Sunday, December 9, 2012
In The Wings by Harriette Smith December 2012 edition
I’m back! My name is Smith, I’m not Schwarzenegger, who is again promising to be back. Illness has kept me away from blogging, but I’m okay now. This will be my last “In The Wings” for 2012, but with Academy Awards time coming up I just had to tell you of all the new and great films you will be seeing this season.
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“LINCOLN” is Hollywood’s first feature film on the great president in 70-plus years. Daniel Day-Lewis does a truly incredible portrayal of “Honest Abe,” with a huge cast of 140 including Sally Field as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has had a fascination with Lincoln since childhood. Together with playwright/director Tony Kushner they spent seven years developing the story into film, focusing on the last several months of Lincoln’s life at the end of the Civil War in 1865 when he was trying to abolish slavery. Nominations and awards should be plentiful for this film.
MORE historic films are: “HYDE PARK on the HUDSON.” In 1939 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted the King of England (King George VI) and Queen Elizabeth at his Hyde Park estate on the Royals’ first trip to the U.S. Bill Murray stars as Roosevelt, who was growing closer to his neighbor and cousin, Daisy Suckley (Laura Linney), who became his mistress.
In Tolstoy’s “ANNA KARENINA,” a married socialite (Keira Knightly) falls in love with someone beneath her station. Jude Law and Aaron Johnson costar. Director Joe Wright’s unusual staging concept gives the story a different spin.
“HITCHCOCK”:Anthony Hopkins in the starring role during the making of his famous movie, “Psycho.” Helen Mirren stars as his wife and partner, Alma.
“LES MISERABLES”: From the beautiful stage it becomes a beautiful movie starring the incomparable Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfriend and Anne Hathaway. Pay special attention to two young Brits, Eddie Redmayne as Marius and the luminous Samantha Barks as Eponine. Her rain-drenched ballad “On My Own” is a show-stopper in a movie filled with them. The unlikely pairing of Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen as the humorously evil Thenardiers add to the mix. Should come up with many nominations and awards.
ANOTHER fantastic film is “LIFE OF PI” starring soon-to-be superstar, young Indian actor Suraj Sharma in Ang Lee’s movie about a young man learning to survive while marooned on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.
Want more? “THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey” stars Ian McKellen. It’s the adventure fantasy prequel to “Lord of the Rings.”
Tom Cruise is “JACK REACHER” in this shoot-em-up suspense mystery drama, based on Lee Child’s series of thrillers.
IN “ARGO,” Ben Affleck directs and stars in this wonderful political film based on true events. Alan Arkin and John Goodman co-star.
SOME FINE FILMS FOR ADULTS ARE: “QUARTET,” marking Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut. The story of three elderly former opera singers living in a retirement home for musicians. Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney and Billy Connolly star. “AMOUR” has Jean-Louis Trintignant, who is 80, caring for his ailing 80-year-old wife (Emmanuelle Riva). Musician Isabelle Huppert plays their daughter. And for lighter fare, “THE GUILT TRIP” stars Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen. She plays his over-bearing mother who accompanies him on a 3,000-mile road trip of a lifetime. And,”JUST 45 Minutes FROM BROADWAY” is Henry Jaglom’s family film adapted from his stage hit.
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FINE FOREIGN FILMS ARE: “RUST & BONE” starring Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard as an orca trainer who is attacked by a killer whale at Marineland and has both legs amputated. Falls in love with Mathias Schoenarts and a dark yet beautiful love story ensues. “NO” from Chile starring Gael Garcia Bernal. In 1988 during the political trauma between political dictator Pinochet and modernist Allende. “KON TIKI” is the Norwegian entry and is beautifully done, based on a true story of Thor Heyerdahl, Norwegian adventurer who, along with a crew of friends going through horrendous experiences, spent 101 days on the Kon Tiki raft to get to Polynesia from Peru. China brings us “WHITE DEER PLAIN,’’ an epic tale near the end of Imperial China, of dramatic political upheaval. Lots of violence leading up to the heels of WW II. “THE THIRD HALF” is a trilogy, a WW II story involving Macedonia’s beleaguered soccer team’s German-Jewish coach. Based on a true story, a touching love story between a rich Jewish woman in love with a football player eluding the bitter destiny of her people. “Sneakers” from Bulgaria has six young people escaping from their bleak and dreary city to a serene pristine beach, giving them hope. “The Bad Intentions” is from Peru. Afghanistan brings us “The Patience Stone,” where, under the Taliban regime, an intelligent woman captures the reality of life with great courage.
Had enough films for a while? Now, on to Legitimate Theatre.
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ON STAGE
“INTIMATE APPAREL” at the Pasadena Playhouse is a beautiful story by Lynn Nottage and sensitively directed by the Playhouse’s artistic director Sheldon Epps. Our heroine, Esther, an African-American 35-year-old seamstress living in a fashionable New York rooming house in 1905, is making enticing sexy corsets hoping to earn enough money to open a beauty salon for women of color. She is played with touching seriousness by Vanessa Williams (not the TV soap star), who never got her love and marriage hopes fulfilled. All the performers were outstanding, as was the set.
Shakespeare’s “HAMLET” at the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica was an extraordinary production in contemporary dress and design, coming to us directly from London’s Globe Theatre. Young Hamlet, played by handsome Michael Benz, was outstanding. Accompanying him was a cast of better than excellent performers. I, and many more people, wish the Globe would perform for a longer spell at the Broad Theatre in L.A.
Joyous Christmas music and songs are now playing all over Los Angeles at venues too numerous to mention.
“NORA,” at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, is Ingmar Bergman’s adaptation of the Ibsen’s classic Norwegian play, “A Doll’s House.” Remarkably done, staging, sets and performances in such a small space. All characters sit on stage right and left throughout the play until their turn to perform. It’s Christmas Eve in 1878. Having been ruled her entire life by either her father or her husband, Nora comes to question the foundation of everything she has believed in once her marriage is put to the test. You can still see it until Jan. 27.
THE FOUNTAIN THEATER always does exciting works. “IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER” by Tarell Alvin McCraney is outstanding, about the fate of a young woman in a Southern housing project. Ends December 16.
DOWNTOWN at Center Theater Group, Cole Porter’s classic, “ANYTHING GOES” continues at the Ahmanson, starring the wonderful Rachel York and “Jersey Boys” Erich Berggren, while Jon Robin Baitz's "Other Desert Cities" opens at the Mark Taper Forum. The Los Angeles Opera Company has Puccini’s glorious “MADAMA BUTTERFLY,” starring Patricia Racette and Marcus Haddock.
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HAVE YOU READ ENOUGH? I’VE CERTAINLY WRITTEN ENOUGH.
Since this is now December, I would like to wish all of my friends a very Happy Holiday Season and a healthy, peaceful and wonderful 2013!
Monday, February 20, 2012
In The Wings by Harriette Smith - February 20, 2012
IN THE WINGS by HARRIETTE SMITH – February 20, 2012
WELL, HELLO FROM 2012! Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and now that the Oscars are coming up, we’ll take a quick look back at some of LAST YEAR’S TOP FILMS. What a year 2011 was. Not very eventful except that we’ve gotten a year older. Not too many good movies to talk about and the same for outstanding theater. Perhaps I’ve gotten too jaded over the past year. Let’s hope 2012 will be much more exciting. We’ll see, but now we’ve had the Academy Award nominations and “big event” of the year is almost here. Who do you think will run off with the Oscars this year? Place your bets here.
My picks of the better films were: “My Week With Marilyn.” Michelle Williams, who looks nothing like Marilyn Monroe did, is an extraordinary actress and she “became” Miss Monroe throughout the film and did not waver one second. An interesting and unusual movie was the silent “The Artist.” Shows that a silent film can still hold up without voice. Outstanding actresses Glenn Close and Janet McTeer portraying women masquerading as men in “Albert Nobbs” (Close also co-wrote the script). Speaking of women living as men, we don’t often write about books, but have to give a shout out to Karen Kondazian’s wonderful new novel, “The Whip,” about a real woman, Charlotte “Charley” Parkhurst, who was a renowned Wells Fargo stagecoach driver in Northern California in the 1800s. Author-actress Kondazian is famous here in Los Angeles for her many portrayals of Tennessee Williams heroines and a riveting Maria Callas in “Master Class.”
More terrific females in film in 2011: Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, “The Iron Lady,” the Prime Minister of England, aging over several decades. “The Help,” the Civil Rights-era film about African American domestic help and how they were treated, has caused quite a stir with an extraordinary number of outstanding performances: the Oscar-nominated Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain, plus Cicely Tyson, Allison Janney, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ahna O’Reilly, Emma Stone and Sissy Spacek in one of her best roles in years. Glad that the Screen Actors Guild gave this group a Best Ensemble Cast award.
Spielberg’s “War Horse” is a moving World War I story, Angelina Jolie’s wonderful Bosnian War film which she produced and directed is “In The Land of Blood and Honey.” Matt Damon did not really buy a zoo. Leonardo di Caprio did an extraordinary job of portraying J. Edgar Hoover in “J. Edgar,” ably supported by the extremely tall and handsome Armie Hammer (who played the Winklevoss twins in last year’s “Social Network” and Judi Dench as his mother. (We wish her well in her recently announced battle to save her eyesight. She was also wonderful in “My Week with Marilyn.”)
There are some interesting new foreign films out now. “In Darkness” is sad but beautifully done by the well-known director Agnieszka Holland, filmed in Poland using the various languages of the characters. It is about Jewish refugees in World War II hidden in the sewers of Lvov to avoid capture by Nazis, kept alive for more than a year by a Polish non-Jewish sewer worker for money. What happens when the Jews’ money runs out?
Other foreign films seen included Iran’s “A Separation” and “Footnote” from Israel. Of these three, “A Separation” is favored by Oscar predictors, although we lean toward “In Darkness.”
COMING UP: On a lighter note -- as the new films starting arriving for 2012, we were absolutely delighted by the new Katherine Heigl film “One For the Money.” She brings mystery novelist Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” to life – and, for the ladies, there are not one but two leading men in Stephanie’s life, and they’re both stunning: Jason O’Mara as “Joe Moretti” and Daniel Sunjata (memorable from “The Devil Wears Prada”) as a helpful law enforcement officer, “Ranger.”
AS FOR THE LIVE STAGE: The beautiful Broad Stage in Santa Monica (part of Santa Monica College but not located on the main campus) presented a very exciting and certainly different “Our Town,” Thornton Wilder’s classic starring Academy Award winner Helen Hunt, who plays the stage manager admirably. The Broad’s entire main stage was reconfigured to make the audience part of the production. An evening at the Broad is always a special event.
The Pasadena Playhouse had “Art” by famed author Yasmina Reza (“God of Carnage”). Less than ninety minutes long, this light, originally French comedy directed ably by David Lee featured three fine actors: Bradley Whitford and Roger Bart, who were thrown into crisis when visiting their friend Serge (Michael O’Keefe), who purchased a stark modernist painting for an extraordinary sum that challenges his wisdom, their value systems and their friendship. I had seen this many years ago starring Alan Alda and this is as good a production. It’s fun and worthwhile to see any production at the lovely Pasadena Playhouse.
We always enjoy productions at the Ruskin Group Theatre. Their current show, Martin McDonagh’s “The Lonesome West,” running through March 4, is no exception. Review follows.
Review of “The Lonesome West” (seen Friday, February 3, 2012)
It’s been said that even a bad Martin McDonagh play is better than a good one from a lot of other playwrights. This man can write dialogue! And the able cast at the Ruskin Group Theatre, on the grounds of the Santa Monica Airport, can deliver it. Standout in the four-person cast is Jason Paul Field as Coleman, a sleezy brother in a small Irish town. With his wild hair and belligerent stance, he’d be right at home in the mountains of Appalachia – right down to his smelly socks. Because of a messy family dynamic (is there any other kind?), he shares a small house with his neater brother, Valene (well played by alternate Jonathon Bray). During most of the several scenes, these two bicker and battle with such zeal and ferocity – over seemingly insignificant things like bags of crisps and Valene’s beloved collection of religious figurines, that it’s a wonder one of them hasn’t used the rifle mounted over the fireplace to blow the other to smithereens. Conor Walshe’s sad-eyed priest goes to drastic measures to try to get the brothers to reconcile, and their attempts at civility, marked by a scene of exaggerated politeness, is a delight. Rachel Noll rounds out the cast as Girleen, the schoolgirl with a crush on Father Welsh. (The night we attended, the cast was mixing up “Welsh” and “Walsh” with some funny ad-libbing.)
Scene changes are punctuated by toe-tapping recorded music – Irish, to be sure, by The Young Dubliners, but also reminiscent of Appalachian.
Dan Speaker & Jan Bryant did the excellent fight choreography – made more difficult by the big difference in size of the two actors. Look Speaker & Bryant up: they’ve done fights for Russell Crowe and other A-list film names.
Anyone who has seen and loved the film “In Bruges” will surely enjoy this play, especially for its robust dialog and memorable performances. The only thing it’s missing is Colin Farrell!
Runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 4. www.ruskingrouptheatre.com
(review by Flo Selfman)
Join us next time for more notes on film and theatre. Until then – see you at the movies and don’t forget to support your local live theatre!
