foxy

A friend of mine recently returned from London saw this play and she raved about how brilliant she thought it was. Here's hoping it will transfer to Broadway.

https://variety.com/2018/legit/reviews/the-inheritance-review-play-1202739184/

‘The Inheritance’ Review: Stephen Daldry Directs Matthew Lopez’s Play – Variety

“The Inheritance" is a vast, imperfect and unweildy masterpiece that unpicks queer politics and neoliberal economics anew.

variety.com

https://www.yesbroadway.com/content/theinheritance

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/58322a2d579fb38c571815d3/59e4c405b1ffb682d1027b08/5af9ac6a8a922d061762d01e/1528724129135/Samuel+H.+Levine+and+Andrew+Burnap+in+The+Inheritance+at+the+Young+Vic+%C2%A9Simon+Annand%283%29.jpg?format=1000w

London: The Inheritance — YesBroadway

Photos: Simon Annand. It clocks in at just over 6.5 hours, but the play (especially Part 1) rarely feels as long as that thanks to a fantastic mix of comedy and drama — you’re basically dared not to bawl at the end of the first part.

www.yesbroadway.com

For some reason I keep thinking of “Springtime for Hitler” from The Producers.

I’ll be curious to see how the critics react to this show and especially to those buying tickets. Probably not a family friendly show lol. I have to admit I liked the dancing soldiers with the big erections going up and down.

Saw the show today and really liked it. Recommended.

Also a genius. And those individuals are very hard to work with but they are usually hardest on themselves.

If you’ve ever seen the show you mostly know what you’re going to get which is just fun. Every year they tweak the show a bit but wisely keep the Rockettes as the main attraction. The toy soldier routine with the cannon never gets old. The first time I saw the nativity scene ending I was probably 7 years old. It’s the same, live camels and all.

I still get a rush when I enter this Art Deco gem of a building. Plus the mighty Wurlitzer shaking the rafters. You can’t really go wrong. Tickets are easy to get.

I was impressed with Michael C Hall’s ability to memorize all that dialogue. Although since it didn’t make that much sense to me he could have been ad-libbing. Nevertheless he’s a charming, attractive and talented actor. Maybe this is a case for “he could be reading the phone book”. Still a lot of it was funny and he did wander through the audience to bring a “volunteer” up to the stage which was fun and scary. He eventually did bring a man up onstage and mostly ignored him after that. I enjoyed the show but couldn’t tell you what it was about even after reading an explanation online later. As for the theater it certainly did appear to be a real renovation. If not the set designer should win a Tony. Well, maybe not.

A friend of mine recently returned from London saw this play and she raved about how brilliant she thought it was. Here's hoping it will transfer to Broadway.

https://variety.com/2018/legit/reviews/the-inheritance-review-play-1202739184/

‘The Inheritance’ Review: Stephen Daldry Directs Matthew Lopez’s Play – Variety

“The Inheritance" is a vast, imperfect and unweildy masterpiece that unpicks queer politics and neoliberal economics anew.

variety.com

https://www.yesbroadway.com/content/theinheritance

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/58322a2d579fb38c571815d3/59e4c405b1ffb682d1027b08/5af9ac6a8a922d061762d01e/1528724129135/Samuel+H.+Levine+and+Andrew+Burnap+in+The+Inheritance+at+the+Young+Vic+%C2%A9Simon+Annand%283%29.jpg?format=1000w

London: The Inheritance — YesBroadway

Photos: Simon Annand. It clocks in at just over 6.5 hours, but the play (especially Part 1) rarely feels as long as that thanks to a fantastic mix of comedy and drama — you’re basically dared not to bawl at the end of the first part.

www.yesbroadway.com

I don't know very much about this play and that's okay since sometimes it's nice to be surprised. I bought the ticket because I like Michael C. Hall in anything he does. His Hedwig and the Angry Inch really blew me away a while back. I never knew he could sing especially in such a demanding and unconventional part.

