The Judas Kiss

The Judas Kiss

BAM Harvey Theater

May 28, 2016

Photo courtesy of BAM Harvey Theatre

The Judas Kiss, starring Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde, is presently playing at BAM Harvey Theater.  The play is written by David Hare and directed by Neil Armfield.  The first act takes place the afternoon before Oscar Wilde is arrested and tried for gross indecencies, and the second act takes place a few months after his release from serving his prison sentence.  The production is stunning.  The writing is prolific.  Rupert Everett and the cast are inspiring. 

The show is produced by Chichester Festival Theatre in association with Robert Fox, Theatre Royal Bath Productions, and Hampstead Theatre.  The set design, by Dale Ferguson, is lavish and simple, grand and stark.  Yes, these adjectives contradict one another, yet succinctly describe the skillfully crafted impact.  The lighting design, by Rick Fisher, is romantic and poignant.  The second act is dominated by an impactful shadow effect that brings clarity to the power struggle between Oscar Wilde and his two closer companions.  These bold and detailed designs play very well in the expansive stage of the Harvey Theater.

Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde
Photo courtesy of BAM Harvey Tehatre

Rupert Everett skillfully portrays the complexity of Oscar Wilde with confidence and ease.  He creates a gentleman with great dignity, resolve, and deep belief in his talents and value as a poet.  As the second act progresses, his inner conflict is revealed and we understand why his demise is inescapable.

Cal MacAninch plays Robert Ross, one of Oscar Wilde’s closest friends.  The scenes between these two actors are riveting as both men cling to their principals in the face of turmoil.  In the first act Robert Ross implores Oscar to flee the country and escape into exile before his arrest, but Oscar Wilde holds firm.  In Act II he pleads with Oscar to stay true to the promise he made to his wife, but Oscar refuses.  Through these conflicts we gain a clear understanding of the social limitations, taboos, and expectations of the time period.  These two actors are brilliant together. 

Rupert Everett & Charlie Rowe
Photo courtesy of BAM Harvey Theatre

Charlie Rowe plays Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie), with whom Oscar Wilde has an affair that brings about his arrest and trial.  The fire between these two men burns bright in Act I with passion and charm.  It burns even hotter in Act II with divergence and resentment.

The Judas Kiss is about love and betrayal.  It is a powerful and multilayered play that will keep you thinking long after it is over.  Just when you understand Oscar Wilde’s motives, playwright David Hare takes you deeper into the fears and loss of this great artist.  Neil Armfield’s masterful direction makes the profound themes easily accessible.  The play is in a limited run at BAM Harvey Theater.  It closes on June 12.  Don’t miss it!

   

Domenick Danza

Peer Gynt

Peer Gynt

Classic Stage Company

May 22, 2016

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Peer Gynt, Henrik Ibsen’s five act play written in verse and loosely based on a Norwegian fairy tale, is presently in production at Classic Stage Company.  Ibsen’s script is said to “blend poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones.”  This holds true in this production, especially the social commentary, which rings relevant to our present day political dilemma.  Directed and adapted by John Doyle, these moments are strongly focused, yet he has omitted the depth and expanse of the main character’s experiences on his journey by diminished the show to a mere one hour and fifty minutes without an intermission. 

Peer Gynt (played by Gabriel Ebert) longs for greatness.  To be specific, he yearns to be emperor.  He rides a wild stag and steals the virginity of the bride of a fellow townsperson.  He gains wealth and dubs himself a prophet.  He is told he has become an emperor, but only of himself.  This achievement is not enough for him.  In the final moments he realizes he has not been true to himself, and is therefore not able to receive the rewards he desires.

