Dirty Dancing: The
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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
