Curious.
8 years ago
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Natasha Richardson Dies at 45
She suffered a skiing accident. The whole thing is confusing and distressing, and I don't have much to add. She was an extraordinary actor by any reckoning. The New York Times obituary is here.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Strange and Wondrous
On Sunday afternoon (and evening) I had an experience. I got to see the Neo-Futurists do O'Neill's Strange Interlude, all 5-hours-of-stage-time-plus-two-intermissions-and-a-dinner-break of it. And I am so glad I did.
Now, in all fairness, I was not an unbiased observer: I interviewed Greg before the production (for the piece in the Onion that you can see below), and was already aware of his methods and ready for whatever came.
That being said, It. Was. Amazing.
Now partially this is because of the sheer scale. I had seen other long shows before--most were in the usual 3-3.5 hour range: longer than usual, but doable in a normal evening. I had even seen The Kentucky Cycle and Angels in America onstage, but I saw both presented on successive weekends, not in one day--indeed, they are designed to be performed in two parts. This was the first time I had ever done a true one-day marathon. There is something to be said for the sheer intensity of spending that much time in a dark room with a few hundred strangers. You're ready for anything.
And not everybody was a fan--check out the comments on Chris Jones' review to get an idea of how very varied the response was. Most people were on board, and many loved it, but the performances on Friday and Saturday included hecklers yelling at the stage, either during intermission or mid-performance, about how a brilliant play was being butchered. Luckily, or sadly, there was no such interruption on Sunday. I didn't notice any walkouts on the orchestra level, and anyone who wasn't having a good time was kind enough to avoid disrupting the entire show.
But what about the show itself? Well, it was certainly not a faithful production. The play is, to put it simply, insane. The nine acts of the wildly over the top plot covers 25 years in the life on Nina Leeds and the three men who love her. There's abortion, atheism, and adultery, and that's just the letter a. That's not even taking into account the lengthy asides to the audience, the huge swaths of intensely purple prose, the lengthy, prescriptive stage directions, and the general air of Freudian weirdness. It is almost never produced anymore, and not just because of length--I honestly think that modern audiences would not accept it produced straighforwardly onstage. (Though apparently there was a Chicago production in 2002 at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, which is actually a gorgeous old house--the audiences moved from room to room for each act.) So those claiming that director Greg Allen and his cast did violence to a great play should actually read it. I doubt they'd still claim that doing it as written would be an improvement.
However, and I think this is the important part, this was not a wholescale demolition of Eugene O'Neill's genius. It was definitely playful and irreverent, but it did have the genuine goal of illustrating O'Neill's ideas and themes--the way people go wrong when they try to maniuplate the lives of others, the crushing loneliness of lying to everyone around you, and the grinding boredom of trying to be someone else. By recognizing how ridiculous a lot of O'Neill's theatrical devices and plot twists are, though, the production seduces the audience with laughter, only to sneak the moving stuff in bit by bit. Somehow, it continues to walk that thin line, and be both hilarious and moving up to the end.
There were huge laughs in the show--each character reacting to their endless, physically impossible character descriptions, one characters repeated howls as he remembers his first time having sex (of course with a prostitute), a hilarious sex scene between a man and a Cabbage Patch doll. But there was also a lot that was genuinely, surprisingly moving--the fifth act, consisting almost entirely of the stage directions, and the sixth, virtually all the asides, performed by the actors at microphones, picked out of the dark by a spotlight, were both shockingly moving.
So yes, I laughed, I cried, I had to pee pretty badly at each intermission. And I hope that they manage to arrange a way for the production to return. If they do, GO. You'll probably never experience anything else quite like it, and there's a decent chance you'll love it.
By the way, for another, more poetic response, do check out the blog of my friend
Benno Nelson, who was at the same performance as I.
Now, in all fairness, I was not an unbiased observer: I interviewed Greg before the production (for the piece in the Onion that you can see below), and was already aware of his methods and ready for whatever came.
That being said, It. Was. Amazing.
