Catch Me If You Can's Tveit With DestinyHow did I miss
this?
Seems like ages since I've written
anything about the long gestating musical version of
Catch Me If You Can , a
Marc Shaiman/Scott
Wittman/
Terrence McNally tuner that will star
Nathan Lane as FBI agent Carl Hanratty, a role portrayed in the film by
Tom Hanks.
At that time,
Matthew Morrison had been involved in an early reading, but hasn't been associated with the project for quite some time. Last I heard, the project had
just dumped its
Frank Abagnale, Jr.,
Christian Borle -- right around the same time
Sutton Foster allegedly did.
And then, "poof!" Nothing!
That is until I was reading through
Broadway.com's interview with the bright athletic young actor
Aaron Tveit, who's currently part of the cast for Off-Broadway's
Next To Normal. Turns out, Tveit has been tapped for the man/boy role of Frank Junior, played on the silver screen by
Leonardo DiCaprio:
I'm still pinching myself about working with Nathan Lane. I've been blessed at my young age to work with people who are at the top of our profession, and I'm trying not to take for granted all the things that have come to me.
Tveit (pronounced "ta-VATE") previously played the role of Link Larkin in
Hairspray, both on tour and then on Broadway, and he supposedly was also part of the "first national tour" of
Rent, which seems a little hard to believe given that he's just 24 years old, and the first tour began in late 1996. But whatever. He at least has the appropriate look for the
Catch Me part.
Now, can anyone tell me when this project will finally see the light of day?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Catching Nathan Lane If You Can (July 6, 2006)
Labels: Aaron Tveit, Catch Me If You Can, Film, Marc Shaiman, Musical, Nathan Lane, Scott Wittman, Terrence McNally
Did Critics Provide Passing Grades To Passing Strange?Last evening, Broadway's most offbeat musical
Passing Strange opened at the
Belasco Theatre to some bona fide critical raves (including
mine), although there were some dissents.
The show is based on the early adult years of musician
Stew (née Mark Stewart) with music he co-wrote with
Heidi Rodewald. Directed by
Annie Dorsen and choreographed by
Karole Armitage, the tuner stars
Daniel Breaker (pictured) as Stew's younger self, along with
De'Adre Aziza,
Eisa Davis,
Colman Domingo,
Chad Goodridge and
Rebecca Naomi Jones.
Calling "it wonderful, and a welcome anomaly on Broadway,"
Charles Isherwood in
The New York Times sounds the clarion call: "Although it is far richer in wit, feeling and sheer personality than most of what is classified as musical theater in the neighborhood around Times Square these days, its big heart throbs to the sound of electric guitars, searing synthesizer chords, driving drums and lyrics delivered not in a clean croon but a throaty yelp....Stew brings an invigorating new perspective to the classic coming-of-age narrative. He brings a gently satiric touch too..... This jumpy character -- in the text he is simply called Youth -- is portrayed by the sensational Daniel Breaker, whose performance has grown tremendously since the Off Broadway run."
Asserting that "It's boldly atypical Broadway fare that pulses with a new kind of vitality,"
Variety's
David Rooney heaps on the laurels: "Stew and director/co-creator Annie Dorsen have fine-tuned the material, adding definition and removing most of the lulls from the previously rambling second act in particular....Dorsen's achievement here in giving the episodic musical a satisfying shape cannot be overstated. Working with choreographer Karole Armitage, she creates something propulsive and viscerally exciting out of minimalist staging....The appealing Breaker's light touch never falters, deftly offsetting the posturing pretensions of countercultural hipsterism with his character's youthful ingenuousness.... Whether this personal yet joyously inclusive show is a first step into the form or a one-time excursion,
Passing Strange breaks the mold with electrifying inventiveness."
Offering that "
Strange is truly unlike anything you've seen on Broadway,"
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner hails the show in her three-and-a-half star review: "Stew actually sends up cultural sacred cows, from performance art to punk rock. Racial stereotypes, too, are cleverly evoked and debunked, and there are lighthearted jabs at musical theater itself. But
Strange is no snark fest. Stew and Rodewald reject the sentimentality and bombast that some rock-influenced writers bring to Broadway, and their work has more of the emotional intuition and melodic invention that distinguish great musicals than anything
Andrew Lloyd Webber or his acolytes have come up with.
Strange's humor and heart are enhanced by the cast. Daniel Breaker makes Youth lovable despite his narcissism, and manages a funny, touching rapport with Stew, the narrator."
Praising it as "all smart and all enjoyable and all very good for the theater,"
Newsday's
Linda Winer clearly enjoyed the show: "What's inside is what gives this surface its remarkable traction. Annie Dorsen, a downtown director in her mainstream debut, keeps the seriously comic action -- to use Stew's favorite word -- real. With little more than a few chairs and a back wall (by
David Korins) of jukebox neon lights, the show manages to create at least three different communities of unpredictable individuals with complex internal lives and worldviews. Karole Armitage, a veteran modern-dance choreographer, gives raucous energy to purposefully haphazard running, sliding and spinning for joy. No Broadway unisons here....When Youth tries to impress his German friends with his ghetto-warrior 'Identity Song,' the thing turns out to be a vaudeville....Nobody gets naked here, but everyone is exposed."
Proclaiming it "a hell of a good time,"
The New York Sun's
Eric Grode is mostly positive: "It's a witty, boisterous, often heretical dissection of racial identity in all its modern-day fluidity....Director Annie Dorsen has recalibrated the performances of her excellent original cast for the larger space....Mr. Breaker has that exceedingly rare ability to make post-adolescent self-involvement and sanctimoniousness endearing, and he and Stew have developed an easy rapport that wasn't evident last year. When Youth grabs Stew's microphone during a climactic realization, taking brief ownership of his future, the effect is both offhanded and riveting."
Citing this as "one of the more audacious attempts to bring rock 'n' roll to Broadway,"
Frank Scheck of
The Hollywood Reporter is largely upbeat: "[W]hat it lacks in cohesion and theatrical imagination, it makes up for with musical passion and energy....[T]here's no denying the quality of the hard-driving, stylistically eclectic rock score, with the evening's best number, the hard-driving 'Amsterdam,' proving a true show-stopper. The fluid staging by Annie Dorsen and the minimal but energetic choreography by Karole Armitage add greatly to the show's impact. And the six-person ensemble, led by the highly engaging creator/narrator, deliver terrific performances."
