Friday, December 29, 2017

The Children - Posing Questions of Responsibility


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

"I don't know how to want less", exclaims Hazel (Deborah Findlay) in Lucy Kirkwood's dystopian drama The Children. This London transfer currently having its North American premiere at Broadway's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Hazel and Robin (Ron Cook) retired nuclear engineers and a long time married couple, live on an isolated section of the English coast, approximately ten miles from what has become known as the "exclusion zone". An area so heavily irradiated in the wake of a nuclear meltdown, it has been deemed unsafe for human entry. Since the disaster, the couple has been forced to adapt to a world where items once taken for granted - such as constant electricity and safe, running water - are now things of the past.

Despite the constant reminders of what has occurred - including the farm they once owned now being in the exclusion zone - the two have managed to survive rather well. Though Robin is more haunted by the past than his wife, he even going down to their farm every day to check on the cows they had to leave behind.

Things change with the unexpected arrival of Rose (Francesca Annis). A former colleague whom they haven't seen in nearly four decades. At least Hazel hasn't. Robin, as it turns out, once had a romantic relationship with Rose. One which may have continued long after Hazel thought it finished.

Rose however, has a different reason for her visit. Knowing the authorities are working on shutting down the still-leaking power plant, she wants Robin and Hazel to be part of the team she is taking back there. Engineers and specialists all over the age of 65. People whom, in her view, have already lived most of their lives, thus more expendable than the much younger technicians who were previously sent to do the job. Especially since it can take up to 20 years for the effects of radiation to be felt.

The Children poses numerous questions regarding the quality of life. Most specifically, whose is most important? Those with more than 50 years still ahead, or persons with probably half that? Kirkwood also stacks the deck in Rose's favor by adding elements of personal responsibility and guilt. Rose blurting out at one point that Hazel and Robin don't have the right to electricity. Not when half the developing world doesn't have access to it.

Part and parcel with this is the idea that one cannot rest on their past accomplishments - such as assisting in the removal of an irradiated layer of topsoil - when there is the still much more to be done. Hazel may believe that, after a lifetime of doing good, she and Robin have earned the right to walk away and start over. But as Kirkwood makes clear, no one has that right.

Unfortunately, while offering a lot to think about, the play doesn't even start to become interesting until the one hour mark. The time prior basically a lengthy and roundabout conversation between Rose and Hazel, which gives no idea what is to come. Thus, by the time the purpose of Rose's visit is revealed, one has ceased to care about those on stage.

It would have also been nice to know exactly when the accident happened. Robin's habit of going back into the irradiated area to check on the cows suggests it was fairly recent. Yet there are other references indicating a longer amount of time has passed. Being more specific would have made the various references in the play come together more strongly.

Findlay is the standout of the cast as Hazel. A woman who does just enough to avoid feeling guilty about her life, and where denial is a key part of her reality. As a resigned realist, Cook's character nicely balances Findlay's in their scenes together. Robin helping to maintain the illusions Hazel has erected, while not really caring about what happens to himself.

While meant to be the catalyst in the show, Rose comes off as more annoying than anything else. The character continually picking at every statement made, as if trying to reawaken old memories and feelings in the other two. Yet there is a difference between knowing you are in the right and acting much too pretentious about it. A distinction the playwright, director James Macdonald and Annis all seem to have forgotten.

Kirkwood has come up with an interesting story, but it takes too long to get to the payoff; and even when it does, there are certain elements that remain unclear.

The Children
by Lucy Kirkwood

Featuring: Francesca Anna (Rose), Ron Cook (Robin), Deborah Findlay (Hazel).

Scenic and Costume Design: Miriam Buether
Lighting and Production Design: Peter Mumford
Sound Design: Max Pappenheim
Production Stage Manager: Martha Donaldson
Original Casting: Amy Ball
Additional Casting: Nancy Piccione
Stage Manager: Amanda Michaels
General Manager: Florie Seery
Directed by James Macdonald

Presented by Manhattan Theatre Club and The Royal Court Theatre

The Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com
Running Time: 1 Hour, 50 Minutes, No Intermission

Closes: February 4, 2018

Friday, December 22, 2017

It's A Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play - All About Making A Difference


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Each person’s life touches others, often in the most unexpected ways. It’s a lesson learned by George Bailey in the 1946 film “It’s A Wonderful Life", and given a new twist with Anthony E. Palermo's adaptation of the work as a live radio performance. Previously seen at the Irish Repertory Theatre in 2013, the piece has returned for an encore engagement, making for a heartwarming holiday treat.

