Love and Information
Posted: April 3, 2014 Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Off-Broadway, Play | Tags: carylchurchill, churchill, loveandinformation, minettalane, nytw, review Leave a comment
Here’s something I’ve learned about myself after watching years and years of theatre: I need narrative. I crave it. That doesn’t mean it needs to be a linear narrative (LOST anyone?). But if anything, I need to be able to make connections within the piece, whether it’s through plot points, characters, clues, something more specific than thematic. It’s how I personally connect and relate. That’s what gives a story purpose for me.
Love and Information is Caryl Churchill’s new play currently being produced by New York Theatre Workshop and performed at Minetta Lane Theatre. It’s just under two hours and a collection of vignettes – moving, hilarious, and thought-provoking. Each “scene” ranges from a few minutes to a few seconds – a full conversation or perhaps a single phrase, and then it’s gone in the blink of an eye as the set swiftly changes to the next set of circumstances. These pieces are lovely to say the least – beautifully entertaining, some very funny, others heartbreaking. Plus the fantastic design (lights, set, and sound) only adds to the setting. With this style of theatre, you as an audience member have to constantly adapt to new situations and figure out what’s going on. I like having to work in that way. But then, that was it. After 45 minutes, I started to check out once I realized there wasn’t going to be a “story” in the typical sense. Not that I didn’t enjoy the rest of the scenes! If the second half had happened first, I would have appreciated those just as much. It was simply the nature of the piece as a whole that I had difficulty with. It’s hard for me to stay engaged that long to watch brief moments in time. Others may not need the narrative as much as I do. The themes and issues brought up from scene to scene may be enough to get their gears turning.
I do think it’s exciting to note that the script itself is pretty much bare-bones, not specifying place, gender, character, situation, etc. From basic dialogue on a page, the ensemble created this piece and all of the beautiful details. I love when theatre does that. I simply left craving a greater common denominator linking these vignettes other than topics of “love” and “information.”
Love and Information
Written by Caryl Churchill, Directed by James Macdonald
Minetta Lane Theatre, closing April 6th
Photo Credit: Sara Krulwich
Pictured:Noah Galvin and Adante Power
Philosophy for Gangsters
Posted: March 5, 2014 Filed under: Comedy, Off-Broadway, Play | Tags: callie, courtneyromano, courtneyromanohanson, philosophyforgangsters, review, theatrerow Leave a comment
This isn’t going to be so much a review as it is a chance for me to brag about my friend, Courtney Romano, who made her Off-Broadway debut last month in a play called Philosophy for Gangsters at the Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row. I went to go see the show a second time last week. Courtney starred as Callie, a mafia princess and college graduate who leads a philosophical revolution with the help of her mob family and a kidnapped philosophy teacher from New Jersey University.
Now, the play leaves much to be desired. While a funny concept with some genuinely entertaining moments, it is very much a film script trying to be a stage play. There are so many quick “cut-to’s,” and sometimes it feels like we spend more time in scene transitions than scenes (which keeps the momentum from building). Just when a couple of characters are really starting to get to the meat and potatoes, there’s a blackout. Some scenes only last a few sentences, and then there’s a transition to jump a few minutes in time. The creators need to take advantage of the fact that we’re in the theatre. They can use stage tricks and/or set up theatrical conventions for the time jumps or even work around them entirely.
But whenever the play started to dip or wander, Courtney was there, solid, with her feet on the ground, serving as the North Star for the production. She set the example for keeping the pace and sticking to the objective at hand. If the plot started to wane, I knew I could look to Courtney who would be on track.
And on top of all that? She was still playing. She was still having fun and diving deeper into the role. I had attended opening night on February 4th, and it was great to see how much she’d developed the character over a few short weeks.
So even though the show closed on Saturday and I can’t tell you go to see it, I can tell you to keep your eyes peeled for my pal in the future.
