Theater Review

Not For The Faint of Heart

Gary Lucas — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:36:16 +0000

Not For The Faint of Heart Gary Lucas October 1, 2024 - 10:36

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Gus Birney in Our Class

If you are in NYC or plan to visit soon, I urge you to witness a major theatrical event—the searing and profoundly memorable play Our Class, now playing at Classic Stage Company 136 East 13th Street through Nov. 3rd.

The pivotal moment of this in-your-face, sometimes shocking, and brutal tour de force is the massacre of pretty much the entire Jewish community of Jedwabne, Poland, in a horrific pogrom that took place on July 10th, 1941.

I am inextricably connected to this hideous event as all my Polish Jewish family on my mother's side, then living in Jedwabne, were rounded up by their Catholic Polish neighbors and locked in a wooden barn, and incinerated there.

This story was suppressed for years in Poland. Still, a few Jewish people who managed to escape the barn memorialized this tragedy in a Yizkor Book (Memory Book) published in Israel, which included the names of all the victims—including my mother's original family name of Piekarski, which chillingly is invoked in this play—and which preserved the memory of this shocking crime over the years among the relatives of the annihilated Jewish community scattered all over the world.

I first heard about Jedwabne in whispers from my mother after she read excerpts from the Anne Frank Diary in Life Magazine in August 1958, when it was published in the US.

When she finished reading excerpts to me and my siblings, I asked her:

"What happened to our relatives in Poland?"

"They were burned to death in a barn along with the entire Jewish community of Jedwabne."

Despite my young age, even I quickly did the math and was shocked to realize that this tragedy had taken place a mere 17 years ago—ONLY YESTERDAY—and I shuddered involuntarily.

It's all here in a tumultuous, nearly 3-hour play which, utilizing many avant-garde theatre techniques (projections, animations, mime, sound manipulation, interpolated fragments of Yiddish songs, and repeated breaking of the fourth wall), brings the sweeping panoply of 20th Century Polish history to life in this tale of a mixed elementary school class of Jewish and Catholic children—a class who despite their religious differences exhibit much innocent love towards each other in the first flush of youth—and how the boys and girls of the class are torn apart when History tramples over them in the form of militant Polish nationalism and the advent of two invading armies (Russian and German), which seeps away and rends the entire cultural, political, and moral landscape of their youth asunder.

Directed by Igor Golyak and written by Tadeusz Slobodzianek, this play caused a firestorm of controversy when it premiered in Warsaw in 2009. This was also the case with the publication eight years earlier of Polish historian Prof. Jan Gross's book Neighbors, about the Jedwabne pogrom, which blew the lid off the 60-year hushing-up of details of this atrocity in Poland.

The NYC production, which ran at BAM Fisher Theater in January of this year, boasts an excellent cast highlighted by Gus Birney (pictured above) and Richard Topol. It is not for the faint of heart. This passion play (!) will leave you shaken (and you don't have to be Jewish).

Coming as it does with alarming rising levels of anti-semitism in the world and the two-headed Dogs of War currently howling on the World-Historical stage, it could not be a more timely play. Attendance is mandatory!

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Painting by Cheyenne Schiavone for my song “Jedwabne"

ADDENDUM (24 October 2024):

Last night, after the performance of this amazing play, Scott Richman, director of the NY/NJ chapter of the ADL, led a panel discussion that included personal statements about Jedwabne from Scott, the Ukrainian director Igor Golyak, and three people who took part in the official apology ceremony in Jedwabne by invitation of the then Polish government. We three all made the journey to Jedwabne in July 2001 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of this hideous pogrom, and we three bonded there. Two of us are direct descendants of victims of the Jedwabne massacre.

Scott and Igor spoke first: Scott made a statement about distressing rising levels of anti-Semitism worldwide, and Igor discussed his own complicated relationship with the material and the current war between Ukraine and Russia (he has lived in both countries).

Next to speak was Rabbi Miller, the South African-born son-in-law of Rabbi Baker of Israel.

The late Rabbi Baker had meticulously collected eyewitness accounts of the Jedwabne massacre along with a list of all the Jews who perished in the barn that day. Rounding up, torturing, and then incinerating all the Jewish men, women, and children in the barn that day was just the beginning--followed by dismemberment with axes and shovels and burial in a mass grave. Rabbi Baker arranged to have his findings published in an official Yizkor Book (Memory Book) in Israel.

News of the publication of this Yizkor Book caused a stir in Poland, eventually leading Polish historian Prof. Jan Gross to thoroughly investigate the Jedwabne crime and publish his own findings in his book Neighbors, which on publication in Poland touched off a firestorm of controversy which is still raging there, including vehement denial by the powerful Catholic Church (several years ago the revisionist Polish government passed a law making it a crime to use the phrase "Polish Holocaust" in any context).