Set in the same year as the film, the  Palermo version takes place in a broadcast studio of radio station WIRT. Complete with a Christmas tree, an assortment of holiday cards, several rather warn and slightly mismatched chairs, and photos of the various movies stars on the walls. Including such figures as Doris Day, Clark Gable, Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, and Jimmy Stewart. As Bing Crosby yuletide tunes play over the station loudspeakers and the studio clock moves along in real time, the actors begin to gather for the broadcast.

"It's A Wonderful Life" tells the story of George Baily (Aaron Gaines). Hailing from the small town of Bedford Falls - one of those places where everybody knows everyone else - George had plans to go college and travel the world. Until circumstances and a deep sense of loyalty forced him to give up his dreams and take over the family savings and loan business. When $8,000, which was supposed to be deposited in the bank, suddenly goes missing, and an arrest warrant hanging over his head, George contemplates taking his own life. It's up to Clarence Oddbody (Dewey Caddell) -- an angel, second class -- to show George that he really did have a life that mattered. If Clarence can do that, he will finally earn his wings, after 200 years of waiting.

The story, as enacted here, is quite engaging. So much so that by the time the final act begins, one would be hard pressed not to believe the characters and situations presented are quite real. The cast of six talking into microphones and reading from scripts as they embody over 25 different speaking parts. Various changes in costume, used to differentiate the shift from one role from the next, are done to present a more rounded picture of the different characters to the audience. Charlotte Moore's direction is mostly spot-on throughout, allowing the story to unfold quite seamlessly as it draws the audience into the tale.

At the same time, there are frequent reminders that what we are seeing is indeed a radio play. Such as the use of commercial breaks; the way the actors move about in their "normal" personas when not acting out the various characters; or when they have direct interaction with the audience. As when the station Announcer (Ian Holcomb) welcomes the audience to the studio where the performance will be held, and also explains the need for their immediate response whenever the "applause" sign flashes.

We also get to see a demonstration of devices once used to produce sound effects for radio broadcasts. Among them, the crunching of cornflakes to imitate the footsteps of someone walking in snow. The different effects done by Rory Duffy, who acts as the station's SFX Artist, in addition to various characters in the radio play. The use of live commercials are also a particularly nice touch. They offering a 1946 perspective on such subjects as cigarettes - endorsed by doctors and nurses - and medication for females at that special time of the month.

Aaron Gaines is quite good as George. The character coming off as an honest, hardworking sort who has long since felt life has passed him by. At least, until Clarence intervenes. It also helps that Gaines and Haley Bond - who plays George's wife, Mary - are able to make the interplay between their two characters seem fresh and immediate, especially during a courtship sequence. This helping to show the growing emotional bond that develops between the couple.

While George is the lynchpin around which the story revolves, the character is somewhat limited in his makeup, due to his straight-arrow nature. It's also the reason why some of his later outbursts of joy, which work fine on a giant movie screen, come off as rather hokey when performed in an intimate venue. Actor Dewey Caddell however, has no such problems. Playing a variety of characters, from the evil Mr. Potter who wants to own the entire town of Bedford Falls; to Pop Bailey, a true salt-of-the-earth type; to the terribly earnest Clarence; Caddell is able to make each of the personas he inhabits come powerfully to life.

Also working quite well is Ian Holcomb who, in addition to his announcer duties, takes on the roles of, among others, the Superintendent of Angels, George's Uncle Willie, Ernie the Cabdriver and Nick the Bartender. All with appropriate changes in costume, head gear and accent. Rounding out the cast is Orlagh Cassidy - the diva among the actors at the radio station - who shows off her versatility by playing characters ranging from the very young to the very old.

It’s A Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play allows a much-beloved tale to be seen in an entirely new way. It's a great treat for the holiday season, or any other time of the year, for that matter.

