Dear Elizabeth

Dear Elizabeth

WP (Women’s Project) Theater

November 14, 2015

Photo courtesy of WP Theater

I have read a number of Sarah Ruhl plays and have seen a few productions.  I find her unique writing style in the genre of magical realism to be captivating.  When I saw her name associated with the WP (Women’s Project) Theater’s Dear Elizabeth, I quickly grabbed a ticket.  The play is based on Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell.  The play is sprinkled with works of these two poets as well as the point of view of Ms. Ruhl, making it a touching and personal theatrical experience. 

Becky Ann Baker & Peter Scolari

Very much set up like the Broadway production of Love Letters, the play has different well known Broadway and television actors stepping in every two weeks.  I was lucky to see Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari.  Their chemistry and energy created a believable account of the decades-long relationship between the two prolific poets.  Sarah Ruhl wrote in the program notes that "the silence between the letters fascinated me.”  It is in these interludes that Ms. Ruhl allows characters of Ms. Bishop and Mr. Lowell to reveal a deeper side of themselves.  She achieves this by skillfully arranging the writing of the letters so they are always “speaking in their own words.”

Playwright Sarah Ruhl

Watching the play made me think about how we do not take time to correspond anymore.  A quick email or an abbreviated text does not serve the same purpose or communicate the same level of thought as sitting down and putting a pen to paper.  The immediacy of email eliminates time spent to ponder and choose words with accuracy and care.  Letter writing has become a lost art and with that went the opportunity to have a record of our experiences, reflections, and relationships. 

Dear Elizabeth is playing at the WP Theater until December 5.  Check the website before getting tickets to see who is featured.  Cherry Jones will be in from November 16 through 21.  That is sure to be amazing.

Domenick Danza

Hamlet in Bed

Hamlet in Bed

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

September 14, 2015

Photo courtesy of
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

In the past few years I have seen a handful of shows at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.  Their space on 224 Waverly Place in the West Village is small and rustic, yet spacious and well maintained.  The work they do is consistently edgy and well developed.  Hamlet in Bed, a new play by Michael Laurence, surpasses the standard with a robust style and unique voice.  It is funny, haunting, and psychologically complex.

Michael (intensely portrayed by playwright Michael Laurence) is a Hamlet-struck actor.  Raised by adopted parents, he is plagued with inner conflict, mostly due to his abandonment issues.  In his quest for all things Hamlet, he comes across a journal written thirty-nine years ago by an actress who once played Ophelia.  Her writings reveal that she had an affair with the actor who played Hamlet opposite her, got pregnant, and gave up the child for adoption.  Yes, the date of birth written in the journal is the same as Michael’s.  He tracks her down and casts her as Gertrude (Hamlet’s mother) in his own version of Hamlet.  He is in constant indecision, as Hamlet is, as to whether or not to confront her with the truth.

Photo by Tristan Fuge
Courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

The script is skillfully structured and prolifically written.  It is mostly monologues delivered by the characters of Michael or his mother, Anna (brilliantly played by Annette O’Toole).  Since these monologues reveal the inner workings of the characters’ minds and the desires that drive them, they stylistically identify as Shakespearean soliloquies.  Director Lisa Peterson connects every word to action and builds the play to a strong high point.  The Hamlet-Gertrude scene, performed near the end of the play, is alive with tension and honesty.  It is driven by the desperate longings of Michael and Anna, channeled through the characters of Hamlet and Gertrude.

Annette O'Tolle in Hamlet in Bed
Photo by Tristan Fuge
Courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

I could not take my eyes off Annette O’Toole.  The playwright has given her a rich backstory that she fully embodies with physical quirks and emotional depth.  It combines Ophelia’s madness and Gertrude’s denial.  Ms. O’Toole seamlessly transitions from Anna, a sixty year old cat lady who once played Shakespeare on Broadway, to the character of Gertrude, the noble Queen of Denmark.  Neither character can embrace her son, and the expansiveness of her despair in both roles is clear, sincere, and implicit.

The play opens with an extensive monologue from the character of Michael.  We follow his story for ninety minutes.  It has a powerful ending with the character of Anna alone on stage.  This choice begs the question: Whose story is this, Michael’s or Anna’s?  The answer for me: The script is so well balanced with both characters’ points of view that you truly identify with their indecision, and therefore fully comprehend why Hamlet is such a complex character and brilliant classic.  

