Kedar Adour

Seana McKenna as Amalia and Marco Barricelli as Gennaro in Napoli! at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. Photo by Kevin Berne

Napoli! Comedy/Drama by Eduardo de Filippo in a new translation by Beatrice Basso and Linda Alper. Directed by Mark Rucker .  A.C.T.’s Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco).  415.749.2228 or www.act-sf.org.   February 12- March 9, 2014.

NAPOLI! has a split personality at A.C.T.      [rating:3] (3/5 stars)

We here in the United States have never suffered the physical and emotional damage of our home land being physically ravaged by war. Italy has not been so fortunate and in World War II Naples was incessantly bombed leading to devastating shortages of every household staple and a black market became rampant. This is the Naples that Eduardo de Filippo has created for the Jovine family and their neighbors that is gracing the boards at A.C.T. It is late 1942 when the War has been raging for two years and the Allies are bombing Naples prior to the invasion.

The family consists of matriarch Amalia (Seana McKenna) her husband Gennaro (Marco Barricelli) and their children, 25 year old son Amedeo (Nick Gabriel), teenage daughter Maria (Blair Busbee) and the unseen 5 year old daughter who becomes a significant part of the storyline late in act 2.  Gennaro, a voluble but genial World War I veteran who has lost his job as a streetcar driver has found some privacy in their restricted quarters by setting up curtains around his corner bed. He is a moralistic honest man and has been given long speeches conveying de Filippo’s philosophy (Filippo played the role initially and in many countries).  Barricelli delivers those lines with quality understated eloquence and is matched by Mckenna’s more dominant and less amiable personae that are written into the script.  She has undertaken the job of keeping the family fed and clothe through black market dealings aided and abetted by handsome Errico (Dion Mucciacito) whose interest is a bit carnal but secretive.

The play is bookended by scenes of coffee taking that is intended as a symbolic ritual of what is good and bad in the lives of the characters. In the early scene the denizens of the neighborhood gather in the Jovine home (set by Erik Flatmo ) to partake of their morning coffee fix made with bootleg coffee. Those denizens are an eclectic group that is populated with stock characters of Italian comedy that are given varying degrees of verisimilitude by the large cast.

Comedy dominates the first act even though Gennaro pontificates as the storyline slowly develops. Local darling Sharon Lockwood lights up the stage with her entrance as neighbor Adeliade with her ditzy niece Assunta (a fine Lisa Kitchen). A jealous competitive black-marketeer tips authorities about the illegal dealings by Amalia. This allows de Fillipo to write a comedia del arte scene that is a highlight of the act . . . especially when the beans (coffe beans of course) are spilled. Former A.C.T. favorite Greg Wallace as Ciappa the local police lieutenant nails the scene.

Act two takes place 14 months later when the Americans and British have “liberated” Naples from Nazi control and Amalia and her clan have prospered to the point of being millionaires with ample supplies for the black market being “available” from the Allies. The drab set is now opulently furnished having been paid for by the ill-gotten money. Without revealing the plot, it is sufficient to say that the comedy of act one is replaced with serious drama. This involves the unseen child who is seriously ill with an unexplained fever that requires a medicine that can only be obtained on the black market. Fortunately Gabriel Marin has been cast as a supplier of goodies for a party being given for Errico’s birthday and his entrance and exits are a joy to watch. The play ends with Gennaro and Amalia sharing a cup of coffee.

All in all the evening seems longer than the 2 hour running time that includes a 15 minute intermission.

Creative Team: Erik Flatmo (scenic designer), Lydia Tanji (costume designer), Robert Wierzel (lighting designer), Will McCandless (sound designer)

Featuring: Marco Barricelli, Seana McKenna, Nick Gabriel, Blair Busbee, Dion Mucciacito, York Walker, Mike Ryan, Anthony Fusco, Sharon Lockwood, Lisa Kitchens, Gabe Marin, Gregory Wallace, Aaron Moreland, Lateefah Holder, Danielle Frimer, Kemiyondo Coutinh, Asher Grodman, Dillon Heape.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazin.com

Seana McKenna as Amalia and Marco Barricelli as Gennaro in Napoli! at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. Photo by Kevin Berne

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

MAN IN A CASE: A mixed media production adapted from Two Short Stories by Anton Chekhov: “Man in a Case” and “About Love.” Adapted and directed by Paul Lazar & Annie-B Parson / Big Dance Theater. Choreographed by Annie- B Parson. Berkeley Rep’s, Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA. (510) 647-2949 or www.berkeleyrep.org.

MAN IN A CASE is a not to be missed mixed-media production. [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

What a difference a day and a short drive across the spectacular new San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge makes.  On Saturday night our senses were bombarded with a cacophony of sound and plethora of grunge that required over three hours of time to make its questionable point. The next night on the Berkeley Rhoda stage we were treated to Man in a Case, a quiet, brilliant, mixed media performance requiring only 75 minutes treating our senses to all that theatre can be.

Accolades go to Paul Lazar & Annie-B Parson and Big Dance Theater who have adapted and directed two Short stories by Anton Chekhov, “Man in a Case” and “About Love” choreographed by Annie- B Parson creating a memorable evening.  Both stories are about unrequited love with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Tymberly Canale playing the star crossed would be lovers.

