Livin' Evita Loca!Sure, the pop culture wags were busy trumpeting
the news that
Ricky Martin would return (yes,
return) to Broadway in its very first revival of
Evita.
But for those of us who had the opportunity to
simply adore Michael Grandage's high-flying production when it first graced the West End a few years ago, we're absolutely thrilled that the Great White Way will finally know the name
Elena Roger. Proving that good things really do come in small packages, Roger is the real deal.
After seeing Elena Roger perform as Eva Peron in 2007, I said:
Making her spectacular West End debut is an astonishing Argentine talent, Elena Roger, who offers an exceptionally nuanced performance as Eva Peron. The compact Roger evolves right before your eyes from the flirtatious young girl seeking her ticket to Buenos Aires stardom to her role alongside Juan Peron to a physically and emotionally impaired invalid. And what a powerful, beautiful voice!
A year and a half later,
I took in a so-so London production of
Piaf. But Elena Roger made it all suddenly seem worthwhile. The reasons I recommended the show were as follows:
First is the opportunity to enjoy a live performance of the timeless songbook from the legendary "Little Sparrow" Edith Piaf. Second is to have it delivered by the abundantly assured and captivating actress Elena Roger in the title role. Just as she dazzled in last year's West End revival of Evita, once again, Roger proves a sensation. Succeeding in eerily channeling Piaf, Roger soars to make for one of the year's most extraordinary and magical performances, almost in spite of the ill-conceived production around her.
I for one can't wait to see what she does next and can only hope that Broadway is paying attention.
Fortunately, Broadway appears to have heard that clarion call.
Sure, it's crazy, perhaps in a good box office sort of way, that Ricky Martin will be portraying Che in the long overdue revival of what is arguably
Tim Rice and
Andrew Lloyd Webber's greatest work.
Yet it's the name Elena Roger that you'll be remembering most after the show opens on Broadway in 2012.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Elena Roger, Evita, First Word On New Show, Michael Grandage, Musical, Revival, Ricky Martin, Tim Rice
Red (The SOB Review) – John Golden Theatre, New York, New York
**** (out of ****)Abstract paintings created by artists such as
Mark Rothko used to leave me cold. But that's largely because I never took the time to really study them closely or scrutinize their fluidity in movement.
That's forever changed now that I've seen
John Logan's magnificent
Red, masterfully directed by
Michael Grandage. Imported directly from London's
Donmar Warehouse,
Red intrigues and titillates the senses with its potent examination of the internal conflicts Rothko (an excellent
Alfred Molina) may have endured in accepting a commission to adorn the walls of the (then) new
Seagrams Building's
Four Seasons Restaurant with his works.
Molina portrays Rothko with a tortured, self-conscious brilliance that turns ferocious on dime, including on his young protégé Ken (a captivating
Eddie Redmayne, in an absolutely stunning Broadway debut). When Ken presses Rothko on whether he has compromised himself in taking the commission, Rothko seeks to redeem himself by declaring contemptuously that what he's creating is "something that will ruin the appetite of every son-of-a-bitch who ever eats in that room."
Resplendent with a mesmerizing recreation of how this artist may have placed paint brush to his canvas, Grandage cleverly leaves nothing to the abstract in framing Rothko's lasting artistic expressions. At that point, just as one of Rothko's works now has a power to do, this enthralling play suddenly snuck up on me and sent chills down my spine.
Red is a masterpiece -- far and away, the best new play I've seen all year. Don't miss it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.Labels: Alfred Molina, Broadway, Eddie Redmayne, John Logan, London, Mark Rothko, Michael Grandage, Play, Red, The SOB Review, Transfer
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #15 - Evita (2007, Adelphi Theatre, London, United Kingdom)
Introduction: Hard as it is to comprehend that we're already 119 months into this "new" millennium, we are fast approaching the end of its first decade. While we have yet to agree on what exactly we should call the '00s, I'll take a cue from the fine folks at The Times of London and the BBC and henceforth refer to them at the Noughties. With that small introduction, I'm pleased to present my list of plays and musicals that wowed me the most during that time. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've seen over the last ten years, I give you my countdown of my 25 personal favorite shows of the Noughties. To see the best revival of the 2006-07 Theatrical Season, I had to fly across the Atlantic and visit London.
