Oscar E Moore

A. R. Gurney has hit the jackpot with his new comedy “Black Tie” which has just opened at Primary Stages.  It is ninety minutes of heartfelt hilarity.  Running only through March 20^th I suggest you get your tickets immediately for a delightfully fresh look at three generations of men who have to deal with a wedding rehearsal dinner.  The groom.  The father of the groom.  And his father.  Where good old fashioned WASP manners and traditions collide with today’s mentality about marriage.

If there is anyone who can bring the WASP sensibility roaring into the 21st Century and questioning its perhaps dated values and making us laugh at both sides of the coin it is Mr. Gurney.

Whether or not to wear his father’s recycled retailored tuxedo at his son Teddy’s wedding which is to take place in a second rate hotel near the Southern tip of Lake George and the Adirondack Mountains is only one of the problems that besets Curtis (Gregg Edelman) as he begins to dress and to try to conjure up what he is going to say as a toast to the couple.  

What is conjured up instead is his deceased dad (Daniel Davis) the epitome of old guard elegance to give his expert advice on manners, what to wear and what to say and how to say it.  Of course, as in Blithe Spirit, only Curtis can see and hear the apparition which adds to the fun.  It’s a theatrical device that works here 98%  of the time. 

Mimi (Carolyn McCormick) his wife and his father never got along and she feels that Curtis is becoming more and more like him by the minute.  Their ironic daughter Elsie (Elvy Yost) who has a modern live in arrangement with her boyfriend attempts to smooth things over as more and more complications arise that threaten to upset the wedding foremost being the arrival of the best friend of Maya (the bride to be) who is a Jewish stand up comic.  Maya herself is of mixed heritage.  And I won’t give any more of the details away.

Mr. Gurney adds some literary, political and racial comments into the mix.  All to amuse rather than to upset and the humor builds and builds as Teddy who has been swimming naked in the pool with both male and female friends invited for the occasion begins to doubt if he is doing the right thing.

Doing the right thing is different for all those involved.  It is the clash of the old values in a new world that makes Black Tie so deliciously fulfilling.  The ensemble is first rate.  Perfect, in fact.  And expertly directed by Mark Lamos.  It’s quite an evening.

www.primarystages.org  Photo:  James Leynse

Tags: No Comments.

Aristophanes knew how to stop a war.  Have the women of Sparta and Athens refuse to have sex with their men.  Simple.  If only it were that easy. 

In this imaginative and striking new production of “Lysistrata” adapted, designed and directed by Theodora Skipitares now playing at La Mama – home to the experimental and avant-garde you will see a Lysistrata like you have never seen before.  A production that stretches the visual limits of this anti war play with the use of life size puppets operated with skill and dexterity by actors speaking the parts.  It’s amazing.

Puppets which enable the actors to appear larger than life.  Where the chorus of Old Men (each actor operates three puppets) are each very well endowed.  Their endowments dangling to the floor hanging from their togas.  Horny as ever.  Where the Chorus of Old Women (likewise three to an actor) have their sagging rubbery breasts exposed.  Horny as ever.

Only Lysistrata (Antonevia Ocho-Coultes), the Dear Abby of Athens, has advised them all into not engaging in any kind of sex until the war is stopped.  She has trouble convincing them (one faints) and there are some who would give in but as hard as it is not to give in they don’t taking an oath to abstain.

In video projections and newsreel footage we see similar tactics being used by seahorses, in Columbia (The Strike of Crossed Legs), Mexico and London which just goes to show how using sex and refusing sex can get the desired results.

Off to the side is Sxip Shirey, looking very much like a mad scientist with his laboratory of gizmos and gadgets, supplying musical accompaniment, vocals and songs (Lyrics by Sxip & Aristophanes).  He is as interesting to watch as the actors on stage – sometimes more so as the 75 minutes show becomes repetitious about two thirds in. 

However it is brought vividly back to life by the appearance of Reconciliation (Gal Friday) resplendently naked with a map of Greece and Mount Olympus painted on her luscious body.  If that doesn’t stir things up again making everyone jump into the sack nothing will.  

The puppet design by Jane Catherine Shaw, Theodora Skipitares and Cecelia Schiller is extraordinary.  The actors manipulating them, even more so despite their faces being masked.

The one actor without a mask is the scene stealing, agile of body and voice Daniel Irizarry playing a trio of roles.  One of which is a midget (played on his knees) with humor, amazing grace and style.