In the short story of the title Belikov (Baryshnikov) is a Greek teacher in a rural school whose stern, paranoid demeanor frightens not only his students but the entire town. What kind of man would wear his goulashes even in sunny weather and lock his door with six or eight dead bolts? Belikov does and his entrance into the story begins with Baryshnikov placing his dark coat on the stage and tentatively laying down on the coat, gracefully turning his lithe body into what becomes his protective cocoon as he rises to take part in the story.

The narrator is fellow teacher Burkin (tall, lean imposing Paul Lazar) who has a sister Barbara (a superb Tymberly Canale).  Belikov with his first glimpse of Barbara is smitten beyond belief leading to form of pas de deux that ends in tragedy. He retires to his home, surrounded by protective surveillance TV screens with a sparse bed that enshrouds him in a protective white drape. Upon arising from his reclusive domain Belikov’s love becomes irrational leading to his death and his funeral semi-lifts the pall created by his personae.

Unlike the staging by our local pride and joy the Word for Word company that uses every word, including the “ands”, “the” and descriptive passages, this production skillfully utilizes projections and snippets of music and song.

Tymberly Canale and Mikhail Baryshnikov perform a dramatic pas de deux depicting the unrequited love between an unmarried man and a married woman in About Love, the second piece featured in Man in a Case. Photo by T. Charles Erickson

In the much shorter charismatic second story “About Love”, the story teller is a highly educated farmer Alyokhin (Baryshnikov) who falls in love with Anne (Canale) a married woman. The pair is a joy to observe making one hope that they could consummate their love. That is not to happen. After all this is a Chekov character study and happiness is short supply in his writings.

Do not miss this production that has a limited run. Hopefully there will be added performances.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of   www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

CAST: Be]ikov (Mikhail Baryshnikov), Barbara (Tymberly Canale), Ivan (Chris Giarmo),Burkin (Paul Lazar), Kovalenko (Aaron Mattocks) Additional Onstage Appearance: Tei Blow, Jeff Larson

Set Designer Peter Ksander; Costume Designer Oana Botez, Lighting Designer Jennifer Tipton, Sound Designer Tel Blow,Video Designer Jeff Larson, Associate Video Designer Keith Skretch, Music Director Chris Giarmo,Production Stage Manager Brendan Regimbal, Assistant Director Aaron Mattocks,Assistant Set Designer Andreea Mincic, Assistant Lighting Designer Valentina Migoulia, Assistant Stage Manager Erin Mullin, Assistant Video Designer Steven Klems, Technical Director Nathan Lemoine, Sound Supervisor Anthony Luciani, General Manager Huong Hoang, Company Manager Katie Ichtertz. Produced by Baryshnikov Productions

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Johnny issues his call to arms: Paris Hunter Paul*, Richard Louis James, Joshua Schell, Brian Dykstra*, Riley Krull, Devon Simpson, Ian Scott McGregor*.

JERUSALEM: Drama by Jez Butterworth. Directed by Bill English. The San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street (2nd Floor of Kensington Park Hotel, b/n Powell & Mason). 415-677-9596, or www.sfplayhouse.org. West Coast Premiere.

January 21 – March 8, 2014.

JERUSALEM blasts out  at SF Playhouse [rating:3] (5/5 stars)

In the 1920s there was a literary battle between Henry Luce, editor of Time, and Harold Ross, editor of The New Yorker who is oft incorrectly quoted for his infamous line “not edited for the lady in Dubuque.” Rarely mentioned is Ross’ reply to Luce, “You’ve put your finger on it. I believe in malice.”  In our time, Bill English, Artistic Director of SF Playhouse, can be equated with Ross. Once again English and The Playhouse have mounted a block-buster of a show not for the lady in Dubuque.

It may not be for the aforementioned lady but it certainly was a hit for the youth of London who queued up at the Apollo Theatre where Jerusalem ran for over 1000 performances and winning the Olivier Award and the Tony on Broadway for Mark Rylance in a leading role in a play. If Bill English is attempting to attract younger people to the theatre, this show will probably do it.  However, this three hours and 20 minute show in three acts creates ambivalent feelings. Oddly the structure is Aristotelian following the constraints of the three unities of time, place and action.

The time is St. George’s Day in present day England and the action takes place in 24 hours in the illegal encampment of Jez Butterworth’s protagonist Johnny “Rooster” Byron (an excellent Brian Dykstra) who is a braggart with exuberant (or lousy with.  . your choice) charisma sufficient to attract the disenfranchised.  It is not only his charisma that attracts the young and old. It is his stash of drugs and booze that is available mostly for a price but also some freebies for the young girls that are attracted to him. Late in act one two of those young girls (Riley Krull  and Devon Simpson) crawl out from under the decrepit bus that hasn’t moved in 25 or so years.

You certainly would not want Rooster and his decrepit bus surrounded by detritus left over from nights of multifarious carousing parked in your back yard. Nor do the local law enforcement officers who arrive to paste the final eviction notice on the door. Before that happens, on a darkened stage there is a cacophony of rock music and with a burst of light the play begins. A young girl (Julia Belanoff) in a gossamer fairy costume steps forward to sing “Jerusalem” a William Blake poem that apparently is an anthem more revered than “God Save the Queen.” A four page glossary of terms is provided with the program to help the audience understand much of the dialog.