This is a one man which should be interesting. Seeing it this Saturday. Maybe a review will follow.

http://www.signaturetheatre.org/shows-and-events/Productions/2018-2019/Thom-Pain-(based-on-nothing).aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiuCPiIrc3gIVlonICh2jkAnqEAAYASAAEgLYtvD_BwE

http://www.signaturetheatre.org/getmedia/ea5c67b6-5670-4b16-81bd-45b156c904f2/180925stc_ThomPainMeet534.jpg.aspx

Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Will Eno at Signature Theatre

Will Eno is a Lucille Lortel and Obie Award-winner and the first writer to complete the Residency 5 program. His previous plays at Signature include Title and Deed in 2012, The Open House in 2014, and Wakey, Wakey in 2017. His internationally heralded play Thom Pain (based on nothing) was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and has been translated into more than a dozen languages.

www.signaturetheatre.org

Well there’s Falsettos. Not sure if that meets your criteria.

Saw the play this afternoon. I am a Stockard Channing fan ever since I discovered her in the 1976 disaster spoof movie called The Big Bus. If you haven’t seen it I recommend you seek it out. It’s like Airplane but on the ground. Since then Channing has had a more serious acting career on Broadway, films and tv. She’s a remarkable actress.

Having said that I really didn’t care all that much for this play. While there were plenty of laughs to accompany the dialogue none of the characters or their motivations seemed authentic to me. I’ll just leave it at that.

The reviews are in. No better than mine. Read on.

Anyone who follows theater probably knows some of the history of this show that originated in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. While not a flop exactly it's been hard, slow transition to Broadway. So is it worth the time and money to see it? Maybe. Let's face it, it was a crazy idea in the first place.

I've always been a fan of the original 1933 movie. No one could scream quite like Fay Wray. I've never been a big fan of all the remakes despite the cgi.

Sometimes overlooked is the incredible score of the original movie by Max Steiner. I have a vinyl recording of just the score and I think it's a wonderful piece of orchestral music. I wish there would be a concert performance some day.

So the main reason to see the show is the big 20 foot 2,000 pound puppet. It's impressive to say the least.

The large crew of puppeteers, which you can see but often don't notice does an amazing job bringing the creature to life.

So that's a big plus. The sets which use a lot of sepia toned moving projections are quite beautiful at times recreating a New York cityscape of the '30's. There are exciting uses of lasers shooting beams across the stage that are impressive.

There's a big cast of mostly male dancers performing very athletic choreography.

Those are the good parts of the show.

The music is forgettable. Not one interesting song I can think of. You won't walk out humming any of these tunes.

The 3 leads are Eric William Morris as Carl Denham who has a rather annoying nasal quality to his voice. Eric Lochtefeld as a character called Lumpy who I suppose is the nice guy comic relief and the foil for the not so nice Carl Denham and Christiani Pitts as Ann Darrow, Kong's love interest.

I really wanted to like her. She tried hard to do something with the lackluster tunes she was given to sing. I kept thinking had she been on American Idol she may have been a 3rd place winner. I hope after this show closes something better will come along for her.

The audience seemed to like the show but I doubt if any of the investors are going to make a profit. See it if you can get a discount seat. I think there will be plenty of them.

For those in the NYC area Lucas Hedges is now appearing in The Waverly Gallery. It’s always interesting to see a screen actor appearing live on stage. Not all of them can do it. Apples and oranges. But Hedges did a great job in a play whose character is in many ways the pivotal role.

I saw The Waverly Gallery today and certainly related to the plot. Many people today have a relative slipping into Alzheimer’s and it’s a tragic thing to watch and be a part of. But what I enjoyed about today’s performance was all the funny stuff. I guess that’s what’s called seriocomic. Wonderful to see Elaine May still performing at 86.

