Audrey Plaza (Roberta) and Christopher Abbott (Danny) have electric emotional and sexual chemistry throughout this dark comedy. The two strike up reluctant conversation with each other at an empty bar, both sporting thick Bronx accents. Initially stilted dialogue gives way to powerful monologues in which deep truths of trauma and self-loathing bubble up to the surface and bring these two misfits together. The play is a riveting portrayal of an unlikely connection between two regular people dealing with their shit.
Lucille Lortel Theatre Stephen Sondheim's last musical before his death - arguably unfinished and not ready for production. And yet, a strong creative team (David Ives wrote the book, Joe Mantello directs) came together to get the show across the finish line for an off-Broadway run. The show is based on 2 surrealist Luis Buñuel films, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Act I) and The Exterminating Angel (Act II). Either because it was unfinished or by design, the show only has songs in the first act. As a result, the two acts almost feel like completely different shows: Act I, a surrealist musical comedy about a group of elitist friends attempting to find a spot for brunch, and Act II, a surrealist dystopian play about a group of people who, unable to leave a dinner party, descend into insanity and savagery.
The songs are full of Sondheim patter energy and the premise is funny (until it isn't anymore in Act II). The direction and choreography throughout is very clever and definitely stays true to other productions where Sondheim was involved. One memorable visual is when the group repeatedly returns to the "car" in search of another brunch option. Expert lighting, sound design, and set design create a cohesive world with minimal set pieces (especially in Act 1). An ensemble cast full of stars delivers throughout both acts - standouts include Bobby Cannavale, Rachel Bay Jones, Micaela Diamond and David Hyde Pierce. The one disappointment being that some of the great voices in the cast don't get a moment to shine (cough Amber Gray cough). The Griffin Theater at The Shed A musical based loosely on Alicia Key's life growing up in Manhattan, with new arrangements of her songs and a couple of new ones - what could go wrong? Almost everything. We expected a weak plot, but we also expected amazing choreography and music. Unfortunately, the new arrangements are actively bad and the dance scenes were so chaotic that I actually found myself trying to look away each time. Maleah Joi Moon has an amazing voice and does her best as Ali; Shoshana Bean, as Jersey (Ali's mom) has a strong voice that needed less amplification.
The plot is overly simplistic and full of holes. Ali is a teenager eager to be treated like an adult, and the main conflict centers on her relationship with Knuck, an older guy who she approaches on the street. Eventually Jersey asks her cop friends to scare Knuck so he stops coming around, but Ali finds him - her persistent pursual of Knuck borders on stalking. Ali's father, Davis (Brandon Victor Dixon) is MIA - he abandoned Jersey and Ali, prioritizing his piano career over his family - but he's also readily available when Jersey reaches out for his help with teenager Ali. In the meantime, Ali wanders in on Miss Liza Jane (Kecia Lewis) and feels a strong connection to the instrument. So why is she so petulant about learning to play? And if her father didn't leave until Ali was 7 or 8, why didn't he start teaching her? After he disappoints Ali and Jersey again, why do they welcome him back with open arms when he shows up at Miss Liza Jane's funeral and makes the event about himself? And just how many different ways can Ali and Jersey hug each other in the last scene? They are reconciled. We get it. Newman Theater at The Public The best way to watch a movie!
Guest Massamba Diop plays the Tama, a “talking drum” from Senegal and a notable addition that is mesmerizing (and more engaging than some of the CGI fight scenes) to watch. Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center The first Spanish opera to be produced at the Met in almost a century. Passengers board a steamboat to travel down a river in the Amazon rainforest hoping to hear the enigmatic and renowned opera singer, Florencia Grimaldi (Ailyn Pérez), perform live. Little do they know that Grimaldi is on the ship with them with her own hopes of reuniting with a lost lover.
An overly simplistic plot is inconsequential at an opera; but one of the joys of the Met are the extravagant sets and stagings. In this production, much of the action takes place on the ship's deck and this is represented by people wheeling railings around, pathetically and illogically tilting them to indicate the steamboat listing in stormy waters. The rainforest creature puppeteers are sparks of delight, but too few and far between. Not only does the set underwhelm, but I found myself closing my eyes more often then usual throughout the production. The music and libretto are beautiful, and watching only broke the magical realism spell of the "Florencia" world. The Metropolitan Opera |
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