After a rather lackluster fall theater season that saw the Steppenwolf revival of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" stand out as an exceptional and exciting production, this spring was initially looking to be bereft of any theatrical brilliance. Then a little girl and the circus came to town and saved the day.
The little girl in question is none other than the RSC import "Matilda," who has taken Broadway by storm. Add me to the chorus of theatergoers who were entirely transfixed by this show, although it took me a little time to get there. After Act 1 I was left admiring "Matilda" as a good show with a terrific cast, most notably the title character played by Milly Shapiro. But then the magic of the outstanding second act took hold and tied everything together in a blissful triumph. Much of the stagecraft is breathtaking and the cast is superb. Leaving the theater I was struck by how much I wanted to see the show again. This is by far the best new show on Broadway.
As for the circus, that arrives in the form of the circus-inspired take on "Pippin," which is hugely entertaining. I have not been taken with most of the output in recent years by director Diane Paulus, and I went into this revival with low expectations, notwithstanding the positive reviews from the Boston premiere of this production. At first, the circus conceit seemed rather inorganic and forced. But after the first song or two I started to buy into the concept and let myself be swept away in this enormously entertaining show that features two standout performances by Patina Miller and Andrea Martin. The circus concept allows Ms. Paulus to divert attention away from the considerable flawed patches of the show as written, and that alone deserves high praise.
I also enjoyed "Hands On A Hardbody," which moved me despite some minor flaws; I was quite disheartened to see this show close so quickly. This disappointment is especially painful given that the complete and unmitigated disaster that is "Kinky Boots" is playing to packed houses. There is often no justice on Broadway. I also felt that there was a considerable lack of passion in Classic Stage's revival of 'Passion," admittedly a show I have never warmed up to. But I am happy to report that there is pure enchantment available in the form of R&H's perfectly cast "Cinderella," which was a pleasant surprise for me.
On the play front, this season has been largely a disappointment. The new plays in New York that I liked best this spring were Christopher Durang's "Vanya & Sonya & Masha & Spike" and Jesse Eisenberg's "The Revisionist," a solid off-Broadway offering with the legendary Vanessa Redgrave. The rest of the play bunch in NY this spring were either lackluster ("Assembled Parties," "Belleville," "Really, Really") or downright bad ("The Nance," "Old Hats," and "Hit The Wall").
Moving on to theater in Los Angeles, the highlights this season were two now closed shows, "Tribes" at the Taper, and "The Whale" at South Coast Rep, and one show still playing, "Slipping," RattlestickLA's dark but intriguing production that you should catch at the Lillian Theater in Hollywood before it ends its brief run.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Don't miss "Slipping" @RattlestickLA
Don't miss "Slipping" @RattlestickLA, a well written and produced look at dysfunctional relationships and their corrosive nature. @WyattFenner took over the lead role tonight and is simply terrific. He is one of the finest young actors in the country. Macleod Andrews was also excellent. Great to have Rattlestick Playwrights Theater providing LA with such great work.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
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