Review by BArry GAines for the Albuquerque Journal July 5, 2008
I returned from my summer travels just in time to join a capacity opening-night audience for “Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)” at the Vortex.
This rollicking play by Canadian Ann-Marie MacDonald operates on several levels, all of them entertaining. Before we hear a line of dialogue, we see mousey academic Constance Ledbelly at work at her cluttered desk while Othello smothers his innocent wife Desdemona and Juliet, finding her beloved Romeo dead, stabs herself to death. We soon learn that Constance has been toiling to finish her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to prove that Shakespeare originally conceived both “Othello” and Romeo and Juliet as comedies with a Wise Fool intervening to avert the errors that lead to the plays’ deaths. Constance’s pedantic comments on the “ambivalent and non-Aristotelian” tragedy of the two plays sounds like a classroom lecture on Shakespeare, or a parody of such a lecture—they are often difficult to tell apart. When her secret love, Professor Claude Knight, for whom she has been writing speeches and reviews for years, callously dashes all her romantic hopes, she throws her research into the wastebasket—and herself with it. Fantastically, she reappears in Cyprus where she interacts with Othello, Desdemona, and Iago. In the second act she is in Verona with the Capulets and Montagues. In both places Constance manages to avert the tragedy, but she turns the action into chaos—therein lies much of the fun. MacDonald’s script is alternatively witty and vulgar; the play’s cast transforms what is essentially an extended skit into an enjoyable comedy.
Director Victoria Liberatori, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Princeton Rep Company, has selected her actors well and provided clever staging and line deliveries to maximize the play’s comic effect. The cast presents their characters with appealing energy and commitment. Shakespeare veterans Drew Groves and Lori Stewart call on their experience to be both serious and silly—often simultaneously—as Romeo/Iago and Desdemona. Benjamin Liberman sends Othello, Juliet’s Nurse, and Tybalt over the top in his performances. Heather Yeo is delightful as a Juliet who was dissatisfied with her Romeo’s amorous equipage. Bridget Kelly is strong as Constance, whose search for identity is at the heart of the play. Kelly often underplays her modern role, milking the humorous contrast between her colloquial language and the other characters’ emotional Renaissance verse (although I swear I heard a Groucho Marx line).
Is “Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)” fraught with the power of the Shakespearean plays in appropriates? No. It is more intellectual slapstick, but thoughtful and entertaining. The few glitches in the first performance will be eliminated during the run.
“Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) by Ann-Marie MacDonald plays at the Vortex Theatre, 2004½ Central Avenue SW, Fridays July 18 and August 1, Saturdays July 12, 26, and August 2 at 8 p.m., and Sundays July 13, 20, and August 3 at 2 p.m. $12. Call 247-8600.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
REVIEW - Bedroom Farce at the Adobe
Review by Barry Gaines for the Albuquerque Journal July 14, 2008
Alan Ayckbourne’s “Bedroom Farce” opened to a full house at the Adobe Theater. Sir Alan’s frenetic comedy features four married couples and explores their intertwined relationships. My first reaction to the two-and-a-quarter-hour production is that it is superficial in content and presentation, but perhaps I am asking too much of a light summer comedy.
Three bedrooms dominate Bob Byers’s set design, and the action shifts from bedroom to bedroom (and bed to bed) aided by Zane Barker’s lighting. One bedroom is occupied by Earnest and Delia, an older couple who wickedly contemplate celebrating their anniversary with sardines on toast points—in bed! Earnest is worried about a leak in the roof, but both are concerned about their son Trevor. After a fling with down-to-earth Jan, Trevor married the volatile Susannah, and the couple is having marital (bedroom) problems. Another bedroom belongs to Jan and her husband Nick. Nick has hurt his back and is bedridden (and floor-ridden). Jan, tired of playing nursemaid, goes to a housewarming party given by Kate and Malcolm, who occupy the central bedroom. Trevor and Susannah attend the party as well, and controlled chaos ensues.
Ayckbourne is one of England’s most prolific playwrights, known for his witty dialogue, clever construction, and comic exploration of middle-class angst. All of these are present in “Bedroom Farce” (1975), but, despite the 70s hairstyles and Judy Buehler’s polyester-laden costumes, the play shows its age. Director Taunya Crilly sets a rapid pace at the play’s beginning, but after intermission the dialogue and action become repetitive and the situation loses its savor, like chewing gum on the bedpost.