# # # # #
WELL, HELLO FROM 2012! Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and now that the Oscars are coming up, we’ll take a quick look back at some of LAST YEAR’S TOP FILMS. What a year 2011 was. Not very eventful except that we’ve gotten a year older. Not too many good movies to talk about and the same for outstanding theater. Perhaps I’ve gotten too jaded over the past year. Let’s hope 2012 will be much more exciting. We’ll see, but now we’ve had the Academy Award nominations and “big event” of the year is almost here. Who do you think will run off with the Oscars this year? Place your bets here.
My picks of the better films were: “My Week With Marilyn.” Michelle Williams, who looks nothing like Marilyn Monroe did, is an extraordinary actress and she “became” Miss Monroe throughout the film and did not waver one second. An interesting and unusual movie was the silent “The Artist.” Shows that a silent film can still hold up without voice. Outstanding actresses Glenn Close and Janet McTeer portraying women masquerading as men in “Albert Nobbs” (Close also co-wrote the script). Speaking of women living as men, we don’t often write about books, but have to give a shout out to Karen Kondazian’s wonderful new novel, “The Whip,” about a real woman, Charlotte “Charley” Parkhurst, who was a renowned Wells Fargo stagecoach driver in Northern California in the 1800s. Author-actress Kondazian is famous here in Los Angeles for her many portrayals of Tennessee Williams heroines and a riveting Maria Callas in “Master Class.”
More terrific females in film in 2011: Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, “The Iron Lady,” the Prime Minister of England, aging over several decades. “The Help,” the Civil Rights-era film about African American domestic help and how they were treated, has caused quite a stir with an extraordinary number of outstanding performances: the Oscar-nominated Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain, plus Cicely Tyson, Allison Janney, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ahna O’Reilly, Emma Stone and Sissy Spacek in one of her best roles in years. Glad that the Screen Actors Guild gave this group a Best Ensemble Cast award.
Spielberg’s “War Horse” is a moving World War I story, Angelina Jolie’s wonderful Bosnian War film which she produced and directed is “In The Land of Blood and Honey.” Matt Damon did not really buy a zoo. Leonardo di Caprio did an extraordinary job of portraying J. Edgar Hoover in “J. Edgar,” ably supported by the extremely tall and handsome Armie Hammer (who played the Winklevoss twins in last year’s “Social Network” and Judi Dench as his mother. (We wish her well in her recently announced battle to save her eyesight. She was also wonderful in “My Week with Marilyn.”)
There are some interesting new foreign films out now. “In Darkness” is sad but beautifully done by the well-known director Agnieszka Holland, filmed in Poland using the various languages of the characters. It is about Jewish refugees in World War II hidden in the sewers of Lvov to avoid capture by Nazis, kept alive for more than a year by a Polish non-Jewish sewer worker for money. What happens when the Jews’ money runs out?
Other foreign films seen included Iran’s “A Separation” and “Footnote” from Israel. Of these three, “A Separation” is favored by Oscar predictors, although we lean toward “In Darkness.”
COMING UP: On a lighter note -- as the new films starting arriving for 2012, we were absolutely delighted by the new Katherine Heigl film “One For the Money.” She brings mystery novelist Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” to life – and, for the ladies, there are not one but two leading men in Stephanie’s life, and they’re both stunning: Jason O’Mara as “Joe Moretti” and Daniel Sunjata (memorable from “The Devil Wears Prada”) as a helpful law enforcement officer, “Ranger.”
AS FOR THE LIVE STAGE: The beautiful Broad Stage in Santa Monica (part of Santa Monica College but not located on the main campus) presented a very exciting and certainly different “Our Town,” Thornton Wilder’s classic starring Academy Award winner Helen Hunt, who plays the stage manager admirably. The Broad’s entire main stage was reconfigured to make the audience part of the production. An evening at the Broad is always a special event.
The Pasadena Playhouse had “Art” by famed author Yasmina Reza (“God of Carnage”). Less than ninety minutes long, this light, originally French comedy directed ably by David Lee featured three fine actors: Bradley Whitford and Roger Bart, who were thrown into crisis when visiting their friend Serge (Michael O’Keefe), who purchased a stark modernist painting for an extraordinary sum that challenges his wisdom, their value systems and their friendship. I had seen this many years ago starring Alan Alda and this is as good a production. It’s fun and worthwhile to see any production at the lovely Pasadena Playhouse.
We always enjoy productions at the Ruskin Group Theatre. Their current show, Martin McDonagh’s “The Lonesome West,” running through March 4, is no exception. Review follows.
Review of “The Lonesome West” (seen Friday, February 3, 2012)
It’s been said that even a bad Martin McDonagh play is better than a good one from a lot of other playwrights. This man can write dialogue! And the able cast at the Ruskin Group Theatre, on the grounds of the Santa Monica Airport, can deliver it. Standout in the four-person cast is Jason Paul Field as Coleman, a sleezy brother in a small Irish town. With his wild hair and belligerent stance, he’d be right at home in the mountains of Appalachia – right down to his smelly socks. Because of a messy family dynamic (is there any other kind?), he shares a small house with his neater brother, Valene (well played by alternate Jonathon Bray). During most of the several scenes, these two bicker and battle with such zeal and ferocity – over seemingly insignificant things like bags of crisps and Valene’s beloved collection of religious figurines, that it’s a wonder one of them hasn’t used the rifle mounted over the fireplace to blow the other to smithereens. Conor Walshe’s sad-eyed priest goes to drastic measures to try to get the brothers to reconcile, and their attempts at civility, marked by a scene of exaggerated politeness, is a delight. Rachel Noll rounds out the cast as Girleen, the schoolgirl with a crush on Father Welsh. (The night we attended, the cast was mixing up “Welsh” and “Walsh” with some funny ad-libbing.)
Scene changes are punctuated by toe-tapping recorded music – Irish, to be sure, by The Young Dubliners, but also reminiscent of Appalachian.
Dan Speaker & Jan Bryant did the excellent fight choreography – made more difficult by the big difference in size of the two actors. Look Speaker & Bryant up: they’ve done fights for Russell Crowe and other A-list film names.
Anyone who has seen and loved the film “In Bruges” will surely enjoy this play, especially for its robust dialog and memorable performances. The only thing it’s missing is Colin Farrell!
Runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 4. www.ruskingrouptheatre.com
(review by Flo Selfman)
Join us next time for more notes on film and theatre. Until then – see you at the movies and don’t forget to support your local live theatre!
# # # # #
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
In the Wings Oct.-Nov. 2011
IN THE WINGS by HARRIETTE SMITH OCT.-NOV. 2011
Who said that L.A. is not a theatre town? Do I disagree with whomever that pontiff might be? We’ve had some wonderful shows here lately. Unfortunately, the prices are often high, especially in the larger theatres. One inexpensive night out is to see A Noise Within at their brand spankin’ newly built theatre in East Pasadena. The classical repertory theatre company launches a milestone 2011-12 season and 20th anniversary in a new 33,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art venue starting with Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” or “What You Will.” The spring of 2012 continues with “Antony and Cleopatra,” and “The Illusion.” Sounds wonderful. A Noise Within is on Foothill Blvd. and Sierra Madre Villa Ave., 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena 91107. Free self-parking. For tickets and info: 626-356-3100.
www.ANoiseWithin.org
THE FOUNTAIN, on that street in East Hollywood, has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best waiver houses in L.A. They currently have “Bakersfield Mist,” which has been held over a gazillion times. Closing date is finally December 18. Run to see this two-hander and read our review as you scroll down.
The Ruskin Theatre Group at the Santa Monica Airport does exciting works, always, and a restaurant right next door helps greatly.
The Odyssey on Sepulveda, along with the Pacific Resident Theatre on Venice Blvd. in Santa Monica, always has exciting and provocative productions going on. The Odyssey presents L.A.’s own Justin Tanner’s “Daytime Drinking”(LA Times Critics Choice) and the powerful World War II concentration camp drama “Way To Heaven,” about which Flo wrote brilliantly; it plays until December 18. See review below.
Theatre 40 also does great theatre. Their next production, opening late November, is “The Color of Rose,” written and directed by Kathrine Bates (based on a concept by Chuck Fries). It’s about Rose Fitzgerald (later to become a Kennedy). Sounds fascinating.
Among our most beautiful mid-size houses is the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, which always has a provocative mix of theatre and music ranging across the cultural spectrum. Opening November 12 is “The Comedy of Errors” with Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, back for a third year!
The larger Pasadena Playhouse featured “South Street” (which just closed), a new musical with awesome dancers and singers… the book needed work, though. However, come November, “Blues For An Alabama Sky,” directed by Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, sounds great. Can’t wait to see and write about this.
Hollywood’s Pantages – one of the most beautiful, historic houses anywhere -- has lots of wonderful Broadway revivals at not-too-steep prices. Currently showing: “Come Fly Away” the Twyla Tharp/Frank Sinatra musical extravaganza.
Theatre Reviews by Flo Selfman:
"Bakersfield Mist"
Fountain Theatre through December 18
When a straight-laced, uptight modern-art expert meets a sassy, bourbon-swilling trailer park resident in order to determine the authenticity of a painting she bought at a garage sale for three dollars, it’s more than mist that goes flying. It’s a full-on frontal assault of words, ideas, morals, booze and even furniture. The play, written and directed by Stephen Sachs, the Fountain Theatre’s co-artistic director, contains all the drips, splashes, lines and squiggles of the Jackson Pollock painting that it is…or isn’t. The audience never sees the painting, whose backside faces us, but the clash of wills and wits of the two stars – Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett, real-life spouses -- is a winner. The transformations that the two characters undergo in this ninety-minute one-act prove, once again, that the unlikeliest people may have more in common than they’d ever suspect. “Bakersfield Mist” has been held over again; you have until December 18 to catch it. We also love the adjacent parking lot (fee) and delightful upstairs café.
"Way to Heaven" by Juan Mayorga
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble through Sunday, December 18
As we enter the theater, we are invited to tour a small “museum.” Signs invite us to look but not touch a collection of artifacts from Theresienstadt, the "model" concentration camp in 1944, including a small dock surrounded by water; a kiosk, a bench, a bookcase with books; an SS officer’s uniform jacket, an ice cream vendor’s cart, and a ramp leading to a closed door, the “Way to Heaven" -- also the name of the play by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga.
Once we are seated, a Red Cross representative tells us about what we’ve just seen. He tells us that he dreams about this every night. If he had known what he was seeing, would his report still have been the same?
Another scene is made up of small tableaux: on the bench, a young man brings his girlfriend a wrapped present, “Our future,” he says. A youth argues with another boy over a toy. A little girl on the pier tries to teach her doll to swim, and then to wave “at the nice man.”
These, we discover, are rehearsals. In order to mislead the international Red Cross inspectors, the Nazis constructed a fake village to quell extermination rumors. Jews have been selected to go through the motions of various ordinary activities for the impending visitors, to convince official visitors that the captives were living happy and normal lives. Other works have dealt with this topic, but perhaps not from a vantage point of the camp official charged by “Berlin” with creating this “normal” scene, and the Jew he has selected to cast and rehearse the "actors."
Two tour de force performances: Michael McGee’s 25-minute Scene One monologue as the Red Cross Representative; and the stellar Norbert Weisser as the camp Commandant, who thinks he is civilized because he has stocked his camp office with his personal library of classic German writers. From cajoling to ordering to drunken rages, he's a power to behold. If this were a film, they'd be calling Christoph Waltz's agent.
Largely a play between two men, it would not work half as well if Bruce Katzman, as Gottfried, were not so convincing. Strongly resembling Alan Arkin, Katzman is an often silent foil for Weisser, letting him – and us – know in small ways of the evil that lurks outside their barrack walls. An agonizing choice he is forced to make further illustrates his courage.
The evening’s most poignant moment comes when Weisser’s Commandant drunkenly parodies a little girl’s singing of a standard Yiddish lullaby, “Oif’N Pripitchik.”
This is a worthwhile play which attempts to humanize the inhuman. A post-curtain call coda further brings it home. A non-Jew, director (and Odyssey's founder) Ron Sossi has again managed to bring to life important Jewish thematic material.
* * * * *
It should be noted that the Odyssey and numerous other local nonprofit cultural and social welfare institutions were recently in danger of being forced to pay market rents for their spaces. They would no doubt have been forced out of their present locations. Sossi notes in the the program that the actions of many people, including councilman Paul Koretz, brought this before the City Council and it has been tabled indefinitely. So the Odyssey and others will be able to remain in their spaces, at least for the foreseeable future.
* * * * *
OPERA:
"Il Postino," the beautiful opera with Placido Domingo starring as Pablo Neruda, the esteemed Chilean poet, will be broadcast on November 25 at 9:00pm on our local PBS station. I was fortunate to see the opening of this opera last year. The marvelous young composer, Daniel Catán, died just a few months after "Il Postino's" premiere in L.A.
Now for FILMS:
The 2011 FILM SEASON has not been too worthwhile yet; however, there have been some great films for mature audiences worth writing and talking about.
Brad Pitt’s “Moneyball” raked in some nice money at the box-office. Pedro Almodovar’s “The Skin I Live In” was terrifically acted by Antonio Banderas but was a very disturbing film to me.
An absolutely charming and delightful film, which didn’t stay long enough, was “My Afternoon With Margueritte,” starring that delightful French actor Gerard Depardieu as a nearly illiterate man who happens to sit alongside a little old lady reading excerpts from her novel aloud. They form a warm and wonderful friendship together.