The eclectic denizens that occupy the encampment include Rooster’s wannabe side kick Ginger (a fine Ian Scott McGregor) who provides much of the humor with his persistent questioning of Rooster’s tall tales even though Rooster has the ability to give verisimilitude to them. His story about being born of virgin birth by a bullet is hilarious as is his meeting with the 40 foot giant who created Stonehenge and provided him with a drum to be used when help is needed.

There is befuddled Professor (Richard Louis James) who wanders in and out spouting bits of literature while searching for his long since dead dog. Young Lee (great acting by Paris Hunter Paul) who is immigrating to Australia and his close friend Davey (Joshua Schell) the slaughter-house guy who is emotional chained to the village.  Wesley (Christopher Reber) the local pub landlord, he is involved in the festivities for St George’s Day and has been roped in to doing the Morris Dancing but requires a drug fix to be able to perform.  Troy (Joe Estlack) who gives a spot-on frightening touch to his role as a local thug who, it is strongly implied, has sexually abused his missing step-daughter.

Within this maelstrom of hedonistic activity, Butterworth has written a touching scene between Rooster’s, his ex-girlfriend Dawn (a marvelous Maggie Mason) and their 9 year old son Marky (a charming Calum John) that almost ends in reconciliation.

The show ends with Rooster beating the drum with the thunderous steps of the Giant (??) approaching.  Dykstra gives a powerful performance that is worth the price admission.  The production with all the caveats should not be missed.One would hope that the dialect coaches would spend more time with the actors since the dialects ranged from excellent to unintelligible.

Production: Sound Design, Theodore J.H. Hulsker; Stage Manager, Maggie Koch; Lighting Design, Kurt Landisman; Props Artisan, Jacqueline Scott; Costume Design, Tatjana Genser; Set Design, Bill English; NY Casting, Judy Bowman; Dialect Coaches, Deborah Sussel and Jessica Berman; SF Casting, Lauren English                      

Cast(in alphabetical order) Julia Belanoff (Phaedra), Ian DeVaynes (Markey), Brian Dykstra (Johnny Rooster), Joe Estlack (Troy), Richard Louis James (Professor), Calum John (Marky), Riley Krull (Tanya Crawley), Maggie Mason(Dawn), Ian Scott McGregor (Ginger), Aaron Murphy (Parsons), Paris Hunter Paul (Lee), Christopher Reber (Wesley), David Raymond (Man 1/Understudy), Joshua Schell (Davey/Man 2), Devon Simpson (Pea), Courtney Walsh (Fawcett, U/S Dawn)

Kedar Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

THE PARIS LETTER: Drama by Jon Robin Baitz. Directed by George Maguire. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC), Walker Theatre, 25 Van Ness @Market, San Francisco, CA. 415-861-8972 or www.ntcsf.org.  Through February 23, 2014.

THE PARIS LETTER effective and affective staging at NCTC. [rating: 4] (5/5 stars)

When George Maguire helms a theatrical production it is assurance that the audience is in for a theatrical experience. So it is with the Bay Area premiere of The Paris Letter. Considering that the play is non-linear, covers 40 years of relationships, the cast with one exception play dual roles and there is a narrator such an undertaking deserves and earns accolades. The original three hour play that opened in Los Angelos in 2004 was pared to two hours for the 2005 off Broadway opening and this latter version is playing on NCTC’s intimate Walker Theatre.

Author Jon Robin Baitz is no stranger to the Bay area. His tightly written play Other Desert Cities that received a nomination for the Tony Award and won the Outer Critics circle Award in 2011 received a striking production last year at TheatreWorks. The Paris Letter written much earlier in his career and is said to be semi-autobiographical tends to ramble and requires the audience to pay close attention to fully appreciate the time line and some of the nuanced details.

Maguire cleverly separates the time shifts and allows the scenes to flow with minimal interruption by creating a charming set (Devin Kasper) framed by red velvet drapes and gilt framed shadow boxes containing props with a huge circular central backlit scrim that is also used for projections (Lighting/projections by Christian Meja). Those projections are integrated into the story and there is no doubt that a scene takes place in winter when snow gently falls.

But in the words of William Shakespeare, “The plays the thing” ( Hamlet Act 2, Scene 2) and Baitz begins with a stunning first volatile first scene between an older Sandy Sonneberg (Ron Dritz) and his younger paramour Burt (David Ewing) that ends with a suicide taking place behind the circular scrim with a projection of the Eiffel Tower. Blackout and the aforementioned narrator an older wiser and fey Anton (a superb Tom Reilly) steps forward, addresses the audience informing us he is going to tell us the story behind that scene and what is in a letter from Paris that he is holding then secrets in his jacket pocket. The contents of that letter are not revealed until late in the play.

The play is a convoluted love story wrapped in the problematic history of gay acceptance from the 1960s to the present tracing the journey of a successful investment advisor who is closeted gay man denying his sexuality and attempting to be ‘cured’ of his affliction. The man in question is young recent Princeton graduate Sandy (Paul Collins) whom is befriended by young Anton (David Ewing) who is living comfortably with his homosexuality. Anton introduces Sandy to the hidden gay world, appreciation of art, theatre and enjoyment of accepting ones nature. Sandy thoroughly enjoys the sexual experience, insists “I am not a homosexual” but confesses to love of Anton. That love eventually becomes oppressive leading to catastrophic results in later years.

