 See it if You're up for a well-acted period piece set in one of the most awkward, passive-aggressive stagings in memory, audience literally boxed in. Don't see it if Tragedy and Regret, obvious metaphor, unrelenting melodrama and/or a realistic alcoholic episode and crash are more than you can bear. The Gym at Judson can be a difficult space, and Inge's dusty classic packs more metaphors than a litter of pups, yet even so director Cummings feels the need to pile on yet one more physical metaphor on his audience. Seated 3-rows deep around a playing area the size of an actual railroad apartment, small dividing walls split the audience into sections and from each other, markers for the alienation and loneliness soon to come. Some sections for the most part almost always a room away from the actors, the blocked sight lines ensure that someone's always missing something — especially that fatal fifth of whiskey, and with it, a lot of suspense. Still, the actors are game and committed, trying and for the most part avoiding the script's inherent clichés. Patterson's Turk manages to add dimension to what otherwise might just be a pretty part, McRae's Lola is dutifully forlorn and believable, and though Kolonski mugs a bit as Doc, his work at the end is startling enough to make it work. |
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 See it if You'd like to experience a young, talented & very likeable cast convincingly (almost) meld 2 Shakespearean plays with great humor & music. Don't see it if You're a purist, not liking your Shakespeare reimagined, shuffled or musicalized in any way; don't like sparkly lights or theatrical magic. Especially in times like these, it's gratifying to see young eyes & energy diving so into the text & timelessness of Shakespeare. It's an almost visceral thing, watching & feeling their joy as they nightly discover & convey the truths in their characters & text. A blend or weave of two disparate plays, it's a theatrical experiment, in some ways not unlike the sometimes cut & paste efforts of the Shakespeares, Marlowes & Beaumonts that have come down to us now as classics. Conceptually & visually inventive, with the cast playing music throughout in songs, sounds & effects, rhythms & spoken iambs, the direction is smooth & seamless with a terrific use of ever-changing space, props & instruments. In a very strong ensemble, Katie Fanning's Rosaline stands out as does Allyson Capetta's Verges, & their stunning, transporting solo harmony virtually stops the show. Nat Angstrom's textual weave could use a little tightening for clarity, but it's a fine, fun evening, time well spent with this quick-witted cast.  Slow, Verbose, Histrionic, Ultimately excruciating, Inaudible See it if You're up for a show with high self-conscious intellectual aspirations that devolve into logorrheic melodrama, misdirected and unclear. Don't see it if You'd prefer a show held up by more than a silent maid and an iguana, unfortunately the clearest, most layered & effective elements onstage. In spite of an unforgivably inaudible exposition, Bitter Tears begins well enough; Gombé convinces & commands as Petra, & Alex Spieth's silent Marlene is from the start & throughout the clearest, solid backbone of this show. All other characters however lack depth & clear motivations; we are throughout being told not shown, and without frisson or sexual tension, all is nonsense. Petra's transition from seduction to love to madness is instantaneous & unbelievable, & Gombé, given the thankless task of wailing for 20 minutes, is wasted & even more unbelievable. As is much onstage, except for the unexpected, very real & honest iguana, the perfect metaphor for Petra: trapped, still, prehistoric, wrapped in a pretty bow, completely alone — & on a stage, a total throwaway. In the end, this production all comes off as a rather macho intellectual exercise. One suspects this show would best have been directed by a woman, to plumb the complicated depths of emotion, desire, rejection & power.  Entertaining, Relevant, Tight, Clichéd, Sweet See it if You like harmonies; a light, bouncy, friendly and slightly weird entertainment, solidly performed; New York; or if you work for the MTA. Don't see it if You're repelled by novelty, the subway system or the all too familiar downsides of living in NYC. One can only wonder at the elevator pitch for this show and the leap of faith that produced it, but the result if nothing else is a solidly conceived and performed vehicle that entertains and moves audiences. The capable and effective cast execute intricate choreography and vocals with inspiring ease, playing every familiar, uncomfortably true, right-on-the-money living-in-NYC cliché unabashedly, presented with smiles and a bow. A likable, eager ensemble, each gets their moment to shine. Somehow, audiences identify closely with these characters: the ooh at the near-kiss, the spontaneous applause when the ingénue gets the part or the gay couple wed. A diverse and into it audience, this is how a culture gets changed, one song, one laugh at a time. However polished, an a cappella musical may not be for everyone — this one takes several numbers to connect and win over, but the huge Standing O and roar of the crowd at curtain are undeniable, proof at least they're doing something right.
