NOEL COWARD'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER …Beverly Hills

 

 

When I was a child, a young mother in my English town took her life when her lover moved away. While experiencing this play, that captures the sublimity of perfect love, I finally understood what depth of feeling might have driven her to it. To adaptor & director Emma Rice, theater not only consists of language because, as she demonstrates, love and longing are visceral; here is a roaring sea in the mind, there a fall to the floor when approached by the beloved, all a visualization of the swept-away feeling that overcomes lovers.

Coward’s simple tale of two people meeting in a railroad tea shop in 1938 is transformed into an exuberant ballet where various aspects of love – the forbidden, the carnal and the adolescent – combine to show the passionate reality that love brings to mundane daily life. All of this Rice accomplishes through musical numbers, film projections and vaudeville turns by her brilliant multi-tasking performers.

The mostly British cast, many from the original Kneehigh Theatre UK production, are headed by Hannah Yelland who, as Laura, captures the stiff-upper-lip bravado of a gracious British housewife struggling against a passion that might wreck her life; Jim Sturgeon as Alec is a decent chap unable to resist the pull of a promised love; 

Annette McLaughlin as Myrtle is a sassy broad with singing and dancing talent to spare; Joe Alessi plays her lover Fred, a cheeky train dispatcher one moment, then Albert a solid understanding husband; Dorothy Atkinson plays Beryl, a cheeky teenager, as well as a loquacious grande dame, and Damon Daunno as Stanley is an eager beaver wanna-be Romeo.

At the Bram Goldsmith Theater, Annenberg Center,  9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills through March 23. Tickets: Annenberg Box Office, phone 310-746-4000 or  www.thewallis.org

GOING TO ST. IVES …Hollywood

 

In this compelling two-person drama, the imperious mother of an African dictator visits the English ophthalmologist from whom she seeks help for her failing eyesight. In an elegantly furnished home in St. Ives, England, there is some challenging social interaction over cups of tea. However, both women have hidden agenda’s that require them to betray their personal beliefs in the search for a greater good. It involves a murder, and ultimately triggers a bloody chain of events with life-and-death consequences.

Both attain their purposed goal but months later, meeting again in Africa, are faced with the spiritual failure and personal annihilation that their actions have wrought. Author Lee Blessing presents questions of personal ethics, global politics and moral responsibility through two strong-willed women trading confidences across a wide cultural divide.

 

 

 In the end, Inger Tudor, as the haughty May N’Kame, delivers a heart-wrenching monologue on a mother’s loss that brings the play into tragic focus, while Nan McNamara, as the dedicated surgeon Dr. Gage, passionately mourns the loss of the idealism that made her a doctor.

Uncompromising direction is by Linda Kerns, with set by Mark Henderson and Tim Farmer, lighting by Bill E. Kickbush, sound by Warren Davis, and elegant costumes by Vicki Conrad. Catherine Gray produces for Actors Co-op.

Actors Co-op is located on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood. Free parking is available. For play dates: (323) 462-8460 ext. 300 or www.ActorsCo-op.org

Reviewed in the March issue of NOT BORN YESTERDAY.

PASSION PLAY …West Los Angeles

In this three-part saga, playwright Sarah Ruhl’s kaleidoscopic view of life is revealed through the backstage romancing, social conflicts and political shenanigans of different historic eras. 

In the show, three different acting troupes are staging a pageant on the death of Christ in 16^th century England, then Nazi Germany, and finally 20^th century South Dakota. In these enactments locals of the time squabble, seduce each other and rehearse the crucifixion, seemingly oblivious to the threats looming via their government leaders. 

Illustrious visitors to the pageants include the warlike Catholic-persecuting Queen Elizabeth the First, the high-booted snarling Adolf Hitler, and the chirpy half-distracted Ronald Reagan. It’s a heavy show, told as a Music Hall romp, fascinating to watch but in the end leaving this audience member wondering what it all adds up to. It's a bleak picture where lust gives way to suicide, homesickness to betrayal, and patriotism to madness.

Under Bart DeLorenzo’s fluid direction the large ensemble smoothly transition from loutish peasants (1570), to cynical Germans (1934) to naive Americans (1984). 

