"The Norman Conquests."

Written by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Matthew Warchus.
The Old Vic Theatre Company at Circle in the Square, 50th Street between Bway & 8th Avenue.
212-239-6200
Opened April 23, 2009; Closes July 25, 2009.
Round & Round the Garden reviewed by Lucy Komisar April 13, 2009.

Living Together reviewed by Lucy Komisar May 7, 2009.
Table Manners reviewed by Lucy Komisar May 8, 2009.
http://www.normanconquestsonbroadway.com/

“Waiting for Godot” – Beckett on the uselessness of expecting God to save us from misery

By Lucy Komisar

For me the mystery of Samuel Beckett’s play about two down-at-the-heels hobos who watch an overbearing “master” abuse a pathetic slave is the division of the audience into those who laugh and those who don’t.

I noticed this years ago when I first saw the play Off Broadway. There it was again at the current Roundabout Theatre production. When I commented about it to my seatmate at intermission, a lady in the row in front of us (in her 60s) turned around and nodded emphatically.

Is this an age thing? Are the chucklers people brought up on TV laugh tracks who think that if they don’t understand something the proper response is to guffaw?”

It’s not as if they are laughing at pratfalls. Beckett’s austere landscape of white rocks and a bare tree (sets by Santo Loquasto) backdrops two raggedy old men who have been together 30 years and don’t find much to enjoy about life.

Gogo/Estragon (Nathan Lane) is distraught, snooty. Didi/Vladimir (Bill Irwin) is mild calm and understanding. They wonder, “We lost our rights.” Didi makes that clearer: “We got rid of them.” (Estragon, by the way, is French for the herb tarragon.)

Most pathetic is the drooling slave Lucky (John Glover) in stringy white hair, puffing and panting as he is driven by the fat Pozzo (John Goodman). Lucky carries Pozzo’s baggage, a satchel and 3-legged stool.

John Glover, Bill Irwin, Nathan Lane, John Goodman, photo by Joan Marcus

They are mankind, the oppressor and the oppressed. And a couple of onlookers only barely better off.

Didi says, “It’s a scandal to treat a human being that way.”

Gogo: “Why doesn’t he put down his bags? It is pathetic.” Much of the audience laughs.

The characters race and pace, half run/walk around the stage. From the stage, “The air is full of our cries, but habit is a great deafener.” So is the laughter of the masses.

For me then, the wonder of the play is not just its ability to evoke cruelty, but the unthinking odd laughter that it provokes.

Director Anthony Page has created a fantasy slice of life that bursts vividly out of the bubble of the viewer’s imagination.

Nathan Lane is too over-the-top for my tastes; he seems to be playing vaudeville. Bill Irwin is subtle and moving. My favorite of the cast is John Glover as Lucky; he exudes misery to the point where it seems an artistic trait. John Goodman never persuaded me that he was the slave-driving Pozzo.

And, yes, after all these years we have now learned that it is GOD-oh, with the emphasis on the first syllable. But Beckett’s point is that in the face of misery and brutality, God never shows up.

“Waiting for Godot.”
Written by Samuel Beckett; directed by Anthony Page.
Produced By Roundabout Theatre Company.
Studio 54, 254 West 54th Street.
212-719-1300.
Opened April 30, 2009; closes July 12, 2009.
Reviewed May 2, 2009.
http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/

"Shining Days," the second full-length play by Julie S. Halpern, made its debut on June 17th on the Royal Stage at the Producers Club in midtown .  The play focuses on the relationships of six historical figures living in the torrid times of war and struggle in Ireland and England in the late 19th century and early 20th century. 

The play opens in the Golden Dawn Temple during a ritual.  We are introduced to the practices of the characters but what is going on is never actually explained - being consistent with the fact that people outside of the society are not privy to the secrets of Golden Dawn.  After this, we are introduced to the complicated relationships between the characters and flashback to how they met.  From here the play follows time, skipping through the years showing glimpses into what happens to the characters throughout the 25 years.