As Earnest and Delia, Hugh Witemeyer and Ninette S. Mordaunt do a fine job presenting a couple comfortable with themselves and each other. When conveying his character’s surprise, Witemeyer’s expressive eyes resemble two ping-pong balls. The script demands that Remy Rotenier perform Nick while continuously recumbent and complaining. Morgain Davidson perseveres as Jan. Jenny Miller is all tantrums, tirades, and tears as Susannah. Jennifer M. Lloyd again demonstrates her comic skills as Kate, and Matt Heath uses a sputtering Scottish accent to convey Malcolm’s frustration. These are highly capable actors whom I have praised in the past, but I find precious little in the text or performances to explain their attraction to each other. Newcomer Joseph M. West plays Trevor from the outside in. His grimaces, shrugs, and gestures are reminiscent of the Hugh Grant school of acting. But should I be looking for motivation in this breezy text with its sight gags and slapstick? Isn’t it enough to be an unashamed (and undemanding)
“Bedroom Farce”? “Bedroom Farce” by Alan Ayckbourne plays at the Adobe Theater, 9813 Fourth NW, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through August 3. $12 general public, $10 seniors and students. Call 898-9222 for ticket information
Alan Ayckbourne’s “Bedroom Farce” opened to a full house at the Adobe Theater. Sir Alan’s frenetic comedy features four married couples and explores their intertwined relationships. My first reaction to the two-and-a-quarter-hour production is that it is superficial in content and presentation, but perhaps I am asking too much of a light summer comedy.
Three bedrooms dominate Bob Byers’s set design, and the action shifts from bedroom to bedroom (and bed to bed) aided by Zane Barker’s lighting. One bedroom is occupied by Earnest and Delia, an older couple who wickedly contemplate celebrating their anniversary with sardines on toast points—in bed! Earnest is worried about a leak in the roof, but both are concerned about their son Trevor. After a fling with down-to-earth Jan, Trevor married the volatile Susannah, and the couple is having marital (bedroom) problems. Another bedroom belongs to Jan and her husband Nick. Nick has hurt his back and is bedridden (and floor-ridden). Jan, tired of playing nursemaid, goes to a housewarming party given by Kate and Malcolm, who occupy the central bedroom. Trevor and Susannah attend the party as well, and controlled chaos ensues.
Ayckbourne is one of England’s most prolific playwrights, known for his witty dialogue, clever construction, and comic exploration of middle-class angst. All of these are present in “Bedroom Farce” (1975), but, despite the 70s hairstyles and Judy Buehler’s polyester-laden costumes, the play shows its age. Director Taunya Crilly sets a rapid pace at the play’s beginning, but after intermission the dialogue and action become repetitive and the situation loses its savor, like chewing gum on the bedpost.
As Earnest and Delia, Hugh Witemeyer and Ninette S. Mordaunt do a fine job presenting a couple comfortable with themselves and each other. When conveying his character’s surprise, Witemeyer’s expressive eyes resemble two ping-pong balls. The script demands that Remy Rotenier perform Nick while continuously recumbent and complaining. Morgain Davidson perseveres as Jan. Jenny Miller is all tantrums, tirades, and tears as Susannah. Jennifer M. Lloyd again demonstrates her comic skills as Kate, and Matt Heath uses a sputtering Scottish accent to convey Malcolm’s frustration. These are highly capable actors whom I have praised in the past, but I find precious little in the text or performances to explain their attraction to each other. Newcomer Joseph M. West plays Trevor from the outside in. His grimaces, shrugs, and gestures are reminiscent of the Hugh Grant school of acting. But should I be looking for motivation in this breezy text with its sight gags and slapstick? Isn’t it enough to be an unashamed (and undemanding)
“Bedroom Farce”? “Bedroom Farce” by Alan Ayckbourne plays at the Adobe Theater, 9813 Fourth NW, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through August 3. $12 general public, $10 seniors and students. Call 898-9222 for ticket information
REVIEW - The Bad Seed at Desert Rose
Review by Barry Gaines for the Albuquerque Journal July 26, 2008
“The Bad Seed” has had tremendous success in three genres. It began as a 1954 novel by William March that sold a million copies in its first year while winning critical acclaim.
“The Bad Seed” was then adapted for the stage by Pulitzer-Prize-winner Maxwell Anderson. It opened on Broadway late in 1954 where it was a hit. Nancy Kelly won the Best Actress Tony for her portrayal of the play’s anguished mother. In 1956, Anderson’s play became a movie directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with Nancy Kelly and young Patty McCormack reprising their roles as mother and daughter. The movie was popular although the ending had to be altered to provide the punishment required by the outmoded Hays Code then still in effect. The film’s melodramatic acting, however, was later seen almost as self-parody.
So, over fifty years later, how does “The Bad Seed” hold up in the presentation by The Dolls—Albuquerque’s drag ensemble—at the Desert Rose Playhouse? First, I find this production an important accomplishment for The Dolls, who have been known mostly for their revues. Yes, men play women’s parts, but there is a balance between camp and serious in the acting. I am not suggesting that the parts are played (dare I say) straight, but there is genuine emotion in several of the portrayals. Ten-year-old Rhoda is the “too-good-to-be-true” daughter/sociopath. Twenty-six-year-old AJ Carian portrays her with a toothsome grin and a terrifying insouciance. She is the “bad seed” who lacks conscience or empathy, a heartless killer in pigtails. Her mother Christine, played effectively and sympathetically by Tequila Mockingbyrd (Kenneth Ansloan), grows aware of her daughter’s evil and searches for its origins. Christine’s landlord, Monica, played with humor and a great pompadour by Patrick Ross, offers Freudian explanations, while Christine’s father (Jim Johns) believes that depraved individuals come from depraved environments. From him Christine learns the secret of her own past.