It's A Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play

Adapted from the Frank Capra film by Anthony E. Palermo

Featuring: Haley Bond (Mary Hatch Bailey, Mrs. Davis), Dewey Caddell (Clarence, Mr. Potter, Pop Bailey, Mr. Gower, Martini), Orlagh Cassidy (Ma Bailey, Ma Hatch, Cousin Tilly, Toll Taker, Bank Teller, Janie Bailey, Zuzu Bailey, Impatient Neighbor, Suzie), Rory Duffy (SFX Artist, Officer Bert, Dr. Campbell, Sam Wainwright, Mr. Welch, Petey Bailey, Sheriff, Randy), Aaron Gaines (George Bailey), Ian Holcomb (Announcer, Superintendent of Angels, Uncle Billy, Harry Bailey, Ernie, Nick, Mr. Carter).

Set Design: James Morgan
Costume Design: Barbara Bell
Lighting Design: Brian Nason
Live Sound Design: Zach Williamson
Associate Sound Designer: Walter Tillman
Production Stage Manager: April Ann Kline
Assistant Stage Manager: Marian Hyfler
Press Representative: Matt Ross Public Relations
General Manager: Lisa Fane
Directed by Charlotte Moore

Presented by the Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: 212-727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Running time: 75 minutes no intermission

Closes: December 31, 2017

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Downtown Race Riot - A Matter of Perception


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Just because one person has an opinion of how they stand in a cultural context, doesn't mean people with different social perspectives share that same opinion. This being one of the messages in Seth Zvi Rosenfeld's powerful drama Downtown Race Riot.  The show now being presented by The New Group at The Pershing Square Signature Center.

Greenwich Village, New York City, 1976. 18 year-old Jimmy "Pnut" Shannon (David Levi), and his best friend Marcel "Massive" Baptiste (Moise Morancy), are hanging out at Pnut's apartment before joining a riot set to begin in nearby Washington Square Park. The area locals (mostly older and Italian) planning to drive out the "undesirable" element (i.e. members of a different racial makeup than their own) that have moved into the neighborhood as of late.

Pnut and his older sister Joyce (Sadie Scott) live with their drug-addicted mother Mary (Chloe Sevigny), whose days are spent watching TV and getting high. Mary is also someone who has learned to game the system. Which is the reason she receives monthly disability checks for her so-called “chronic back pain”. She's also constantly coming up with different get-rich-quick schemes, such as saying Pnut suffered brain damage due to his eating lead-based paint chips when he was younger. Mary's action's being the reason Joyce is planning to leave home and never come back.

Though Mary is unaware of it, Pnut is probably the only reason she's still alive. Her son using a series of neighborhood contacts to keep tabs on his mother during her various drug-fueled episodes. These people doing their best to make sure she gets home safe.

While Pnut is planning on joining the riot because it's expected of him, Massive is chomping at the bit to dive right in. Massive is originally from Haiti and has had more than has share of prejudicial blowback since his arrival in town. Originally settling in Harlem, Massive and his family were often harassed by African-Americas for the way they dressed and talked. They eventually moving downtown to "get away from them".

Treasuring the acceptance he has received from the various elements in his current neighborhood, Massive will do whatever is necessary to keep their respect. However, even in a community, there are some lines you do not cross, such as getting involved with the sister of someone from a different racial background. A fact Pnut learns when two neighborhood toughs (Cristian DeMeo, Daniel Sovich) come by to make sure he bring Massive brings to the riot, where his friend will be taught a very hard lesson to that effect.

Pnut's failure to follow his instructions will result in some very serious consequences. Not only would be branded a traitor and thus become persona non grata to those in the neighborhood, but his mother would loose the protection she has been given and, as such, be at the mercy of anyone who tries to sell her drugs; or take advantage of her when she is unable to defend herself. Pnut then trying to decide whether to do the right thing, as well as figure out just what is the right thing to do?

It's not long before a hard truth emerges. You cannot save someone who doesn't wish to be saved. Massive and Mary being two such examples. Massive is fiercely protective of the status he thinks he has gained, while failing to see that those he counts as allies may not feel the same way. As for Mary, she has no intention of even trying to kick her drug habit, despite the damage it causing to both herself and her family.