Gabriel Ebert as Peer Gynt
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The actors (Gabriel Ebert, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Becky Ann Baker, Adam Heller, Jane Pfitsch, Dylan Baker, and George Abud) all do an amazing job creating true characters whose objectives are clearly and realistically motivated.  The final section of the play (Act 5 from Ibsen’s script) is powerful and provocative, yet outweighs the surface skimming of the previous sections.  The most memorable scene is when Peer Gynt peels an onion trying to find the center.  He compares each of the layers to an experience he had on his journey.  When he realizes there is no center to the onion, only continual layers, he feels a sense of despair.  His response offers an understanding that he was searching for something deeper all along.  The production, however, lacks the heightened sense of adventure and visceral connection needed to make that moment, and others like it, compelling and meaningful.

Peer Gynt runs at ClassicStage Company thought June 16.

Domenick Danza

Cal in Camo

Cal in Camo

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

May 14, 2016

Photo courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre

Cal in Camo is a gripping play by William Francis Hoffman presently receiving its world premiere at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.  The play explores the yearning for family and the struggle for connection.  The script is concisely written.  Adrienne Campbell-Holt’s direction is focused and emotionally driven.  The producing partnership of Colt Coeur and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has ignited a fire with this play that touches a nerve. 

Katya Campbell & Paul Wesley
Photo courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre

Cal (played by Katya Campbell) is a new mom who is having trouble bonding with her new born because she is unable to produce milk.  She convinced her salesman husband, Tim (played by David Harbour), to move to a housing development in the suburbs.  He is having difficulty gaining a foothold in his new territory.  Cal’s brother, Flynt (played by Paul Wesley), just lost his wife, and is coming to stay with them.  The stress of this visit could prove too much for Cal and Tim, yet Flynt’s simplistic view and insightful understanding of the forces of nature becomes a healing point of view for all of them.

Paul Wesley & David Harbour
Photo courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre

Katya Campbell’s intense portrayal of Cal is riveting, and counterbalanced by David Harbour’s quirky and humorous interpretation of Tim.  Together they create a dynamic lense for the audience to get a glimpse into the underlying truth of their relationship.  Paul Wesley gives a stark and honest performance as Flynt.  His demeanor and pacing gives the play a sense of calm that allows the action to smoothly move from moment to moment.  These are three strong actors who skillfully work together to viscerally connect the audience to the struggle of their characters and engage them in the journey of the play.

Mr. Hoffman’s writing is realistic, straightforward, and succinct.  His characters are genuine and earnest.  He is definitely a playwright to be followed.  Cal in Cam runs at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in the West Village through June 12.

Domenick Danza

Incognito

Incognito

Manhattan Theatre Club

New York City Center Stage I

May 8, 2016

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

How does the brain’s ability to store and retrieve long term memory affect relationships?  Without memory, does a person have an identity?  Can post-mortem study of the brain unlock patterns of thought and scope of intelligence?  These are a few of the questions brought to the surface in Nick Payne’s play, Incognito, presently in previews at Manhattan Theatre Club.  It is an engaging and captivating compilation of fact and fiction that delves into the mysteries and science of memory and brain function.

Geneva Carr, Morgan Spector, Heather Lind, & Charlie Cox
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Four actors play twenty roles during the course of the play.  Some characters are developed from true stories and actual events.  Henry Maison (played by Charlie Cox) undergoes a procedure that destroys the portion of his brain associated with memory.  This leaves him with a long term memory span of about three minutes.  After the death of Albert Einstein, Dr. Thomas Harvey (played by Morgan Spector) removes his brain during the autopsy and keeps it, without consent, for research.  When psychologist Brenda Walsh (played by Geneva Carr) begins dating Patricia Thorn (played by Heather Lind), she leaves out facts about her past that are essential in building trust and comradery.  These three story lines, among others, run parallel and sometimes overlap, to dramatize the correlation between the brain’s ability to successfully store and retrieve information and the development of personality, intelligence, and relationship.