My old friend Ty Rogers was next up and spoke eloquently about his personal discovery and investigatory research into the crime of Jedwabne over many years. I made the final statement and related my own complicated relationship with Jedwabne, which I first learned about from my late mother at age 6.

I cannot stress it enough, Our Class is just phenomenal. There are 13 more performances at the Classic Stage Company CSC theatre on East 13th St, and you should really try to see them before they close in NYC. I brought my old friend Ken Hurwitz, who works for the Open Society Foundation, with me last night, and he was shaking his head in awe and admiration of the play's power at the close,

I've seen this play written by Tadeusz Słobodzianek three times now, and it never fails to draw me in—and to draw tears. It is so fresh and vital. And very, very intense. As mentioned, it's directed by Ukrainian wunderkind Igor Golyak and superbly acted by an ensemble who perform this nearly 3-hour play with ferocious energy and jeu d'esprit. This may well be the best acting currently on view in NYC. Special standout performances are by the luminous Gus Birney and the Class Teacher Richard Topol, but the whole ensemble is fantastic.

I was so honored to take part in the panel afterward last night.

Thank you to producer Sara Stackhouse and the Arlekin Players Theatre.

Above is the song I wrote about Jedwabne at Rabbi Baker's suggestion while we were there in July 2001. Recorded in NYC with Ernie Brooks, Jerry Harrison, Billy Ficca, Jason Candler, Jenni Muldaur, and Alva Rogers, it first appeared on my Gods and Monsters album The Ordeal of Civility, released on Knitting Factory Records. I've sung it at the annual Jewish Heritage Festival in Kazimierz Krakow and at Symphony Space here in NYC on a bill with the late Theodore Bikel and other great Jewish artists.

It's sad to say that this song may well have cost me shows in Poland currently.

But I will continue to perform my song and speak about what happened in Jedwabne to the end of my days.

For more info, please read my "Letter from Jedwabne," published in The Forward: https://forward.com/.../jedwabne-pogrom-poland-gary.../

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The Hills of California

Gary Lucas — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 17:08:08 +0000

The Hills of California Gary Lucas September 29, 2024 - 13:08

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Broadway

The Hills of California is a superb play. It is three hours long, and we found it riveting, with no filler. Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem) and Sam Mendes (The Ferryman) return to Broadway as just about the best writer/director tag-team currently on the scene.

The story takes place in postwar England in a shabby seaside resort hotel in Blackpool, Lancashire. Off-stage hotel owner and widow Veronica Webb is dying, and her extended family arrives one by one to pay their last respects (and also usher her into the ranks of the Choir Invisible with a willing doctor).

In flashbacks, we see scenes of the vibrant, sexy mother who daily drills her four talented and charming young daughters into a Midlands version of the Andrew Sisters (and they really do sparkle! You can actually believe the Webb Sisters could have been massive given a break from the showbiz Gods; they are that good).

The character of Veronica, played by phenomenal Northern Irish actress Laura Donelly, is not far afield from Rosalind Russell's "Rose," the show-biz mother from hell in Gypsy.

A cautionary tale of sisterly rivalry and music biz dreams deferred if not dashed (the greasy American impresario who finally comes to audition them coldly picks one daughter out of the four as the only possible "star" in the act and takes her upstairs to "audition" her), and the residual bitterness and jealousy that poisons the ranks of this formerly close-knit family who drift apart after the child-act is broken up, the cumulative effect is affecting and heartbreaking (but with lots of comic turns and laughs abounding).

At the close the audience leaped to their feet and gave the large ensemble cast (many of whom were imported from the show's hit production in the West End) a prolonged standing ovation and much cheering. Truth be told, both Caroline Sinclair and I had tears in our eyes at the end. The play is that powerful.

For some reason, there has not been ONE review in the local media of NYC since the play opened here last month, which is mind-blowing and speaks volumes about the "official" cultural mandarins and critical apparatchiks afoot in our fair city.

Now playing at the Broadhurst Theater 235 West 44th Street, NYC, and extended through December.

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Illuminated in the Warm Glow of His Long Shadow

C. Jefferson Thom — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 19:08:22 +0000

Illuminated in the Warm Glow of His Long Shadow C. Jefferson Thom August 6, 2024 - 15:08

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Shakespeare

If it hadn't been for two of his actors compiling their working scripts from past productions, we might not have the plays of William Shakespeare. It was Henry Condell and John Heminges who preserved his plays and, oddly enough, it was a Chicago actor named Sam Wanamaker who spear-headed the movement to build this theatre dedicated to his memory and the continuation of his work.