After a few months of this new hedonistic experience with young Anton (handsome David Ewing) Sandy visits Dr. Schiffman (Ron Dritz in his second role), a misinformed psychiatrist claiming to have the ability to change same sex attraction in men to a more conventional life style. This is the start of five day a week therapy (“And if you miss a day, you still have to pay!”) that continues for 15 years.

Baitz then solidifies his play scene by scene adding characters that define the time frame of the play and attitudes of each individual. Early on there is a charming scene between Sandy’s mother Lillian (Michaela Greeley) young Sandy and young Anton taking place in a gay oriented restaurant. The interchange between the three is delicious and Greeley gives a beautifully nuanced portrayal of a mother who knows her son is gay and secretly is accepting of it.

Sandy, to complete his conversion to heterosexuality, falls in love with Katie (Greeley again) who has a gay son Sam (Collins) and through clever sub-rosa dialog infers that she is fully aware of Sandy’s proclivities. Herein lays a perceived flaw in this the production. Although there is a plethora of physical contact between Greeley and Dritz the charisma signifying love is not generated.

Through the years Sandy and Anton have remained friends with Anton as father confessor and Sandy insisting he is ‘love’ with Anton and Katie. Sandy uses the friendship/love of Anton to keep Anton near and available for selfish reasons. There is a secondary contemporary plot line involving Burt in a Ponzi type scheme that eventually leads to the suicide in scene one. Be advised to watch and listen closely to the dialog and action in the penultimate scene of the play that is a shocker.  You will never hear a more satisfying and meaningful “I TOLD YOU SO!” Maguire’s spot on direction does great justice to Baitz’s convoluted play.

Running time 2 hours 10 minutes including the intermission.

Courtesy of www.theatreworlintermagazine.com.

Cast: Paul Collins as Sam/Young Sandy; Ron Dritz as Sandy/Schiffman; David Ewing as Burt/Young Anton; Michaela Greeley as Katie/Lillian; Tom Reilly as Anton.

Production Staff: David Kasper (Set Design); Billie Cox (Sound Design); Christian Mejia (Lighting/Projection Design); Rebecca Madsen (Properties); Samantha Young (Stage Manager); Miriam Lewis (Costume Design); Lori Fowler (Casting Director); Ed Halvey (Program Design).

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

JOURNEY’S END: Drama by R.C. Sherriff. Directed by James  Dunn.Ross Valley Players.Barn Theatre at the Marin Art & Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Ross. For tickets, call 415-456-9555 or go to www.rossvalleyplayers.com.

JOURNEY’S END echoes at Ross Valley Players [Rating:4] (5/5 stars)

There are no living survivors of “The Great War”, as it was called, that devastated an entire elite generation of youth during the senseless World War I that was fought in trenches from 1914 to 1918. Playwright, novelist, screenwriter R. C. Sheriff fought in that war and received a serious wound and a medal for his efforts. It also gave him fodder for his most famous play Journey’s End that is receiving a stunning production at Ross Valley Player’s Barn Theatre.

Wars in the trenches are usually fought by the poor and lower class youths and there are many books, plays and movies that document their plight. In Journey’sEnd authorR. C. Sheriff creates characters emphasizing the humanity and inhumanity of the officer class.  Although he specifically portrays the British Officer class there is a universality that extends to all.  Sadly youth of the present generation who have been inundated with the total destruction of modern warfare certainly would find the play very tame. Hopefully they will be able to identify with the driving motivations of the well-drawn personalities who await their eventual destruction.

It is the waiting that is oppressive and the play offers a spectrum of how that waiting affects men and the manner in which they respond. Captain Hardy (Steve Price) is the one who delivers the orders from the High Command to Captain Stanhope (David Yen) a dedicated soldier and leader of the regiment stationed inFrance where there is 50-70 yards of no-man’s land between the British and German trenches.  His psyche and guilt is assuaged by consuming alcohol and he refuses to accept his well-earned relief from his tour of duty. “I couldn’t bear being fully conscious all the time.”

Three other men share the officer’s wooden quarters (magnificent set by Ron Krempetz). Avuncular Lieutenant Osborne (Tom Hudgens) a school teacher, whom is called “Uncle” by his peers and who reads from “Alice in Wonderland’ that is symbolic of nonsensical purpose of the war. Second Lieutenant Hibbert (Phillip Goleman) who whines about his neuralgia attempting to be sent back to a hospital behind the lines. Level headed Second Lt. Trotter (Stephen Dietz) who relies on his wife’s letters to tell him what is happening in the war. Young idealistic gung-ho Second Lieutenant (Raleigh (Francis Serpa) who asked to be sent to Stanhope’s command since he has always admired him beginning in their school days. Necessary humor is interjected in the serious oppressive monotony of waiting for the inevitable with Private Mason (Sean Gunnell) the irreverent cook. (Photo : L-R: Osborne (Tom Hudgens); Stanhope (David Yen);  Raleigh (Francis Serpa))

Director Jim Dunn allows the interaction and motivations of the characters to flow naturally with a modicum of dramatic flare-ups that are superbly projected by theirrespective personalities. A memorable scene ensues when a confrontation between Hibbert and Stanhope reveals that each is driven by the same fears.