Labeling
Passing Strange an "exuberant if flawed show,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News offers a mixed assessment: "[T]he story feels familiar and smacks of warmed-over '
Wizard of Oz.' The stocky, bald Stew wears hipster shades and a dark suit as he narrates, sings and strums guitar. But he might as well be dressed in
Dorothy Gale gingham and ruby slippers.
What makes the show fresh is the music, which Stew wrote with Heidi Rodewald. Its rhythms and sounds go from hard-thumping rock and groovy blues to funk, punk and gospel....Daniel Breaker is magnetic as the Youth. Eisa Davis adds hilarity and heartache as his caring, churchgoing mother."
Concluding that "although Broadway may not be (Stew's) alley, his offbeat beatness would be a delight to encounter in cabaret,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes nevertheless musters up two and a half stars: "It's also beautifully performed by a beguiling cast -- fun people to be with, even if one has to be with them rather longer than one might have planned....This is a conceit less strange than the show's authors try to suggest: Self-invention is often a prelude to self-identification. Yet, for all its conventionality, Stew's book and particularly his lyrics are witty and pointed. He has a dry sense of humor that's perfectly on-target, and stands back from these presumably autobiographical vignettes with a wry but calculated modesty."
Overall, given the praise that has been showered on
Passing Strange, the question now is whether audiences will finally discover it and make it their own. Certainly, it does not help that the Belasco is on the other side of Broadway, away from the glare of most theatres. But it certainly deserves four times more than the 23.5% capacity crowd it drew last week.
So, if you're smart, I'd advise you to get thee right away to get tickets while excellent seats are still available. I'm sure they won't last long.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Passing Strange (The SOB Review) (February 29, 2008)
Broadway's Strange Opening Night (February 28, 2008)
Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Daniel Breaker, Heidi Rodewald, Musical, Passing Strange, Stew, The Negro Problem
Passing Strange (The SOB Review) - Belasco Theatre, New York, NY
**** (out of ****)
Shout
"Hallelujah!" high to the heavens, for the absolute best, most cosmic musical of the year has arrived!
Strangely enough, it comes in one of the most unusual, unexpected shows I think I've
ever seen. Perhaps it's fitting that
Passing Strange, which opened last evening at Broadway's out-of-the-way
Belasco Theatre, is off the beaten path, for it succeeds in taking the Great White Way in an entirely new, infinitely intelligent direction.
And it's not just that
Passing Strange has a laid-back California meets pulsating Amsterdam by way of a Berlin vibe -- and trust me, I've been to all three places to know firsthand.
It's that its trajectory brilliantly takes a bohemian base and infuses gospel, rock, punk and soul music into a delicious, simmering hot, heterogeneous -- and anything but bourgeois -- bouillabaisse, compliments of a musician named
Stew. This exacting artist (his real name is Mark Stewart) takes us on a wild trip quasi-strolling through an astral plain, expertly telling the story of his own formative adult years with such humor, passion and grace that I found myself tearing up many times over as chills shot down my spine.
While others might dub this "Early Summer Awakening," the fantastical journey (sorry Stew) offered by
Passing Strange's stellar cast and heavenly score makes this a celestial voyage worth taking. Making it all the more worthwhile is the realization that this is largely a true personal account from Stew of his early adulthood laced with enough wry wit and beautiful, clever score to leave you on a real high long after it's over.
I'll be honest with you. Before I
broke the news about
Passing Strange's own ride to Broadway last year, I had never heard of Stew or
Heidi Rodewald (who collaborated on the score) or their band, the
Negro Problem. So when the show began, I had no idea what to expect.
Initial appearances proved deceiving as Stew and his band took to the stage in full concert mode. But it soon gave way to Stew's folksy storytelling of his alter ego, Youth -- a younger version of himself played with awkward charm by
Daniel Breaker. (Allow me to pause here to tell you that a sensational new stage star has emerged in an astonishing breakthrough role. Breaker conveys volumes with a simple roll of his eyes and displays a natural presence found far too infrequently. There
is a Tony nod in his future.)
Set against a distinct backdrop of black and white, the younger Stew feels trapped, pigeon-holed into an existence where the color of one's skin is the defining factor -- oh, and by the way, he happens to be African American. Yet he finds his passage to his future through an unlikely source. Stew's loving mother (a lovely
Eisa Davis) compels him to become more involved with his church. However, she gets more than she bargained for when the minister's son (
Colman Domingo, who exceptionally takes on various roles within the show) turns him on quite literally to all the world's possibilities, one toke at a time, freeing him to begin his quest to find life's deeper meaning.
Just as
Moses showed the way to the
Promised Land without ever reaching it himself, the minister's son inspires the young Stew to take off for Amsterdam. For the first time in my theatregoing experience, I actually felt my seat vibrate as if I were with him on the flight's take-off. To say the least,
Tom Morse's sound design literally rocks.
Once he lands in Amsterdam,
David Korins' stark black-and-white set design gives way to vivid colors where ironically, skin color no longer seems to matter. (The tune "Amsterdam" underscores how exceptionally Stew and Rodewell excel at moving the story forward with inventive, smart lyrics buttressed by hook after musical hook.)
And after expanding his mind with a
coffeeshop cluster of colorful individuals, our Youth advances to the punk side of Berlin. And lives to tell about it.
Often veering toward the existential, this ethereal odyssey ultimately dares to proclaim that you actually
can go home again. But it's delivered with the caveat that you'll be all the richer for having not only dared to dream big, but especially choosing to live even larger.
For that and its glorious score, I couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this smoke-hazed tale. Far from strange, I look forward to passing this way again.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Broadway's Strange Opening Night (February 28, 2008)
Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Breaker, Heidi Rodewald, Musical, Passing Strange, Stew, The Negro Problem, The SOB Review
100,000 And Counting....At the risk of sounding completely self-congratulatory, sometime last night, Steve On Broadway (SOB) enjoyed a major milestone as the site logged its 100,000th "official" hit.
