Drama and Dance
Keegan Theatre's "NOICES OFF" (To 8/22) should be retitled "Belly Laughs On" as this comedy garners one laugh after another for the whole production. It is, without a doubt, the comic prize of the last century written by Michael Frayn. Director Mark A. Rhea wonderfully directs this production like a French farce with doors all over the place so the characters can tumble out of or jump into bedrooms and closets and bathrooms to avoid the major action at center stage. And the actors all give prized performances with lots of comic creativity and, of course, the comic timing was impeccable. Tops was Charlotte Akin in lower class Brit accent as she carried sardines on and off the stage in dipsy fashion. Jim Jorgensen played the frustrated director under time pressure to get a decent performance from a weird bunch of actors. Michael Innocenti was not "innocent" in this show as the real estate guy who sets up a tryst in what he thinks is an abandoned house. Brianna Letourneau does the "air haired" perfectly as she runs around the stage posturing in her underwear. Colin Smith does a fine "John Cleese" while Susan Marie Rhea is frustrated throughout as she tries to order the actors into their stage places and lines. Robert Leembruggen elicits laughs, as usual with just an entrance, which grow as he attempts robberies with a nylon hose over his face or is getting drunk. Elizabeth Jernigan and Jon Townson play double roles as real troopers. This play cleverly is in three acts during which time we see the final rehearsal of the play and then the stage is turned around to show the backstage frantic action... pinpointing the "dislikes" of the actors for one another... and the third act has the set turned around again to show the stage action. Kudos go to George Lucas for the fantastic set and to Dan Martin for the excellent lighting and Tony Angelini for the perfect sound...especially the mis-ringing of the stage telephone. So, if you want some hearty laughs, do buy those tickets for this marvelous production. Opening night was SRO and one expects that word-of-mouth will continually fill the theater. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Quotidian Theatre Company presents a sterling production of Tennessee Williams' "A LOVELY SUNDAY FOR CREVE COEUR". (To 8/8) It is a must-see production since the four actresses give performances of a lifetime and there should be an award winner here. Tops is Stephanie Mumford as the prissy but elegant school teacher who is a total delight with her sarcastic remarks. Michelle Osherow is a second school teacher who is an exercise freak and is totally depressed about her future and unrequited in "love". It seems that Williams gave each of these teachers certain qualities that he bound together for Blanche in "Streetcare Named Desire". Erika Imhoof was perfect as a busybody roommate who tries to control everybody within 15 feet of her. Malinda Lee Ellerman is the German speaking friend of Bodey (Ms. Imhoof) who spends over 50% of her time in tears since the loss of her mother. Jack Sbarbori is masterful as he moves these characters around the stage and through emotional upheavals. But there is much humor in this play and it is a wonderful family play with a clean script and great messages about communications within groups. Jack Sbarbori also delivers another one of his homey sets and Amy Reynolds provides perfect character dress. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
DC Fringe Festival
(Reviews are in chronological order and not categorized)
"OBLIVION" is a one act opera in English that follows the pattern of a Menotti recitative/aria opera and tells the story of a business man who contracts a deadly disease and spends his hospital time dreaming delivered by three "sage" figures that allows him to run the gamut of the five stages of dying from denial to acceptance. Like most Menotti recitative operas, this short opera is somewhat maudlin and lacking in action which director Sasha Bratt fails to avoid...otherwise it might have been a more interesting production. The father (patient) was sung by James Rogers who tended to use Gregorian chant and his voice therefore was too harsh and was full of tremolo...he also had poor stage presence so he didn't really present a figure to empathize with. On the other hand Rachel Evangeline Barham (wife) and Alexander Wolniak (son) had very smooth legato with sincere acting so they commanded the stage artistically. Mr. Wolniak also played the part of one of the "Sages" along with Melissa Kornacki (Sage/Doctor) and Christine Gahagan (Sage/Nurse) and this trio provided some wonderful musical blends. One would hope that the composer Kyle Gullings would provide more vocal conflicts like the one that ended the opera. His libretto was lyrically most adept. Jessica Bateman (flute), Jesse Crites (guitar) and Dan Shomper (cello) played well but one wanted a harpsichord or piano for better musical blending. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"THE SLEEPING BEAUTY: A PUPPET BALLET" grows in creativity as the story goes by...and the highlight is the three or four manipulators who work the puppets of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince as they dance the ballet while Tchaikovsky's music plays in the background. It is a superb family show put on by the Pointless Theatre Co based in College Park by a bunch of most creative students to provide inexpensive and accessible theater and it get a solid "A" for reaching its mandate with this production. The small audience clapped wildly at the finish and the applause was definitely deserved. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)\
The Comedy Academy is presenting "FRESH FROM THE FUNNY FARM" which needs more rehearsal but it should improve with the playing. These young comedians skipped lines and had too many pregnant pauses at this initial performance so some of the humor fell flat. Fortunately some older members, Diego Aguilar and Jeffrey Rosen, picked up the comic pace whenever they appeared in the skits...particularly Diego Aguilar who showed vast comedic skills as well as playing background guitar. Harry M. Bagdasion scripted a number of the skits and it shows he still has the fine talent he had with the musical comedies that he produced at the New Playwright's Theater back in 1972 which started the boom of theater in the DC area. Also, he should be proud of the comic development of young James Syverson who has a wonderful "tongue-in-cheek" approach that should serve him well in standup comedy routines. The house was packed and one suspects that a lot of family members of the comedians were there and it really is family comedy stuff that should please even non-family members. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
They are a two woman comedy team with totally adult comedy who took the stage as two Irish nuns presenting a laugh riot which never ended but grew to hurricane comic strength by the end of the program. Leah Rudick and Katie Hartman IN "SKINNY BITCH JESUS MEETING" were not only hilarious with presenting the written script but they were tops in improvising additional business as they went along...noting even a fly buzzing around the stage and a fire truck siren outside. Granted the majority of their fine humor involved male and female sex organs, they also managed to present some very funny bits about about the mores of our society. They were equally funny even though Katie seemed the second banana most of the evening to the outrageous "schtick" of Leah. It is a funny, funny, funny show...again for just an adult audience. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
Four excellent singers (Terri Allen, Emily Leatha Everson, Justin Richie and Lonny Smith) presented "RUN AWAY WITH ME" and they remained in control even with the sweltering heat under the Fringe tent and a raging thunderstorm during their one hour on stage. The quartet singing was less accomplished...some bad notes and shifting individual pitches...but the solos were all totally superb. Since there were no standards, it is fascinating that such rarely known songs could be rendered so dramatically and effectively. The tops for each singer was: Terri presenting "May I Suggest" with smooth velvety intonation; Emily's comic rendering of "If I Had A Boat"; Lonny's delightfully challenging "I Wanna Talk About Me"; and Justin's superb jazz-like "Walking Through Memphis". They are all local singers so we hope that we will hear more of their singing on future shows on stages around town. Most are regulars around local cabarets. There is definitely a recommend for this well rehearsed and expertly presented show. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The Adequate Players is presenting "THE NINA VARIATIONS" written by well-known playwright Steven Dietz which is surprising since it uses "The Sea Gull" as a take off but it really doesn't seem to add any additional insights to the characters of Nina and Konstantin in that famous Russian play by Chekhov. So it was befuddling to see short snippets about different aspects of their relationship played out. Also, why were the performers playing it so light-heartedly when there was total frustration, passion and depression depicted in the stage play. Even their reported "success" of Konstantin's play denies their frustrations that the actress mother, Irina, and her playwright boyfriend, Trigorin, deemed "awful". There were just too many liberties taken with this classic. Melissa Marie Hmelnicky was excellent as the petulant and demanding Nina but Kevin O'Reilly needs work on intonation as he is monotonic and tries to emphasize with vocal intensity which is tiring to the ears of the listeners. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
DEFINITELY put "MEDEA" on your list of "must see". At most Fringe show, we excuse lacks in production and acting, but "Medea" is superior in all of its stagecraft!!! Fanastically directed by Michael Burke of the paperStrangersperformancegroup, the technicals wow the audience from the violent scenes on the scrim upstage to the powerful music and sensitive lighting also by the director. He is a wunderkind. And the acting is totally emotionally fulfilling in this tale of a mother who kills her two children to avenge her wayward husband. Melissa Fenton, dressed in a white bridal dress...no doubt to add to her anger that her ex-husband is marrying another woman...runs the gamut of every emotion powerfully on stage. Kellen York plays Jason and the director wonderfully has him in modern clothes in this classic Greek drama to suggest that the same murderous practices still are reported in the news every day of rejected parents killing their offsprings. The chorus (Scarlett Redmond, Chris Ziegler, Amanda Meyer and Ryan Mullins) is superbly costumed in weirdness as they contort themselves in circular movements around Medea and play other characters as needed. The ending which will not be disclosed here is totally magnificent to end the highly dramatic presentation of this Greek play. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"LETTERS TO CLIO-PART II, MARGARITA" is a one woman show by Jennifer S. Jones that presents the story of the military takeover of Argentina which originally offered hope to the downtrodden citizens but ended up with many young adults being arrested...for no apparent reason sometimes...and ending up as filler as the base of superhighways or thrown into the ocean. Even today after more than 30 years, their mothers continue a crusade to find out what crimes their children were charged with and where their bodies lie. There are many poignant moments in this story-telling as the actress truly lives the role of one of the mothers who lost a daughter. Ms. Jones has an elegance about her acting suggesting that it was not the usual underclass that suffers under such horrible political suppression. Director Jessica Lefkow's hands-on was obvious throughout with her perfect direction. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
Fringe Festival reaches its nadir in current productions with "MOTHER-IN-LAW-THE MUSICAL" which isn't really a musical but a play with five musical numbers sung by two of the characters screaming...mostly off-key and not understood...over a too-loud keyboard. The script is hollow about a lesbian couple who have to put up over the weekend with a domineering mother-in-law (?). Director Kelli Boyd has the actresses running on and off the stage cooking a turkey dinner and they seem happy to thus avoid the story line. Martha Karl, Stephanie Svec and Virginia Frank show fine stage bios but they will have to be seen in other productions to prove they have even an iota of talent. Miss this one like the plague! (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The G & S Youth Company do an amazingly effective production of "HMS PINAFORE" at a high school level of acting although the patter songs are extemely well articulated...understood better than heard in some professional productions. The acting is rather wooden from the chorus but the leads do extremely well as seen with Alissa Roca as Buttercup who could step onto a professional stage immediately; Matt Sartucci as Sir Joseph Porter who shows wonderful comic consistency in his role playing; Kelsey McDonell as Josephine who has a great range in singing and a smooth legato even as she moved into her high c's; and James Beans as Dick Deadeye who gave a dastardly menace as a villain. Alfred Lawson presented a luscious tenor but lacked in emotional urgency and Alexander Nicholas Bourzutschky...again of fine voice...but he only came to life towards the end of the second act. Kudos for Pamela Leighton-Bilik, director, who managed such a fine production with generally untrained voices and limited acting prowess in the cast. It is certainly highly recommended for all teenagers to see what great success can be attained if they stay on the straight and narrow path of life. Danielle Drobny did well accompaning on a keyboard that needed a little fine tuning. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"'TIS PITY...SHE'S A WHORE" by John Ford was a disappointment for the Georgetown Theatre Company whose forte is really comedy. This play is a revenge play written in 1633 and is a dark tragedy resulting from an incestial coupling by a brother and sister with a "Hamlet"-like ending in which the majority of the characters lie dead on the floor. The archaic language of the play is poorly handled by the cast and Evan Crump screams his way through emotional scenes so that articulation fades for the audience. Plus performances are given by Prairie Griffin as Putana (translates as whore) who encourages the incest and sex with any relative! The audience loved her lascivious but lovely performance. And Scott McCormick as the monk seems the most sincere player with nice emotional interactions. Most of the rest of the cast just recite lines. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The playwright, John Morogiello, goes astray with "A THING FOR REDHEADS" as audience members thought this would be a wonderful comedy not unlike his superb "Irish Authors Held Hostage" of the last Fringe season. Instead we are given a story of a fratricide in a book publishing house inherited by two brothers...one a sex fiend (Ian Blackwell Rogers) and the other an asocial workaholic (Jim Gagne). Lori Boyd plays a hanger-on author who can't finish the last chapter of her book. But Charlene V. Smith plays a delightful "air head" Jessie Morgan, a music cult figure who wants her biography written when she is yet 21 year old! There are lots of questionable (for plot) sexual encounters in this office in a high rise office building. The script is tired and tiresome most of the time and the denouemont is not believable. This play will definitely not "move on up" like previous Morogiello scripts. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The Victorian Lyric Opera is presenting W.S. Gilbert's "ENGAGED" which is described as a farcical comedy in three acts. And it would meet that description if it were played with more skilled farce comedians. As it is, most of the nine actors think they are "cute" and the interaction is dulled throughout...I never thought I and other audience members could momentarily doze during a farce. Perhaps Mr. Sullivan should have added music to this script to put it on the laugh level of the excellent "HMS Pinafore" which was previously on this same stage...and that was performed by mostly high school students. This play opened and, for the first five minutes of deep Scottish accents, this critic thought the show would "bomb" but fortunately some Brits entered the scene and we, at least, could understand the script. Only Erika White Abrams as Belinda seemed comfortable in this presentation. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)_
Marjory Collado truly stars as Joann in "WAR ZONES" as she brilliantly describes how her character handles men in her life that have Alzheimer's, bi-polar disorder and bulimia (yes, Virginia, there are many men who suffer from this disorder especially sports figures). So the war she fights is the war within the bodies of the men she loves. The script is superb by Laura Brienza who adds comments about the symptomotologies during the expositions. Robert Klein, Matthew McNear and Joshua Rocchi play a chorus and individual characters in the presentation and they all do fine jobs. But it is Marjory who dominates the stage with her vivacious personality and who goes through perfect emotional reactions to signs of illnesses in her loved one. This one is recommended highly for its acting as well as the didactics. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
One expected more from this play...at least some comedy..."TWISTED:A COLLECTION OF URBAN FAIRYTALES" that totally lacks cohesion among the stories being told. It seems to be centered on a group of office workers who see "cupcakes" as a means of forming relationships. A second story line is of a census taker who sexually hopes to devour the intimate details of an interviewee who totally resist him. Always on stage is a character dressed as a street person who scribbles the ongoing story line. It all makes no sense and adds nothing in understanding the title of this show. This one should go back under the pen so that some clarity is added. A few in the audience gave laughs to parts of this show but one wonders if they were not reacting to friends or relatives on stage. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
