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PHOTO: STAN BAROUH
Victory: Choices in Reaction
Now at the Atlantic Stage 2, the Howard Barker play,
Victory: Choices in Reaction takes place in 1660 after the
hedonistic court of Charles II have ousted the Puritans.
The outrageously ribald Charles
II (David Barlow) is surrounded by sycophants, mistresses and pragmatic
bankers. His supporters have dug up the corpse of the Puritan
ringleader, John Bradshaw, who was hung for the murder of Charles’
father.
Now, Bradshaw’s widow, the always-masterful Jan
Maxwell, is on a mission to collect his remains and bury them.
Accompanied by Scrope (Steven Dykes), a loyal Puritan, she
soldiers forth, facing hunger and violence; ultimately, she comes to
treasure survival. While Maxwell, a four-time Tony nominee, has meaty
scenes, it’s unfortunate we don’t see more of her.
Instead, audiences are treated to an eyeful of the
wayward monarch (a terrific David Barlow) who steps right out of a
Restoration comedy, a genre celebrated during Charles’ reign. The former
tyranny of the Puritans’ religious harshness is juxtaposed with the
sexual excesses of the monarchy -- both are oppressive for ordinary
Britons. Victory is a perfect example of why countries need to
govern from the middle: practical concerns should trump individual
obsessions.
While Barker gets
in some good lines about the nature of war, government and the baseness
of human nature, it’s hard to tell whether he is being ironic or
instructive. At nearly three hours, without a clear narrative, the play
is tiring. Still, there are impressive moments. Many in the cast were or
are students at Middlebury College. A recent grad (Michaela Lieberman)
does a strong turn as Devonshire, the king’s mistress. A capable
ensemble joins her -- and all perform their roles well.
Director Richard Romagnoli has chosen to punctuate
scene changes with punk rock played at deafening volume. Tyranny comes
in all forms, not the least of which is aural.
–Debra Griboff
Spider-Man
Turn off The Dark
![Spider Man -- Turn Off The Dark](Spider-Man.jpg)
PHOTO: JACOB COHL
In an interview with French director François
Truffaut, Hitchcock shared his formula for a successful movie: “the
better the villain, the better the picture.”
Spider-Man
Turn off The Dark, now at the
Foxwoods Theater, has embraced his advice. One of the best elements in
the $70 million Broadway show, aside from its zippy aerials stunts, is
the Green Goblin (Patrick Page).
Say what you will about special effects, but when an
actor can embody a cartoonish villain and make him real — and funny — it
ups the entertainment ante. And when that same super villain, out to
destroy New York City, is felled by an automated phone system, it gives
the much-maligned musical the kiss of life. His Liberace-esque version
of “I’ll Take Manhattan”
seals the deal.
Spider-Man,
which finally opened after a long preview period, has, like its
superhero, high-school science geek Peter Parker (Reeve Carney), highs
and lows. The story revolves around the bullied Parker. On a visit to a
state-of-the-art lab, a genetically altered spider bites him. Suddenly,
blessed with superior strength, flexibility and the power to fly, Peter
is transformed into Spider-Man. That’s handy, because New York City is
under attack by the Green Goblin and his gang, the Sinister Six.
The first act, where we meet Peter and girlfriend
Mary Jane (Jennifer Damiano), is all exposition — and it drags. But by
act two, Spider-Man swings into high gear. On the upside, the sheer
spectacle was fantastic. George Tsypin’s sets make great use of computer
graphics and sleek 1930s architecture. The set, sound and lighting work
well together, and the publicized aerials add to the entertainment.
What didn’t score was the general choreography,
which was atrocious. People running around screaming, interrupted by the
occasional break dance, is not typical Broadway musical fare. Similarly,
the costumes lacked consistency, though the villains enjoy inspired
couture. Parker’s classmates are curiously punk, while his newsroom
editor walked out of the Fifties. Adding to the confusion are references
to blogging and the Internet.
What’s apparent is that the show is a patchwork
quilt, art-wise. There is a
dash of Julie Taymor, the Tony-winning director of
The Lion King, who was fired
in the spring, and a splash of creative consultant Philip W. McKinley,
who directed seven editions of Barnum & Bailey’s
The Greatest Show on Earth.