 Bittersweet, Funny, Resonant, Entertaining, Absorbing See it if You're up for an exuberant retelling and celebration of George Rose, theatre and life in the 70's, and a deep friendship turned dark. Don't see it if You're homophobic, have an aversion to theatre gossip, one-person autobiographical monologues or disliked George Rose to begin with Also Ed Dixon's bravura solo performance, channeling the late George Rose as well as instantly morphing into the likes of Gielgud, Olivier, Hepburn and Burton, among others, is a great example of a successful, well-placed and positive use of personal experience, pain and anger. In a spellbinding performance recounting his 20 year friendship with the extremely talented and influential Rose, Dixon not only displays a virtuoso technique, but shows – and shares – the therapeutic value of the word; the healing that comes from the telling. It's a great, perhaps inadvertent lesson for audience as well as performer, a reminder that laughter binds and unites us, and in time can help put things in perspective and maybe even right. I suspect that Mr. Dixon and we learn more & more each night, each performance, about ourselves, about art, about what happened. Every performance helping make some sense of senseless acts that so tragically ended such a vivid, sentient life. Vivid & bittersweet, go.  Resonant, Edgy, Great cast, Inventive, Clever
See it if You'd like an evening of quick-paced purely theatrical storytelling that attempts the difficult double duty of quirky Saki stories plus bio. Don't see it if Dry British wit of a certain era's not your thing, or you need an absolutely linear plot or you're not open to the imagination of your youth Yet one more terrific production to come out of the Edinburgh FestivalFringe, this production is quick-witted & intelligent; its creative, inventive staging filled with unexpected visual & aural delights, brilliantly & smoothly executed by a terrific cast. It attempts & mostly succeeds as an introduction to Saki & his works, though purists will rightly note that the voice & edge, the hinted danger isn't quite right. A slight pause before the lights dim at the start might have helped the audience settle into that world & language, at least at the Feb 13th performance. Still, a small complaint. Each member of this great ensemble cast is individually memorable in their many characters, bits & changes, creating a quite distinct other world with ease & a minimum of props & lights. Paisley is winning & personable as Saki, ultimately quite inspiring in his fine exhortation for each of us to "release your inner ferret, squelch your inner Auntie, live life gloriously to the fullest." Amen.  Thought-provoking, Resonant, Relevant, Ambitious, Absorbing See it if You'd like to feel some hope for our political present & future by looking at our political past thru a remarkable & inspiring life. Don't see it if You dislike historical monologues, civil rights issues, history, or doubt that theatre can influence or change lives for the better. The distance between spirit & substance may well be measured by inspiration; so it was with Adam Clayton Powell & so it is with Peter DeAnda's one-person biography of Adam, & this production at the Castillo Theatre. Although the tech problems will likely iron out quickly, & Timothy Simonson’s voice will no doubt find its more centered strength as he relaxes into the role, the script is unfortunately more lecture than drama; missing is a strong dramatic arc or tension, & more of the elegance of its subject would be welcome. Still, all of this is quibbling, because the flaws here pale in comparison to the importance & timely contribution of this play—especially in our present here and now—to remind us of the possible; of the fact that giants once roamed our politics, & could again. Larger than life, flawed, to be sure, but passionate, caring & effective, caring for more than their own egos, or at least using those egos to facilitate positive societal change. Adam inspires & unites; go.  Funny, Relevant, Entertaining, Great set, Great cast See it if You'd like a sense of how far gay rights & identity have come in the last 60 yrs; a funny if flawed play that attempts much, mostly succeeds Don't see it if You're closed-minded to the point of homophobia/intolerance: 'good bet you won't enjoy or get the jokes—'less you've been closeted: then go! A good, well balanced ensemble cast; a deceivingly simple, ingenious set and lighting; very smooth and nimble direction; a quick-paced and mostly witty script — all make for an entertaining, if at times heavy-handed experience that could be much more affecting and more haunting. The dramatically necessary ripped-from-the-headlines immediacy at times becomes political screed, sounding more like author-venting than character. Similarly, a long scene about books and authors and others about parenting and the wayward Bryan seem a bit much. In all, restraint could better balance & focus these two sets of "boys" at their “certain ages,” surviving the past and present respectively, and all looking towards an uncertain future. Boys succeeds more than it doesn't. It's entertaining, funny, and certainly touches anyone who survived those heady times; but there’s a tighter, more moving & rewarding play for everyone else in there, trying to get out. Hopefully this run will help; meantime, go.
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February 2019
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