Michael Grandage's West End revival of
Evita was unequivocally stunning. I absolutely adored this high-flying, soaring production. Credit Grandage's direction and choreographer
Rob Ashford with once again revitalizing a musical in a most breathtaking, dazzling manner.
Making her spectacular West End debut was an astonishing Argentine talent,
Elena Roger, who offered an exceptionally nuanced performance as Eva Peron. The compact Roger evolved right before your eyes from the flirtatious young girl seeking her ticket to Buenos Aires stardom to her role alongside Juan Peron to a physically and emotionally impaired invalid. And what a powerful, beautiful voice!
Philip Quast brought a deceptively steely charm to his characterization of strongman Juan Peron epitomizing why he and Eva would be "surprisingly good" for one another.
Added to all of this were the newly syncopated rhythms offered by
David Cullen's lush orchestrations (particularly in songs like "Buenos Aires") for what is arguably
Andrew Lloyd Webber's best score, along with a breathtaking set design by
Christopher Oram, and the result was one of the most stellar evenings of live theatre I've enjoyed over the past ten years. It left me on a proverbial "Rainbow High."
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for this performance.Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elena Roger, Evita, Michael Grandage, Musical, Philip Quast, Revival, Rob Ashford, SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #19 - Guys And Dolls (2005, Piccadilly Theatre, London, United Kingdom)
Introduction: Hard as it is to comprehend that we're already 119 months into this "new" millennium, we are fast approaching the end of its first decade. While we have yet to agree on what exactly we should call the '00s, I'll take a cue from the fine folks at The Times of London and the BBC and henceforth refer to them at the Noughties. With that small introduction, I'm pleased to present my list of plays and musicals that wowed me the most during that time. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've seen over the last ten years, I give you my countdown of my 25 personal favorite shows of the Noughties. After this year's
lackluster Broadway revival, don't believe for a minute the prevailing theory out there that no new incarnation of
Frank Loesser's beloved
Guys And Dolls could ever top the Great White Way’s celebrated
1992 incarnation. Unfortunately for Broadway audiences, that superior sexy
mounting from
Michael Grandage in London never materialized stateside
as planned.
By the time I saw this West End hit,
Guys And Dolls already ranked as one of my all-time favorite tuners. Yet never before had I been so thoroughly captivated by Loesser's inherent wit, charm and music as much as I was via Grandage’s sparkling staging. Certainly, the star power of
Ewan McGregor further illuminated his stellar take on Sky Masterson, complete with Brooklyn accent and heavenly singing voice.
Thanks to
Rob Ashford’s enthralling choreography, McGregor also demonstrated a charismatic gift for dance as well. As the token American in the production,
Jane Krakowski was delightfully ditzy and charming as Miss Adelaide. British thespians
Douglas Hodge (soon to make his Broadway debut in
La Cage Aux Folles ) and
Jenna Russell worked magic as Nathan Detroit and Sarah Brown, respectively. The four actors together transformed Grandage’s exhilaratingly fresh take into something truly enchanting.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for this performance.Labels: Douglas Hodge, Ewan McGregor, Frank Loesser, Guys And Dolls, Jane Kraskowski, Jenna Russell, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Revival, Rob Ashford, SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties
Hamlet (The SOB Review) - Broadhurst Theatre, New York, New York*** (out of ****)One of my life's little tragedies is that my ears have rarely been in sync with the Bard's old English.
Typically, I'm faced with either foregoing revivals or bucking up and trying my best to decipher what's being spoken on stage. Yet as a true theatre aficionado, how can I not take the latter path?
As it turns out, my fears in taking in
Michael Grandage's revival of
Hamlet were completely allayed and in retrospect unfounded. Given Grandage's expert and imaginative direction I've witnessed throughout every one of his productions from
dark Russian drama to
classic musicals, I shouldn't have been surprised that he could pull off another miracle.
Fortunately for audiences sharing my apprehension over seeing works by
William Shakespeare because they're more often than not delivered on this side of the pond in a rather stultifying manner, this import from London's Donmar Warehouse is anything but. Thanks to Grandage, this play's the thing wherein I've finally caught the conscience of the king and then some!
High praise must be paid to the innovative
Jude Law for making his
Hamlet come alive. Rather than delivering Shakespeare's words as if they were part of some lost language, Law excels in cracking the code. He finds the depth and nuance redounding in every single word. Each syllable dances off his tongue sounding fresh and vibrant.
