I spent my weekend sitting and staring

This weekend, my sisters and mother came to visit me in the big apple one last time (get used to the constant refrain of "one last time" in my blogs and conversation for the next three weeks).

Because of this and some other factors, since Thursday, I have gone into dark theaters four times and sat for long stretches while people attempted to entertain me. Thursday night was Sunday in the Park with George. I took in Next to Normal at Second Stage Theater, off-broadway, for a Saturday matinee and Curtains on Broadway (though located further from the actual street than Second Stage Theater was) Saturday night. Sunday, after my family left, my roommate and I went to see The Other Boleyn Girl at the local cinema. And now it is time for Lightning Reviews!

Sunday in the Park with George

This is the first Stephen Soundheim production I've seen that I've diskliked. Strongly. Sadly, out of my weekend list, it's also the one with the biggest ticket price. Boy Roommate 2 bought Boy Roommate 1 tickets for Valentine's Day, and the rest of us tagged along. Rear Mezzaine. $57.

The music is often unapproachable, even for Soundheim, but what is worse is the lack of coherent plot and relatable characters. The first act follows painter George Seurat and the second revolves around his grandson, also a somewhat inhuman artist. I didn't care about either George, but at least the first one is surrounded by interesting characters. The second act made me want to pull my hair out. I have never been so bored in a Broadway theater in my entire life. The real star of the show is the scenery, which, through a variety of projections creates the actual park, the painting of the park, a light show, and various living creatures: a soldier, two dogs, and various moving, talking copies of the grandson George. The scenery is never boring.

Next to Normal

This is my favorite of the bunch. I knew very little of the plot and nothing of the music going into it. The songs are compelling ("I like my angst with a heavy beat" I explained to my roommates, afterwards), very high energy, though the lyrics occasionally rely on somewhat infantile, Rent-esque rhymes. It also, at times, seems a little long (though every show on this list seemed long, so that might just be me). Still, I feel these things could be easily fixed if the play tries for a Broadway run, which is apparently being considered. I love the cast, especially this kid, the new Broadway love of my life (I mean, John Gallagher Jr.'s disappeared, so a girl needs someone to turn to for comfort). The plot is character driven and full of layers, letting the audience discover secrets and sources of pain in a slow and sometimes shocking fashion. It's a play that grows on you, if me and my sisters are any indication: leaving the theatre, we liked it, but as the day wore on, we loved it and positively lusted to hear the music again.

Curtains

Curtains is light and amusing and if that is all you look for in a Broadway show, it will fill your dance card perfectly. Curtains actually utilizes many elements of Old Broadway: catchy songs- a blend of happy numbers and ballads, rousing dance numbers, star power (David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba), a show within a show, and elaborate sets. It is entertaining and you can mentally check in and out of the show and still follow things. That's really it.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Or "How I Spent My Summer Vacation, by Anne Boleyn."

First off, the movie squeezes about six hundred pages of novel and a dozen years of history into what feels like a couple of months. Girl Roommate assures me that the only reason I did not vehemently hate this film is because I am so fascinated by Jim Sturgess (and how Hollywood convinced me that this man is devastatingly attractive is an issue to be dissected later). The film murders both history and the Phillipa Gregory novel on which it is based. Eric Bana is completely wasted on the role of King Henry, who has no point in the film besides smoldering and lusting after the Boleyn sisters; there are no politics or intrigues beyond these seductions. Natalie Portman is a passable Anne, though in the film she is shrill and desperate where in the book she is confident and conniving. Poor Jim Sturgess does the best he can with George Boleyn, terribly watered down from the book as well. One of the most fascinating aspects about the novel is that Anne and George are so in love/lust with being Boleyns that they naturally turn this into love/lust for each other. They are this pair of smart, sexual predators dominating and destroying Mary's world. In the film, there's not much to destroy: Mary is basically a peripheral figure in her own story. I'm not sure who the star becomes instead: perhaps Natalie Portman, perhaps general darkness (there was not enough light used in the filming of this movie- why must so many period pieces be so dark?), or perhaos just the insides of your eyelids (I did almost fall asleep a few times).