Now partially this is because of the sheer scale. I had seen other long shows before--most were in the usual 3-3.5 hour range: longer than usual, but doable in a normal evening. I had even seen The Kentucky Cycle and Angels in America onstage, but I saw both presented on successive weekends, not in one day--indeed, they are designed to be performed in two parts. This was the first time I had ever done a true one-day marathon. There is something to be said for the sheer intensity of spending that much time in a dark room with a few hundred strangers. You're ready for anything.
And not everybody was a fan--check out the comments on Chris Jones' review to get an idea of how very varied the response was. Most people were on board, and many loved it, but the performances on Friday and Saturday included hecklers yelling at the stage, either during intermission or mid-performance, about how a brilliant play was being butchered. Luckily, or sadly, there was no such interruption on Sunday. I didn't notice any walkouts on the orchestra level, and anyone who wasn't having a good time was kind enough to avoid disrupting the entire show.
But what about the show itself? Well, it was certainly not a faithful production. The play is, to put it simply, insane. The nine acts of the wildly over the top plot covers 25 years in the life on Nina Leeds and the three men who love her. There's abortion, atheism, and adultery, and that's just the letter a. That's not even taking into account the lengthy asides to the audience, the huge swaths of intensely purple prose, the lengthy, prescriptive stage directions, and the general air of Freudian weirdness. It is almost never produced anymore, and not just because of length--I honestly think that modern audiences would not accept it produced straighforwardly onstage. (Though apparently there was a Chicago production in 2002 at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, which is actually a gorgeous old house--the audiences moved from room to room for each act.) So those claiming that director Greg Allen and his cast did violence to a great play should actually read it. I doubt they'd still claim that doing it as written would be an improvement.
However, and I think this is the important part, this was not a wholescale demolition of Eugene O'Neill's genius. It was definitely playful and irreverent, but it did have the genuine goal of illustrating O'Neill's ideas and themes--the way people go wrong when they try to maniuplate the lives of others, the crushing loneliness of lying to everyone around you, and the grinding boredom of trying to be someone else. By recognizing how ridiculous a lot of O'Neill's theatrical devices and plot twists are, though, the production seduces the audience with laughter, only to sneak the moving stuff in bit by bit. Somehow, it continues to walk that thin line, and be both hilarious and moving up to the end.
There were huge laughs in the show--each character reacting to their endless, physically impossible character descriptions, one characters repeated howls as he remembers his first time having sex (of course with a prostitute), a hilarious sex scene between a man and a Cabbage Patch doll. But there was also a lot that was genuinely, surprisingly moving--the fifth act, consisting almost entirely of the stage directions, and the sixth, virtually all the asides, performed by the actors at microphones, picked out of the dark by a spotlight, were both shockingly moving.
So yes, I laughed, I cried, I had to pee pretty badly at each intermission. And I hope that they manage to arrange a way for the production to return. If they do, GO. You'll probably never experience anything else quite like it, and there's a decent chance you'll love it.
By the way, for another, more poetic response, do check out the blog of my friend
Benno Nelson, who was at the same performance as I.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Read My Article From The Onion! (Their City Guide Section, that is.)
As you may know, I was taken on to write freelance theatre stories for Decider, which is the city guide section inside of the Onion, as well as its own website. And my first article, with the Neo-Futurist's Greg Allen, about his insane production of O'Neill's Strange Interlude, has been published online! You can read it here.
Unfortunately, while it was published in print, it was in last week's issue, which I didn't pick up. If anyone has a copy of it lying around, please save it so that I can pick it up.
Thanks, and happy reading!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Horton Foote Dies At Age 92
UPDATE: The New York Times times obit is here.
Foote wrote over 50 plays and several screenplays, winning a Pulitzer for The Young Man From Atlanta and two Oscars for his screenplays to To Kill A Mockingbird and Tender Mercies. Most of his plays take place in Texas, where he grew up. He was often compared to Chekhov for his humane tone, both amused and saddened by humanity's foibles.