That's in part because
Hamlet here is not so much the brooding Danish prince as he is a particularly circumspect one replete with boyish verve and playful vigor. It's a testament to Law's mastery that his impassioned soliloquy immediately
prior to the oft-quoted one containing "To be or not to be" becomes the stand-out passage within this play.
While the brave choices he and Grandage have made may raise the eyebrows of purists, this revival sings, even if not everyone else in the cast can hold their notes quite as well or as long. No wonder shortly after I departed the Broadhurst, I
tweeted half in jest that Jude Law stole the show.
But with Law's towering performance casting a long shadow over my quibbles with his
Hamlet, this is one accessible production of Shakespeare's work that all are meant to see.
This is Steve Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Hamlet, Jude Law, Michael Grandage, Play, Revival, William Shakespeare
Hamlet: 66 And CountingThere are precious few plays that have graced a Broadway stage as many times as
William Shakespeare's
Hamlet.
While it's not known precisely when Shakespeare wrote
Hamlet,
historians believe The Bard wrote this play circa 1601, and it's known that the work was mounted in New York City as early as the following century.
According to the
Internet Broadway Database (IBDB), my go-to source for all things Rialto-related, this tragedy has been previously presented in New York City at least 65 times. IBDB's earliest recorded performance took place back in November 1761 with
Lewis Hallam as the Danish prince. That
Hamlet was mounted at the
Chapel Street Theatre, which stood on the corner of what is now Beekman and Nassau Streets in lower Manhattan.
Most of the other recorded 65 revivals have been staged in Broadway theatres.
The last, performed at the
Belasco Theatre as recently as 1995, earned a Tony nomination for Best Revival. Its
Hamlet,
Ralph Fiennes, took home a Tony for Best Actor in a Play.
Other noteworthy Broadway
Hamlets through the years have included
Stephen Lang (
1992),
Sam Waterston (
1975-76), Tony-nominated
Richard Burton (
1964),
Raymond Massey (
1931),
Leslie Howard (
1936) and
John Gielgud (
1936-37). Many actors have portrayed
Hamlet on more than one occasion, including
Maurice Evans (
1938-39,
1939-40,
1945-46,
1946), the legendary
John Barrymore (
1922-23,
1923), and of course, the premier American actor of the 19th Century,
Edwin Booth (
1864-65,
1870 and
1891).
Hamlet has been so popular through the years, that there have been several instances when competing revivals were produced on Broadway at the same time, including the aforementioned ones with Howard and Gielgud, as well as
the 1931 Broadhurst Theatre revival with Massey competing directly with the
1931 Royale Theatre mounting produced by the
Chicago Civic Shakespeare Society.
Much more recently, two separate Main Stem productions narrowly missed being staged at the exact same time. The
1969 Lyceum Theatre revival with
Ellis Rabb as
Hamlet ended April 26, a mere five days before
the 1969 Lunt-Fontanne Theatre production starring
Nicol Williamson opened.
Now, for at least the 66th time,
Hamlet is being revived in Manhattan. Once again, Shakespeare's tragedy is being staged at the
Broadhurst Theatre, this time via the transfer of a highly acclaimed production from the formidible
Donmar Warehouse in London. Directed by the estimable
Michael Grandage, this revival stars
Jude Law as the eponymous prince who exacts revenge for his murdered father.
Personally, I've only seen
Hamlet performed once on stage, and tedium set in quite quickly. Same went for my experience in watching the Academy Award-winning
Best Picture of 1948, even with the late, great
Laurence Olivier as the prince. So while I am sincerely looking forward to seeing Grandage's interpretation of this work, I'll go in with just a little trepidation as I normally do
whenever I see Shakespeare.
Whether audiences share my apprehension remains to be seen. Or not to be seen.
This limited run of
Hamlet opens October 6 and is currently slated to close December 6.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Edwin Booth, Hamlet, John Barrymore, Jude Law, Laurence Olivier, Maurice Evans, Michael Grandage, Play, Revival, Transfer, William Shakespeare
Guys And Dolls (The SOB Review) – Nederlan-der Theatre, New York, New York
*1/2 (out of ****)Don't believe for a minute the prevailing theory out there that no new revival of
Frank Loesser's beloved
Guys And Dolls could ever top Broadway’s celebrated
1992 incarnation. Unfortunately,
that superior sexy
mounting from
Michael Grandage in London never materialized stateside
as planned.