Marc Spiegel's one-man presentation of "GRUBRAG BALLAD" is stunning. Just memorizing the script has to be a lifetime ambition for any actor, and the fact that the characters are all fairy tale creatures with odd names makes the chore most difficult. This show is similar to a "Dr. Seuss" poetic extravaganza and Mr. Spiegel manages to keep the many characters separate with superb body work throughout. All actors should see this production to see what skills are necessary to do a very successful one-person show. Perhaps the only thing missing are sketches of all of the characters posted on a blackboard or in the program which would make it easier for children to follow the story line. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"THE HUNCHBACK VARIATIONS" is about Ludwig van Beethoven (Aaron Bliden) and Quasimodo of Notre Dame (Michael Saltzman) trying to figure out the sound that is referred to in the script of Chekhov's "The Sea Gull" in which the playwright states after one emotional scene that "a sound is heard in the distance". (Most directors, of course, use the sound of seagulls). So with body noises, musical instruments, drums, et cetera, these two "deaf" characters proceed to find the supposed particular sound. Ludwig occasionally runs through the audience eliciting responses from the audience and Quasimodo does minute-long clearing of his throat as he postulates about different sounds as well as presenting philosophical discourse. It is a unique presentation and the audience totally warms itself to these two characters by the end of the program. Beethoven music is played in the background during the presentation which is an additional plus. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The best thing to be said for "LYSISTRATA" is the wonderful singing of the cast...clear articulation and thoroughly prepared and presented. Of course it is the classic Greek story about wives who withhold sex in order to get their husbands to stop a war. The music was by Jeremy King with lyrics by Ariana Hodes. It was beautifully directed by Patrick Magill at the Warehouse as he kept the goddesses in the balcony while the women started their sexual wiles on the stage front. It is a "for adults only" as there is much groin activity with songs like "Pussy on the Pedestal" and lyrics like "I want to keep this boner forever". It was amazing that Jeremy King didn't need the score to play the music...seemingly since he knows it by heart. Actors included Katie Nigsch Fairfax, Autumn Seavey, Ali Hoxie, Mia Branco, Katie Brobst, Chelsea Rae-Abbate, Timothy Adams, Arden Moscati, and Chip Hewitt. Timothy Adams stood out as the best actor of the bunch. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The program indicated that the company would like to take this show "abroad"...forget it...they should be happy to successfully take "SALEM! THE MUSICAL" to Cucamonga! It borders on being horrible but may well become a cult classic considering the response of the audience. It is about witches in Salem...we all know that story about how they were hanged or burned at the stake. The biggest problem with the show is the gender bending of having Rasheeda Moore playing a male Reverend and Kayce Alltop playing a male Dr. Grimes. Neither were convincing as males. The singing was at the atrocious level...totally nasal and strident so one wished one had brought earplugs to the Warehouse. The music and lyrics by Dan Wessels made no sense and gave not an inkling of cohesiveness. Apparently all of the musical was based on improvisation which always tends to fail in final production. The only convincing acting was done by Elise Dubois as Abigail. The rest of the players (Allison Black and Ashley Thornton) tended to fall short on melodramatic style. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The OperAlterna again comes up with an operatic "gem" with its production of "PADREVIA". It is highlighted by superb direction by Jay D. Brock with an ending that is gut-wrenching and full of blood. This unrequited love story also presents the growing talent of tenor Siddhartha Misra whose soft notes are "purely honeyed". He has a little problem with his legato but further coaching should correct that. Although he is assured in his stage presence, he again will profit from some dramatic coaching. Baritone/bass Tad Czyzewski as the father showed that he deserves his reputation as a most dependable singer and, even during his dramatic acting, his voice never quavered. Soprano Daniele Lorio proved to be a very fine actress throughout but she pushed her voice too much and had too much tremolo choppiness in her upper register even though her recitative was excellent. Chris Dwyer expertly played the narrator/guard with an eerie mien that perfectly foreshadowed the denouement in this short opera by Thomas Pasatieri. Nicolas Catravas provided excellent quality as a pianist and was always supportive of the singers. This is a highly recommended presentation as are all of OperAlterna productions. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The Landless Theatre Company again successfully presents another zany production...this time based on the Harry Potter saga. "CARRIE POTTER AT THE NEW MOON PROM" foregoes magic for a semi-automatic as Ms. Potter "does in" her female rivals. The musical is presented by Jesus Christ himself (looks a little like Andrew Lloyd Baugman) as he forgives the players at the end and begs forgiveness from J.K.Rowling. Lots of cross dressing here and, even though amateurish acting is present, the strong leads by Nora Palka, Jedd Brakenridge and Jesus Christ keep up the fast tempo of this musical farce. Director Melissa Baughman is an old hand at successful farces but she should have demanded more vocal projection from a couple of the actors as they could hardly be heard past the third row. This one deserves cult status and should go on the road! This company presents regularly at DC/AC so D.C. is lucky to have such a creative group in its midst. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"ANOTHER PICNIC AT THE ASYLUM" is a one woman show and she describes living as a child and an adult with a father who is both an alcoholic and bipolar. She clearly presents her parents and her family of six children very effectively with vocal changes and body positions but one never gets the emotional involvements within the group. Yes, we understand the father's changing behaviors which confuse because they are so irregular but we never get the shame that must naturally have been felt by the children particularly during out-of-house experiences with his bizarre behaviors. The direction is mostly to be blamed as the director has Ms. Angela Neff spurting all around the stage and pointing accusatorily at the audience so there was never intimacy established with the audience. Ms. Neff did have a question-and-answer after the production...which this critic could not attend...during which time she may have elicited some empathy. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"LOGIC, LUCK AND LOVE" provides the logic of finding one's soulmate but it lacks the "luck" and "love" in the title. Acting hetero Jennifer Moore, gay Molly Kelly, gay Kevin Boggs and hetero Dustin Fisher do there monologues effectively but one develops a careless interest in their stories which is so predictable. There is no interaction in their story lines and they barely touched on the didactic regarding statistics presented by Dustin Fisher regarding one's success in finding one's true love. It is a sold out show and today's audience gave it a hearty applause at the end so the audience members must have found some sophomoric and vicarious thrills in the sexual intimacies described by each actor. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"HOW THE MONEY GOES" has the plot going haywire too many times so we don't understand why the funerals, why the feuding among the characters...or is it a derivative of "five characters in search of an audience". So we basically have 90 minutes of forced nonsense. The actors then tended to be footloose although very funny in their individual shenanigans. Thony Bienvenudo Mena was tops in talent with wonderful "verbal asides" and invigorated playing as the doctor. Anna Lynch played the protagonist very well with lots of frenzy. Emery Hamami as the double agent did wonderful sexy vamping. Hectorlyne Wuor did fine over the top comedy as the friend but she spoke too fast throughout so we lost lots of words. Elizabeth R. Mann was rather wooden as the antagonist and unfortunately was "mushy mouthed" so we only understood only about half of her speeches. Overall, the play was quite funny but just "rattled on", and it needs more focus with a necessary rewrite. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"THE IMAGINARY AUTOPSEE" is supposedly based on Italian comedia dell arte but the German mother blew the pretense. Instead it was more of a Marx Brothers comedy and very, very funny with wonderful over-the-top comedic skills by Ryan Sellers as Arlecchino and Jeff Hylden as Dottoro. The audience was truly in stitches enjoying their verbal and physical shenanigans. They were pushed to the comedic apex with instigations by Leigh Anna Fry as Isabella, Jill Nienhiser as Lavora and Zerbinetta, Aniko Olah as Colombina, Dane C. Petersen as Pantalone and Arturo Tolentino as Lelio and Bertoldo. Roger Payano did a masterful job in way-out comical direction. This production showed the greatest amount of audience laughter yet in Fringe comedy productions this season. This critic was only disappointed in the lack of Italian stock character mannerisms and the missing Arlecchino clown costuming. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"SHIRLEY DREAMING" hit the nadir in musical comedies at the Fringe and one wonders why such a talented singer/actress like Joani Maher as Shirley got involved in this mess. The book is ridiculous and the staging by writer/director Tyler Budde again confirms that a writer should never direct his own show. By the end of the show which takes place in a high rise office (to allow one character to jump but still survive!) the stage is filled with paper after an office fight. Why new employee, Shirley, would be interested in working at this office is beyond comprehension. The songs droned on and made no plot sense. And Cassandra Hannan as the Boss Boss should be on the stage...the next one to leave town! Caroline Mahoney, Ezree Mualem and Adi Stein should join her! (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"SEX AND EDUCATION" by Lissa Levin is a wonderfully written script and perfectly acted by the three performers in this one act. It proves a wonderful example of troubled graduating classes. In this case, a basketball player (who is assured of a car and a contract with a Michigan university) passes a vulgar note to his girlfriend in his final class which is confiscated by the English teacher who makes him stay after the last class to correct his grammatical mistakes and structures while cajoling him about his sexual behavior...she thus manages to embarrass him into academic, social and sexual behavior. Sarah Holt as the teacher is absolutely perfect with her tongue-in-cheek criticisms although she does bumble a few lines here and there...but she has some complex ideas to present. Hunter Hoffman shows wonderful talent as the basketball player and should have a great acting future with his stage presence and great interpretation. Ditto Carly Bales with her exuberant presentation as a cheer leader who interrupts the show with wonderful energy. One really empathizes with this teacher who wisely intends to go into real estate as soon as this school year ends. And one has sympathy for all current teachers who are confronted by lack of respect and commercialism that affects current public education. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The funniest production for the Fringe is the five 10 minute playlets,"THE PLAYWRIGHT ZONE" with wonderful scripts and great comedic timing by Matt Dewberry, Drew Kopas and Veronica del Cerro. It was wholesomely written by John Becker and assuredly directed by T.J. Keiter. The themes of the shows were an Israeli and Palestinian being stuck in a New York elevator; computer dating; two guys...a paranoid and a free spirtied one...at a bus stop; a school counselor contemplating suicide; and a meeting of Pythagorus, Nietsche and Emily Dickinson. Particularly impressive was Ms. del Cerro...a very attractive actress...who will go to no physical or emotional end to get belly laughs from an audience. Matt Dewberry was funniest when he showed frustration and anger and Drew Kopas was great with comedic understatement. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The Liberated Muse productions presented "RUNNING:AMOK" which offered no reason for existing as four Black women wait in a doctor's office and discuss their pregnancies or lack of such and each then belting tunes in screeching style to decry their lifestyles. Nary once do they hit upon where the fathers of these children fit into the picture which might have made the musical socially significant. If such male-coverage words were in the songs, the "screeching" made them unintelligible. There also were a couple of duets, trios and quartets with poorly matched voices as the singers tried to over intensify one another. There was no program to let us know who the singing actresses were which added to the poor production and directing of this loser. ( Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"THE MACCLOSKEY AND MYERS COMPLETE DO-IT-YOURSELF COMEDY HOUR" is a world premiere by two very talented performers who perform very clean comedy skits that hit about the everyday confusions in living in America. There are wonderful audio visuals to emphasize the messages in the skits, but the funniest bit was MacCloskey calling the Suicide Prevention to get help for his desire to commit suicide and has to go through the frantic "push 1, push 2, etc." that is a bugaboo for every living American every day! The "Waiting Room" also bordered on hysteria as two patients examine each other's dental work while panting for a kiss and a romantic follow-up. This is a great family show with humor going from gentle to frantic. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
"QUEER IN THE USA" is a 50/50 deal...half was interesting and half was boring which was confirmed as heads dropped in slumber in front of me and which I participated in. It is a story of a young man (who denies being gay) being sent for therapy to change the pitch of his voice since it is indicative of gay speech for many. He instead goes to New York where he meets a British rocker and a gypsy and her son and this part makes no sense whatsoever. He determines to recreate a success like Bruce Springsteen who is his iconic model. One trust this is not a true story since it doesn't ring true. Although Manuel Simons shows stage talent, this material does little to engender any empathy for a young man turning gay. Applause at the end was substantial for this show. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN THEATER FESTIVAL (all reviewed by Bob Anthony)
The 20th Anniversary of CATF appears to be the finest yet of the five play summer series (To 8/1) at Shepherdstown University in West Virginia. The university and producer, Ed Herenden, is to be highly congratulated for this always-special summer treat, and it was announced that funds have been forthcoming for a complete arts center to be established on the campus so greater things are yet to come. It is unfortunate that Catherine Irwin is retiring after ten years of tireless efforts to build up an audience for the festival...she was successful and she will be missed. Needless to say the stagecraft and technicals are professionally "top rate" for this festival especially the sound for "Lidless".
The overriding theme of this year's festival seems to be the lack of non-verbal and social communication in our society that the mass media has contorted just as the movies have eliminated acting for computer generated films...saving on costs of subtitles by loading shows with violence that needs no translation for foreign audiences.
So far the best production is Jennifer Haley's superbly written "BREADCRUMBS" which tells of an aging female writer who is moving into Alzheimer's. The breadcrumbs are the words that she is losing along the way...like in the fairy tale of the child who dropped crumbs on the ground to find her way back home. Director Laura Kepley was most creative in business throughout the show. Helen-Jean Arthur is magnificent in the playing of this senior citizen who is not only losing "words" but also moving into a paranoia, and a resistance to help from delightful Eva Kaminsky who is a loser in work positions and in love but is successful in helping this older woman. There is a magic element throughout particularly as the older woman tries to retell a fairy tale with wonderful distortions. This is the most highly recommended as it not only is very charming and poignant but it give real insight into a problem of language that more and more senior citizens are facing as they live longer and longer.
"WHITE PEOPLE" by J.T. Rogers gives us three monologues in which communication breakdown causes grief and suffering. Lee Sellars is a happily married man who is teaching a class in school and disturbed by a female Black student who he recognizes as extremely intelligent but who continues to use "street language" which will keep her in the lower classes if she doesn't wise up. He and his wife are confronted by three Black teenagers who beat them both up and his plea that she is pregnant goes on "deaf ears" as they are robbed. Margot White is a Southern housewife whose son is brain disordered and she can make no sense of the Indian doctor with his "high pitched" voice and poor English pronounciation. (Playwright Rogers presents good arguments but here the actress says "people have been talking the same for over 200 years in this country"...not true since the immigrants in the early 20th century stayed true to their native languages and were even allowed translators in the voting booth). Kurt Zischke starts his monologue listening to the end of "Dialogue of the Carmelites" and states it is not necessary to understand the language to enjoy opera...a very clever opening. He then proceeds to chastise workers in casual dress and we discover he has no communication with his teen age son who helps in the murder of a young Black couple. There is strong acting by all three actors and their epiphanies are heart wrentching.
Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig's "LIDLESS" is totally overdirected by Ed Herendeen and overacted by the five member cast. Certainly the actors must have loved "tearing up the floor" and they were all excellent, particularly Reema Zaman as the girl child who had wonderful stage presence. The story is close to factual as the mother (Eva Kaminsky) was an interrogator in Guantanamo and rapes a Moslem prisoner. After 15 years the prisoner (Barzin Akhavan) visits her floral shop to get revenge or maybe just an explanation. At this time she is happily married with a husband (Michael Goodfriend) and the girl child. All sorts of unnatural conflicts arise ending up with the Moslem lying on the floor bloodied by the girl child (???). The program stated that the show was two hours without an intermission and one got edgy after 90 minutes thinking what else can happen...but the show abruptly closed to weak applause. Lots of explicit language and adult situations for this one. The overall message is about the " verbal lies" in our lives that come to no good end. Also in the cast is Zabryna Guevara as the nurse.