Ross Valley’s admirable production values are on abundant display beginning with the claustrophobic set, great directing and acting. Running time 2 hours and15 minutes with an intermission.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Cast: Stanhope (David Yen); Osborne (Tom Hudgens); Raleigh (Francis Serpa), Mason (Sean Gunnell); Trotter (Stephen Diet); Hardy & The Colonel (Steve Price); Cpl. Broughton & German Soldier (Ross Berger); Sgt. Major (Jeff Taylor); Hibbert (Philip Goleman).

Production Staff: Director, James Dunn; Production Manager, Robin Jackson; Production Consultants, Suzie Hughes, Bob Wilson; Stage Manager, Frank Cardinale; Asst Stage Manager, Steve Stromberg; Set Design   Ron Krempetz; Costume Design, Michael Berg; Lighting Design, Ellen Brooks; Lighting Technician, Ian Lamers; Sound Design, Stephen Dietz; Property Design, Maureen Scheuenstuhl; Set Construction, Ian Swift.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

(l to r): Gretchen Hall (Barbara), Nicholas Pelezar (Adolphus),Stafford Perry (Stephen), Kandis Chapman (Lady Undershaft), Tyrell Crews (Charles Lomax), Elyse Price (Sarah) in Scene 1.

Major Barbara: Comedy by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Dennis Garnhum. American Conservatory Theater (ACT), 415 Geary St., San Francisco, CA. (415) 749-2228 or www.act-sf.org. Through February 2, 2014

Shaw’s MAJOR BARBARA a smash hit at A.C.T.   [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

Undertaking to mount a George Bernard Shaw play requires quality actors, astute direction and understanding of his social philosophy to overcome his propensity to sermonize with lengthy dialog. In 2008 San Jose Rep, under Timothy Near’s direction, produced a brilliant and memorable Major Barbara. With that memory still vivid this reviewer entered the theatre with a bit of trepidation that totally disappeared by the time the cast took their well-deserved bows after doing great justice to Shaw’s 1905 play. Its themes are as cogent today as they were then.

 Shaw is an equal opportunity skewer of entrenched attitudes on all social levels, a champion of women’s rights, and an astute observer of injustice with the ability to strip the façade of hypocrisy. In Major Barbara he attacks with equal vigor the sanctimony of the Salvation Army and the justifications of the arms manufacturers noting the driving force of both groups is money. Consider the fact that the motto of the Salvation Army, “Fire and Blood”, is identical to that of Andrew Undershaft’s (Dean Paul Gibson) munitions factory that has developed a highly lethal bomb and a bomber capable of delivering what our present generation calls the “weapon of mass destruction.”

In between these two major themes he sneaks in the smugness of the British social elite and the self-delusion of politicians. He populates his plays with characters from all strata of society creating a fascinating mélange to carry his thoughts forward with didactic infused with humor.

Major Barbara was first produced by London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1905 and on Broadway in 1915. This production is produced in association with Theatre Calgary and their artistic director Dennis Granhum directs the cast with enthusiasm and understanding beginning with a charming first scene as a drawing room comedy with Kandis Chapman giving a stunning precise performance of an English matriarch dominating son Stephen whose responses are delightfully apprehensive. Through her extended dialog Shaw adroitly outlines the family relationships and upcoming conflicts before the arrival of Andrew Undershaft whom she has invited to visit the family.

There is the aforementioned Andrew Undershaft, who sired two daughters Barbara, the eldest, (Gretchen Hall), Sarah (Elyse Price) and son Stephen (Stafford Perry) with his wife Lady Britomart Undershaft (Kandis Chappell). Andrew has not seen his children since their childhoods, and has not lived at home but provides financial support. Barbara has joined the Salvation Army and risen to the rank of Major and has a fiancé Adolphus Cusins (Nicholas Pelezar) an Australian  professor of Greek who seems at first to be supercilious but before the play ends he matches Andrew sentence for sentence and idea for idea. Pelezar and Gibson give bravo performances during their confrontation.

Shaw creates indelible lower class characters. Act two shifts to West Ham Salvation Army shelter  where we meet Romola “Rummy” Mitchens (Valerie Planche), Bronterre O’Brien “Snobby” Price (Dan Clegg), Peter Shirley (Dan Hiatt) who have been willing to aver that their souls have been saved in order to have food and shelter. Hypocrisy dwells on all strata of society. 

Plance, Hiatt and Clegg give marvelous verisimilitude to each of their characters carrying their fine acting in their double roles in act three. Andrew’s devious confrontation with the denizens and leaders of the shelter invokes compromise of the Salvation Army’s professed motivations causing Barbara to withdraw from the Mission.

In Act three the Undershaft family and entourage visit the munitions factory and the model town of Perivale St. Andrews that has been built with the profits from arms sales. The factory workers live an idyllic life in this company town without guilt feelings about the source of their happiness. The overwhelming ambiance of this perfect town and its life style change the preconceived concepts of the Undershaft family and their entourage about the source of Andrew’s wealth.

The production values of this play are astounding.  It involves massive sets with scene one drawing room brought forward on a carriage stage to be surrounded by a junkyard of distressed windows and doors completing a semicircle around the entire rear stage. The rear wall remains intact and is integral to becoming the West Ham shelter for act two. This juxtaposition of wealth and poverty is perfectly integrated.