Instead, we're stuck with
Des McAnuff’s impossibly dull and benign production of the classic story of how gambling loses to love around the fringes of the Great White Way. What particularly depressed me was how this revival falls flatter than the giant screen capturing
Dustin O'Neill's frequently more captivating projection design.
Any production in which Nathan Detroit (an ineffectual
Oliver Platt) becomes a tertiary character -- not only competing here with
Tituss Burgess' 11th hour heights as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, but also a
Damon Runyonesque character essentially aping “
Where’s Waldo” -- proves that even this gem of a show can be completely misdirected.
Fortunately, there’s no mistaking Loesser’s glorious score or
Mary Testa's trademark brilliance (albeit in cameo form) as General Cartwright. Small consolation for one of the worst musical revivals I’ve ever seen (and full disclosure:
Guys And Dolls is my all-time second favorite tuner.).
Oh well.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Des McAnuff, Frank Loesser, Guys And Dolls, Michael Grandage, Musical, Oliver Platt, Revival, The SOB Review
Frost/Nixon (The SOB Revisit) - State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota*1/2 (out of ****)You'd think that all the ongoing Oscar buzz generated by the
film progeny of Broadway's
Frost/Nixon would be enough to place everyone associated with the
current national tour squarely on their "A" game.
With stage director
Michael Grandage apparently phoning it in with a lackluster ineffectual cast, I'm sorry to say that you'd be very wrong.
Granted, I just saw the silver screen incarnation over the past two weeks, and yes,
I thought it better than the original Broadway mounting (see my 2007 SOB Review
here). But this touring production pales dramatically in every sense of the word and is likely to disappoint the throngs of filmgoers who have been inspired to seek out the source material. If ever I doubted the extraordinary ability of
Frank Langella and
Michael Sheen to rise above
Peter Morgan's script, those doubts have forever been put to rest, even as the current cast sinks beneath it.
First and foremost,
Stacy Keach is just plain wrong as
Richard Nixon. Keach is a distinguished actor, to be sure, but he only rarely achieves any of the Nixonian cadences and posturing Langella effortlessly mastered. Sure, Langella may only bear a fleeting approximation to Nixon, but he had me believing. Even
Bob Ari, the actor who portrays
Robert Zelnick doing a Nixon impersonation is better (Ari also understudies Keach, after having understudied Langella on Broadway). The overly robust Keach, on the other hand, doesn't even seem to try, instead eerily coming off more like the personification of
Peter Griffin of television's "
Family Guy."
Speaking of cartoonish performances,
Alan Cox as
David Frost infuses his characterization with a mad dash of
Austin Powers. Sadly, to say that he gives the best performance of the evening is not saying much.
Perhaps the worst is the laughably miscast
Brian Sgambati as
James Reston, a narrative role intended to provide an undercurrent of moral and righteous indigation. However, Sgambati's Reston is merely a boy scout, exhibiting an inappropriately earnest gee-whiz half smile that makes questioning of whether Frost should work with this "loose cannon" completely incongruous -- loose marble is more like it.
Do yourself a favor, save your loose change and go see the far superior film version of "Frost/Nixon" with Langella and Sheen in lieu of the impeachable tour. It's one of the few times I've ever recommended a silver screen incarnation over a live stage show.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alan Cox, Brian Sgambati, David Frost, Film, Frost/Nixon, Michael Grandage, Peter Morgan, Play, Richard Nixon, Stacy Keach, The SOB Revisit, Touring Production
Ivanov (The SOB Review) - Wyndham's Theatre, London, United Kingdom**** (out of ****)My recent experience of taking in the boring Broadway revival of
Anton Chekhov's
The Seagull notwithstanding, I was dreading seeing another of the playwright's works so soon after landing in London.
After all, I had very little sleep on the flight across the pond, and the idea of taking in any matinee one day after gave me tremendous pause. How on earth was I going to stay awake?
Fortunately, the
Michael Grandage-helmed revival of Chekhov's
Ivanov was so vibrant and alive with pleasure, brimming with dark humor throughout, that I found myself completely rapt with attention. With excellent new adaptation from
Tom Stoppard,
Ivanov soars higher than any seagull dares fly.
I'll go even further to say that boredom was never this much fun. Entertaining and enlightening, literally and figuratively (nicely underscored by
Paule Constable's gorgeous lighting design), this play about the bored upper classes drew requisite comic relief for its allusions to our current financial doom and gloom.
