If you are in Los Angeles and love great theater, please do not hesitate to get tickets for Martin McDonaugh's terrific play "Cripple of Inishmaan" at the Kirk Douglas theater. The pitch perfect production from Ireland's Druid Theater is unlikely to be surpassed by any other show in Los Angeles this year. It is that good.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Spring Season 2011 Report #2/ "Kin" Connects; "Inishmaan" Captivates
On a visit to New York a few weeks back, I had the good fortune to see a great new play entitled "Kin" from an exciting young playwright in its world premiere at Playwrights Horizons. Penned by Bathsheba Doran and expertly directed by Sam Gold, "Kin" is a wise and deeply felt exploration of the the family and friendship ties that bind, pull, frustrate and foment a budding relationship between a man and woman who rarely appear together on stage. The play's tone is both elegiac and hopeful at the same time, and it is quite a feat to pull off such a seemingly dichotomous mood. Credit for doing so must go to the director, writer and amazing cast of this production.
Off-Broadway has gifted NY theatergoers two outstanding new dramas this year- first "Other Desert Cities," and now "Kin." Since the former has closed pending a possible move to Broadway, I encourage anyone who wants to see a fresh and inciteful new drama to pay a visit to Playwrights Horizons to see "Kin" before its currently scheduled closing date on April 17.
What to say about the Broadway mounting of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"? I could list the many deficiencies of this show, including an almost non-existent book, a primarily weak cast (Tony Sheldon excepted), and the need to check your rational brain at the door. But by the end of the evening watching this show, I decided all that is pointless and resistance was futile, I gave in and enjoyed the show for what it was - an entertaining romp and pageant.
Inconsistent and some especially weak casting does serious damage to David Leveaux's staging of one of my favorite plays of all time, Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia." The strength of the play holds up against the poor cast choices, but my heart (which was not engaged much during the show itself) was left aching for what this could have been with a few better actors in several key roles.
Casting is not the problem with Sharr White's new drama "The Other Place" at MCC Theater at the Lortel in the Village. For this frustrating and pedestrian play has the great fortune of having Laurie Melcalf starring in the lead role. Metcalf is amazing; the play, not so much. I would say it is a toss up as to whether Metcalf's performance alone makes the play worth seeing.
Finally, back in Los Angeles, the Kirk Douglas Theater is presenting the first west coast tour stop of the Druid's production of Martin McDonagh's "The Cripple of Inishmaan." I had seen and loved this production a year or two ago at the Atlantic Theater in New York. Except for two holdover from that earlier production, the cast is new. While the new cast members may not be quite up to the level of their outstanding predecessors, the whole still gels and this remains a great production of an outstanding play from a masterful Irish playwright. "Inishmaan" is funny, smart, moving and thrilling to behold. No finer work has graced the stages in Los Angeles thus far this year. If you are in the Southern California area, I strongly advise you to see this show before its May 1 closing date.
Following a trip to New York later this month, I expect to have reports on the new musical "Book of Mormon," Lynn Nottage's new play "By The Way, Meet Vera Stark," the new Tony Kushner play "IHo," and National Theatre import "War Horse."
Off-Broadway has gifted NY theatergoers two outstanding new dramas this year- first "Other Desert Cities," and now "Kin." Since the former has closed pending a possible move to Broadway, I encourage anyone who wants to see a fresh and inciteful new drama to pay a visit to Playwrights Horizons to see "Kin" before its currently scheduled closing date on April 17.
What to say about the Broadway mounting of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"? I could list the many deficiencies of this show, including an almost non-existent book, a primarily weak cast (Tony Sheldon excepted), and the need to check your rational brain at the door. But by the end of the evening watching this show, I decided all that is pointless and resistance was futile, I gave in and enjoyed the show for what it was - an entertaining romp and pageant.
Inconsistent and some especially weak casting does serious damage to David Leveaux's staging of one of my favorite plays of all time, Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia." The strength of the play holds up against the poor cast choices, but my heart (which was not engaged much during the show itself) was left aching for what this could have been with a few better actors in several key roles.
Casting is not the problem with Sharr White's new drama "The Other Place" at MCC Theater at the Lortel in the Village. For this frustrating and pedestrian play has the great fortune of having Laurie Melcalf starring in the lead role. Metcalf is amazing; the play, not so much. I would say it is a toss up as to whether Metcalf's performance alone makes the play worth seeing.
Finally, back in Los Angeles, the Kirk Douglas Theater is presenting the first west coast tour stop of the Druid's production of Martin McDonagh's "The Cripple of Inishmaan." I had seen and loved this production a year or two ago at the Atlantic Theater in New York. Except for two holdover from that earlier production, the cast is new. While the new cast members may not be quite up to the level of their outstanding predecessors, the whole still gels and this remains a great production of an outstanding play from a masterful Irish playwright. "Inishmaan" is funny, smart, moving and thrilling to behold. No finer work has graced the stages in Los Angeles thus far this year. If you are in the Southern California area, I strongly advise you to see this show before its May 1 closing date.
Following a trip to New York later this month, I expect to have reports on the new musical "Book of Mormon," Lynn Nottage's new play "By The Way, Meet Vera Stark," the new Tony Kushner play "IHo," and National Theatre import "War Horse."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)