Two wonderful period films out imminently are “Anonymous,” which poses the question of who actually wrote Shakespeare’s works, and the delightful romantic picture “Young Goethe in Love,” already a multiple festival winner. It’s in German with English subtitles (often difficult to read when they’re in white letters against a white background). There’s humor aplenty, along with a love story and a beautiful score. The lead actor, Alexander Fehling, will be a favorite of the ladies.
Waiting to see “My Week With Marilyn” starring Michelle Williams as Ms. Monroe. Also stars Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. Also awaiting the Roman Polanski film, “Carnage,” with Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly. Sounds like a winner, based on the play by Yasmina Reza (“Art”).
Looking forward to “Pina,” the exhilarating new film from German master Wim Wenders (“Wings of Desire,” “The Buena Vista Social Club,” and “Paris, Texas’), which was shot in 3D to capture the brilliantly inventive dance world of legendary choreographer Pina Bausch, who died in 2009. The Official German Oscar ® entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category, it will open in Los Angeles in January.
Enjoy going to theatre and seeing films and keep supporting the arts!
Who said that L.A. is not a theatre town? Do I disagree with whomever that pontiff might be? We’ve had some wonderful shows here lately. Unfortunately, the prices are often high, especially in the larger theatres. One inexpensive night out is to see A Noise Within at their brand spankin’ newly built theatre in East Pasadena. The classical repertory theatre company launches a milestone 2011-12 season and 20th anniversary in a new 33,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art venue starting with Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” or “What You Will.” The spring of 2012 continues with “Antony and Cleopatra,” and “The Illusion.” Sounds wonderful. A Noise Within is on Foothill Blvd. and Sierra Madre Villa Ave., 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena 91107. Free self-parking. For tickets and info: 626-356-3100.
www.ANoiseWithin.org
THE FOUNTAIN, on that street in East Hollywood, has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best waiver houses in L.A. They currently have “Bakersfield Mist,” which has been held over a gazillion times. Closing date is finally December 18. Run to see this two-hander and read our review as you scroll down.
The Ruskin Theatre Group at the Santa Monica Airport does exciting works, always, and a restaurant right next door helps greatly.
The Odyssey on Sepulveda, along with the Pacific Resident Theatre on Venice Blvd. in Santa Monica, always has exciting and provocative productions going on. The Odyssey presents L.A.’s own Justin Tanner’s “Daytime Drinking”(LA Times Critics Choice) and the powerful World War II concentration camp drama “Way To Heaven,” about which Flo wrote brilliantly; it plays until December 18. See review below.
Theatre 40 also does great theatre. Their next production, opening late November, is “The Color of Rose,” written and directed by Kathrine Bates (based on a concept by Chuck Fries). It’s about Rose Fitzgerald (later to become a Kennedy). Sounds fascinating.
Among our most beautiful mid-size houses is the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, which always has a provocative mix of theatre and music ranging across the cultural spectrum. Opening November 12 is “The Comedy of Errors” with Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, back for a third year!
The larger Pasadena Playhouse featured “South Street” (which just closed), a new musical with awesome dancers and singers… the book needed work, though. However, come November, “Blues For An Alabama Sky,” directed by Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, sounds great. Can’t wait to see and write about this.
Hollywood’s Pantages – one of the most beautiful, historic houses anywhere -- has lots of wonderful Broadway revivals at not-too-steep prices. Currently showing: “Come Fly Away” the Twyla Tharp/Frank Sinatra musical extravaganza.
Theatre Reviews by Flo Selfman:
"Bakersfield Mist"
Fountain Theatre through December 18
When a straight-laced, uptight modern-art expert meets a sassy, bourbon-swilling trailer park resident in order to determine the authenticity of a painting she bought at a garage sale for three dollars, it’s more than mist that goes flying. It’s a full-on frontal assault of words, ideas, morals, booze and even furniture. The play, written and directed by Stephen Sachs, the Fountain Theatre’s co-artistic director, contains all the drips, splashes, lines and squiggles of the Jackson Pollock painting that it is…or isn’t. The audience never sees the painting, whose backside faces us, but the clash of wills and wits of the two stars – Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett, real-life spouses -- is a winner. The transformations that the two characters undergo in this ninety-minute one-act prove, once again, that the unlikeliest people may have more in common than they’d ever suspect. “Bakersfield Mist” has been held over again; you have until December 18 to catch it. We also love the adjacent parking lot (fee) and delightful upstairs café.
"Way to Heaven" by Juan Mayorga
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble through Sunday, December 18
As we enter the theater, we are invited to tour a small “museum.” Signs invite us to look but not touch a collection of artifacts from Theresienstadt, the "model" concentration camp in 1944, including a small dock surrounded by water; a kiosk, a bench, a bookcase with books; an SS officer’s uniform jacket, an ice cream vendor’s cart, and a ramp leading to a closed door, the “Way to Heaven" -- also the name of the play by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga.
Once we are seated, a Red Cross representative tells us about what we’ve just seen. He tells us that he dreams about this every night. If he had known what he was seeing, would his report still have been the same?
Another scene is made up of small tableaux: on the bench, a young man brings his girlfriend a wrapped present, “Our future,” he says. A youth argues with another boy over a toy. A little girl on the pier tries to teach her doll to swim, and then to wave “at the nice man.”
These, we discover, are rehearsals. In order to mislead the international Red Cross inspectors, the Nazis constructed a fake village to quell extermination rumors. Jews have been selected to go through the motions of various ordinary activities for the impending visitors, to convince official visitors that the captives were living happy and normal lives. Other works have dealt with this topic, but perhaps not from a vantage point of the camp official charged by “Berlin” with creating this “normal” scene, and the Jew he has selected to cast and rehearse the "actors."
Two tour de force performances: Michael McGee’s 25-minute Scene One monologue as the Red Cross Representative; and the stellar Norbert Weisser as the camp Commandant, who thinks he is civilized because he has stocked his camp office with his personal library of classic German writers. From cajoling to ordering to drunken rages, he's a power to behold. If this were a film, they'd be calling Christoph Waltz's agent.
Largely a play between two men, it would not work half as well if Bruce Katzman, as Gottfried, were not so convincing. Strongly resembling Alan Arkin, Katzman is an often silent foil for Weisser, letting him – and us – know in small ways of the evil that lurks outside their barrack walls. An agonizing choice he is forced to make further illustrates his courage.
The evening’s most poignant moment comes when Weisser’s Commandant drunkenly parodies a little girl’s singing of a standard Yiddish lullaby, “Oif’N Pripitchik.”
This is a worthwhile play which attempts to humanize the inhuman. A post-curtain call coda further brings it home. A non-Jew, director (and Odyssey's founder) Ron Sossi has again managed to bring to life important Jewish thematic material.
* * * * *
It should be noted that the Odyssey and numerous other local nonprofit cultural and social welfare institutions were recently in danger of being forced to pay market rents for their spaces. They would no doubt have been forced out of their present locations. Sossi notes in the the program that the actions of many people, including councilman Paul Koretz, brought this before the City Council and it has been tabled indefinitely. So the Odyssey and others will be able to remain in their spaces, at least for the foreseeable future.
* * * * *
OPERA:
"Il Postino," the beautiful opera with Placido Domingo starring as Pablo Neruda, the esteemed Chilean poet, will be broadcast on November 25 at 9:00pm on our local PBS station. I was fortunate to see the opening of this opera last year. The marvelous young composer, Daniel Catán, died just a few months after "Il Postino's" premiere in L.A.
Now for FILMS:
The 2011 FILM SEASON has not been too worthwhile yet; however, there have been some great films for mature audiences worth writing and talking about.
Brad Pitt’s “Moneyball” raked in some nice money at the box-office. Pedro Almodovar’s “The Skin I Live In” was terrifically acted by Antonio Banderas but was a very disturbing film to me.
An absolutely charming and delightful film, which didn’t stay long enough, was “My Afternoon With Margueritte,” starring that delightful French actor Gerard Depardieu as a nearly illiterate man who happens to sit alongside a little old lady reading excerpts from her novel aloud. They form a warm and wonderful friendship together.
Two wonderful period films out imminently are “Anonymous,” which poses the question of who actually wrote Shakespeare’s works, and the delightful romantic picture “Young Goethe in Love,” already a multiple festival winner. It’s in German with English subtitles (often difficult to read when they’re in white letters against a white background). There’s humor aplenty, along with a love story and a beautiful score. The lead actor, Alexander Fehling, will be a favorite of the ladies.
Waiting to see “My Week With Marilyn” starring Michelle Williams as Ms. Monroe. Also stars Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. Also awaiting the Roman Polanski film, “Carnage,” with Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly. Sounds like a winner, based on the play by Yasmina Reza (“Art”).
Looking forward to “Pina,” the exhilarating new film from German master Wim Wenders (“Wings of Desire,” “The Buena Vista Social Club,” and “Paris, Texas’), which was shot in 3D to capture the brilliantly inventive dance world of legendary choreographer Pina Bausch, who died in 2009. The Official German Oscar ® entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category, it will open in Los Angeles in January.
Enjoy going to theatre and seeing films and keep supporting the arts!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
In the Wings - Stage
ON TO THE STAGE: So much going on. Firstly, the “Under the Stars” venues have been lovely because our nighttime weather had been cooperating. The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum continues to give us wonderful theatre. Ellen Geer starred as the world-renowned opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally’s MASTER CLASS.
Lots went on all over besides our Hollywood Bowl. The Greek Theatre always has amazing talents. Thursday night concerts at the Marina, the Santa Monica Pier, San Marino’s Huntington Gardens Chamber Music Concerts and much more. The stars and clouds promised to be good, and they were.
MY FIRST TIME AT THE BOWL THIS SEASON was as an invited guest for a glorious celebration to launch the classical series with the Philharmonic. Grant Gershon conducted Haydn, Vivaldi and Handel beautifully. The Hollywood Bowl had some exciting offerings: our Philharmonic with guest conductors, John Williams and his musical movies, Leonard Bernstein’s CANDIDE with Bramwell Tovey and, of course, Gustavo Dudamel.
The Los Angeles Opera opened its 25th Anniversary Season September 23 with IL POSTINO, based on the wonderful book and film. Placido Domingo starred as the famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Fortunately, I was privileged to be there opening night, and what a night it was! Everyone dressed to the nines and tens. Following his singing IL POSTINO, Domingo conducted THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO in October. Busy man and just after surgery. Lucky for us, e hassigned on for three more years as Artistic Director.
TOO BAD I didn’t write about IN THE HEIGHTS before it closed at the Pantages. It was such a great show, as were all the performances and performers at the Pantages. That historic Hollywood theatre really presents great Broadway shows. Don’t miss seeing the fabulous WEST SIDE STORY, that powerful musical is at the Pantages through the holiday season. The exciting HAIR returns in January.
The Geffen also has fantastic theatre at their newly named Gil Cates Theatre. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s RUINED takes place in a bar in the Congo. Depicts hope, humor and humanity. Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall in THURGOOD was a phenomenon.
The Broad Stage, part of Santa Monica College (but located away from the Santa Monica campus) has very good theatre in both their venues. We saw a delightful CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY by the talented Eugene Pack at The Edye (Broad) Second Space featuring Laraine Newman, Fred Willard, Will Forte, Brooke Shields and others doing funny readings from famous people’s autobiographical books. The Broad also presented the fun Shakespeare play THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, where Falstaff gets his just due, direct from London’s Old Globe.. The performers were amazing as was the on-stage orchestra. Costumes were glorious. A great outing in Santa Monica. We were invited to a
Wonderful WINTER FROLIC the other evening. A real live horse and an Elizabethan carriage outdoors. People were asked to dress “up” and they did. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres were passed around and a Jane Austen-type improv show took place in the theatre. Jamie Lee Curtis awarded best costume prizes, and Sir Michael York welcomed the crowd. Post show, wine and cheeses were served. Lovely evening.
The Center Theatre Group downtown does some extremely interesting and involved programs. This season included Brooke Shields in LEAP OF FAITH at the Ahmanson. At the Mark Taper, Judith Ivey reprised her Broadway role in Tennessee Williams’s classic THE GLASS MENAGERIE. Also awaiting the arrival of Jane Fonda in THIRTY-THREE VARIATIONS right after the first of 2011.
Smaller Equity waiver theatres continue to show pride in what they do. The Pacific Resident Theatre presented BECKY’S NEW CAR, an absolutely charming and original play. The lead role Becky was played by Joanna Daniels, who is fantastic. It was extended time and again. Alan Ayckbourn’s BEDROOM FARCE comedy at the Odyssey was a delight to see again. Closing December 21 is TALES FROM HOLLYWOOD by the prominent British playwright Christopher Hampton. Takes place during the Nazi and the McCarthy era (early World War II). German Literary Legends exiled in Santa Monica to write for Hollywood. Among them were Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich and Thomas Mann. Michael Peretzian does an admirable directing job. Also at the Odyssey was NIGHT OF JANUARY 16TH, Ayn Rands’s courtroom drama where the jurors are selected nightly from the audience. Now, the Odyssey presents an outstanding 14-day performance by the lovely Julia Migenes. DIVA ON THE VERGE. Victoria Kirsch is musical director/accompanist. It’s a marvelous program to see during the holidays. I urge you to get to see and hear her.
