Overheard in New York

I was on the subway last week, standing near two old ladies on the 6 train, who were seated in front of me. They were talking about how horrible it is that no one in the U.S. speaks English anymore. One of them said to the other: "Well, after living in New York for so many years, I've picked up a little bit of Spanish. Don't you know any Spanish?" The second woman responded, "Why should I speak Spanish? My maid is Chinese."

Patti & Mandy, together again

I love this interview.

Tynan

Just returned from a one-night only benefit performance of "Tynan" a one-man show starring the inimitable Corin Redgrave as the legendary critic Kenneth Tynan. The play received critical acclaim at the RSC and then later on the West End in 2004, but had never appeared in New York until now. This was Redgrave's first public performance since suffering a heart attack and coma in 2005. What a comeback! Though a few slips of the tongue and pacing pauses seemed to slow the actor down, he forged through the work, a selection of readings from Tynan's diaries. The benefit, which raised money for Broadway Cares and the Actor's Fund, was well attended in the Public Theater's Anspacher space. Seen: Vanessa Redgrave (of course!), Alec (don't call me) Baldwin, and Patrick Pacheco, who sat next to me and was a delight.

Another 'wtf' moment...

From Tommasini's review of the Met's new "Lucia" comes this idiotic kicker:

"When Mr. Levine appeared for curtain calls, Ms. Dessay bowed and touched the stage floor in tribute. She probably thinks photographs of Mr. Levine should be plastered all over New York as well. She looks better and will sell more tickets, especially when word gets out."

Thanks, Jimmy, for your genius musicianship. But it's too bad that you're an ugly troll.

María de Buenos Aires

Tonight, you will see me in the audience for the Gotham Chamber Opera's opening night of "María de Buenos Aires," a tango opera written by Astor Piazzolla. Judging from the 1998 Teldec recording, I expect great things. It's the first of three performances.

And now, for a completely different Lucia ...

Vitas - Lucia Di Lammermoorr (il dolce suono)

Luciano Pavarotti (October 12, 1935 - September 6, 2007)

"Hair" in the Park

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Hair," the Public Theater will be hosting three free concert readings of the musical at the Delacorte Theater on September 22-24. Free tickets will be distributed the day of the show, just like its Shakes in the Park season. More information can be found here.

Censored and Loving It

For those who might be wondering about my presence on the Showshowdown, you'll have to inquire with Patrick, who removed my access today following a debate about some non-theater related videos I had posted earlier this week (two YouTube clips you can see below). Within a minute of telling him I wouldn't continue to participate in the competition if he continued to censor my content, he kicked me out. Very telling, of course, and also very childish. It seems some people are a bit obsessive about their blogging and have an unhealthy relationship with control. That's a theater blog, though. Never without the drama.

One for my baby …

More on the closing of Rose's Turn, courtesy of the New York Observer.

Ring Cycle, day 1 — It's A Wagner Crowd

The rare staging of a Ring Cycle means that the Wagner crowd will be out in full force. As I spend the rest of my week attending the Mariinksy Theater's Kirov Opera production at the Metropolitan Opera, I'll be surveying the crowd and posting photos of some of the enthusiastic Wagnerites I meet. Last night's performance of "Das Rheingold" gave us a glimpse of what's to come. First up, Karyn and Scott smile for the camera.


I spotted this woman in the crowd after the performance but couldn't catch up to her. She looked grandmotherly and cute.


And this woman just looks completely unsatisfied, but her Valkyrie helmet does seem a bit tight.


The Met has its own Alberich, who I like to call the Ticket Troll. He can often be found outside any theater in Manhattan begging for soon-to-be unused tickets. His usual mating call is "Does anyone have an extra ticket?" and he approaches everyone in vicinity, whether or not they're actually attending the performance or just happen to be standing nearby. Should we pity him? Obviously he's too poor to buy his own entry and I'm all for getting people in to see theater, having given away full-priced tickets to strangers so they don't go unused — the tickets, not the strangers. But he goes a bit over the edge in his desperation. At a performance of Philip Glass's "The Juniper Tree" I saw this past spring, a patron chastised him and he reacted a bit too violently for someone in his position. Beware of the Ticket Troll if you see him. He'll turn on you at the slightest provocation.

Notice how far away I stood and used my zoom lens to capture this photo of him. That's because I'm not stupid. I don't want to end up like the Nibelungen.