As I applaud the serious characterizations, I must also mention problems with the script. The play is too long and repetitious. Patti Roxxx (Jaime Pardo) has a strong scene as the drunken mother of one of Rhoda’s victims, but her second scene simply repeats the first. The mystery novelist Salome (a man in the original script) is affectedly played by Chastity Belt-Off (director Bradd Howard), but the character is superfluous. Jay Kincheloe plays a genuinely creepy janitor (you know, the one who is always looking at the little girl), but he simply becomes another corpse. The story’s original postwar social commentary (is Rhoda Nazi Germany?) and psychological impact have been blunted by time (a preteen killer is the “Newsweek” cover story), but The Dolls give their all in this retelling.
“The Bad Seed” by Maxwell Anderson plays at The Desert Rose Playhouse, 6921 Montgomery NE, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through August 10. $12. Call 881-0503.
“The Bad Seed” has had tremendous success in three genres. It began as a 1954 novel by William March that sold a million copies in its first year while winning critical acclaim.
“The Bad Seed” was then adapted for the stage by Pulitzer-Prize-winner Maxwell Anderson. It opened on Broadway late in 1954 where it was a hit. Nancy Kelly won the Best Actress Tony for her portrayal of the play’s anguished mother. In 1956, Anderson’s play became a movie directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with Nancy Kelly and young Patty McCormack reprising their roles as mother and daughter. The movie was popular although the ending had to be altered to provide the punishment required by the outmoded Hays Code then still in effect. The film’s melodramatic acting, however, was later seen almost as self-parody.
So, over fifty years later, how does “The Bad Seed” hold up in the presentation by The Dolls—Albuquerque’s drag ensemble—at the Desert Rose Playhouse? First, I find this production an important accomplishment for The Dolls, who have been known mostly for their revues. Yes, men play women’s parts, but there is a balance between camp and serious in the acting. I am not suggesting that the parts are played (dare I say) straight, but there is genuine emotion in several of the portrayals. Ten-year-old Rhoda is the “too-good-to-be-true” daughter/sociopath. Twenty-six-year-old AJ Carian portrays her with a toothsome grin and a terrifying insouciance. She is the “bad seed” who lacks conscience or empathy, a heartless killer in pigtails. Her mother Christine, played effectively and sympathetically by Tequila Mockingbyrd (Kenneth Ansloan), grows aware of her daughter’s evil and searches for its origins. Christine’s landlord, Monica, played with humor and a great pompadour by Patrick Ross, offers Freudian explanations, while Christine’s father (Jim Johns) believes that depraved individuals come from depraved environments. From him Christine learns the secret of her own past.
As I applaud the serious characterizations, I must also mention problems with the script. The play is too long and repetitious. Patti Roxxx (Jaime Pardo) has a strong scene as the drunken mother of one of Rhoda’s victims, but her second scene simply repeats the first. The mystery novelist Salome (a man in the original script) is affectedly played by Chastity Belt-Off (director Bradd Howard), but the character is superfluous. Jay Kincheloe plays a genuinely creepy janitor (you know, the one who is always looking at the little girl), but he simply becomes another corpse. The story’s original postwar social commentary (is Rhoda Nazi Germany?) and psychological impact have been blunted by time (a preteen killer is the “Newsweek” cover story), but The Dolls give their all in this retelling.
“The Bad Seed” by Maxwell Anderson plays at The Desert Rose Playhouse, 6921 Montgomery NE, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through August 10. $12. Call 881-0503.
REVIEW - Charlie and the Chococlate Factory at ALT
RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2008 KKIM, 1000 A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 P.M., SANTA FE
AGAIN, THEATREGOERS, GREETINGS FROM THEATRELAND! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE IS ALL ABOUT THE CURRENT PLAY AT ALBUQUERQUE LITTLE THEATRE, THE CLASSIC "CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY." IT'S A PLAY FOR KIDS, ABOUT KIDS, AND WITH KIDS-KIDS BOTH ON STAGE AND KIDS IN THE AUDIENCE. WELL, THERE ARE A FEW ADULTS IN THE STORY, BUT THE SHOW IS DEFINITELY A KID SHOW, AND DO THEY LOVE IT!
BY COINCIDENCE, THE MOVIE VERSION OF THIS PLAY WAS SHOWN JUST LAST NIGHT ON A.B.C.'S FAMILY CHANNEL 59, AND YOU'D THINK A FILM WOULD BE BETTER. BUT NOT SO THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH HOLLYWOOD COULD CREATE MORE SPECTACULAR SCENES THAN IS POSSIBLE ON THE STAGE-WHICH GRANTED, IT DID. EVEN SO, JOSH BIEN'S MULTI-LEVEL SET DESIGN FOR ALT'S PRODUCTION IS ALL YOU NEED TO GIVE THE KIDS ON STAGE AND IN THE AUDIENCE A REALISTIC IMPRESSION OF WHAT A CHOCOLATE FACTORY MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND ON WHICH TO CAVORT, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS AS RAVING RICHARD I'VE USED "CAVORT". BUT IT COULDN'T BE MORE APPLICABLE, AS WEBSTER DEFINES CAVORTING AS (1) TO LEAP ABOUT, PRANCE OR CAPER, AND (2) TO ROMP ABOUT HAPPILY; FROLIC. TO ALL THIS CAVORTING, THE AUDIENCE SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT, TO THE PLEASURE OF STEPHANIE SHAHVAR, DIRECTOR.