The Ruskin Group at the Santa Monica Airport does great theatre always. Recently had Arthur Miller’s ALL MY CHILDREN. CYRANO DE BERGERAC plays through January 23, 2011.
The Fountain Theatre’s OPUS was extended so many times by popular demand (I’ve seen it twice and loved it more the second go-around). The set is sparsely beautiful and perfect for the string quartet. It starts with the successful audition of the lone female (Jia Doughman) prodigy violist who, instead of taking a steady offer with the Pittsburgh Symphony, signs on with the quartet as they struggle to rehearse for an upcoming gig at the White House. Simon Levy directed these actors in rehearsal as if they were actually playing on stage in front of us. Their fingering was so authentic and precise it was amazing to watch and hear. Actually the recorded music was coming from behind the stage but we, the audience, were so into it… amazing! Michael Hollinger was the witty playwright. Held over to January 22 is Athol Fugard’s THE TRAIN DRIVER, dealing with repercussions of South Africa’s apartheid. Amazing performances by Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward, and a stunning set.
So glad we got to see the new ‘50s-style musical LIFE COULD BE A DREAM. It’ll surely return and when it comes back, please go see it. I know I shall. It was that amusing and wonderful.
Theatre Forty, located on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, always does thoughtful, excellent plays. Currently playing is MURDERERS by Jeffrey Hatcher and featuring three fine actors, Richard Horvitz, Melanie McQueen and Marcia Rodd, doingthree lengthy monologues as individuals who take a perverse pride in their crimes. Laughs abound.
TIM ROBBINS’ THE ACTORS’ GANG had an extraordinary and incredibly interesting theatre production, BREAK THE WHIP. Robbins wrote and directed this innovative epic, his version of early American history revolving around the struggles of three cultures in the Jamestown Colony: English settles, African slaves, and Powatan Indians. The energetic production was enhanced by the use of native languages, dance, music, and Johnny Burton’s (Tim’s brother) shadow puppets. A stunning, large cast drew the audience in and left them breathless.
Will keep in touch soon again. Meanwhile, want to wish you all Happy Holidays, and a great 2011 for all of us for peace, prosperity, and a very productive and enjoyable year ahead.
Love and hugs,
Harriette
Lots went on all over besides our Hollywood Bowl. The Greek Theatre always has amazing talents. Thursday night concerts at the Marina, the Santa Monica Pier, San Marino’s Huntington Gardens Chamber Music Concerts and much more. The stars and clouds promised to be good, and they were.
MY FIRST TIME AT THE BOWL THIS SEASON was as an invited guest for a glorious celebration to launch the classical series with the Philharmonic. Grant Gershon conducted Haydn, Vivaldi and Handel beautifully. The Hollywood Bowl had some exciting offerings: our Philharmonic with guest conductors, John Williams and his musical movies, Leonard Bernstein’s CANDIDE with Bramwell Tovey and, of course, Gustavo Dudamel.
The Los Angeles Opera opened its 25th Anniversary Season September 23 with IL POSTINO, based on the wonderful book and film. Placido Domingo starred as the famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Fortunately, I was privileged to be there opening night, and what a night it was! Everyone dressed to the nines and tens. Following his singing IL POSTINO, Domingo conducted THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO in October. Busy man and just after surgery. Lucky for us, e hassigned on for three more years as Artistic Director.
TOO BAD I didn’t write about IN THE HEIGHTS before it closed at the Pantages. It was such a great show, as were all the performances and performers at the Pantages. That historic Hollywood theatre really presents great Broadway shows. Don’t miss seeing the fabulous WEST SIDE STORY, that powerful musical is at the Pantages through the holiday season. The exciting HAIR returns in January.
The Geffen also has fantastic theatre at their newly named Gil Cates Theatre. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s RUINED takes place in a bar in the Congo. Depicts hope, humor and humanity. Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall in THURGOOD was a phenomenon.
The Broad Stage, part of Santa Monica College (but located away from the Santa Monica campus) has very good theatre in both their venues. We saw a delightful CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY by the talented Eugene Pack at The Edye (Broad) Second Space featuring Laraine Newman, Fred Willard, Will Forte, Brooke Shields and others doing funny readings from famous people’s autobiographical books. The Broad also presented the fun Shakespeare play THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, where Falstaff gets his just due, direct from London’s Old Globe.. The performers were amazing as was the on-stage orchestra. Costumes were glorious. A great outing in Santa Monica. We were invited to a
Wonderful WINTER FROLIC the other evening. A real live horse and an Elizabethan carriage outdoors. People were asked to dress “up” and they did. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres were passed around and a Jane Austen-type improv show took place in the theatre. Jamie Lee Curtis awarded best costume prizes, and Sir Michael York welcomed the crowd. Post show, wine and cheeses were served. Lovely evening.
The Center Theatre Group downtown does some extremely interesting and involved programs. This season included Brooke Shields in LEAP OF FAITH at the Ahmanson. At the Mark Taper, Judith Ivey reprised her Broadway role in Tennessee Williams’s classic THE GLASS MENAGERIE. Also awaiting the arrival of Jane Fonda in THIRTY-THREE VARIATIONS right after the first of 2011.
Smaller Equity waiver theatres continue to show pride in what they do. The Pacific Resident Theatre presented BECKY’S NEW CAR, an absolutely charming and original play. The lead role Becky was played by Joanna Daniels, who is fantastic. It was extended time and again. Alan Ayckbourn’s BEDROOM FARCE comedy at the Odyssey was a delight to see again. Closing December 21 is TALES FROM HOLLYWOOD by the prominent British playwright Christopher Hampton. Takes place during the Nazi and the McCarthy era (early World War II). German Literary Legends exiled in Santa Monica to write for Hollywood. Among them were Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich and Thomas Mann. Michael Peretzian does an admirable directing job. Also at the Odyssey was NIGHT OF JANUARY 16TH, Ayn Rands’s courtroom drama where the jurors are selected nightly from the audience. Now, the Odyssey presents an outstanding 14-day performance by the lovely Julia Migenes. DIVA ON THE VERGE. Victoria Kirsch is musical director/accompanist. It’s a marvelous program to see during the holidays. I urge you to get to see and hear her.
The Ruskin Group at the Santa Monica Airport does great theatre always. Recently had Arthur Miller’s ALL MY CHILDREN. CYRANO DE BERGERAC plays through January 23, 2011.
The Fountain Theatre’s OPUS was extended so many times by popular demand (I’ve seen it twice and loved it more the second go-around). The set is sparsely beautiful and perfect for the string quartet. It starts with the successful audition of the lone female (Jia Doughman) prodigy violist who, instead of taking a steady offer with the Pittsburgh Symphony, signs on with the quartet as they struggle to rehearse for an upcoming gig at the White House. Simon Levy directed these actors in rehearsal as if they were actually playing on stage in front of us. Their fingering was so authentic and precise it was amazing to watch and hear. Actually the recorded music was coming from behind the stage but we, the audience, were so into it… amazing! Michael Hollinger was the witty playwright. Held over to January 22 is Athol Fugard’s THE TRAIN DRIVER, dealing with repercussions of South Africa’s apartheid. Amazing performances by Morlan Higgins and Adolphus Ward, and a stunning set.
So glad we got to see the new ‘50s-style musical LIFE COULD BE A DREAM. It’ll surely return and when it comes back, please go see it. I know I shall. It was that amusing and wonderful.
Theatre Forty, located on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, always does thoughtful, excellent plays. Currently playing is MURDERERS by Jeffrey Hatcher and featuring three fine actors, Richard Horvitz, Melanie McQueen and Marcia Rodd, doingthree lengthy monologues as individuals who take a perverse pride in their crimes. Laughs abound.
TIM ROBBINS’ THE ACTORS’ GANG had an extraordinary and incredibly interesting theatre production, BREAK THE WHIP. Robbins wrote and directed this innovative epic, his version of early American history revolving around the struggles of three cultures in the Jamestown Colony: English settles, African slaves, and Powatan Indians. The energetic production was enhanced by the use of native languages, dance, music, and Johnny Burton’s (Tim’s brother) shadow puppets. A stunning, large cast drew the audience in and left them breathless.
Will keep in touch soon again. Meanwhile, want to wish you all Happy Holidays, and a great 2011 for all of us for peace, prosperity, and a very productive and enjoyable year ahead.
Love and hugs,
Harriette
In the Wings - Films
IN THE WINGS by HARRIETTE SMITH December 2010
SUMMER TIME IS OVER, AND WITH FALL AND NOW WINTER here, there’s lots of action ahead both at the movies and on the stages about town. This past summer has been bedecked with listening and viewing under the stars and clouds. More on this later.
There have been and are computer-generated and animated films, sequels and prequels: SHREK 3, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, IRON MAN 2, THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE, THE LAST AIRBENDER, on mythology. Enough of the computerized kiddie films? How about films for you and me. Some intelligent, adult films we want to see.
NOW FOR THE MOVIES, past, current, and coming A beautiful film was THE CONCERT, billed as a comedy but it’s far from that. Witty, it does have comedic overtones in the dialogue, but comedy, NO. A former celebrated Russian conductor of the Bolshoi Ballet orchestra who, with his fellow musicians, have hit rock bottom because the orchestra members, most of them being Jewish, were fired. He masterminds a plan to make the orchestra’s comeback. They had to have a star violin virtuoso, the luminous Melanie Laurent (of ”Inglourious Basterds”) for an outstanding first night’s performance at a prestigious theatre in Paris. The Tchaikovsky Concerto was played beautifully. This is a truly an adult film. I saw it twice and liked it even better the second time around. Another one is THE TILLMAN STORY, about the death of Pat Tillman, former pro football player who turned Army Ranger and was killed in Afghanistan, but the real story was covered up. He was killed by friendly fire. Josh Brolin narrates. Two lovely foreign films: MAO’S LAST DANCER is the true story of a small boy’s steps from poverty as a classical dancer in communist China to international stardom as he dances with the Houston Ballet. Li Cunxin is an amazing dancer and humanitarian. A beautiful film.
WAS ANXIOUS to see the life story of John Lennon, NOWHERE BOY, celebrating his 70th birthday. His life as a young boy in Liverpool was very good. Gave me more of an insight in his later life, with and after The Beatles.
Writer/director Rob Reiner had another charmer out: FLIPPED, a ‘60s coming-of-age story of two families with children who live across the street from each other and are quite different. It’s lovely. The two kids (male and female) do a flip-flop while growing up. Lots of period detail typical of the ‘60s.
The second film of the Swedish Stieg Larsson trilogy, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, has you literally sitting on the edge of your seat from beginning to end with brutal violence, rape, strong sexuality. The third film of the trilogy, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST, is the least violent of the three but excellent. Next year will see us watching these three films remade in America with English dialogue, starring Daniel Craig (James Bond) and newcomer Rooney Mara. Her two great-great-grandfathers, Tim Mara and Art Rooney, founded the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ben Affleck directed, starred and co-wrote THE TOWN. Will this be another GOOD WILL HUNTING for him? Maybe even better than good. Michael Douglas reprises his role of the past hot film, WALL STREET, with WALL STREET, MONEY NEVER SLEEPS. .
Had enuff? Wait, there’s more. In BLUE VALENTINE, Ryan Gosling and beautiful Michelle Williams use one night to try and save their failing marriage. Some of the most explicit sex scenes I’ve ever seen. Their NC-17 rating is being
challenged as I write this. Russell Crowe was wonderful in THE NEXT THREE DAYS as he tries to get his wife out of, or escaped from, prison for serving a murder she did not commit. FAIR GAME was excellent with Naomi Watts playing Valerie Plame, the CIA agent who was “outed” by the Bush White House.
Her husband, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, played by Sean Penn, fought the charge. Didn’t see BURLESQUE yet, but expect to see Cher at her best. MADE IN DAGENHAM has female workers in an English Ford plant walk out because of discrimination in ’66. Sally Hawkins shines, as does Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson and the lovely Rosamund Pike.
Kevin Spacey heads up an excellent cast in CASINO JACK, the story of jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. COMPANY MEN was good with Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper and Kevin Costner; it’s about down-sizing work forces and redefining their lives. Affleck directed, starred in and co-wrote THE TOWN, a subtle thriller also starring Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall. Looks like it’s Affleck’s year.
BLACK SWAN, Darren Aronofsky’s dark ballet film, stars Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder. Competitive intrigue occurs, along with sex scenes. Ballet master is played by Vincent Cassel, who was compelling in the two French MESRINE films. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart give outstanding performances in RABBIT HOLE as the grieving parents of a deceased son. Equally fine performances by young Miles Teller, Dianne Wiest and Sandra Oh.
Javier Bardem and the remarkable Argentine actress Maricel Alvarez give heart-wrenching performances in Alejandro Gonzáles Inárritu’s BIUTIFUL.
In my opinion, the best picture this year is THE KING’S SPEECH, starring Colin Firth as the would-be King of England who must conquer his uncontrollable stammer. Geoffrey Rush plays his speech therapist, excellently. Helen Bonham Carter heads an outstanding supporting cast, including a surprise turn by Guy Pearce as Edward VIII. It’s already racking up major accolades, with more to come, no doubt.
That’s it folks.
SUMMER TIME IS OVER, AND WITH FALL AND NOW WINTER here, there’s lots of action ahead both at the movies and on the stages about town. This past summer has been bedecked with listening and viewing under the stars and clouds. More on this later.