"Official" because the site has actually had many more than that since I wrote
my first post nearly two years ago. But it was just a year ago last week that I installed
MyStatcounter on Steve On Broadway to track traffic and find out where all of you are coming from.
Never in a million years did I think I'd find so many kindred spirits who love theatre as much as I do. And thanks to all my fellow bloggers who have me listed as one of their favorites. Thanks to MyStatcounter, I recognize that without those links you've provided, much of that traffic would never have come my way.
If you are one of those bloggers who link to me as one of your favorites, but aren't listed on the right hand side of the site, please let me know so I can return the favor!
Thanks so much for sharing in my passion for live theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, MyStatcounter, Special Messages
Broadway's Strange Opening NightArguably
the quirkiest musical to tread the Broadway boards this season -- or in years for that matter --
Passing Strange opens this evening at the
Belasco Theatre.
To say it's been a long and winding road on the path to the Great White Way would be an major understatement.
The creation of
Stew (née Mark Stewart),
Passing Strange is based on the bohemian musician's formative adult years, beginning in LA, with stops in Amsterdam and Berlin and back. It's brought to life through his book, along with the score he co-wrote with
Heidi Rodewald, one of his bandmembers from the
Negro Problem.
But the decidedly downtown show's path to Broadway began with a collaboration between
The Public Theater and the
Berkeley Rep, first playing New York last summer during an extended gig before transferring to California's Bay Area.
Now, the tuner is back in the Big Apple, and it's on Broadway.
The show's
MySpace page describes the show as:
...the story of a young black bohemian, who abandons his bourgeois roots to journey to Europe searching for "the real." Discovering a world of sex, drugs, rock and roll and art revolutionaries, our rebel-hero explores love, identity and the meaning of home.
Passing Strange is directed by
Annie Dorsen and choreographed by
Karole Armitage. The musical not only features Stew and his band as an integral part of the staging, but stars
Daniel Breaker as Stew's younger self, along with
De'Adre Aziza,
Eisa Davis,
Colman Domingo,
Chad Goodridge and
Rebecca Naomi Jones.
Might this just become this season's little tuner that could? Find out tomorrow as I not only provide my critics' capsule, but I'll offer my very own SOB Review.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Breaker, Heidi Rodewald, Musical, Opening Night, Passing Strange, Stew, The Negro Problem
Saturday Afternoon In Studio 54 With Bad SeatsRegular readers
will know that when it comes to theatre seats, I prefer to be up close and personal with the stage, so when it comes to buying tickets, I'm usually pleased when an opportunity to purchase Row B seats pop up.
Dear readers will also recall that I offered a
very favorable review of the Broadway revival of
Sunday In The Park With George.
Great show.
Pity about the seats.
When I arrived at
Studio 54 a week ago Saturday, I had that rush of adreneline I get when the usher directs me to the front of the theatre. But when my party of three reached our seats in Row B (seats 7, 9 and 11), we realized that two of the three of us were literally outside the sightlines for the left hand side of the stage. Never mind that we paid
exactly the same price as those with prime center orchestra seats.
There was so much jostling and complaining --
by the people in seats B 3 and 5 -- that they eventually got reseated in the center. Since all this occurred literally right before the show began, the three of us had little choice but to stay put. However, we each moved over two positions.
Now, I realize that the
Roundabout Theatre Company is a not-for-profit operation, but to charge the
same price for these terrible seats and
without any warning that the view is obstructed is just this side of criminal.
So,
caveat emptor to anyone who's purchasing tickets to this wonderful show. If you're offered seats near the front on the sides, either ask what discount you'll receive or flatly refuse. Otherwise, you'll walk away feeling as cheated as I did.
And that's no Sunday in the park!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Sunday In The Park With George (The SOB Review) (February 22, 2008)
Ever Had A Front Row Seat? (October 1, 2008)
Labels: Broadway, Roundabout Theatre, Studio 54, Sunday In The Park With George, Theatre Seating
No Exag-geration: Dead To Depart BroadwayPromotions of
Is He Dead?'s Broadway death
had been an exaggeration. Adverts touted "last weeks" for
Mark Twain 's long lost comedy for, well,
weeks.
But today, official news came that the generally
well-reviewed show would close at Rialto's
Lyceum Theatre on March 9 after just 105 performances.
Adapted by
David Ives and directed by
Michael Blakemore,
Is He Dead? had a deliriously delightful cast, including
Norbert Leo Butz,
Michael McGrath,
Tom Alan Robbins,
Jeremy Bobb,
John McMartin,
Jenn Gambatese,
Byron Jennings and the hysterically funny
David Pittu.
When I caught the show on its opening night (OK, it was really an afternoon), I laughed out loud early and often. It's a shame the show never could find its audience. Last week, the comedy's
average ticket price was a mere $46.83 -- with a capacity of only 53%, it's no wonder that with a total box office take of $182,931, the show finally posted its closing notices despite its best attempts to raise from the dead.
If you haven't seen this show yet and are desperately in need of a good solid laugh, go see it now!
Update (February 26, 10:45 p.m. EST): Late word this evening that the acclaimed London transfer of Macbeth will be taking Is He Dead?'s Lyceum berth beginning at the end of March for a limited eight week run. This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:This Goes Out To All The Lovers (Of Theatre) (February 14, 2008)
Show Deals: Breaking The Code (February 10, 2008)
Is He Dead? Not Even Close Among Critics (December 10, 2007)
Is He Dead? (The SOB Review) (December 10, 2007)
Resurrected Is He Dead? Opens (December 9, 2007)
Discounted Is He Dead? Is Alive Again On Broadway (December 1, 2007)
All Of Great White Way Gleams Tonight (November 29, 2007)
Never Say Never The Twain Shall Meet (August 1, 2007)
Labels: Best New Plays, Box Office, Broadway, Closing Notices, David Pittu, First Word On New Show, Is He Dead?, Mark Twain, Norbert Leo Butz
Fantasy Casting CallsWith all the buzz about a potential film version of
August: Osage County, the
Chicago Tribune's
Chris Jones provided his dream casting for the inevitable movie.
So, not to be outdone, was it any surprise that the
Gray Lady,
The New York Times, had reporter Erik Piepenburg asking theatre industry folks what their ultimate fantasy casting calls would be?