"THE EEWAX JESUS 3-POP MUSIC SHOW" is written by Max Baker and Lee Sellars who have written a number of tunes together and the show really is a showcase for the musical talents of Lee Sellars...we know what a great actor he is. It was directed by Max Baker and it seems to be a five ring circus. On left stage to right stage we have a woman ironing napkins who had a two minute conversation on the phone saying she is afraid to go out; a four piece rock band; a religious salesman; a dysfunctional family of three adults; and a homeless person with all of his belongings strapped to his back. It looks like the message is non-communication. Young people will love the rock music...the words of which were not understandable since the playing was too loud...but young people are used to that. There was also a young bride walking around the audience and a guy with a full oxygen mask walking around the stage...don't know their reason for being.
"INANA" is inane. The story line about a museum curator stealing a statuette and taking it to London begs credibility particularly during the turmoil that occurred in Iraq after the American invasion. Added to that in the storyline is that a sculptor was making a fake one to place in the museum in order to get his one-armed daughter a husband. (The statue of the female goddess also has one arm). And the daughter does not want to fulfill her wifely duties nor does the curator want a relationship since his first wife was whisked away by Saddam and never heard of again...but is presumed dead. It is unfortunate that this soap opera is played on the most beautiful stage set ever seen on theater stages by Robert Klingelhoefer. And the sound design by David Remedios transports one into exotic nirvana. Director Ed Herendeen manages fine stage movement in the tri-stage and builds up lots of suspense in the plotting but the time lines by the playwright and the main action of the play being in a London hotel still confuses. There were many heads dropping into snoozing and no applause at the end of Act I which was too long and complicated. Response of the audience was better at the end of Act II as time shifts became clearer and the dramatics became comfortable.
*****
Every one from every religious group or cult should be required to see "NEW JERUSALEM: THE INTERROGATION OF BARUCH DE SPINOZA" at Theater J (To 7/25). Not only does it show a tremendous shift in beliefs during the 17th century but it is an enlightment for present day fanatics about religion in any form. Spinoza was from a family of Portuguese Jews who had to convert to Catholicism or leave the country so they moved to Amsterdam which allowed an admixture of all religious groups at the time. (Historically it is interesting to note that when the converted Portuguese Jews finally left Portugal and Spain they had to be retaught ceremonies.) Spinoza is developing his philosophy even during this play by David Ives so there is much verbal humor particularly about the spiritual aspects of all religions. Spinoza was a foremost humanist who questioned the fantasies of religions ...particularly God who was substance or else he could not have created additional "subtances". At the time both the Jews and the Catholics wanted him to be labeled a heretic and for him to be "disavowed" by the synagogue that he frequented. Jeremy Skidmore did a superb job of having the actors involve the audience and they sometimes encouraged or chastised the audience as they broke the fourth wall. Members of the audience who are diehard religionists will refused to be flexible in religious beliefs with the intellectual discourse and will deny the fact that Spinoza should be the empathic character being protrayed brilliantly by Alexander Strain. They will, no doubt, be convinced by the dogged argumentation by oft fiery burgher, Lawrence Redman, or the powerful rabbi, Michael Tolaydo. Lauren Culpepper played a soft spoken lover of Spinoza who had to reject him because of her wont to accept the mysteries of the Virgin Birth, et cetera. Eliza Bell, as an audience plant, was wonderful with her vitriol about her brother Spinoza who she felt cheated her out of the family will. Ethan Bowen had some powerful acting going particularly when he physically ejected Spinoza from the synagogue. Brandon McCoy as the friend of Spinoza only showed true acting when challenging his uncle, the burger, but then was most effective. The technicals were all quite well done in placing the audience in the 17th century even though the costuming was modern dress. The playwright took dramatic liberty with Spinoza's life and the facts should be noted that Jews in Amsterdam could not own businesses, that he changed his name to Benedictus ("blessed") after his excommunication from the faith, and that he was not know to have any sex life and was reclusive most of his adult life. This is a highly recommended show...a thinking man's show...but with enough humor and insight into religions to get you satisfied when you leaves the theater. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
he six actors are absolutely outstanding in the current drama with music at IMAGINATION STAGE, "HOW I BECAME A PIRATE" (To 8/15) from the exciting and refreshing boyishness of Josh Sticklin to the rugged pirate with the hook hand of Michael John Casey to the French stickler of David Frankenberger, Jr. to the work avoidance of Phillip Reid to the dominating pirate captain of Tim Getman to the perfect English underclass of Colleen Delany...yes women can also be conniving pirates. Together they sell something special as they try all of the physical and pirate linguistic thrills of dastardly seamen who must be taught manners and family longing by Jeremy, the soccer boy, who eventually wants to become de-pirated after he buried their treasure in his back yard. So all of the glamour of pirating is ameliorated from their "burping" after a meal to avoidance of "tucking into bed" to personality differences by this young innocent. The direction by Paul Bosco McEneaney is stunning as he garners a lots of direct audience actions as the group paddle their craft through the aisles and the children are encouraged to yell "yar"! He is assisted with wonderful choreography by Stephen Gregory Smith and sterling music direction by Christopher Youstra. The lyrics are by Alyn Cardarelli and the music is by Steve Goers. Brandon R. McWilliams also gets kudos for his excellent "pirate" costuming. This show is full of wonderment and wonderlust for both children and adults so make it a family outing. This one get an A plus! (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
In rep, Imagination Stage is also presenting "PIRATES! A BOY AT SEA" (To 8/15) which continues the tale of the conflict between a pirate captain, Colleen Delany, and the Brit captain, Tim Getman, to catch, respectively, a trunk of treasure or this female pirate. Again Josh Sticklin plays the young boy who resents the progeny of his divorced mother's second family so he is swiftly slipped away to the deck of a pirate ship through an antique treasure chest. This sequel has much more sword fighting and action which delights the kids and it also carries the message of responsibility and obedience for the children in the audience...and that being a pirate is not necessarily a desireable occupation. The technicals again are superb from the shooting of the ship's cannons to the storm at sea. Michael John Casey again proves to be a vicious pirate and Phillip Reid plays the stooge with great humor. This play is a little more intricate in plotting so it is recommended for ages 7 and up...most appropriately. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Many people have asked this critic to tell them when Irish dialect plays cannot be understood. To them, don't bother with "THERE ARE LITTLE KINGDOMS" (To 7/7). Only three members of the cast could be understood all of the time: Kryztov Lindquist (Foley the narrator), Eric Lucas (various roles) and Kerry Waters (various roles). When will the actors doing "Irish" realize that the critical component is the Irish lilt and not the sound substitutions. The story line for this play is a steal from Dylan Thomas' "Under Milkwood" in which a narrator tells about a small Welsh village awakening in the morning, doing their chores and ending the day in sleep. Playwright Kevin Barry manages to get the poetry correct for the narrator but he simply fails to make the days interesting for the many people in town...yep it means much boredom. And the abrupt ending is a shocker...why didn't the narrator finish it with a nice summing up. In addition, the actors playing many parts think that only dress changes were necessary so they didn't differentiate among their characters. Particularly disappointing was Drew Kopes who did such a wonderful job with his character and the Irish dialect in the Olney production of "Da". But he still shows great promise in a career in theater. Others in the cast are Bill McKenney, Allan Jirikowic, Suzanne Watts, and Megan Thrift. (Bob Anthony)
*****
What is one to say when Studio Theater's favorite female impersonator returns to the boards in "LEGENDS" (To 7/4). The prudent thing to say is that the high spot of this show was when Lypsinka (John Epperson) does a lip-synch's song towards the end of the show. Otherwise the script is too tawdry as Lypsinka and James Lecesne play 90 minutes of catty remarks of "I can do better than you". Leo Christopher Sheridan flies into the apartment in formal wear and does a strip tease down to covering his privates with a top hat...for no apparent reason!!! Tom Story tries a song and dance routine in overdone fashion and resolutely fails to connect since he looks embarrassed for doing so. Only Rosalind White manages to somewhat save the show with wonderful comedy timing and excellent stage presence. Overall, this production reminds one of the seedy Berlin cabarets of yesteryear. But, granted, laughs came minute after minute so it has to be recommended for audiences that love "drag" shows with two of the most perfect female impersonators. Costumes by Fabio Toblini gets kudos for his fabulous wardrobes. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
It is tough for a critic to assess a group like "STEP AFRICA" (last show today 6/20 at 7:30---great gift for dad on Father's Day) as the theater was filled with "groupies" who yelled and screamed with joy as they pounded the floor and clapped, and were encourged by the performers to clap and holler...much of the latter was "wolf calls" from audience members. De rigeur was giving out drum sticks so the audience could join in the percussion. So the performers could do no wrong although they performed some electrifying dance choreography and were totally in unison while group dancing. One might have been disappointed with the title of "Step Africa" as only the last number was done in African costumes as a superb Zulu dance took place with fantastic drum playing. Most of the other four production numbers were done without musical accompaniment. The rest of the dances were quite familiar to American audiences that obviously sold well with foreign audiences as seen on the huge back scrim projections...which proves that this group are great goodwill ambassadors and deserve support from our State Department for their foreign concerts. Most of the dances were primarily "slap" dances with the performers clapping hands or beating on their chests and legs or scraping hands together so one suspects there would be lots of body welts and bruises at the end of their evening of dance. But that's show business! Most impressive during the production, however, was the solo tap dancing by Ryan Johnson who did unbelievable slides and toe and side-of-shoe work that had the audience gasping. And enough praise cannot be given to the superb opening violin solo by Brian-Joseph Uzuegbu although one never relates the violin to African music and dance. Yes, the audience loved this production and, no doubt, this group which originated here in Washington DC will always get a rousing welcome back to this city which is so proud of their accomplishments. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The SYNETIC FAMILY THEATER is presenting "The Adventures of Uncle Rabbit" which should be re-titled "The Adventures of Mr. Tiger" as actor Jack Miggins managed to wow the kids with his chase antics, pratfalls and runs through the audience. It was a fine acting job. Stephanie Garcia (Rabbit), Lauren Lakis (Burro) and Rhea Smirlock (buzzard/cow) totally underacted physically and vocally for children's theater. The play was part-Spanish which confused some of the kids even though there was immediate translation but it made the script much too sluggish. The story is about doing good deeds so the message was well established during the one hour show. Again, Synetic Family Theater is a great place to celebrate children's birthdays as the child is recognized and given a poster of the show with the actors signatures...very cute indeed as it is followed by singing "Happy Birthday". (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
First timers were in awe and old timers got their expected thrills with SYNETIC THEATER'S newest production of "Othello". (To 7/3) Even though it took liberties with the Bard's work...i.e. having three Iagos in the cast...this overwhelming production gave total theatrical thrills. Paata Tsikurishvili has to be the most creative director outside of his Georgia homeland especially shown in his presentation of the death of Desdemona as her angelic body was raised up into the heavens. The original music by Konstantine Lortkipanidze and sterling choreography by Irina Tsikurishvili and gorgeous costumes by Anastasia Rurikov Simes are also all award winners. The regular company members continue to be outstanding in their stage work and newcomer Roger Payano as Othello reached their level of perfection with his expressive body (no dialogue in this one) that confirmed that the body never tells lies as posited by the Dadaists that verbal speech is always founded on lies. This company has to go through thorough rehearsals to attain the swashbuckling, tumbling, and pantomimic interchanges perfectly stated and all timed with the exciting musical background. Yes, there was confusion with the three Iagos not only with its creation but also the lack of definition in characterizations. Bus riders back to the Metro failed to read the program as to there being three Iagos but also why? If it were to show three aspects of the Shakespearan character...they should have read better as good vs. evil vs. sexual proclivities...they did not! And it also made Iago the main character in this adaptation by the director and Nathan Weinberger. So if you attend this production...and that is highly recommended...do read the cast list and synopsis before the curtain rises. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Musical Program
"Super Claudio Bros." was such a hit at the Fringe Festival that it extended its run at the Warehouse Theatre until Aug. 1st. And it deserves the rip-roaring standing ovation given at its first extended performance. It is a totally "wacko" musical comedy with its fairylike tale of a princess stolen by a platypus and searched out by two brothers who handle the search like a computer game...which is pictured on a big screen upstage. It is Eggplant territory...or is that aubergine?...and the purple munchkins open the show to give the very funny exposition. Co-authors, Marshall Pailet and Drew Fornarola wondrously have the lyrics lead the action of the cockamamie plotting and there is a laugh around every rhymed lyrical corner. Top honors has to go to Matthew A. Anderson as the platypus who insists he is a "mammal" in strong terms throughout. His is a darling characterization. Steven Gregory Smith and Sam Ludwig are the charming brothers of the title who are determined to escape the hurdles and blocks to save the Princess Tangerine at all costs. Miss Gia Mora is the P.T. and she has fantastic gesticulations and a well trained lyric soprano as she warbles with very smooth high c's. Lauren Williams plays her sister, Princess Fish, in tomboyish fashion. She also has a fine soprano but her articulation while singing is mushy so one could only understand about 50% of her lyrics. Harry A. Winter, a very competent actor, showed again his talent for comedic acting. Others in this delightful cast are Shayna Blass, Gillian Shelly, Chris Sizemore, and Karissa Swanigan. This is a highly recommended night of laughter. It would be recommended for a younger audience until the platypus sings his suggestive song near the end of the play...but maybe it will go over the kids heads. Kudos also for the costumer Dina M. Perez and her assistant Laura Maier. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
"PASSING STRANGE" (To 8/8) at Studio is a talented triple threat with superb music (Christopher Youstra), acting (director Keith Alan Baker) and choreography (Helanius J. Wilkins). And finally, even though the singing actors are miked, every word spoken or sung is perfectly understood. And that is so important as this musical is full of poetic passages which gives total charm to the lyrics throughout. Deidra LaWan Starnes again is tops in the cast in her acting although her singing sometimes ended with unnecessary trills. Jahi A. Kearse is a dynamo with his musical comedy style although one detects a possible vocal nodule in his voicing and singing. Aaron Reeder only blossomed as an actor in the second act...his first act was rather wooden with anticipated lines...particularly with his singing and dancing of "The Black One". The story line is a simple "Candide" one in which a young Black American musician, tired of disappointments in Los Angeles, tries for musical fame by going off to Amsterdam and Berlin only to find social dysfunctions there to be comparable to racism in the USA. The fascinating part of this musical by Stew and Heidi Rodewald is the erudite references in making their comparisons to history and psychology (from Coue to Karl Marx to Jung) not usually found in ghetto-type scripts...in addition to the fine and charming poetry. One doesn't even mind the mediocre Dutch and German accents allowed by dialect coach Kim James Bey. The chorus of 12 members does stunning work. The show opens with a bang with ferocious singing and dancing in "Church Blues Revelation" and the excitement never lets up until the final number of "It's Alright". Yet the high spot of the show was "The Black One" even though it comes close to a "Chicago" composition (I don't know how many chores are allowed before it becomes plagiarism). But this is a highly recommended musical and, as seen at this performance, it will be an SRO for every show. Certainly it is a great show for the younger set with excuses for a few "f" words. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Thoughtful critics and audiences sometimes wonder where is European music going? What is "modern" in a world where almost everything has alrady been tried? Is it possible to hyperventilate in the fourth dimension? The performance by radio.string.quartet.vienna at the Austrian Cultural Forum might offer suggestions. One tendency that is clear is the wish to extract new sounds from old instruments or to find new instruments that are even less predictable. Another tendency is for composers to become performers, or performers to become composers. A third tendency is to pull inspiration from diverse sources, almost as if Gypsy virtuosity and abandon has been revived. This group's concert often suggested the strong folk traditions that inspired the generation of 19th century nationalist composers. What emerged was intriguing music, at time slightly Celtic in flavor and, at other times, more reminiscent of John Taverner's moodily elegaic and provokingly transcendental musings. The two violinists in the group, Bernie Mallinger and Johannes Dickbauer are the group's composers...and they are quite impressive composers. This is not easy music to perform from memory as several of the players were doing. The audience had the constant sense that the group was ready to break into a sponaneous improvisational riff and this was part of the music's power. The second part of the evening offered portions of the group's transcription for string quartet of John McLaughlin's "Mahavishnu Orchestra". This definitely "edgy" music may have explained an audience much younger than usually seen at the Austrian Cultural Forum. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