There have been and are computer-generated and animated films, sequels and prequels: SHREK 3, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, IRON MAN 2, THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE, THE LAST AIRBENDER, on mythology. Enough of the computerized kiddie films? How about films for you and me. Some intelligent, adult films we want to see.
NOW FOR THE MOVIES, past, current, and coming A beautiful film was THE CONCERT, billed as a comedy but it’s far from that. Witty, it does have comedic overtones in the dialogue, but comedy, NO. A former celebrated Russian conductor of the Bolshoi Ballet orchestra who, with his fellow musicians, have hit rock bottom because the orchestra members, most of them being Jewish, were fired. He masterminds a plan to make the orchestra’s comeback. They had to have a star violin virtuoso, the luminous Melanie Laurent (of ”Inglourious Basterds”) for an outstanding first night’s performance at a prestigious theatre in Paris. The Tchaikovsky Concerto was played beautifully. This is a truly an adult film. I saw it twice and liked it even better the second time around. Another one is THE TILLMAN STORY, about the death of Pat Tillman, former pro football player who turned Army Ranger and was killed in Afghanistan, but the real story was covered up. He was killed by friendly fire. Josh Brolin narrates. Two lovely foreign films: MAO’S LAST DANCER is the true story of a small boy’s steps from poverty as a classical dancer in communist China to international stardom as he dances with the Houston Ballet. Li Cunxin is an amazing dancer and humanitarian. A beautiful film.
WAS ANXIOUS to see the life story of John Lennon, NOWHERE BOY, celebrating his 70th birthday. His life as a young boy in Liverpool was very good. Gave me more of an insight in his later life, with and after The Beatles.
Writer/director Rob Reiner had another charmer out: FLIPPED, a ‘60s coming-of-age story of two families with children who live across the street from each other and are quite different. It’s lovely. The two kids (male and female) do a flip-flop while growing up. Lots of period detail typical of the ‘60s.
The second film of the Swedish Stieg Larsson trilogy, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, has you literally sitting on the edge of your seat from beginning to end with brutal violence, rape, strong sexuality. The third film of the trilogy, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST, is the least violent of the three but excellent. Next year will see us watching these three films remade in America with English dialogue, starring Daniel Craig (James Bond) and newcomer Rooney Mara. Her two great-great-grandfathers, Tim Mara and Art Rooney, founded the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ben Affleck directed, starred and co-wrote THE TOWN. Will this be another GOOD WILL HUNTING for him? Maybe even better than good. Michael Douglas reprises his role of the past hot film, WALL STREET, with WALL STREET, MONEY NEVER SLEEPS. .
Had enuff? Wait, there’s more. In BLUE VALENTINE, Ryan Gosling and beautiful Michelle Williams use one night to try and save their failing marriage. Some of the most explicit sex scenes I’ve ever seen. Their NC-17 rating is being
challenged as I write this. Russell Crowe was wonderful in THE NEXT THREE DAYS as he tries to get his wife out of, or escaped from, prison for serving a murder she did not commit. FAIR GAME was excellent with Naomi Watts playing Valerie Plame, the CIA agent who was “outed” by the Bush White House.
Her husband, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, played by Sean Penn, fought the charge. Didn’t see BURLESQUE yet, but expect to see Cher at her best. MADE IN DAGENHAM has female workers in an English Ford plant walk out because of discrimination in ’66. Sally Hawkins shines, as does Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson and the lovely Rosamund Pike.
Kevin Spacey heads up an excellent cast in CASINO JACK, the story of jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. COMPANY MEN was good with Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper and Kevin Costner; it’s about down-sizing work forces and redefining their lives. Affleck directed, starred in and co-wrote THE TOWN, a subtle thriller also starring Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall. Looks like it’s Affleck’s year.
BLACK SWAN, Darren Aronofsky’s dark ballet film, stars Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder. Competitive intrigue occurs, along with sex scenes. Ballet master is played by Vincent Cassel, who was compelling in the two French MESRINE films. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart give outstanding performances in RABBIT HOLE as the grieving parents of a deceased son. Equally fine performances by young Miles Teller, Dianne Wiest and Sandra Oh.
Javier Bardem and the remarkable Argentine actress Maricel Alvarez give heart-wrenching performances in Alejandro Gonzáles Inárritu’s BIUTIFUL.
In my opinion, the best picture this year is THE KING’S SPEECH, starring Colin Firth as the would-be King of England who must conquer his uncontrollable stammer. Geoffrey Rush plays his speech therapist, excellently. Helen Bonham Carter heads an outstanding supporting cast, including a surprise turn by Guy Pearce as Edward VIII. It’s already racking up major accolades, with more to come, no doubt.
That’s it folks.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
IN THE WINGS - MARCH 2010 - THEATER
NOW FOR SOME LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: LOTS GOING ON ON THE STAGES IN L.A. Our new, young, extremely talented Venezuelan, our own LA Philharmonic music director, Gustavo Dudamel, will conduct a few more concerts at Disney Hall before heading out on a whirlwind European tour with the L.A. Phil orchestra. Our fair-haired former conductor laureate, Esa-Pekka Salonen, returns to give us a few concert appearances in November . Congrats! Our Hollywood Bowl was named the best outdoor concert venue for the sixth year in a row.
THE CIVIC CENTER GROUP has a couple of winners: Frank Gilroy’s Prize-winning THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES starring Martin Sheen (who played the son decades ago on Broadway), Frances Conroy and THE HURT LOCKER’s Brian Geraghty at the Mark Taper. DREAMGIRLS, the sensational musical, is at the Ahmanson.
WE ALL HOPE that the beautiful and historic Pasadena Playhouse will re-open again and soon.
HOLLYWOOD’S PANTAGES THEATER has a most outstanding array of Broadway hits coming up in 2010 and 2011. Following THE COLOR PURPLE, the Broadway hit CATS comes in. Who can forget the beautiful song “Memories” without shedding a tear? CHICAGO arrives in April for only three weeks (tickets are on sale now), 101 DALMATIONS in June with Sara Gettelfinger (NINE and PIPPIN) starring as Cruella De Vil: IN THE HEIGHTS, PHANTOM of the OPERA, WEST SIDE STORY and a host more.Wow!
THE GEFFEN in Westwood has the amazing actress Annette Bening starring in THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES, only until March 14. NIGHTMARE ALLEY, a dark musical about traveling carnivals dominating the dustbowl era, arrives in
April with Broadway star James Barbour heading a colorful cast of characters. Gilbert Cates directs. Should be interesting. In their smaller space, the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre, Ed Harris concludes his successful run of Neil LaBute’s solo monologue play WRECKS on the 7th. Daniel Beaty follows with his new one-man show THROUGH THE NIGHT on March 16. He deals with family, community and the power of possibility.
THE COLONY THEATRE IN BURBANK always presents exciting productions such as the current CELADINE, about. a playwright with a case of writer’s block.
March is a month of madness at the lovely LA MIRADA THEATRE: Four Lads doing Abbey Road Classic Albums (12th), The Young Dubliners celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on the 13th, Ed Asner as FDR based on “Sunrise at Campobello (20th), Debbie Reynolds on the 27th. For info call (714) 994-6310. THE FALCON THEATRE in Burbank has THE PSYCHIC, a comedy, where a down-on-his-luck writer hangs a sign in his window “Readings $25.00" to make his rent payments.
OUR SMALLER STAGES have some great productions: GREENWAY COURT on Fairfax brings back a new SALAM SHALOM with a plea for universal respect and understanding; it’s a love story. A NOISE WITHIN offers The Bard’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING with J.D. Cullum heading the cast. THE PACIFIC RESIDENT THEATRE in Venice has two great shows in two theatres: Terrence Rattigan’s masterpiece, THE BROWNING VERSION, keeps extending its run, by popular demand, and the excellent LOYALTIES where people’s deepest loyalties are questioned..
A SONG AT TWILIGHT by Noel Coward is brilliantly acted by three real pros, Orson Bean, Alley Mills and Laurie O’Brien at the ODDYSSEY THEATRE on Sepulveda. David Rogge, featured, is also excellent. Also, AN ACT OF REPARATION is a true story of how one man defied the Nazis in World War II. THE RUSKIN GROUP always has good productions. Presently they have writer/actor Cris D’Annunzio doing his one-man story-telling of DIGGING UP DAD. He got fabulous reviews: “Powerful, mesmerizing, incredibly funny.” Ruskin Group at the Santa Monica Airport.
THEATRE FORTY AT Reuben Cordova Theatre on the Beverly Hills High School campus has an interesting award-winning Canadian classic, THE DRAWER BOY, about a city actor who uncovers a long-buried family secret while on a research project. Opens the 31st. Their recent fundraiser events were hugely successful. One starred Salome Jens and Mitchell Ryan; the other had Ed Asner, Joe Estevez and David Hunt Stafford in a staged reading of URANIUM & PEACHES.
THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE, in honor of Black History Month, presents THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL, the 1955 story of a murdered 14-year-old that helped spark the civil rights movement. Beautifully done. WIREHEAD is worth seeing at Echo Theatre Company, Stage 52 at 5299 Washington Blvd.
TWO wonderful plays in the valley. The VICTORY THEATER in Burbank has a provocative drama, OLD GLORY; while not directly political, it will make you think and feel about the price of war. On a lighter note, the hilarious musical comedy DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS is at the Interact in the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood. I saw this on Broadway but this production mounted on a small stage is superb. The two con men are so good. See this before the end of March.
LA has a new theatre company (even in these trying times) called THE STELLA ADLER LOS ANGELES THEATRE COLLECTIVE headed by Artistic Director John Jack Rodgers. The inaugural season begins the 19th with THE CHARM OF MAKING. An amazing array of talent comprises the membership. Plays take place at Hollywood’s Stella Adler Theatre. Good luck.
That’s a lot of good theatre in Los Angeles. Can you top this?
Back soon with more.
Until then, xoxo. Harriette
THE CIVIC CENTER GROUP has a couple of winners: Frank Gilroy’s Prize-winning THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES starring Martin Sheen (who played the son decades ago on Broadway), Frances Conroy and THE HURT LOCKER’s Brian Geraghty at the Mark Taper. DREAMGIRLS, the sensational musical, is at the Ahmanson.
WE ALL HOPE that the beautiful and historic Pasadena Playhouse will re-open again and soon.
HOLLYWOOD’S PANTAGES THEATER has a most outstanding array of Broadway hits coming up in 2010 and 2011. Following THE COLOR PURPLE, the Broadway hit CATS comes in. Who can forget the beautiful song “Memories” without shedding a tear? CHICAGO arrives in April for only three weeks (tickets are on sale now), 101 DALMATIONS in June with Sara Gettelfinger (NINE and PIPPIN) starring as Cruella De Vil: IN THE HEIGHTS, PHANTOM of the OPERA, WEST SIDE STORY and a host more.Wow!
THE GEFFEN in Westwood has the amazing actress Annette Bening starring in THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES, only until March 14. NIGHTMARE ALLEY, a dark musical about traveling carnivals dominating the dustbowl era, arrives in
April with Broadway star James Barbour heading a colorful cast of characters. Gilbert Cates directs. Should be interesting. In their smaller space, the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre, Ed Harris concludes his successful run of Neil LaBute’s solo monologue play WRECKS on the 7th. Daniel Beaty follows with his new one-man show THROUGH THE NIGHT on March 16. He deals with family, community and the power of possibility.
THE COLONY THEATRE IN BURBANK always presents exciting productions such as the current CELADINE, about. a playwright with a case of writer’s block.
March is a month of madness at the lovely LA MIRADA THEATRE: Four Lads doing Abbey Road Classic Albums (12th), The Young Dubliners celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on the 13th, Ed Asner as FDR based on “Sunrise at Campobello (20th), Debbie Reynolds on the 27th. For info call (714) 994-6310. THE FALCON THEATRE in Burbank has THE PSYCHIC, a comedy, where a down-on-his-luck writer hangs a sign in his window “Readings $25.00" to make his rent payments.
OUR SMALLER STAGES have some great productions: GREENWAY COURT on Fairfax brings back a new SALAM SHALOM with a plea for universal respect and understanding; it’s a love story. A NOISE WITHIN offers The Bard’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING with J.D. Cullum heading the cast. THE PACIFIC RESIDENT THEATRE in Venice has two great shows in two theatres: Terrence Rattigan’s masterpiece, THE BROWNING VERSION, keeps extending its run, by popular demand, and the excellent LOYALTIES where people’s deepest loyalties are questioned..
A SONG AT TWILIGHT by Noel Coward is brilliantly acted by three real pros, Orson Bean, Alley Mills and Laurie O’Brien at the ODDYSSEY THEATRE on Sepulveda. David Rogge, featured, is also excellent. Also, AN ACT OF REPARATION is a true story of how one man defied the Nazis in World War II. THE RUSKIN GROUP always has good productions. Presently they have writer/actor Cris D’Annunzio doing his one-man story-telling of DIGGING UP DAD. He got fabulous reviews: “Powerful, mesmerizing, incredibly funny.” Ruskin Group at the Santa Monica Airport.