Work It Out, Fosse

Get This Party Started

Dan: this is the gayest video ever
Dan: gayest
Dan: video
Dan: ever
Dan: there's bel ami porn less gay than this
Christopher: true
Christopher: and that's why I love it
Dan: it's fabulous

I'm leaving my family; I'm leaving all my friends.

I was going to post this yesterday, but I was too busy drowning my sorrows in a Stoli & tonic to even think about turning on my computer. Having awoke this morning still in the throes of depression brought on by the news, I now feel the responsiblity of spreading word about the imminent closing of the greatest piano bar in the world, Rose's Turn. I'm told that the building has been sold. Last call will be this Sunday, July 22. See you there.

Il Trovatore

Photo by Thomas McDonald
The reason to go to Caramoor for this "Trovatore" was to hear famed contralto Ewa Podleś in the role of the gypsy Azucena, which was written for mezzo soprano. However, it soon became clear that Ms. Podleś's top notes really weren't there, and this was probably one of her worst public performances. Please remember, though, that the standard is very high, and that even a mediocre performance by Podleś still draws whoops of delight from the audience, as it did on Saturday. But the real stars of the evening turned out to be the tenor Francisco Casanova as Manrico and Julianna Di Giacomo, an up-and-coming soprano who will be appearing this coming season as Clothilde in the Met's "Norma." Both were in top form. Will Crutchfield drew a shimmering bel canto interpretation from the orchestra, which for me, was worth the trek to Katonah. Following the performance, Ms. Podleś confided to someone at the after party that she hated singing Azucena and that it wasn't the right role for her. At least she's aware. Tickets are still available for the second and final performance, which is Friday July 20th. And it's also on TDF, if you're a member.

Broadway! Broadway! How great you are!

With all this talk of a B'way transfer for the LuPone "Gypsy," has anyone noticed that the Imperial is sitting empty? I'm told it's being saved for "Billy Elliot," but until then? My mind reels with possibility.

Bryn Terfel as "Elijah"

Though it's really not the right time of year for a visit from the prophet ("Come back in April!"), Bryn Terfel is scheduled to sing a concert performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" oratorio with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall on Monday, November 19th at 8 p.m. And as if that weren't enough, Metropolitan Opera mainstays Hei-Kyung Hong and Eric Cutler will be joining him. Until August 31st, you can order tickets during the Chorale's pre-sale by going here.

Cattle Battle Is Still A Bitch

According to my source in Aspen, Kathleen Battle is up to her old tricks as a whining fit-throwing diva. In town this weekend to sing a program of Gershwin tunes at the Aspen Music Festival, the Battle Axe was put up in the St. Regis — the city's poshest digs — and upon being shown to her room, she flew into a rage of discontent and demanded to see every available room in the complex (which resembles an upscale hunting lodge), until she found something suitable to her needs. She also turned down an interview request by the local radio station, saying that the music "should speak for itself," and also has refused to meet with the festival's student singers, defying the tradition of master classes led by seasoned professionals. Perhaps that's because she doesn't have anything nice to say.

"Les Fables de La Fontaine" by Comédie-Française

The visionary director Robert Wilson has returned to Lincoln Center with a new offering from the Comédie-Française, one of the oldest and most respected theater troupes in the world. A staging of a handful of the French poet Jean La Fontaine's fables based on those of Aesop, "Les Fables de La Fontaine" is an accessible introduction to the tales and makes great theater for children of all ages. The actors wear masks representing the animals and a throaty-voiced Christine Fersen plays Fontaine himself, addressing the audience while weaving between the masquerading characters. The haunting original music by Michael Galasso, lighting and set design by Wilson, and inventive costumes by Moidele Bickel come together to create an engaging spectacle that's not to be missed. My one complaint: inadequate supertitles that only summarize every 10 lines of text instead of giving line-by-line translations of the original French. Thankfully, English language versions of the poems are included in the program, but you'll have to wait until after the show to pour over them.

Online extra: Calvin Klein is looking leathery these days. Did his contract with Mephistopheles expire or has he stopped drinking the life-giving boy juice that had kept him young for so long? Maybe he's finally started practicing the heterosexual lifetstyle he's claimed all these years?