With a huge tip of the hat to
Garrett Eisler of The Playgoer, whose own erudite opinion was tapped and included in the story, check out
here what everyone from A to Z (OK,
Adam Rapp to
Swoosie Kurtz) had to say.
The comments by
Jason Robert Brown should be savored.
And fellow bloggers, isn't this just an extension of
the meme we were playing just a couple weeks ago? Hat tip here, once again, to
Sarah B. at Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment! I'll stick with the choices I already spelled out
here.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Adam Rapp, Adventures In The Endless Pursuit Of Entertainment, August Osage County, Blogs, Broadway, Dream Casting, Jason Robert Brown, Swoosie Kurtz, The Playgoer
A State Of Honorable ConfusionThis morning,
The New York Time's
Campbell Robertson writes about all those shows that
New York Post's Michael Riedel and others have promised were Broadway bound.
The much heralded list includes:
13 - "more likely at this point"
Farragut North - "opening on Broadway in the fall. Doug Hughes directing. 'Exciting people' in the cast"
Guys And Dolls - "pretty much a dead letter"
Pal Joey - "will probably make it here, perhaps next year"
Porgy And Bess - "more likely at this point"
Stalag 17 - "producers postponed the production to the fall of 2008"
The Female Of The Species - now "scheduled for...Broadway in the spring of 2009"
The Wiz - into the abyss
The laundry list of shows many thought would already be performing on Broadway helps explain why Rocco Landesman of Jujamcyn says:
Delays are a normal part of the process.... When a date is announced as an opening date, it’s really a hoped-for date. When a show arrives perfectly on schedule, that’s actually more anomalous.
Or as producer Jeffrey Richard describes the delay of Farragut North:
There was a state of honorable confusion.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: 13, Broadway, Farragut North, Guys And Dolls, Pal Joey, Porgy And Bess, Stalag 17, The Female Of The Species, The Wiz
Hollywood On Broadway, Or I'd Like To Thank......
ABC for enabling thousands of visitors to its "
Good Morning America" set -- at the corner of Broadway and West 44th Street in the heart of Times Square -- not only to see all of next year's
Academy Award statuettes, but especially for allowing us to get
up close and personal with one.
The
free New York exhibition remained opened until 7 p.m. last evening (a similar exhibition was
offered in Los Angeles through Saturday evening as well).
Even though they were tethered down, I have to admit to enjoying my only opportunity to actually hold a real Oscar. I mean, how could I resist?!
Forgive me for not wearing appropriate attire and forgetting to thank you.
The 80th Annual Academy Awards will be
presented on ABC live from Hollywood beginning this evening at 8 p.m. EST. Now, if only I had seen a quarter as many films as I saw stage shows over this past year, I might have a better handle on the winners...
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: ABC, Academy Awards, Film, Oscar, Special Messages, Television
Load-In's TurnI'm not prone to carrying around my camera, but I happened to have mine the other day as I was strolling by Broadway's
St. James Theatre.
There, the load-in was in progress for the revival of one of my
two all-time favorite musicals. Since I've seen more different versions of this classic by
Jule Styne,
Stephen Sondheim and
Arthur Laurents than any other tuner, I thought I'd take a couple shots.
As you can see from the photos, everything's coming up
Gypsy on West 44th Street, this time with
Laura Benanti as Louise,
Boyd Gaines as Herbie, and of course,
Patti LuPone as Rose.
As for me, I'll be in the audience late next month. And that's no gimmick.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Tag, I'm It! (February 4, 2008)
Laurents' Turn: First Gypsy, Then West Side Story (December 18, 2008)
LuPone's Mama Rose, Part 3? (October 3, 2007)
At 90, Laurents Has Still "Got It" (July 27, 2007)
Everything's Coming Up Patti! (July 9, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
It's Official: LuPone's Triumph Earns Encores! (March 19, 2007)
Will Encores Mount All-Star Gypsy? (March 2, 2007)
SOB's 6 Singular Sensations Of '06 - #1: Patti LuPone (December 30, 2006)
Gypsy (The SOB Review) (August 14, 2006)
Labels: Arthur Laurents, Boyd Gaines, Broadway, Gypsy, Jule Styne, Laura Benanti, Load-In, Musical, Patti LuPone, Revival, Stephen Sondheim
Dennis Letts - RIP Sad news this morning for anyone who has had the opportunity to see
August: Osage County. Former Oklahoma-based university professor and actor
Dennis Letts died on Friday. Letts bravely portrayed
August's patriarch Beverly Weston. He was also father of the show's playwright,
Tracy Letts.
According to the
Tulsa World:
He was diagnosed with cancer last September, but he still chose to go to New York to perform in his son's play, which opened in December to positive reviews. He performed in eight shows a week, all while receiving cancer treatment, until late January.
"You're talking to a fellow who's gone from Tishomingo Community Theater to Broadway. That's quite a step," Letts told the Tulsa World in an interview last November.
When I finally saw the Broadway incarnation of
August: Osage County on Valentine's Day, I learned that Dennis Letts would not be performing in the show that evening. Now, of course, I know why. While
Munson Hicks admirably took on the role of Beverly Weston that evening, I couldn't help but miss Dennis Letts, whose soft-spoken dignity in his portrayal was what really drew me inside
August the first time I saw it.
In fact, from the moment I saw Dennis Letts begin his beautifully understated performance last summer in the initial Steppenwolf run of
August: Osage County, I knew I was witnessing something very unique and special in all my theatregoing years.
Here's what
I said then:
Dennis Letts, the playwright's father, in a subtle poignant portrayal who haunts the play long after his lone appearance... My first twinge in realizing just how excellent this production would be was in the opening scene. Beverly is not so much interviewing Johnna (Kimberly Guerrero), a mysterious young native American woman, for a housekeeping position as much as he's preparing her for the tumult she's about to face in the wake of his departure. He's long-since resigned to losing his battle with the bottle and his wife's addictions to the many drugs she takes, yet he wants to leave Violet in caring hands.
After that August performance, I walked down Chicago's Halsted Street by myself, thinking how very fortunate I had been in seeing these landmark performances. As I walked further, I came across another lone figure on the sidewalk. It was Dennis Letts. I couldn't resist striking up a conversation in which I congratulated him on his incredible performance. Toward the end, I said, "I'll bet you are extremely proud of your son," to which he responded, "Oh boy, I am. I am."
