OTHELLO directed by Sam Gold at New York Theater Workshop is a powerful, muscular & thrilling production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. This production explores the play's dark themes with precision & clarity. David Oyelowo is an astounding Othello, and Daniel Craig is an excellent scheming Iago. Done in modern dress, this is the best version of Othello I have seen.
I loved the subtle, appropriately quiet & sweet new musical THE BAND'S VISIT @AtlanticTheater which features a perfect cast & beautiful score. Like the film on which it is based, the show explores a variety of human connections in engaging ways. Standouts in the ensemble cast are Tony Shalhoub, Katrina Link, Ari'el Stachel & John Cariani. This is by far my favorite David Yazbek score and contains several especially beautiful songs ("Itzik's Lullaby"& "Answer Me"). This is also my favorite new musical of the fall theater season.
FINIAN'S RAINBOW at the Irish Rep Theatre suffers from clunky staging and a dated book, but the cast largely delivers the show's nice score. It is perfectly pleasant to watch, but not a relavatory revival of this musical.
The excellent "Merrily We Roll Along" documentary "Best Worst Thing That Could Have Happened" is a must see for anyone who loves theater. It is fascinating, informative & surprisingly moving and deftly illustrates how art imitates life, and vice-versa.
Kenneth Lonergan's excelent new film "MANCHESTER BY THE SEA" is a moving, contemplative & thoughtful portrait of finely drawn characters dealing with pain & loss. Casey Affleck gives an astounding performance in the lead role, and is finely supported by Lucas Hedges who play his nephew in the film. Cautionary note- don't see this film if/when you are feeling emotionally brittle as this film lands solid emotional punches.
New musical RIDE THE CYCLONE @mcctheater is an awkward misfire that struggles and fails to maintain a consistent, coherent tone. Thankfully, it is short but nevertheless feels much longer than its 90 minute running time.
THE BABYLON LINE @LCTheater is an engaging, well written, finely acted, and smartly directed play that interestingly explores the intersection of life and art of writing. It feels simultaneously fresh and familiar, and I mean that in a good way. This is playwright Richard Greenberg's best new play in years.
Nicky Silver's "THIS DAY FORWARD" @vineyardtheatre offers little that is new or original for this playwright, focusing once again on the bitter disappointment of unlikeable characters arising from the choices they have made in life. The production is solid, and the show is breezes on by, but I yearn for new territory to be explored by this writer.
Sutton Foster is THE reason to see @TheNewGroupNYC peppy revival of the musical "Sweet Charity". Ms. Foster's goofy charm and great voice are sublime perfection, allowing one to look past the flaws in the show and some of the staging.
 | KenderTheater (@KenderTheater) |
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Lynn Nottage's working class focused new play "Sweat" @PublicTheaterNY is powerful & timely; it packs solid punches and sends a strong message of the need for solidarity rather than division and resentment. This production features fine acting, with standout performances by Johanna Day and Khris Davis.
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| KenderTheater (@KenderTheater) |
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The Off-Broadway stage production of "Dead Poets Society" @classicstage features fine acting in support of this solid, if uninspired, adaptation of the film.
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