Anyone visiting London should explore the option of taking a trip back in time to the southern side of the Thames where there stands a theatre called Shakespeare's Globe. Built not far from the footprint of the original Globe, this transporting re-creation was constructed with the utmost attention to detail and a profound love and dedication to its subject. Sporting the only thatched roof in all of London (those went out of fashion after 1666 for some reason), this theatre is as authentic as it gets, right down to the wooden pegs holding everything together in lieu of metal nails. Shakespeare is very arguably the greatest author in the English language and to stand in this space, seeing sites so similar to what he saw and hearing his words spoken so trippingly on the tongue by such actors… 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. It certainly was for me.

When I arrived in London, it was one of Shakespeare's greatest villains who was trodding the boards… the infamous Richard III. As Shakespeare worked without the aid of electricity in his time, I opted to see a matinee subject to the whims of natures' lighting. Sitting on that communal, wooden bench and watching that performance is the closest this fanboy has ever felt to one of his greatest heroes.

This almost all-female cast turned the tradition on its nose without any need to belabor that point. Where it counted most, these roles were magnificently filled. Michelle Terry rips Richard a new one, playing him more on raw guile than any cunning more refined. Her Richard is brash, vulgar, and reckless with some strong parallels being drawn to the United States's Rotten Orange of leaders rather than to any in Britain's own backyard. Her power is overwhelming and her energy builds with a burning crescendo which spirals out of control as the fated king loses his grasp of this mortal coil. Shakespeare's Richard is one of my personal favorite villains in all literary history and Terry's portrayal of him will stick with me as an interpretation of note. Helen Schlesinger's performance as Buckingham also stands out, bringing light and dimension to a role which can sometimes whither under its subservience to Richard. However, Schlesinger's strength and presence remind us that powerful individuals often only maintain that power at the whim of other equally powerful individuals who crave the spotlight less. This was a theme much coaxed out in this production, and one with the strongest parallels to the would-be tyrant across the sea, especially as former allies are quickly discarded once their usefulness has escaped them. Such galvanizing interpretations and majestic performances from two profundity-steeped players. I truly hope I have the opportunity to see them both on the stage again.

Photo: Marsy Gallardo

There were many more performances and production qualities worthy of mention, but as I write, this production is coming to an end. So, sadly, if you haven't already seen this Richard III, it likely means you already missed it. But there is reason to rejoice in that the plays of Shakespeare go on here and yet another memorable production continues tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow… to the last syllable of recorded time. Or so I hope, because there is something essential that this production possessed: clarity. Shakespeare's language is dense and while it is brilliant in that density, it can often be difficult to decipher, particularly for the untrained ear. That is why it is the duty of the actor to solve The Bard's many puzzles and present their audience with the answers (or, at least, the answers they arrive at, for there are infinitely many). Put more simply, these actors made Shakespeare's words clear and understandable, so even if you are not an Oxford scholar or seasoned actor yourself, these performers know how to bring you into His world and show you why his words have lasted for so long. When it’s done right, there’s really nothing better.

Aside from their stage productions, Shakespeare's Globe also offers a wide variety of tours. I took their Shakespeare's Globe Story & Tour which was an enlightening option for someone with a thirst for a greater understanding of this author and the world he wrote in. In connection with the tour there is a museum with displays that should work well to grab the interest of children, but to be fair, I don’t believe that my exceptionally bright almost-ten-year-old daughter would have been able to fight off the demon of boredom, so the Globe may be an experience best saved for mature teens and those older.

In closing, this is a rave, 5 star, run-don't-walk review of Shakespeare's Globe. I maintained a very full and thrilling itinerary for the 8+ days I spent in London and the four hours I spent enveloped in the glow of the Globe were some of my happiest from the trip. So if you're in London, why wouldn't you want to experience one of the greatest things that a proud nation has so much reason to be proud of?

For more information and to book your experience at Shakespeare's Globe, go to:

https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/

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More Than Skin Deep

Jay Reisberg — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 14:23:20 +0000

More Than Skin Deep Jay Reisberg March 31, 2024 - 10:23

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puppets

Epidermis Circus

Soho Playhouse, New York City

March 20 through 24, 2024

In the days when vaudeville audiences were eager for "odd" entertainment, performers--traveling the USA's various "circuits," both high and low--competed in coming up with new, different, or totally unique acts. Notoriously, Robert John Wildhack gained cachet by demonstrating a hilarious variety of sneezes (which you can still enjoy in the movie "Broadway Melody of 1938"). There was "Painless Parker's Dental Circus," whose act was pulling teeth with the help of "hydrocaine" (a cocaine solution). Let's not leave out women like Ethel Purtle, who played the Motordrome Circuit, performing the "Wall of Fire" stunt with a live lion seated in a sidecar. Today, we think we are more sophisticated, as we have "performance artists" -- and some indeed are artists, like Canadian puppeteer Ingrid Hansen, who wowed sold-out audiences at the Soho Playhouse last week with her Epidermis Circus.