My thoughts this morning are not only with his superb stage family -- the Chicago and New York casts and crews of
August: Osage County -- but particularly with his wife Billie Letts, his brother Ray Letts, and his three sons Dana, Shawn and of course Tracy. Here's wishing each of them peace over their loss.
Memorials may be made in Dennis Letts' honor to the North Tulsa Heritage Foundation (322 North Greenwood,Tulsa, Oklahoma, 918.596.1006 or
mlmackey@sbcglobal.net).
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Dennis Letts, In Memoriam, Tracy Letts
Did Critics Offer Praise At New Sunday Revival?Last evening, director
Sam Buntrock's British import revival of
Stephen Sondheim and
James Lapine's musical
Sunday In The Park With George opened at
Roundabout Theatre Company's
Studio 54. The cast of the musical includes
Daniel Evans as George/George,
Jenna Russell as Dot/Marie,
Michael Cumpsty,
Jessica Molaskey,
Mary Beth Peil,
Ed Dixon,
Anne L. Nathan and
Alexander Gemignani.
After having earned
five Olivier Awards exactly a year ago last Monday, were Broadway critics similarly impressed with the show? The answer is a qualified "yes."
Positively gushing in her four-star review,
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner lauds: "[Y]oung British director/animator Sam Buntrock has managed to use technology to enhance the bittersweet beauty of one of that era's most substantive musicals...The superb Daniel Evans makes clear the generational distinctions between the Georges while linking their obsessive, narcissistic tendencies, and making them sympathetic nonetheless. Jenna Russell, a sassy, sensual Dot, is funny, touching and completely convincing as the 98-year-old but still-wily Marie. Buntrock also culls lovely supporting performances from Michael Cumpsty, Jessica Molaskey, Mary Beth Peil and others."
Proclaiming the show "an experience to be savored,"
David Rooney of
Variety sings
Sunday's praises: "Daniel Evans brings moving intensity and a febrile punctiliousness that's almost painful to watch as both 19th-century French Neo-Impressionist painter
Georges Seurat and his great-grandson George, a contemporary American multimedia artist. As his aptly named mistress, Dot, and later as her elderly emigre daughter Marie, Jenna Russell is incandescent....From the first flashes of light that accompany Sondheim's opening chords -- as a charcoal stroke slashes the back wall of designer
David Farley's ingenious blank-canvas, skewed-perspective set and details are rapidly sketched in by
Timothy Bird's
CGI projections -- there's an absolute assurance and thrilling synthesis of creative vision in evidence here."
Labeling this an "elegantly acted, directed and designed revival,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News is similarly enthused: "The excellent Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell reprise their West End roles. Evans brings fiery intensity to each George, but is never mannered. As Dot, Seurat's muse and mistress, and her daughter Marie, Russell draws you in with radiant warmth....Buntrock, a young British up-and-comer, isn't just concerned with 'Gee whiz' effects. His sharp and graceful staging awakens the beauty in the exhilarating score and makes weaknesses in the story -- Act II restates what's already been said in Act I -- fade."
Deeming the production a "glorious revival,"
The New YorkTimes'
Ben Brantley offers a positive review: "The great gift of this production, first staged in London two years ago, is its quiet insistence that looking is the art by which all people shape their lives. As a consequence, a familiar show shimmers with a new humanity and clarity that make theatergoers see it with virgin eyes. And while
Sunday remains a lopsided piece -- pairing a near-perfect, self-contained first act with a lumpier, less assured second half -- this production goes further than any I’ve seen in justifying the second act’s existence.... And Mr. Buntrock’s
Sunday, which also stars a charming Jenna Russell as Dot, has the same intimacy it possessed when I saw an earlier version at the tiny
Menier Chocolate Factory in London in 2005."
Initiating her review with a reassuring, "Fear not. It's still magic,"
Newsday's
Linda Winer offers a mostly favorable assessment: "Whatever the differences -- a few even better, a few not -- this new
Sunday is heart-thumpingly true to the mother lode....The result is a work of art about the making of art, an intimate piece of effortless musical audacity -- and a great bittersweet love story -- that remains among the peak theater experiences of my life....Ultimately, this is nothing less than an unpretentious art-history lesson, a thoughtfully conservative message about the need for order in art. It is also a close-to-the-bone consideration of art's toll on a human being, an inspirational message about the need for people to connect and to move on."
Urging readers to take in the show's "unmissably innovative piece of musical staging,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes offers three stars: "The results, built into the designs by David Farley and the lighting by
Ken Billington, and based on pointillist Georges Seurat's iconic painting, "
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte," is one of the most visually amazing shows ever to reach Broadway. So far as geek wizardry goes, Buntrock and his team of animators, led by Timothy Bird, have possibly reinvented the Broadway wheel.... So far, so good. Then almost total collapse. The second act -- set in 1984 -- unfortunately finds George's great-grandson in the modish American art world, fighting for the patrons and subsidies to finance his own clearly pretentious style of visual art. The story now drifts off into highfalutin fatuity....Clever, but the act is also boring and pompous."
Allowing that this revival is "accomplished enough," Bloomberg's
John Simon delivers perhaps the most sour note: "The James Lapine book is extremely clever, Stephen Sondheim's score even more so. Unfortunately, clever and good are not quite identical.... I found the
original 1984 Broadway production, with scenery by
Tony Straiges and orchestrations by
Michael Starobin, slightly more compelling than this revival....My real problem, finally, is that the songs, though generally impressive, are more apt than appealing, more concert hall than Broadway. It is a musical with rather more mind than heart."
