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Photo by Don Kellogg
Showing posts with label Bradley Dean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bradley Dean. Show all posts

Sunday, January 10, 2010

A Little Night Music

A charming and elegant evening at the Walter Kerr Theatre.  I'd never heard anything about the show before i saw it - so i was a blank slate ready to be impressed by Mr. Sondheim and this cast.   And impressed I was.    Catherine Zeta Jones was magnificent.  I won't say her rendition of Send in the Clowns was the best i'd ever heard, but it was solid and heartfelt.  A great actress she is, no matter what the medium.  Angela Lansbury is a gem and it's a pleasure to see her no matter what the medium.   Although she did just get off a run of Blythe Spirit where she owned the entire stage from end to end - this show is a bit different.  She plays the aging matriarch in a wheel chair the entire evening - so dare i say - she could do this one for quite a long time - 8 shows every week!

I did some reading about prior productions of this show - and if i believe what i read - this production was quite elegant - unlike the prior incarnations.  Brought to mind another Sondheim show, Company, also an elegant reincarnation a few years past.

I won't say the show itself is a draw.  It's a bit old fashioned and predictable.  The main draw is Angela and Catherine - for sure.  Aaron Lazar and Erin Davie certainly add to the evening with their charmed performances.   Sondheim's Every Day a Little Death seen live on stage was a treat.

Not sure this one will last beyond Angela's go at it.  Maybe someone can replace Catherine Zeta Jones, but nobody can replace Angela.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Walmartopia

Well, if you're going to see Sam Walton immortalized, think again - this little gem is a WalMart Basher! I was pleasantly surprised at the top notch production quality down at the Minetta Lane Theater. The cast was reasonably talented and the sound, lights, and scenery were great for an off-Broadway production!

Now - about the story - well... it starts off just bashing WalMart - sort of an entertaining little storyline. It's funny, predictable... well that is until this mad scientist kept in the basement of the WalMart by the CEO is unveiled. He's got a time machine - and they want to send someone into the future to find out what the trends are and how to capture them NOW! They do actually send someone into the future (the other part of the story has the Mom and Daughter struggling to make ends meet working at WalMart - blah.. blah.. blah). It's this very Mom and daughter who get blasted into 2037 only to find out that WalMart runs the planet! Quite an entertaining thought - but c'mon...

The mad scientist is hysterical - a show stealer... the Peter Allen of the show, you might say. The board of Directors is mildly amusing (always rolling in chairs and some women dressed in men's suits!). Mom and daughter are quite talented - reminiscent of Tanya Pinkins of Caroline of Change. There's the Asian lady always dressed to the 9's... Lisa Ling, anyone? Oh, and let's not forget the head of Sam Walton - brought back to life - another far fetched idea - but generally funny. I guess we were supposed to learn that Sam was really a red-neck who made it big... not a very PC guy, if you know what i mean.

Overall - i left with a smile on my face - but kept wondering - Why is WalMart not suing the pants off these guys! Free publicity - good or bad.. is still free publicity i guess!