1984

1984

Hudson Theatre

June 25, 2017

Photo courtesy of 1984

Powerful!  Alarming!  Brilliant!  The Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 can be described with those three words.  Powerful in its structure and use of technology to engage the senses, stimulate the intellect, and evoke emotion.  Alarming it its multiple levels of truth and relevance.  Brilliant in its scope of vision and precise interpretation. 

Sitting in the theatre waiting for the show to begin, there is sound, a presence, an electrical presence.  The huge speakers are visible, obviously working.  Does anyone notice the sound?  Can they be listening? 

Photo courtesy of 1984

The lights come up on Winston Smith (played by Tom Sturridge) writing in a journal for verification, so the future will know, so he will remember.  The year is 1984, or so he thinks.  He catches the eye of Julia (played by Olivia Wilde) who he concludes must be Thought Police.  They meet in secret.  He trusts her.  They decide to join the resistance against the party and the watchful eye of Big Brother.  Who to trust is never fully known, and the truth is always in question.

Photo courtesy of 1984

Tom Sturridge and Olivia Wilde have a strong connection and chemistry.  Ms. Wilde implements numerous tactics as her character assesses the trustworthiness of Winston Smith.  Through these actions, the extent of her character’s intelligence, cunning, and emotional depth is constructed right before our eyes.  Mr. Sturridge is relentless and unwavering in his character’s belief and understanding of truth.  Reed Birney plays O’Brien, the man these two characters meet in their quest.  Mr. Birney’s portrayal of O’Brien is commanding and cold.  The encounter and subsequent journey of these characters is gripping, surprising, and unnerving. 

Reed Birney, Olivia Wilde, & Tom Sturridge
Photo courtesy of 1984

One scene stands out in particular.  O’Brien is questioning Winston and Julie to test their loyalty.   Winston quickly answers yes to all questions to verify his level of sacrifice.  He will willingly agree to throw acid in the face of a child and give up his life for his belief in truth.  Is our hero a terrorist?  Suddenly Winston’s unwavering beliefs become questionable.  What is right?  Who is good?  From this point on, everything becomes uncertain.

When pressed, O’Brien explains to Winston that Big Brother is not a person who watches, but the paranoid belief implanted by the party to make you feel as if your own words, actions, and memories are questionable.  Big Brother is you.  The party can be destroyed by simply not participating in it.  On the train on the way home from the theatre I saw the poster, “If you see something, say something.”  This campaign ensures our safety.  We see it every day.  We believe in it.    

Photo courtesy of 1984

Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan have taken George Orwell’s futuristic dystopian warning even more forward in time in order for it to hit a direct bullseye in the present.  This production makes us question.  George Orwell would be proud.  I want to see it again!

Domenick Danza

1984 is playing at the newly renovated Hudson Theatre in 44^th Street.  The renovation is refreshing, spacious and open.  Be sure to check it out!  

The Traveling Lady

The Traveling Lady

La Femme Theatre Productions

Cherry Lane Theatre

June 17, 2017

Photo courtesy of
La Femme Theatre Productions

La Femme Theatre Productions is currently presenting Horton Foote’s The Traveling Lady at Cherry Lane Theatre.  Director Austin Pendleton successfully captures the pace and tone of Mr. Foote’s “small Texas town” in 1950.  The cast authentically portrays heartfelt camaraderie, Bible belt values, and compassion that is appropriate for the characters and time period.  The scenic and lighting design by Harry Feiner create an atmosphere that is warm, comfortable, and inviting.

Georgette Thomas (played by Jean Lichty) arrives at a new town with her six year old daughter, Margaret Rose (played by Korine Tetlow).  They are there to meet her husband Henry (played by PJ Sosko), who is being released from the penitentiary.  Slim Murray (played by Larry Bull) and his sister Clara Breedlove (played by Angelina Fiordellisi) take them in while Henry tries to secure a house for them.  When Henry reverts to his troublesome behavior, the journey for Georgette and Margaret Rose takes an unexpected detour.

Lynn Cohen, Karen Ziemba, & Angelina Fiordellisi
Photo courtesy of La Femme Theatre Productions

The women of this small Texas town have long time solidarity.  Except for the aging Mrs. Mavis (played by Lynn Cohen), who holds a few secrets, they know everything about one another and the comings and goings of all their neighbors.  Lynn Cohen, Angelina Fiordellisi, Karen Ziemba, and Jill Tanner create true believable relationships between these women, which sets the tone for the whole play.  Jean Lichty genuinely portrays the stranger coming into this group with warmth and sincerity.  The chemistry between her character (Georgette) and Larry Bull’s character (Slim) is subtle and clear.  Their connection keeps the action of the play flowing forward.  PS Sosko is energetic and honest as Henry Thomas.  His character is fallible and empathetic.