Director’s Note: Lysistrata is a reminder that it is possible for ordinary people to affect profound social change. 

Just take a look at the headlines coming out of Egypt.

Photo: Richard Termine

www.LAMAMA.org  Through February 14^th  Tickets $25.00

Tags: No Comments.

Artwork by Justin "Squigs" Robertson

There isn’t too much heat being generated over at the Laura Pels Theatre where the Roundabout’s bland revival of Tennessee Williams’ rickety three time flop (twice on stage once as a movie) The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore starring Olympia Dukakis as an old, sickly, rich, drug addicted, controlling eccentric and still looking to share her bed with a young gigolo while dictating her memoirs will be running through April 3^rd. 

In fact there is a squall a brewing as you enter the theatre and the gauze draperies flutter in the wind with sounds of waves crashing on the coast of Italy’s Divina Costiera and sea gulls sounding like the harbinger of death who actually arrives a bit later as Christopher Flanders (Darren Pettie) the Angel of Death – a well built man who somehow shows up at the doorsteps of rich old ladies to help them go forth into the next life and help him publish his poetry and enable him to be a freeloader extraordinaire and construct mobiles.

Here he attempts to help Flora “Sissy” Goforth (Olympia Dukakis) do just that with his charm and chatter.  She however has buried four husbands and has been around the block so to speak and is skeptical when he arrives unannounced – dogs nipping at his heels so that he is in need of a shower so that we get a brief glimpse of him naked. 

Unfortunately Mr. Pettie looks haggard and generates little chemistry as he woos Flora, her icy secretary Blackie (Maggie Lacey) who has recently lost her husband and the Witch of Capri – here played to the hilt by Edward Hibbert as a bitchy old queen.

Usually played by a woman it makes complete sense for director Michael Wilson’s daring choice.  In fact, there is so much of the real Tennessee Williams in the character of Sissy that one wonders if because of the restrictions of gay life back in 1962 when this play was written that the character of Sissy is indeed a not so thinly veiled version of Mr. Williams – an old addicted homosexual afraid of dying alone lurking just beneath the surface of Flora.  Can you imagine if he had written the part as an aging homosexual?

But I digress.  Ms. Dukakis goes full throttle with a thick Southern drawl that goes in an out like the tide popping pills and swilling cognac and longing for one last lover.  She sometimes looks like Norma Desmond and her scene with Hibbert reminds one of an Auntie Mame and Vera Charles bitch fest.  And done up in full Geisha drag she does a mean fan dance.  But all in all it’s not a very good play.

Despite the decent work done by everyone involved including the servants (Curtis Billings & Elisa Bocanegra) you cannot get blood from a stone. 

www.roundabouttheatre.org

Photo:  Joan Marcus

Edward Hibbert & Olympia Dukakis

Tags: No Comments.

Why are these people smiling?

All was not well at the York Theatre Monday evening January 31^st at a preview performance of The Road to Qatar! – a new true musical by Stephen Cole (Book & Lyrics) and David Krane (Music) directed by Phillip George. 

The infamous elevator had once again gotten stuck with one lone person inside.  The curtain was held a bit until Associate Artistic Director Brian Blythe who was very amusing said that the show would commence immediately and that the lone person stuck would be offered some of their famous PMS cookies and a rain check or as is the case in New York City these days a snow check to see The Road to Qatar! at a later date.  An omen?

After the show ended some ninety minutes later I thought that the person who missed this performance was indeed the lucky one. 

Shell shocked is the word that came to mind in reliving what I had just been through.  The Road to Qatar! comes across as an elementary school production; looking very amateurish.  It’s even painful to watch at times – as in the elongated translation scene. 

The intention of the creators was to recreate their experiences in the guise of one of those old Bob Hope and Bing Crosby “Road” movies by sharing their experience of writing an original musical for the Emir of Qatar who contacted them via the internet and paid them royally for five weeks of creative output – resulting in “Aspire” which was performed in a huge soccer stadium with dancers, acrobats, etc. – all that the Emir’s money could buy. 

By the look at what is on stage at the York either the writers were conning the Emir or the Emir had absolutely no inkling of what constitutes a good musical – which could be amusing.  It isn’t.  “Aspire” might be aptly called “Perspire” with all the demonic energy set forth by the cast of five.  Plus a camel – one of the true highlights on stage.  He even poops!