The Play's The Thing

Okay, so I didn't post a review on The Farnsworth Invention. It was awesome. I loved seeing Sorkin's wit live. The two leads were very talented. The play was exceptionally moving...it's a new American tragedy. It's the next 'Death of a Salesman.'

Anyway, that's the kind of stuff I've been saying about the play.

I've been seeing a lot of theater lately. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change- don't see this. Ever. Tom Stoppard's Rock 'N' Roll- far too smart for me, but Tom Stoppard stood right behind me, and I saw Nathan Lane. Plus, don't get me wrong, the parts I understood were awesome. And Cyrano de Bergerac with Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner, which was hilarious, very sad, and absolutely beautiful. I've bought the translation we saw, and I kind of want a man to recite it to me someday. Perhaps in the moonlight while I'm on my balcony, much like in the play.

And those are my lightning reviews. I'm out of money now, so it might be awhile before I get to see anything else.

Why I Love Living in this City, part 4,807

So, my friend and fellow classmate all but assaults me with technology this afternoon: a text, a phone call and an email all within five minutes of each other. The text and voicemail she leaves both tell me to check the email, so I do. What do I find?

Subject Fwd: Free Tickets to The Farnsworth Connection on Broadway

That's right, everyone. I am going to see The Farnsworth INVENTION (not connection, but I won't quibble too much, since the circumstances are so favorable) by the great Aaron Sorkin, in previews, tonight at 8PM, for absolutely FREE.

Can you imagine the happy dance I am doing at my desk right now? Can you? The Hallelujah Chorus swelling over the usual music/voices in my head? The mamboing butterflies of anticipation cavorting through my chest?

And perhaps- doubtful, but perhaps- the great man himself might be there. He might be the type of writer who likes to be very involved in the process. He might want to give notes and feedback and stand close and allow me to fawn upon him.

Also: Hank Azaria.

Stay tuned for reviews.

Iphigenia

I saw this very awesome play at Signature Theater this weekend called Iphigenia 2.0. It provided both subtle and anvil-like commentary on modern American life (one such example: "Is it all a matter of distance, then? If you were an old man sitting at home by the fire you would tsk tsk the war even as you went out to dinner and the theatre you might even be appalled by it but not for more than a moment or two before you got on with deciding which wine to have with your fish."). The basis in greek theater and mythology hilighted the timeless, universal qualities of present day struggles.

The full script, by Charles Mee, is available here, but I am posting part of the play's first monologue.

AGAMEMNON
I see that there are acts
that will set an empire on a course
that will one day
bring it to an end.

Because, we see from the histories of empires
none will last forever
and all are brought down finally
not by others
but by themselves,
from the actions that they take
that they believe are right or good
or necessary at the time to do.

Sometimes they are brought to ruin
by no more than the belief
that something must be done
when in truth
doing nothing would have been the better course.

To be sure,
an empire
cannot refuse to defend itself from absolute devastation
and so it will arrange to have the capacity
for self defense.
It will preserve itself first from extinction
and, as well, from lethal damage or great harm
and then, too, from hurt and ill-treatment
that could, if left unattended, lead to devastating injury,
and, so by degrees,
an empire will reason itself to a need to be immune even
from insult
responding, finally,
to the anxieties and nightmares
that arise from within,
and so: striking out
at the phantasms of its own dreams.

Of course, it will know that a nation must protect its borders
and, in order to do that,
must secure its periphery
and so it will come to attend to conditions just beyond its
outermost bounds
and thus, by increments,
its interests will grow,
until they will have been extended beyond an ability to defend them.
They will have created new enemies along the way.
They will have created the causes of wars
where there were none before.
Even if an empire begins with no ambition
with no desire for conquest
no wish to grow
even so, it will feel it must grow or die
and so it grows
and thus it dies.
Ruin, it would seem,
is inherent in the nature of empire.