MICHAEL CHAVEZ AS CHARLIE BUCKET--OR SHOULD I SAY "BUQUE," IN DEFERENCE TO THE LADY ON THAT ENGLISH COMEDYI-PLUS TIM KUPJAK AS GRANDPA AND STIRLING MORRIS AS THE NARRATOR, ALMOST STEAL THE SHOW, BUT THEY CAN'T WITH ALL THOSE WONDERFUL KIDS TO WATCH-ESPECIALLY THOSE NINE CUTIES IN THE WELL-CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE ROUTINE, ALL FANCIED UP IN COSTUMES LIKE CHRISTY BRYSON HAS OUTFITTED THE ENTIRE CAST. TO BE SURE, "THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY" IS A VERY COLORFUL PRODUCTION, FAST PACED, AND ONE YOU SHOULD SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS FOR PERHAPS THEIR FIRST TASTE OF SHOW BUSINESS.
IN THAT REGARD, STARTING AUGUST 4, ALT IS REGISTERIING KIDS OF ALL AGES IN SESSIONS RANGING FROM CREATIVE DRAMATICS TO STORYBOOK THEATRE, TO CLOWNING AND ACTING, PLAY WRITING AND OTHER SPECIALTIES-EVEN BEGINNING ACTING FOR ADULTS, FROM AGE 18. IF INTERESTED, CALL 242-4750. THAT’S THE SAME NUMBER FOR TICKETS AND RESERVATIONS. THIS SHOW REPEATS WEEKENDS THROUGH AUGUST 10.
THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR PERFORMING ARTS.
AGAIN, THEATREGOERS, GREETINGS FROM THEATRELAND! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE IS ALL ABOUT THE CURRENT PLAY AT ALBUQUERQUE LITTLE THEATRE, THE CLASSIC "CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY." IT'S A PLAY FOR KIDS, ABOUT KIDS, AND WITH KIDS-KIDS BOTH ON STAGE AND KIDS IN THE AUDIENCE. WELL, THERE ARE A FEW ADULTS IN THE STORY, BUT THE SHOW IS DEFINITELY A KID SHOW, AND DO THEY LOVE IT!
BY COINCIDENCE, THE MOVIE VERSION OF THIS PLAY WAS SHOWN JUST LAST NIGHT ON A.B.C.'S FAMILY CHANNEL 59, AND YOU'D THINK A FILM WOULD BE BETTER. BUT NOT SO THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH HOLLYWOOD COULD CREATE MORE SPECTACULAR SCENES THAN IS POSSIBLE ON THE STAGE-WHICH GRANTED, IT DID. EVEN SO, JOSH BIEN'S MULTI-LEVEL SET DESIGN FOR ALT'S PRODUCTION IS ALL YOU NEED TO GIVE THE KIDS ON STAGE AND IN THE AUDIENCE A REALISTIC IMPRESSION OF WHAT A CHOCOLATE FACTORY MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND ON WHICH TO CAVORT, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS AS RAVING RICHARD I'VE USED "CAVORT". BUT IT COULDN'T BE MORE APPLICABLE, AS WEBSTER DEFINES CAVORTING AS (1) TO LEAP ABOUT, PRANCE OR CAPER, AND (2) TO ROMP ABOUT HAPPILY; FROLIC. TO ALL THIS CAVORTING, THE AUDIENCE SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT, TO THE PLEASURE OF STEPHANIE SHAHVAR, DIRECTOR.
MICHAEL CHAVEZ AS CHARLIE BUCKET--OR SHOULD I SAY "BUQUE," IN DEFERENCE TO THE LADY ON THAT ENGLISH COMEDYI-PLUS TIM KUPJAK AS GRANDPA AND STIRLING MORRIS AS THE NARRATOR, ALMOST STEAL THE SHOW, BUT THEY CAN'T WITH ALL THOSE WONDERFUL KIDS TO WATCH-ESPECIALLY THOSE NINE CUTIES IN THE WELL-CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE ROUTINE, ALL FANCIED UP IN COSTUMES LIKE CHRISTY BRYSON HAS OUTFITTED THE ENTIRE CAST. TO BE SURE, "THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY" IS A VERY COLORFUL PRODUCTION, FAST PACED, AND ONE YOU SHOULD SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS FOR PERHAPS THEIR FIRST TASTE OF SHOW BUSINESS.