Even better,
Ivanov captures ballast from one of the year's best ensembles on either side of the Atlantic. Yes, today's contemporary Laurence Olivier
Kenneth Branagh was absolutely brilliant in the title role, but this actor's actor clearly knows how to graciously share a stage. Chief among them is the breathtaking
Gina McKee as
Ivanov 's long-suffering, gravely ill wife Anna Petrovna. McKee turns in one of the year's most heartfelt performances, radiating enough warmth to melt the icy bitterness from any Russian town, past or present.
With uniformly scintillating performances from a sterling cast that doesn't take itself too seriously, there's no doubt why
Donmar Warehouse's superb
Ivanov is the West End's must-see sensation this fall.
Eat your heart out
Ben Brantley -- this is the real deal. I can only hope this revival receives a Broadway transfer.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Anton Chekov, Gina McKee, Ivanov, Kenneth Branagh, London, Michael Grandage, Paule Constable, Play, Revival, The Seagull, The SOB Review, Tom Stoppard
Ivanov AfternoonWhile today's
big theatrical event (for me) is reserved for this evening, this afternoon will find me taking in one of London's hottest tickets.
At the behest of
Modern Fabulousity, I snared tickets to see
Kenneth Branagh perform in the title role of a new revival for
Anton Chekhov's
Ivanov. Helmed by
Michael Grandage, this "new version" of the classic play is supplied by none other than the estimable
Tom Stoppard. This
Donmar Warehouse production is also being performed as the launch of the theatre company's year-long residency at Wyndham's Theatre.
While described by many London critics as a "must see," the assessment mattering most to me was from the real arbiters of West End taste: the West End Whingers. I was relieved to
read in their review:
Although Act 1 was distinctly un-gripping, Act 2 was better and good enough to get the Whingers back after the interval. It got grippier and grippier and by Act 4 the Whingers were having a whale of a time.
If not a whale of a time, I'm hoping my decision to reel in some tickets at least proves to be time well spent.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).Labels: Anton Chekov, Donmar Warehouse, Ivanov, Kenneth Branagh, London, Michael Grandage, Modern Fabulousity, Play, Revival, Tom Stoppard, West End Whingers
Grandage Guys And Dolls Set For Great White Way
Regular readers will recall how much
I loved this revival -- it doesn't hurt that the musical itself ranks as one of my personal favorite musicals of all time; after all, it's
real Broadway-based show. Of course, when I had a chance to see it in London during the fall of 2005, it starred
Ewan McGregor as Sky Masterson and
Jane Krakowski as Miss Adelaide. No word yet on who will take on those roles stateside -- the casting notice would suggest that the production will take a color-blind approach, which makes it even more intriguing.
With captivating choreography by
Rob Ashford and Grandage's exhilarating and fresh direction, this is sure to be one of the top shows of the 2007-08 Theatrical Season.
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Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, Guys And Dolls, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Revival
Casting News That's Anything But De-Bate-AbleLast week, several major casting announcements were made that had me pondering potential trips. There are a number of actors I would traverse the globe in attempts to see perform live.
Currently at the top of the list, based entirely upon the past week’s casting notices, is film actress
Kathy Bates. The Academy Award-winning star will be performing in Philadelphia this October 26-November 25 in the world premiere of
Terrence McNally’s
Unusual Acts Of Devotion at the Philadelphia Theatre Company’s new
Suzanne Roberts Theatre.
Bates has long been one of my favorite film actresses. I admire the way in which she convincingly and effortlessly flits from one memorable role to the next. I’ve long vowed that if I ever had an opportunity to see her live on stage, I would make the effort. Guess I’d better start planning a weekend in Philly.
Second is the captivating
Ewan McGregor, who simply blew me away with his 2005 portrayal of Sky Masterson in the London revival of
Guys And Dolls. Now, teaming once again with director
Michael Grandage, McGregor is slated to star in a Donmar Warehouse revival of
William Shakespeare’s
Othello. The limited engagement opens in London on December 4.
I’ve rarely passed up opportunities to visit the United Kingdom, and given my affinity for Grandage’s other efforts, I just may find myself West End bound later this year.
