(Please click above to see the complete list.)
March 2 The North Pool
March 3 The Old Boy
March 6 Ann
March 10 Neva
March 13 Hit the Wall
March 16 Belleville
March 19 The Mound Builders
March 21 Breakfast at Tiffany's
March 24 The Assembled Parties
March 30 Kinky Boots
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The North Pool ***
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
When Dr. Danielson (Stephen Barker Turner), the vice-principal of a large public high school, summons Khadim Asmaan (Babak Tafti), a Middle-Eastern-born transfer student, to his office at the end of classes on the final day before Spring Break, Khadim has no idea why. For the next 85 minutes, they engage in an escalating verbal duel. Danielson is not the one-note bureaucrat he first appears to be and Khadim is not just a cocky student he is badgering. Joseph effectively holds the audience is his grip as he springs a series of surprises that keep changing our perception of the two characters. The play almost never heads in a predictable direction. The story has too many subplots for its own good and some of them are less than plausible. Nevertheless, the play is well worth seeing for the gripping performances of Turner and Tafti. Donyale Werle's set is the perfect recreation of a high school office and Paloma Young's costumes are just right. Director Giovanna Sardelli certainly knows how to build and maintain tension.
When Dr. Danielson (Stephen Barker Turner), the vice-principal of a large public high school, summons Khadim Asmaan (Babak Tafti), a Middle-Eastern-born transfer student, to his office at the end of classes on the final day before Spring Break, Khadim has no idea why. For the next 85 minutes, they engage in an escalating verbal duel. Danielson is not the one-note bureaucrat he first appears to be and Khadim is not just a cocky student he is badgering. Joseph effectively holds the audience is his grip as he springs a series of surprises that keep changing our perception of the two characters. The play almost never heads in a predictable direction. The story has too many subplots for its own good and some of them are less than plausible. Nevertheless, the play is well worth seeing for the gripping performances of Turner and Tafti. Donyale Werle's set is the perfect recreation of a high school office and Paloma Young's costumes are just right. Director Giovanna Sardelli certainly knows how to build and maintain tension.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Talley's Folly **
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
Roundabout Theatre's revival of Lanford Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play about an unlikely romance in small-town Missouri in 1944 is now in previews at the Laura Pels. The good news is that it much more successful than their recent revival of "Picnic." The not-so-good news is that the casting is less than ideal. If I had not seen the original production with Judd Hirsch as Matt Friedman, I might not have had as much difficulty accepting Danny Burstein in the part. Although I have admired Burstein in other plays, I thought he was miscast here. He seems too old, too unattractive, too given to shtick and too devoid of charm to be a plausible love interest for Sally Talley. Sarah Paulson also looked a bit old for her part, but handled the role well. Jeff Cowie's enormous set, so big that they had to remove two rows of seats to make room for it, calls too much attention to itself and subverts the intimacy of the play. David C. Woolard's costumes are fine. Michael Wilson's direction lacked nuance. Nevertheless, even a flawed production of this fine play is welcome. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes without intermission.
Roundabout Theatre's revival of Lanford Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play about an unlikely romance in small-town Missouri in 1944 is now in previews at the Laura Pels. The good news is that it much more successful than their recent revival of "Picnic." The not-so-good news is that the casting is less than ideal. If I had not seen the original production with Judd Hirsch as Matt Friedman, I might not have had as much difficulty accepting Danny Burstein in the part. Although I have admired Burstein in other plays, I thought he was miscast here. He seems too old, too unattractive, too given to shtick and too devoid of charm to be a plausible love interest for Sally Talley. Sarah Paulson also looked a bit old for her part, but handled the role well. Jeff Cowie's enormous set, so big that they had to remove two rows of seats to make room for it, calls too much attention to itself and subverts the intimacy of the play. David C. Woolard's costumes are fine. Michael Wilson's direction lacked nuance. Nevertheless, even a flawed production of this fine play is welcome. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes without intermission.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Lying Lesson *
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
The publicity for Craig Lucas's new play at the Atlantic Theater bills it as a "comic thriller." Alas, it is neither amusing nor thrilling. This strange two-character play imagines an 1981 episode in which Bette Davis, in her early 70's, returns to a coastal Maine town where she had summered in her teens to buy a house and rekindle her acquaintance with her former heartthrob. Shortly after her arrival, she meets a young local woman who attempts to make herself indispensable. Carol Kane looks amazingly like Davis, especially in Ilona Somogyi's great costumes, but, when she opens her mouth, the illusion is shattered. I am sure there are still bars in Manhattan where any patron picked at random can do a more convincing Bette Davis. Mickey Sumner, lean and lanky, is convincing as the mysterious young woman, except when her down-East accent slips. The plot, such as it is, revolves around discovering her identity and motivation. Neil Patel seems off his stride with a set in drab shades of beige. Even director Pam MacKinnon, who did so well with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "Clybourne Park,"can't make a silk purse out of this. Running time: two hours, ten minutes including intermission.