The play's heavy focus in the occult could leave the audience lost especially if they have no prior knowledge of the subject.  Halpern, a tarot consultant herself, clearly has a lot of knowledge on the subject and conveys that knowledge well; however, the plot is so twisted in this it is difficult to feel for the characters.  The weakest part of this experience is the ability to get to know the characters.  Time moves rather swiftly and without the playbill would be impossible to follow.  Some scenes in this play were extremely short and ended almost in the middle of a thought leaving a sense of confusion and wanting to know more - which never comes.  By the end of the play, it is hard to feel sad about the death of two of the characters and to feel hope for the society itself.

The accents left much to be desired but were not overly distracting nor detracting from the performances.  Sarah Koestner (Maud Gonne) had the most believable performance though her stage time seemed less than the others.  All of the actors suffered from outbursts of overacting, which could be from a lack of emotion and then a sudden bit of yelling.  There were many tears, even though many moments did not deem them. 

Overall, "Shining Days" has its flaws but is a well-written piece of work with strong performances from most of the actors.  If you have an interest in the occult or the historical figures featured in this play, then definitely reserve a spot. If you are looking for a zero-thought play, save your money because this is not the work for you. 

"Shining Days" is playing at the Producers Club - Royal at 358 W44th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues).  Performances are June 17- June 28. Thursday-Sat@8pm, Sat. mats@2pm, and Sun. mats @4pm.  Seating is extremely limited, so please make reservations early. All seats are $18.00 and may be purchased through Theatermania at www.theatermania.com, 212-352-3101

"Shining Days" Written and Directed by Julie S. Halpern
Starring:
Patricia Duran*, Sarah Koestner*, Megan O'Leary*, Michael Siktberg, Jenne Vath*, and David Lloyd Walters*.

*Appears courtesy of Actors' Equity Association


Megan O'Leary and Michael Siktberg


David Lloyd Walters, Patricia Duran, and Michael Siktberg
 

Jenne Vath and Sarah Koestner


Jenne Vath and David Lloyd Walters


Jenne Vath and David Lloyd Walters


Megan O'Leary, Michael Siktberg, and Patricia Duran


Sarah Koestner and Michael Siktberg

(Photos provided by Sarah Jane Marek)

"Only the misfortune of exile can provide the in-depth understanding and the overview into the realities of the world" - Stefan Zweig

Don’t be cruel to a heart that’s true…” – Elvis Presley

 

Elvis Presley is perhaps one of the best-known musicians in recent history. His records have sold many millions of copies worldwide. According to American Demographics eighty-four percent of Americans say that their lives have been touched by Elvis in some way. Well. That’s good to know. I have to say that I have never really been a fan of ‘The King’ and this show does nothing to change that state of affairs.

 

Walking into the theatre at the New World Stage, “Elvis People” seems a little out of place before we even start. The NWS building is modern and rubberised, purpose-built from the shell of an old movie theatre – perhaps which showed some of Elvis’s movies years ago. Elvis is a relic of a bygone era, and the set highlights this with a various Elvis-style ‘suits’ hanging on the wings along with some cutesy dresses, and what maybe records covering the entire back wall. The juxtaposition of kitsch and modern does not do well here, and I found myself a little unsettled – especially as the rest of the set is glaring white. Things improved a little as the opening music kicked in, and some interesting video projections ensued on the record wall. However, the transitions dragged on and I found myself thinking, just get on with it already.

 

Henry Wishcamper’s production of Doug Grissom’s new play comes only two years after “All Shook Up”, another Elvis-based musical which did little more than vibrate the audience a little, and unfortunately also fails to really excite. The blame should not be levelled entirely at Wishcamper however, who does a serviceable job with the materials available. In the same vein, the ensemble of actors in this production have fine heritage and there are some interesting performances, but I feel that Grissom’s overly sentimental script and the tedious design does them no favours. There are some nice moments though, and I certainly found myself engaged by Ed Sala in the ‘Elvis in Vietnam’ sequence. Likewise, there are not many laughs in this show, but mention should be made of the ‘Robbery’ sequence which, though a little clunky, brightens a murky second act.

