A Delicate Balance

When I returned home from this play I was satiated.  However, In order to not feel like an idiot, I had to something I almost never do - read the other reviews.  Why you might ask?  I was both amazed and confounded at the same time.    This play is a doozy.  Acerbic dialogue.  Seemingly simple characters and one of the most absurd plots I have ever seen is such a seriously dramatic play.   After reading the various reviews, my soul was assuaged.  I had indeed not read too much into the plot and taken away, I think, what was intended despite the absurdity.  I think.

Agnes and Tobias (Glenn Close and John Lithgow) are the Queen and (albeit emasculated) King of their luxurious suburban domain.  They have their issues.  Indeed we get some insight into their issues.  Some of everything about them is a part of all of us.  They are uncomfortably familiar.   Claire (Lindsay Duncan) is the drunk sister living seemingly untethered to money and job for free at home (doesn't everyone have one of these?).  Julia (Martha Plimpton) is the clearly over-privileged 36yo daughter coming home after her 4th marriage has failed to inevitably butt heads with her parents.  Edna and Harry (Claire Higgins and Bob Balaban) are the neighbors/best friends who really throw the whole thing into the shitter when they arrive and announce that out of an undefined fear - they are moving in.  Literally moving in.  Queue to absurdity.

Acting was superb all around although because the story takes an absurd turn you are always reminded that this is acting.  How could this really be natural?  It's not.  But that issue aside (you'll have to take that one up with Mr. Albee) the plot moves along swiftly and with biting purpose a whole lot of love, disappointment, and plenty of vitriol all wrapped up in one 3 act play.

This play has been done before and this cast will inevitably be compared to the past.  While I don't think this cast surpasses the bar set by its predecessors, it certainly succeeds in living up to the high expectations of the author.

The single set by Santo Loquasto is grand, except for the placement that at least ⅓ of the audience can't see - the grand staircase  - as it is set too deep on stage left (hint: if you're in the orchestra, sit center of left).

Left itself is indeed a delicate balance.  Take care not to disturb it.  Your neighbors just might move in.

Pal Joey

When the leading man hurts his foot and there's no time to find a replacement you do the only thing you can - throw the understudy to the wolves! Rogers and Hart's re-invented 1940 Pal Joey, Roundabout Theatre Company's final installment in 2008, made its lackluster debut tonight at Studio 54 less one Tony award winning cast member, Christian Hoff. I wish i could tell you it was a smash-hit and that Matthew Risch pulled a "Shirley MacClaine", but it was unfortuantely an all-around disappointment. When numbers in the show get polite applause (some, none at all) and not a single patron gets out of his seat at the opening night curtain call - it's quite obvious that we were all beguiled (again). I highly doubt that Mr. Hoff would have singlehandedly turned this lemon into lemonade. The entire performance left me more bothered and bewildered than bewitched.

To start with, Stockard Channing (Vera Simpson) is miscast. Ms. Channing (tv's West Wing) is a legendary 62 year old stage and

screen star who lacks one critical ingredient necessary for a musical - she can't sing. Joey Evans, the central character of this show needs to be, much like Charity Hope Valentine needed to be in Sweet Charity, a triple threat - singer, actor, dancer. Matthew Risch (Legally Blonde), while stunningly handsome and dripping with sexuality, unfortunately is only a single threat as a dancer. Singing, not so much. Acting, just average.

The stand-out performer in this show just might be Martha Plimpton (Top Girls, Cymbeline, The Coast of Utopia) as Gladys Bumps. Richard Greenberg's revised book eliminates the old reporter role played in the 1952 Broadway revival by Elaine Stritch, and gives the show-stopping number, Zip, to Ms. Plimpton, who knocks it out of the house in her musical theatre debut. If there were anyone to be even considered for a Tony in this production I hope it's Ms Plimpton.

I couldn't help but thinking that I would love to have seen the 1995 Encores! concert version staring Patti Lupone, Peter Gallagher, and Bebe Newirth. And just for the record, I did go home and listen to the legendary Elaine Stritch regale the audience in her hit show, At Liberty, with her role in Pal Joey in New Haven in 1952 at the Shubert Theatre at the same time she was understudying Ethel Merman in Call me Madam at the Imperial Theatre in New York.

As always, Paul Gemignani, does wonders with the orchestral direction. Graciela Daniele provides above average choreography by keeping the show pumping with lots of high kicks. bumping and grinding. Joe Mantello, on the other hand, has seemingly failed to nail any substantial new message or brilliant interpretation of the work. I would be remiss if I did not mention the extraordinary costumes assembled by William Ivy Long. If it's any consolation, Tony #2 from this overall disappointing production might just be his for the asking.