The title of this zany, bawdy, and hilarious performance piece reminds me of a jest children play upon one another: dolefully warning an unsophisticated playmate that "Your epidermis is showing!". (I suppose it's the very first time kids learn that the epidermis is another term for their skin.) Ms. Hansen is called a puppeteer, with the implication that one is primarily manipulating figurines -- but her epidermis is unabashedly doing most of the work in her enormously entertaining, one-hour madcap vaudeville show. It is chock full of riotous, naughty, and mystifying vignettes using her bare hands, face, mouth, tiny toys, and a doll's head.

Ms. Hansen comes closest to conventional modern puppetry when transforming her socks and panties into a romantic couple, whose intensive interaction incorporated the outstretched arms of two audience members, whose limbs provided the platform for a tragically moving romance. Ms. Hansen's "stage," upon which all but that one sequence is performed, is a table positioned in front of a petite video camera, which magnifies and projects her manual and facial artistry onto a large screen -- with her voice providing clever chatter and sound effects.

Ingrid Hansen has performed puppeteering on television for both Sesame and Henson productions. She plays the character "Heart," a lovable orange monster, on Helpsters, Sesame Workshop's Emmy-Award-Winning series for AppleTV+. She also puppeteers and voices characters on Henson's new Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock series. For the TreehouseTV/Amazon show Miss Persona, she puppeteers "Melissa the Dog." She has choreographed and directed several music videos, including choreographing a ballet for stand-up comedian K. Trevor Wilson, which appears in the Canadian sitcom Letterkenny.

I recall as a child using my hands as imaginary animals, and Ms. Hansen propels such kid stuff to a high adult level. Her hands-only sequence of two dog-like creatures playing and probing one another was captivating, earning the audience's intense focus, only to be punctuated by gales of spontaneous laughter. My favorite vignette featured the head of a kewpie doll fastened to Ms. Hansen's hand, forming an athletically flexible human-like figure taking a sensual bath in an oversized coffee cup.

Ms. Hansen's hands-in-motion have the kind of presence that is often attributed to the greatest stage performers. Their movement, combined with her skill for vocalization, establishes colorful characters playing out their scenarios, transfixing the audience and creating pin-drop silence interspersed with spontaneous bursts of laughter.

The closing sequence was a tour de force: creating a farm scene with tiny toy animals, vehicles, and structures, each emerging from Ms. Hansen's elastically flexing mouth. This "farm" endures some intensely inclement weather -- finally being washed away, and a "The End" flag was then precipitated from Ms. Hansen's mouth to signal that the show had concluded.

In addition to this bawdy "adult" version of the show, the week's run also provided child-friendly performances.

Epidermis Circus was produced by SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles and was co-created and directed by Britt Small. Ingrid Hansen is credited as co-creator and performer. Costumes were designed by JIMBO, The Drag Clown (James Insell). Epidermis Circus was also co-produced by and with creative contributions from Kathleen Greenfield. Puppetry coaching is credited to Mike Peterson and Rod Peter Jr.

For information regarding future performances of Epidermis Circus and other works produced by SNAFU, visit the SNAFU website: www.snafudance.com.

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That's Entertainment

Gary Lucas — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 19:32:00 +0000

That's Entertainment Gary Lucas November 19, 2023 - 14:32

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SABBATH'S THEATER

We went to the first preview of this tour de force and what can I say but that it did not disappoint, not by a long chalk. John Turturro was simply incandescent and brilliant as were Elizabeth Marvel and Jason Kravits. This is by far the greatest adaptation of any Philip Roth novel I've seen in any medium and the ensemble acting and direction was riveting. Hilarious, shocking, smutty, and teetering on the cusp of tragedy throughout, with as vivid and life-affirming a character as only Philip Roth could have conjured up (think Alexander Portnoy as aging artiste erotomaniac), John Turturro's Mickey Sabbath is a comic antihero for the ages, on the order of a Jewish version of J.P. Donleavy's wild Ginger Man, brimming with a comic-demonic life-force rivaling Mark Rylance's star turn as Rooster Byron in Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem, and David Thewlis's Johnny in Mike Leigh's Naked. Run, fly, but by all means see this play which is destined to be a huge hit. They're going to be raving about John Turturro's performance in this as long as people continue to go to the theater. And kudos to Jo Bonney's superb direction. Now playing at The New Group's Linney Theater on West 42nd Street.