Similarly, Bono’s music is adequate rather than soaring. One
big exception is the sweet ballad “If the World Should End” between
Parker and MJ.
Spider-Man
is a big budget show — and its production values are on display. Carney
is adorable as Peter, Damiano is a versatile actress
(Tony-nominated for her moving performance in Next
to Normal) and a strong supporting cast backs them. The
show’s price tag could probably have paid for a genetically altered
Spider-Man in real life. But for those who prefer flying men in tights,
Spider-Man will suffice.
—Debra
Griboff
There
are many genuinely crowd-pleasing moments
in
The
Addams Family,
now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater; the performances and the theater craft
are notable. Co-designers Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch
produced a spot-on set, enhanced by Natasha Katz’s artistic lighting —but
that’s not enough to make the $16 million production work.
The blame is
twofold: a sappy plot and staid lyrics. The characters are familiar to
legions of fans
who
love
the
twisted sense of humor. Rather than showcase the famed Addams’
perversity, the musical is saddled with a silly story. Teenage Wednesday
Addams (a notable Krysta Rodriguez) is in love with Lucas (Wesley
Taylor), burdened by two straight-arrow parents (Terrence Mann and
Carolee Carmello) from Ohio. Wednesday
proposes both families meet — and they
do.
The “Where Did We
Go Wrong” and “One Normal Night” numbers are an opportunity to send up
all parents’ frustration with adolescent rebellion — whatever your
political stripe. However, the show’s comic possibilities aren’t
sufficiently mined. Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia
are terrific, but even these top-notch headliners can’t overcome the
dopey construct.
The second
concern is Andrew Lippa’s lyrics. He apparently got hold of a
rhyming dictionary
and wouldn’t let go. How else to explain pairing “waiting” with
“lactating.” The big problem, though, is the second act, in which each
major performer gets a number. It is closer in spirit to a musical revue
than a Broadway blockbuster. For example, Uncle Fester’s (a well-played
Kevin Chamberlin)
second-act song, a paean to his love for the moon, is delightfully
staged. And though its off-beat sweetness seems closer to the Addams’
spirit, it has nothing to do with the plot.
Similarly, the
finale’s “Tango de Amour” should allow Morticia and Gomez to let loose
with passion, but doesn’t. Bebe
Neuwirth,
whose torso fairly bursts with energy against the rigid corset of the
costume, gets one opportunity to strut her stuff, but is constrained by
Lane’s dance weakness and the distracting movements of the background
dancers. (The Addams Ancestors, a singing-dancing chorus, are as
haunting as soap bubbles.)
There is sizeable talent and genuine fun onstage — from the leads to
Jackie Hoffman’s Woodstock-era Grandma — but this
Addams lacks bite.
—Debra Griboff
Photo credit:
Joan Marcus
Zero Hour
Oversized humor was a Zero Mostel trademark. The big
man, boasting a big personality,
was known for his Broadway turn in
Fiddler on the Roof and the
film The Producers.
In 1943, Life magazine
called him “just about the funniest American now living.” But despite
numerous successes, the road was paved with heartache. Jim Brochu stars
as the volatile Mostel in Zero
Hour, a one-man show at the DR2 Theater.
Mostel got his break in the 1940s as a successful
comic at Café Society, a Manhattan nightclub; he became an actor by
happenstance. Accompanying his wife to her acting class,
Mostel was
prompted by the teacher to improvise. That fortuitous encounter led to
an extraordinary career—spanning the absurdist play
Rhinoceros to the seminal
Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof
(which earned him a Tony) to film and TV work. While talented, he had a
reputation for dominating any production.
The play opens in 1977, a few months before Mostel’s
death. He has taken refuge in his favorite place, his painting studio,
aptly designed by Josh Iacovelli. Interrupted by an unseen, unheard
reporter, Mostel churlishly agrees to an interview. “I act in order to
keep myself in paint,” he explains.