Many of his plays dealt with the lives of people who somehow could not adjust to modernity bearing down on them--most famously The Trip To Bountiful. I got to attend the opening night of the acclaimed revival starring Lois Smith at the Goodman, because my friend Emily appeared in the bus station scene. I saw Mr. Foote at the opening night party, though I did not go up and introduce myself. I did, however, get the chance to meet his daughter Hallie, one of his greatest stage interpreters.
Few people dug so deeply into the lives of characters that most people ignored. It's a shame he won't be writing any more, but how amazing that he wrote so much!
Two New Season Announcements
A few local theatres have announced their seasons, and they look pretty interesting.
Remy Bumppo has announced a three-show slate:
Fall will see Tom Stoppard's translation of Gerald Sibeyras' Heroes, about three World War I veterans in an old-age home in 1959. I don't knw the play, but it was successful in London and is about to open Off-Broadway. With a cast of David Darlow, Mike Nussbaum, and Roderick Peeples, it looks like an actor's showcase first and foremost. Could be fun.
Winter brings Athol Fugard's The Island, about two men in a South African prison, whose friendship is tested when one gains an early release, which Fugard created in collaboration with the original stars, John Kani and Winston Ntshona. The cast hasn't been announced, but it looks like another real actor's show.
I'm most excited about the spring show, though--Christopher Hampton's adaptation of Choderlos do Laclos' French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, made into the film Dangerous Liaisons. I have a real weakness for clever people in gorgeous clothes doing horrible horrible things to each other, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses is pretty much the best of that genre. Since Remy Bumppo tends to focus on plays with witty language, I have high hopes for this production.
Meanwhile, at Writer's up in Glencoe, Chris Jones' blog announces a very interesting, if slightly less risky than usual, season. Most exciting for me is Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a show I once had the privilege of doing, and which is lots of fun while still being intellectually formidable. They will also feature Oh! Coward, a revue of Noel Coward's songs--interesting, as Northlight did their own Coward revue only a few seasons back. The Old Settler by John Henry Redwood, directed by Ron O. J. Parsons, will also be onstage--I sadly don't know this one, but it's always been successful when it's been done. The biggest story of the Writers' season, of course, is the return of Chicago's own David Cromer, whose Our Town just opened Off-Broadway and who will be directing Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound in repertory on Broadway in the fall. He'll be directing Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire--I bet that Chicago's actors will be fighting over parts in that one.
2009-10 looks to be pretty exciting so far--we'll see how things go!
Friday, February 27, 2009
New Review Posted: Our Town
My review of Our Town at Lookingglass Theatre, was published at Centerstage. Follow the link or read it here:
Will "Our Town" just be a star turn for Friends's David Schwimmer, who returns to his Lookingglass roots after years of commercial success, or will this, like so many of the company's productions, be full of circus arts and acrobatic physicality?
Fortunately, we can answer "no" to both—this is a simple, faithful version of "Our Town." Little here will surprise those with a passing knowledge of the play, aside from its brevity (speedy pacing keeps it to two hours) and John Musial’s extraordinary set, which features chairs, dresses and even a piano hung from the ceiling.
The story is familiar by now. Stage Manager, played by a warm and winning Joey Slotnick, guides the audience through daily life, love, marriage and death in the small New Hampshire town of Grovers’ Corners, focusing on the lives of next-door neighbors and eventual spouses George Gibbs (Schwimmer) and Emily Webb (Laura Eason) and their families. Directors Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica Thebus and the 13-member cast tell the story simply, keeping the emotional temperature low. The play is little more than a group of actors—friends and 20-year-plus collaborators of the same age—telling a story. They make no attempt to imitate the ages of the characters, nobody puts on a New Hampshire accent to fit the setting, and Janice Pytel’s costumes merely suggest the period.
The approach has drawbacks. The show doesn’t have enough theatrical excitement, and the generally reflective mood made the intensely emotional moments in the third act feel like they came from nowhere. The production is not thrilling or devastating, but it is quietly moving—and that’s a genuine achievement.
Fortunately, we can answer "no" to both—this is a simple, faithful version of "Our Town." Little here will surprise those with a passing knowledge of the play, aside from its brevity (speedy pacing keeps it to two hours) and John Musial’s extraordinary set, which features chairs, dresses and even a piano hung from the ceiling.