Sabbath's Theater now extended to Dec. 17th. Tickets and info: https://thenewgroup.org/production/sabbaths-theater/

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La, la, la… The actor is me, Alora Dagnino

C. Jefferson Thom — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:00:26 +0000

La, la, la… The actor is me, Alora Dagnino C. Jefferson Thom September 25, 2023 - 16:00

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I am a 44-year old playwright. I spent eight years in NYC working in the theatre and I have very little use for most things Disney (except Coco. I really love Coco). So why would I go see The Little Mermaid? Great question. Simple answer… I have a little girl in my life and if that's what it takes to expose her to the magic of the stage, then I'd even sit through a production of Cats. So while I certainly have my thoughts on this musical and this production, I feel it would far more appropriate and interesting to look at it through the eyes of Alora.

Alora is an eight-year-old girl with a vivid imagination and when I asked her about her experience seeing The Little Mermaid, these were some of her responses…

"Good. Good. I liked the amount of talking and singing. It was a good amount of talking and not all singing. My favorite songs were "Part of Your World" and "Under the Sea". My favorite character was The Little Mermaid [a.k.a. Ariel] and my favorite part about the character was the actor. I liked The Little Mermaid’s flying. Is that real flying? Can she really fly? I thought the story was good, it was great… I give it 100 points. I also liked Sebastian and how he sang the song "Under the Sea." Seeing The Little Mermaid in Seattle is sooooo cool. It felt more good than the other show [while Sondheim is more to my liking, it turns out he doesn't play as well with 8 year olds]. Ursula was so scary but I liked how it ended. It was so cool."

Alora was very interested in my typing and at one point decided she wanted to type the name of the actress who played Ariel:

dianhuey -- alora

…she missed an a, but I'm hoping Diana will understand. She also felt it necessary to type her name after as a sort of sign off.

When asked if she liked the romance in the show she spat out an initial "Yuck!," but after some twisting of the arm, but she confessed that she liked when The Little Mermaid fluttered her eyes and puckered her lips, trying to get the Prince to kiss her (this was accompanied by an spot-on demonstration). When I asked if she wanted the Prince to kiss Ariel she reluctantly admitted, "Yeeeaah." I didn't need her to tell me this, I was watching her reactions during the romantic moments and it seemed like she was getting a little swept away. While I am conflicted on the way Disney sells romance, seeing her excitement during "Kiss the Girl" was pretty endearing. We'll just put a pin in that and save some conversations about reality for a later date.

At this point, apparently not completely comprehending the purpose of this review, Alora broke out into song and wanted me to write down how she was singing… I shall indulge. She is joyful. She is happy. She makes bold and sweeping gestures. The songs touch on feelings she can relate to and she emotes with great passion.

"La la la, What is this stuff. Isn't it neat. What is that? It is my friend fish. My friend fish talks. What is this stuff. La, la, la… The actor is me. The actor is me, Alora Dagnino!" I should note, English is Alora's second language and she only started learning it this January. I wish my Spanish had come so quickly.

The affect that this production had on our little girl was self-evident. She's never seen the movie but she retained so much of the music and sings the songs back, adding a lot of her own words as you may have noticed, but getting the melody basically right. This is after seeing it once, so it clearly left an impression. She walks around acting out the scenes and assigning roles to the dogs in our house. The dogs have had a mixed appreciation for her determined direction.

We probably could have gone on like that for a while, but it was a school night and she needed to take a bath. So, did I have thoughts… sure. I almost always have thoughts where theatre is concerned but they would likely bore you here. Though I will note that Coleman Cummings was exceptionally good as Prince Eric… not the first role you would think of as standing out, but he was on point and I'd like to see him in another role someday. That being said, if you’re one who enjoys the wonderful world of Disney, I would recommend seeing this production, particularly if you have young children. I would also recommend having a little girl, if you’re so inclined to have children in your life. As it turns out, they're pretty awesome. - Alora Dagnino & CJT

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Unease in Sequence

Robert Cochrane — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:39:04 +0000

Unease in Sequence Robert Cochrane July 13, 2023 - 09:39

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fiction

Photo: Paul Hubbard

THEY (starring Maxine Peake)

Manchester International Festival

The John Rylands Library, Manchester, UK

5^th-9^th July 2023

The John Rylands Library is a late Victorian gothic masterpiece, an act of philanthropic largesse to the city of Manchester by the widow of the industrialist whose name it has long immortalised. It is also an unusual choice for a performance space, normally a place of hushed, almost hallowed silences, it has in recent days been the home of a uniquely inspired theatrical event.

The actress Maxine Peake is a personage not averse to risks and challenges, indeed if she were it is unlikely that she would have tackled the novel They by Kay Dick, but it is to the audience's benefit and the wider world's reward that she has. When the book appeared in 1977 anyone who held expectations of its author were in short supply. She hadn't published a novel for over fifteen years, and when this one arrived it was nothing like any of her previous works.

Set in a strange but unspecified future England it has an interlocking series of almost dreamlike vistas narrated by an observer whose gender the reader has no knowledge of. Paranoid in tone but deeply poetic in its pared down and spartan prose, it is a disturbing read. "They" are everywhere, in the distance or lurking nearby. Artists are taken away and returned if lucky as reprogrammed zombies. Paintings are removed from galleries. Pages are torn from books. It is indeed a grave new world.