Brochu’s performance is a credit to both him and
Mostel. He looks, sounds and moves like Zero Mostel. He captures his
gestures, the sweep of his passions and swings of emotion. The meat of
the show is Mostel relating the persecution of writers and actors in the
early 1950s by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Un-American Activities
Committee. Most appalling,
his old friend Jerome Robbins was a cooperative witness. Mostel, named
by another informant, was blacklisted. Ironically, he was forced to work
with Robbins years later on Broadway.
—Debra Griboff
Photo credit: Michael Lamont
South Pacific
South
Pacific, hasn’t seen a revival on the Great White Way for 60
years. The current, near-perfect incarnation at Lincoln Center is as
upbeat as
Gypsy is dark. Rodgers and
Hammerstein’s musical takes place on a South Pacific island during World
War II. While South Pacific,
staged in 1949, has a decidedly post-war optimism, it also makes a plea
for racial tolerance.
When nurse Nellie Forbush (Kelli O’Hara) falls for
Emile de Becque (Paulo Szot), a French planter who has fathered two
children by a native woman, she’s forced to confront her own prejudices.
Similarly, when handsome Marine lieutenant Joe Cable (Matthew Morrison)
falls for a Polynesian girl (Li Jun Li), he laments that he cannot bring
her home. In the moving “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” Rodgers and
Hammerstein address the issue of bigotry head-on, a daring move at the
time.
At heart, South Pacific is a glorious paean to romance. Can anyone hear the
lush “Some Enchanted Evening” without being seduced by the promise of
destiny? Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot have real chemistry, though her
emotional ambivalence is beautifully rendered. Bartlett Sher’s direction
is lively and sensitive, and the music sublime. And the exquisite
lighting by Donald Holder makes us all long for Bali Ha’i.
–Fern Siegel
The 39 Steps
For Hitchcock fans, The 39 Steps was an early
thriller – and introduced one of the director’s favorite themes: The
innocent man trapped by circumstance. In the hugely entertaining 1935
film, Robert Donat, wrongly accused of murder, races from London to
Scotland to stop an international spy ring – and clear his name. En
route, he meets an icy but pretty blonde. The twists and turns, the
droll humor, even the
handcuffs,
are vintage Hitchcock. In the Broadway incarnation, direct from the West
End, The 39 Steps is played for laughs, rather than dramatic
highpoints, though it adheres to the original script. In the current
rendition at the American Airlines Theater, the show is a salute to
inspired staging and wonderfully versatile actors.
In short, three of its four cast members play a
dizzying array of parts. The 39
Steps is inventive and entertaining, but its cast would be greatly
aided by eliminating the intermission, which stops the action cold. For
all its craftsmanship – and there’s plenty to trumpet – The 39 Steps
is lightweight fare. At least by Broadway standards.
It would be better-suited to an extended run at a
prominent off-Broadway theater. If you know the film well, and it’s a
fair guess many theatergoers do, the added bonus is The 39 Steps’
homage to Hitchcock’s film canon. It cleverly pays verbal and visual
homage to Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Birds,
et. al. The sets and costumes are by Peter McKintosh and direction by
Maria Aitken, both fans of modernism. They make the most of a few props.
The use of doors and windows is a minimalist delight. Every cliché is
sent up; every moment is mined for humor.
That The 39 Steps works as a comedy whodunit
is thanks, in no small part, to the film’s ageless charm. As Richard
Hannay, the wronged man, Charles Edwards (the one cast member from
England), is perfect for his role as a Thirties goodhearted chap.
The real stars are Jennifer Ferrin, who plays
several different women so well it’s hard to believe it’s the same
actress, and Arnie Burton and Cliff Saunders, who don endless roles with
lightning speed and agility.
The
39 Steps, for all
its ingenuity, is a theatrical trifle. But it is a reminder that
sometimes, less is more.
–Fern Siegel
PHOTO: JOAN MARCUS 2008
Mary Poppins
If
you think you know Mary Poppins, think again. Disney made her
famous in the 1964 movie, and childrenand adults everywheresecretly wish
that they, too, could live, for even a few moments, at 17 Cherry Tree
Lane, Londonat least, while the indomitable Poppins is in residence.