It is the final act configuration of the munitions factory that is a wonder. With aphorisms written in block letters on the huge backdrop while life-like bombs are strung up over the set signifying their potential devastation that is horrifying.  Even though they have moved the final act from a scene outside the factory, and some of the stage directions have been violated, one would hope that George Bernard Shaw would give a begrudging nod for the staging. He certainly could have no qualms about the acting. (Running time 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission)

(Andrew Undershaft (Dean Paul Gibson) and Barbara (Gretchen Hall in the bomb factory)

SET DESIGN by Daniel Ostling; COSTUME DESIGN by Alex Jaeger; LIGHTING DESIGN by Alan Brodie; SOUND DESIGN by Scott Killian; DRAMATURGS Michael Paller and Zachary Moull; CASTING by Janet Foster,CSA; ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Zachary Moull; STAGE MANAGER Elisa Guthertz.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

THE PAIN AND THE ITCH: Comedy by Bruce Norris. Directed by Dale Albright. Custom Made Theatre Company, Gough Street Playhouse, 1620 Gough St. (at Bush), San Francisco, CA94109. Gough Street Playhouse is attached to the historic Trinity Episcopal Church 510-207-5774; www.custommade.org. January16- February 9, 2014

THE PAIN AND THE ITCH  relieved at Custom Made Theatre

Play [rating:3] (5/5) :     Set [rating:5] (5/5)   Cast [rating:3] (5/5)   Overall [rating: 4] (5/5)

Sex Therapist Ruth Westheimer (better known as Dr. Ruth) believes that a lesson taught with humor is a lesson learned well. Along with psycho/sexual therapy she also believes that viewing pornography can be a helpful stimulant to a relationship lacking passion. How are these words of wisdom applicable to The Pain and the Itch” a hilarious, thoughtful, confusing, uneven and yet fascinating production that is gracing the boards on Custom Made’s intimate three sided stage? Author Bruce Norris honed his playwrighting skills at Steppenwolf Theatre and his Clybourne Park  won Pulitzer Prize for drama and the 2011 Tony Award for Best Play.

Be forewarned that if you are not familiar with the text/plot of this Bruce Norris 2006 play it will be well into the second act when relationships finally become defined and answers to some of the questions posited above almost make sense. Even then you will leave the theatre with unanswered questions. But you will have the answer to what animal/creature is gnawing on the avocados in the kitchen.

The action takes place in an unnamed locale in the upper-middle class home of Kelly (Karen Offereins) and Clay (Justin Gillman). She is the breadwinner and Clay is a stay-at-home male parent. A ‘creature’ has been gnawing on the avocados in the kitchen. Clay’s unreasonable reaction to the question of what this ‘creature’ could be aptly foreshadows the gnawing feeling that something is not right in this household.

That gnawing feeling builds bite by bite as the family unit shreds each other with caustic remarks that may have you squirming in your seat even though some members of the opening night audience were in hysterics. Other members of the family unit are the platitude spouting mother Carol (a superb Jean Forsman), martini swigging older brother and plastic surgeon Cash (Peter Townley), young energetic daughter Kayla (charming without having a single line of dialog Gabriella Jarvie) and a new born baby. Cash has brought a young sexy middle European ( Russian?) girlfriend Kalina ( over acting Eden Neuendorf) who has adopted all things American including maxing out her credit cards.

Dorian Lockett as Mr. Hadid

Then there is a Black Muslim taxie driver Mr. Hadid ((Dorian Lockett who steals the show with his exit speech). For an unexplained reason he has been brought into the household to hear/sort out the facts/lies generated by the family during the events of previous evening Thanksgiving dinner. It includes the revelation of Kayla’s nasty genital/? sexual rash hence the title The Pain and the Itch. Late in the play he has the players re-live the scene where the rash has been discovered in order to have a better understanding of the facts. This is an unnecessary writing conceit that is more confusing than explanatory.

All in all in two hours and ten minutes with an extended 10 minute intermission author Norris and the cast inundate us with vicious social inequities that need re-emphasizing. As Dr. Ruth insists, humor carries the lessons and in this play it is dark, dark humor. Oh yes, the pornography tapes are simulated (sound design Liz Ryder) not projected to the audience.

Staff/Crew: Director, Dale Albright; Stage Managers, Linda Y. Huang/Johanna Ruefl; Scenic Design/Build, Stewart Lyle; Lighting Design, Hamilton Guillen; Sound Design/Composition, Liz Ryder; Production Manager, Kevin Dunning.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of : www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

ROAD SHOW: Musical. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by John Weidman. Directed by John Fisher. Musical Direction by Dave Dobrusky.  A Theatre Rhinoceros Production at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street (between Front & Battery Streets), in San Francisco. 1-800-838-3006 or www.therhino.org.   January 2 – 19, 2014

[rating:4] (5/5)

Sondheim and Weidman’s ROAD SHOW a ‘should see’ at The Eureka

If you are a Sondheim aficionado Theatre Rhino’s production of Road Show is a must see show and for the others it is truly a ‘should see’ show. It is the only musical Sondheim has written in collaboration with John Weidman since the very successful Passion in 1994. This time around they have resurrected the lives ofthe Misner brothers who pursued the Great American Dream for wealth and social standing in the late 1800 and 1900s only to end in total disaster.

The use of the term resurrected is very appropriate since the show begins with the semi-intellectual younger Addison Misner (charming Bill Fahrner) coming out of a coffin to be chastised for the life he has led by the entire company including the wastrel brother Wilson (powerful Rudy Guerrero) in song and dance with “What a Waste.”  Fahrner and Guerrero are terrific and are ably supported by seven other cast members playing prominent roles and doubling as the ensemble.