With all the critical raves, even
from me, could this
Sunday In The Park With George possibly be granted an extension beyond June 1? Stay tuned.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Sunday In The Park With George (The SOB Review) (February 22, 2008)
Sunday Opens Thursday Night (February 21, 2008)
Show Deals: Breaking The Code (February 10, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
Sunday In The Park With Daniel And Jenna (May 7, 2007)
"Sunday" In Studio 54 With Roundabout (February 23, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Sunday At The Grosvenor House With Laurence (February 19, 2007)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Sunday in the Park With George Revival Opens in London's West End (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Daniel Evans, James Lapine, Jenna Russell, Mary Beth Piel, Musical, Revival, Roundabout Theatre, Sam Buntrock, Stephen Sondheim, Sunday In The Park With George
Sunday In The Park With George (The SOB Review) – Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54, New York, NY
***1/2 (out of ****)Art isn't easy.
But in the hands of director
Sam Buntrock, an exquisite theatrical masterpiece literally comes to life, bit by dazzling bit, in the stunning revival of
Stephen Sondheim and
James Lapine's
Sunday In The Park With George.
In the first Broadway revival of this classic, now playing in the
Roundabout Theatre Company's
Studio 54 -- a less than optimum venue for the production, which I'll get into another time -- Buntrock's ingenious staging begins with a blank canvas, courtesy of
David Farley's colorless set design, effectively awash in white lighting by
Ken Billington.
But before long, the canvas takes on a life of its own, and it isn't simply because all of its inhabitants (played by a stellar cast) are suddenly abounding with vitality. Here, every minor detail is a major decision.
When Buntrock first staged this show in 2006 at London's tiny
Menier Chocolate Factory, necessity really became the show's mother of invention. Strapped for cash, Buntrock turned to
Tim Bird and
The Knifedge Creative Network to fill in the blanks with an enthralling, radiant projection design that is unequivocally the true star of this musical, making it a gorgeous work of art worthy of a great master.
And speaking of such a master,
Sunday In The Park With George is, of course, a fictionalized account of the painstaking, lonely artistic process undertaken by neo-impressionist
Georges-Pierre Seurat in creating his pointillistic painting "
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte." While the photo above doesn't do it justice, Seurat relied on the right light to blend different colors together, placing perhaps little hues of blue among slight dabs of red to make it appear violet from afar.
The fictionalized aspects of this musical focus on George's interaction, or lack thereof, with each of the subjects in the painting.
Daniel Evans imbues his George with all the manic, single-minded discipline one would expect from a dedicated artist, whether it's his accentuated devotion to "Color And Light":
Red red red red
Red red orange
Red red orange
Orange pick up blue
Pick up red
Pick up orange
From the blue-green blue-green
Blue-green circle
On the violet diagonal
or his becoming so absorbed in the world he's creating that he prefers it to the real thing -- a place that includes his long-neglected mother (
Mary Beth Peil) and Dot, played by an astounding
Jenna Russell in an impish, yet heartbreaking performance as George's simple-minded and attention-starved muse.
The artist seemingly remains unmoved, even after learning that he's fathered Marie, a child bound for America. In fact, the moment that moved me the most was watching the clammy white, luminescent Piel sitting stoically in a haunting display of dignified sorrow as her son steals away her chance to know her only grandchild -- ironic given the incredibly enduring relationship between the George of Act Two and his own Grandmother Marie, who was the same baby that had been stolen away to America.
The first act climaxes with the entire production's pièce de résistance, an apex in which George puts it all together in a brilliant and touching finish as the actors recreate the famous work of art.
It may sound like I'm quibbling here, but the show's second act doesn't quite, well, connect. While still engrossing, it doesn't quite provide the intense kind of emotional tug I'd expected as Marie's grandson George faces many of the same challenges as his supposed great grandfather. Yet it's during this act that Sondheim's memorable score wins the day and eventually helps elevate it to a glorious conclusion.
As
noted at the beginning of the year,
Sunday In The Park With George was one of the top five stage productions I most eagerly anticipated for 2008. While I missed it in London, it was certainly well worth the wait to finally see what is unmistakably a great piece of art.
Sunday In The Park With George is scheduled to run at Studio 54 through June 1.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Sunday Opens Thursday Night (February 21, 2008)
Show Deals: Breaking The Code (February 10, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
Sunday In The Park With Daniel And Jenna (May 7, 2007)
"Sunday" In Studio 54 With Roundabout (February 23, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Sunday At The Grosvenor House With Laurence (February 19, 2007)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Sunday in the Park With George Revival Opens in London's West End (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Evans, James Lapine, Jenna Russell, Mary Beth Piel, Musical, Revival, Roundabout Theatre, Sam Buntrock, Stephen Sondheim, Sunday In The Park With George, The SOB Review
Television Makes Decent CompanyDid you happen to tune in last evening to PBS' "
Great Performances" program featuring
John Doyle's recent Broadway revival of
Stephen Sondheim and
George Furth's
Company?
This was the very production that earned last year's Tony for Best Revival of a Musical shortly before closing. I have to say that I enjoyed reliving the experience I had last year -- additionally, I was a bit surprised in re-reading my
three-star SOB Review from almost exactly one year ago to see that I still completely agree with my initial assessment.
Watching the televised performance was an opportunity to see the show from all angles, including the back of the stage. While Doyle's production is good, it isn't quite great. It's rather uneven, and that's exemplified in the disparity between the unqualified thrill offered by
Raúl Esparza's smoldering Bobby and the overly flat performance by
Barbara Walsh as Joanne.
One plucky delight whom I had not previously mentioned is
Angel Desai as Marta. Seeing her shine once again has me hoping this spitfire will be treading Broadway's boards sometime soon.
If you caught the performance on television, please let me know what you thought.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Getting Rid Of Unwanted Company (June 12, 2007)
Ratings Down, Box Office Up (June 12, 2007)
TONYS: SPRING HAS SPRUNG WHILE COAST REALIZES UTOPIA (June 11, 2007)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote (June 6, 2007)
In The Company Of Underperforming Shows (March 27, 2007)
Company (The SOB Review) (March 2, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Did Critics Find Doyle's Latest Revival In Good Company? (November 30, 2006)
Another Company Opens For Business Tonight On Broadway (November 29, 2006)
Apple Tree In Good Company Among SOB Readers (November 6, 2006)
Labels: Barbara Walsh, Broadway, Company, George Furth, Great Performances, John Doyle, Musical, PBS, Raul Esparza, Revival, Stephen Sondheim, Television
Sunday Opens Thursday NightThis evening, the first full-blown Broadway revival
Stephen Sondheim and
James Lapine's musical
Sunday In The Park With George opens at Roundabout Theatre Company's
Studio 54 under the direction of
Sam Buntrock.