Might this fate be avoided
or at least
postponed?
Might something else be done?
Are there no precepts to follow in this murky,
unpredictable world?
Often, it seems,
men of affairs think that moral laws
offer no useful guide to behavior
that they are not meant for the practical business of the world
forgetting
that moral laws are nothing more nor less
than the accumulated folk wisdom
of millenia of human experience.
And so it will happen
that some moral law of an unforgiving nature is violated--
a law against boundless desire,
or cruelty
a law against coercion
or indifference to the humanity of others
a law against initiating violence
or being required,
in the pursuit of some goal,
to commit an act that anyone might see
is heinous
something finally is done that is so deeply wrong
that the world must rise and crush it
in order for the world itself to go on.

We may have felt some qualm about our behavior along the way
but we will have dismissed it
thinking it is a secondary thing
lesser,
insignificant in the context of the great demands
we have placed upon ourselves
and yet this qualm we feel
will have been sent to us by our deepest wisdom.
It is a warning to us.
We ignore it at our peril.


I've been seeing a lot of new theatrical works lately-- off-broadway, at fringe festivals, etc. Really makes me want to get back to my roots and start writing plays again.

Spring Awakening: A Review. Of Sorts.

There is a currently an infomercial on my TV trying to sell me a be-dazzler (bedazzler? beadazzler?). I don't know what I think of that.

So, I went to see Spring Awakening (again) today. It is, officially, my favorite show currently on Broadway. Also, I have a gigantic school girl crush on one of the leads, John Gallagher Jr. (pictured below).

What is it about the show that I find so attractive? Not sure. There is, of course, the youthful attractiveness of the cast (have I mentioned John Gallagher Jr.): a friendly cast fully aware of how lucky they are, in love with the idea of having fans and being in a hip new musical, and normal enough to be starstruck when they heard Edward Norton was in the audience today. There is the music: the awesome score by Duncan Shiek (he of 'Barely Breathing' fame) and the beautiful lyrics of Steven Sater. All the ingredients of the show- cast, writing, staging, lighting- combine to create an exciting, near breath-taking experience. The energy in the theater is palpable. It's a beautiful thing.

But can I get behind the theme? Well, let's see...

A woman sitting behind me and my roommate, hearing us gush during intermission, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me? I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. How old are you? I can't tell."

Now, despite the way I feel about older adults being able to fling around the 'how old are you' question to younger adults without it being considered rude, I tried not to be offended. After all, I look younger than 24, and here I was practically salivating over the show, like a teeny bopper over pop stars.

Me: How old am I?

Lady: You're young, right? You're a kid?

Me: Well, I'm 24.
Lady: So, a kid.

This woman, who knows people who write for Broadway and, by default, everything else, wanted to discuss the appeal that Spring Awakening holds for young people. While said Lady is glad that Broadway is attracting a younger crowd with this musical (the line critics used about my age group and RENT is now being applied to a younger age group), she doesn't understand said attraction. She asked my roommate and I if we'd liked any other musicals we'd seen lately, her tone implying we couldn't possibly enjoy/understand Broadway, being so young. The answer: yes, everything except Grey Gardens. The unspoken answer: I've been enjoying Broadway shows (on tour, at least), since I was twelve. The Lady went on to explain to us (thanks, Lady) that the themes of Spring Awakening were irrelevant to our lives/age group/century/sexuality.