Left to right: Rudy Guerrero* as Wilson Mizner and Bill Fahrner* as Addison Mizner

After the opening number, there is a time shift to the brother’s youthful days with Papa’s (Kim Larsen) dying words and Mama’s (Kathryn Wood) concurrence in “It’s in Your Hands Now” to go into the world and make your fortune. This starts the show on the road.

The first stop is Alaska to search for the elusive “Gold” and the ensemble belts the song with gusto. Sondheim and Weidman deftly shift the tenure with a touch of incest defining the “Brotherly Love” that will be Addison’s undoing when Wilson’s true nature is defined in “The Game.”

And then “Addison’s Trip” is a masterpiece of dark humor as every world wide venture he invests in is a total disaster and he ends up with an armful of useless souvenirs. Even though “That Was a Year” to be forgotten but remembered as an expensive lesson Addison moves on to share in the “Land Boom” taking place in Florida. On the way he meets Hollis Bessemer (handsome dulcet voiced Michael Doppe) and the sexual/love affair begins (“You” and “The Best Thing That Ever Happened”).

Left to right: Bill Fahrner* as Addison Mizner and Michael Doppe as Hollis Bessemer

The authors give Addison the major portion of the middle of the show and Fahrner nails the part and his duets with Kathryn Wood are memorable. When Wilson returns in various sections of the play he energizes the auditorium even while he is assigned a soft shoe routine complete with cane. He is the dominate force in Sondheim’s most dynamic song “Boca Raton” that young Bessemer reminds him means “mouth of the rat.”  All this leads to a powerful ending with “Get Out” and “Go.”

Full endorsement cannot be given to entire production since the staging and directing are both clever and cumbersome. There are many memorable scenes by individuals and the ensemble that earn accolades. However the central moveable 7 long 4 foot high rectangle that is constantly being rotated by the cast to depict various locales is distracting. Running time is a tight 1 hour and 40 minutes without intermission.

Note from the director: “We have not just chosen any Sondheim musical usually done by regional theatres, but the obscure ROAD SHOW. This musical has had many incarnations (previously titled Bounce, and before that Wise Guys and Gold!), but the few people who have seen it may not have seen this version being presented by Theatre Rhino. This Sondheim’s first new musical since his Tony Award-winning Passion in 1994, reunited the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer with book writer Weidman (Assassins, Pacific Overtures) and Tony Award-winning director John Doyle (Sweeney Todd, Company). The production played an extended run Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in 2008, but beyond a 2011 London remounting at the Menier Chocolate Factory, the musical has remained unseen by audiences until now.”

Production Crew: Stage Manager, Colin Johnson; Accompaniment, Dave Dobrusky;  Scenic Designer, Gilbert Johnson; Costume Designer, Scarlett Kellum; Lighting/Sound Design, Colin Johnson; Graphics-Ads, Christine U’Ren: Videography, Mister WA

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

The Church holds its first service (Derek Fischer, Gabriel Marin*, Rod Gnapp*, Carl Lumbly*, Ray Reinhardt*, Gloria Weinstock*)

Storefront Church: Comedy by John Patrick Shanely.

 Given a compelling staging at SF Playhouse

The accolades heaped on John Patrick Shanely, one of America’s premiere playwrights, include, amongst many others for his prolific plays, are a Tony and Pulitzer Prize for Doubt and an Academy Award for Moon Struck. He therefore deserves to have a mediocre play occasionally trod the boards. Storefront Church is that play and it really does not deserve the tremendous production being given it at the singular SF Playhouse. One might wish that it was staged at their intimate former 99 seat venue.

The quality cast includes the best of local actors with the addition of nationally acclaimed Carl Lumbly who garnered applause for his role at SF Playhouse in Stephen Audly Gurgis’ The MotherF**ker with the Hat  and at the Magic in  Terminus.  From the Bay Area there are (alphabetically) Derek Fischer, Rod Gnapp, Gabriel Marin, Ray Reinhardt and Gloria Weinstock superbly directed by Joy Carlin on a fantastic set by the inventive Bill English depicting a Bronx two level row house with the storefront church on the first floor.

For this reviewer the problem is the play that seems artificial, with themes that offer no new insight and require pages of exposition to fill in the back stories of the ethnically diverse characters.

When the spectacular row house parts the revolving stage brings in the aging Ethan (a loveable, laughable Ray Reinhardt), who refers to himself as a “secular Jew” and is the vociferous husband of Puerto Rican Jessie (Gloria Weinstock). He is there to convince Reed (Rod Gnapp in one of his best performances) the bank loan officer to give her an extension on her mortgage that is many months overdue.  The taciturn Reed, who has a disfigured face and is blind in one eye, remains implacable. Through exposition later in the play the cause of Reed’s physical and psychological disfigurement is revealed and is critical to the uplifting ending.

Jessie seeks out and appeals for intervention from Donaldo (the always capable Gabriel Marin) the Bronx borough president and the son of her closest friend. Donaldo, who is working with the bank to build a super-sized mall that will bring in jobs to the Bronx at the expense of losing its ethnic character. He joins Ethan’s and Jessie’s fray with the bank when he learns that his mother has co-signed the second mortgage.