The book sank at the time having garnered a cursory set of reviews, one describing it a "menopausal" and by 1980 was out of print and well on its way towards forgotteness. It is an example of the limitations of an audience's expectations of an author, a maverick arrival jars, though in the context of Kay Dick's life it makes sense. A friend of George Orwell's it was she who managed to get Animal Farm into print, hence the bleak, almost sci-fi tone of the book has antecedents. Apart from another largely autobiographical novel The Shelf, about a lesbian affair with a married woman who commits suicide, no further work emerged from the mercurial writer who died out of print and in obscurity in 2001.

What Maxine Peake (adapted and co-created by Maxine Peake, Sarah Frankcom and Imogen Knight) has done is to astutely and finely fillet elements of the story and turn it into a tightening knot of developing drama. The audience are facing each other as she prowls and paces the space between them, though some are lucky enough to be festooned in the cloisters to look down at the proceedings as though in a gallery. Peake reads from sheets. It has the feel of a lecture and sermon, combined with elements of "a happening." Her voice carries with the clarity of a birds aloft the magnificence of her setting. As she reaches the end of a page, she drops it to floor and whilst the performance progresses steps over them as though navigating a street of crazy paving. The evening darkens outside; hence the atmosphere is enhanced naturally by the fading light entering via the stained-glass windows. Her tale of grief and fear is almost too claustrophobic to sanction, but as the end nears, via the beautifully rendered prose, hope and defiance returns, and an edge of positivity remains. It is a deeply unsettling but rewarding accomplishment, deftly delivered but never overstated.

Kay Dick's novel was rediscovered and republished last year after a publisher's bidding war, to wide acclaim as a lost dystopian masterpiece with plaudits from Margaret Atwood and Edna O'Brien. Its themes of artistic sublimation and societal unease more pertinent to now than when it was written largely to be ignored. Maxine Peake's strikingly assured performance should be taken from city to city. This is a parable for our times, created long before them, that deserves to be staged, widely and in unusual places. That this one transpired in the sanctity of a magnificent library betrayed a neatness of touch, a deftness that will be hard though not impossible, to replicate.

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A Larger Awareness of Real Loss

Jay Reisberg — Tue, 09 May 2023 18:02:22 +0000

A Larger Awareness of Real Loss Jay Reisberg May 9, 2023 - 14:02

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drama

The Magazine
Written by Christie Perfetti Williams
Directed by Matilda Szydagis
The Sargent Theater, 314 West 54^th Street, NYC
(through May 13, 2023, tickets available at carnivalgirlsproductions.com/)

This is the era in which mass shootings, particularly at educational venues, are an almost weekly occurrence. The parents of children murdered in these horrific events are, one-way-or-another compelled to move towards coming-to-terms with the unthinkable. I use the phrase "move towards" because, truly, the goal of attaining a semblance of peace on the abrupt loss of a child is often a quest that can accomplish a great deal but may never totally end.

This is a topic I can address -- and judge from my family's own experience. Prior to my birth, my parents had a son, normal and healthy, meticulously cared for by my mother. It was early 1944, when out of the blue, at age six months, my mom noticed him breathing oddly, and called the family doctor. He asked her to hold the phone receiver to the baby's mouth so he could hear his breath, and then directed her to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. The boy had contracted encephalitis. The doctors at the hospital tried to requisition the new medication Penicillin, at that time only available for the military, which they determined would save him. This request, during wartime, was denied. The baby was intubated and died two days later -- and my mother was grief-stricken to the bone, and my two-year old sister stopped eating in response to her mom's intense grief. Doctors instructed that my sister be taken out of her mother's care until the intense grief reached some degree of stabilization. My mother never, ever fully recovered, and a small suit case of the baby's clothing was stored in the family garage, along with a stack of a hundred condolence letters -- items only to be tossed after my mom's death in the late 1990s. Over many years my Mother attained some peace, but the sting of her loss showed up pointedly from time to time. I mention this because it has sensitized me to what was authentic (or not) in such scenarios. The Magazine tells of the experience of a mother and father, portrayed by Lori Funk and Ric Sechrest, when their seventeen-year-old son is killed in a school shooting in an upstate New York community -- and the play begins as they are just starting out on what is sure to be a tortuous extended excursion toward some sense of closure (the kind of closure my mother's loss of a child took many years to reach).