In another ironic twist, it is Mary who ultimately realizes the futility of offering someone a lifeline who doesn't want it. Her understanding of this becoming a key point in the show's final moments.

Director Scott Elliott displays a good understanding of the text. Many of the scenes having the feeling of a ticking time bomb, as the audiences waits for the inevitable explosion. One that will reveal which, if any, of the characters will emerge unscathed.

Levi gives a powerful performance as Pnut. A perennially sullen young man, trapped in an unhappy home life, with a deep seated anger that threatens to consume him. Morancy is fine as the stalwart and laid-back Massive. Someone supremely confident in his neighborhood standard, while firmly aware of the responsibilities that come with such status. Scott does well as Joyce. A young woman who wants to get far away from the place she no longer considers home, while realizing she still as deep roots there. DeMeo and Sovich nicely project threatening airs as the two street hoods.

Special mention must be given to Sevingy's excellent performance as Mary. The character turning out to be both a study in contradictions, and the most multi-layered character in the piece. She perfectly willing to use her Joyce and Pnut, and also sleep with whomever necessary, in order to get what she wants. At the same time, she displays a deep intelligence and is fiercely protective of her children. Mary apparently believing that she has the right to take advantage of the two of them, but no one else does.

Derek McLane's set of the Shannon apartment suggest a place well-worn and depressing. The feeling adding to the overall ominous atmosphere of Rosenfeld's work.

Downtown Race Riot presents an intimate and thought provoking examination of people for whom survival is the best they can hope for, provided they can first live through today.

Also in the cast is Josh Pais.

Downtown Race Riot
by Seth Zvi Rosenfeld

Featuring: Christian DeMeo (Tommy-Sick), David Levi (Jimmy "Pnut" Shannon), Moise Morancy (Marcel "Massive" Baptiste), Josh Pais (Bob Gilman), Sadie Scott (Joyce Shannon), Chloe Sevigny (Mary Shannon) Daniel Sovich (Jay 114)

Scenic Design: Derek McLane
Costume Design: Clint Ramos
Lighting Design: Yael Lubetzky
Sound Design: M.L. Dogg
Fight Direction: Unkle Dave's Fights-House
Production Supervisor: Five Ohm Productions
Properties Supervisor: Matthew Frew
Production Stage Manager: Valerie A. Peterson
Assistant Stage Manager: Nicole Iovino
Assistant Director: Marie Masters
Casting: Judy Henderson, CSA
Public Relations: Bridget Klapinski
Advertising: AKA
Associate Artistic Director: Ian Morgan
Development Director: Jamie Lehrer
General Manager: Kevin Condardo
Marketing Director: Stephanie Warren
Directed by Scott Elliott

Presented by The New Group
The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.thenewgroup.org
Running Time: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes, no intermission

Closes: December 23, 2017

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Who's Holiday! - One Woman, Starting Again


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

For the record, the Grinch did not pat Cindy Lou Who on the butt during that long ago Christmas Eve, nor was she possibly three years old at the time the two first met. In actuality, she was "no more than two", according to the historical documents which chronicled that initial meeting. Playwright Matthew Lombardo using this encounter from the much-beloved Dr. Seuss children's book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" as the genesis for his one-person show Who's Holiday!, now at the Westside Theatre.

Little Cindy Lou Who (Lesli Margherita) is now all grown up, on the far side of 40, and somewhat the worse for wear. She lives in a trailer on the side of the Mount Crumpit, not far from her childhood home from which she has long since been exiled. The time is once again the evening of December the 24th, and Cindy Lou Who is eagerly awaiting the guests for the holiday party she has planned. While she waits, she finds herself looking back on her life and the circumstances which have brought her to this moment. Events which include a marriage against her parent's wishes; and one she was ill-prepared for when things started to go wrong. Said union, and its aftereffects, the reason many of those she once knew refuse now to have anything to do with her. Of particular pain to Cindy Lou Who is her continuing estrangement from her daughter, whom she hasn't seen in more than a decade.