"Gypsy" by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents

In a word: Flawless. And that's not just Patti we're talking about, but every single performer on a cramped City Center stage (shared with a full orchestra) who's been directed with the knowing hand of Arthur Laurents. Thankfully, he has been able to capture perfect nuance with the smallest bit of staging, making the tiniest gestures evolve into character defining moments. Encores has spared little expense with a fully-staged production that makes the 2003 Broadway revival look like summer stock. Even the performers outdo their recent predecessors, with LuPone arguably the first Mama Rose to have the vocal chops of Merman, and boy does she use them. Just before the show ended, she stopped it with an incomparable rendition of 'Rose's Turn," audience applauding wildly with a well-deserved standing O. Laura Benanti gets major kudos for her transformation into Gypsy Rose Lee and for her perfect "Little Lamb," which she acts with weepy sincerity. City Center would be smart if they offered frequent flier miles for return visits to "Gypsy," because just like a Pringles potato chip, you can't have just one. I need to go back again and again because it's just that damn good.

"Guilio Cesare" by Georg Frederick Handel

Ruth Ann Swenson's final performance in "Giulio Cesare" at the Met occured on a warm Saturday afternoon in April. It was a cloudless day and most of my friends were doing outdoor things. The occassional invitation to join them collected silently in my pocket while I bathed in the warm rays of Handel's score and Swenson's scintillating Cleopatra. I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day.

"Coram Boy" by Helen Edmundson, after the novel by Jamila Gavin

This highly melodramatic epic about three generations in a British family during the 18th century really grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until it's choked every last tear from the inner reaches of your gut. Interspersed with selections from Handel's "Messiah" and performed by a talented cast, it feels like you're watching an intricately staged Masterpiece Theater serial that incorporates live choral music. Is this the one for "Coast of Utopia" to beat come awards season? Yes, and it will. Nevertheless, "Coram Boy" is a great evening in the theater and is not to be missed. Look for the always charming Jan Maxwell in yet another conniving villainess role.

"110 in the Shade" by N. Richard Nash, Harvey Schmidt, and Tom Jones

By no means is "110 in the Shade" a perfect musical. But unlike Aaron, I did walk out humming tunes. And not just one. There were at least three lingering melodies in my head giving argument to the already pestering voices. And the reason? Audra McDonald gives a sensational performance as Lizzie Currie. I can't remember the last time I actually felt moved at a musical. Weepy-eyed moved, even. The cast is all around terrific and it's great to see John Cullum back on stage where he belongs. Bobby Steggert is endearingly cute and a bundle of energy. Kudos to Lonny Price for what I'm thinking is his best work yet — No, I unfortunately didn't see "A Class Act." But I'll be going back to see this again once it opens.

"The Distant Sound" by Franz Schreker

Franz Schreker's opera "Der ferne Klang" (1910) hadn't ever been performed in the United States until Sunday, when Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra gave the premiere at Avery Fisher Hall. With an altogther glorious cast of relatively uknown singers, particularly the dramatic German soprano Yamina Maamar, who I'm hoping will be in New York again soon, the ASO hasn't sounded this good I think ever. The score, which can only classified as modern Romantic, is bombastic, swooping, hummable, and downright catchy. Just when you're still reeling from an emotional ballad, you're thrown into a dervish of a czardas and your feet can't stop a-tappin.' Why hasn't this been staged in NY yet? Wake up, Jimmy, and give us some Schreker.

"Deuce" by Terrence McNally

Old women say "fuck," "cunt," and "goddamn" just like the rest of us. That's what I learned on Saturday, after sitting through an interminable 105 minutes of watching Marian Seldes and Angela Lansbury squirm in what appear to be uncomfortable plastic stadium seats. That old adage about the phone book isn't true; it's horrifying when it actually happens. The play ranks among McNally's worst. On top of that, lines were dropped more often than a hot potato in a kindergarten class. Owing, I'm guessing, to a constantly changing script, a scriptgirl was heard from my seat in Row B of the mezzanine, feeding lines to both of the two ladies throughout the show. I stopped counting after I heard the disembodied voice (uncredited, of course) more than 30 times. Let's hope this shapes up, or else what was once the most anticpated Broadway play of the season will quickly become the most panned one. Someone should start a pool to determine how many performances this will actually last. I'd put 10 bucks on any of the single digit squares. Perhaps we should lobby the award committee so the scriptgirl could get a Tony nom?