The publicity for Craig Lucas's new play at the Atlantic Theater bills it as a "comic thriller." Alas, it is neither amusing nor thrilling. This strange two-character play imagines an 1981 episode in which Bette Davis, in her early 70's, returns to a coastal Maine town where she had summered in her teens to buy a house and rekindle her acquaintance with her former heartthrob. Shortly after her arrival, she meets a young local woman who attempts to make herself indispensable. Carol Kane looks amazingly like Davis, especially in Ilona Somogyi's great costumes, but, when she opens her mouth, the illusion is shattered. I am sure there are still bars in Manhattan where any patron picked at random can do a more convincing Bette Davis. Mickey Sumner, lean and lanky, is convincing as the mysterious young woman, except when her down-East accent slips. The plot, such as it is, revolves around discovering her identity and motivation. Neil Patel seems off his stride with a set in drab shades of beige. Even director Pam MacKinnon, who did so well with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "Clybourne Park,"can't make a silk purse out of this. Running time: two hours, ten minutes including intermission.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
The Flick (Act One) *
Annie Baker may be one of our most acclaimed young playwrights (and Sam Gold, one of the hottest young directors), but I must confess with some sadness that I don't "get" her work. I find her closely observed scenes of ordinary people doing everyday things boring and banal. I was astounded that "Circle Mirror Transformation" won an Obie and is among one of today's most frequently produced plays. Her new play at Playwrights Horizons chronicles the relationships of employees of a slightly seedy movie theater in small-town Massachusetts, likely soon to be a victim of the move to digital projection. Sam (Matthew Mayer), a man in his late 30's, is breaking in a new employee, Avery (Aaron Clifton Moten), a depressed black 20-year-old. Rose (Louisa Krause), the green-haired, free-spirited projectionist, takes a shine to Avery. Alex Hanna plays a man who falls asleep in the theater. Perhaps he was destined for greater things in Act Two. I'll never know. After 90 minutes of watching Stan and Avery clean the theater numerous times and having the bright light of the projector repeatedly shined in the audience's eyes, I had had enough. The thought of returning after intermission for another 90 minutes of same was not appealing. I did enjoy seeing David Zinn's perfect recreation of a movie theater. I wish I could join the Annie Baker fan club, but clearly that is never going to happen. Running time: 3 hours, plus a 15 minute intermission.
From White Plains ****
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
Hidden deep in the recesses of the Signature Center complex is the Studio, a cozy performing space available for rental by other groups. The current occupant is this production by the Fault Line Theatre, a group of alumni of the Brown University/Trinity Theatre drama program. Playwright/director Michael Perlman, in collaboration with the four actors, has written a timely drama about the long-term effects of bullying. Two straight 30-year-old buddies, Ethan (Aaron Rossini) and John (Craig Wesley Divino), are watching the Oscars and are shocked to hear Dennis (Karl Gregory), Oscar-winning screenwriter of an indie film about high school bullying name Ethan as the student whose relentless gay-baiting 15 years ago drove a fellow classmate to commit suicide years later. Ethan posts an apology on the internet, but it is rejected by Dennis, who becomes increasingly obsessed with conducting a vendetta against Ethan via an escalating exchange of internet videos. Ethan loses his girlfriend, his job and his self-confidence. He has to close his online accounts to stop the multitude of verbal attacks. Even best friend John is pulling away from him. Meanwhile Dennis's boyfriend Gregory (Jimmy King) becomes increasingly upset over Dennis's obsession with punishing Ethan as well as his seeming lack of commitment to their relationship. Dennis rejects Gregory's right to criticize him because Gregory has never come out to his parents. Dennis and Ethan agree to appear together on a tv talk show. Their conversation in the green room before the show provides the play's emotional climax. What I liked about the play, in addition to the fine acting, was the respect for complexity and nuance. As in life, no one is either blameless or all bad and no simple answers are provided. Tristan Jeffers's simple set works well and Jessica Wegener Shay's costumes are appropriate. Perlman's direction goes for the long pregnant pause a few times too many. Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission. NOTE: If you use the code FWP5D, you will save $5 off the $34 ticket price.
