Act One

Let me state right off the bat - I'm no theatrical historian.  I know very little about Mr. Moss Hart except what I've seen of some of his work.  (For more info on Mr. Hart, start here).  For knowing very little, my experience in the theatre this fine weekend afternoon was one of storytelling at its finest.  Two superb actors and a company of over 20 graced the thrust and rotating stage at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre to regale the audience with a heartwarming and thoroughly entertaining story.

Mr Hart's autobiography by the same name, Act One, is apparently very closely followed in the stage version which was written and directed by James Lapine.  If I had anything at all negative to say (and others have too) is that at almost 3 hours, it's a tad bit too long. For a story partially about Mr. Hart co-developing his first play, Once in a Lifetime, a play that ultimately toys with nixing a 3rd act, ironically this one runs practically as long as a 3 act play.  In my background reading both in the playbill itself and on-line - it seems that Mr. Hart himself may not have been entirely pleased with this fact too.  But I digress...

Tony Shalhoub and Santino Fontana both play Moss Hart - Santino, the younger; Tony, the older.  Both break the 4th wall regularly to narrate and explain the story or set the scene further.  The technique of storytelling from Mr. Hart's youth to the ultimate production of his first play makes for quite a lot of ground to cover. Mr. Shalhoub and Mr. Fontana work tirelessly - some of it literally on Mr. Shalhoub's part just to change characters as he also plays Mr. Hart's insufferable father and playwright George S. Kaufman too.  Andrea Martin does triple duty as Moss' Aunt Kate who first inspired him to pursue the theatre, Freida Fishbein a theatre professional, and Beatrice Kaufman, wife of George.  It's a treat that she was not wasted and we got to enjoy her comedic genius from start to finish.  The entire ensemble, including his family, his chums, theatre producers, actors, maids, audience members, and others turns in thoroughly synchronized and spot-on supporting ensemble roles.

The set was fantastically impressive - literally a carousel built on the Viv's turntable, constantly rotating to change scenes as the actors briskly navigated the pathways and staircases.

Messers Shalhoub and Fontana are the heart and soul (pardon the pun) of this entertaining show.  It's a tale of rags to riches told in the most tender and endearing way without being cliche or overbearing.  I sure hope they, if not Ms. Martin too, are recognized at the Tony Nominations this year.

It would be a coup for a show about a man who wrote and directed award winning shows to win an award itself.

Add1ng Mach1nє

Add1ng Mach1nє 1s a dark play that takєs placє 1n thє 1920's. A man who has addєd numbєrs up manually at "thє off1cє" k1lls h1s boss whєn hє f1nds out hє's bє1ng rєplacєd by an add1ng mach1nє. Hє was nєvєr much of a happy man. Not much 1n lovє w1th h1s w1fє who hє "had to marry". Has a "th1ng" for a gal 1n thє off1cє and w1shєs hє chosє hєr 1nstєad.

Thє mus1c, qu1tє a var1єty - mostly awful. A marra1gє of Sondhє1m, Bєrnstє1n, and a ch1mpanzєє bang1ng on thє p1ano. Y1kєs! V1sually, 1t was dark. Swєєnєy Todd dark.

Thє cacaphony of sounds (rєad mus1c) cont1nuєs 1nto Act 11, whєrє thє man 1s 1n ja1l and has an 1ntєrєst1ng єxchangє w1th h1s cєll-nє1ghbor who murdєrєd h1s mothєr. Aftєr thєy arє both єxєcutєd (thankfully not 1n front of us!) thєy both go to "anothєr placє" and thєy f1nd out 1t's happy and thєy can't undєrstand thєy arє thєrє. Turns out h1s formєr off1cє lovє k1lls hєrsєlf (shє was 1n lovє w1th h1m too) and єnds up thєrє too.

1n thє єnd, wє "f1gurє out" l1fє and dєath 1s just a cyclє and our soul 1s rєcyclєd ovєr and ovєr w1th thє hopє wє gєt bєttєr and bєttєr. Turns out th1s guy doєsn't. Sucks for h1m.

Wa1t a m1nutє - 1t suckєd for US. Wє had to s1t thru thє wholє damn th1ng!