"The Yeoman of the Guard" by W.S. Gilbert and A.S. Sullivan

photo by Kate Weiman
The Blue Hill Troupe is one of only two NYC companies that present Gilbert & Sullivan operas every year. What's different and most surprising about the Blue Hill Troupers isn't that they always give us high quality performances, it's that they're (mostly) non-professional actors who work in the evenings and weekends to rehearse and construct two productions a year. Their Spring offering of "Yeoman" bests their previous work of the past few seasons, with high caliber production values as well as superb singing that made for a very entertaining Saturday matinee. On top of that, all proceeds of ticket sales go to a different charity each year, so there's no reason you shouldn't see it. This year's beneficiary The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children would agree.

"LoveMusik" by Kurt Weill and Alfred Uhury

Caught the first preview of a new book musical that uses forgotten songs from the Kurt Weill canon to tell the tale of his tormented love with singer and actress Lotte Lenya. Harold Prince's new project clocks in at three hours. If those three hours weren't so damned entertaining, I would be complaining instead of writing a loose leaf love note to a Germanic musical drama. But in the end, it will need to be cut, as some of those neglected numbers stop the show cold with no clear relation to the the story, as if to say: and while Kurt was suffering attacks from Brecht in Los Angeles in 1944, this song of his was perfomed in (ENTER NAME OF UNKNOWN WEILL MUSICAL HERE) that played Broadway for -10 performances. The orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick are sublime. His overture is a shiny gem of a compliation, and I've never heard "Speak Low" sound so haunting and heartbreaking. Cerveris is exceptional and Donna Murphy is an actress who sings and she knows how to sell each of her big numbers, including Surabaya Johnny and September Song. But she doesn't sound anything like the real Lenya, especially the later Lenya who is preserved on record. But where's Donna's "Pirate Jenny"? After three hours, don't we at least deserve that?

"The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder

BAM hosted a prodution of "The Magic Flute" that originated at De Munt/La Monnaie, the Royal Opera House of Belgium. The white line animations decorating the show curtain and the subsequent shadow play film clips offered no new insight to the timeless Mozart piece, but do provide winsome entertainment, especially in moments that need it. Using wildlife fantasy isn't anything new to productions of Flute. Where Julie Taymor had dancing polar bears, William Kentridge opted for somersaulting rhinos. The stiffly directed production was decorated with seemingly 19th Century retro costumes and the singers were just O.K. The only standout was the terrible Queen of the Night, who not only was singing in the wrong fach, she was singing the wrong notes. And why is it that the BAM programs never list the name of the librettist? Poor dead white guy Schikaneder.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Clowns can be scary. But what's more frightening is the whipping received by the tigers, horses, and zebras during the first half of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus this past Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden.

In lieu of an indictment of the poor treatment of animals at the circus, I'm simply going to post a link to PETA's subsidiary activist group that is fighting the good fight. They have a well-organized website. Go to http://www.circuses.com/ for more information.

"Volume of Smoke" by Clay McLeod Chapman

This assemblage of fictionalized historical monologues by the victims and survivors of a fire that destroyed the Richmond Theater in 1811 is well constructed and researched. Not bad for a young writer. I was willing to forgive him for the multiple clichés and melodramatic renderings of characters that seemed to bog it down.

"Be" by Mayumana

Oy. What a headache. I left before the end of this intermissionless show. If I'd wanted to see buskers, I could've descended into the Union Square subway station and watched street artists do it for less money than it cost me to see this Off-Broadway reiteration of noisy bang-on-a-bucket shows.

"A Moon for the Misbegotten" by Eugene O'Neill

photo by Simon Annand

Kevin Spacey gave a good but also lacking performance. Eve Best gave an amazing performance. While he's no Jason Robards Jr. (who is?), she definitely contends with past Josies, Colleen Dewhurst included. But no matter how well received this production, I still can't get the Cherry Jones/Gabriel Byrne combo out of my head, which I saw twice in 2000.

"Boys Just Wanna Have Fun" by Anthony Wilkinson

If you find yourself drunk and wandering the streets of the gay West Village on a Friday or Saturday night, I'd say definitely check this out. It's more TV than theater, as the writer is a soap opera veteran, and there's enough high camp to keep you laughing into the wee hours (this past Friday's performance was scheduled for 10 p.m. but actually didn't get underway until a good 20 minutes after that.) The standouts in this gay male comedy were the women and, of course, the men dressed up like women. Fanny Fondue, you have a new fan.