Playwright Nick Payne
Photo courtesy of
Manhattan Theatre Club

Each actor transforms in seconds from one character to the next with detailed command of gesture, posture, and vocal intonation, thus creating complete, realistic characters.  The audience instantaneously recognizes which character is being portrayed, and effortlessly connects the previous action of the simultaneous plot lines.  Director Doug Hughes keeps the action flowing continuously, stimulating the audience to stay focused on each moment.  It is this fluidity that makes the retention of the particulars of each individual plot line uncomplicated.  While layered with scientific fact and psychological theory, Mr. Payne’s script is remarkably poetic.  The final moment of the play is awe-inspiring.  It celebrates the mystery and magnitude in the power of the brain to connect bites of information with deep, emotional meaning.

The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Incognito opens on May 24 at New York City Center Stage I.  Don’t miss it!  It will amplify your understanding of how memory connects with identity.  It will broaden your appreciation of the science that explains our every moment.

Domenick Danza

Daphne’s Dive

Daphne’s Dive

Signature Theatre

The Pershing Square Signature Center

April 28, 2016

Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

Daphne’s Dive is Quiara Alegria Hudes’ impactful play now running at Signature Theatre.  It is about much more than the North Philadelphia dive bar in which it takes place.  It’s about Daphne’s willingness to dive into life when all the odds are against her.  It’s about the bonding and journey of seven characters over the stretch of about eighteen years.  It is realistic, gritty, and edgy.

When the FBI raids the apartment above Daphne’s Dive, they inadvertently leave behind an eleven year old girl, Ruby (played by Samira Wiley).  She is adopted by Daphne (played by Vanessa Aspillaga) and is pretty much raised in the bar.  She is influenced by Daphne’s regulars: Pablo (played by Matt Saldivar), an artist who uses garbage and discarded items as his medium and inspiration; Rey (played by Gordon Joseph Weiss), an aging biker; Jenn (played by KK Moggie), a free-spirited, rebel with a messiah complex; Daphne’s sister, Inez (played by Daphne Rubin-Vega); and her husband Acosta (played by Carlos Gomez), a local businessman and community activist.  A heated argument occurs between Jenn and Acosta the night he is elected to Congress.  This initial crack in the foundation of the group’s connection causes more harm than anyone of them presumes.

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Vanessa Aspillaga,
& Samira Wiley in rehearsal
Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

The script has some very powerful moments, which the cast delivers honestly.  They are a tight ensemble authentically portraying strong characters with clear, specific objectives.  Under the direction of Thomas Kail, they bring the play to an emotional climax and poignant conclusion.

“Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright.”  This production does just that for the unique, distinct voice of Quiara Algeria Hudes.  Daphne’s Dive runs at the Pershing Square Signature Center through June 12.

Domenick Danza

American Psycho, the Musical

American Psycho, the Musical

Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

April 16, 2016

Photo Courtesy of
American Psycho, the Musical

The stark, white set of a New York apartment fills up with smoke.  We hear the rhythmic, steady pounding of a heartbeat.  The shadowy figures of a man and woman appear.  Blood splatters.  Blackout.  That is the first three minutes of AmericanPsycho, the Musical.  The tone is set.  The erotic and stylistic telling of this dark story has begun.  The production, under the brilliant direction of Rupert Goold, accurately evokes the mindset of New York City in 1989.  It is fast paced with a crispness and shine that reflects on present day values and convictions.

Benjamin Walker is captivating as Wall Street Banker, Patrick Bateman.  He skillfully carries the show with a calm demeanor, intense focus, and outstanding singing voice.  He creates a character that is real, flawed, apathetic, and identifiable.  Jennifer Damiano, who plays his secretary, Jean, lures us deeper into the dark side of this psychological tale with a sincere portrayal of naive obsession.  She catalyzes the character of Patrick Bateman, twisting the plot to an unexpected climax and resolution.

Benjamin Walker & the Ensemble
Photo courtesy of American Psycho, the Musical

The book, written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis), is masterfully conceived.  The first act overflows with innuendo that generates psychological insight into the characters.  The most outstanding scene is the dinner party in Act I where the spoken dialogue is clearly the inner thoughts of those in attendance.  They blatantly blurt out the words in their heads, which should never be spoken out loud.  The effectiveness of this scene lays the foundation for the framework on which he builds the remainder of the show.  