  

Photo courtesy of Cherry Lane Theatre

If you are a fan of Horton Foote, you will definitely enjoy this production.  It will capture your heart and take you back to simpler times.  The Traveling Lady is playing at Cherry Lane Theatre through July 16.

Domenick Danza

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?

National Theatre Live in the UK

Brooklyn Academy of Music

June 10, 2017

Photo courtesy of National Theatre Live from the UK

Brooklyn Academy of Music is presenting a series of National Theatre Live from the UK screenings.  The latest, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?, was live from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London.  The screening included background information on the work of Edward Albee as well as a discussion about the set and costume design of the production.  This series is an excellent opportunity to experience gripping, high quality, live theatre from across the pond.

Imelda Staunton & Conleth Hill
Photo courtesy of National Theatre Live from the UK

Martha (played by Imelda Staunton), daughter of a university president, and her husband George (played by Conleth Hill), a history professor, invite a young couple (played by Luke Treadaway and Imogene Poots) for a night cap after a university gathering.  As the drinking gets out of hand, everyone’s dark secrets come out in the open.  It is a devastating evening of truth or dare, especially when the distortion of games and facts begin to disentangle.  

Imelda Staunton as Martha
Photo courtesy of National Theatre Live from the UK

Imelda Staunton is on fire as Martha.  She bursts in at the opening of the play, only to continually escalate as the journey continues.  She is equally matched with Conleth Hill as George.  Together they take the audience on a roller coaster ride fueled by frustration, passion, disappointment and anger.  Luke Treadaway is a little stiff as Nick, yet he successfully portrays the character’s determined ambition.  Just when you think he is victorious, he breaks.  His quiet agenda swiftly crumbles.  Imogene Poots is well cast as Honey.  When her façade quickly fades, the depth of her fragility and emptiness is frighteningly exposed.

Luke Treadaway & Imogene Poots
Photos courtesy of National Theatre Live from the UK

Directed by James Macdonald, this production is sharp, biting, and unnerving.  His clear breakdown of beats in Edward Albee’s phenomenal writing gradually builds the tension while allowing opportunities for the audience to process the action.  The wild outbursts of emotion are genuinely grounded in the truth of the characters, and the heightened reactions are visceral and honest.  The balance of reality and game in the lives of the main characters is revealed in the ending.  The layers of this dark secret are essentially traced back to previous scenes where it was gradually peeled away.

BAM is presenting the following National Theatre Live productions:

Angels in America, Parts I & II - Starring Andrew Garfield, Denise Gough, Nathan Lane, James McArdle, and Russell Tovey

-          Angels in America Part I:  The Millennium Approaches

Thursday, July 20, 7:00 PM

-          Angels in America Part II:  Perestroika

Thursday, July 27, 7:00 PM

Photo courtesy of National Theatre Live

Tickets are modestly priced.  Based on this presentation of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?, I highly recommend checking them out.

Domenick Danza

Venus

Venus

Signature Theatre

The Pershing Square Signature Center

June 3, 2017

Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Venus is a stunning testament to Miss Saartjie Baartman, and a stark and clear depiction of the abusive mistreatment of her alter ego Venus Hottentot.  This Signature Theater production is truly spectacular.  Director Lear Debessonet finds the power and meaning of the words, rhythm, and structure of Ms. Park’s writing.  Costume Design by Emilio Sosa combined with Wig, Hair, and Make-up Design by J. Jared Janas brings a crisp visual whimsy that magnifies the cruelty of society’s ignorance and behavior during that time period.  Matt Saunders utilizes shape and image in his Scenic Design to merge dark expansive space with realistic setting.

The year is 1810.  Miss Saartjie Baartman (played by Zainab Jah) is lured from her home in Africa with the promise of “making a mint” as an exotic performer in London.  She is abandoned and left to perform in a side show run by The Mother-Showman (played by Randy Danson), who quickly learns that men will pay extra to fondle her shapely body.  She is named Venus Hottentot, and soon becomes sought after by men in every city and town visited by the side show.  She is purchased by The Baron Docteur (played by John Ellison Conlee), and taken to Paris where he can study her anatomy.  His love for Venus overwhelms to him, yet this does not deter him from continuing his study and objectification of her as a biological species.

Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

From the first moment of the play we experience the character of Ms. Baartman as a loving and caring young woman.  The treatment of her as a non-human object is blatant and appalling.  Zainab Jah is warm, personable, and naive in this character.  She stands out from the rest of the cast due to the stylistic way they are all costumed and characterized.  Your eyes are constantly drawn to her while your heart follows her journey.  Kevin Mambo plays The Negro Resurrectionist.  This character serves as narrator, historic fact keeper, and personal story teller for Venus.  In one moment he is re-counting the cold, stark detail of this true story, then in the next he is connecting on a deep, genuine level to the injustice and abuse.  His performance allows the audience to historically and objectively take in the events and then process them on a human, emotional level.

Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre production of Venus is a gem!  Miss Parks' script is amazing.  She tells the story with biting humor and stark emotion.  The cast is a strong ensemble who shines in each individual moment they are given.  Unfortunately, the production closes on June 4. 

Domenick Danza

The End of Longing

The End of Longing

MCC Theater

Lucille Lortel Theater

May 27, 2017

Photo courtesy of MCC Theater

Matthew Perry is starring in The End of Longing, a play he also wrote, at the Lucille Lortel Theater.  He portrays an alcoholic character lost in fear and anxiety who struggles to face the truth and build a life of happiness.  As dark as the subject matter sounds, the play is written with the kind of witty banter expected from Mr. Perry.  His role is very different from his television characters.  His physical characterizations and vocal intonations are well crafted and genuine.  The audience cares for his character and roots for his success.

Jack (played by Matthew Perry) meets Stephanie (played by Jennifer Morrison) and Stevie (played by Sue Jean Kim) in a bar while waiting for his friend Jeffrey (played by Quincy Dunn-Baker).  Stevie has been neurotically texting a man she hooked up with, who, coincidentally, turns out to be Jeffery.  This gives Jack the perfect opportunity to connect with Stephanie, who is totally turned off by his brassy charm.  They end up spending the night and subsequently develop a close relationship.  This leads them both to face the uncertainty of their emotional ineptitudes.

Photo courtesy of MCC Theater

All four actors are great in their roles.  They create multidimensional characters who stumble and struggle to achieve their goals.  It is the relationships that make it possible for these characters to see their way through, yet, as good as these actors are, the chemistry between them is lacking.  There are a few bold turn of events in Mr. Perry’s play that lead the characters to self-realization.   The reasons for these events are not always justified in dramatic action.  The journey of the characters is clearly mapped out.  This play is about human connection and how it can transform lives.  Although engaging, the story is not viscerally experienced.

Derek McLane’s scenic design is spectacular.  The walls are decorated with empty bottles that serve numerous representations.  The turntable spins the set quickly to keep the action flowing at the pace the play requires.

Photo courtesy of MCC Theater

MCC Theater’s production of The End of Longing runs at the Lucille Lortel Theater through July 1.  If you are a Matthew Perry and Jennifer Morrison fan (from TV’s Once Upon a Time and House), go see this show.  You will definitely enjoy their performances.

Domenick Danza

Sweat

Sweat

Studio 54

May 21, 2017

Photo courtesy of Sweat

Sweat is a truthful telling of the social and economic events that took place in this country during the years 2000 through 2008 that allows us to clearly reflect on how America has become the divided nation it is today.  Through interviews and research, Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright Lynn Nottage has written authentic characters who struggle with challenges and face consequences that cause their lives to spiral out of control.  Her characters blindingly face their fears and frustrations head on. 

Tracey (played by Johanna Day), Cynthia (played by Michelle Wilson), and Jessie (played by Alison Wright) are close friends who have worked together on the factory floor in Reading, Pennsylvania for decades.  They are proud that they come from a long line of factory workers.  The year is 2000, and economic disruption is about to crumble the world they have come to know.  Cynthia accepts a promotion into a management position at the factory at the same time that the union contract is being challenged and factory jobs are being relocated to Mexico.  Non-English speaking residents are recruited as scabs during a union walk-out.  Fear, frustration, and betrayal build to heated anger and acts of violence from which there is no return.

Michelle Wilson & Johanna Day
Photos courtesy of Sweat

Johanna Day and Michelle Wilson shine in these brilliantly written, juxtaposed characters.  They build a relationship based on years of trust and reliability that brutally flips during the course of events.  They are the driving force that propels the action of the play.  Their portrayals are riveting, true, and genuine.  James Colby plays Stan, the bartender at the local watering hole.  His character is the neutral, rational negotiator throughout the play.  His portrayal is strong and warm-hearted.  Khris Davis and Will Pullen play younger workers at the factory who face a future with more choices than their parents.  These two actors complement one another amazingly well.  They create characters who face their challenges with opposite points of view.  They are viscerally connected and deliver powerful performances.  