Hidden deep in the recesses of the Signature Center complex is the Studio, a cozy performing space available for rental by other groups. The current occupant is this production by the Fault Line Theatre, a group of alumni of the Brown University/Trinity Theatre drama program. Playwright/director Michael Perlman, in collaboration with the four actors, has written a timely drama about the long-term effects of bullying. Two straight 30-year-old buddies, Ethan (Aaron Rossini) and John (Craig Wesley Divino), are watching the Oscars and are shocked to hear Dennis (Karl Gregory), Oscar-winning screenwriter of an indie film about high school bullying name Ethan as the student whose relentless gay-baiting 15 years ago drove a fellow classmate to commit suicide years later. Ethan posts an apology on the internet, but it is rejected by Dennis, who becomes increasingly obsessed with conducting a vendetta against Ethan via an escalating exchange of internet videos. Ethan loses his girlfriend, his job and his self-confidence. He has to close his online accounts to stop the multitude of verbal attacks. Even best friend John is pulling away from him. Meanwhile Dennis's boyfriend Gregory (Jimmy King) becomes increasingly upset over Dennis's obsession with punishing Ethan as well as his seeming lack of commitment to their relationship. Dennis rejects Gregory's right to criticize him because Gregory has never come out to his parents. Dennis and Ethan agree to appear together on a tv talk show. Their conversation in the green room before the show provides the play's emotional climax. What I liked about the play, in addition to the fine acting, was the respect for complexity and nuance. As in life, no one is either blameless or all bad and no simple answers are provided. Tristan Jeffers's simple set works well and Jessica Wegener Shay's costumes are appropriate. Perlman's direction goes for the long pregnant pause a few times too many. Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission. NOTE: If you use the code FWP5D, you will save $5 off the $34 ticket price.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Cinderella ***
(Please click on the title to see the full review.)
Rodgers and Hammerstein's TV musical written for Julie Andrews in 1957 has been subjected to much tinkering over the years. None of its many versions made it to Broadway until now. Douglas Carter Beane has substantially rewritten the book, with uneven results. The king and queen are gone and there are several new characters including a wicked prime minister and a revolutionary. In this version, Cinderella has a social conscience. Another twist is that it is not at the ball that she loses her glass slipper. One of the stepsisters is not mean and gets a love interest. The best argument for this production is that it provides employment for such stalwarts as Harriet Harris, Victoria Clark and Peter Bartlett. Laura Osnes has the loveliness and vocal talent for the title role. Santino Fontana is dark and handsome, although not tall. His abundant charm makes up for his unremarkable voice. The score is not one of their best, but does include enjoyable numbers like "Ten Minutes Ago," "Stepsisters' Lament." "A Lovely Night" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful." Anna Louizos's scenic design is lavish. William Ivey Long's costumes are often garish. His unflattering high-necked jackets with tails for Fontana make him look short and squat. The fairy godmother has an unfortunate headpiece that looks like the antennae of an insect. Mark Brokaw's direction is assured. It adds up to a mildly pleasant evening, especially if you have a young daughter, niece or granddaughter in tow. Running time: two hours, 30 minutes including intermission.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's TV musical written for Julie Andrews in 1957 has been subjected to much tinkering over the years. None of its many versions made it to Broadway until now. Douglas Carter Beane has substantially rewritten the book, with uneven results. The king and queen are gone and there are several new characters including a wicked prime minister and a revolutionary. In this version, Cinderella has a social conscience. Another twist is that it is not at the ball that she loses her glass slipper. One of the stepsisters is not mean and gets a love interest. The best argument for this production is that it provides employment for such stalwarts as Harriet Harris, Victoria Clark and Peter Bartlett. Laura Osnes has the loveliness and vocal talent for the title role. Santino Fontana is dark and handsome, although not tall. His abundant charm makes up for his unremarkable voice. The score is not one of their best, but does include enjoyable numbers like "Ten Minutes Ago," "Stepsisters' Lament." "A Lovely Night" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful." Anna Louizos's scenic design is lavish. William Ivey Long's costumes are often garish. His unflattering high-necked jackets with tails for Fontana make him look short and squat. The fairy godmother has an unfortunate headpiece that looks like the antennae of an insect. Mark Brokaw's direction is assured. It adds up to a mildly pleasant evening, especially if you have a young daughter, niece or granddaughter in tow. Running time: two hours, 30 minutes including intermission.
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