Benjamin Walker, Jennifer Damiano, & Alice Ripley
Photo courtesy of American Psycho, the Musical

The music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik are powerful.  Some songs create a mechanical and robotic atmosphere, while others reveal the inner workings of the minds of the characters.  His best songs are in Act II.  “At the End of the Island” is biting and witty.  “A Girl Before” is hauntingly engaging.  In the finale, “This is not the End,” the main character reveals his deepest fears.  The force that has driven the plot is brought to a conclusion, and the impactful theme of the show is clearly understood.

Photo courtesy of
American Psycho, the Musical

The design elements of the production (scenic design by Es Devlin, lighting design by Justin Townsend, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, and video design by Finn Ross) tightly blend together to create a harsh and cold atmosphere that illuminates the static noise and conflict inside the head of the main character.  Combined with the ingenious choreography by Lynne Page, the show has a mesmerizing effect on the senses. 

American Psycho, the Musical is a stunning and masterful work of theatre. 

                                                                     Domenick Danza

Long Day’s Journey into Night

Long Day’s Journey into Night

Roundabout Theatre Company

American Airlines Theatre

April 16, 2016

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night is presently in previews at the American Airlines Theatre.  The production has the high level of quality we have come to expect from Roundabout Theatre Company.  Under the bold direction of Jonathan Kent is a stellar cast lead by Jessica Lange and Gabriel Bryne.  Combine that with incredible sets and magnificent costumes and what you get is an event worthy of this American classic.

Act I opens with laughter as the Tyrone family start the day with breakfast, happy that Mary (played by Jessica Lange), has returned from a short absence.  As the morning progresses, their true family dynamic begins to surface.  Mary is clearly in denial about the possible illness of her younger son, Edmund (played by John Gallagher Jr.).  Her husband, James (played by Gabriel Bryne), freely voices his disappointment with their older son, Jamie (played by Michael Shannon), who responds with a palpable, cold indifference.  All three men look at Mary with concern that she is too quickly falling back to the problem that caused her previous absence.  In Act II the seriousness of Edmund’s illness and Mary’s drug addiction is revealed.  In Act III and Act IV we find out the source of the despair of each member of this family.  By the time the day’s journey ends, the level of their hopelessness is evident and overwhelming.

Gabriel Byrne & Jessica Lange
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Act III is when Jessica Lange rises up and commands the stage.  She illuminates Mary Tyrone’s past as she tells her maid (played by Colby Minifie) about her school days in the convent, the adoration of her father, and when she first met and fell in love with her husband.  We gain a sentimental insight into the idealistic beliefs and disillusioned life that causes her denial.  She heartbreakingly shares the events that brought her to addiction.  Her loneliness, suffering, and desperate need for relief from pain are deeply understood.  Just when you are convinced her husband is a self-centered miser, Gabriel Bryne imparts a truthful exposition of the experiences that triggered James Tyrone’s disappointments and motivate his behavior.  Michael Shannon stumbles in drunk during this scene and tears open Jamie’s defensive façade with a brutally honest confession to his brother.  The caring and compassionate side of his character is revealed and the need for his hard, outer shell is understood.  John Gallagher Jr.’s Edmund does not stop fighting back, yet carries a strong sense of victimized defeat.  It is in his authentic portrayal that Eugene O’Neill’s deeper themes are accurately represented.    

  

The cast of Long Day's Journey into Night
Jessica Lange, Gabriel Bryne, Michael Shannon, & John Gallagher, Jr.
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Roundabout Theatre’s production of Long Day’s Journey into Night runs through June 26 at the American Airline Theatre on 42^nd Street.  With a running time of four hours, including one fifteen minute intermission, it is definitely a long journey, yet with masterful performances that provoke and develop true human pathos from Eugene O’Neill’s dense text, it is a journey worth taking. 

Domenick Danza