Mystical and magical, she is, again, happily in our midst.
Mary Poppins, the
musical, now playing at the New Amsterdam Theatre, is a marvel of
invention and ingenuity. Based on the novels of P.T. Travers, the current
rendition of Mary Poppins is darker and more insightful than
the Disney incarnation. The Australian-born Travers, who wrote the first
of eight Poppins novels in 1934, set it in the Depression. Hollywood moved
it to the Edwardian era, and there it stayswith a catch.
The musical, an English
import, is hugely entertaining, brilliantly staged and mythical. Like the
archetypal hero, Mary (a pitch-perfect Ashley Brown) mysteriously appears
from the outside to fix a dysfunctional family. The Banks
householdfather, mother and two naughty children, Jane and Michael (a
noteworthy Matthew Gumley)is unhappy. Rather than function as a loving
unit, they each inhabit their own sad worlds. They need to be made
wholeindividually and collectivelyand that is Marys genius.
The book by Julian Fellowes,
coupled with the original score and wonderful new songs by George Stiles
and Anthony Drewe, delves into the nasty recesses of the English soul.
Here, Bert the chimney sweep (a remarkable Gavin Lee), is the core. He
neatly narrates the tale, underlining the difference between external
appearances (feigned upper-class solidity) and internal anxiety (the
Banks emotional lives). Indeed, Mary Poppins is a strong
indictment of Edwardian child-rearing and the horrors of emotional
repression. Before something can be fixed, we need to acknowledge its
broken.
Cue Mary, who enters from on
high (the allusion is obvious) to restore order out of chaos. Equal parts
discipline, gruff cheer and a refusal to submit to conventional wisdom,
ensure her success. En route, however, she takes us, and the Banks family,
on a whirlwind journey through Londonboth real and imagined. The sets are
clever and extraordinary, the score a delight. Richard Eyres direction
and Matthew Bournes choreography define entertainment; Mary Poppins
is a site for the eyes and a salve for the heart. A thoughtful, joyous
musical with top-of-the-line actors, effects and music, Mary Poppins
is a triumph.
Fern Siegel
PHOTO: JOAN MARCUS
25 Questions for a Jewish Mother
I
laughed. I cried. I thought Judy Gold, a stand-up comic who won two Emmys
for writing for The Rosie ODonnell Show, had something to say. The big
surprise was that the comic who hosts HBOs At the Multiplex With Judy
Gold is also a talented actress.
Now playing at the St.
Lukes Theatre, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, intertwines
Golds own story with Jewish women she interviewed nationwide as part of a
five-year project. What begins as a simple questionnaire blossoms into a
moving chronicle of womens lives. From secular to Orthodox, Holocaust
survivors to a Chinese convert, 25 Questions explores the nature of
belief and observance in the 21st century.
The catch isGold, in a
one-woman show, portrays each of the women she interviews. Its a simple,
but engaging format. She breaks from her hilarious standup routine at the
mike, where we learn how she came out to her mother, the omnipresent Ruth
Gold, her struggles with her girlfriend, and subsequent birth of her two
sons: Henry and Ben. She then walks stage right, sits in a chair, and
assumes the identity of the women she is interviewing.
Its a clever device. First,
it allows us to meet the women as they are, with strength, fragility,
passion and uncertainty intact. Second, it showcases Golds gift for
accents, memory and moment. The women are exceedingly honestand their
stories are occasionally heartbreaking.
The funniest bits, however,
are the ongoing battles between Gold and her mother. Their relationship is
loving, but fraught with anxiety. When the 8-year-old Judy is late coming
home one day, she arrives to find the police in her kitchenand her mother
serving them rugelah. Ruths over-protectiveness is comic to us, but
stifling to her daughter, who believes her real mother, Barbra Streisand,
will one day rescue her from her middle-class New Jersey existence. Its
not until the grown-up Judy discovers the secret behind her mothers fears
that she understands what drives herand in that moment, the open wound
begins to heal.