I discuss theme a lot, being a candidate for a higher degree in English Lit. In fact, I had to read some interpretation of Wedekind's original Spring Awakening for my Modern Drama class two weeks ago. I know how to discuss theme and meaning. And I told this woman that, to a generation trying to figure out society and our place in it, Spring Awakening is still very relevant. While sex is not discouraged in the same way as it was in late 19th century Germany, we still are instilled with a deep sense of shame where sex is concerned. We are in no way as sexually liberated as many of us would like to believe (a fact that was reinforced when this woman asked me if perhaps I suffered from 'too many options'). Also, sexuality is just one issue of personal freedom. Our personal freedoms are at stake every day. And, if anyone thinks we, the human race (or, hey, even we, the viewers of Broadway shows), are sexually free, they need only look at laws concerning homosexual marriage, schools that teach abstinence only, attempts to repeal Roe vs. Wade or any other pieces of scary, scary evidence to the contrary.

I was dismissed again and again. I was told that, really, I am just attracted to the loud rock music, extreme emotion, and pretty sparkily things (see below: John Gallagher Jr.).

And, I admit, those things...rock. Really rock. But, if you think the themes of an old German play can't resonate today, you don't know anything about the endurance of literature. That's all I'm saying.

That's right, you, lady. John Gallagher Jr. is pointing you out in a derogatory and insulting manner.

Anyway, this play coupled with Sondheim's Company, currently playing at the Barrymore, provides this lovely set of bookends of existential philosophy in a Broadway season that is mostly, though not all, fluff. How do we deal with the loneliness, the probable meaningless of life? Company suggests forming relationships so at least you needn't be entirely alone. Spring Awakening isn't sure what the cure is- but it starts with children and education. Not a bad theme at all.

Also, it's entertaining and full of cute boys.

Weekend Revue

1- Sac's Place

I visited this Italian restaurant with my family and all the roommates (future and present). They're famous for their coal-oven pizza (I tried my sister's and it was delicious). Everything was good: my French Kiss martini, the hot antipasta appetizer, and my pepper and mozzarella ravioli. The only thing lacking was my birthday tiramisu, which was round and liquidy. Will definitely be walking to this Astoria restaurant in the future to pick up some pizza.

2- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Our cheap tickets from the TKTs booth turned out to be very good seats (second row). This show was hi-larious. The best part: my sister was one of the audience members chosen as a bee participant. She spent at least half an hour onstage and, despite her horrendous spelling, got 'indigent' right. Also,
Barrett Foa, who I also saw as Princeton in Avenue Q, is my new, probably gay, celebrity boyfriend.

3- Aliada's

My first authentic Greek restaurant. Now that I live on the edge of Astoria, there are sure to be many more. I tried the Mousaka, which is what lasagna would be if the Greeks had invented it instead of the Italians. It was good but...weird. My fabulous married friends, visiting from New Haven, had the Greek Mixed Grill. Too much meat but all of it very tasty, especially the goat cheese and pork. Delish (I've been saying this 'word' a lot lately, I figure I may as well write it).

4- The Fantasticks

I was definitely spoiling myself with two shows in one weekend- I'm pretty sure this will never happen again. My high school performed The Fantasticks during my sophmore year; I had vague but pleasant memories of it. The show only opened four days ago, but it had everything together. I loved the cast and the simple staging of the production. I'm at an age in my life where I feel this show should be very relevant- it's about growing up and relating to the world. I think. In all honesty, I'm not sure exactly what the intended message of the show is...but I enjoyed it!

5- Rice to Riches

When my roommate said we were going for rice pudding, I was skeptical. I do not remember ever really liking rice pudding. She promised I would, once I tried this rice pudding. This was the Cold Stone of rice puddings. And it was absolutely terrific. I tried the tiramisu with whipped cream on top. And the store itself is adorable, filled with signs saying such things as "We Have a Deal with the Bank- They Don't Serve Rice Pudding and We Don't Cash Checks" and "Eat as Much Rice Pudding as You Want- You're Already Fat". Also delish.

Summary of Revue: I loved everything.

Disturbing, unmagical news...

I have no desire to see Harry Potter, boy wizard, playing the lead teen role in Equus. I don't want to see Harry Potter being naked, having sex, or doing horrid things to horses.

In other disturbing and unmagical news, I am out of Coke Zero, both at my desk and my home.