IN THAT REGARD, STARTING AUGUST 4, ALT IS REGISTERIING KIDS OF ALL AGES IN SESSIONS RANGING FROM CREATIVE DRAMATICS TO STORYBOOK THEATRE, TO CLOWNING AND ACTING, PLAY WRITING AND OTHER SPECIALTIES-EVEN BEGINNING ACTING FOR ADULTS, FROM AGE 18. IF INTERESTED, CALL 242-4750. THAT’S THE SAME NUMBER FOR TICKETS AND RESERVATIONS. THIS SHOW REPEATS WEEKENDS THROUGH AUGUST 10.
THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR PERFORMING ARTS.
Friday, July 18, 2008
REVIEW - Bedroom Farce at the Adobe
RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON JULY 15, 2008 KKMI, 1000 A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE
GREETINGS, THEATREGOERS! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE FUNNIEST COMEDIES YOU'RE APT TO SEE-IT'S A PLAY CALLED "BEDROOM FARCE," NOW PLAYING AT THE ADOBE, AND IS IT EVER A RIOT! THE WORD BEDROOM IN THE TITLE SHOULDN'T DISTURB ANYONE IN THIS KKIM AUDIENCE-IT COULD BE STAGED IN THE LIVING ROOM OR DINING ROOM, BUT LET'S FACE-THE BEDROOM CONNOTATION DOES GIVE IT A TAD MORE INTEREST IN-SO-FAR AS A PLAY RELATING TO "AN EXAGGERATED COMEDY BASED ON BROADLY HUMOROUS, HIGHLY UNLIKELY SITUATIONS," QUOTING WEBSTER'S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY.
THE PLAYWRIGHT IS ALAN AYCKBOURNE, WHOSE BRITISH PLAYS PRESENT ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATIONS-A COMEDIC FORMULA HE USES IN HIS MANY OTHER WORKS. BUT THE SCRIPT ALONE IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS AN HILARIOUS PRODUCTION-IT'S THE TALENTED HAND OF DIRECTOR TAUNYA CRILLY WHO BRINGS OUT THE ACTION AT A FAST PACE, KEEPING THE AUDIENCE IN STITCHES IN EVERY SEQUENCE WITH THE CAST SHE'S SELECTED, WHO ARE TERRIIFIC, EVERY ONE: HUGH WITEMEYER, WHO'S NEVER BEEN BETTER; NINETTE MORDAUNT, WHO ALWAYS GIVES A SUPERB PERFORMANCE; JENNIFER LLOYD, ALWAYS THE BEST THERE IS FOR WHATEVER PART; JOSEPH WEST, A CONSUMMATE COMIC ACTOR WHO REALLY SHINES IN THIS ROLE; MATT HEATH, WHO BRING OUT THE MANY VARIANCES IN HIS ROLE, OF WHICH THERE'RE MANY; PLUS THE SAME FOR MQRGAIN DAVIDSON AND JENNY MILLER; ALSO, REMY ROTENIER, A CONVINCING BEDRIDDEN PATIENT, WHO RISES TO THE OCCASION WITH HIS CUSTOMARY DRAMATIC FLAIR.
FOR DETAILS OF THE PLOT, SEE THE FEATURE ARTICLE IN FRIDAY'S ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL BY AURELIO SANCHEZ. IF YOU ENJOY COMEDY, BOTH THE ANTICS AND WITTY LINES, BE SURE TO SEE "BEDROOM FARCE." IT CONTINUES WEEKENDS AT THE ADOBE THROUGH AUGUST 3; CALL 898-9222 FOR RESERVATIONS WHILE SEATS ARE AVAILABLE. YOU'LL HAVE FUN, I KNOW.
SPEAKING OF THE JOURNAL, THERE ARE OTHER WORTHWHILE PLAYS MENTIONED-BUT FOR PERSONAL REASONS, LET ME COMMENT ON JUST ONE-ARTHUR MILLER'S CLASSIC PLAY, "THE "CRUCIBLE," PRESENTED AT HOPE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH, 4710 JUAN TABO N.E, A HALF-MILE NORTH OF MONTGOMERY. THE SETTING FOR THIS PLAY IS THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS, WITH DIRECTION BY MATTHEW NAEGELI-REMEMBER HIS FABULOUS PRESENTATION LAST SUMMER OF "MY FAIR LADY'-THE BEST MUSICAL STAGED LOCALLY COMPETING WITH GALA POPEJOY PRODUCTIONS, IN MY OPINION. "THE CRUCIBLE" RUNS WEEKENDS THROUGH JULY 27, AND FOR RESERVATIONS BEFORE IT SELLS OUT, CALL 688-4642.
THOSE ARE MY BEST SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW PLAYS TO SEE THIS WEEKEND-WITH THESE COMMENTARIES BY ME, RAVING RICHARD, HEARD HERE ON KKIM, 1000 A.M., CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE-ALSO SEEN ON THE STATION'S WEB, KKIMAM1000.COM, AND IN THE NEW SPOTLIGHT ON LIVE THEATRE, ABQTHEATRE.ORG. I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK, SAME TIME AND STATION, REVIEWING "THE CRUCIBLE," AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE.