The only disappointment at the Austrian Embassy for the concert by the AMERICAN YOUTH HARP ENSEMBLE was the scant audience. Otherwise the concert was full of razzle dazzle of chord progressive playing and intensity variations by ten harpists who performed musical blends one would have thought impossible with this stringed instrument. Only the Bach and Handel gave that smooth angelic plucking usually heard from a single instrument but when the group moved into Mussorgsky's "Great Gate of Kiev" heavy and strong plucking boomed throughout the concert room which almost matched a full orchestra. Amazingly using the instruments as percussions, and with the addition of Matt Nichols on the drums, the "African Reflections" carried one away into the jungles. The second half had the Salzedo's "Steel" that, with all the discordancies, seemed to be a piece by Philip Glass. The highlight, of course, was the ferocious stumming on the strings by Ian McVoy in his composition of "Rondo Naningo". His hands moved so swiftly along the strings that they lost their identity. Also, during the "Pink Panther" and "No One Can Stop Me Now", white tape was plastered along the base of the strings so a wonderful eerie sound was generated and gave a great jazzy effect to the playing. This young group, with a surprising two males considering the usual female harp players, was totally amazing and progressively creative. Kudos to artistic director and conductor, Lynnelle Ediger-Kordzaia, who trains youngsters of all ages to take up the harp instrument. The group has played in lots of performance venues in the United States and Europe...and they will have a gig at the Kennedy Center in the future. So watch the programming at the KC and definitely rush to see this prized group. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The Signature Cabaret at Strathmore (Strathmore Music Hall) was filled with electrifying singing in a finely produced cabaret as the singers presented songs from over 20 years of shows having been presented at Tony-award winning Signature Theater. The six main singers and five backup singers were totally dynamite. Outstanding for the main singers was Will Gartshore with "Run, Freedom, Run" in total physical abandonment (backed by the Overture Singers; the comic presentation of "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" by Matt Pearson; Eleasha Gamble with "God Will Provide" (backed by the Overture Singers); Tracy Lynn Olivera with "I Dreamed a Dream" sung with emotional depth; Jake Odmark with sensitive undertones of "Walking Among My Yesterdays", and Bllgh Voth with "Words, Words, Words". The audience in the small music room at Strathmore gave overwhelming appreciation after every song. It seems the only thing missing was a number from "Sweeney Todd" which had a number of repeat productions at Signature over the years. This is a program that could stand many repeat performances at Strathmore...it was "delovely". (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The closing concert of the 2010 Washington Early Music Festival presented three harpsichords and an organist ("FOUR EARLY KEYBOARDS") performing French music from the period between 1680 and 1780. Harpsichord music is often an acquired taste, and French harpsichord music is less immediately exciting than Scarlatti's incomparable 550 18th century keyboard sonatas or Bach's sublime polyphonic music in which a clean line of melody, sometimes several clean lines of fugal melody, is never far from the listener's ear. At times, this French music was less regal in character than simply busy like the buzzing of an active hive of bees. Certainly Panrace Royer's quite forgettable "La Marche des Scythes" seemed interminable as the Scythian hordes overran the stage first from the left, then from the righ, now from the back, and eventually from the front with the same obvious little tune. If Japnese harpsichordist, Atsuko Watanable, had wanted to impress on her audience how superior Prokofiev had been in composing emotionally satisfying battle music for "Alexander Nevsky"...she succeeded. Some of the evening's most impressive moments occurred during Keith Scott Reas' playing on the St. Mark's organ. The sheer "weight" of the pedal notes this organ could create underpinned the grand sort of choral lushness French composers for the organ have exulted in for centuries. Inevitably, the harpsichord seemed to tinkle in response afterward. The harpsichord star of the evening was Steven Silverman who gave his audience a sense of the architectural and intellectual magnificence of Cupperin's "Ordre VIII". Otherwise the concert was largely a bit of this and a bit of that always played deftly. It became clear that the French composers featured had a fear of leaving any moment not underlined by active bravura and preferred not to link hands through chordal cooperation. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
The Strathmore presented "LUCK BE A LADY" starring Julia Murney, Emily Skinner and Jim Caruso. It was an entertaining 75 minute program presented by this very talented trio along with Ritt Henn on bass, Dan Gross on drums and John Fischer on piano. Let me state that I would walk on hot coals and /or broken glass for the opportunity to hear Mr. Fischer. His accompaniment was impeccable and his reworking of "If I Only Had a Brain" was nothing short of genius. Each performer had individual moments: Caruso's new lyrics for "Coffee in the Cardboard Cup"; Murney's "Back to Before", and Skinner's rendition of "More Than You kow" sans microphone. Just a couple of quibbles: (1) there didn't seem to be a focus that elucidated the title of the show. I truly expected to hear songs from "Guys and Dolls" or only the music of Frank Loesser. Since it seemed to be songs from shows that the ladies had appeared in, there needed to be another thread to connect the material. And (2) I thought there was ALWAYS an encore in a cabaret. These were fine performers who did a noble job but some of the songs just didn't stand on their own. Without costumes, props, storyline, some just didn't deliver. (Reviewed by Beverly Cosham)
*****
"ARMONIA NOVA" presented the next-to-last evening concert of this year's Washington Early Music Festival (To 6/26). Surprisingly there were over 200 in the audience at St. Mark's on the Hill for this performance of romantic French songs of the 12th to the 14th centuries. Four excellent singers and two instrumentalists placed the audience "smack dab" into the early centuries although their dress was modern. The audience was extremely pleased with the poetic songs of love and rejection but questioned the French pronunciation. Only, when the counter-tenor in the second part noted that they were singing in Middle French, did one understand the lack of nasal vowels then, and consonant omissions that is part of the French language today. So people stopped trying to follow the French script and just settled back to listen to the wholesome singing. No doubt, the most impressive voice was that of counter tenor, Jay White, with his smooth upper range that bordered on the angelic. The best presentation was special guest artist, Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek who "lived" the romantic phrases with full voicing and intentions. Soprano Allison Mandel easily fulfilled the appropriate fluid piercing upper sounds and alto-mezzo Marjorie Bunday was faultless in her phrasing and swaying while handling the script. The best number, in fact, was Ms. Bunday and Mr. White with their captivating "Se la face ay pale" (translation: "If my face is pale...the cause is love"). In the second part of the program, Ms. Horner-Kwiatek opened the energy and the passion with her duet of "Dites seignor" (translation "Tell me my Lord") and it seemed to flow over to the other singers as they finally began vigorous and fully emotional singing. Craig Resta did wonders with his baroque violin as did the ever faithful Constance Whiteside with her harp. It was a truly wonderful program and garnered exceptional applause from the appreciative audience so an encore with all of the performers taking part was offered...the blending of the voices and intruments was electric. One would hope that one day Armonia Nova would repeat the program with an English text so the romantic poetry could really be fully appreciated. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Director Mark A. Rhea and his assistant Christina Coakley are getting better and better in presenting musicals after their sterling production of "Rent". With the current musical, "A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE" (To 7/11) their only error was in allowing the orchestra to play too loud so that some of the words to the songs failed to reach over the footlights. Fortunately they have Buzz Mauro whose body and facial reactions added the necessary information about character interactions. Mr. Mauro, who was so superb in a much earlier musical, "Sunday in the Park with George" proves again that he is a first rate musical comedy star. As an Irish trolley conductor directing a local musical in a church setting of "Salome", he is very convincing in his argmentation that the play is a work of art and not just a perverse dance show with seven veils being dropped. He has always been enamored of Oscar Wilde as an artist but is very hesitant about following his sexual life style. The only other clear singer with wonderful delivery is Harv Lester. Most of the other 17 cast members either had too strong an Irish dialect, poor phrasing or were drowned out by the orchestra (the musicians were on a balcony so the sound spread was much greater than if they were at floor level). Others noted for their acting ability are Tim Lynch, Kristen Jepperson and Deb Gottesman. But this lovely musical by Terrence McNally (book), Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) is highly recommended as a well cast and directed Keegan show. And the top full-cast numbers "Going Up" and "Art" are extremely well done. Plus the comments and predicaments of producing a musical were right on target and should please anyone connected with the theater. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
BEL CANTANTI Opera Company offers two versions of Mozart's incomparable "Die Zauberflote" this weekend...each with a different casting of the major roles. If yesterday's (6/18) performance is any indication, tomorrow evening's (6/20) audience can expect another impressive performance. Four of the five most important roles will shift on Sunday with only Eric Olsen as Tamino remaining constant. Olsen has had wide experience already with several regional opera companies in Canada, Britain and Europe. Tamino is one of the steadiest characters in this Mozart opera, reliable and worthy and suitably rewarded and Olsen did not attempt to make his character stand out in some bizarre manner. At Papageno, Charlie Hyland has broken through into a new dimentions of apparent talent. He showed a deft comic manner, had a rsonant and attractive voice and brought great life to his role. Patrick Giuetti, as Sarastro, was easily the most impressive of the male singers. His deep voice projects majestic nobility and his great height gives Sarastro the needed commanding presence whenever the character is on stage. Christina Massimei, as Pamina, glowed during the second act when she gained confidence that the powers of her evil mother, the Queen of the Night, were abating. Tamara Tucker as the Queen struggled with her famously difficult role. Eowyn Morrow, as Papagena, had a small role but her flashing smile suggested a sparkling wit that could fill out a larger role nicely. Though presented as a joint producton of Bell Cantanti and the Catholic University of America, the weekend of two peformances of "Die Zauberflote", two perfomances of "Hansel and Gretel", and a recital of miscellaneous arias relies heavily on local talent from CUA and the University of Maryland. Because Bel Cantanti requires that singers who participate in its Summer Music Festival arrive with an intended role alreadly memorized, the program can focus on how to blend talents into a group performance as well as how to give young singers, just beginning their professinal careers, the stage presence that will make their roles memorable. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
When life hands out lemons, it helps to have a good lemonade recipe handy. At their last concert, the CHEESE LORDS proved themselves adaptable and tenacious when the air conditioning system for the space failed to function and members of the audience sat looking like Southern churchgoers from the 1950's with programs waving to create small local breezes. Even the Cheese Lords were mopping their foreheads between numbers until, at the intermission, the audience was invited to move chairs into an inner chamber where cool air offered a reprieve from the sultry Washington climate. The second half of the concert was more impressive on more than just the temperature scale. What the Cheese Lords offer that has built their reputation since 1996 is an unequalled approach to the great choral masterpieces of Renaissance and medieval choral music...music generally expected to be sung by male a cappella voices. The Cheese Lords build programs that rest on solid scholarship and revive forgotten music of great magnificence. Longer pieces are more impressive because audiences can sink into the complex sound the Cheese Lords produce in which multiple voices weave around each other and the singers can group and regroup into different configurations. This second half of the program opened with the anonymous 11th century German chant "Alma Redemptoris Mater" already a work with an international reputation by the time of Chaucer two centuries later, and closed with the "Magnificat" by Elzear Genert, a French composer, whose music the Cheese Lords have explored in depth with a CD. In between were two lighter pieces filled with double entendre hints that life is not always religious and that social satire was not invented in the 20th century. The outstanding piece from the first half of the program was Dominique Phinot's "Pater peccavi in caelum". The religious music sung was invariably in Latin...the international language of the time... and the secular pieces were in French. ( Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
Reviews Done Out of Town
This time around more time was spent with the arts in Fort Worth rather than Dallas. Actually, Fort Worth is a more comfortable city with more of a "town" attitude. The most exciting venue reviewed was the FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY that is still expanding in covering both science and history of the Lone Star state and the city itself. Most outstanding is the children's section with everything from a children's grocery store to other social interactive programs...it is a children's paradise with lots of water pools and sprinklers. There is also a "dino" lab and an "energy blast" which takes one physically through exploding stars to early earth formations. There is a total production display from oil drilling to energy usage. The second story covers cattle ranching and driving to stampede films. Tops is the trolley ride through old Fort Worth. The MODERN ART MUSEUM has a wonderment of modern art from Andy Warhol (a huge self study of the artist done in purples) to "Helter Skelter" by Mark Bradford that covers a whole wall of one gallery that would take two hours to discover all of its details. It is a wonderfully constructed museum with fine gallery space that is extremely well lit with natural light. The current show is "The Collection and Then Some" with over a hundred sterling works by modern artists from Jackson Pollock's collages to Susan Rothenberg's pink horses. A return visit to the AMON CARTER MUSEUM confirms that it has the best collection of figurative art in the Southwest. Remington horses gallop right out of the picture frames giving the viewer a knee-jerk reaction to avoid being trampled. Currently there are photo shows...the highlight being the Ansel Adams grouping. Mr. Adams was a fine pianist and he felt his photos should reflect all of the "sights and sounds" variations found in classical musical forms. He managed to get fantastic textures in all of his photos so that three dimensional effects are noted. His "Moonrise" is outstanding as it shows a Western graveyard backed by a small town and a rising moon over the mountains...it provides ecstasy! A highspot in stage entertainment is found in the "CONCERTS IN THE GARDEN"...an open air presentation mostly by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra followed by a closing fireworks display. It is held on the lawn of the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and one missed the unscheduled Fort Worth Symphony. Instead the crowd was treated to "Crazy...For Patsy" (a tribute to Patsy Cline) with wonderful songs delivered by Julie Johnson. Naturally people sang along with the familiar country and western lyrics and a number of couples danced on the roadway dividing the crowd to bring back their own romantic moments. The visit to the FORT WORTH BOTANICAL GARDENS was slightly disappointing as the central glass-enclosed unit was quite small and the Rose Garden showed mostly scanty blooms (past the season) but the Japanese Garden was a wonderful haven that suggested a religious retreat. It was perfectly appointed with superb trimmings and a wonderful inside lake with arching bridges. It was certainly the high spot for the whole of Fort Worth! A visit to the FORT WORTH ZOO was appreciated for its wonderful high wooden platforms and caves so that one could view the animals from different angles. It had a great collection of animals and they all looked well taken care of. Certainly the zoo should be numbered as one of the top ten in the nation. One section of the zoo is a replica of an old Texan town with storefronts and workshops found in old West.