"Flavio" by Georg Handel and Nicola Francesca Haym

Don't try to figure out the plot in this brain-teasing love story, where the bethrothed are ensconced in love affairs and double-crossing condrundrums that only English court audiences of the 18th century would find remotely amusing. But do go to New York City Opera for the gorgeous score, expertly treated by conductor William Lacey and the fabulous cast headed by not one but two, count 'em, TWO countertenors: David Walker and Gerald Thompson.

"Blackbird" by David Harrower

Here's something you rarely see: A play about sexual abuse that's highly riveting. Both Jeff Daniels and Alison Pill give gut-wrenching performances. Please let this transfer to a bigger house. During this rainy day Wednesday matinee performance there were no walk-outs, but a gentleman in the audience bearing a striking resemblance to Santa Claus seemed a bit uncomfortable, and at the first use of a four-letter word, he got out of his seat and disappeared into the rear of the theater to watch the rest of it while standing. It's kinda fun to see Santa unsettled.

The Metropolitan Opera's 40th Anniversary Gala

Scraping the bottom of the Volpe barrel, the Met threw together a gala performance of three acts from three different operas to showcase the vocal talents of Ms. Netrebko (Trebs) and Mr. Villazon (Viz) — T&V for short, henceforth. A friend was recently asking me what "Opera Hot" means. Well, if you look at the above photo, you'll get an idea. Yes, Trebs is a looker, if you enjoy looking at those sorts of things. But those eyebrows on Viz aren't very attractive, and yet he's considered the hot Mexican enchilada in the opera world. Which is strange, I might add, since if you're searching for pretty Mexican tenors, I'd take Ramon Vargas any day over him, and even he doesn't hold a candle to that other Mexican, Domingo.

The singing was all in all quite good, but the bar is a bit low for these two, since they're opera hot and can sell out a house like no one's business. A ticket to the Dec. 5 "Boheme" (featuring T&V) this past fall was harder to get than an STD in a convent. For the gala, they repeated their Act I romantic fireworks from "Boheme," with Viz supplying an excellent "Che gelida manina" that brought down the house. Then Act III, scene 2 from "Manon" gave him a chance to just whip it like a bad boy, a Maurice (!) Chevalier des Grieux dressed as a priest. Sorry, couldn't resist ... it rhymes, in a way. Then Trebs threw herself on the floor and wailed a few French lines, recalling her "Puritani" mad scene (also from December). I'm getting the sense that she sings better while lying down. Then a brief intermission, and the entire second act of John Copley's garish production of "Elisir d'Amour," fully staged and fully entertaining. But the voices seemed to be tired by this point, and Trebs didn't come close to Ruth Ann Swenson's Adina from last season. A full-throttled Viz delivered a hearty "Una furtiva lagrima," sustaining l-o-o-o-o-o-ng notes for the final few bars, bringing down the house again.

But the one standout for the entire evening was Mariusz Kweicien, a young baritone who sang Marcello in the "Boheme" and Belcore in the "Elisir." I forgot who was doing what whenever he took to the stage. His voice is commanding and more than pleasant to the ear. For the first time ever, I wished Adina would just forget Nemorino and run off with the captain. And as for opera hot, well, his sizzle doesn't fizzle.

But back to Viz's eye shingles. If one of the hair dressers at the Met could get one of the stagehands to pin him down for a shave, or at least a plucking, they could harvest enough follicles to make yet another wig for Millo, when she triumphs in her final performance ever at the Met (?) as Maddalena on April 14. Or maybe she could borrow one of Botha's?

78. "Frost/Nixon" by Peter Morgan

I don't know which president Frank Langella thinks he's mimicking in "Frost/Nixon" but it surely isn't our 37th. At times, the characterization seems a bit other worldly, and in some moments, it sounds like he's channeling Walter Cronkite. That isn't to say his performance is bad — it's quite the opposite. There was only one obvious moment when he completely lost character on Monday night and did his usual effete gesticulation ... during a drunk scene in which Nixon phones David Frost late on the eve of their final interview. With hand raised, palm facing the audience and hip cocked to one side, Langella assumed his typical heroic poet stance as if to say, "here comes the nut" of this entire evening. Peter Morgan's play is overall quite good, but is burdened by an obnoxious tendency to have secondary characters interrupt the action to announce "And this is the moment when we knew Nixon had crumbled" and "Now we've past the point of no return." Duh!