It was Buntrock who in 2006 famously brought the tuner back to life in the fledgling little London theatre known as the
Menier Chocolate Factory, prior to it being whisked away to the West End. There, it dominated the Olivier Awards a year ago Monday, winning five awards, including for Outstanding Musical Production, Best Actor in a Musical (
Daniel Evans) and Best Actress in a Musical (
Jenna Russell).
Now, Buntrock has brought Evans and Russell stateside to cast their spell on the Great White Way's landscape in the first real revival of the beloved show about the labor of love and art.
The cast features many Broadway veterans like
Michael Cumpsty,
Jessica Molaskey,
Mary Beth Peil and
Ed Dixon, along with a couple who know their way around Sondheim revivals:
Anne L. Nathan (Emma Goldman in
Assassins),
Alexander Gemignani (John Hinkley in
Assassins and Beadle in
Sweeney Todd).
The
first Broadway production of
Sunday In The Park With George played the
Booth Theatre for a total of 604 performances, opening on May 2, 1984. Directed by Lapine, the show starred
Mandy Patinkin as George/George and
Bernadette Peters as Dot/Marie. While that
Sunday would fail to win any major Tony Awards (winning only Best Scenic Design for
Tony Straiges and Best Lighting Design for
Richard Nelson), losing out to the year's big winner
La Cage Aux Folles, it would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Here's a taste of irony. Menier is now restaging
La Cage Aux Folles in a sold-out run starring
Douglas Hodge, one of Russell's co-stars from the recent London hit revival of
Guys And Dolls. How's that for putting it together, bit by sweet delicious bit?
With all eyes now focused squarely on Studio 54, will Buntrock's magic be heralded anew? Find out tomorrow as I not only provide my critics' capsule, but also my own SOB Review.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Show Deals: Breaking The Code (February 10, 2008)
Looking Forward: The SOB Top Five (January 2, 2008)
Sunday In The Park With Daniel And Jenna (May 7, 2007)
"Sunday" In Studio 54 With Roundabout (February 23, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Sunday At The Grosvenor House With Laurence (February 19, 2007)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Sunday in the Park With George Revival Opens in London's West End (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Evans, James Lapine, Jenna Russell, Menier Chocolate Factory, Musical, Opening Night, Revival, Roundabout Theatre, Sam Buntrock, Stephen Sondheim, Sunday In The Park With George
August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) - Imperial Theatre, New York, NY**** (out of ****)Last week, I finally returned to
Tracy Letts'
August: Osage County after
having been blown away last August by his absolutely brilliant, riotous script and the stellar performances by its Chicago-based
Steppenwolf cast.
While some of the casting has changed for its Broadway run, the show runs even deeper, more visceral the second time around. It hasn't lost any of its dramatic punch -- if anything, it hits even harder with greater precision that I would not have even thought possible. Credit
Anna D. Shapiro for sharpening this play into a razor-sharp, whip-smart American classic. And it's even funnier, too.
Although
my original SOB Review summarizes the way I still feel about
August: Osage County, there is always a joy in seeing a truly exceptional work for a second time because you're able to appreciate all the underlying nuances that may have slipped by the first time.
While Letts never shies away from an in-your-face verve, he also infuses plenty of subtle charm, particularly in capably bringing his softer moments full circle. One prime example lies within the shades of patriarch Beverley Weston seen in daughter Barbara's eleven o'clock Jim Beam swilling soliloquy. Sure, both Beverley and Barbara were rambling on in front of the hired help, but both were on a search for their very souls.
Another fine example derived from Beverley's one and only appearance comes from his haunting exhortation of
T.S. Eliot, only to see the great poet's work offered up by that same hired help to comfort one key character.
In addition to luxuriating in the play's artful undertow, I also found myself more deeply immersed in each of the fully realized characterizations.
Yes, there is still no denying that
Deanna Dunagan (Violet) single-handedly delivers a bravura performance for the ages as the matriarch of the Weston clan.
Amy Morton still gives as good as she gets -- and even better -- as Violet's daughter Barbara. And
Rondi Reed's Mattie Fae is still likely to remind you of your favorite, if she wasn't so crazy, aunt. These three actresses are all at the top of their game and will surely be remembered come Tony time.
Yet it was the performance of
Francis Guinan as Mattie Fae's long-suffering husband Charlie that really popped for me the second time around. While no character in this show is without their own dynfunctional imperfections, Guinan offers a sweet dignity to the proceedings, especially when considered against one of the play's many revelations exposing the startling truth about his own son.
Additionally,
Mariann Mayberry -- who, like Guinan, is a Steppenwolf ensemble member I've admired in countless roles in Chicago -- offers such a wonderfully delusional turn as Violet's daughter Karen, pretending to have discovered the secret to happiness (equated to New Year's wedding bells and Belize), even though her world is crumbling around her for everyone else to see.
Since first seeing the show last summer in Chicago, I've known I witnessed something very, very special in the world of live theatre. When I wrote
my review last August, I said:
By far the best-written, best-acted play I've ever seen at Chicago's Steppenwolf -- and that's no small feat -- August: Osage County is ensemble member Tracy Letts' masterpiece.
It's mesmerizing.
To say it's the most excellent stage production I've seen this year would be a gross understatement.
Six months later, after much reflection, I can attest that this is
the best new stage play I've seen over the last five years. Now that the show is enjoying an
open-ended Broadway run, do yourself a favor and see it in all its glory.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:August: Osage County Will Extend Again, Moving To Music Box (February 15, 2008)
Is It Just Me, Or... (Part III) (January 22, 2008)
Hot, Hot, Hot August Just Got Longer (January 14, 2008)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #1: Deanna Dunagan (December 31, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #3: Amy Morton (December 29, 2007)
ModFab: The Jury Is In (December 28, 2007)
August: Best Time Of The Year (December 15, 2007)
Sorkin "No Tracy Letts" (December 14, 2007)
More Than One Critic Letts August Esteem Show (December 5, 2007)
August Heat Fires Up December Opening (December 4, 2007)
Cold Opening Possible For August: Osage County? (November 16, 2007)
Finally, Back To The Table (November 14, 2007)
Add August To The List? (November 14, 2007)
An August Work (October 30, 2007)
Steppenwolf Letts "Juicy" August Move Forward (September 15, 2007)
This October, Letts' "August" Begins On Broadway (August 22, 2007)
August: Osage County (The SOB Review) (August 19, 2007)
Labels: Amy Morton, Anna D Shapiro, August Osage County, Broadway, Deanna Dunagan, Francis Guinan, Mariann Mayberry, Play, Rondi Reed, The SOB Revisit, Tracy Letts
Strange Stage-fellowsFascina-ting story today from Michael Riedel about the disconnect between the cast and crew of
Stew's
Passing Strange and the stodgy
Shubert Organization:
When giving notes on Passing Strange, the Shuberts frequently refer to how things were done on My Fair Lady.