In Dallas, a visit to the MEADOWS MUSEUM at SMU again proves it is one of the top museums in the country even though limited to mostly Spanish art. Currently it has "Contours of Empire: The World of Charles IV"...of course including works by Goya and Lopez who were court painters for Charles IV. It is outstanding with its art objects from this historical period with a number of carriages and superb parqued-wood furniture. There is a superb film of inside-the-castle in Madrid. Also very impressive is the newer "WOMEN'S MUSEUM" with a superb statue (Woman Rising Out of a Cactus) in front welcoming in the guests. It is housed in a former coliseum that was used for livestock auctions and opera and symphony performances by night... which was later turned into a factory...then a business center...then abandoned...then it was gutted for a current superb museum. It is, no doubt, the finest look at women in America into social to theatrical to business to political ventures. A huge wall depicts the lives of women through the ages and there is even a toy display which matches the transitions of women in our culture. A current show is "Freedom's Sisters"...showing the heroes of the Black's movement from slavery. There is a museum shop with so many items that "one could die for"...so be sure to carry those plastic cards when visiting. Every woman and girl child should be required to visit this museum...and men and boys should follow along to appreciate the place of women in our nation's history. Finally, for those looking for the finest in Art Glass, do drop in to see and buy the fabulous KITTRELL RIFFKIND glassware display in north Dallas. They change displays every month and the artists are the tops in the field. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
It was certainly impressive in a town (Branson, Missouri) of six thousand residents that they can present such highly professional stage shows and they have over a hundred venues where shows are presented six times plus some matinees from Monday to Saturdays. There are a few that perform on Sundays but mostly the day is inundated with "gospel" sessions all around town and on mostly all of the tv stations. Each of the performances I caught were of high caliber but certainly "NOAH" at the Sight and Sound Theatre was overwhelming in production. It was like a Cecil B. DeMille extravaganza on one of the hugest stages ever. The script was rather tawdry but in what other theater can you see animals in pairs coming down the aisle to go into the six story ark on stage...pigs, chickens, llamas, horses, etc. And when the second act opened into three quarters of the audience...the scenery was filled with mostly all the animals of the world...yes they were mechanized but hugely effective in their movements. Light and sound effects were perfectly realized by the technicians. "PRESLEY'S COUNTRY JUBILEE" was a family-cast show that has covered three generations of the Presley family. It had country and gospel with fine buck-teethed Cecil and Herkim doing father and son comedy to please the audience between the songs. Most impressive was John Presley on the piano with "mile a minute" fingers as he went through the scales in violent fashion thrilling the listeners. "THE NEW SHANGHAI CIRCUS" had over 40 acrobats from China who tumbled, did bent-overs and twisters going from jumping through triple hoops to climbing poles while taking different daring positions to even a magic trick of one girl disappearing in a box followed by a half dozen girls coming out of the box when it was reopened. The top thriller was the girls balancing themselves with ten chairs balanced on top of one another. "THE TINOCOS' MAGNIFICENT VARIETY SHOW" reached that titled level as they sang and danced their way through the decades of the 20th century which brought back fine memories for all family members. The second half of the show started with wondrous scenes from Broadway musicals with an ending of gospel songs. Nicely, kids under 11 get free admission and the young daughter(Talya) of the producer/actors (Joe and Tamra Tinoco) is starting her stage career to impress that under 11 group. The most highly recommended by cab drivers is "PIERCE ARROW" with a wonderful male quartet with expertly blended voices. The high spot of this show, however, was the skilled comedian (Jarrett Dougherty) who tried every means to join the singing group but was rejected. He did a most delightful hackneyed interpretation of the Old Testament of the bible that left the audience with "split sides" from laughing so heartily. This group had the most beautiful showroom of all of the venues reviewed. "THE SPIRIT OF THE DANCE" gave skilled samples of can-can, Texas 2-Step, Tap, Jig, hip hop and even a Bob Fosse choreographed selection. Their top number was "You Raise Me Up" and a hand clapping routine seated on the apron of the stage. Fantastic coordination! "THE 12 IRISH TENORS" did quite a number of Irish tunes but also sang opera, Broadway and jazz tunes. Their top production was a "Blues Brothers" routine and their encore of "When You Walk Through a Storm". "THE JIM SAFFORD SHOW" had Mr. Stafford doing lots of standup jokes. He has a wonderful tongue-in-cheek approach to comedy and, like Victor Borge, teased the audience with playing short tunes with comic interludes. But to end the show he performed fireworks on his guitar even using it as a percussion instrument at times. Absolutely outstanding...one can see why he is considered the wizard on the instrument. His young daughter and teen aged son also performed on the piano with effective playing but they need some work on selling their performance to the audience...which will come with experience as shown by the father. The two museums reviewed were the "TOY MUSEUM" and "THE HAROLD BELL WRIGHT MUSEUM". The Toy Museum claims it is the largest in the world and it seems appropriate as one walks through to see cars and train sets, military toys, rocking horses, almost all of the Disney characters, Shirley Temple and Barbie complete sets, coke and gas pumps...just about every toy ever put on the market. In the back room is the "Harold Bell Wright" who wrote stories about this area of the country...his finest being "That Printer of Udells" which even Ronald Reagan stated that it inspired him throughout his film and political career. There were artifacts from his home and his writing table as well as his painting easel since he dabbed in both arts. So all of my reviews are very positive. The only negatives I found was that each venue honored the military as they had audience veterans stand when their service song was played. Also, the map suggest the venues are walkable...it is deceptive as they are far apart and one really needs to rent a car. Also, none of the venues gave a program or a sheet with names of the performers (you can see there is a lack of naming names in most of the reviews). Otherwise I found the residents were very helpful and charming and a really happy crowd. The final show reviewed was "DIXIE STAMPEDE" which is a dinner theater. One first is pleased with a comedy juggler in the bar room and then one enters a huge arena where the history of the rise of the West is performed with Indians and settlers. This is followed by an audience contest between the North and the South as horse competitions are held in the arena. The food served was plenty but typically dried out as hundreds in the audience had to be served. The show ended with a Dolly Parton film as she sang patriotic songs while the calvary did different formation holding American flags. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
No one should question whether Santa Fe is the art capital of the world! Every downtown block has at least three galleries not unlike Homestead, Pa. that has three churches and three beer gardens on every block! And then there is Canyon Road...the road with hundreds of galleries and shops that so dazzle that visitors needs deep pockets to buy paintings, indian crafts and antiques. The favorite museum place is Museum Hill just outside of town. The Wheelwright Museum has the Charlotte Greenleaf Mittler Collection of Kachina paintings of Indians dancing and cavorting. It was noted that the Santa Domingo tribe never allowed human drawings (perhaps because picturing them pulled out their spirit...so only animals were allowed to be pictured). There were also Kivas...cave paintings...that had to be erased like the Bhuddists destroy their sand mandalas. Also there was a small gallery with the works of Frank Buffalo Hyde which contained some papooses with food items surrounding them...hamburgers with teeth and other odd assortments. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture next door had wonderful 20 feet Indian sculptures outside and Indian arts and crafts inside. There was also the International Museum of World Culture that had shows of hispanic heritage with Ramon Jose Lopez's "Death Cart" which shows typical skeletal horses drawing a cart made out of bones and two human skeletons in the coach. The museum had a complete village of hand carved Christ and saints with exciting details of human expressions. In central downtown Santa Fe one can go to the Museum of Art which has an entrance painting by Ray Martin Abeya of two Indians...the one that Columbus found and an Asiatic one that Columbus claimed he had found in the new land. It was interesting that one found among the Indian and scenic works Judy Chicago, Francis Bacon, Oliphant and Georgia O'Keefe! The History Museum was the most fascinating and one that one need take in for a whole day. It is a relatively new museum which has a sublime interior and it covers the history of New Mexico including the revolt of the Indians and the Mexican and Civil Wars. It has wonderful artifacts and presentations about the military and civilian life styles. And, finally, there was the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. It is more of a gallery size and only has a few of the artists works on the wall...do go to our Phillips Gallery presently to see a much larger O'Keefe collection. The favorites here were the "Horse and Skull" and the "Mule and Skull". Currently there is the Susan Rothenberg show (To 5/16) with the favorites being "Cabin Fever", "Pink Horse" and "Folded Bhudda"...the nice thing about her paintings is that the titles truly relate to what is on the canvas adding meaning to the abstractions pictured. A walk down Canyon Road (that everyone should definitely take) gave the following high spots. Charles Azbell Gallery has the work of its owner. Mr. Azbell presents the most intriguing scenes of the landscapes around Santa Fe. His colorations of the clouds and mountains and sun are sublime...one is almost hypnotized by the beauty. J.D. Midwikis, owner of the Reflection Gallery is the most knowledgable about art of any gallery owner that I have conversed with. He recognizes both established and upcoming artists. Currently he is excited with the Chinese and shows a glorious Xie Quiwa titled "Twilight Shadow" of a Chinese woman which is the most delicately featured that I have ever seen. He also likes the Russian husband and wife Baranovs who take turns painting gloriously colored scenes. The most delightful galleries probably because the owners were Russian and Ukrainian and they concentrated on upcoming Eastern European artists were the Pushkin and the art of Russia Galleries. Mr. Pushkin, a direct-in-line relative of the great Russian poet, was a joyful conversationalist and gave a perfect update on Russian art...a country that he visits on a regular basis to update his collection. Currently he is enthralled by the portraiture works of Boris Chetkov. Chetkov's portraits have blazing colors and all of the works showed smeared distortions but, as one searches, one sees the souls of his subject coming full front. Whether it is the one blind eye of the "Folk Singer" or the black circle under one eye of a woman subject...one easily gets the message of the subject's life style and philosophies. In the Russia Gallery, owner Dianna Soboleva Lennon is ecstatic about the art of Yevgeni Shchukin who is totally ethereal in his depiction of biblical figures. Even better than Chagall, his work is more spiritual and one gets such a religiously oceanic feeling that one has to look away to recapture reality. His picture of Eve climbing the tree to get the apple moves one between the primitive to a human connivance. A final stop on Canyon Road was the Robert Nichols Gallery which has the finest all-around gallery of contemporary clay fine art. Liberties are taken by the artists...one young man puts dinosaurs on his work...he is a Santo Domingoan...remember about their refusal to put human figures on their pottery?