 

“Elvis People” will close on Saturday, June 23, 2007 after a very limited run at the New World Stages (barring a massive upturn in ticket sales) and I cannot help but think this is a good thing. Separately, the elements of the show promise much, but the vehicle they inhabit when united fails to live up to the hype. I certainly left not so much ‘all shook up’ but feeling more like I was checking into the ‘Heartbreak Hotel’.

 

“It’s rare when an artist’s talent can touch an entire generation of people. It’s even rarer when that same influence affects several generations.” - Dick Clark

 

Cast: Jordan Gelber, Jenny Maguire, David McCann, Nick Newell, Nell Page, Ed Sala

 

Director: Henry Wishcamper

 

For more information on the show, please visit: www.elvispeople.com orwww.newworldstages.com

When Ntozake Shange wrote ‘For Colored Girls…’ in 1975, she called it a ‘choreopoem’, a collection of words and movements mixed with music which united create a picture that cannot be communicated simply by the separate elements. A fusion of emotions and colours which try to communicate and explain relationships among the performers and characters in this complex, yet deeply moving play.

 

‘For Colored Girls…’ is, in reality, a collection of twenty separate poems, told by seven women – each of whom represent and embody a different colour of the rainbow. Beginning and ending with the Lady in Brown, we are taken on a rollercoaster ride through the lives of the ladies in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and the events that surround their choices to contemplate taking their own lives, and the results of their decisions.

 

This is a very brave production and each of the women are striking in their strength and versatility, but also in their open honesty. The subjects dealt with in this play are never easy to listen to or to deal with, which is the theme of the play, but here we are engaged and welcomed in by the characters so that we feel almost as if we are sharing their stories with them. The choreography is beautifully linked to the music and acapella singing from the cast, which is highly moving at times.

 

The entire cast should be applauded for their dedication, but special mention should be made of Victoria Jones who manages to make the audience both laugh and cry. Alycya Miller’s direction is also right on the money and this production, although perhaps poorly attended, deserves to go far. With this production, Wild Child have certainly proved the old adage that at the end of every rainbow lays a pot of gold.

 

‘For Colored Girls…’ performs at the theatre Under St. Marks, 94 St. Mark’s Place,New York 10009

 

Directed by Alycya Miller

 

Featuring Elena Chang, Nia Hill, Maria Jensen, Victoria Jones, Chance Parker, Lony’e Perrine and Buena Batiste Webber

 

Choreography by Shalewa Mackall

 

For more information, please email forcoloredgirls@hotmail.com

‘Twelfth Night’ is, perhaps, one of William Shakespeare’s best-known and best-loved comedies. It is, therefore, done all the time, and not always well. Happily, this production does not fall into that category and I found myself laughing along with the rest of the audience. Premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and now hittingNew York with an all-new cast – Dramatic Stuff brings its memorable cast of characters energetically to life.

 

The story is, as with most of Shakespeare’s comedies, deceptively simple. Just when you think you have an angle on what is happening, someone throws a curve-ball and more zany antics ensue. Dramatic Stuff have opted to up-the-ante even more with this production casting only five actors to play around twenty roles, but the gamble pays off in Luke Pebody’s madcap adaptation and direction.

 

We begin fairly sensibly, with a messenger, Cesario, but right away things start going awry when we find out that in reality Cesario is not only not male or a messenger, ‘he’ is really a ‘she’ – Viola, a young lady on the search for employment. She has disguised herself to improve her chances of getting a job, which is fine until she falls for the Duke, who of course, thinks she is a man. Not only this, but Lady Olivia then falls for Cesario, who is really Viola!

 

Confused yet? Well there’s more to come and more after that. Dramatic Stuff rattle through it and have trimmed the play to fit their diminutive casting and for the most part, it goes very well. At times the plot is confusing, and the larger than life characterisations of Sir Toby Belch (Anastasios Filactou) and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Chris Braca) at times can be a little too much, but on the whole ‘Five Twelfths’ does not fail to please. Ashley Martinsen is fantastic as Olivia and her own maid Maria, and Kevin Lapin serves up a fine Malvolio.