When I first read its plot synopsis, I wondered if The Magazine which dramatizes the couple's ordeal, would be a polemic about gun control (which is being endlessly tossed about in the media right now). Instead I was pleased to be treated to an authentic rendering of what parents endure when confronted with the unthinkable. Playwright Christie Perfetti Williams vividly renders in an at once intimate and direct manner, the untidy permutations of grief and anger, including the kind of comic relief that naturally occurs even in tragedy -- and the unexpected complications that show up in such scenarios. She crafted this into reality with wonderfully naturalistic dialogue delivered by a superb troupe of seasoned actors.

The "magazine," in the title of the play stands for the secrets that are revealed when someone is suddenly removed from the family. In this play this secret is revealed to be multiple subscriptions to tawdry porn magazines which were ordered by the underaged decedent -- the cancellation of which presents humorous (and later poignant) interaction between James Hadlow and an ornery customer service worker at the porn publisher, played with panache by Arlene A. McGruder. The porn magazines comes to the attention of the religious mailman, portrayed by C.K. Allen who gets wind of the unholy contents of the Hadlow's mail and wants to save the recipients from perdition. Both Ms. McGruder and Mr. Allen, may play minor roles, but they have as much of an actor's presence as do Ms. Funk and Mr. Sechrest. This is equally so with the character of a psychic advisor played, by Kristen Vaughan, from whom our mother seeks grief counseling. Their conversations together proceed in such a relaxed and ambling manner giving them a special ring of reality.

The mother's experience of grief and loss initiates introspection regarding alternative paths she could have taken, which might have offered her a life that included the kind of adventure and freedom she experienced in her youth. This comes up during her conversations with Max Hall, with whom she attended high school and had a school girl flirtation. Max, now a widower, has had some success as a musician and comes back to his hometown for a performance. In conversations with him, our mother talks of her travels and admits she'd like to have those kinds of adventures again -- but perhaps she’s resigned to continue in her life where she's ended up.

The structure of The Magazine is played out in a series of short and medium-sized scenes, which jump cut (to use a phrase borrowed from the movies) from one to the next. This structure lacks the direct linear flow of more conventional plays. This manner of exposition, is an enhancement in that it compresses the showing of the process which the parents are undergoing as they begin to venture into the un-chartable territory of loss and grief. Of course this is just their beginning, but at least they aren't drinking nor medicating themselves into a stupor to ease the pain. They are engaged, and that is what matters, that is what is admirable, and even heroic.

Matilda Szydagis' direction rendered the action of the play as utterly natural, with nothing forced, and nothing out-of-kilter as the actors delivered Perfetti Williams' equally naturalistic words. All the players displayed the relaxed precision customary among dedicated professionals. Special kudos go to Lori Funk and Ric Sechrest for performances which anchored the atmosphere of the play, allowing the rest of the cast's acting to flow seamlessly from scene to scene. Funk gave what I consider a tour-de-force performance with a kind of focused presence which compelled me to award her my most acute attention.

Regarding theater -- or entertainment arts at large: I never want to be entertained again, and desire solely to be inspired, to have my sense of humanity and compassion enhanced and empowered. The Magazine is an inspirational play -- both in its writing, direction, and performances. When I/we read of mass shootings at schools, and elsewhere, such a work as The Magazine opens theater goers to possess a larger awareness of the authentic stories that reside beyond the mechanistic renderings of journalistic "human interest".

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Reasons Not To Be Afraid...

C. Jefferson Thom — Mon, 08 May 2023 00:38:40 +0000

Reasons Not To Be Afraid... C. Jefferson Thom May 7, 2023 - 20:38

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Theater Review

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Musical

The cast of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo: Tracy Martin

If you're watching a slasher movie and the guy in the hockey mask doesn't terrify you, or at least present an intimidating figure, then you're facing a different kind of danger. And so is the case with the title character in Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. If Sweeney doesn’t kill it with terror, then disinterest has a real chance to survive…

5^th Avenue's present production of Sweeney Todd has a murder on its hands and evidence would indicate the blame lies with casting for vocal merits at the sacrifice of acting chops. Vocally, there is little room for complaint. This cast is stacked with strong singers, filling an essential necessity for such a powerful and challenging score. The same cannot be said for the production's acting capabilities, a problem which starts right at the top with Yusef Seevers's Sweeney. Seevers seems to struggle with capturing Sweeney as a character. He has little to no presence, which is disastrous when you have lyrics stating "…Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle." Those rats ain't scuttling this time around, instead Seevers drifts aimlessly from scene to scene, lacking any command of the moment, and often being upstaged by his counterparts.

Two of those upstaging counterparts are Anne Allgood (Mrs. Lovett) and Jesus Garcia (Pirelli). Allgood is a revelation, giving an interpretation of the murderous entrepreneur Lovett that would stand out on Broadway. Her character is crystal clear from her first appearance on stage and continues on, supported by a confidence that allows her to completely relax into her role. She is funny without pushing and conveys her inner thoughts naturally with a subtle ease. Allgood lives up to her last name, making it look easy, and her performance alone is worth the price of admission. Garcia offers a brief but memorable performance as Pirelli, providing comic relief while knowing exactly what to do with his short time on the stage.