Philosophy for Gangsters
Written and Directed by Liz and Barry Peak
Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row, closed March 1st
Photo Credit: Carl Wiemann
Pictured: Courtney Romano, Tally Sessions, David Demato, and Tom White
Dinner with Friends
Posted: February 28, 2014 Filed under: Drama, Off-Broadway, Play, Revival | Tags: dinnerwithfriends, donaldmargulies, jeremyshamos, margulies, review, roundabout 2 Comments
I love the playwright Donald Margulies. I love his dialogue, his style of writing, his sense of humor, and what he has to say about relationships, marriage, and friendship. His plays consistently hit me in the gut and make me think (Dinner with Friends, Time Stands Still, Collected Stories). But this production of Dinner with Friends made the material feel stagnant. I was very excited to see it and took my dad for his birthday, but it simply didn’t sit right with either of us.
The play follows two married couples and the changes that occur within their friendship when one of the couples announces they’re getting a divorce. I think it was primarily the direction that I didn’t see eye to eye with, but occasionally it may have been the acting as well. I typically very much enjoy Pam McKinnon’s directing (Clybourne Park, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), but this fell flat for me. Not all of it by any means! I don’t want to give the impression that the production is bad. Certain parts I was very much involved in and couldn’t tear my eyes away, but then on a dime, I’d fall out of it. And as my dad pointed out, the humor wasn’t landing as much as it typically does in a Margulies play. Yes, it may be a tragic story, but there is, more often than not, comedy found within the tragedy.
Margulies is all about the scene work. It’s about the conversation, the witty, often biting, back-and-forth between characters. It’s day after day of conversation after conversation, and I eat it up. There is a major sense of realism with his writing, meaning when something feels out of place or false I’m taken out of it. If there is random blocking or awkward staging, if we stray from the “reality” for even a moment, I’m gone and have to work my way back. Sometimes it’s an odd delivery of a line or facing out instead of directing one’s words TO the other character. The second scene, for example, was problematic (as Charles Isherwood also states in the Times). The couple getting a divorce is having a very tense conversation that snowballs quickly into an intense argument. They are standing on opposite ends of the stage, cheating out, and talking at each other. Instead of feeling their pain, I was just thinking about how obviously they were cheating out. Quite often the blocking (or lack thereof) didn’t serve the actors. Even in the top of Act II when we open on a flashback 12 years earlier, the new set doesn’t do anything to help the scene. The actors are practically stuck in a line with limited space to move and play.
Jeremy Shamos, though. Man, is he good. This isn’t news (Clybourne Park, The Assembled Parties), but honestly, I could watch him do the whole play by himself. In the last scene, although it doesn’t quite redeem some of the weaker parts of the show, he instantly draws you in – right along with what his character is going through. His work is always so natural and effortless. The moments we get to spend with him bring the sad humor, depth, and punch in the gut I’m looking for when I’m in the mood for some Margulies.
Dinner with Friends
Written by Donald Margulies, Directed by Pam McKinnon
The Laura Pels Theatre through April 13th
Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel
Pictured: Marin Hinkle and Jeremy Shamos
Sex Tips for Straight Women From a Gay Man
Posted: February 25, 2014 Filed under: Comedy, Off-Broadway, Play | Tags: jasonmichaelsnow, lindsaynicolechambers, review, sextipsforstraightwomenfromagayman, sextipsplay, submissionsonly Leave a comment
If you haven’t heard, Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man is not getting much respect from critics, but I don’t understand why. Some are calling it unsophisticated or not actually helpful or packed with sex jokes, etc., but isn’t that EXACTLY why audiences are going? I’m pretty sure people know what they’re getting into with a title like that. They’re expecting phallic jokes and a strip tease, especially audience members who are already fans of the book on which it’s loosely based. So I think these critics need to let their hair down a little bit, lighten up, and trust that the folks attending Sex Tips are just there to drink a few drinks and have a good time. They’re not looking for intellectual stimulation. Perhaps other kinds in fact…
Sure, there are cheap jokes. Sure, the characters aren’t fully developed, but it’s an 80-minute play about sex. Let’s be honest; people are there to laugh about penises. Despite the weak sections of the show, it’s jam-packed with laughs and led by a talented cast. You’ve got the very funny Jason Michael Snow, recently out of The Book of Mormon, who has an excellent knack for ad-libbing, a trait incredibly crucial in this type of environment. He stars as Dan Anderson, the co-author of Sex Tips the book, and is this month’s guest at a community college “Meet the Authors” event. Said event is being moderated by the straight-laced Robyn, played by Lindsay Nicole Chambers, of whom I am a big, big fan from the excellent web series, Submissions Only, created by Kate Weatherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger. Watch it, you won’t be sorry, especially you theatre people out there. And then there’s the third character, Stefan (played by Andrew Brewer), who’s a kind of stage assistant slash European scientist slash male model slash stripper. Basically, he’s so pretty it hurts to look at him. We watch as Dan gives Robyn advice about her love life and perhaps helps her nab the hunky Stefan. And don’t forget about the audience participation. People who sit down front in the “Wet Zone” beware – you may very well be up on stage at some point during the show.