My Fair Lady? The wonderful but, well,
old-fashioned musical that debuted on the Great White Way over a half century ago?!
But give 'em credit. They're at least betting on an exciting, revolutionary stage show unlike any other I've ever seen.
When I caught
Passing Strange last weekend, I absolutely fell in love with it and can't wait for the original cast recording. With
Daniel Breaker in a powerfully captivating star-making turn, it's
that good. (More to come in my upcoming SOB Review.)
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Daniel Breaker, Michael Riedel, Musical, My Fair Lady, Passing Strange, Shubert Organization, Stew
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box OfficeLast week was pretty good for Broadway box office business. With Valentine's Day, Presidents Day weekend and decent temperatures, all but three shows enjoyed a
bump up in business week over week.
The week's top show both in terms of gross and capacity was
Wicked, which has now been on the Great White Way for nearly four and a half years. The tuner took in $1,363,888 and had a capacity of 98.2%.
Second place for both important categories was
The Lion King -- now in the 11th year of its box office reign; the musical earned $1,168,780 and played to a capacity of 98.1%.
The only three shows over the past week to see declines in capacity all have rock and roll themes.
First, with a decline of just 1.3% week over week was Broadway's former #1 in capacity --
Jersey Boys, the musical about
Frankie Valli and the
Four Seasons -- which still earned a very respectable $1,136,337 with capacity of 96.6%.
Second, with a decline of 4.3% was
Rock 'N' Roll. The show just never quite clicked on this side of the Atlantic.
Tom Stoppard's play attracted a capacity of just 49.7% and earned $284,190.
Finally,
Passing Strange, the stage musical based on the formative years of real-life musician
Stew, saw a capacity decrease of 7.1% to 32.1% while taking in a mere $101,496. But expect this show to see a significant spike in business once reviews come in after the show opens in a week.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Jersey Boys, Passing Strange, Rock 'n' Roll, The Lion King, Wicked
Broadway & Me And MeOver the weekend, the writer of one of my favorite must-read SOB Daily Blog Reads celebrated her first anniversary writing
Broadway & Me. Congratulations Jan!
If you haven't already checked out her site, Jan mixes insightful Broadway show reviews (as well as for Off-Broadway) along with personal reminiscences of the Great White Way, sprinkled with occasional references to her husband K, who's not only fortunate enough to be a pit orchestra musician, but able to share in so many of her theatrical excursions.
To say that Jan has added an important, vital voice to the discussion of all things theatre would be an understatement. Broadway & Me is a triumph, and I'm proud to say I've been a reader from Day One.
Like me, she clearly loves live theatre, savoring each experience. But don't just take my word for it. Here's what she says:
I'm a theater lover. I am happiest when I am sitting in a theater. Or when I’m talking about theater. Or reading about theater. Or now blogging about it. If you’re reading this, you're probably a theater lover too and I hope you’ll keep me company as I blog my way through this Broadway season.
Here's to one of the happiest theatre bloggers out there, and Jan, here's to another great year of Broadway & Me. You know I'll be along for the ride, keeping you company and talking about our mutual love.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Anniversary, Blogs, Broadway, Broadway and Me
Peer Gynt (The SOB Review) - Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapo-lis, MN
* (out of ****)Ever seen a show where the actors are clearly having much more fun than their audience?
From the moment you step foot inside the
Guthrie's largest theatre for this Minnesodaptation of Norwegian playwright
Henrik Ibsen's
Peer Gynt -- with a surprise 50th birthday celebration already in high gear -- it's clear that the actors are enjoying themselves a little more than they should.
And that they sustain their own personal fun for the next three hours -- as the script meanders from a wedding where a bride runs off with the title character to a troll kingdom to the coast of Morocco to an insane asylum in Cairo to a place not unlike what I’d envision a place like purgatory would be -- certainly says something for
Peer Gynt's large ensemble. Sadly, they rarely achieve a similar response in return from the audience.
In her
analysis of the playwright,
M.C. Bradbrook wrote that "Ibsen’s use of the troll is more than the invocation of a piece of folklore, it is a poetic mode of stating what could not otherwise be stated except at tedious length, thereby losing its force and becoming another thing."
Try telling that to poet
Robert Bly and renowned Shakespearean director
Tim Carroll who have teamed up to painstakingly stage Ibsen’s rhythmic “dramatic” poem that was initially intended only to be read.
It’s obvious to me that this adaptation, which Bly poetically translated to a fault is not quite what Bradbrook -- or Ibsen for that matter -- had in mind. Sure it's ambitious, but the sprawling mess is unmistakably dull.
Bly's translation is not a mere straight-forward retelling of
Peer Gynt. Instead, he turns Ibsen's fairy tale into an ill-conceived, freakishly wild nightmare dreamt by Peter (master Shakespearean actor and current Olivier nominee
Mark Rylance, ironically sounding a bit like
Bobby Anderson in "
It's A Wonderful Life"), a modern-day Minnesotan who's on the receiving end of the aforementioned half century mark surprise party. Carroll takes this theatre of the absurd to a preposterous level, seeing to it that tedium rises with it to unparalleled heights.
Curiously enough, when the stage floor boards come undone via Laura Hopkins' mesmerizing undulating set design,
Peer Gynt's lack of cohesion is unintentionally underscored. It's the play's one true spectacular moment.
But in a show that ostensibly asks its title character whether being yourself is good enough, it’s my sad duty to report that this
Peer Gynt is not.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Guthrie, Henrik Ibsen, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Peer Gynt, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