The most exciting museum in Albuquerque was the superior Turquoise Museum. One can go through the collection of turquoise from around the world and particularly look at the shining black and blue Iranian jewels. And the history of the stone, its mining and polishing is explained. The attached shop has every type of setting for this jewel. One gets the feeling that the owners really know the worth of their jewels...they are world experts... and one gets a very fair price when purchasing their favorite. The Albuquerque Museum of Art is probably the most beautiful on the continent. Outside there is a huge scupture of a wagon train and all of the pioneers and Indians posed around it. Inside there are wonderful gallery spaces which are all inviting for the visitor. Currently they are anticipating the May opening of the Davies Sister's "Turner to Cezanne"...we Washingtonians can still see it at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. They also have the "Albuquerque Now" exhibit with a mixture of paintings and sculpture by the Taos Society. The finest of this show was Joshua Franes "Tenth Year Anniversary" of a happy couple in a field of orchids. The New Mexico Museum of Natural History indicates that we are moving away from fossils and into the computer age. It is a fascinating look at the present sophistication of communications and the world to come in interplanetary travel. It is an exciting place for children. Finally the Holocaust Museum in center city takes a look at the holocaust but also the discrimination that exists from earlier times...like the Turkish ethnic cleansing of the Armenians to the current attacks on gays. Most are pictures of Eastern Europeans who were instrumental in hiding Jewish children during the removal of their parents to concentration camps. This is a traveling show which we trust will show up at our Holocaust Museum here in DC. And finally there is a most exciting artist showing at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe. His one painting "Pueblo Feast Day" compares favorably to a Renoir as it details an Indian clan participating in a meal. It is a little more primitive in style but communications between the subjects are clearly defined. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
St. Croix is probably the quietest place to visit as they "roll up the sidewalks at 5pm so one must adjust dinner hour forward. The bay was filled with small craft so it is clearly the place for the "snowbirds on ships". There is minimal evening entertainment although one might go to the key (access by motorboat) off the boardwalk in Christiansted to hear the steel drums. On Thursdays in Christiansted there is an art walk and there was wine flowing for the large crowd participating. Probably the most interesting gallery was the "Watch Your Step" run by Diane Given Hayes. Her present artistic task is the "Nature's Watchful Eye" in which she captures portraits of animals who are in danger of extinction. The most interesting was the "White Polar Bear" and in the eyes is reflected the melting ice caps. Other animals express dangers to their species. Also the "Art @ Top Hat" has wonderful local artists...the most impressive were Mark Mulberrin (fish with human qualities are delightful), Ronald Burns (human heads with flowers and leaves bursting over the crowns), and Claudia De Ledeber (lots of local work scenes...washer women, etc.). In Frederiksted one finds the Whim Estate which has a greathouse around which there used to be a sugar plantation. It has only one large bedroom but the house is filled with wonderful mahogany furniture and lots of donations by Victor Borge (the island was originally owned by the Danes). It is almost a replica of our Mount Vernon with cooking sheds and slave quarters and outdoor showers. When the Danes owned the island they insisted on English being taught to the slave children who were required to learn reading but not spelling??? If an estate owner failed to send the young slaves to school (run by Moravians...a reason for teaching reading was to familiarize the children with the Bible) the estate owners were fined until they sent the kids to school. While in Frederiksted, this critic joined a house tour joined by 150 people driving cars around that part of the island to see three estates. The most interesting was the "Estate Whim" (Richard Harris/John Conner)...again like the George Washington home with an outside porch that extended from end to end and overlooked the bay waters. It was a most comfortable interior with souvenirs from around the world...the dragon candlesticks being the most interesting. The "Estate Jolly Hill" was hexagon shaped with three separate pods...two of which were bedrooms. It sat on a hill with a wonderful overlook of the town and bay waters (now priced to sell at 485 thousand). The "Estate Prosperity" (Hortensia Lanio/Matthew Snow) was like a Long Island great house with wonderful Danish interior styles. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
It was a comfortable balmy time in Houston to review some arts while the Northeast was being covered with snow and ice. The best art show in town was at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with the "Faberge: Imperial Jeweler to the Tsars" (To 4/4) Having seen the many imperial collections in European capitals, one has never encountered the shattering glory of light being reflected out from the Empress Josephine Tiara! But also in this exhibit is the Nobel Ice Egg made in shimmering shades of white as requested by the Swedish industrialist. The usual inside "surprise" was a rock crystal and diamond pendant watch. And there were dozens of earrings and cigarette cases, etc. with small diamonds and rubies that seemed impossible to grind down to be so perfectly matched. The Menil Colllection had two fine shows. "Body in Fragments" (To 2/28) is a small but well curated show with the top piece being Magritte's "The Eternally Obvious" which had a divided body (head to foot) in typically surrealistic manner. Also there is early 20th century's Joaquin Torres-Garcia with wonderful "Abstractions with Wood" which also includes samples of manufactured wooden toys for children during the artist's lifetime. The Alley Theater again comes through with a most delightful "A Christmas Carol- A Ghost Story of Christmas" which is a lot more spookier than usual productions of this classic but well balanced by a wonderful comic portrayal of Scrooge by Jeffrey Bean. Through all of his haranguing about the holiday, there is always a "pussycat" undertone that is a sheer delight. This year is the "end of career" for Bettye Fitzpatrick whose "Christmas Past" can never be replaced as it has been a most unique portrayal for this retiring actress after 50 years with the Alley. "The Christmas Revels" this year did the medieval celebration with its delightful costumes and presentation that was full of time and place for the audience. The highlights of this year's production was the Anglian Minstrels with Abby Green (voice/percussion), Brady Lanier (viola de Gamba), Nikola Radan (recorders), and Slobodan Vujisic (lutes). Mr. Radan got most positive response to his solos with his fine fingering...at one point he played the small recorder through his nostril which delighted the crowd. Larry Pisoni again proves to be the best American fool (clown) performing on our stages...he had the audience "eating out of his hands" throughout. And, overall, the city of Houston is well lighted with holiday cheer abounding. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Six rainy days did not stop this critic from reviewing seven museums and the Whirling Dervishes in ISTANBUL. The finest newer museums are the Museum of Modern Art and the Sakip Sabanci Museum. The MOMA is situated in an old warehouse near the wharf where one can see the large cruise ships. The interior is a perfect venue for abstract and minimalist art as it has steel frames abounding and a metal staircase. Currently it has a Sarkis:"Site" exhibit(To 1/10) which shows the artist's work over a 50 year period. The artist presents poster-like full wall scenes which the artist calls a "rendezvous exhibit" for his installations. The permanent collection is composed of mostly 20th century Turkish artists whose work is surprisingly derivative of art trends in Europe and the West. The SAKIP SABANCI MUSEUM is a strikingly beautiful modern museum attached to the Victorian home of Sakip Sabanci on a lovely terrace near the university. The museum currently has the work of Joseph Beuys and his students. There are photographics as well as paintings which are primarily minimalist...yes, some look like the artists may have still had a kindergarden innocence. Some of the permanent collection show color blocks like Modrian. The residence is also open for visitors and it has art objects from Sevre pieces to antique Japanese and Chinese pieces...it is totally breathtaking. And the photos suggest that it was always the place in Turkey for heads of state. The ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM is not to be missed...particularly if one is interested in Roman and Greek antiquity...there is a wonderful collection of sarcophagi from early times...the most impressive is the Alexander and the Crying women sarcophagi. In one gallery there is the recreation of the Trojan horse which is outstanding. Also there is a separate museum of Oriental art as well as a fine collection of Turkish tiles in a separate home which is the oldest home to be found in the Old City. In the same area is the Topkapi museum which defies one's previous concept of extravagance...gold and jewels cover everything from swords to whole rooms. Also Mohammed's beard and one tooth are encased in gold cases. But the most spectacular is the Circumcision room that is awesome with some of the most beautiful tile work ever imagined. (This one is not to be missed). Around the corner is the St. Sophia huge cathedral. It still has remnants of the Ottomans' taste but the building has gone through Christian then Moslem design and now it is being renovated as a Christian museum piece. At the base of the hillside is the famous CISTERN that held the water for the city as it flowed from Bulgaria. It is an architectual wonder in a underground caves but Roman and Greek arches make it most fascinating. In the same area on No.4 and No. 28 along the hillside wall are father and daughter art galleries with fantastic Turkish paintings...the most impressive being of the dervishes. The WHIRLING DERVISH show is somewhat suspect as it takes place in a round cave like structure....so is it show biz? The dancing men don't really seem to be in a hypnotic state as expected but the audience gave no applause at the end of the show so almost all of the audience apparently accepted it as a religious Sufi rite. One last word...the Turkish people are the most pleasant people in the world who greet visitors with excitement and always have the tea pot ready to share their drinks...mostly apple tea which is very, very tasty. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The art scene in Miami gets better and better with each passing year. On this short holiday weekend trip, one stage show and two museums were reviewed and all three get top ratings. The Actors' Playhouse in Coral Gables has a totally delightful show to please the pre-baby boomers as four very talented actresses, "THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES"(To 11/1) , donned appropriate dress and vocal power to present those old favorite songs of the 50's and 60's. The stage was set like a prom night with balloons with a "queen of the prom" to be elected by the audience. Amy Miller Brennan, Tiana Checchia, Julie Kleiner and Lisa Manuli cajoled with one another in high school fashion and all managed to belt out the oldies but goodies from the singing stars of the era from The Maguire Sisters to Patti Page and songs from "Mr Sandman" to "It's My Party". Oh, my, the memories that it brought back to the mostly senior audience!...a wonderful remembrance of budding lovers past! Director David Arisco gave plenty of playful business to keep the evening bouncing along. The musical has had a long run off Broadway and this Miracle Theater is the first regional theater to be given the rights to the show. So take your present lover (wife or husband) to see this supreme show as you both can dream of past lovers and confirm that maybe you made the "right choice" for life partner. The LOWE MUSEUM at the University of Miami has over 17,500 pieces of art of which 4,000 are prints...using the techniques of engraving, drypoint and mezzotint. Currently they had a group of art students at the university select a dozen plus of these works showing "Trends and Techniques". Some of the more famous ones are by Dali and Picasso but the most startling one is a portrait by Thomas Frye (18th century) who managed to give three dimensional effects using mezzotint. This museum is small but it has a wonderful varied collection from the old masters to current minimalist. It also has an outstanding contemporary glass collection in its Palley Pavilion. The FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY'S FROST ART MUSEUM is surrounded by dozens of lawn sculptures and is a gorgeous inside museum with large galleries with lots of natural light with so many wall windows. Currently they have a most impressive collection "The Missing Piece: Artists Consider Dalai Lama" from huge buddhas to audio visuals regarding yoga and other "contentment" monologues...one by the Dalai Lama. It is all so effective as it primes one when leaving the exhibit to appreciate "love and peace" that should exist in all of humanity. So it completes it message for the viewer. The museum's permanent collection is mostly abstract and minimalist with few figuratives. But this Dalai Lama is explosively effective in covering its theme. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Arrivaderci Roma! And a permanent goodbye to this graffiti capital of the world! I can't believe the city fathers cannot get the citizens to clean up their city...it is most disgusting tourist city in the world. And the transportation through the city is totally complicated regarding the metro and the bus system. And taxis...even though one insists on their turning on their meters...the drivers manage some excuse to double the fares. So it is recommended that one take organized tours since the private buses will make the rounds most effective and relaxing. However, there are still some great museums throughout the city expecially the Vatican and don't forget to see the art museum under the Sistine Chapel where artists from around the world have sent contributions to the Church of Rome. On this trip, I only managed to catch the Capitolini which is a fantastic archeological museum with art objects mostly contributed by Pope Innocent X...famous statues of Roman gods and goddesses in dress and undress. One gets the feeling that lots of hanky panky went on at the Papal residence which resulted in his being removed as pope...his reign started the word "nepotism" as he appointed so many members of his family to official positions. Currently there is a fantastic modern jewelry collection on display, "Oro di Roma" (To 10/11) , that is simply stunning. A second museum visited was the Galleria Doria Pamphilj ...a mansion of which half is still the home of the relatives of Pope Innocent X. The place is spectacular in design with every wall in every room filled with masterpiece paintings from Italian masters to Dutch masters. The most famous piece is the portrait of Innocent X by Velasquez. But there are also scenes by Guercino (means the squinter since he had eye problems) , Caracci, the Brueghels...and in the chapel one can find the mummified body of St. Theodora under glass ( a typical relic found in many major mansions). It was interesting to see children and dogs playing in the living quarters of this galleria. Of course, churches and cathedrals throughout Rome have wall paintings by famous old Italian masters. The one operatic evening attended was the I Solisti del Opera at the All Saints Episcopal Church in the area of the popolo. Soprano Marina Di Marco, tenor Marco Bianchi, baritone Clemente Frangiosi and mezzo Caterina Novak sang arias from most major Italian and French operas. Ms. Di Marco presented the finest La Traviata I have ever heard....her voice was liquid honey and her coloratura frills were divine. Mr. Frangiosi suggested the best future with his handsome looks and stunning baritone. Mr. Bianchi pushed his voice too hard so sometimes slid off key but he had a magnificent range. Miss Caterina Novak gave the best stage appearance but had ordinary voice with weakened end phrases. The string ensemble was superb throughout.
As negative as Rome was for this traveler, the Chieti region of Italy offers superb wines, excellent cuisine (too much at times) and delightful and helpful people who love tourists. The top sites visited were religious. The Holy Face Sanctuary in Manoppello had a cloth with Christ's face imprinted on it. It apparently wiped the face of Jesus after he was taken down from the cross and presented to his mother. The face shows a broken nose and bloody spots from cuts. It has been studied and it was determined that no paints were used on the cloth. In Loreto is the Nazareth home of the Blessed Virgin placed within a huge cathedral, "Our Lady of Loreto". The story is that the home was carried from Nazareth to Turkey to Croatia as Christians had to move out of the Holy Land. When Asiatic hordes invaded Turkey, angels carried the home to Loreto where a cathedral was built around it. And a magnificent cathedral it is...the ceiling is filled with iconic images and decorated with gold leaf throughout. Throngs of people are constantly in the church and the churchyard. I have never seen such a "piece of art" like this cathedral and I have seen legions in my travels. In Chieti ("la Civitella")and Pescara ("Museum of the People") there are many archeological museums that are simply fascinating as they show both Greek and Roman influences in the area. The one museum in Chieti also had some Egyptian art pieces. And the National Museum in Chieti had one of the finest coin collections pre and post the Christian era ever to be displayed. And, of course, the wine is the finest in the world. It was pointed out that the USA has only 15 varieties of grapes for wine...Italy has over 2500. Each town loves to compete with wine tastings. This Adriatic area has wonderful hilltop towns with the cathedral the central and highest point. And the mountains are filled with olive trees and grape vineyards that are finely manicured to present lovely scenic pictures. Do try this area for a quiet and relaxing vacation and to really enjoy the Italian experience. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The weekend of art shows in Prescott, Arizona started when one arrives at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport which claims to have the finest collection of native art and crafts in any airport in the world...and it is true as each terminal has a glass enclosed display case of superb works of art. Prescott was celebrating its annual Cowboy Poetry Reading weekend as people gathered at the Yavapai College with a legion of ten-gallon hats for the men and buckskin skirts for the ladies. The daytime shows gave a mixture of poetry reading (this year nicely with some free verse which avoided the predicted rhymes) and great guitar playing, singing and yodeling. The evening show started with the request to turn off the cell phones... and the ten-gallon hats! The top talent for the first evening was Don Edwards ...a wonderfully accomplished singer and probably the best guitar player ever. He is noted for his wonderful repertoire of the old cowboy songs but he also has appeared with symphony orchestras to show off his sterling cowboy talents. Prescott is the cowboy capital of the USA so it is highly recommended for those who fondly remember the old cowboy movie stars...actually the area north of this city is Sedona with its red hills that was background for many of the old westerns. The greatest display of western art is at the Phippen Museum with its collection of close to a thousand paintings and bronzes with about a hundred in its current display (To 9/20). It is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary and the current show is outstanding. Most of the works are by George Phippen and his paintings and bronzes are equal to Remingtons with action abounding throughout his works. There are 38 artists presented in this show from Joe Beeler to Robert "Woody" Woodcock. The finest is the delightful metaphoric huge bronze by Maher Nabuib Morcos...yes he is an Egyptian...titled "The only Indian is a good _____" which depicts an Indian on horseback offering water to a cowboy exhausted on the ground. This piece was part of the White House collection of Ronald Reagan. The most impressive paintings were the works of Ray Swanson which resembled ranch works similar to Andrew Wyeth New England scenes. This is a superior museum of western art that shouldn't be missed if one is in the Arizona area...hopefully they will soon realize a larger museum space to exhibit more of their permanent collection. Also impressive in the town of Prescott is the Mountain Artist Gallery with a fine collection of western and non-western art. Currently the work of Thomas Restifo from sailing ships to desert canyons is most impressive for their detail. Also Judd Lotts is presenting his jewelry boxes with parquet of woods from around the world. A couple of hours were spent watching the clay boxes being made by verbally delightful Karen van Barneveld-Price. Craft shows by artists are scheduled each Saturday and are free. Right outside of town is the amazing city construction by Italian architect Paolo Soleri called Arcosanti. This 90 year oldster has been directing his efforts to produce a high rise city in the middle of desert ravines. It is to be the future of current cities as everyone lives in this "city" without cars or a need to ever leave the compound. It is currently about 10 percent complete and one suspects that the idea may die with the passing of Paolo Soleri. Currently the only financial success is the making of wonderful brass bells and it is wonderful to walk down a path of bells and hear individual sounds from each bell. Nevertheless, one should take a tour of this complex to appreciate what a great mind Mr. Soleri has. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Even with the temperatures hovering in the 100-110 range, the museums in Dallas/Fort Worth are well air conditioned to enjoy the summer exhibits. The finest show currently is at the Meadows Museum on the campus of SMU. Mr. Meadows and wife provided the start of the hispanic collection which they accumulated during their trips to Madrid and they range through all of the famous Spanish artists of renown. Currently they have the cubist paintings of Diego Rivera (To 9/20) which he painted during the heyday of Picasso and Braque in Paris during 1913-1917. Rivera's paintings are interesting since he shows a love for his subjects as opposed to chopping them up to show distorted inner lives. The favorite here is "Angelina and Baby Diego". The other galleries have paintings by other Mexican artists who were developing special figurative styles during the same time period...Orozco, etc. This is a highly recommended show as it shows a different aspect of Rivera that is rarely appreciated. The Nasher Museum of Sculpture is across the street from the Dallas Museum of Art and it has a wonderfully designed inner and outer art space. The inner space is loaded down with a superb collection of works by Calder, de Kooning, Giacometti, Miro, Matisse, Moore, Rodin et al. The most exciting piece is outside. It is by Jonathan Borofsky and titled "Walking to the Sky". It is a 100 foot flagpole with seven figures walking up to the top along its 75 degree angle. It represents the power of aspiration. It is truly awe inspiring. The Dallas Museum of Art has a collection of over 23 thousand art pieces which covers the visual arts spanning five thousand years from ancient America to current American and international contemporary pieces. The finest is the early American which also has wonderful early American artifacts and furniture from colonial times. The favorite here is the small but superior impressionist painting collection and "The Icebergs" by Frederic Edwin Church which is especially fine to stand in front of during the summer heat as it drops the body temperature. This museum is the largest in the Southwest and is consider one of the top six in the nation. The Amon Carter Museum not only has the finest Remington collection of paintings and sculpture but it has the prize collection currently of the Harmon and Harriet Kelley "Collection of African American Art". (To 8/23) It covers the works of Black artists from the 19th and 20th century from Catlett to Johnson to Alison Saar. The favorites are William H. Johnson's "Jitterbugs" and Alison Saar's "Black Snake Blues" which replicates the suicide death of Cleopatra as the reclining depressed woman waits for the foreground snake to deliver the final blow. The museum also displays its Black art in an adjoining gallery. This is a highly recommended show as it is historically interesting as well as culturally impressive. The final show was the performance of the cowboy gospel show at the Opry house in Grapevine Texas. This showcase was cheered on by most church groups in the audience as it started with an invocation. It was programmed by the Southern Spirit quartet with a wonderful wailing counter tenor. A stunning singer, Cathy Lake, took up most of the second act with her Anne Murray look-alike and voice. Gary Frye probably had the best western attitude with his fully voiced baritone. Blonde and statuesque Ginny Lyon seemed to get the greatest applause. But the whole show was inspirational and full of talent. The city of Grapevine is "up the road" from Dallas and is full of Texan flavors. There is a huge Great Wolf Lodge and Gaylord Spa Lodge for visitors at the entrance of the town. The Gaylord is impressive as it has a glass covered atrium with gardens, toy train exhibits and inside fireworks at night. One wonders about the cost of keeping that huge atrium air conditioned. Anyway Grapevine seems to be a great place for a weekend with the kids. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The most dramatic part of the trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg was the disappointment with the changes in Russian society. It is almost completely Americanized with MacDonald's every other block. Young girls in blue jeans show their belly buttons and buttock tattoos as they laugh their way down the streets smoking cigarettes. Almost 70 percent of the people...young and old...wear jeans. So the wonderful exotic and ethnic colorations of the society are apparently lost forever. And the living standards go from the few rich billionaires to the poor seniors who get only 125 rubles a month to live on (30 rubles equal one American dollar). So many of them can be seen going into bakeries to order one slice of bread. Yet, they love Putin since at least they get their monthly checks on time and he appears to be attacking the rich barons to get more money into the hands of the middle and lower classes. They also love Obama even though most are unaware that the father of their Russian language was Pushkin who was also biracial as his great grandfather was an African Moor who served the czars. The museums are superb throughout the cities visited and the Amber room of the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg offers the greatest thrill of any room on the planet. Plus the whole palace is outsanding in gold leaf and male caryatids that hold up each floor of the buildings. It is the one place to visit on a side trip. It is a photographer's dream land! As for the entertainment in both cities...it is outstanding. In Moscow, the opera "Iolanta" by Tchaikovsky was reviewed. (It played at the New Bolshoi as the classic Bolshoi next door is being remodeled). It is the story of a blind girl who eventually finds love and her sight even with the threat of death on her lover. So this lyric opera has a happy ending. The finest voice in this production was Mikhail Diyakov who played the second lover lead. His baritone was superior...very sonorous with fantastic overtones and he seemed to be the only one where emotional display was paramount. The other singers just seemed to want to face the audience and burst out with sounds...most satisfactory in voice...but not emotionally inspiring. The set was tremendous with Turkish embellishments around the stage that was another "actor" in the opera. The high spot was the "La Sylphide" at the New Bolshoi in Moscow. Artem Ovcharenko danced James superbly and for the first time the whole audience repeated "wow" as he did triple turn leaps into the air. The finest of the female dancers was Anna Antropova as his girl friend with her most assured turns and leaps. The amazing thing is that the Bolshoi was always known for its strong dance movements and stage action but the performers here were totally lyrical in their approaches with the exception of the lack of undulating arms by the corps dancers. In St. Petersburg at the Maryinsky (Kirov) the stunning "Prince Igor" by Borodin was on tap. The scenery was totally stunning with each change of five sets and the cast seemed to swell to over 150 people on stage at times...even a horse carried Prince Igor off to battle in a Cecil B. DeMille fashion. But the highlight was the terrific and lengthy powerful ballet to the Borodin music which was recognized as the melodies from the musical "Kismet". The choreography was a repeat of the original Michel Fokine work. The most stunning arias were sung by Sergei Semishkur as the son with his outstanding tenor range that only slightly failed him in the lower range. The conductor was Pavel Smelkov who at times didn't seem to get a balance from the left side of the orchestra especially at moments with huge rises in the music. But, overall, the Bolshoi and the Maryinsky companies raise the bars for any other companies in the world. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
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Movie
"PLEASE GIVE" (E Street Cinema) is definitely the movie to avoid unless you like vulgarity, extreme family dysfunction, cruelty to senior citizens and unfortunate street people, and ugly personalities under the guise of showing current socio-economic travails of the middle class. It is advertizes as being "devastatingly funny" and filmed by a female "Woody Allen" (Nicole Holofcner) but it is hardly either. The film opens with female bulbous breasts being laid down on examination tables to be examined for breast cancer and the movie goes downhill into disgusting episodes from that clinical setting on. All one can hear from the viewers is "ughs" and "terrible" from that point on. Unfortunate mother (Catherine Keener) gets some praise for trying to ameliorate the ugliness of the other characters and she almost accomplishes that. Other unfortunate players for this not-recommended film are Oliver Platt, Sarah Steele, Ann Guilbert, Rebecca Hall, Amanda Peet. Put your money down for "Joan Rivers" instead. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Fans and non-fans of Joan Rivers will find the movie ''JOAN RIVERS:A PIECE OF WORK" (E Street Cinema) both delightful, tragic and shocking. It is a bio-pic of a gal who has invested her whole life in making people laugh while she lives with depression and the many tragedies in her life. Also it shows how tough show business can be so why would anyone be interested in getting into the life of rejection and desperation. The shocker of the movie was that she has such a foul mouth when doing adult clubs and when involved in negative interpersonal relationships. Yet, she was honestly tearful when discussing the suicide of her one husband in a Philadelphia hotel. And she also was alienated with her only daughter until they both suffered that loss. Yet the movie is a laugh-a-minute as it starts with her first gig with Jack Parr who predicted a great future for her to her most recent reality show winning on television. At one point she shows her office in which she has a floor to ceiling cabinet with drawers in which she has stored every joke she ever uttered and the jokes are legion. Definitely every person in show business should see this film and those not in show business should see it to see how damaging...albeit somehow rewarding such a life can be. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Just like Asiatic opera singers now appear on our stages, there seems to be a number of orientals moving onto our ballet stages. It is most interesting as these young performers develop under static ethnic dances and must move into other muscled and flowing movements to dance on the ballet stages. Currently there is the movie "DANCING ACROSS BORDERS"(E Street Cinema) which tells the tale of Sukvannara Sar from Cambodia who was found by Anne Bass who loved his charm and grace as he performed Khmer dances and brought him to America to study ballet and he was eventually put under contract to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. The film is a lovely look at this very handsome young man as he struggled to get those leaps and positions and turns into perfect dance lines. The film's didactic offers a three credit course in ballet dancing and so it is a delight for terpsichorean lovers. One might read the book "Mao's Last Dancer" which shows a young Chinese dancer, Li Cunxin, who came from dire poverty in earlier Chinese times to make it into the Houston Ballet Company. His story is more poignant as he was snatched up from his village and sent to Beijing so he suffered more pains of separation from his folks and he really had more stretching problems to overcome which gave him excrutiating pains. And his book gives greater insight into the social and political problems of a communistic state of the arts. Sukvannara Sar never lived during the severely punishing regime which caused so many deaths during Pol Pot's regime. "Dancing Across Borders" is a most pleasant 90 minutes to watch the fine development of Sar and his ballet sequences showed stunning talent. The finest was his solo dance with Philip Glass accompaning him on a piano. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
"THE LAST STATION" (E Street and Bethesda Row) is surely the finest film currently playing in theaters in the Washignton area. Helen Mirren, herself firmly of Russian extractions, brings to her role as Countess Tolstoy and audacious grandeur that borders on madness as the ruthless battle over copyright to Tolstoy's writings is played out on the domestic front and among international literary and political organizations. Tolstoy's private secretary, Valentin Bulgakov, has been sent into the Tolstoy household as a spy by the diabolical Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov, ordered to record every movement in the war between spouses lest the countress interfere with the execution of a new will disposing of the copyrights. The virginal Bulgakov finds himself sharing Tolstoy's reminiscences about youthful sexual escapades which the elderly writer would clearly repeat were circumstances to permit. Experience for Bulgakov waits literally around the corner in the person of Masha, who boldly seduces him and turns him into a person of vivid emotions rather than a careful agent. Like a Henry James novel with a sensitive but confused narrator, the film often creates its impact with the vivid reactions shown by Bulgakov's responsive face as gigantic events unfold around him. Critics have complained that the film is not always truthful to the facts of either Tolstoy's life or the Countess's life. This is a quibble as the film's inner coherence is ultimately what matters unless one assumes the film has merely a didactic purpose. One can sympathize with the countess who believes her home has been invaded by alien spirits who wish to document in writing or by cameras and recordings every event that takes place there. Today a"public" personality may assume such a normal lifestyle but surely there was a time when it seemed abhorrent. This film may remind viewers of the magnificent 1968 film "The Lion in Winter" in which Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole spar over the future of the English throne and the capabilities of their three sons. Sparks fly in every scene in which the two mighty protagonists unleash their tempers. Great acting thrusts aside irrelevant considerations and builds a performance that sears the memory. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
The script of an alcoholic "has been" country western singer could be considered tacky but the very natural acting of Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenbaal makes this movie, "CRAZY HEART" at the E Street Cinema one of the most riveting life stories not often seen in the cinema. Yes, the rise to the top can exhilarate but the drop downward until Bad Blake must compete with the noise of a bowling alley is very poignant indeed. The lifestyle of this ex-cowboy singing star takes on deeper meaningfulness about life's choices and disappointments. Plus one feels sorry for the rising star, played by Colin Farrell, who will face his own epiphany in the future. This film really is universal in theme for most people following any career. Robert Duvall, really looking very old physically, does an effective job as the owner of a country western bar who helps his entertainment-friend in dire need. Another big surprise in this film is the wonderfully themed music by T Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton which adds immeasurably to the effectiveness of this lovely, romantic story. This film is the most recommended one on current cinema screens. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
It's titled meaninglessly "44 INCH CHEST" and it truly is a script for a theater stage as five men huddle in a seedy waterfront-type hovel to seek revenge for their friend whose wife (Joanne Whalley) has fallen in love with a toy boy and intends to leave her husband played very emotionally by Ray Winstone. Think Sam Shepard! The friends in heavey Brit accent and all encompassing locker-room language encourage vengeance on a bloodied, blindfolded young man who transgressed...played effectively with no words by Mevil Poupaud. The friends Ian McShane, John Hurt, Tom Wilkenson and Stephen Dillane all have their sexual and social hangups yet they glory in detailed ways of punishing the young lad. John Hurt is the most effective particularly as he relates the similar story of "Samson and Delilah" as snippets of the movie with Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr are shown. Again this is story that would best be played on the stage as, as a movie, it sometimes loses credibility. On the stage dramatic license would make it more suspenseful. Director Malcom Venville, however, got excellent acting from every one of these screen actors. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
It's the movie of the year at the E Street Cinema that is basically the biography of Orson Welles and his famous stage production of "Julius Caesar" at the Mercury Theater in New York City. It is called "Me and Orson Welles" and theater lovers will go ga-ga over it as it brings back fond memories of treading the boards with a genius director. And casual movie lovers will delight in the wonderful direction which delivers some wonderful tidbits about the contrast between stage work and film work. Young star, Zac Efron, gives a magical performance and is definitely headed for the big time as he is arresting in all of his scenes with perfect acting style with great dramatic depth...his final song in the stage performance of the show with a ukelele is riveting. Christian McKay plays Orson Welles and his also is an award winning performance with his commanding temperament that produces the classic production of this Shakespearean play on Broadway. Claire Danes plays the go-getter for the company and the romantic and sexual interest and, although she acts well, she is somewhat miscast against Zac and Christian. This is my most highly recommended movie for 2009. (Reviwed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The E Street Cinema also has "Young Queen Victoria" and the script is full of faults...poor dialogue that confuses with unfinished action shots and a most contrived plot about the young queen trying to take on royal duties. Screen writer Julian Fellowes even tries some violent scenes between the Queen and Prince Albert to falsely give some action to the film. The movie's only saving graces were the elegant dances and coronation with fantastic costuming and superb sound effects. Emily Blunt as the queen is an elegant beauty but she lacks full dramatic range and Rupert Friend as Albert manages to get by with his handsomeness. Paul Betany as Lord Melbourne offer the only successful acting presence. The only thing we learn from this movie is that Victoria and Albert lived some great romantic moments in bed...which is obvious historically as they had nine children. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The National Gallery of Art does film retrospectives which are free to the public. Currently they are showing Alain Resnais films starting with his 1968 "Je t'aime, je t'aime". This is a film about a recovering suicide victim selected by a group of scientific experimenters to sit inside a large machine shaped like an oversized clove of garlic beside a little pierced globe containing a lively white mouse and , like the mouse, travel backward in time for a moment. The experiment is initially only partially successful. Though the patient does travel backward in time, his arrival"destination" is quite unstable and the screen shows the patient erupting into several moments of his past...out of sequence...and sometimes repeatedly. Then the experiment deviates into unexpected territory as the movements backward achieve longer arrival times and whole episodes of the patient's previous life can be relived. Eventually, the predictable outcome is achieved and the patient not only re-enters his previous life but begins to relive and reshape it. A successul suicide effort during one the the longer backward moments is a disappointing conclusion for the scientists and leaves a dying body on their neat lawn though the white mouse, perhaps a less complex creature appears to have survived unchanged. The Resnais' legendary "Last Year at Marienbad" (1961) followed which was a film that became for a generation of college students the ultimate enigmatic foreign film. The film is dominated by the presence, both interior and exterior, of an immense European luxury hotel surrounded by a vast formal garden in the 18th century French manner. If there is a plot it hardly matters as the visual splendor and tantalizing "social " relationships among the characters are only explored on the surface but the surfaces are of such splendor that human emotional truth is entirely secondary in this profound search for artistic stimulation. The conundrums of memory, imagination and perception reverberate through the space of the film and repeat themselves in the mirrors of a world that will be hermetic or claustrophobic according to the viewers' sensibilities. The "time" of the film is only hinted at by several references to 1929 but surely it is the late 1930's before the intricate inherited world of the haute bougeoisie exploded into the turmoils of World War II. Do go to the NGA site for announcements of their film showings. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