Last, but certainly not least, I was thrilled to read that
Jefferson Mays is already preparing his next role post-Journey’s End. Mays, who won a Tony for his one-man tour de force performance in
I Am My Own Wife a couple years back, will now take on the role of Professor Henry Higgins in an upcoming revival of
George Bernard Shaw’s classic
Pygmalion. The
Roundabout Theatre Company will be producing this limited run at the American Airlines Theatre beginning on September 14 (opening night production will be October 11).
Unfortunately, I missed out on seeing Mays in both
I Am My Own Wife and
Journey’s End, so I’m going to try to make a point of seeing
Pygmalion, one of my personal favorite plays of all time.
Finally, on the potential downside, it was reported that
Hairspray will be getting a new Wilbur Turnblad. “
Leave It To Beaver” star
Jerry Mathers will take over the role next month. While I suppose it would be grossly unfair to judge his capabilities, I must admit that this quirky bit of stunt-casting doesn’t seem to be designed to really boost the show. But since
the film version is opening during his scheduled three months, expect the theatre to be packed by curiosity seekers hoping to see a train wreck, alongside those who simply want to see the film-inspired stage version that inspired the latest movie.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Ewan McGregor, First Word On New Show, Kathy Bates, London, Michael Grandage, Othello, Philadelphia, Pygmalion, Unusual Acts Of Devotion
Frost/Nixon (The SOB Review) – Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, NY
*** (out of ****)
Call it a case of overblown expectations.
No, I am not a kook.
After tracking the trajectory of
Peter Morgan’s play, from the time London’s
Donmar Warehouse announced the impending world premiere through its opening night on Broadway, I’d placed this show at the top of my list of dramas to see.
As previously noted, I’m a student of history and politics and vividly recall the actual landmark interviews of Nixon by British talk show host/gadfly/womanizer
David Frost, as well as the traumatizing, cataclysmic historic events that led Nixon to his place as the only president to resign his office.
While Morgan succeeds in going beyond the one-dimensional characterizations of the duo that are all too easy -- and, in fact, demonstrates a surprising degree of empathy for the former leader of the free world (so much so that I wondered whether his reading signaled a desire to declare Nixon’s much-desired rehabilitation complete) -- his fictionalization of conversations that never took place took me aback. Most egregious was Nixon’s drunken phone call to Frost late in the play.
Captivating? Yes. Memorable? You bet. Fascinating theatre? Without a doubt. But, such flagrant abuse of the facts borders on an abrogation of artistic license.
The play may run an intermission-less two hours, but
Michael Grandage’s direction moves the production along quickly after a slow start.
Frost/Nixon’s finest moments are derived directly from the interviews themselves, and that’s when the production shifts into high gear. It’s during these passages that
Frank Langella (Nixon) and
Michael Sheen (Frost) really shine. Just as Langella is breathtaking as his Nixon steamrollers over Frost in the early interview stages, you can’t help but be awed by how Sheen’s Frost cowers like a punch drunk fighter not knowing what hit him.
Notwithstanding the flaws in Morgan’s overall script, the two actors deliver two of the most riveting performances of the year. Their body language alone exhibits more potent artistry than the vast majority of performances I’ve recently seen. While it took some time for me to get beyond Langella sounding more like
Walter Cronkite than Nixon (and Sheen initially comes across more like a shrill
Austin Powers), each acquits himself well beyond a reasonable doubt.
In the end, however, almost in spite of Nixon’s apology during the last interview for his wrongdoing, it’s the magnificent Langella who triumphs with the 2006-07 Theatrical Season’s most impassioned, nuanced performance. That makes
Frost/Nixon a must-see event.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Broadway, David Frost, Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon, Michael Grandage, Michael Sheen, Play, Richard Nixon, The SOB Review
Critics Acquit Frost/Nixon
Praising it as "briskly entertaining,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley is very favorable: "[L]et it be proclaimed, with drums and fanfare, that theater decisively trumps television in the production that opened last night at the
Bernard B. Jacobs Theater....Most of the credit for this victory belongs to a truly titanic performance from the man playing the famously sweaty victim of a cool medium. That’s
Frank Langella, whose portrayal of Nixon is one of those made-for-the-stage studies in controlled excess in which larger-than-life seems truer-to-life than merely life-size ever could."
Proclaiming the play "one of those definitive Broadway experiences" in his three-and-a-half star review,
New York Post's
Clive Barnes opines: "It is the job of the actors and the director (referee, perhaps?)