GREETINGS, THEATREGOERS! THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE FUNNIEST COMEDIES YOU'RE APT TO SEE-IT'S A PLAY CALLED "BEDROOM FARCE," NOW PLAYING AT THE ADOBE, AND IS IT EVER A RIOT! THE WORD BEDROOM IN THE TITLE SHOULDN'T DISTURB ANYONE IN THIS KKIM AUDIENCE-IT COULD BE STAGED IN THE LIVING ROOM OR DINING ROOM, BUT LET'S FACE-THE BEDROOM CONNOTATION DOES GIVE IT A TAD MORE INTEREST IN-SO-FAR AS A PLAY RELATING TO "AN EXAGGERATED COMEDY BASED ON BROADLY HUMOROUS, HIGHLY UNLIKELY SITUATIONS," QUOTING WEBSTER'S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY.
THE PLAYWRIGHT IS ALAN AYCKBOURNE, WHOSE BRITISH PLAYS PRESENT ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATIONS-A COMEDIC FORMULA HE USES IN HIS MANY OTHER WORKS. BUT THE SCRIPT ALONE IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS AN HILARIOUS PRODUCTION-IT'S THE TALENTED HAND OF DIRECTOR TAUNYA CRILLY WHO BRINGS OUT THE ACTION AT A FAST PACE, KEEPING THE AUDIENCE IN STITCHES IN EVERY SEQUENCE WITH THE CAST SHE'S SELECTED, WHO ARE TERRIIFIC, EVERY ONE: HUGH WITEMEYER, WHO'S NEVER BEEN BETTER; NINETTE MORDAUNT, WHO ALWAYS GIVES A SUPERB PERFORMANCE; JENNIFER LLOYD, ALWAYS THE BEST THERE IS FOR WHATEVER PART; JOSEPH WEST, A CONSUMMATE COMIC ACTOR WHO REALLY SHINES IN THIS ROLE; MATT HEATH, WHO BRING OUT THE MANY VARIANCES IN HIS ROLE, OF WHICH THERE'RE MANY; PLUS THE SAME FOR MQRGAIN DAVIDSON AND JENNY MILLER; ALSO, REMY ROTENIER, A CONVINCING BEDRIDDEN PATIENT, WHO RISES TO THE OCCASION WITH HIS CUSTOMARY DRAMATIC FLAIR.
FOR DETAILS OF THE PLOT, SEE THE FEATURE ARTICLE IN FRIDAY'S ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL BY AURELIO SANCHEZ. IF YOU ENJOY COMEDY, BOTH THE ANTICS AND WITTY LINES, BE SURE TO SEE "BEDROOM FARCE." IT CONTINUES WEEKENDS AT THE ADOBE THROUGH AUGUST 3; CALL 898-9222 FOR RESERVATIONS WHILE SEATS ARE AVAILABLE. YOU'LL HAVE FUN, I KNOW.
SPEAKING OF THE JOURNAL, THERE ARE OTHER WORTHWHILE PLAYS MENTIONED-BUT FOR PERSONAL REASONS, LET ME COMMENT ON JUST ONE-ARTHUR MILLER'S CLASSIC PLAY, "THE "CRUCIBLE," PRESENTED AT HOPE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH, 4710 JUAN TABO N.E, A HALF-MILE NORTH OF MONTGOMERY. THE SETTING FOR THIS PLAY IS THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS, WITH DIRECTION BY MATTHEW NAEGELI-REMEMBER HIS FABULOUS PRESENTATION LAST SUMMER OF "MY FAIR LADY'-THE BEST MUSICAL STAGED LOCALLY COMPETING WITH GALA POPEJOY PRODUCTIONS, IN MY OPINION. "THE CRUCIBLE" RUNS WEEKENDS THROUGH JULY 27, AND FOR RESERVATIONS BEFORE IT SELLS OUT, CALL 688-4642.
THOSE ARE MY BEST SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW PLAYS TO SEE THIS WEEKEND-WITH THESE COMMENTARIES BY ME, RAVING RICHARD, HEARD HERE ON KKIM, 1000 A.M., CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE-ALSO SEEN ON THE STATION'S WEB, KKIMAM1000.COM, AND IN THE NEW SPOTLIGHT ON LIVE THEATRE, ABQTHEATRE.ORG. I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK, SAME TIME AND STATION, REVIEWING "THE CRUCIBLE," AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
REVIEW: "Good Night, Desdemona" and "Music Man, Jr."
RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON JULY 8, 2008 KKIM, 1000A.M., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE
GREETINGS AGAIN, FELLOW THEATRE-GOERS! THIS WEEK, MY COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON TWO OUTSTANDING SHOWS-"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA," A COMEDY AT THE VORTEX, AND "THE MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A MUSICAL AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE, 1025 LOMAS BLVD.