The story is familiar by now. Stage Manager, played by a warm and winning Joey Slotnick, guides the audience through daily life, love, marriage and death in the small New Hampshire town of Grovers’ Corners, focusing on the lives of next-door neighbors and eventual spouses George Gibbs (Schwimmer) and Emily Webb (Laura Eason) and their families. Directors Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica Thebus and the 13-member cast tell the story simply, keeping the emotional temperature low. The play is little more than a group of actors—friends and 20-year-plus collaborators of the same age—telling a story. They make no attempt to imitate the ages of the characters, nobody puts on a New Hampshire accent to fit the setting, and Janice Pytel’s costumes merely suggest the period.
The approach has drawbacks. The show doesn’t have enough theatrical excitement, and the generally reflective mood made the intensely emotional moments in the third act feel like they came from nowhere. The production is not thrilling or devastating, but it is quietly moving—and that’s a genuine achievement.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Urgent: About Face Theatre Facing Bankruptcy
As Chris Jones says on his blog, About Face Theatre, a Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Trangsgender (LGBT)-focused theatre company here in Chicago which hosted the original workshop of I Am My Own Wife and the Chicago premiere of Take Me Out, along with many other productions, is on the verge of shutting down. They need to raise $300,000 very soon so as to end their current budget crisis and get themselves into financial health. They are the first equity-affiliated theatre in Chicago to have trouble this bad. (Though the non-Equity House Theatre went through a similar rough spot recently, they seem to be on the road to recovery.) However, this isn't uncommon around the country, with San Francisco's Magic Theatre being the most famous example--luckily still open after a brush with death.
I have seen a few About Face shows (and wanted to see quite a few more) and always been very impressed, and I think that About Face Youth Theatre (which creates original shows with LGBT youth and straight allies) is an absolutely vital resource for this community. In fact, I wrote a paper on them for my creative drama class my last year at Northwestern. So I think it's pretty necessary that we make sure they stick around! You can give them money by visiting this site or calling Mollie Alexander Speer at 773-784-8565 x110. Let's make sure About Face stays open!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Day of Knowledge Opens Tonight!
After six previews, with plenty of work and revisions, tonight at 7:30 marks the official press opening of David Alan Moore's The Day of Knowledge at Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N Sheffield in Chicago. I'm extremely proud of the work everyone has done on the production, and I'm thrilled to be associated with such a powerful, beautiful play.
We run through March 28th, with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM. You can get tickets by calling (773) 883-8830 or visiting our website at www.stagelefttheatre.com. See you at the theatre!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Desire on Broadway
Chris Jones reports that the Goodman Theatre production of Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms, starring Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino, and Pablo Schreiber will be headed to Broadway very soon. It closes at the Goodman March 1, starts previews at the St. James on Broadway April 14 and opens April 27.
The news of a Broadway move was expected, but it is a bit of a surprise that they are moving into the St. James--it's one of the biggest houses on Broadway, and in recent years has hosted the revival of Gypsy and The Producers. Plays rarely play houses that big, but recent seasons have seen August: Osage County at the Imperial and Kevin Kline's Cyrano de Bergerac at the Richard Rodgers. Granted, August was a sensation and Kline is as big a star as they come on Broadway. Still, Dennehy is pretty major, and the show has pretty strong buzz. Here's hoping it does well.
Anyone have some free tickets so I can see it before it leaves town?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Day of Knowledge
As you may know, I am currently dramaturging The Day of Knowledge by David Alan Moore at Stage Left Theatre, my first show there as ensemble member. It's a beautiful, moving show of which I'm incredibly proud, and I would love if you could make it.
There are four previews left: tonight, 2/19, Friday 2/20, Saturday 2/21, and Monday 2/23, all at 8:00 PM and they are all only $10. Once we open, tickets are only $20-25, and the schedule is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM. Seats are limited, so get your tickets now! You can get them online here or by calling (773) 883-8830.
I look forward to seeing you at the show!
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