Michael Laurence in Hamlet in Bed
Photo by Tristan Fuge
Courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

Michael Laurence has written a play that explores classic themes and Oedipal nightmares, and makes them relevant and realistic.   He has a strong and powerful voice.  Submerge yourself in Hamlet in Bed.  It plays at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater through October 25. 

Domenick Danza

Oresteia

Oresteia

Classic Stage Company

Greek Festival

August 23, 2015

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

ClassicStage Company is presenting their Greek Festival from August 10 through September 27.  The advertisement for Oresteia caught my attention, so I grabbed a ticket on TDF.  It is produced in association with Ashes Company, and conceived and directed by Jonathan Vandenberg.  This powerful and mesmerizing piece is presented with very little dialogue.  Mr. Vandenberg relies on impressive visual images, authentic sound, and concise movement to take his audience on a journey through the cycle of vengeance, greed, and passion all the way to healing. 

Photo courtesy of Ashes Company

Oresteia is Aeschylus’ tragic Greek trilogy that tells the story of the end of the curse on the House of Atreus.  The ensemble is amazingly gifted and intensely focused for this ninety minute interpretation.  Every gesture expresses intent and is delivered with clarity and significance.  The longing for retribution is passed from one character to the next through the passing of the knife and the spilling of blood.  The sound design, by Alexandria Bottiglieri, draws you into the intensity of each event, but it is the sound of each moment that rivets you to the action – the character’s breath, the dragging of costumes across the floor, the rustling of chains, the pouring of water.  This is what captivates your senses and draws you into the importance of each moment.  When Orestes cannot return the knife to the circle from whence it was first retrieved by Agamemnon, it is clear that the cycle of pain and suffering has ended.

Photo courtesy of Ashes Company

In the Classic Stage Company newsletter, director Jonathan Vandenberg addresses the question of catharsis.  What did it mean for an Ancient Greek audience?  Is it possible today?  By leading the audience through this stark and gritty retelling, he brings us to a visceral understanding of the pain of yearning for vengeance and forgiveness.  It is a phenomenal, and yes, cathartic encounter.

The consistency of quality in the work of Classic Stage Company is relevant in this original interpretation of Oresteia.  Be sure to take in a performance of the Greek Festival at Classic Stage Company, as well as look for upcoming work by Ashes Company.

Domenick Danza

39 Steps

39 Steps

Union Square Theatre

August 5, 2015

Photo courtesy of 39 Steps

Director Maria Aitken’s remounted 2008 Tony Award winning production of 39 Steps is now playing at the Union Square Theatre.  It is a highly entertaining and farcical rendition of the Alfred Hitchcock 1935 thriller.  It is a must see for theatre goers who enjoy creative, out-of-the-box interpretations of classic, well know works.

The script is adapted by Patrick Barlow.  The Hitchcock suspense is surpassed by tongue in cheek humor and slapstick comedy.  The stage effects are low-tech, created by smoke and lighting.  Events like hanging off the side of a train, dangling from a bridge, being hunted down by a pair of biplanes, a crowded wild party in an adjoining room, and a chase scene on the roof of a train car are all cleverly achieved through pantomime, shadow puppets, and bold and focused reactions by the actors. 

Photo courtesy of 39 Steps

The advertisement boasts that four actors play 150 roles.  Arnie Burton, Billy Carter, Robert Petkoff, and Brittany Vicars are delightful, amazing, and funny.  Their characterizations are crisp and their timing is impeccable. 

The production has a style of its own.  It is witty and charming.  Take a friend and have a fun night out.

Domenick Danza

The Qualms

The Qualms

Playwrights Horizons

July 3, 2015

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

The Qualms by Bruce Norris takes an intense look at human nature, personal freedoms, and the need to compete, dominate, and submit.  It is a political and social encounter that is relevant, funny and, at times, awkward.  It forces you to look at those disconcerting moments and assess your deep-seated beliefs.

When Gary (played by John Procaccino) and Teri (played by Kate Arrington) met Chris (played by Jeremy Shamos) and his wife Kristy (played by Sarah Goldberg) on vacation, they invite them to a partner-swapping party they regularly host with two other couples.  As the party gets heated up, Chris gets uptight.  It gets ugly fast as everyone’s hot button issues are revealed and insecurities are enflamed.  The ensemble cast is sharp and tight.  Their timing is perfect and their characters are realistic and fully grounded.  Each has an individual moment of reveal that is genuine and true, and keeps the audience riveted.

