Don't Dress For Dinner

What a romp over at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre!  Penned as the sequel to Boeing Boeing, Marc Camoletti has extended the comical farce of his original story all the way to the countryside in Paris.

A farce in the true sense of the word, we are treated to the misinterpretations, mishaps, and general hysterical confusion that ensues when Bernard, Jacqueline, Robert, Suzette, and Suzanne find themselves mixed up together one weekend in a zany, madcap, mixed-up, cover-up at their country house.

Adam James, Ben Daniels, Patricia Kalember, Spencer Kayden and Jennifer Tilly spend the entire evening covering up the real story, scrambling their identities, and blurring the lines of just who is who much to the delight of the audience.  The plot gets thicker and thicker with every minute that passes and just when you think the cover is blown, another twist or turn is thrown in.

With all the talent on the stage, Ms. Kayden still manages to be an absolute stand-out!  She's a scene stealing vixen who, despite her petite size, really knows how to pour it on thick and come out on top.

Don't hesitate to take a trip over to West 42nd street where you'll be swept away to the french countryside for a few hours of hilarity and escape.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Popularized by the 1988 Glen Close movie, this time around it's Laura Linney (Sight Unseen, The Crucible, HBO's John Adams) in the cold, calculating, and deceitful role of La Marquise de Merteuil on stage at the American Airlines Theatre.  She's surrounded by a great deal of talent including Olivier award winning British actors Ben Daniels and Sian Phillips, as well as American actors, Mamie Gummer (Mr. Marmalade, Hunting and Gathering, HBO's John Adams) and and Kristine Nielsen (Spring Awakening, Die Mommie Die!, Our Leading Lady, Based on a Totally True Story).

I suspect the play will never out-shine the movie.  Nothing can beat the close camera angles and intense drama and cinematography a film can provide.  In almost any size house, it's hard to capture the intensity that only the people in the first two rows can absorb.  If anyone could try, Roundabout would surely by the natural choice where elaborate and ornate costumes and sets as well as excellent direction are a mainstay.  

All in all - the actors did a superb job.  Many will say Act I was too "funny".  Some will complain the ending was different from the movie.  You can't please everyone.  You just have to keep playing the game.