Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Orphans' Home Cycle II

Here's the link to my review of the second installment in Horton Foote's Orphans' Home Cycle.

Sorry for the delay in putting up the link but I was (voluntarily) off the grid back home, enjoying the wild views and bold flavors of my native island. The enhanced security measures on the flight back were a doozy though: We were all frisked before boarding, and all our carry-on bags were thoroughly inspected. It was quite something to see the five-year-old girl in a Hello Kitty jacket in front of me get a full body search.

Monday, December 14, 2009

A Welsh overdone bit

Finally! Catherine Zeta-Jones made her Broadway debut last night, in a revival of Sondheim's A Little Night Music. CZJ showed spunk but lacked finesse -- but we'll always have Angela Lansbury. Details here.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The minor deity of altercations

What a difference a cast can make. I thoroughly enjoyed Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage when I first saw it back in February, but the show suffers greatly with its new cast. I re-reviewed it in today's paper.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Brief Encounter

Sounds familiar? Yes, it's a show based on the 1945 David Lean movie. There's a lot more to it, though. Brief Encounter is at St. Ann's Warehouse for about a month, and it's no understatement to say it's one of my favorite productions of the year — I gave it top marks in the Post today. Review's here.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

So Help Me God!

Kristen Johnston delivers one of the performances of the year as a demented diva in So Help Me God! At last, a vintage screwball comedy done well.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Fantastique!

It is the season of miracles, all right: Fantastic Mr. Fox is the first movie by Wes Anderson I've ever enjoyed. More than enjoyed, in fact: I absolutely loved it.

I was looking forward to seeing the movie again when I'm in France for the holidays because the dub cast for Fantastique MaƮtre Renard has just been announced: Mr. Fox is voiced by Mathieu Amalric and Mrs. Fox is Isabelle Huppert. Alas, the movie won't be out there until February. Drats!

Incidentally, Where the Wild Things Are = Max et les Maximonstres in French.

Don't race to Race

David Mamet's latest, Race, opened last night. Ayee! It's not that it's offensive or provocative — the play's too badly put together for that. Recommended only to die-hard James Spader fans.

Friday, December 04, 2009

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

Rebecca Gilman's adaptation of Carson McCullers' The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter left me cold. Cristin Milioti confirms she's one to watch though.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Blanchett's Blanche

Two reviews in today's paper.

First, Cate Blanchett stars in A Streetcar Named Desire at BAM, under the direction of Liv Ullmann. Starry skies in Brooklyn!

Then we have Melissa James Gibson's new This at Playwrights Horizons, with the terribly cute Julianne Nicholson.