THEATRE FORTY AT Reuben Cordova Theatre on the Beverly Hills High School campus has an interesting award-winning Canadian classic, THE DRAWER BOY, about a city actor who uncovers a long-buried family secret while on a research project. Opens the 31st. Their recent fundraiser events were hugely successful. One starred Salome Jens and Mitchell Ryan; the other had Ed Asner, Joe Estevez and David Hunt Stafford in a staged reading of URANIUM & PEACHES.
THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE, in honor of Black History Month, presents THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL, the 1955 story of a murdered 14-year-old that helped spark the civil rights movement. Beautifully done. WIREHEAD is worth seeing at Echo Theatre Company, Stage 52 at 5299 Washington Blvd.
TWO wonderful plays in the valley. The VICTORY THEATER in Burbank has a provocative drama, OLD GLORY; while not directly political, it will make you think and feel about the price of war. On a lighter note, the hilarious musical comedy DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS is at the Interact in the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood. I saw this on Broadway but this production mounted on a small stage is superb. The two con men are so good. See this before the end of March.
LA has a new theatre company (even in these trying times) called THE STELLA ADLER LOS ANGELES THEATRE COLLECTIVE headed by Artistic Director John Jack Rodgers. The inaugural season begins the 19th with THE CHARM OF MAKING. An amazing array of talent comprises the membership. Plays take place at Hollywood’s Stella Adler Theatre. Good luck.
That’s a lot of good theatre in Los Angeles. Can you top this?
Back soon with more.
Until then, xoxo. Harriette
IN THE WINGS - MARCH 2010 - FILMS
APPLAUSE, ACCOLADES, AWARDS…. There’s no shortage of trophies being handed out at this time and they’re all over, save for the granddaddy of them all, THE OSCARS®. Among those out were the Golden Globes (Hollywood Foreign Press Association), Directors, SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and the International Press Academy, to name a few. The Oscar nominations are out and there are some heavyweights qualifying. Interesting race is between James Cameron’s AVATAR and THE HURT LOCKER, the Iraq-themed drama directed by Katherine Bigelow, Cameron’s ex-wife. Is this going to be the ex-spouses’ war for best picture?
– This single event attracts audiences and interests from all over the world. Don’t be surprised if the Brits walk off with a good share of the Oscars. The show will be hosted by the duo of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Should be a great program. The Oscar® for female talent is a toss-up this year. Meryl Streep is by far the best actress around and was outstanding as Julia Child, but Sandra Bullock (BLIND SPOT) is a Hollywood person and a fine actress as well, so the award may possibly go to her. We’ll see it all and know all the answers on March 7. All the bling will be returned to their rightful owners the next day.
New films out are not too plentiful yet but here are a few new hopefuls: Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio have a biggie called SHUTTER ISLAND. It’s a thriller investigating the disappearance of an escaped murderess from a prison for the insane. She is believed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. Sir Ben Kingsley also stars. Sounds scary but good, and had great opening-weekend box-office.
Other new films are: HAPPY TEARS, an interesting one about the most dysfunctional family I’ve ever seen. Stars Parker Posey, Demi Moore, Rip Torn and a job well done by Ellen Barkin. Christian Camargo, who played Posey’s artist husband, was also seen in THE HURT LOCKER. ECLIPSE is a brilliantly crafted supernatural drama, set in an Irish seaside town. FROM PARIS WITH LOVE is a thriller taking us through the Paris underworld. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a low- level CIA operative in Paris who is promoted, and his new partner is special agent John Travolta… now, the excitement begins.
JUST RETURNED from seeing a lovely, sweet film, THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF, in which the “name” actors are William Hurt and Maria Bello (both were in THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE with Viggo Mortensen) and Kristen Stewart from the TWILIGHT films, but you’ll be seeing a lot of young Brit Eddie Redmayne. Pic deals with three strangers of two generations who embark on a road trip through post-Katrina Louisiana. CHLOE is an erotic thriller starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and lovely Amanda Seyfried (Meryl’s daughter in MAMA MIA). FORMOSA BETRAYED is inspired by actual events involving the murder of a Taiwanese-American professor in the U,S. Stars John Heard and James Van Der Beek. A PROPHET is the French entry for best Foreign film, in which a 19-year-old illiterate part-Arab is condemned to six years in a prison run by a Corsican gang. He’s a quick study and we’ll be seeing a lot more of this fine young actor Tahar Raahim. He was amazing in this.
And, THE GOOD GUY is a romantic dramedy where Alexis Bledel falls for a Wall Street hotshot (Scott Porter). That’s all the films for now.
-XOXO Harriette
– This single event attracts audiences and interests from all over the world. Don’t be surprised if the Brits walk off with a good share of the Oscars. The show will be hosted by the duo of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Should be a great program. The Oscar® for female talent is a toss-up this year. Meryl Streep is by far the best actress around and was outstanding as Julia Child, but Sandra Bullock (BLIND SPOT) is a Hollywood person and a fine actress as well, so the award may possibly go to her. We’ll see it all and know all the answers on March 7. All the bling will be returned to their rightful owners the next day.
New films out are not too plentiful yet but here are a few new hopefuls: Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio have a biggie called SHUTTER ISLAND. It’s a thriller investigating the disappearance of an escaped murderess from a prison for the insane. She is believed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. Sir Ben Kingsley also stars. Sounds scary but good, and had great opening-weekend box-office.
Other new films are: HAPPY TEARS, an interesting one about the most dysfunctional family I’ve ever seen. Stars Parker Posey, Demi Moore, Rip Torn and a job well done by Ellen Barkin. Christian Camargo, who played Posey’s artist husband, was also seen in THE HURT LOCKER. ECLIPSE is a brilliantly crafted supernatural drama, set in an Irish seaside town. FROM PARIS WITH LOVE is a thriller taking us through the Paris underworld. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a low- level CIA operative in Paris who is promoted, and his new partner is special agent John Travolta… now, the excitement begins.
JUST RETURNED from seeing a lovely, sweet film, THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF, in which the “name” actors are William Hurt and Maria Bello (both were in THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE with Viggo Mortensen) and Kristen Stewart from the TWILIGHT films, but you’ll be seeing a lot of young Brit Eddie Redmayne. Pic deals with three strangers of two generations who embark on a road trip through post-Katrina Louisiana. CHLOE is an erotic thriller starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and lovely Amanda Seyfried (Meryl’s daughter in MAMA MIA). FORMOSA BETRAYED is inspired by actual events involving the murder of a Taiwanese-American professor in the U,S. Stars John Heard and James Van Der Beek. A PROPHET is the French entry for best Foreign film, in which a 19-year-old illiterate part-Arab is condemned to six years in a prison run by a Corsican gang. He’s a quick study and we’ll be seeing a lot more of this fine young actor Tahar Raahim. He was amazing in this.
And, THE GOOD GUY is a romantic dramedy where Alexis Bledel falls for a Wall Street hotshot (Scott Porter). That’s all the films for now.
-XOXO Harriette
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
IN THE WINGS - December 2009 - THEATER
ON STAGE IN LA: But before talking about theatre, we have a new arrival on the LA scene. That is our successor to Esa-Pekka Salonen, famed composer and music director of the LA Philharmonic. 28-year-old talented and charismatic Gustavo Dudamel takes over the chair as Music Director of the Phil. Venezuelan, dimpled, curly haired and deeply involved in assisting young musicians, Dudamel is a huge asset to our city. Bienvenido Gustavo!
We have such wonderful smaller theatres in town. The Rustin Group Theatre at the Santa Monica Airport has some very clever and innovative productions going always. Currently playing is ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION by John Patrick Shanley (DOUBT) with a fine cast in a light, fun comedy. Perfect for this season. Their last play was MUNITY AT PORT CHICAGO, a true story about an explosion in 1944 in the Bay area. Fifty navy men were imprisoned, charged with mutiny. Excellent play.
Ron Sossi’s Odyssey Theatre always has fine productions. MERCY WARREN’S TEA is currently playing. It deals with America’s first woman playwright and historian welcoming the daughters of the American Revolution, Abigail Adams and Peggy Arnold to a politically charged tea party. Megan Mullaly stars in a dark comedy, THE RECEPTIONIST. She is wonderful and the play has been extended by popular demand. NO MAN’S LAND, Pinter’s brilliant drawing-room comedy runs until the 19th.
LIFE COULD BE A DREAM (Sha-Boom), by the writer of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, continues on Hollywood’s Hudson Mainstage.
The Santa Monica Playhouse has LOVE IN BLOOM, and T. Rattigan’s THE BROWNING VERSION continues at the Pacific Resident. Edward Albee’s THREE TALL WOMEN is at Hollywood’s El Centro. Burbank’s Victory Theatre always presents good theatre. MOLLY has a love quadrangle gone awry. Their previous show, TEN CENT NIGHT, was outstanding. NOISES OFF, Frayne’s frenetic farce within a farce, is at A Noise Within in Glendale.
The charming Pico Playhouse has just finished a fascinating play, THE VALUE OF NAMES, dealing with the old Hollywood Blacklist. Beautifully directed by Howard Teichman and starring Peter Mark Richman, Malachi Throne and Stasha Surdyke. The play and the set were excellent and the new theatre is lovely.
Tim Robbins’ The Actors’ Gang is doing some interesting community/ecology work before the Holidays at the Ivy Substation in Culver City. Wish he would bring back THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE about the Pan Am crash in Scotland. Subject is so current again.
On larger stages, The Colony in the valley has ventriloquist Jay Johnson: THE TWO AND ONLY, back by popular demand. Their previous hit, BETTER ANGELS, on Abraham Lincoln’s First Innaugural address was great.
The second season at the beautiful new Broad Stage (at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center) had an exciting production of Shakespeare’s LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST by London’s famous Old Globe Theatre personnel. A marvelous production.
EQUIVOCATION featuring Harry Groener and Joe Spano is at the Geffen.
BABY IT’S YOU!, a fantastic musical of the ‘60s.is at the Pasadena Playhouse. The Dr.Seuss musical, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! starring the wonderful John Larroquette is at the Pantages in Hollywood. PALESTINE, NEW MEXICO, from the Culture Clash at the Mark Taper.
A Holiday Happening: IT’S YOUR TURN is the 50th Annual LA County Holiday celebration at the Pavilion of the Music Center downtown, Thursday, December 24, starting at 2:30pm. Music and dance from all nations. Free admission and parking. For the entire family to enjoy.
Guess what’s in store for us next year? THE COLOR PURPLE, THAT’S WHAT. Oprah Winfrey’s hit movie and the Broadway play with it’s star Fantasia will be coming to our Pantages Theatre in Hollywood in February for only three weeks. Let’s get our tickets as soon as they go on sale.
Happy Holidays to all with good wishes for a great New Year with peace and good health.
XOXO, Harriette
We have such wonderful smaller theatres in town. The Rustin Group Theatre at the Santa Monica Airport has some very clever and innovative productions going always. Currently playing is ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION by John Patrick Shanley (DOUBT) with a fine cast in a light, fun comedy. Perfect for this season. Their last play was MUNITY AT PORT CHICAGO, a true story about an explosion in 1944 in the Bay area. Fifty navy men were imprisoned, charged with mutiny. Excellent play.
Ron Sossi’s Odyssey Theatre always has fine productions. MERCY WARREN’S TEA is currently playing. It deals with America’s first woman playwright and historian welcoming the daughters of the American Revolution, Abigail Adams and Peggy Arnold to a politically charged tea party. Megan Mullaly stars in a dark comedy, THE RECEPTIONIST. She is wonderful and the play has been extended by popular demand. NO MAN’S LAND, Pinter’s brilliant drawing-room comedy runs until the 19th.
LIFE COULD BE A DREAM (Sha-Boom), by the writer of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, continues on Hollywood’s Hudson Mainstage.
The Santa Monica Playhouse has LOVE IN BLOOM, and T. Rattigan’s THE BROWNING VERSION continues at the Pacific Resident. Edward Albee’s THREE TALL WOMEN is at Hollywood’s El Centro. Burbank’s Victory Theatre always presents good theatre. MOLLY has a love quadrangle gone awry. Their previous show, TEN CENT NIGHT, was outstanding. NOISES OFF, Frayne’s frenetic farce within a farce, is at A Noise Within in Glendale.
The charming Pico Playhouse has just finished a fascinating play, THE VALUE OF NAMES, dealing with the old Hollywood Blacklist. Beautifully directed by Howard Teichman and starring Peter Mark Richman, Malachi Throne and Stasha Surdyke. The play and the set were excellent and the new theatre is lovely.
Tim Robbins’ The Actors’ Gang is doing some interesting community/ecology work before the Holidays at the Ivy Substation in Culver City. Wish he would bring back THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE about the Pan Am crash in Scotland. Subject is so current again.
On larger stages, The Colony in the valley has ventriloquist Jay Johnson: THE TWO AND ONLY, back by popular demand. Their previous hit, BETTER ANGELS, on Abraham Lincoln’s First Innaugural address was great.
The second season at the beautiful new Broad Stage (at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center) had an exciting production of Shakespeare’s LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST by London’s famous Old Globe Theatre personnel. A marvelous production.
EQUIVOCATION featuring Harry Groener and Joe Spano is at the Geffen.
BABY IT’S YOU!, a fantastic musical of the ‘60s.is at the Pasadena Playhouse. The Dr.Seuss musical, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! starring the wonderful John Larroquette is at the Pantages in Hollywood. PALESTINE, NEW MEXICO, from the Culture Clash at the Mark Taper.