The Road to Qatar! is supposed to be funny in the vein of a Marx Brothers meets Bing & Bob meets Title of Show meets Sid Caesar meets the Middle East mindset where everything is bigger (including flops).  It misfires.  Puns abound and much of the dreaded dialogue is sung.  Songs are not as melodic as they are annoying.

For the record the cast does its best trying to convince us they are in a hit show and selling it to us with huge smiles plastered on their faces as they race to change costumes to become other characters.  They are James Beaman, Keith Gerchak, Bill Nolte, Bruce Warren and Sarah Stiles.

There is an wide screen overhead that projects super titles lest we miss anything:  Dubai Bye Birdie, Babes in Oil Land and the lyric to “Aspire” a song actually from the original production – photos of which are on view in the lobby of the York which I glanced at briefly as I escaped into the cold night via the staircase arriving street level winded but relieved.    www.yorktheatre.org

Photo:  Carol Rosegg

Tags: No Comments.

Being blind is horrible.  Maybe.  Being given the chance to see is perhaps an opportunity of a lifetime.  But for whom?

In Brian Friel’s fascinating, thought provoking, disturbing, melancholy meditation in two acts of static monologues that are beautifully written and finely acted we have the blind since ten months old Molly Sweeny (Geraldine Hughes), her under employed husband Frank (Ciaran O’Reilly) who is not at a loss for ideas, stories and causes and her down and almost out doctor Mr. Rice (Jonathan Hogan) who is fond of whiskey and trying to regain his confidence and career telling us this tale of a beautiful forty one year old woman who has her eyes operated on so that she will be able to see – so that she will be complete.

Told in the past.  In monologues.  On a set (James Morgan) that includes three windows and three chairs.  The actors never interact.  Although they each bring to life their characters we might as well be listening to them on the radio or to bring us up to date an audio book.

Close your eyes.  Be blind to what’s going on.  Like Molly.  Listen.  The words are beautifully written.  The story quite interesting.  Molly you see is extremely content with her blindness.  She is calm and confident.  She has learned to use all of her other senses to manage.  She has a circle of friends in Ballybeg Ireland.  She is a massage therapist.  Where she meets Frank and weds soon after.  It is he who talks Molly into seeing Mr. Rice – a once famous doctor who can perform the operation to restore her sight.  What can she lose?

Are the two men using Molly to fulfill their own longings?   In monologue after monologue that at times stray from the main story line we learn about the doctor and the abandonment by his wife with a colleague that results in a whiskey sodden depression until Molly shows up, the Iranian goats that Frank raised, his offer of a job in Ethiopia on the eve of the operation and the plight of Molly – never seeing but hearing all the gruesome details in her “learning to see” post operative life.

Mr. O’Reilly imbues Frank with an impish flair.  You can’t help but liking him despite his lackadaisical lifestyle.  His stories (and he is full of them) are humorous and winning lending some lightness to this otherwise somber story.

Mr. Hogan has a most difficult part in that he can easily become self pitying which Mr. Hogan does not do – much to his credit.  But he is totally selfish in his reasons for agreeing to perform the operations.

Geraldine Hughes makes the most of her role and is especially vibrant when reliving the evening before the procedure as she dances the Hornpipe while letting all her fears and frustrations come to the hilt. 

It’s an odd piece.  Written that way.  And there is little that director Charlotte Moore can do but to let the words speak for themselves.

www.irishrep.org    Through March 13^th.  Photo:  Carol Rosegg

Tags: Comments Off on Molly Sweeny by Brian Friel at The Irish Rep – Audio Book version

On the second floor of a dilapidated PS 160 at 107 Suffolk Street @ Rivington is the Teatro La Tea where Clout in the Mug Productions is presenting two riveting One Act plays by Edward Allan Baker – “Dolores” & “North of Providence”. 

It’s worth the trip to see four excellent actors – Rachel Cornish, Sat Charn Fox, John Golaszewski and Rebecca Nyahay portraying fleshed out Italian Catholic siblings venting full out on Valentine’s Day, 1984 in Rhode Island – somewhat akin to those Jersey Shore folks.

Not a word is wasted in the writing of Mr. Baker.  He delves deep into the motivations and psyches of his characters and thankfully he has a director – Alberto Bonilla – who knows exactly how to stage and pace and coax his actors into giving living and breathing reality to these troubled siblings.    

