New York's Amoralists

In today's Post, I profile the Amoralists, a newish NY company whose play, The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, returns to PS 122 until August 17. It's very exciting to find a new local voice that balances full-on actor physicality with great social, philosophical and political concerns. Highly recommended.

Book of the year?

A few days ago I bought Vince Aletti's The Disco Files 1973-78 at St. Marks Bookshop. It's a collection of the columns Aletti (now the photography reviewer at The New Yorker) wrote for Record World magazine in the 1970s.

If you love classic disco, as I do, this is a goldmine. There's no benefit of hindsight here, and Aletti's taste is spot-on — anybody who can gush about Peter Brown's "Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me" and Claudja Barry automatically gets my everlasting admiration. I've been spending way too much time tracking down some of the songs I didn't know and that he particularly gushes about, and so far it's been one nugget after another. Undisputed Truth's "You + Me = Love"? Amazing! This is what YouTube was invented for. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Russian-Italian axis

More reviews from the Lincoln Center Festival in today's Post. First we have Lev Dodin's Life and Fate, which I quite liked. Then it's Trilogia della Villeggiatura, about which I was more meh (a technical theater term).

Last night I saw Declan Donnellan's staging of Boris Godunov and tonight I conclude my summer adventures in world theater with a Hungarian Peasant Opera. It's been a pleasant trip overall, and I'll blog about it at more length over at the Post.

Vanities fair

Completing my trifecta of Off-Broadway reviews this week is Vanities at Second Stage.

Any musical that borrows from Burt Bacharach automatically gets a reprieve from me, but seriously: When are we going to see Promises, Promises on Broadway again? The Encores! production was fun but I could see this show a few more times.

Sinking to new lows

Lisa Ebersole's hapless Mother gets trashed in today's Post.

Demolishing a small show presented in a nice space like the Wild Project isn't fun, but then neither is Mother.

Ragging on the Rag

The dog days are here again... Today, I review the bland Tin Pan Alley Rag (a place-holder at the Laura Pels) in the Post. And there's more fun coming our way, I can tell you that.

Shakespeare on the big screen

A preview of the Walter Reade's new film series, "The Bard Goes Global," in today's New York Post. I have to admit, I'm a little Shakespeare'd out right now.

Let the Soleil shine in

Ariane Mnouchkine and the Théâtre du Soleil's Les Éphémères at the Park Avenue Armory, New York Post, July 10.

And we're off with this year's Lincoln Center Festival! Tonight I'm catching a Hungarian production of Chekhov's Ivanov at John Jay.

Navel gazing

A bit of wacky fun before diving into Euro high art as I review the new Umbilical Brothers' show, Speedmouse, at the Joyce.

Tonight, I'm heading off to the Park Avenue Armory for the first part of Les Éphémères, Ariane Mnouchkine's latest epic, with the second part tomorrow night. Surely you already have your ticket(s)?

Off we go to the Lincoln Center Festival

Rather than a full preview, today in the Post I offer my highly subjective picks for this year's Lincoln Center Festival, which starts tomorrow.

The kick-off alone should be something to behold: Part 1 of Ariane Mnouchkine and the Théâtre du Soleil's Les Ephémères, to unfurl at the Park Avenue Armory. It's Mnouchkine's first show here since 2005's Le Dernier Caravansérail, and if you happened to see that…well, chances are you already have tickets for the new one.

De-Bausched

A short piece about the late Pina Bausch in today's New York Post.

Twelfth Night in the Park

My review of the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night is in today's New York Post.

Yes, Anne Hathaway is pretty good. Now we can all go back to discussing Michael Jackson.

Netflix reads my mind

Checking my Netflix queue this morning, I noticed they had added suggestions in customized categories based on my "taste preferences." Yikes.

These categories were "Suspenseful independent dramas" (eg Lost Highway), "Critically acclaimed foreign sci-fi and fantasy" (eg Russian Ark), "Dark TV dramas" (eg Tour of Duty and... Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman?), "Imaginative movies of the 70s" (eg Performance), "Comedies featuring a strong female lead" (eg Juno) and the best: "Local favorites for Brooklyn, NY." This last category includes The Conformist and Andrei Rublev. I'm very proud of my fellow Brooklynites!

Still, I wonder why there was no sign of "Screwball comedies starring Irene Dunn" and "Endless, occasionally violent cable series set either in ancient Rome or in space."

Anybody got good customized suggestions lately?

Countdown to ecstasy

My preview of tonight's installment of Our Hit Parade is in the New York Post.

Modelled after the old radio and TV show Your Hit Parade, this monthly cavalcade of stars performing current chart-toppers is a real hoot, and usually includes a countdown, games, dances, audience participation (willing or not) and a certain amount of nudity.

In addition to the core trio of Kenny Mellman, Bridget Everett and Neal Medlyn, tonight's guests include the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson, Randy Harrison, Jackie Hoffman and Molly Pope. See you at Joe's Pub!

Riding the carousel ot time

John Kelly's Paved Paradise Redux: The Art of Joni Mitchell at Abrons Arts Center, New York Post, June 22, 2009.

Every time I see John Kelly do his Joni Mitchell tribute, I rush back home afterwards and relisten to Joni's albums. And then I realize I'm not that big a fan--I like Kelly doing Mitchell a lot more. If I'm going to listen to a romantic, tortured singer-songwriter, I much prefer Laura Nyro and the perfect balance of pop, soul and Tin Pan Alley she achieved on her 60s albums.

A Wiz and a bang

Double-barrel attack in today's New York Post.

First, I tackled the Encores! revival of The Wiz. I heard through the grapevine that it's one of their most expensive efforts ever. Okaaaay. At least it's a lot better than Sidney Lumet's movie, which I had rented last week for the sake of research.

Then I caught the new LCT3 production, Stunning, at the Duke on 42nd St. David Adjmi's play had been getting a lot of buzz and yes, it's really that good. Plus, direction and cast rival anything on Broadway.

Revisiting Osage County

I've never been a huge fan of Phylicia Rashad, but she brings interesting nuances to Tracy Letts's August: Osage County, which I revisited on Wednesday afternoon. (My re-review hit the Post today.)

I absolutely adored the play when I first saw it a year and a half ago, and found myself sucked into it all over again. It's very easy to get half-price tickets so by all means, get yourself to the Music Box.

Our House

Theresa Rebeck's Our House at Playwrights Horizons, New York Post, June 10, 2009.

Of course, the Post's headline writers went for Madness on this one. I've had the song lodged in my head ever since seeing the show (though it's not used in it).

A lot of Machines

Machines, Machines, Machines, Machines, Machines, Machines, Machines at HERE, New York Post, June 8, 2009.

The first half hour of this show is as perfectly devised and executed as anything you'll see in NY right now. And even when the execution isn't perfect, the problems are part of the premise. A highly recommended way to spend $20.

Coraline

Stephin Merritt and David Greenspan's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York Post, June 2.

This is one instance where I felt really frustrated by the lack of space in the paper, as the show is (spoiler warning!) a failure for very interesting reasons. I'm not sure they're interesting enough to warrant a trip to Christopher Street, but still: food for though there.