A Holiday Happening: IT’S YOUR TURN is the 50th Annual LA County Holiday celebration at the Pavilion of the Music Center downtown, Thursday, December 24, starting at 2:30pm. Music and dance from all nations. Free admission and parking. For the entire family to enjoy.
Guess what’s in store for us next year? THE COLOR PURPLE, THAT’S WHAT. Oprah Winfrey’s hit movie and the Broadway play with it’s star Fantasia will be coming to our Pantages Theatre in Hollywood in February for only three weeks. Let’s get our tickets as soon as they go on sale.
Happy Holidays to all with good wishes for a great New Year with peace and good health.
XOXO, Harriette
Monday, December 7, 2009
IN THE WINGS - December 2009 - FILMS
OMG!! It’s Winter and getting colder, darker earlier and the Summer Sillies are gone. Now it’s time for some grown-up movies at last. There are some really good ones already out and coming up.
If course we loved JULIE & JULIA. Meryl Streep as Julia Child can do no wrong-ever. She not only sounded like Julia Child but even looked like her and that’s a stretch. Another award-winning actress playing a well known figure is Hilary Swank as the first female aviatrix, Amelia Earhart. She was wonderful but, unfortunately, her material wasn’t. Another amazing actress is Carrie Mulligan in the British film AN EDUCATION, where a young girl is smitten with a fast-living older man in ‘60s London. Two more lovely British films featuring women in the leads which, unfortunately didn’t last long, are Jane Campion’s BRIGHT STAR with beautiful Abbie Cornish as the young girl who falls in love with her neighbor. Poet John Keats, in this beautiful period piece; and Audrey Tautau in COCO BEFORE CHANEL.
PRECIOUS is an Oprah Winfrey/Tyler Perry-produced film about a severely obese pregnant Harlem teenager who tries to overcome impossible odds to find a chance to live a new life. Good heartwrenching, uplifting story with a cast of stars playing unbelievably unrecognizable roles. Sandra Bullock stars in and produces THE BLIND SIDE, about befriending a poor, young African American kid and helping him with school and becoming a football star; it’s from a true story. So much for women’s films.
More adult films: BROKEN EMBRACES, a Pedro Almodovar film starring Penelope Cruz is a beauty and a must-see. Just to say that this is in flashback doesn’t do this beautifully sensitive film justice. It deals with jealousy and revenge and is excellent. Cruz is gorgeous, and watch for Jose Luis Gomez, her leading man. Fine actor, good looking Spaniard we should see more of. A SINGLE MAN with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore during the Cuban missile crisis. In BROTHERS, another film for adults, a missing Marine in Afghanistan is believed dead, and his brother cares for his wife and children. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire. INVICTUS is a true story of how Nelson Mandela gets involved in South Africa’s rugby team. Morgan Freeman stars in this Clint Eastwood-directed movie.
Now for the extremely popular scary ones- even the animated kid films, the Christmas ones, are scary. The Disney classic, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG; PLANET 51, about alien invasions (for kiddies?); FANTASTIC MR. FOX, with George Clooney and Meryl Streep; A CHRISTMAS CAROL, in which Jim Carrey plays multiple roles. It’s in 3-D animation. Then we have ALVIN AND THE CHIPMONKS, THE SEQUEL, more animation. Hold on to your seats, kiddies or your Mom’s arm.
Ready for more? Blood-sucker, spine curdling, alien vampire films are: THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is already a box-office blockbuster with hunky Taylor Lautner giving Robert Pattinson some competition; PLANET 51 with little green people; James Cameron’s AVATAR has humanoids in this sci-fi epic; THE FOURTH KIND has more aliens; 2012 is another disaster picture starring John Cusack, where the world ends! THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS is Heath Ledger’s last film about a deal with the devil. Also stars Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Christopher Plummer. Had enough? The original DRACULA was the best of ‘em all.
Now, I’m waiting for two films to come out before the year ends and the hubbub for Academy Awards hoopla starts. They are SHERLOCK HOLMES with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law and the Broadway hit musical NINE (which starred Antonio Banderas on stage) and now stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a world-famous film director as he tries to balance the numerous women in his life. They are a bevy of stars; Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren. It’s inspired by Fellini’s 8 ½.
Wow! Enough movies? Are you ready for legit stage?
See my next post. Have a wonderful Holiday and a very Happy New Year.
XOXO Harriette
If course we loved JULIE & JULIA. Meryl Streep as Julia Child can do no wrong-ever. She not only sounded like Julia Child but even looked like her and that’s a stretch. Another award-winning actress playing a well known figure is Hilary Swank as the first female aviatrix, Amelia Earhart. She was wonderful but, unfortunately, her material wasn’t. Another amazing actress is Carrie Mulligan in the British film AN EDUCATION, where a young girl is smitten with a fast-living older man in ‘60s London. Two more lovely British films featuring women in the leads which, unfortunately didn’t last long, are Jane Campion’s BRIGHT STAR with beautiful Abbie Cornish as the young girl who falls in love with her neighbor. Poet John Keats, in this beautiful period piece; and Audrey Tautau in COCO BEFORE CHANEL.
PRECIOUS is an Oprah Winfrey/Tyler Perry-produced film about a severely obese pregnant Harlem teenager who tries to overcome impossible odds to find a chance to live a new life. Good heartwrenching, uplifting story with a cast of stars playing unbelievably unrecognizable roles. Sandra Bullock stars in and produces THE BLIND SIDE, about befriending a poor, young African American kid and helping him with school and becoming a football star; it’s from a true story. So much for women’s films.
More adult films: BROKEN EMBRACES, a Pedro Almodovar film starring Penelope Cruz is a beauty and a must-see. Just to say that this is in flashback doesn’t do this beautifully sensitive film justice. It deals with jealousy and revenge and is excellent. Cruz is gorgeous, and watch for Jose Luis Gomez, her leading man. Fine actor, good looking Spaniard we should see more of. A SINGLE MAN with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore during the Cuban missile crisis. In BROTHERS, another film for adults, a missing Marine in Afghanistan is believed dead, and his brother cares for his wife and children. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire. INVICTUS is a true story of how Nelson Mandela gets involved in South Africa’s rugby team. Morgan Freeman stars in this Clint Eastwood-directed movie.
Now for the extremely popular scary ones- even the animated kid films, the Christmas ones, are scary. The Disney classic, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG; PLANET 51, about alien invasions (for kiddies?); FANTASTIC MR. FOX, with George Clooney and Meryl Streep; A CHRISTMAS CAROL, in which Jim Carrey plays multiple roles. It’s in 3-D animation. Then we have ALVIN AND THE CHIPMONKS, THE SEQUEL, more animation. Hold on to your seats, kiddies or your Mom’s arm.
Ready for more? Blood-sucker, spine curdling, alien vampire films are: THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is already a box-office blockbuster with hunky Taylor Lautner giving Robert Pattinson some competition; PLANET 51 with little green people; James Cameron’s AVATAR has humanoids in this sci-fi epic; THE FOURTH KIND has more aliens; 2012 is another disaster picture starring John Cusack, where the world ends! THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS is Heath Ledger’s last film about a deal with the devil. Also stars Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Christopher Plummer. Had enough? The original DRACULA was the best of ‘em all.
Now, I’m waiting for two films to come out before the year ends and the hubbub for Academy Awards hoopla starts. They are SHERLOCK HOLMES with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law and the Broadway hit musical NINE (which starred Antonio Banderas on stage) and now stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a world-famous film director as he tries to balance the numerous women in his life. They are a bevy of stars; Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren. It’s inspired by Fellini’s 8 ½.
Wow! Enough movies? Are you ready for legit stage?
See my next post. Have a wonderful Holiday and a very Happy New Year.
XOXO Harriette
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
IN THE WINGS - August 2009
SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY, with apologies to George Gershwin. Just step into a cool air-conditioned theatre and get a good rush of entertaining respite. Tittilation, relaxation and a good rush of adrenaline filled action and High school Disney kiddie and Monster films, along with porn-like films such as BRUNO, HUMPDAY, HUNG will be yours for the high price of a ticket. Enjoy, if you can for now, and we’ll wait till fall for the more adult movies to come our way.
Out now to fill those emotions are: JULIE & JULIA with Meryl Strep playing Julia Child, and beautifully, I might say, along with Amy Adams as she captures the Queen of the French culinary world.. I also saw funny man Larry David capturing Woody Allen as no one can in WHATEVER WORKS. Pictures I also enjoyed were:
FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN, an Irish political thriller with stirring performances by Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt; WEATHER GIRL has producer Tricia O’Kelley in the lead as her biological clock is ticking loudly; FLAME & CITRON is a World War II thriller of two legendary Danish patriots, Flame & Citron, who work undercover when Copenhagen is occupied by Nazi forces.
TWO MORE THAT I’VE SEEN ARE: PAPER HEART, a documentary about a love skeptic who embarks on a cross country journey to interview people on love. And, TAKING WOODSTOCK, directed by Ang Lee, which takes us back forty years to reveal how the history-making musical event concert came about. Demetri Martin, who played the pivotal role, is a comer. Watch for him. A film that I’m looking forward to seing soon is INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino--- another World War II epic in Nazi-occupied France. Brad Pitt stars as a group of American Jewish soldiers are picked to spread fear throughout the Third Reich with acts of retribution against the Nazis.
Enough movies? Now, read on for what’s around in the theatuh:
WE ARE SO LUCKY here in L.A. to have such good theatre in the smaller equity-waiver houses and the larger venues. Especially now that summer is here and open-air fare such as The Hollywood Bowl with amazing performances for all ages, The Greek Theatre as well. The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum does spectacular work, particularly Shakespearian, often adding stylish updates.
THE MAIN TREAT FOR ME WAS SEEING & HEARING TOPOL (again) in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. He stars as Tevye the milkman in the farewell touring company. Chaim Topol has performed this role more than 2500 times in the past 40 years. His magnificent voice still holds up. The entire cast, especially Susan Cella, who plays Golde, Tevye’s wife, is extraordinary. Just a few days left to rush to the Pantages Theater in Hollywood to see FIDDLER twice, if you’ve already seen it there. By the way, following FIDDLER, is the charming LEGALLY BLONDE , the musical, opening at the Pantages August 12. I really can’t wait to see this adorable play.
THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE has been playing CROWNS featuring a stage set with beautiful hanging hats for different moods, from a pillbox to an Aretha Franklin bird cage. Regina Taylor’s CROWNS celebrates African American women and their proud tradition of hats, especially in church. Lots of cultural studies, evangelical preaching, lots of music, including gospel and lots of fun. Remember Paula Kelly? She’s great as she teaches her non-believing granddaughter about tradition and hat finery. Charming theatre. Coming the end of this month is THE NIGHT IS A CHILD starring Jo-Beth Williams, bringing us the cultural pulse of the samba and Brazil. It’s to be directed by Sheldon Epps. Should be terrific.
TRY NOT TO MISS MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT. It’s hilarious. I saw it in New York and I laugh just thinking about it. At the Ahmanson Theatre, downtown.
ANOTHER marvelous musical, LOUIS & KEELY LIVE AT THE SAHARA is here, live in Westwood, at the Geffen Playhouse until the 30th. See it! Coming next month is MATHEW MODINE SAVES THE ALPACAS, the world premiere of a rollicking satire that parodies celebrity humanitarianism. Sounds like fun.
OUR SMALLER STAGES: Exquisite theatre to be found here: The Fountain always does fine shows and the current COMING HOME, Athol Fugard’s sensitive story deals with change. Set in South Africa 2005 where Veronica (Deidrie Henry) returns to her grandfather’s farm and her village after ten years of pursuing a career, determined to give her young son a new and better life. A tear or two was shed at this achingly beautiful story exposing contemporary life in South Africa. Wonderfully acted and beautifully directed by Stephen Sachs.
THE ODYSSEY in West L.A. also does excellent works under the tutelage of artistic director Ron Sossi. BACH AT LEIPZIG is a hilarious period farce as seven rival musicians compete to fill the most sought after musical post in Europe.
JULIA MIGENES, the beautiful opera star with the most magnificent voice, stars in FRANZ SCHUBERT: HIS LETTERS & MUSIC revealing the genius of the Austrian composer through his songs and writings. She is assisted by actor Jeff Marlow as Schubert and pianist Victoria Kirsch. Marvelous show.
A CHARMING LITTLE THEATRE is at the Santa Monica Airport, The Ruskin Group Theatre, Now playing, MUTINY AT PORT CHICAGO, a powerful true event that took place in 1944 when a catastrophic explosion in northern California destroyed an entire town and two ships. Fifty survivors (Navy men) were imprisoned for mutiny. Incredible performances and story.
A NOISE WITHIN, the wonderful production company housed in Glendale is moving to a new and beautiful Pasadena venue in 2010. While still at their own Glendale home, at 234 Brand Blvd., they are presenting Shakespeare’s RICHARD THE III, followed by CRIME & PUNISHMENT and NOISES OFF. Good luck!