I saw the play today and liked it. I had the opposite reaction to the review in that I thought the second act much more fun than the first. You do have to listen hard with the accents but I had no problem. As an aside there’s a short scene where Ben Schnetzer who plays Dylan Spokes strips off his T shirt to reveal a very attractive torso. I saw the understudy Bianca Leigh stepping in for Alexandra Billings playing Waxy Bush. I though she was very good but her malapropsims didn’t always land. The scene with the snooker tournament were fun to see with the overhead cameras projecting the live action on a large screen. Have to give credit to the actors who were playing a live game for much of it and had to get those balls to hit on target. Of course Ahmed Aly Elsayed is indeed a champion snooker player in real life.

Those photos were from the incredibly funny play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Billy played Spike. It takes a very smart actor to play dumb and with a great cast including Sigourney Weaver, David Hyde Pierce and Kristine Weaver, Billy was in many ways the highlight of the show. Maybe the fact that he’s a real hunk made him stand out for me. Also in the movie version of Into the Woods, Billy sang Agony with Chris Pine. The two of them were hysterically funny. If you haven’t seen the movie I’d highly recommend it.

First I have to admit I’m not fashionable clothes-wise. And no doubt I fall into the cranky old men category. But there are fashion trends I truly don’t understand. If someone, male or female, is young and good looking, they can pretty much get away with anything and still look good.

For years I’ve hated the backwards baseball cap look. Especially when that cap has the adjustable thing in front. If you’re not a baseball player I just don’t get it.

Next is jeans with the knees ripped out. Lately I’ve seen this where almost the entire front of the jeans are gone. What seems particularly silly is that people buy them that way.

Both of these trends have been going on so long I’m almost used to them. Why they haven’t died long ago is beyond me.

So now this no socks thing has also been going on for a while. It’s when I see a guy in a business suit that I really question the look. In shorts or jeans I sort of get it. In the summer. But I’ve been to evening performances at Lincoln Center where people come at least a little dressed up.

I like seeing exposed male skin. But I can’t really say I’m turned on by bare ankles.

Maybe I’m missing something.

Some good. Some not so good. I’m still glad I saw it.

This new play based on a book of true events (depending on whose checking) is both very funny and riveting. With such good actors, Cherry Jones, Daniel Radcliffe and Bobby Cannavale you can't really miss. Considering Radcliffe could fill Gringotts vaults with his Harry Potter paychecks it's to his credit he keeps working.

I remember the days when you'd pick up a newspaper or magazine and pretty much assume that if it's in print it must be true. Those days are long gone if indeed they ever really existed. So if beauty is in the eye of the beholder what is truth?

This play is definitely worth your time and money.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/theater/lifespan-of-a-fact-daniel-radcliffe-broadway.html

Today I saw the show for a second time. I was happily surprised to get a center row orchestra seat in row K at tkts for $119. Several understudies were in the cast but I really wanted to see Lauren Ambrose again before she leaves. Her voice is stronger and even more beautiful than when I saw the production the first time. She was wonderful. I’d highly recommend the show to anyone who hasn’t seen it.

Years ago I was at a party talking to a friend. Another friend came in with his new boyfriend who was incredibly skinny. The friend I was talking with said “it must be like sleeping with a bicycle.” That image has never left me. Unfortunately.

30 plus years ago I was on a 3 day Greek cruise. It stopped for one day in

Santorini. We were almost forced to get on one of the donkeys to ride up to the town of Fira. There was great chaos as the men who owned the donkeys followed behind practically whipping the poor animals to make the climb up the steps covered with dung. It was one of the most awful travel experiences I’ve ever had. I kept yelling at the guy to stop hitting the donkey. He ignored me. It was a great relief to get to the top and get off. Later in the day I was wandering in town and lost track of time. I heard my ships horn and realized I had to run down the steps to catch the last tender back to the ship. Kind of terrifying as I mostly slid down the filthy stairs.

Several years later I returned to Santorini taking a flight from Mykonos. I was staying at a hotel in town that overlooked the harbor now crowded with cruise ships. The donkeys were still working but a funicular had been installed to carry tourists up to town. Santorini is a gorgeous and very touristy place that can no longer handle the amount of people arriving by ship. I’m glad I saw it when I did. I’d never go back.