Jessie’s money problems have been amplified by her “renting” the ground floor store front to Chester (beautifully underplayed by Carl Lumbly) an impoverished, both financially and mentally, Pentecostal preacher whose church was destroyed in the Katrina hurricane. In the three months he has been there, he has not paid “rent” and the “upgrades” to the ‘church” were financed by Jessie’s second mortgage. In those three months, Chester who has “lost his way” because there is a figurative “big hole in front of me” is being supported with life’s daily needs by the enthralled Jessie.

Enter Donaldo to set matters straight with Chester and the interaction between Marin and Lumbly is dynamic even though lengthy exposition is written into the script to define the conflict within Donaldo being as real as that of Chester.

Pastor Chester ( Carl Lumbly*) and Burough President (Gabriel Marin*) have a fateful meeting over church vs. mortgage.

Finally, Shanley introduces Tom (a forceful Derek Fischer), a no nonsense bank C.E.O., to set up the dichotomy of materialistic and spiritual wealth.

With all the characters and the conflicts in place, the storefront church has its first “congregation” and the taciturn Reed (possible under the influence of alcohol)who has no formal religion  rebels against the materialistic world in general and Tom in particular. Gnapp delivers a wallop of a performance and even ends up singing the rousing hymn sung by the entire cast. The audience leaves with a joyous feeling since it is Christmas Time in actuality and in the play.

There is ample doubt that his play will replace Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory or Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Running time about 100 minutes including the 10 minute intermission.

Directed by Joy Carlin. San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post St, Second Floor, SF; www.sfplayhouse.org.  Tue-Thu, 7pm (Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 3pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Jan 11, 2014. Sound Design Teddy Hulsker; Production Stage Manager Tatjana Genser; Lighting Design  David K.H. Elliott; Props Artisan Yusuke Soi; Costume Design Abra Berman; Set Design       Bill English; Prosthetics Paul Theren; Casting Lauren English.

Kedar K Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY: A Musical Adaptation. Book by Duane Poole based on the short story by Truman Capote. Music by Larry Grossman and lyrics by Carol Hall. Directed by Nick DeGruccio. The Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA. 949-497-2787 or www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

A Christmas Memory: The Musical will not replace A Christmas Carol

Truman Capote’s short story A Christmas Memory was an instant classic when it first appeared in “Mademoiselle” magazine in December 1956. Since that time it has been a mainstay on radio and is extremely popular as stage dramatizations. One of the finest was by the Word for Word Company’s presentation in the San Francisco Bay area. In that staging the story is acted with the actual words including the “he said” and “she said” etc. It is a perfect way to present Capote’s beautiful writing.  In this musical adaptation many of those words poignantly drift across the footlights with fine actors skillfully giving meaning to their lines.

However, one might wonder why a musical version is necessary. It is not necessary but the Laguna Playhouse Company is giving it a valiant and often heart touching rendition and this reviewer reservedly gives it a “thumbs up.”

The use of a narrator, in the mode of Our Town is essential in keeping with the style of the short story. The adept staging by Nick DeGruccio on the attractive atmospheric open set (D Martyn Bookwalter) allows the story to flow. It is a semi-autobiographical memory play of Capote’s early life in rural Alabama during the Great Depression that often tugs at your heart wishing for less materialistic times.

In the story, seven year old Buddy (William Spangler) is the unwanted child who is sent off to live with distant cousins. The members of the house are poor and include the elderly child-like Sook (Marsha Waterbury), her sister Jennie (Tracy Lore) the supporting head of the household, ineffectual brother Seabon (Tom Shelton) and the mangy-loveable dog Queenie (Pickle).

Outside the household there is the friendly neighbor Anna Stabler (Amber Mercomes) and young buddy’s friend and partner in shenanigans Nelle Harper (Siena Yusi). Tom Shelton does triple duty as the inquisitive postman Farley and HaHa Jones the moonshiner who supplies the secret ingredient (liquor) for the fruit cakes made with loving care by young buddy and Sook, to the charming song “Alabama Fruitcake.”

 Before ubiquitous fruitcakes enter the picture, the narrator Adult Buddy (Ciaran McCarthy) and the company set the tone with a nostalgic “Imagine a Morning.” Attractive McCarthy has an expressive tenor voice that gives depth to his solos of “What’s Next” and “Paper and Cotton.” In the second act his versatility is displayed in the trio “Nothing More Than Stars” blending seamlessly with the baritone voice of Shelton and the prepubescent voice of Spangler.

The adult members of the cast (all Equity actors) are excellent performers bringing their characters to life and adding further class with fine singing voices. Marsha Waterbury’s depiction of Sook is a joy to watch and a pleasure to hear in her duets with young Buddy and the tear producing “The Kite Song.” Amber Mercomes gets her turn to shine with “Detour” and Tracy Lore gains our understanding with “You Don’t Know It.”  William Spangler’s taxing role as young Buddy does not quite create the needed empathy written into the story line.

Running time 2 hours and 15 minutes including an intermission.

Production Staff: Scenic designer D Martyn BookWalter; Costume designer Bruce Goodrich; Lighting designer Steve Young; Sound designer Joshua McKendry; Stage managers Don Hill and Luke Yankee; Musical Director Darryl Archibald. Musicians Darryl Archibald, Tyler Emerson and Drew Hemwell.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/