Both plays begin with a voice over from a radio station DJ playing Valentine Dedications called in from listeners to their loved ones.  Only there is not much love in the air in these two separate households.  That is, at first.

Dolores (Sat Charn Fox) has come to her sister Sandra (Rachel Cornish) fleeing from her abusive husband. This has happened too many times before and Sandra wants her out before her husband returns from a Sunday in the park outing with their kids.  Sparks fly and we slowly begin to see the ice melt between them as they share stories and insults in dialogue that is frightening and funny – tender and tough.

In part two Carol (Rebecca Nyahay) has come to get her drunken brother Bobby (John Golaszewski) to visit their dad who is near death in the hospital.  Bobby is not in such good shape himself – living in a mess surrounded by bottles of booze and half empty beer cans that he drinks from whenever and wherever he comes across one.   His reluctance to go results in some eye opening revelations about their relationship.

Both plays are emotionally raw.  Both show how siblings can detest each other and find grounds for affection.  Both plays involve guns.  And lots of love.

Try to get to see these fine actors at the Teatro La Tea.

www.cloutinthemug.com  General Admission $18.00  Through February 12^th.

Tags: No Comments.

This is really funny!  Or maybe not…Here is the direct link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSaoN2LdfU

Tags:   Pam PetersonComments Off on “Memory” Spoof on YouTube by Pam Peterson

Spending Christmas Eve with your family can sometimes be a trying experience. Especially if you belong to the very rich, very Republican Wyeth family celebrating the holiday in their very pristine beige living room in very sunny Palm Springs, 2004.   Celebrating is perhaps not the correct word.  It’s more like pretending to celebrate.

Pretending is the operative word here.  And playwright Jon Robin Baitz in “Other Desert Cities” now running at the Mitzi E. Newhouse at Lincoln Center seems to have mastered the art of having his characters pretend so well that they believe what it is that they are all trying to deny.

Once we meet them, it’s hard to imagine this family exchanging the exquisitely wrapped gifts so perfectly arranged under the artfully decorated artificial Christmas tree. As artificial as they are with each other.  Keeping secrets.  Pretending.

That is until rebellious Brooke (Elizabeth Marvel) after a six year absence from family and writing due to a long bout of depression drops a bombshell.  Actually it’s a manuscript.  A memoir.  About to be published.  Dealing with a very private family matter that sets the plot a turning and a twisting.

Her mother Polly (Stockard Channing) sounding and looking every inch the Right Wing woman that she is when she isn’t sounding and looking every inch a tough, acerbic Marine is incensed that Brooke had the nerve to even write about the death of her brother Henry.  Her dad Lyman (Stacy Keach) an ex-actor, friend of the Reagans and the Annenbergs and ex- Ambassador refuses to comment.  Baby brother Trip (Thomas Sadoski) a TV producer of questionable taste mediates while Polly’s sister and ex-writing partner Silda Grauman (the amazing Linda Lavin) tries to stay on the wagon – whiffing instead the vapors of some booze brewing in a cup of tea.

Director Joe Mantello has guided his couldn’t-be-better-cast with great craft.  Guiding them through their perilous journey at telling the truth, dropping pretences, accepting the consequences of their actions (or not) and coming to terms with the how and the why of brother Henry’s death – his true character, his anti war sentiments, his involvement in a bombing – all put forth in Brooke’s tell-all memoir.

The perfect Palm Springs set is by John Lee Beatty.  The honest costumes designed by David Zinn.  Kenneth Posner has added appropriate lighting to enhance the stage pictures created by Mr. Mantello, especially the final tableau.

www.lct.org Art work by Ken Fallin

Tags: Comments Off on Other Desert Cities at Lincoln Center Theater

What a wit was Wilde.  And what a pleasure it is to see the impeccable production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest as presented by The Roundabout Theatre Company.

Yes, impeccable.  There is no better word to describe this handsome, superbly acted and brilliantly directed exhibition of verbal pyrotechnics that Oscar Wilde created in 1895 that is as timely today as it was then.

From the blissfully befuddled yet sharp as a tack performance of Lady (Aunt Augusta) Bracknell by Mr. Brian Bedford where a mere glance or glare can upstage the delightful dialogue of Mr. Wilde, right down to the small curl atop Santino Fontana’s mischievous head as Algernon this revival of Wilde’s comedy of mistaken identities, double identities, diaries, lost satchels, class, wickedness, propriety, love and marriage is perfection personified.