Michael Grandage to make it interesting. And do they ever. You watch with the kind of fascinated delight rare in the theater as Langella and Sheen go at one another with the dedicated skill of a Muhammad Ali and a Joe Frazier."
Citing "pair of champion actors at the top of their game,"
Elysa Gardner of
USA Today offers up three and a half stars: "Langella's Nixon...seems a little buffoonish, though the actor wisely stops short of caricature. However shameful or complacent Nixon might seem, however dopey his jokes about political life or his perspiration problem, Langella provides subtle, masterful hints of the reserves of frustration and cunning his character harbors..As supremely entertaining theater, though,
Frost/Nixon is an undisputed winner."
Calling it "entertaining if sketchy," the Associated Press'
Michael Kuchwara is positive: "The play is awash in urgency, both verbally and physically. Under Grandage's direction, it never stops moving, particularly while setting up the ultimate confrontation between talk-show host and subject....Langella perfectly captures (Nixon's) defensive uncertainty....Yet the actor's portrait is never cartoonish, and despite his ultimate admission, a degree of sympathy emerges for the man."
Labeling this as "lean and "
David Rooney of
Variety is mostly upbeat: "(Morgan's) first stage play turns the potentially dry docudrama of a disgraced former president's unexpected public apology into lively sociopolitical reflection....while it's easy to imagine the play seeming more fragile with less resourceful actors, (
Michael) Sheen and Langella could hardly be better....(Sheen) brilliantly underplays both the character's smarmy brashness and his faint air of desperation. Sheen's nuanced work as Tony Blair in "The Queen" was vastly underappreciated amid all the hosannas heaped upon Helen Mirren, and he risks a similar slight against the formidable Langella. Grandage nonetheless maintains a keen balance that serves both actors."
I'll be providing my own review of Frost/Nixon after taking in the show next week.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon, Michael Grandage, Michael Sheen, Play, Transfer
Frost/Nixon Ready For Broadway Close-Up Tonight
Will American critics offer the same high level of praise as their British counterparts, or is a frostier reception in store? Find out tomorrow as I report on their reviews.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon, Michael Grandage, Michael Sheen, Opening Night, Play, Transfer
Evita (The SOB Review) - Adelphi Theatre, London, United Kingdom**** (out of ****)Last weekend, I flew to London to see the
Michael Grandage's excellent revival of
Evita before it closes in May. I absolutely adored this high-flying, soaring production. It is by far one of the best shows I've seen throughout the past year.
Credit Grandage's direction with once again revitalizing a musical in a most breathtaking, dazzling manner. As in 2005's revival of
Guys And Dolls, Grandage has teamed up with choreographer
Rob Ashford to effectively and vivaciously move along the story, this time of Eva Duarte Peron.
Fortunately, unlike in the film version, the darker side of the Perons remains intact within the book; Ashford's mesmerizing choreography brings the backstabbing struggle for power within Argentina's military to life, showing Juan Peron as a man who could only be trusted at a soldier's own peril. And of course, given that the clawing Evita herself was no saint, Grandage practically installs a revolving door on her bedroom for the rousing number "Goodnight And Thank You," and later rhapsodically illuminates how readily Peron's first lady enjoys the spoils of her husband's inherently corrupt regime.
Making her spectacular West End debut is an astonishing Argentine talent,
Elena Roger, who offers an exceptionally nuanced performance as Eva Peron. The compact Roger evolves right before your eyes from the flirtatious young girl seeking her ticket to Buenos Aires stardom to her role alongside Juan Peron to a physically and emotionally impaired invalid. And what a powerful, beautiful voice!
Philip Quast brings a deceptively steely charm to his characterization of strongman Juan Peron epitomizing why he and Eva would be "surprisingly good" for one another.
As Che, the seductive
Matt Rawle might resemble
Antonio Banderas, but his glorious voice is much more in tune with
Mandy Patinkin. And thankfully -- even though in a nod to the
1996 movie, the song "You Must Love Me" has been added to great effect -- Peron's mistress (an angelic
Lorna Want) brilliantly reclaims the tune "Another Suitcase In Another Hall" absconded by
Madonna for herself on the silver screen. Want's brief yet amazing turn makes me want to see more of her in the future.