But regardless... I welcome this production with open arms. Bring it on, Donmar!!! I want more.

77. "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens as adapted by Neil Bartlett

photo by Michael J. Lutch
Theater for a New Audience has given us a thoroughly mesmerizing adaptation of the Dickens tale. Too often I've walked out of stagings of "Oliver!" with digusted contempt for a musical that glamourizes a period of history that was anything but cheery. With this Victorian melodrama, justice has been served in the form of a stylized morality tale that weighs good against evil, and exposes the darker side of innocence, blah blah blah. I'd say wait a few more weeks before this production gels, but the run is very short. Sunday evening's performance was a bit stale, with uneven acting and a lack of much needed intensity. Despite that, go now and don't miss it.

76. "Andrea Chénier" by Umberto Giordano and Luigi Illica

I'm going to reserve judgement on this until I see Aprille Millo in all her glory on April 14, but in the meantime, I will admit that I left between Acts III and IV because Violetta Urmana's "La mamma morta" lacked passion and Ben Heppner fell short, especially during the final bars of the famous Act II duet when he stopped singing altogether. We know he has the notes, now he just needs to sing them.

Letter from London (70-75)

Cheerio! I spent this past weekend seeing six shows in three days, which I would never recommend to anyone unless they're on lots of caffeine and/or participating in a blog competition such as this one. So without further ado, here's what I saw:



Dirty Dancing: The Disaster Musical
While this has disaster written all over it, and I was warned by some confidantes in London that it is an outright stinker, I couldn't help but be seduced by the notion that there's just no way on Earth anyone could screw up an already bad romantic dramedy filled with awful one-liners, a great soundtrack, and a heartwarming story. Well, in this case, I was proven wrong. I understand that the person responsible for this great injustice is none other than the writer Eleanor Bergstein, who owns all rights to the story and wouldn't let anyone touch her baby. The problem wasn't just in the use of the original film script, word for word, but that there was nothing different about it. Adding to it that every single line fell flat, and the dancing was lovingly ripped-off step by step, I'm not surprised the critics savaged this one. But by some miracle, the show is a success and it was difficult to get a ticket to the Friday matinee. The audience reaction was pretty quiet and not a soul laughed, but the appropriate applause greeted the end of each canned number and the hooting and hollering at Johnny Castle's entrance and the baring of his pecs during the sex scene reminded me that I was in a house full of women.


— — —



"The Tempest" by Thomas Ades, after William Shakespeare
This new opera premiered at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 2004 to great notices.Thankfully, it was revived this year, giving more life to a very risky and ultimately satisfying score. However, the creator decided to strip the play of its musical language by taking away Shakespeare's poetry, thereby dulling it considerably. But to turn the characters of Stephano and Trinculo from comedic boobs into obvious boors was outright idiotic. Thankfully, I was distracted by Ian Bostridge's gorgeous tenor, and the inexplicable Tyranosaurus Rex that dominated the last scene, adding more mess than necessary to an already awkward production. Seen in the audience: Simon Callow.


— — —



"A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare, directed by Tim Supple
If any of the programming directors from the Lincon Center Festival or the Brooklyn Academy of Music are reading this, take note: This is a must for New York audiences in the summer of 2008. There's a UK tour planned after this current run at the Roundhouse Theater in Northern London. I'm guessing The Armory would be an ideal venue in NY. The production is an Southeast Asian retelling of the comedy in seven different languages, with the majority of the actors being Indian or Sri Lankan. A great spectacle.


— — —



"The Gondoliers" by Gilbert & Sullivan
The English National Opera's vivid production of the irreverent G&S operetta is a delight, though it doesn't compensate for the somewhat mediocre singing. Henry Goodman stars as the Duke of Plazatoro. What the hell is he doing in this?!? The sets and costumes could've been designed by Martha Stewart using her K-mart color palette, with vibrant neon and pastel yellows, greens, blues, oranges, and purples. Yikes! A rainbow maker's dream.