"Captain Abu Raed" at the E Street Cinema is a fine movie for its wonderful scenes of Amman, Jordan. The movie is plodding as the director, Amin Matalqa, just spends too much time on facial reactions and movements up and down stairs. The story is about an older man, nicely played by Nadim Sawalha, who finds an air captain's hat while on a janitor's job at the airport which convinces the youngsters in the neighborhood that he is the "real" thing so he tells tall tales of his supposed travels around the world. He then tries to better the lives of the youngsters that he has befriended. One Udey Al-Qiddissi wishes to leave his home and away from his violent, drunken father. A female air pilot, Rana Sultan, gets involved in the solution of the problem although the rest of her appearances center around her father's trying to marry her off. Yes, connections in the story line are far fetched. A fine movie if one doesn't doze off. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
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Visual Arts
The Gallery plan b on 14th Street does fine selections in presenting the work of new and dynamic artists. Currently they are showing the new works by Jason Wright and Mike Weber. Mr. Wright does intriguing white on black presentations...mostly white houses on black backgrounds. The fascinating thing is his work with the black paint which waves in different directions to give psychological intent to his work of both exultation and/or tragedy. Mr. Weber takes old photographs and adds eerie effects with overpainting that gives historical or biographical information about the subject. Some have that mysterious Kafkaesque bizarre quality that is stunning. Don't miss this gallery show. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The National Gallery of Art has a coup with its "EDVARD MUNCH'S MASTER PRINTS" (To 10/31). Although originally an impressionist painter, Edvard Munch didn't feel that enough inner feelings were being expressed so he changed his style to become a foremost expressionistic artist. During his creative years, most art critics thought that his work was too violent and brutal and he even had to remove sections (a fetus and running sperm framing) of the "Madonna" when he submitted it to a New York show. Generally one must consider his early life with an ultra-religious father who claimed the "dead mother cried" every time he or one of his sibs got into trouble. Munch also went through a mental breakdown as he earlier confirmed that he "inherited consumption and insanity". So his painting themes of life, love, fear, death, melancholy and anxiety were very personal for him. The only interesting thing about this NGA show is that he duplicated some master prints over time and added or subtracted colors from the originals. One wonders if he wasn't bi-polar which influenced such addition or subtractions. Overall, the museum goer will, no doubt, react to these master prints depending on their personal experiences with the emotions being shown. Of course, everyone should react to his most famous,"The Scream", since it is a wonderful presentation of "alienation" which occurs for most everyone in any society. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY was a sculptor who worked with light, space and color. The exceptional works using glass as their primary medium now on view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (To 8/15 ) comprise a spectacular exhibit that may puzzle Washingtonians. Those of us living in the city where political correctness seems the very air we breathe must readjust our sensibilities to encounter an exhibition in which the exotic, the ravishingly beautiful, or rarified levels of craftsmanship are the essence of what has been assemblerd. This was never art for the masses. Audiences which believe they "know" Tiffany's works will be startled by how many categories are on view and how many works are totally unknown from standard publications. Who knew, for instance, that Toulouse-Lautrec designed a stained glass window that was fabricatd by Tiffany's workmen? The stunning "Magnolia" window that was sent to Paris in 1900 is today in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and now returns to this country for the first time in 110 years. Vast scholarship lies behind the exhibition and more scholarship surely lies ahead. Although Tiffany & Company has extensive corporate achives containing design drawings and photographs of finished works, the archival material for Tiffany Studios is much more limited. This exhibition was conceived when Montreal Museum of Fine Arts acquired a church building which contained a suite of Tiffany windows already moved once from their original Canadian church. While the building undergoes renovations there was an opportunity for the windows to travel, and it made sense to join hands with an American museum noted for its Lewis Collection of decorative arts covering the period 1880-1940. The third venue for the exhibiton will be in Paris at the Musee de Luxembourg. These are not objects which travel well as all are irreplaceable and extremely fragile. Visitors to the exhibition will also have the opportuntiy to explore the recent expansions of the VMFA. Familiar things are still there sometimes in rather remote locations far from the entrance lobby. The museum shop is stuffed with tempting merchandise at all conceivable price levels. (Reviewed by Stephen Neal Dennis)
*****
The Smithsonian American Art Museum has opened a stirring show of "TELLING STORIES: NORMAN ROCKWELL FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF GEORGE LUCAS AND STEVEN SPIELBERG" (To 1/2) Every picture is a joy for those who lived during the period of the artist's great magazine works...from an exhausted Santa and his elves finishing up Christmas gifts to returning to civic clothes by soldiers. The most exciting ones for this critic were "The Stuff Which Memories are Made of" which has as fascinating light and shadow as seen in a Georges de la Tour's "Penitent Magdalen", and for total fascination is the details on the "Happy Birthday Miss Jones" as youngters celebrate their teacher with apples on the desk and giggling though the episode. And a delight is the "Mermaid" as the fisherman carries his catch on his back and his prize is a mermaid! But Norman Rockwell managed to go through all the sentimentalities of his age from movie stars putting on make-up to a boy reading an adventure story with knights in the shadowed background. That is why every member of the family will enjoy this wonderful exhibit from the greatest iconist of the 20th century...and we are fortunate enough to have it on display until the new year so holiday guests can enjoy it. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The current show at the Strathmore Mansion is "Fine Artists in Residence" (To 7/10) with main works by Stephanie Potter, Jackie Hoysted and Alfredo Ratinoff...none of which were particularly impressive. What was impressive was the chalk-pastel canvas by W. James Taylor of "Morning Light" which showed birch trees with wonderful shading of light shafts coming through the trees. A couple of quilts by Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks also impressed. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
There is a fantastic museum show to hit the Washington, DC area that will excite whole families as it is flavored with achievements in gravity control, engineering, flight, anatomy, math, physics and even philosophy and fine arts. All of the hands-off and hands-on works are by the Italian genius, Leonardo DaVinci in the National Geographic's "DA VINCI-GENIUS" (To 9/12). Children of all ages (including adults) will love this show and the one hour film ("Man who wanted to know everythng") of this genius's life being shown in the N.G. auditorium. DON'T MISS THIS SHOW AND THIS MEANS THE WHOLE FAMILY! Particularly fascinating is the cubicle of mirrors so one can see themselves projected ad infinitum. And, of course, no one should miss the art work especially the gallery showing the Mona Lisa in all of its photographic forms (done with 240 mega pixels camera) which gives proof of the subject being male or female and other slightly blemished brush strokes. All will love the last galleries where one can operate the many pulleys and wheels to control motions. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART has opened its most fantastic show yet with its "Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art" (To 11/26) if for no other reason than it shows the African influence in basket making and rice growing that was brought to American shores...which is one of the mandates for this museum. There are 200 weaved baskets of all ilk...even waterproofed ones to hold beer...that are gorgeous in handiwork and colors. And one section of the gallery reports on the rice growing regions in the south with most intriguing "slave-selling" placards specifying specialities of the slaves and their physical and emotional health...and their prices based on these features. The audio-visuals are totally perfect as it shows mostly women weaving baskets and especially the one a/v of a aged gentleman on St. Helena island off the coast of South Carolina who describes his lineage of basket weavers and how they were able to support island schools with their weaved products. He spoke slowly as he tried to avoid moving into "gullah". One weaver, Henrietta Snype of the "Low Country Sweetgrass Basketry" was demonstrating her skills especially her grass jewelry. Yes, this is a wonderful show that will be enjoyed by the whole family especially as it does show some current generation of boys and girls learning this traditional trade. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
And do go down to the RIPLEY INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM where "Revealing Culture" (To 8/29) is being presented. The show has 146 works of art created for the International Organization on Arts and Disability...each item being completed by handicapped artists. The most impressive is the huge chicken coop by Sunaura Taylor completed using her mouth. There is also the work by Jamshid Agayev of Azerbaijan which has wonderful Indian style details. There a few completed by the war wounded that are most poignant. Every young person should see this show to see how motivation can move one to great success regardless of physical and/or mental handicaps. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The KATZEN at American University continues its great political/social/psychological art shows...and the current shows are totally upfront in fulfilling its mandate. The most impressive show is "Norse Soul...The Legacy of Edvard Munch, Social Democracy, Old Myths, Anarchy and Death Longings" (To 10/17)...a long title but it is a huge show covering these title sections. The finest canvas in the show is "Ave Maria" by Arne Ekeland. It is a wondrous canvas as it shows a background of a white Gothic Cathedral with a body of an all-white nude woman and nude little baby lying on the sidewalk leading to the cathedral steps. No other canvas being shown at other DC museums achieves its depth of meaning. Most of Ekeland, Heske, Melgaard and Thorshaug works deal with depression and death in everyday living and in impersonal factories and domestic places...not unlike Munch. A second new show, "Soaring Voices: Recent Ceramics by Women of Japan"(To 8/15) is most enlightening as it shows the liberation of Japanese artists in a society that we still assume has women very repressed. There are lots of "tits and asses" forms although there are some wonderful classical works, "Cornucopia" series, in lovely blue and white by EtsukoTashima. On the other hand we have "Germination 2007" by KyokoTokumaru that looks like all of the body's internal organs spashing out. Ery De Smet's "See Something, Say Something" (To 8/8)makes wonderful political statements especially as he shows nude men and woman...backs to us...playing soccer. The Elizabeth French's "Good Things Come in Small Packages"(To 8/15) is minimalist and cubist and she, no doubt, contributed much to supporting such artists during their heyday. Another show is "Jacob Kainen" (To 8/8) which is all abstractions...but beautifully colored mostly with pastel shades that are wonderfully matched to make eloquent statements to the viewer. The Katzen's director and curator, Jack Rasmussen, deserves much credit for traveling the world and bringing mostly international shows to our city. He has an excellent eye for quality for every show that he curates. The Katzen should get more attention from the media and a larger group of museum-goers...you can't imagine what wonderful art spaces with natural light are available there. There is also convenient parking under the building. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The PHILLIPS COLLECTION is showing the work of two modernist painters, Richard Pousette-Dart and Robert Ryman (To 9/12), with their works that shook up the art world with their simplicity respectively of childish scribbling on white canvesses and white-on-white "doodlings". Pousette-Dart's creations are not unlike what would be found on the blackboards of a kindergarten (not unlike Cy Twombly). He claims sophistication about Freud so they might aptly be recognized as oral-anal-genital references. Truthfully any esoteria stated by chic art experts claiming spiritual or aesthetic value of this work should fall on deaf ears. Perhaps his best canvas is in the Phillips permanent collection of a "totemic" blazing forth with multi-colors and filled with christian and pagan symbols and hieroglyphics...very Jungian! Likewise Robert Ryman's canvases, less than 12 inch by 12 inch white frames, with white piled on whites...one simple all white...that he proclaims shows that realism and abstraction lie on the same continuum. That certainly is not true of visual and auditory sensoria but may be true of tactilism...however we are not permitted such extravagance to test this modality in museum settings. Certainly, as pointed out in the following Air and Space photography show below, maybe something can be said for artists living in the dynamics of heavenly movements and as Jesus pointed out "unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven"...maybe even art heaven. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
Forget the planes and space labs at the AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM for awhile to look at the fantastic planetary pictures put together by Michael Benson for his "Beyond" (To ) exhibition...and then buy the catalogue. It is a remarkable look at the planets circling around our solar system. Did you know that one unexplored moon might just have more water on it than the earth? And why are the circles around Saturn shifting in color and position? The most impressive ongoing thought when one goes through the exhibit is that the abstact artists were correct in presenting art work of circles and "splotches" as they present a reality in such space studies. One photograph looks like a Georgia O'Keefe! Once this critic once was allowed to look through a microscope at a cancer cell and was amazed at how it dared to be so beautiful...so it is true at looking at some of these outstanding photographs. They may not change your spiritual leanings but they certainly will give you a reverence for this planetary system and some day...beyond... into the expanding universe according to the curator Benson of this outstanding show. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART PRINT COLLECTION is slowing moving into an international ranking and is helped considerably with the coup of getting the "German Master Drawings from the Wolfgang Ratjen Collection-1580-1900". (To 11/28) The collection has 120 German and 65 Italian drawings of first rate quality. If you never quite appreciated prints you must catch this show with its pen and ink drawings but there are touches of pastel colorations that bring to life each print. The prints were completed during the period from 1580 to 1900 so they reflect the artistic periods of mannerism, rococo, romanticism and finally realism. So going through the five galleries is not only an exceptional joy but also a fine didactic of artistic changes during respective time periods. Of special interest are Dieffenbrunner's "Stoning of St. Stephen", Zingg's "Dresden from the River Elbe", Reinhart's "Woodland Path in Rosenthal" (the gnarled trees remind on of Van Gogh), and Von Dillis "Regal Party Admiring the Sunset" which is the theme print in the show. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART is presenting "American Modernism: The Shein Collection" (To1/2) which reflects the growth of avant garde in this country. As stated in the above Michael Benson planetary photographic review, one comes to the realization that these artists painted with the reality of outer space so they received early rejection of their circles and squares and ill-defined subjects. There are only 20 paintings from the Shein collection but all of the important names are there: Davies, Davis, Demuth, Dickinsons, Dove, Duchamp, Hartley, Macdonald-Wright, Marin, Maurer, O'Keefe, Man Ray,
Shamburg, Sheeler, Stella, Storrs, and Weber. This is a neat little show but most valuable in its presenting some of the fathers of avant garde when it first crossed the pond from France. (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The current Sackler Gallery show, "The Gods of Angkor" (To 1/23), has 36 works of art but the most fascinating aspect of the show is that these bronze pieces all reflect Buddhism in early Cambodia that combines religious features coming from China and Thailand as well as Khmer elements (Cambodia). So we see gods with four to ten hands although a snake features in most of them. An interesting feature was the yoginic dancers who "destroy ignorance" through their dance. Does this relate to our current ballet and modern dance groups? It is remarkable that the National Museum of Cambodia managed to survive after the country's repressive political regimes but present day world museums (especially the Sackler) are providing funds and assistance to clean up these bronze statues. And more and more artifacts are being unearthed...a 4th century BC ritual vessel was still being used by a peasant family to carry water...a group of buddhas were unearthed by a woman digging a garden...actually seven of the works were unearthed as recently as 2006. Many thanks are due to Paul Jett and Louise Cort who curated the show with wonderful wall descriptions that so aptly describe these bronzes. This is a highly recommended show along with the earlier Buddhist shrine that is assembled across the way. Each offers much "enlightenment". (Reviewed by Bob Anthony)
*****
The Spy Museum keeps the young and the old entertained and informed. The exhibits include information on artifacts used in tradecraft, interactive exhibits on audio surveillance, threat analysis, and how to maintain one's cover. There is a good mix of media and activities and plenty of opportunity to imagine working in the strange circumstances of the spy world while one appreciates activities that were done during various periods of time from the biblical era to the present. There is a current exhibit about "Hollywood and Spies" that displays various posters and even an Oscar won for a spy film that was awarded during the cold war. The complete tour takes approximately 2 hours. A great place for adults and children, and youngsters under the age of 5 are admitted free. (Permanent) (Reviewed by Nancy McCord)
*****
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