Add to all of this the newly syncopated rhythms offered by
David Cullen's lush new orchestrations (particularly in songs like "Buenos Aires") for what is arguably
Andrew Lloyd Webber's best score, along with a breathtaking set design by
Christopher Oram, and the result is one of the most stellar evenings of live theatre I've enjoyed over the past twelve months. It left me on a proverbial "Rainbow High."
This Evita is unequivocally stunning. But if you'd like to see it, you'd better get thee to London soon since the show closes May 26. Given its relatively short life on the West End stage (less than one year), the original plans to transfer to Broadway might now be in jeopardy.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:May Requiem For Evita In London (February 28, 2007)
Sunday At The Grosvenor House With Laurence (February 19, 2007)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Evita to New York: I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You (June 28, 2006)
High Flying Adored: Evita Conquers the West End Critics (June 23, 2006)
Hello, Buenos Aires! New London Revival of Evita Opens Tonight (June 21, 2006)
Labels: Elena Roger, Evita, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Philip Quast, Revival, Rob Ashford, The SOB Review
West End Guys
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for London tickets. Click here for U.K. tour information. Related Stories:
Labels: Closing Notices, First Word On New Show, Guys And Dolls, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Revival, Stunt Casting, Transfer
Hello, Buenos Aires! New London Revival of Evita Opens TonightWill Argentinian actress Elena Roger demonstrate more than
just a little touch of star quality when she takes to the West End's Adelphi stage this evening for the hotly-anticipated London revival of
Evita?
There's certainly plenty of production quality among the team for this remounting of the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical, starting with director Michael Grandage, who turned last year's
Guys And Dolls into an unmitigated success. Rob Ashford, fresh from Broadway's
The Wedding Singer, has reteamed with Grandage to provide fresh choreography.
It also probably goes without saying that the original Hal Prince-helmed
Evita helped turn actresses Elaine Paige and Patti LuPone into first ladies of the London and Broadway stage, respectively. But can it do the same for Rogers? We'll know tomorrow whether the critics exult in a
rainbow high.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elena Roger, Evita, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Opening Night, Revival, Rob Ashford
London’s Theatrical Hodge-PodgeI’ve talked at length about the excellent Michael Grandage revival of
Guys And Dolls in London’s West End. While I’ve devoted considerable attention to Ewan McGregor’s Sky Masterson and Jane Krakowski’s Miss Adelaide, I’ve also mentioned how Douglas Hodge and Jenna Russell
worked their magic in the roles of Nathan Detroit and Sarah Brown.
Last week I noted that
Russell has now moved on to portray Dot in the critically-acclaimed
Sunday In The Park With George in the West End. Now, it’s time to devote some well-deserved ink to Hodge, who gave an inspired and truly brilliant performance of his own in
Guys And Dolls. Not only is he about to take on a role about as diametrically opposed to Nathan Detroit as an actor can get, he’s also about to direct a revival of one of the British Isle’s favorite wartime comedies (see photo).
First up, Hodge takes to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre stage this evening in the title role of
Titus Andronicus, possibly one of The Bard’s goriest plays about the carnages of war. In addition to Hodge’s participation, what makes this production even more of interest is that for the first time in its history, the normally open-air Globe will be covered for this performance in order to accommodate the elaborate set design by William Dudley.
Titus Andronicus is slated to run until October 6.
Second, Hodge will helm the revival of
See How They Run -- a World War II-era comedy about mistaken identities in a quaint English village whose citizens prepare themselves for invasion by Nazi Germans. This production is due to open at London's Duchess Theatre on June 29.
Alas, while he has been previously nominated for an Olivier Award for his supporting work in
The Caretaker six years ago, Hodge has yet to make an appearance on the Great White Way. With all his endeavors on the London stage, it’s anyone’s guess when American audiences may have the opportunity to be charmed by this dynamic and gifted actor in person, other than to catch a flight to the United Kingdom. But movie audiences might have their chance when the film
“Scenes of a Sexual Nature” with fellow
Guys And Dolls alum McGregor and the amazing Eileen Atkins, among others, opens sometime later this year.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Titus Andronics tickets.Click here for See How They Run tickets.
Related Stories: Sheen/Langella to Portray Frost/Nixon in London (June 2, 2006)
Swayze Lands London's Detroit Role (June 1, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre, London, UK) (May 26, 2006)
Labels: Ewan McGregor, Guys And Dolls, London, Michael Grandage, Musical, Play, Revival, See How They Run, Sunday In The Park With George, The Caretaker, Titus Andronicus