— — —



"The Lady from Dubuque" by Edward Albeee
I jumped at this chance to see Maggie Smith in Anthony Page's staging of the Albee comedy, one that suffered a short death on Broadway in 1980. I'd purchased £15 tickets in the gallery via Ticketmaster, but when I'd arrived at the box office to collect them, I was told I'd been upgraded to the Royal Circle. No complaintant, me. This mostly American cast is all excellent, though it was surprising to see Dame Mags have difficulties using an American accent. Catherine McCormack is brilliant as the cancer-stricken Jo. Seen in the audience: Jonathan Pryce.


— — —



"Total Eclipse" by Christoper Hampton
At first I thought this was going to be a bio-musical about the life of Bonnie Tyler (what an idea!), but I was soon to stand corrected that it was indeed a bio play about the turbulent relationship of the French poets Verlaine and Rimbaud. Unknowingly, I had reserved the best for the last. Like in "Dangerous Liasons," Hampton deals with the wayward love lives of the French. Though it's in pretty good shape and I saw an early preview, I couldn't help but wonder how Tom Stoppard might handle the same story. Indeed, there'd be a bit more poetry — they are poets after all — and less historical biography to slow things down.

69. "Mary Rose" by J.M. Barrie

What a dull play. Well, for the most part. The conceit is kinda fascinating, and the execution ain't too bad, but as a whole, this is just one long episode of "Quantum Leap" set in the 19th Century. The only thing that kept me sticking around for act II was seeing Rhea Pearlman during the intermission, which made me think "if Carla Tortelli thinks it's cool, there must be something to it."

68. "The Fantasticks" by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones

When I am old and gray, there's nothing more I could wish for myself than to be appearing somewhere in the English-speaking world (New York would be nice) in a play that I also happen to have written at a much tenderer age. So it would seem that Tom Jones is already living out one of my many fantasies, and he's doing it with great aplomb and charm under the pseduonym Thomas Bruce in the role of Henry of this current revival of his 1960 musical. And as paired with Robert Oliver as Mortimer, the comic duo are a vaudevillian gem. But let's not overlook the rest of the current cast, who are all... well, fantastic ... particularly Doulgas Ullman Jr. as Matt. See him before he's replaced by some American idol reject this coming May.

67. "The Juniper Tree" by Philip Glass, Robert Moran, and Arthur Yorinks

Since I had to miss the last performance given by the Collegiate Chorale — a critically lauded "Maid of Orleans" starring Dolora Zajick at Carnegie Hall — I made sure to catch its latest offering, a concert staging of the 1985 one act opera version of the Grimm faerie tale "The Juniper Tree," with a score by Philip Glass and Robert Moran, and video projections of illustrations by Maurice Sendak. The piece is divided into six scenes, three written by each composer. The story is simple but gruesome: a wealthy landowner's first wife eats juniper berries during pregnancy, then dies during childbirth. Years later, his second wife becomes jealous of the first-born son and kills him, then guilts her daughter into believing she's the murderer. Finally, after the dead son is cooked into a stew and eaten by the unknowing father, his bones are buried beneath the juniper tree that marks his mother's grave. The tree bursts into flames and a bird emerges, the reborn spirit of the murdered boy. The bird drops a millstone on his stepmother, killing her. Then he comes back to life and lives happily ever after with his father and step-sister. Awww. Think of the possibilites for a fully staged production.

65 & 66. "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare

There's nothing more to say about these revelations except go to the BAM website and order your tickets NOW. If you enjoy Shakespeare at all, these twin productions by the Propeller Theatre are the performances to see this year — not including the McKellan "Lear" scheduled for the autumn. Edward Hall's brilliant direction and inventive musical handling of the two comedies are among the finest you'll ever see anywhere. If you know someone who really isn't into Shakespeare, you now have the means of converting them. Go today. Hell, go again. You'll see me there.

64. "The $trip" by Lance Horne, Tiger Martina, and Alyse Rothman

Over the weekend, four open rehearsal workshops were held for an ambitious new musical that lambastes American culture — all in the guise of a Las Vegas casino floor show. What is amazing isn't the fact that it's a new concept or that the creators have a potential hit on their hands with this pastiche piece, it's that the whole thing was written in less than two months. For such a short period, it's already in decent shape, though of course it'll need at least a few re-writes and a much stronger book to hold all the 20-odd numbers together. The standouts in the 13-member ensemble were Teal Wicks and Michael Cusumano. Oh, and Stephanie D'Abruzzo, but only because she has a recognizeable name.