I also want to give a shout-out to my pal Matt Franzetti, the fantastic company manager. He’s famous, guys.
So if you’re looking to laugh at dirty jokes, host a bachelorette party, have a night out with friends, or embarrass your significant other on an unusual date, then why not I say? Audiences are having a blast, and you too may be fully at attention.
Sex Tips for Straight Women From a Gay Man
Written by Matt Murphy, Directed by Tim Drucker
777 Theatre, Open-ended
Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel
Pictured: Lindsay Nicole Chambers and Jason Michael Snow
What’s It All About? Bacharach Reimagined
Posted: February 11, 2014 Filed under: Musical, Off-Broadway | Tags: alfie, bacharach, burtbacharach, concert, kyleriabko, nytw, review, whatsitallabout, whatsnewpussycat Leave a comment
I’m so mad at myself for waiting so long to see this show. Mostly because it means I wasn’t able to tell you about it until now. And time is short, folks. This piece, after receiving multiple extensions, is closing this coming Sunday at New York Theatre Workshop. Get to it. There are still a few days left to check out this stellar Bacharach concert.
Yup, it’s a concert. Do not expect a story or book! This is simply wonderful song after wonderful song presented in a unique, engrossing way. I imagine people could be disappointed if they expected plot, but in my mind, it’s all about feeling the music.
Kyle Riabko, who is 26 and so talented, has taken the work of Burt Bacharach and arranged it for modern audiences. He has extracted these songs from the 50s and 60s, added his own style, and managed to do so without harming the essence of the music. Listen to him sing a few tunes here. Burt Bacharach is one of those artists where you don’t actually realize how many songs of his you know. When you listen to the canon, like in this show, you’re constantly thinking, “Oh yeah, I know this. This is Burt Bacharach, too?” All of his major hits are covered in this production plus songs I’d never heard before and loved just as much.
The music is performed by an incredibly gifted group of musicians and vocalists. These seven jump around playing multiple instruments and singing their hearts out. There is a sense of comfort and clarity in the room as they jam together, and their relationships with one another emanate out into the house. Plus they sound amazing. New York Theatre Workshop, you’re going to do a cast recording, right? I mean, I’m not really giving you a choice. You must release an album. I will help you promote it. Call me.
I’m also in love with not just the sound of the show but the design. The stage picture is beautiful. The entire theatre has been transformed, covered wall to wall in carpets, and lamps scattered across the stage. I know, carpets don’t sound super fancy, but I walked in and caught my breath at the beauty of the space. There’s also a mini-tower of instruments upstage center, à la this guy at the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, that the performers climb on, occasionally grabbing a new guitar to play. The lighting design is stunning. The choreography is simple and not overdone. Oh, and there is also some awesome limited onstage seating on super comfy couches. It was like chilling in someone’s living room. But that someone is super, super cool. And they have a band.
What’s great about this show is it knows exactly what it is and what it wants to accomplish. It’s not pretending to be anything else. No one is pushing or showing off. It’s simply a chance for you to experience 90 minutes packed with familiar songs shared in a new way and look around to see everyone else bobbing their heads and tapping their feet right alongside you. That may just be what it’s all about, Alfie.
What’s It All About? Bacharach Reimagined
Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David, Arranged by Kyle Riabko, Directed by Steven Hoggett
New York Theatre Workshop through February 16th
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Kyle Riabko
Becca on Broadway 