With these and a few other exceptions, the acting struggle is systemic, which makes all evidence point to the core issue of direction. Jay Woods fails her actors from the lack of a coherent directorial vision down to basic staging. Actors wander about as if anxious to figure out where they belong and seem to have been left rudderless on a sea of character study. The lack of a steady, guiding hand is palpable and the bold choices that are made are somewhat baffling. A striking example of this is the choice to direct an entirely ham-handed sex scene during one of the musical’s most famous and beautiful moments as four separate songs overlap into one surmounting cacophony of overwhelming sound. The intercourse comes in prematurely, causing us to rubberneck our focus on the car crash to our left instead of the stunning sunset straight ahead. This choice does nothing to further the moment and is truly puzzling. The climax is meant for the audience in hearing this euphoric moment (something which, again, the cast does well to deliver) and is better left implied for Anthony and Johanna. This confusion of choice carries over into Danielle Nieve's costume design which is oddly all over the place. Elements of Steampunk clash with Sci-Fi mixed with more realistic period attire, lacking in cohesion and resulting in looks that could be described as a Judge Turpin out of Plan 9 from Outer Space while the Beadle's costume suggests that he may have flown in on a hot air balloon from Kansas. This is all very much at odds with Lex Marcos's very competent and considered scenic design. Intimidating, pointed pikes jut up from below as elegantly sharp arches hover from the proscenium above, both threatening to come together at any moment in a world-ending chomp, successfully creating a source of constant tension for the play to fearfully exist in. That such a poignant set design should be made to co-exist with such a confused look in costumes again speaks to Woods's overall difficulty with vision and direction.

Sweeney Todd is arguably one of the greatest achievements of one of musical theatre's greatest composers, so there is much to be said for taking the opportunity to hear Sondheim's songs sung so soundly. However, many of the profound and galvanizing themes embedded in its words are left largely unexplored in this production. 5^th Avenue shows great potential but falls short of being the genuinely worldclass playhouse I sincerely hope they one day become.

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Seattle's Tromp with Sondheim

C. Jefferson Thom — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 02:01:20 +0000

Seattle's Tromp with Sondheim C. Jefferson Thom February 21, 2023 - 21:01

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sondheim

Sarah "SG" Garcia, Eric Ankrim, and Cayman Ilika in Into the Woods at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo Credit: Mark Kitaoka

Stephen Sondheim was arguably one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century bringing the often showy and sometimes shallow world of musical theatre to depths and levels of complexity less-explored by the artform. That being said, Into the Woods is one of my least favorite of his musicals. It's long, it's wordy, and in contrast to its fairy tale façade, the content of the piece can be excessively heady and lack the basic fun one could reasonably expect from a musical adaptation of the Brothers Grimm. I brought my eight year old little girl with me to this production and her review was simple, "I thought there was going to be a wolf and there was no wolf, only a guy in a fur jacket and then they were singing, and singing, and singing…". I think there's something profoundly honest there. So this fairy tale may not have been written for young children, but how does this production fare for a more mature audience?

The cast displays a mixed level of experience with its Broadway veterans making themselves easy to spot. Eric Ankrim's "Baker" is the production's grounding cornerstone and is well complimented by Cayman Ilika with her bright and energetically charged portrayal of the "Baker's Wife." Ankrim is understated, relaxing into his role as a man who is not used to being the center of attention but is reluctantly thrust into a hero role he can only partially fill. It is an honest performance that helps illuminate some to the piece's difficult themes. Mari Nelson offers a solid "Narrator" competently steering the story's direction and setting its high energy level, though her moments as the Baker's Father are markedly less convincing. Joshua Miller's "Jack" is a sympathetic and lost little boy with an endearing quality. Sarah "SG" Garcia has a very clear sense of her "Little Red" that she follows through on from beginning to end and Sarah Russell lends her "Cinderella" a beautifully emotive singing voice.

The production design is another strong point with the lighting and set joining to create a very effective world for these characters to live in. Ben Zamora's lighting design utilizes mobile clusters of suspended tube lights to create a choreographed canvas upon which to project one's suspension of disbelief and imagine the fantastic settings that a more literal set might have spelled out. This lighting has a very dynamic affect and mingles well with the simplicity of Lex Marcos's fluid and function-focused set (which bares a bit of a nod to Boris Aronson's set from Company).

If you've never seen a professional stage production of Into the Woods then this one is likely to be one of the better ones you're bound to come across. For those more familiar with the Sondheim catalog it may offer less new revelations but is still a very respectable representation of this iconic musical. The production does not escape the musical’s inherent flaws but instead wears them well.