Kate Arrington, Jerremy Shamos, and Sarah Golberg
in The Qualms at Playwrights Horizons
Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

Bruce Norris won the Pulitzer Prize for his play Clybourne Park.  The Qualms has the same rhythmic dialogue that packs a punch.  In this play he has written eight distinct characters who reflect different points of view.  This creates connection, debate, and engagement on numerous levels.  Director Pam MacKinnon finds each of these levels and magnifies their significance.  She has skillfully orchestrated the rise and fall of the action to create a naturalistic setting with humorous, realistic, and uncomfortable moments.  The open floor plan of the set by Todd Rosenthal allows the movement needed for the characters to take sides when the action builds.

The cast of The Qualms at Playwrights Horizons
Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

“Shit is complex,” states Gary blatantly in a philosophic moment of near the end of the play.  That sums it up in a heartbeat.  Bruce Norris truly knows how to encapsulate complex issues into a ninety minute script.

                           Domenick Danza

The Spoils

The Spoils

The New Group

The Pershing Square Signature Center

May 31, 2015

Photo courtesy of The New Group

When I saw the listing on TDF for The Spoils, written by and starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and co-starring Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), I knew I had to see it.  The play far exceeds any expectations that the advertised names create.  The script is intriguing and challenging.  The characters are full, real and complex.  The relationships are genuine, compelling and relatable.  The world of this play rings true on a personal level as well as holds strong relevance on a broader scale.  

In the opening scene, Kalyan (Kunal Nayyar) asks his girlfriend, Reshma (Annapurna Sriram) if she thinks it is better to tell someone a truth that will hurt their feelings and possibly destroy what they have that is going smoothly in their life, or leave well enough alone by withholding information.  As a playwright, Jesse Eisenberg explores this concept when the main character, Ben, who he portrays, does just that to the people to whom he is closely connected.  The term “closely connected” refers to Ben’s roommate Kalyan, his girlfriend Reshma, Ben’s grade school crush Sarah (Erin Darke), and her fiancé Ted (Michael Zegen).  Since Ben has managed to alienate himself from all social, professional, and creative contacts (he considers himself a filmmaker), these four characters are not necessarily defined by this term within his isolated existence.   It gets ugly and uncomfortable when Ben starts revealing some “truths” he has kept to himself.  What exactly is the truth and what purpose does it serve anyway? 

Jesse Eisenberg and Kunal Nayyar in The Spoils
Photo courtesy of The New Group

Scott Elliot’s directing is superb.  The two and a half hour play is tight and controlled.  Each of the five cast members is excellent.  They create authentic and realistic relationships based on genuine emotion, whether it’s compassion, generosity, jealousy, love, lust, loathing, or any strange and complex combination.  The depths of the characters are revealed throughout the play, but not fully exposed until the last moments.  Thank you Jesse Eisenberg for this prolific, unpredictable, and riveting journey of a play.

Michael Zegen, Jesse Eisenberg and Erin Darke in The Spoils
Phots courtesy of The New Group

On a personal note:  In the second act, Kalyan tells Ben about a job interview he went on which was unpleasant and humiliating.  His possible future employer berated his comments so that he felt like everything he said was the wrong answer.  Kalyan’s qualifications, education, and intelligence are clearly built up throughout the play.  The integrity of his interviewer is clearly questionable in the way he tells the story.  I had a similar experience last week.  Kalyan only had Ben to turn to, who filled up his head with “truths” that magnified the point of view of his interviewer.  Ben then continues to tear down Kalyan and illustrates how he created the alienated situation he thrives on.  I, on the other hand, was lucky enough to immediately call my friend Julia who gave me a more positive perspective.  A few questions come to mind:  Which “truth” is real?  Is it the one that serves you and keeps you moving forward with verve and self-confidence?  Or, is it the one that the person in power holds over you?  This brings up the basis of Ben and Kalyan’s relationship.  Ben kicks Kalyan when he is down in order to lift himself up.  Which “truth” is best for Ben and Kalyan to face? Will “truths” that Kalyan holds back from Ben affect him as deeply as the ones Ben reveals to Kalyan?  Does the question Kalyan asks in the opening of the play have a different answer based on the circumstances?  

Go see The New Group’s production of Jesse Eisenberg’s The Spoils at The Pershing Square Signature Center.  It runs through June 28.  The truth is… you’re gonna love it! 

 

 Domenick Danza