Steve On Broadway (SOB)

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Loo

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Loo

So there I was yesterday, watching the very first McLaughlin Group of 2008 when the panel began discussing Mike Huckabee's victory in Thursday's Iowa caucuses.

An image came on the screen of the Huckster's victory speech where he was framed, not by his family, but by Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Norris (Gena O'Kelley). The Chicago Tribune's Clarence Page remarked that it demonstrated how pop culture was attracted to Huckabee's presidential candidacy.

Really?

Ironically, back in September 2006 when I last revisited Wicked on Broadway, Norris and his spouse were seated directly across the aisle from me. I remember thinking to myself how interesting it was to see someone like the politically-conservative Norris -- who's most recently been relegated to sharing fitness tips with Christie Brinkley on infomercials -- taking in one of pop culture's true theatrical sensations. Even more interesting was that Norris clearly didn't like what he was seeing (I surmised it was due to the show's sly references to the current White House occupant). In fact, at intermission, Norris and O'Kelley walked out on the performance.

Another Sunday morning pundit, Chris Matthews, turned up in my audience for Cyrano de Bergerac. At least he appeared to enjoy himself -- I could hear his ... how shall I say this politely ... distinguished laugh from a mile away. (Another celebrity sighting at that October performance was Jennifer Garner's former castmate from "Alias," Ron Rifkin).

Speaking of "distinguished" laughs, when I took in a Steppenwolf opening performance of The Unmentionables back in July 2006, I remember hearing this rather obnoxious laugh coming from behind me. Don't get me wrong. The play itself was a hoot. But this cackle was almost too much. When I turned around, who did I see but a "Friends"-less David Schwimmer.

Which brings me full circle back to yesterday.

One actor who clearly has a friend is Bob Saget, whom I saw yesterday afternoon at the performance of The Homecoming -- the former Man in Chair was in tow with Danny Burstein, one of his co-stars from The Drowsy Chaperone. I first spotted Saget as we were among the dozen or so men standing in line for the men's loo, waiting for a female to finish her business inside (seems the women's line was just too long for her). To his credit, the former "Full House" star was quite affable, making a funny quip and kept his fellow liners entertained.

Call me crazy, but for some reason it made me wonder what Chuck Norris would do.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Bob Saget, Broadway, Chris Matthews, Chuck Norris, Cyrano de Bergerac, Danny Burstein, David Schwimmer, Mike Huckabee, Ron Rifkin, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Homecoming, The Unmentionables

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, January 07, 2008 11 comments

Critics' Verdicts for The Caine Mutiny Court Martial Are In

Critics' Verdicts for The Caine Mutiny Court Martial Are In

A bored Ben Brantley writes in today's The New York Times: "...It is just possible that a stint weighing a worker's compensation case could offer more thrills than this eye-glazing attempt to resurrect Herman Wouk's 1953 play, adapted from his novel 'The Caine Mutiny.'" Ouch!

Most other members of the jury known as critics rendered a damning verdict for The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. But given an innate distrust by some in New York of those from the Left Coast trying their hand at the Great White Way recently, it's probably not surprising that most of the critical sentencing of all was focused squarely on one former "Friend" David Schwimmer.

Comparing director Jerry Zaks' production to summer stock, Newsday's Linda Winer still devotes much of her backhand at Schwimmer: "Sober, earnest, stiff as a toy-soldier." New York Daily News' Howard Kissel panned his performance as well, noting, "Schwimmer conveys none of this complexity. But then the production itself, directed by Jerry Zaks, seldom gets below the surface."

Sounding slightly more enthused were New York Post's Clive Barnes and USA Today's Elysa Gardner, both of whom gave the show ** 1/2 stars. The latter also took issue with Schwimmer's capabilities: "Schwimmer's portrayal of Lt. Barney Greenwald...has the self-conscious, at times preening quality of a diligent but overeager student. His tonally repetitive line readings, particularly in the first act, aren't nuanced enough to relay Greenwald's conflicted feelings about representing a young man whose actions and attitude disturb him."

A decidedly more upbeat Barnes writes, "It is an archetypal example of the well-made, wonderfully pleasurable but basically manipulative play. Well, not entirely manipulative, for at its own simplistic level it's a whole lot of fun and even thought-provoking."

Aside from a near unanimous decision that this 1954 courtroom drama doesn't hold up so well 52 years later, most praise Zeljko Ivanek's portrayal of Captain Queeg as a personal triumph, if not the singular redeeming aspect of this production.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

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Related Stories:
The Caine Mutiny Court Martial Faces Jury of Critics Tonight (May 7, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, David Schwimmer, Play, Revival, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Zeljko Ivanek

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, May 08, 2006 0 comments