In truth, both Gold and her
mother are natural narcissists. Each fights for center stage. That Gold
can turn her tale into a successful play (and award-winning career) is to
her credit. Shes has a gift for understanding the crazy ironies in daily
life and her honesty is stunning. 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother
is the like theatrical therapy. Its filled with laugher and sadness, but
this is one emotional ride, but youll be glad to take. Fern Siegel
PHOTO: CAROL ROSEGG
Jersey Boys
Its
a long journey from singing on the mean streets of New Jersey to the
Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, but Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons did
it. One of the most successful vocal groups of the 1960s, The Four
Seasons scored a series of smash hit singles between 1962 and 1967,
featuring the piercing falsetto voice of Frankie Valli). But the boys
werent a one-note wonder. During their 40-year career, the group sold
more than 100 million records. (Thanks to Bob Gaudio, one of the quartet
and the songwriting genius behind their success.) Now playing at the
August Wilson Theatre, Jersey Boys chronicles their storyand this
super-entertaining musical roller coaster doesnt miss a beat.
Jersey Boys is, first
and foremost, a showcase for their music. From Sherry to Walk Like a
Man, the songs, dance steps and sleek suits defiantly capture an era
and a mind-set. Frankie Valli (born Frankie Castelluccio) is a young
Italian guy who, like his friends, sees two options in life: the Mob or
singing. It is, after all, 1950s Newark, New Jersey, and Jersey Boys
makes clear The Four Seasons never wholly escape their roots, personally
or professionally. Their music speaks to working-class people. The
intellectuals, Gaudio notes, listen to The Beatles. No matter. In 2005,
the entire audience is riveted to the story, a rags-to-riches saga that
could only happen in America. Jersey Boys examines the corruption of
the music business and the personal toil success takes with unflinching
honesty. At heart, Jersey Boys is a cautionary tale about friendship
and fame. The music endures, but the price is high.
Of course, the back story
is what gives the production emotional texture. Its the
performancesand youd swear John Lloyd Young, who plays Valli, is
channeling him. Ditto for the other three Seasons: Christian Hoff as
Tommy DeVito, Daniel Reichard as Gaudio and J. Robert Spencer as Nick
Massi. If you missed the original act, these four do a superb job of
recreating the sass and sizzle. Thanks to Sergio Trujillos
choreography, which is dazzling, and Des McAnuffs direction, which is
pitch perfect, Jersey Boys sets the standard for tribute musicals.
Like Beatlemania,
it
feels as if you're watching the real thing. Since we
cant, Jersey Boys is the next best thing. Fern Siegel
Wicked
"Wicked"
is wicked cool. It is one of those big, bold Broadway shows that wraps a
provocative theme inside a visual treat. "Wicked," now playing
at the Gershwin Theatre, is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz."
Inhabited by wizards and talking goats and magical spells, were not
in Kansas anymore. Ironically, Kansas is still with us. The conceit of
"Wicked" is that the fantasy world resembles our own - its
filled with love and kindness, as well as jealousy, oppression and
deceit. They just have better costumes.
"Wicked" is the story of the Wicked Witch of the West,
better known as the nasty crone who wants to do away with poor Dorothy.
The "Wizard of Oz" makes a stark contrast between good and
evil; "Wicked" is more nuanced. It neatly tackles the nature
vs. nurture argument and discovers that the witch (whose real name is
Elphaba) got a bad rap. "Are they born wicked or do they have
wicked thrust upon them?" the musical asks. In a world where spin
substitutes for truth, and propaganda doubles as principle,
"Wicked" is unabashedly on the side of the victim.
The witch as victim? You bet. Elphaba (Idina Menzel) is a victim
of circumstance. The eldest daughter of the governor of Munchkin Land,
she has the misfortune to be born green. Shunned by parents and her
peers, she relies on her sister, Nessarose (Michelle Federer), and the
kindess of strangers. Sent to a school to learn sorcery, Elphaba
discovers she has real talent (shades of "Harry Potter.")
Madame Morrible (Carole Shelley) takes young Elphaba under her wing,
much to the consternation of Glinda (Kristin Chenoweth), the perky,
popular blonde. Initially snippy, Glinda and Elphaba become friends -
and therein lies the first of several truths: Look beneath the surface.
