Theater this week...

[skynyc]

I liked this thread by skynyc so much that I decided it belongs as the first thread in the forum- well, at least one not by me! LUCKY

 

Hello fellow show-lovers...Sorry for another VERY long post, but I had a bit of a whirlwind this week, and am happy to report not a dog on the list.

 

Sunday afternoon, I saw a really interesting play at Manhattan Theater Club called Equivocation. Smart, intricate, well-paced and deserving of the good reviews it got. It was a look at the political climate in England in the first decade of the 1600s and how it related to Shakespeare. James I, who succeed Elizabeth wanted WS to write a history of The Gunpowder Plot, (Guy Fawkes, et al) but Shakespeare didn't want to write it the way James wanted him to. There were some great imagined scenes between the various historical characters and it all made marvelous sense. Now I do like Shakespeare and I really loved it, and was glad to have gone to a matinee because I really was able to concentrate. Cast was uniformly strong, and it was very well directed, and the two on-stage hangings were really powerful.

 

Last summer when The Temperamentals was playing off-off-Broadway, I had tickets twice. Missed it both times for different reasons, so I am pleased it has resurfaced at New World Stages. Well, it's terrific. We had an understudy for the TV star Mr. Urie, from Ugly Betty, who plays the second lead, but he was terrific (and adorable). And the play was very well done. I am ashamed to say I am pretty unfamiliar with this chapter of gay history and I found it interesting and informative. There was a scene that depicted two lovers at a bar who are actually afraid to touch hands in public. Not hold hands, touch hands. That was only 60 years ago. I will probably see this again...getting a gang together.

 

Tuesday night was the Sondheim, and I think I have said enough about that...ad infinitum

 

Wednesday I went to Candida at Irish Rep. It starred Melissa Errico (Mrs. John McEnroe) and was really a marvelous scaled down production. Not a weak member of the cast, and trimmed of some of the fat, it was a lean 2 hours 10 minutes, and still held all of the marvelous ideas of Shaw's that were so far ahead of their time. Imagine acknowledging on stage that a woman actually had her own mind and could make her own decisions...in 1894. There's a reason I love GBS.

 

Thursday I saw a preview performance of Lend Me a Tenor. I remember really liking this when I first moved here, in the late 80s with Victor Garber and Philip Bosco, and I enjoyed it again. The timing in the second scene of Act I, didn't quite work yet...timing was off and the physical comedy was a little broad, particularly from Tony Shalhoub, but I do think that a lot of folks expect a lot of schtick from him because they want to see "Monk" on stage. Justin Bartha (from "The Hangover") was really very engaging in the young hero's role. Once again Jan Maxwell once again walked away with the production, and while I fear they may forget her marvelous job in The Royal Family at Tony time, I do hope she is nominated here. At this point, she'd get my vote. I suspect that this will be a big hit...the audience loved it, and the second act is a RIOT!

 

Friday I took the evening off to attend the Hookies, went home after work, and lay down for a quick disco nap, which turned into an all-nighter. Rats. And let me tell you, between the Hookies and the Black Party, NY is busting at the seams with hot men.

 

But today I gave up the gorgeous afternoon for a visit to the Jacobean toe-tapper: The Duchess of Malfi. Phew, it makes Macbeth seem like The Merry Widow. I know I read it in college because I really remembered a couple things...like the poisoned bible. Sheesh. Anti-Catholic English plays in 1600 sure were obvious. But I had forgotten what a blood-bath it is at the end. Strangulations, asphixiations, infanticide, and plenty of good old-fashioned stabbings. The cast was exceptional with one minor exception, and Patrick Price was marvelous as the malevolent Cardinal. It's hard for companies to recoup finances on these dark classical dramas, so they are usually left to smaller theater troupes to present them. I think this is the first time it's been done here since I moved here in '85, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to finally see it on stage, especially in such a decent production.

 

I bought tickets this week to Red, which in addition to some reviews here, is getting GREAT word of mouth, and also to Enron, which has a great cast. Still holding out for some kind of discount offer for Addams Family, and am undecided about La Cage. I will keep y'all posted.

[Guest greatness]

Wow

 

Thanks! You really seem to enjoy life and shows! I just love your energetic posts. It lifts me up.

[+ Lucky]

Thanks for the post, skynyc. It would be nice if we had one place to keep all of the theater threads together. Would a theater, film, and book forum interest anyone?

[Lankypeters]

separate theater - film section

 

I agree, a separate section for theater and film would be great. I tried to start something like this with a thread once, but it didn't work. Others have asked for a separate section over time.

[Guest alanm]

skynyc,

 

I would be interested to know what think about the message board http://www.talkinbroadway.com, which is the premier site for Broadway news, discussion and gossip. I like it, but find it a little frustrating because so many posters are associated with the theater professionally (and it's hard to tell who is and who is not). But, it still is a great site.

 

And Melissa Errico is married to Patrick McEnroe, not John McEnroe. I think she's an exceptional actress. For some reason she has never had the success most expected after Errico wowed everyone in Encore's "One Touch of Venus" about a dozen years ago.

[skynyc]

Broadway message board

 

Hi Alan...

For news and information, I do like talkin broadway and all that chat: what's coming, running times, etc...but I am not a big fan of all the folks who must foist their negative reviews and opinions upon the theater loving reader. As you say, there are a lot of industry folks who post there, and the negative attitude that prevails makes me nuts. It seems half of the posts are negative slams about folks working in the theater, and I always suspect that they come from folks who are unable to find work in the theater.

It makes me nuts when folks get a free ticket to the first preview of a show and then denounce it on the board. Invariably someone questions their comments which is followed by a spate of folks insisting that they are entitled to their opinions, etc.

In these economic times, I want to see folks working, in theater and in every industry. Unlike the character in Steel Magnolias who said "If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me" my attitude is If you haven't got anything nice to say, find something nice to say anyway.

I see a LOT of theater. I can honestly say that I find something to like about almost everything I see, and it's rare that I tell folks NOT to go see something.

[GoodFella69]

Thanks for the post, skynyc. It would be nice if we had one place to keep all of the theater threads together. Would a theater, film, and book forum interest anyone?

 

Great idea, Lucky! Prior to my trips to Manhattan, I always enjoy reading what shows other Broadway-lovers on this MC have enjoyed. A separate Forum would ease the search for these popular postings.