The three icons of Queen, Dictator and President are brilliantly impersonated by Shannon Holt, who makes you laugh as your blood runs cold.  Christian Leffler is dominating as a man robbed of his innocence and his beloved wife by an unnamed war, Dorie Barton portrays Mary the Virgin as a hot little number, while Daniel Bess is a virile Christ. Also notable are Dylan Kenin, Amanda Troop, Bill Brochtrup, Brittany Slattery, John Charles Meyer and John Prosky.

Set is by Frederica Nascimento, lighting by Michael Gend, music and sound by John Ballinger, and costumes by Raquel Barreto.

At Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA through March 16.  Tickets: (310) 477-2055 or www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

Reviewed in the March issue of NOT BORN YESTERDAY.

DAY TRADER …Los Angeles

 

Nothing is what it seems in playwright Eric Rudnick’s wacky tale of double and triple cross in modern-day Hollywood. If we accept the truth of what is before our eyes, e.g. a loving if eccentric father, a delightfully bratty kid, a talented wannabee actress and a sympathetic neighbor, then the trick is on us. 

Here’s the plot as it unfolds: an unemployed writer is married to a rich woman he cannot divorce without losing everything. He hatches a plot to get her to divorce him by having his mistress impersonate a psycho-analyst who, through auto-suggestion, gets his teenage daughter to recall him sexually abusing her when she was six. Hi Ho, apparently the scheme works – he gets the divorce and $7 million pedophile-separation pay. However, in the end, the scam turns on itself and one discovers this jigsaw puzzle was not assembled honestly.

Still, the confusion is amply relieved by a wonderful cast that glow under Steven Williford’s brilliant direction. Danton Stone is delightfully shy and devious as Dad; 14 year old Brighid Fleming is amazingly sharp and self-contained as his outspoken daughter; Tim Meinelschmidt is a genial cipher as his supposedly helpful friend, and Murielle Zuker is beautiful, enigmatic and sylph-like whether as waitress, therapist, or lover. Mo Gaffney is an offstage voice warning about Day Trading, and effective emphasis is added by onstage drummer Josh Imlay.

Undaunted by the Multi-Media, Jazz-Bar, Warehouse-at-the-Bootleg experience, the Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford, Lighting by Jared A. Sayeg, Sound by Ivan Robles and Costumes by Michele Young capture the LA scene succinctly.

This World Premiere co-production is from Bootleg Theater and Small American Productions, and plays through February 16^th.  At The Bootleg Theater 2220 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles. Tickets at (213) 389-3856 or www.bootlegtheater.org

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS JEFFERSON, CHARLES DICKENS AND COUNT LEO TOLSTOY: DISCORD ...North Hollywood

In playwright Scott Carter’s intriguing new play, these three famous men of literature and politics meet after death to argue over their individual fascination with the Gospel. In life, each one edited and created his own version of the New Testament and we are witness to a delicious clash of personalities and game of words. Here is a haughty Thomas Jefferson, an egotistical Charles Dickens and a pugnacious Count Leo Tolstoy, locked in a room where they can debate for all eternity. Then, as they are confronted with the hypocritical secrets in their personal lives, we are faced with the question – does the good they brought to mankind excuse their bad behavior? Well, according to the author, you’ll have to decide that for yourself.

Under Matt August’ stylized direction, Larry Cedar, as Jefferson, gives emotional depth to a man ruled by his keen intellect; David Melville, as Dickens, is humorously bombastic and eccentric; while Armin Shimerman portrays a grim Tolstoy with a hair trigger temper – no fault to the actor but hardly fair to the man whose pacifism influenced Gandhi!

The stark set by Takeshi Kata is given dynamic life by Luke Moyer’s lighting, Cricket S. Myers sound and Jeffrey Elias Teeter’s projections. The fine costume design is by Ann Closs-Farley. Produced by Kevin Bailey of Noho Arts Center Ensemble, Independent Shakespeare Co. & Efficiency Studios. 

At NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, through February 23. For tickets: 818-508-7101 ext.6 or www.nohoace.com. 

Reviewed in the February issue of NOT BORN YESTERDAY.