Top Girls

Let me start off by saying I completely enjoyed the acting of the gals on stage. Kudos to your talents. That's the only good thing I have to say about this train wreck on 47th and 8th.

A thoroughly painful evening at the theater. A complete turn-off and complete fraud thrust upon the audience.

I'm completely disappointed at Manhattan Theater Club's choice to present this show. At the first reading of this play Caryl Churchill they should have thrown it in the trash bin and burned it. It's revolting. It's absurd. It's unacceptably long and boring. There doesn't even seem to be a point to anything that occurred on stage the entire evening. Shame on you MTC!

MTC seems to hype this show and provide a description of the plot which doesn't even jive with what transpires on stage. Only one of the many scenes takes place at the Top Girls employment agency in London. It happens to be one of the better scenes (take them where you can get them). Is this show really about the values of the leading lady? Values?? I think not. Choices, maybe, but values? No.

When I see over 1/2 of the audience leave their seats by the end of the show (3 unbearable acts with two intermissions and over 2.5 hours!) it's usually a hint something is not kosher. But there's nothing more telling than the leading lady politely bowing, but then rolling her eyes as if to say "Oh boy, we've cleared another house again", it's only validation that even the actresses seemed to regret their decision to perform in this show.

Cymbeline

Late in his life, William Shakespeare started writing works for indoor performance with "modern" stages. Well, i think he also lost his touch a bit with this one. At Lincoln Center this season at the Vivian Beaumont Theater he seemed to throw in everything in his bag of tricks - - an evil woman marries the king just to get her son to be next in line to the throne - an old man reveals that he stole the king's two sons years ago - and those two sons (um, gorgeous!) saved the kingdom - - the king's daughter (Imogen) takes a vow of celibacy since he won't let her be with the man she married because he's a commoner - - this very same man is approached by this hunky man (shirt off in the baths was a nice touch) who bet him he could get his still wife to betray him and let him, shall we say, bang her - - he in turn tricks the woman and does not get in her pants, but steals her ring and watches her sleep -- so he tells the husband he won - which causes the husband to cast her off and hate her.... and on... and on... and on... there is a war with the Romans... poison potions... battles in the woods.... death... and that's only act I. Act II rounded out the performance in just about 3 hours. Oh brother!

Unremarkable performances by Felicia Rachad as the queen and John Cullum as the king (he's lost under all the King's Robes). Michael Ceveris (deceived commoner husband) and John Pankow (his devoted man-servant) hold the stage, but the story deals them a raw deal. Martha Plimpton, last seen in another LCT production (The Coast of Utopia) gave a valiant effort in a touch, gender-bending role.

Who knew Shakespeare wrote for As the World Turns?! Do me a favor - stick to Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar.

The Coast of Utopia - Salvage (Part III)

After $300, 9 hours, and cramped legs in those perennially undersized seats at the Vivian Beaumont - all Tom Stoppard left us with is:

"A storm is coming"

Are you kidding me? A few great performances (Jennifer Ehle, you and Brian O'Byrne were GREAT!) from the large cast were nothing compared to the sheer boredom of having to sit and muddle thru endless ramblings of the playwright. This, of course, is not the actors' fault. Kudos to the fine cast.

Lincoln Center Theater - all your 87 year old patrons are all going to die soon. That storm just might wipe you out at this rate. Step up your game!

The Coast of Utopia - Shipwrecked

Quite a difference from the first (Nov 2006) installment! More engaging. Thicker plot. Less Boring. While Ethan Hawke dominated the first installment (Voyage), this time Brian F. O'Byrne took charge(Shipwreck).

Russian history seems to make just a little more sense now. Even after spending $300 on the whole saga, I'm still no expert on philosophy and intellectualism in Europe in the 1800's.

The Coast of Utopia - Voyage

It's big. It's Complicated. Russian history on broadway. Only Tom Stoppard could pull this off. 'Tis an agressive production of Lincoln Center Theater. Voyage is part 1 of 3 parts. 3 hours each - oh my. Packed with stars, but will it pull the audience in? I doubt it will. Theater afficianados, yes, but beyond that, i doubt. There are plenty of stand-out performances, but overall, too complex for this theater-goer.

 The verdict is still out, but I hold little hope that it will catch much more of my attention.

Shining City

Great names in this cast - Oliver Platt, Martha Plimpton, Brian O'Byrne. Unfortunately the story drags and at one point i thought i'd stand up and tell Oliver Platt to shut up and move on! There's a message behind all of it - which is laudable, but took way too much effort to get to. Three main scenes - all way too long.

I went into this one with a high expectation and came out with an opinion in the basement. Good idea. Bad execution.