GOOD THEATRE is also seen at the Pacific Resident in Venice. You just have a short time to see Bertolt Brecht’s comedy SAINT JOAN OF THE SLAUGHTERHOUSES, unless it’s extended again. It’s about a naïve social worker’s attempts to bring down a meat-packing titan.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: Two wonderful plays I’ve seen: 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS at the Colony in Burbank. At the piano with very fresh repartee are talented Roy Abramsohn and Jeffrey Rockwell portraying the originators Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt.: TEN CENT NIGHT, at the Victory Theatre in Burbank, was a delightful night of original theatre. After a famous country singer shoots himself dead, his musician daughter heads for home. With a guitar case full of stolen cash and a penchant for finding trouble, Roby returns home. (Tara Buck is great). Action takes place on the Texas porch. It’s great as is Maria Gobetti’s direction.
ANXIOUSLY AWAITING the opening of BREAKING AND ENTERING, Colin Mitchell’s intriguing mystery at Theatre 40 on the campus of Beverly Hills High School.
Whew! That was a lot of info. More coming next month.
Until then, adios & adieu. xoxo Harriette
Out now to fill those emotions are: JULIE & JULIA with Meryl Strep playing Julia Child, and beautifully, I might say, along with Amy Adams as she captures the Queen of the French culinary world.. I also saw funny man Larry David capturing Woody Allen as no one can in WHATEVER WORKS. Pictures I also enjoyed were:
FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN, an Irish political thriller with stirring performances by Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt; WEATHER GIRL has producer Tricia O’Kelley in the lead as her biological clock is ticking loudly; FLAME & CITRON is a World War II thriller of two legendary Danish patriots, Flame & Citron, who work undercover when Copenhagen is occupied by Nazi forces.
TWO MORE THAT I’VE SEEN ARE: PAPER HEART, a documentary about a love skeptic who embarks on a cross country journey to interview people on love. And, TAKING WOODSTOCK, directed by Ang Lee, which takes us back forty years to reveal how the history-making musical event concert came about. Demetri Martin, who played the pivotal role, is a comer. Watch for him. A film that I’m looking forward to seing soon is INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino--- another World War II epic in Nazi-occupied France. Brad Pitt stars as a group of American Jewish soldiers are picked to spread fear throughout the Third Reich with acts of retribution against the Nazis.
Enough movies? Now, read on for what’s around in the theatuh:
WE ARE SO LUCKY here in L.A. to have such good theatre in the smaller equity-waiver houses and the larger venues. Especially now that summer is here and open-air fare such as The Hollywood Bowl with amazing performances for all ages, The Greek Theatre as well. The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum does spectacular work, particularly Shakespearian, often adding stylish updates.
THE MAIN TREAT FOR ME WAS SEEING & HEARING TOPOL (again) in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. He stars as Tevye the milkman in the farewell touring company. Chaim Topol has performed this role more than 2500 times in the past 40 years. His magnificent voice still holds up. The entire cast, especially Susan Cella, who plays Golde, Tevye’s wife, is extraordinary. Just a few days left to rush to the Pantages Theater in Hollywood to see FIDDLER twice, if you’ve already seen it there. By the way, following FIDDLER, is the charming LEGALLY BLONDE , the musical, opening at the Pantages August 12. I really can’t wait to see this adorable play.
THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE has been playing CROWNS featuring a stage set with beautiful hanging hats for different moods, from a pillbox to an Aretha Franklin bird cage. Regina Taylor’s CROWNS celebrates African American women and their proud tradition of hats, especially in church. Lots of cultural studies, evangelical preaching, lots of music, including gospel and lots of fun. Remember Paula Kelly? She’s great as she teaches her non-believing granddaughter about tradition and hat finery. Charming theatre. Coming the end of this month is THE NIGHT IS A CHILD starring Jo-Beth Williams, bringing us the cultural pulse of the samba and Brazil. It’s to be directed by Sheldon Epps. Should be terrific.
TRY NOT TO MISS MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT. It’s hilarious. I saw it in New York and I laugh just thinking about it. At the Ahmanson Theatre, downtown.
ANOTHER marvelous musical, LOUIS & KEELY LIVE AT THE SAHARA is here, live in Westwood, at the Geffen Playhouse until the 30th. See it! Coming next month is MATHEW MODINE SAVES THE ALPACAS, the world premiere of a rollicking satire that parodies celebrity humanitarianism. Sounds like fun.
OUR SMALLER STAGES: Exquisite theatre to be found here: The Fountain always does fine shows and the current COMING HOME, Athol Fugard’s sensitive story deals with change. Set in South Africa 2005 where Veronica (Deidrie Henry) returns to her grandfather’s farm and her village after ten years of pursuing a career, determined to give her young son a new and better life. A tear or two was shed at this achingly beautiful story exposing contemporary life in South Africa. Wonderfully acted and beautifully directed by Stephen Sachs.
THE ODYSSEY in West L.A. also does excellent works under the tutelage of artistic director Ron Sossi. BACH AT LEIPZIG is a hilarious period farce as seven rival musicians compete to fill the most sought after musical post in Europe.
JULIA MIGENES, the beautiful opera star with the most magnificent voice, stars in FRANZ SCHUBERT: HIS LETTERS & MUSIC revealing the genius of the Austrian composer through his songs and writings. She is assisted by actor Jeff Marlow as Schubert and pianist Victoria Kirsch. Marvelous show.
A CHARMING LITTLE THEATRE is at the Santa Monica Airport, The Ruskin Group Theatre, Now playing, MUTINY AT PORT CHICAGO, a powerful true event that took place in 1944 when a catastrophic explosion in northern California destroyed an entire town and two ships. Fifty survivors (Navy men) were imprisoned for mutiny. Incredible performances and story.
A NOISE WITHIN, the wonderful production company housed in Glendale is moving to a new and beautiful Pasadena venue in 2010. While still at their own Glendale home, at 234 Brand Blvd., they are presenting Shakespeare’s RICHARD THE III, followed by CRIME & PUNISHMENT and NOISES OFF. Good luck!
GOOD THEATRE is also seen at the Pacific Resident in Venice. You just have a short time to see Bertolt Brecht’s comedy SAINT JOAN OF THE SLAUGHTERHOUSES, unless it’s extended again. It’s about a naïve social worker’s attempts to bring down a meat-packing titan.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: Two wonderful plays I’ve seen: 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS at the Colony in Burbank. At the piano with very fresh repartee are talented Roy Abramsohn and Jeffrey Rockwell portraying the originators Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt.: TEN CENT NIGHT, at the Victory Theatre in Burbank, was a delightful night of original theatre. After a famous country singer shoots himself dead, his musician daughter heads for home. With a guitar case full of stolen cash and a penchant for finding trouble, Roby returns home. (Tara Buck is great). Action takes place on the Texas porch. It’s great as is Maria Gobetti’s direction.
ANXIOUSLY AWAITING the opening of BREAKING AND ENTERING, Colin Mitchell’s intriguing mystery at Theatre 40 on the campus of Beverly Hills High School.
Whew! That was a lot of info. More coming next month.
Until then, adios & adieu. xoxo Harriette
Sunday, June 7, 2009
An Addendum to the Last Post
THE LITTLE FOXES at the Pasadena Playhouse was worth the long drive to Pasadena from the Westside on a Friday night. No matter how dated this play is, Lillian Hellman’s words are wonderful to hear and hear rightly by this magnificent cast headed by the lovely Kelly McGillis, Julia Duffy and the men, too numerous to mention in this small space were all great as were the African American household couple,Yvette Cason and Cleavant Derricks.
This greedy, “aristocratic” Southern family with their machinations to “get more” could be part of our own contemporary world. Things don’t change much, do they?
Back to THE LITTLE FOXES, please try to see this at the Playhouse in Pasadena before the 28th of June. You will be amazed at the gorgeous set in this opulent Southern 1900 home and Damaso Rodriguez’s direction is perfecto.
Gosh, this was long. I don’t write reviews, just a short couple of lines. What came over me? I guess I liked it.
Hugs, Harriette
This greedy, “aristocratic” Southern family with their machinations to “get more” could be part of our own contemporary world. Things don’t change much, do they?
Back to THE LITTLE FOXES, please try to see this at the Playhouse in Pasadena before the 28th of June. You will be amazed at the gorgeous set in this opulent Southern 1900 home and Damaso Rodriguez’s direction is perfecto.
Gosh, this was long. I don’t write reviews, just a short couple of lines. What came over me? I guess I liked it.
Hugs, Harriette
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
IN THE WINGS - May 2009 - Theatre
WHEW! NOW FOR LEGITIMATE THEATRE: Some excellent work done in Equity Waiver small theatres are at: The Ivy Substation in
The Actors’ Gang, Tim Robbins company. I recently saw a revival of the powerful THE CATONSVILLE NINE there. In 1968 two brothers,Catholic priests, and seven activists, protesting US’s involvement in
HALF OF PLENTY, at Rogue Machine in Theatre Theatre on Pico, deals with a young married couple taking care of an aging parent with dementia. The three main characters are great. I also saw the wonderful FATA MORGANA, a delightfully sensuous comedy at the Pacific Resident in
THE ACCOMPLICES, a Fountain Theatre production, is presented at the Odyssey. Deals with one Israeli man coming to the
Playwright, screenwriter, director and drag legend Charles Busch takes on the role of Lady Bracknell in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST June 17-21 in L.A. Theatre Works production at the Skirball Cultural Center.
THE PANTAGES in
I’M anxiously awaiting the arrival of Lillian Hellman’s classic play, THE LITTLE FOXES at the Pasadena Playhouse. Kelly McGillis and Julia Duffy head the cast . It’s about a wealthy and greedy Southern family. Will be playing
LA TRAVIATA, Verdi’s popular opera was done beautifully at the Chandler Pavilion downtown , sung in Italian with English subtitles.
ENOUGH SAID FOR NOW. More later. Continue to be entertained. I’ll be back soon. XOXO HarrietteIN THE WINGS - May 2009 - Films
THE OSCARS® are long over, the gowns and jewels have been returned to their rightful owners (I hope) and the praise for the amazing show still continues. Hugh Jackman deserves all the praise he can get. What a talent he is and the two new producers for the Academy truly did an extraordinary job. If I wore a hat, it would be off to Comden and Mark. The Cannes Festival, in France, is also over, with its not so splendiferous activities this year due to the economy.
NOW, let’s see what’s around in films for this year. I did see an extraordinary Swedish film called EVERLASTING MOMENTS directed by Jan Troell. Takes place at the turn of the 20th century Sweden where a woman lives with her children and her womanizing and alcoholic husband. She finds comfort in a camera her errant husband won in a lottery and in the kindly camera-store owner who encourages her photographic talents. Done with such sensitivity. Truly the best film so far. I hope it is recognized come Oscar® time. Also, a lovely Noel Coward-ish (actually based on his play) EASY VIRTUE with a tremendous cast consisting of Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ben Barnes as the young English gentleman who impetuously marries a glamorous American woman. It all starts when they return to his cold and stately mansion. Typically Coward in the ‘20s. A sweet Norwegian film, O’HORTEN, is about a train engineer’s retirement that brings about a life-changing event. RUDOY CURSI starring the two Latin hunks, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, as two Mexican laborer brothers who become huge soccer stars and then take a fall.
I haven’t seen many American films yet except for STATE OF PLAY, which was really taken from the British mini series and, despite the critics’ pans, I liked it a lot. Ben Afleck was excellent and a very large Russell Crowe as the news reporter was also good. Lots of action and excitement and the innards of the New York Times was a treat to see. BROTHERS AT WAR is a documentary of several brothers fighting in Iraq. Saw ANGELS AND DEMONS starring Tom Hanks. This was the book written before THE DA VINCI CODE. I found the film very frenetic, with the last 40 minutes very exciting, The photography was amazing and beautifully scenic.
Oh, by the way, TREKKIES are back! – with the latest STAR TREK (Duh).
Until next time,
XOXO Harriette
NOW, let’s see what’s around in films for this year. I did see an extraordinary Swedish film called EVERLASTING MOMENTS directed by Jan Troell. Takes place at the turn of the 20th century Sweden where a woman lives with her children and her womanizing and alcoholic husband. She finds comfort in a camera her errant husband won in a lottery and in the kindly camera-store owner who encourages her photographic talents. Done with such sensitivity. Truly the best film so far. I hope it is recognized come Oscar® time. Also, a lovely Noel Coward-ish (actually based on his play) EASY VIRTUE with a tremendous cast consisting of Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ben Barnes as the young English gentleman who impetuously marries a glamorous American woman. It all starts when they return to his cold and stately mansion. Typically Coward in the ‘20s. A sweet Norwegian film, O’HORTEN, is about a train engineer’s retirement that brings about a life-changing event. RUDOY CURSI starring the two Latin hunks, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, as two Mexican laborer brothers who become huge soccer stars and then take a fall.
I haven’t seen many American films yet except for STATE OF PLAY, which was really taken from the British mini series and, despite the critics’ pans, I liked it a lot. Ben Afleck was excellent and a very large Russell Crowe as the news reporter was also good. Lots of action and excitement and the innards of the New York Times was a treat to see. BROTHERS AT WAR is a documentary of several brothers fighting in Iraq. Saw ANGELS AND DEMONS starring Tom Hanks. This was the book written before THE DA VINCI CODE. I found the film very frenetic, with the last 40 minutes very exciting, The photography was amazing and beautifully scenic.
Oh, by the way, TREKKIES are back! – with the latest STAR TREK (Duh).
Until next time,
XOXO Harriette
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