathing barbs about truth and fiction in the gossip columns,but in trying to write in an early Neil Simon style he hurls his jokes and one liners at the audience rather recklessly.
Some of his jokes are quite funny, but they come at such a rapid pace that you miss some of them, and instead of leaving the theatre satisfied you leave mearly exhausted.
The cast of two are fun. John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle aquit themselves well enough even if they don't seem entirely comfortable in their roles and director Scott Ellis does his best to field Mr. Beans' gag-attack on the senses.
MR. AND MRS. FITCH is not a bad way to spend an evening,but its'chronic case of the funnies wears out its' welcome long before it is over.
At THE SECOND STAGE THEATRE 305 WEST 43rd STREET N.Y.C.
This time he is writing about two married gossip columnists who are having trouble finding the juicy morsels for their columns so they start making them up.
Mr. Beane sometimes does get in some scathing barbs about truth and fiction in the gossip columns,but in trying to write in an early Neil Simon style he hurls his jokes and one liners at the audience rather recklessly.
Some of his jokes are quite funny, but they come at such a rapid pace that you miss some of them, and instead of leaving the theatre satisfied you leave mearly exhausted.
The cast of two are fun. John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle aquit themselves well enough even if they don't seem entirely comfortable in their roles and director Scott Ellis does his best to field Mr. Beans' gag-attack on the senses.
MR. AND MRS. FITCH is not a bad way to spend an evening,but its'chronic case of the funnies wears out its' welcome long before it is over.
At THE SECOND STAGE THEATRE 305 WEST 43rd STREET N.Y.C.
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