63. "Edwards Scissorhands" by New Adventures

photo: Bill Cooper
The dvd of Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" is the only one in my small library that receives regular attention. Even the 20th Century Fox Studio Classics edition of "All About Eve" hasn't seen as much playing time. And the reason is that no matter how many times I watch it, his "Swan Lake" always seems new and fresh and plays out like it's the first time I'm seeing it, despite the fact that those viewings have numbered in the hundreds.

So my expectations of "Scisscorhands" were pretty high.

While I did enjoy myself and got swept up by the spectacle, it didn't ellicit as many WOWs as I'd hoped, and I definitely didn't feel anything for poor little freakboy Edward. The treament of the pious Catholic family was hysterical and the topiary ballet was delightful. But it's a shame that my biggest emotional reaction arrived at the curtain call.

62. "Die Ägyptishe Helena" by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal

photo: Ken Howard
God I hate teal. It brings back awful memories of holding court at my aunt's wedding way back in the 80s. She chose that putrid color for the bridesmaid dresses and in typical Midwestern fashion the cumberbunds and bow ties were chosen to match. Blech. So it goes without any further explanation that you can't dress up a diva in teal and expect her to look good. Especially when they're teal SEQUINS. Especially when she famously lost a TON of weight. Especially when she's Deborah Voigt. Poor thing needs to re-prove herself to the world since everyone is constantly in disagreement about the "new" voice, but what she really needs to worry about is who is choosing those trashy garments. The voice is still there and still fabulous.

The production isn't as bad as one might suppose, after looking at some photos. But do go to hear Fabio Luisi's excellent command of the Met Orchestra. His hands are dipped in gold.

61. "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" by Gioachino Rossini and Cesare Sterbini

A second visit to the new production of "Barber" at the Met reinforced two decidedly opposing opinions: Bartlett Sherr's production is still an uneducated mess, and the Met has assembled a handful of the greatest singers on the planet. Let's go through the list: Handsome tenor who hits stratospheric highs? Juan Diego Florez. Check! Sexy baritone to dominate the stage with a purrfect rendition of one of the world's best known arias? Peter Matthei. A hot as fuck swarthy bass to bring a darkly comic spin to the scene? John Relyea. Check! The one big difference since the premiere is the cast change of Joyce DiDonato as Rosina, replacing Diana Damrau who currently is wowing audiences in "Helena" (see above). For those with memory lapses, DiDonato triumped in "Hercules" a year ago at BAM. Now she's back in New York as the coloratura mezzo maiden. Brava.

60. "The Madras House" by Harley Granville Barker

The Mint Theater Company is one of the few off-Broadway houses that consistently presents excellent productions. And the artistic director Jonathan Bank has made a name for the small company by dusting off forgotten plays —some of them gems — that deserve more time in the sun. Unfortunately, "The Madras House" isn't a gem, but this sizeable cast gives it a nice polish. The four acts all seem like separate plays that have loose ties binding them into one packaged evening. But at three hours, it feels a bit tedious. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. Some highlights: Roberta Maxwell's breakdown in Act IV, and a passing reference to Trenchard Voysey. And why does George Morfogen always seem like the walking dead in everything he does?

59. "Faust" by Charles Gounod, Jules Barbier, and Michel Carré

This was the first public performance given by Ruth Ann Swenson since it was announced last fall that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm not sure what her bill of health is these days, but what I can say is that her Marguerite continues to be nothing short of glorious. And as if I didn't know it already, her curtain call was evidence enough. I'm already looking forward to her Cleopatra, as well as her Agrippina. Positively golden indeed.

58. "Solo" by Philippe Decouflé

photo: Anita Gioia
This solo multimedia work is utterly charming and entertaining. At only 70 minutes, it's a breath of fresh springtime air. Don't miss Decoufle's homage to Busby Berkeley, accomplished with the use of cameras, one body, and lights. You won't believe it until you see it.

57. "Baal" by Bertolt Brecht

The main problem with this new showcase of "Baal" isn't its low budget — the costume designer made good use out of whatever materials and money she had — and it wasn't the concept — alternative takes on the early Brecht work have been done countless times with decent results. Unfortunately, shoddy direction and overdone performances drove me to the exit at intermission. One performance worthy of note: Jadelynn Stahl as Baal, who has great musical talent.