 

Pebody has obviously worked with the ‘bigger is better’ philosophy and the almost circus style of this show is tantalizing. I wonder though if there are moments of subtlety to be found in this elaborate plot with it’s many twists and turns. Clever use is made of the stage and the minimal props and set contrast nicely with the cast performances. This may not be full ‘Twelfth’ but they are certainly alright on the night.

 

‘Five Twelfths’ can be seen at the Producer's Club Theatres, 358 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036

 

For performance details and tickets, please visit www.smarttix.com

It’s not often that the circus comes to town, but for Daredevil Opera Company it’s almost every day! And this is no ordinary circus. It’s like circus on adrenaline with jet roller skates, slapstick humour, mess, and popcorn – lots of popcorn. These guys are so funny, it’s dangerous! This show is unlike anything you could expect, but fantastic all the same.   Despite the name, there’s no opera here, unless you count the epic style of the show. With almost no dialogue some may be put off, but don’t be. The company communicate perfectly well. Some fantastic visual effects combine with cartoonesque sound and pyrontechnics, a pristine (most of the time) Frenchman (Anthony Venisse), a huge pet dog and much much more. The two main characters, Lucky (Jonah Logan) and Lady (Amy Gordon), may be reminiscent of a mixed up version of Buster Keaton and a well-known canine cartoon, but I suspect that is the entire point.   Where they get their energy from, I have no idea. These two, Logan and Gordon, seem to have boundless reserves and this translates into a high-speed extravaganza of mayhem. Every child’s fantasy with things that spray, things that explode, things that break wind! Being an old stick-in-the-mud, before the show I was not so sure if it was not going to be more aimed at people half my age, but my by the end, all that was forgotten and children young and old were roaring with laughter.   After the show Logan and Gordon met up with many of their young fans to sign whoopee cushions and other assorted toys that give parents nightmares, but it was great to see children in awe of their ‘favouritest clowns ever’.   For more information on the Daredevil Theatre Company and ‘Cirkus Inferno’, you can visit their website: www.daredeviloperacompany.com   For more information on the New Victory Theatre, you can visit:www.newvictory.org

 

There’s only so much buffing a person can do, and it’s fair to say that this production is sparkling, there’s a sparkle on every surface, and yet from the minute the Dusty Springfield hits the turntable you know that this is not going to as easy a ride as you had perhaps expected. Doug Stone’s witty and yet strangely disturbing tale of deepest suburbia hits a spot that others often fail to reach.

 

It’s difficult to quantify where it starts – the gradual decline of a marriage – and here we are offered no answers. The passing of time, the gaining of weight, the shortening of teenage skirts may perhaps all contribute to the widening rifts. Even if we recognise the slipping away, how do we face it? How do we tell our friends? Our neighbours? How do we face our partners? Elizabeth Meadows Rouse (Bonnie) is endearing and funny in her portrayal of a wife in just such a situation, finding poignancy in the smallest and darkest of moments. Kate Vandevender is also fantastic as the ditzy blonde Tracy-Ann, the perfect foil for J.J. Van Name’s mouthy and disgruntled Sinclair who seems to have a chip for all the world, but then again it could a lot of hot air. Unexpectedly, we also delve into the past life of career-minded Diane (Patricia Dalen), who finds a smile even in the most heart-wrenching of times.

 

This send-up of sitcoms from past and present, shows that dirty laundry, catfights and coloured plastic can be great fun, but there is no substitute for substance, and pretty packaging only masks what’s underneath. Written and directed by Doug Stone this is a bitter-sweet story which speaks to housewives and house-husbands alike. Truly a fresh take on an age-old conundrum. How does it all turn out? Our lids are sealed.

 

“Sealed For Freshness” sparkles at the New World Stages, New York, which can be found at340 West 50^th Street.

 

For more information, please visit www.sealedforfreshness.com andwww.newworldstages.com

 

For tickets, go to www.telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200