"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS ABOUT A SHAKESPEAREAN SCHOLAR WHO FINDS HERSELF BACK IN THE ERA WHEN THE CHARACTERS IN THE BARD'S TRAGEDIES "OTHELLO" AND "ROMEO AND "JULIET" WERE ALIVE. IT'S A SLAPSTICK COMEDY, WITH TWISTED MEANING OF LINES FROM HIS CLASSICS, AND BEHAVIOR OUT OF CHARACTER FROM THE ORIGINAL STORIES. THE PLAYWRIGHT, ANN-MARIE MACDONALD, KNEW SHAKESPEARE QUITE WELL TO BE ABLE TO DRAW PARALLELS WITH SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, AND THE DIRECTOR, VICTORIA LIBERATORI, WAS INGENOUS IN BRINGING OUT ALL COMEDIC ASPECTS IN THIS ADULTERATED SCRIPT BY THE WAY SHE HAS THE ACTORS PERFORM THEIR ROLES. THE ELABORATE COSTUMES AND DUELING SEQUENCES FURTHER RESEMBLE LIFE AS IT SUPPOSEDLY EXISTED, ADDING MORE WACKINESS TO THIS PRODUCTION, WHICH THE AUDIENCE FOUND MOST ENTERTAINING, NONSTOP. THE FIVE ACTORS ARE IDEALLY CAST-LORI STEWART, A FEISTY DESDEMONA; HEATHER YEO, A DEMURE JULIET; BRIDGET KELLY, LADY-IN-WAITING; BENJAMIN LIBERMAN, A POMPOUS OTHELLO; AND DREW GROVES, A BUFFOONISH ROMEO. THESE ARE THEIR MAIN ROLES, BUT ALL ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN ALSO PLAYING THEIR MULTIPLE PARTS. "GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN "I HATE HAMLET" THROUGH AUGUST 3, SO CHECK FOR THE DATE IT'S PLAYING. FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL THE VORTEX AT 247-8600.
SHIFTING TO "MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A SCALED-DOWN ADAPTATION OF MEREDITH WILLSON'S HIT MUSICAL "MUSIC MAN," (WHICH I WAS ONCE IN), BUT IT'S AN UP-SCALE PRODUCTION IN EVERY SENSE AS PERFORMED BY CARDBOARD PLAYHOUSE-THE RESIDENT DRAMATIC ARTS GROUP AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE. QUOTING DIRECTOR KRISTIN BERG, "THIS IS A CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF THE MUSICAL-IT HAS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW." WELL, ALMOST ALL, EXCEPT FOR
BARBERSHOPPERS SINGING LIDA ROSE AND MARIAN SINGING HER LIBRARIAN SONG. BUT LETS NOT BE PICKY, WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO RAVE ABOUT-AND IS THERE EVER....
DIRECTOR KRISTEN BERG HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB IN PRODUCING AND STAGING THIS SHOW; LEADS, STAFFORD DOUGLAS AS HAROLD HILL, AND GIGI GUAJARDO AS MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN, ARE GREAT, BOTH SINGING AND ACTING; THE YOUNGSTERS ARE SIMPLY ADORABLE IN PLAYING OTHER GROWN-UP PARTS; PLUS LIGHTING AND OTHER EFFECTS ARE INDEED PROFESSIONAL.
IN ADDITION TO ITS WONDERFUL MUSIC, THIS ABRIDGED "MUSIC MAN" IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO INTRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE JOY AND MAGIC OF SHOW BUSINESS. THIS CAST HAS YOUNGSTERS FROM AGE SIX AND UP, AND YOU CAN TELL FROM THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES THE THRILL IT IS FOR THEM TO BE ON STAGE. THE LAST SHOW IS THIS SUNDAY-SO, CALL 404-1578AND TAKE YOUR KIDS! CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR BERG, FOR A SPLENDIFEROUS SHOW!
THAT'S MY TAKE ON SHOWS YOU CAN ENJOY THIS WEEKEND-ALONG WITH "BEDROON FARCE" WHICH OPENS THIS WEEKEND AT THE ADOBE. ALSO, VISIT THE LAVENDER FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AT LOS POBLANOS INN--WHICH YOU'RE SURE TO ENJOY IF YOU REMEMBER PENNY REMBE'S INTERVIEW WITH GRANT KUCK HERE ON HIS SHOW LAST WEEK.
THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME, RAVING RICHARD, WITH MY COMMENTARIES HEARD TUESDAYS AT 3:30 ON KMIM, ALBUQUERQUE, CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7, SANTA FE; ALSO SEEN ON THE INTERNET AT KKIMAM1000.COM AND ALBTHEATRE.ORG. LET ME AGAIN SAY THANKS FOR SUPPORTING LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND IN SANTA FE.
GREETINGS AGAIN, FELLOW THEATRE-GOERS! THIS WEEK, MY COMMENTARY ON LIVE THEATRE FOCUSES ON TWO OUTSTANDING SHOWS-"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA," A COMEDY AT THE VORTEX, AND "THE MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A MUSICAL AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE, 1025 LOMAS BLVD.
"GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS ABOUT A SHAKESPEAREAN SCHOLAR WHO FINDS HERSELF BACK IN THE ERA WHEN THE CHARACTERS IN THE BARD'S TRAGEDIES "OTHELLO" AND "ROMEO AND "JULIET" WERE ALIVE. IT'S A SLAPSTICK COMEDY, WITH TWISTED MEANING OF LINES FROM HIS CLASSICS, AND BEHAVIOR OUT OF CHARACTER FROM THE ORIGINAL STORIES. THE PLAYWRIGHT, ANN-MARIE MACDONALD, KNEW SHAKESPEARE QUITE WELL TO BE ABLE TO DRAW PARALLELS WITH SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, AND THE DIRECTOR, VICTORIA LIBERATORI, WAS INGENOUS IN BRINGING OUT ALL COMEDIC ASPECTS IN THIS ADULTERATED SCRIPT BY THE WAY SHE HAS THE ACTORS PERFORM THEIR ROLES. THE ELABORATE COSTUMES AND DUELING SEQUENCES FURTHER RESEMBLE LIFE AS IT SUPPOSEDLY EXISTED, ADDING MORE WACKINESS TO THIS PRODUCTION, WHICH THE AUDIENCE FOUND MOST ENTERTAINING, NONSTOP. THE FIVE ACTORS ARE IDEALLY CAST-LORI STEWART, A FEISTY DESDEMONA; HEATHER YEO, A DEMURE JULIET; BRIDGET KELLY, LADY-IN-WAITING; BENJAMIN LIBERMAN, A POMPOUS OTHELLO; AND DREW GROVES, A BUFFOONISH ROMEO. THESE ARE THEIR MAIN ROLES, BUT ALL ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN ALSO PLAYING THEIR MULTIPLE PARTS. "GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" IS SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN "I HATE HAMLET" THROUGH AUGUST 3, SO CHECK FOR THE DATE IT'S PLAYING. FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL THE VORTEX AT 247-8600.
SHIFTING TO "MUSIC MAN JUNIOR," A SCALED-DOWN ADAPTATION OF MEREDITH WILLSON'S HIT MUSICAL "MUSIC MAN," (WHICH I WAS ONCE IN), BUT IT'S AN UP-SCALE PRODUCTION IN EVERY SENSE AS PERFORMED BY CARDBOARD PLAYHOUSE-THE RESIDENT DRAMATIC ARTS GROUP AT THE BOX PERFORMANCE SPACE. QUOTING DIRECTOR KRISTIN BERG, "THIS IS A CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF THE MUSICAL-IT HAS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW." WELL, ALMOST ALL, EXCEPT FOR
BARBERSHOPPERS SINGING LIDA ROSE AND MARIAN SINGING HER LIBRARIAN SONG. BUT LETS NOT BE PICKY, WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO RAVE ABOUT-AND IS THERE EVER....
DIRECTOR KRISTEN BERG HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB IN PRODUCING AND STAGING THIS SHOW; LEADS, STAFFORD DOUGLAS AS HAROLD HILL, AND GIGI GUAJARDO AS MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN, ARE GREAT, BOTH SINGING AND ACTING; THE YOUNGSTERS ARE SIMPLY ADORABLE IN PLAYING OTHER GROWN-UP PARTS; PLUS LIGHTING AND OTHER EFFECTS ARE INDEED PROFESSIONAL.
IN ADDITION TO ITS WONDERFUL MUSIC, THIS ABRIDGED "MUSIC MAN" IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE TO INTRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE JOY AND MAGIC OF SHOW BUSINESS. THIS CAST HAS YOUNGSTERS FROM AGE SIX AND UP, AND YOU CAN TELL FROM THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES THE THRILL IT IS FOR THEM TO BE ON STAGE. THE LAST SHOW IS THIS SUNDAY-SO, CALL 404-1578AND TAKE YOUR KIDS! CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR BERG, FOR A SPLENDIFEROUS SHOW!
THAT'S MY TAKE ON SHOWS YOU CAN ENJOY THIS WEEKEND-ALONG WITH "BEDROON FARCE" WHICH OPENS THIS WEEKEND AT THE ADOBE. ALSO, VISIT THE LAVENDER FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AT LOS POBLANOS INN--WHICH YOU'RE SURE TO ENJOY IF YOU REMEMBER PENNY REMBE'S INTERVIEW WITH GRANT KUCK HERE ON HIS SHOW LAST WEEK.
THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME, RAVING RICHARD, WITH MY COMMENTARIES HEARD TUESDAYS AT 3:30 ON KMIM, ALBUQUERQUE, CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND SIMULCAST ON 94.7, SANTA FE; ALSO SEEN ON THE INTERNET AT KKIMAM1000.COM AND ALBTHEATRE.ORG. LET ME AGAIN SAY THANKS FOR SUPPORTING LIVE THEATRE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND IN SANTA FE.
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