Wilde was a master of the written word.  And Mr. Brian Bedford is master of the art of acting and directing.  One can see in almost every character on stage bits of Mr. Bedford. And that is a very good thing indeed.  He is surrounded by one of the finest cast of actors who do supreme justice to this very funny play.

The plot grows increasingly complicated as John (Jack) Worthing (David Furr) pursues Gwendolen (Sara Topham) daughter of Lady Bracknell – who runs a very tight ship – (Brian Bedford) seeking her hand in marriage.  Only she thinks he is Earnest, brother of Jack as he is Earnest in London; Jack in the country where his ward Cecily (Charlotte Parry) under the tutelage of Miss Prism (Dana Ivey) who is smitten with the Rev. Canon Chasuble (Paxton Whitehead) lives and where John’s best friend Algernon (Santino Fontana) arrives as Earnest and falls head over heels in love with Cecily.  He too has a split personality disorder in the guise of Bunbury – (an invalid whose name could have had Wilde censored) – an assumed identity that he uses to escape duty and dinners to have some wicked fun.  All of this results in cascades of laughter.

The three acts of The Importance of Being Earnest fly by all too quickly in this impeccable production which is a delight to the eye (set & costume design by Desmond Heeley) as well as the ear (Oscar Wilde).

Everyone should see this fantastic stylish theatrical event which will be hard to top.  Bless Brian Bedford for keeping the traditions of well structured, well written and well acted theatre alive and well.

www.roundabouttheatre.org Photo:  Joan Marcus

Tags: Comments Off on The Importance of Being Earnest – Brian Bedford directs and stars as Lady Bracknell

The atmosphere is festive over at the IRT Theater on Christopher Street.  As you enter the intimate space, small yellow and blue lights are strung across the ceiling giving a carnival like look to the room and the background music playing brings back fond memories of Fellini’s La Strada.  Drinks can be purchased.  All this to set you up to witness the slow and agonizing death of Paul.

Central Figure Paul (Ted Caine) rather poor Paul is mostly comatose.  Only his fingers twitch.  The only sounds he makes are when he sits up abruptly in agony.  He is in a hospital bed.  Dying.

Death.  Playwright Diana Amsterdam dares to take on this difficult subject matter in a macabre, surreal and sometimes hilarious look at the last days and hours of someone dying.  What do you tell the patient?  Is it their fault that they are laying there in that horrible state?  Can they tell you what they are thinking?  Feeling?  Can or should someone tell them the truth – that yes indeed they are not long for this world.

It’s a fascinating production.  Beautifully directed with wit and compassion by Karen Kohlhaas, who has assembled some of the original actors from when it was first performed fourteen years ago at NYU.  Carnival Round the Central Figure is powerful and poignant in this stylistic and wildly theatrical presentation.

Sheila (Christine Rowan) stands by her husband’s side totally in denial that he is dying.  A couple from Rye – Kate (Danni Simon) a co-worker and Richard (Ed Stelz) visit.  In dialogue that is often repeated we hear all the mundane chit chat that people talk about without including the patient.  There is the omnipresent nurse (Kori Rushton) with her huge syringe all too willing to take another small drop of blood.  And then we have the hospital psychologist lecturing us on death and survival.  Livia Scott, with her calm and soothing voice and dead pan take on the role, is absolutely spellbinding.

As an Evangelist Shane LeCocq brings just the right amount of sleaze and satiric bite in his televised crusade, interviewing another couple – Becky (Cynthia Silver) and John (David Michael Kirby) who have to deal with the death of their daughter Pamela.  Will they turn to God for guidance?  Will Pamela survive?  Pamela and Paul become interchangeable in the death process and it is only Kate, beautiful kind Kate who asks the all important question “Doesn’t everybody die?”

There are some rousing spirituals sung by the choir of six.  Kitchen tiles spring to life from beneath Paul’s bed as we watch the carnival of people parade around the dying man.  It is only Kate in a beautifully textured performance who has the strength to be real.  To hold him in her arms and acknowledge what is happening and that it is all right.

All is right with The Carnival round the Central Figure.  Please make an effort to see it.

Tickets $18.00     Through January 30^th.    www.irttheater.org  Photo:  Deneka Peniston

Tags: No Comments.