Photo courtesy of Sweat

Kate Whoriskey masterfully directed this superb ensemble cast.  She skillfully builds tensions that explode with powerful human emotions.  The scenic design by John Lee Beatty is brilliant.  The set spins into place, keeping the pace moving quickly.  Lighting Design by Peter Kaczorowski sets a realistic tone, and Projection Design by Jeff Sugg keeps the audience grounded in the time period.

Will Pullen, James Colby, & Khris Davis
Photos courtesy of Sweat

What makes Sweat so powerful is that it is personal.  The emotional upheaval that takes place in the lives of the characters over the eight year span is understood and shared by every member of the audience.  Each character is clearly developed to present a different perspective of the effect of the economic changes in the working class during the years 2000 through 20008.  Ms. Nottage offers a glimpse of hope in the final moment of the play that empowers us to move forward with unity.

Domenick Danza

The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie

Belasco Theatre

May 20, 2017

Photo courtesy of The Glass Menagerie

Tennessee Williams’ words ring powerfully clear and vigorous in Director Sam Gold’s stark and poignant interpretations of The Glass Menagerie.  It is truly breathtaking.  The bare stage magically lends itself to the illusion of memory that Mr. Williams poetically inspires.  The phenomenal cast draws you in and engages you on a profoundly emitonal level.

The stage is empty, except for a table and four orange chairs.  Tom (played by Joe Mantello) enters and tells us, “I have tricks in my pocket.  I have tricks up my sleeve.  But I am the opposite of a stage magician.  I give you truth in the peasant disguise of illusion.”  The truthful moments abound as Tom brings us deep into his intimate memory of the relationships and struggles between him and his mother, Amanda (played by Sally Field), and his sister, Laura (played by Madison Ferris).  He takes us back to the 1930’s “when the huge middles class of America was matriculating in a school for the blind.”  Amanda worries about Laura’s future.  She pays for her to go to business school, but due to Laura’s shy nature and social disability, she drops out.  Amanda convinces Tom to invite a friend from his factory job to dinner as a “Gentleman Caller” for Laura.  When Tom brings home Jim (played by Finn Wittrock), Laura is paralyzed with fear.  Jim charms her in a candle-lit scene that allows her to see herself truthfully.

Madison Ferris, Sally Field, & Joe Mantello
Photo courtesy of The Glass Menagerie

Joe Mantello’s portrayal of Tom is tender and troubled.  The love he feels for his sister and his mother is genuine, yet his need to escape the stagnation of his life in St. Louis is crushing.  The relationship between him and Sally Field’s Amanda is realistic in its fire and sensitivity.  These two actors are phenomenal in these roles.  The moment when Amada asks Tom to bring home a gentleman caller for his sister is heart stopping.  The scene between them when Tom explains how Laura is different than other girls is emotionally gripping.  Joe Mantello’s Tom is clearly his mother’s son, complete with a flair for the dramatics.  It is Tom’s need to break the intimate bond between these two characters that creates the main conflict of the play.  This is clearly defined and powerfully interpreted by these two stellar actors.  

Photo courtesy of The Glass Menagerie

Madison Ferris’ Laura is strong and stoic.  She uses her withdrawal as a means to find inner strength.  She is calm and resilient in the face of her mother’s disapproval and outlook.  Due to her physical disability, the care and patience she receives from her mother and brother become a driving force in the main conflict.  The continual provision of this care is of utmost importance to the both of them, yet their ability to maintain it is constantly in question.  The image used in the poster for this production, which is distinctly atypical, is perfectly chosen for Mr. Gold’s version of this play.  Instead of the usual representation of the fragility of Laura’s character, it symbolizes her strength and perseverance.

Photo courtesy of The Glass Menagerie

The description Tom gives of Jim as “the most realistic character in the play, being an emissary for a world of reality that we were somehow set apart from” is impeccably portrayed by Finn Wittrock.  He is energetic and optimistic, and turns the world of the play upside down.

Sam Gold made profound choices in his direction of this American classic that create a visceral experience beyond expectation.  The closing scene is hauntingly insightful.  Unfortunately, this astounding production ends its limited Broadway run on May 21. 

Domenick Danza