In fact, one of the charms of "Wicked" is the bonding between
the women a positive message about female friendship. And they stay
friends, even when a dashing young man (Norbert Leo Butz), "its
painlesss to be brainless" he croons, enters the picture.
But all is not happy in the land of Oz. The animals, which walk
and talk, are being persecuted. The Wizard of Oz (Joel Grey), who seems
so benign at first, has a scary agenda. It falls to Elphaba to oppose
him. And we all know what happens to dissidents who challenge the status
quo. Those who defend civil liberties are often painted as lunatics;
those who cheerfully oppress are cast as pillars of society. We
witnessed the wizards feet of clay in "The Wizard of Oz."
Here, his machinations and manipulations are pronounced; his smear
tactics worthy of J. Edgar Hoover.
Kudos to Winnie Holzman who wrote the book and Gregory Macguire,
author of the original novel, for mining such depth in a tale that
cannot be told enough. They are aided in their efforts by Eugene Lees
inspired, eye-popping sets, a clever blend of Victorian whimsy and
machinery, Susan Hilfertys costumes, which are endlessly theatrical,
and Kenneth Posners exquisite lighting. Their craftsmanship
highlights the considerable talents of the cast: Chenoweth and Menzel
have genuine chemistry, each is exemplary in their roles; together, they
are magic. Butz never puts a foot wrong, Shelleys vocal delivery
alone is a winner and Greys avuncular demeanor believes the evil
within. The one drawback and its a biggie is the music. The
talented Stephen Schwartz, who gave us "Pippin" and
"Godspell," has fashioned an unmemorable score. There
are a few fun songs, but they dont gel as a whole. A shame, because
"Wicked" is a worthy production.
If youve ever wondered how the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly
Lion came to be, "Wicked" is a must. It revisits a classic,
but adds context. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. There
is no such thing as a random event. Often, the back story is the main
event.
Cast Glows in "Chicago."
(Note:
Some cast members may have changed since review originally appeared.)
Chicago Ambassador Theatre.
- 219 W. 49 St.
"Nobodys
got no class. Theres no decency left." If you credit this sentiment as
another of William Bennetts digs at society, think again. These immortal
words are uttered by a 1920s murderer and her prison warden in the sassy,
brassy, Tony-award winning musical "Chicago," now playing at the
Ambassador Theatre.
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When this deliciously satiric Kander and Ebb musical
opened in the 70s, it was deemed too dark and cynical for such feel-good
times. A murderer as a star? A slick lawyer playing fast and loose with the
truth? Audiences shuddered. Well, its 90s America now, and in a post-OJ
world, "Chicago" (with a new cast) is brilliantly on target.
The plot concerns one Roxy Hart (Karen Ziemba), who took
her lovers rejection to heart. Some women would just write the bum off; Roxy
prefers a good old-fashioned shootout. Luckily, her hapless husband can raise
the money for a smarmy, read successful lawyer. While attorney Billy Flynn (Alan
Thicke) is busy concocting an
outrageous scenario to free his client, the women who keeping Roxy company in
Cook County prison, namely one Velma Kelly (played by the divine Ute Lemper) and
matron (Marcia Lewis), shower us with a jazzy, razzle-dazzle of sight, sound and
motion.
Staged in a Brechtian manner, complete with hard-chiseled
dancers whose bodies provide all the scenery we need, "Chicago"
explores the unholy alliance between crime and celebrity with sinister glee. The
story is hugely entertaining, the dancing is first rate and the score is
fantastic. Lemper, who plays her role with "Cabaret"-esque precision,
boasts a sultry voice and singular style. Thicke is both slick and seductive as
Flynn, while Ziemba, an accomplished singer and dancer, lacks tha t aggressive,
in-your-face quality Ann Reinking originally brought to the role.
Still, the ensemble, one of the hardest working on
Broadway, is riveting. Sure, criminals may be the flavor of the month, but who
says we cant enjoy their antics? "Chicago" reminds us that
deception is as American as apple pie. Fern Siegel
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