At its heart, Who’s Holiday! is a story about second chances and forgiveness. While the underlying circumstances explored here may be rather familiar, the specific participants are certainly unique. Cindy Lou Who fully acknowledging her own responsibility on how her life has turned out, having recently completed a lengthy stretch in jail. She has since returned to as near her home turf as she can and is anxious to pick up the pieces of her life and start anew. The question being if those she still counts as her friends are ready to do the same.

The show takes a few pot shots at bigotry and hypocrisy; while also examining the truism of how one can find the more important friendships in the most unlikeliest of places. A great touch is when, during Cindy Lou Who's time in jail, her cell mate orders that she stop talking in rhyme, Something the former Whoville resident explains she is unable to do. Lombardo also tosses in mentions of other characters from the Dr. Seuss universe. Among them, Yertle the Turtle, Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, the Sneetches, the Lorax, and even the Grinch’s dog, Max.

While there is a charming idea for a story here, Lombardo isn't satisfied with just a gentle morality lesson, the objective, by the way, of pretty much all of the Dr. Seuss children’s stories. During the course of the show, Margherita often ignores the fourth wall, engages members of the audience directly and at times breaks into some decidedly non-Christmassy song and dance routines. There’s also more than a bit of salty language and sexual innuendo present. Yet while these non-Seussian moments are certainly quite enjoyable, they also damage what has come before, particularly the believability of the character Lombardo and Margherita have worked so hard to create.

It was also decided that the character of Cindy Lou-Who would be delivering most of her dialogue in the form of rhyming couplets. However, in order to execute such a creative choice effectively, the cadence of each verse should flow seamlessly into the next. A result which is often not the case here. Not only are there some things that don’t rhyme where they need to (i.e. "table" and "Playbill" or  "brawn" and "gone"), but there are also many times where the required amount of syllables and words in one spoken sentence don't match the next. Nit-picky as this may sound, this misstep continually jerks the audience out of the moment the play is trying to create.

Margherita is nothing short of brilliant as she takes on the role of both a beloved childhood icon and a woman who has had more than her fair share of pain. Her performance ranging from comic to heartbreaking as we come to understand the anguish and loneliness she is feeling. Carl Andress' direction is strong, though he's hampered by the unevenness of the text. Such moments particularly noticeable when the play transitions from one style of dialogue to the next.

David Gallo has done a very nice job with the set, the main portion of which is a rather lived-in trailer which has clearly seen better days. Though the lights and other holiday bric-a-brac that Cindy Lou Who has added doesn't completely dispel the atmosphere of things being not quite right. In keeping with the holiday season, there's snow all around albeit with a rather ominous no trespassing sign nearby.

An interesting yuletide offering, Who’s Holiday! is certainly a lot of fun, while having the potential to be so much more. However Lombardo seems unsure of just what the finished product should be, and as a result, what ends up on stage simply doesn't work as well as it should.

Due to the show's subject matter, no one under 15 years of age will be admitted.

Who’s
Holiday! A New Comedy with a Twist of Rhyme

Written by Matthew Lombardo

Starring: Lesli Margherita

Scenic Designer: David Gallo
Costume Designer: Jess Goldstein
Lighting Designer: Ken Billington/Jonathan Spencer
Sound Designer: Bart Fasbender
Wig Designer: Charles G. Lapointe
Production Supervisor: TINC Productions
Production Stage Manager: Jeffry George
Company Manager: Emma McElwee
Press Representative: Sam Rudy Media Relations/Shane Marshall brown
General Management: DR Theatrical Management/Kyle Provost
Executive Producer: Adam Hess

Directed by Carl Andress

Westside Theatre (Upstairs)
407 West 43rd Street
Tickets: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com
Running Time: 60 Minutes, no intermission

Closes: December 31, 2017

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Harry Clarke - One Man's Search for Himself


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Billy Crudup gives a powerful performance in David Cale's Harry Clarke. A one-man play about the realizations and pitfalls that come with self-discovery, now at the Vineyard Theatre. 

Crudup plays Philip Brugglestein, a man who hails from Indiana, and who has no happy memories from childhood. His parents fighting seemingly all the time and his father an alcoholic. During those early years, Philip started speaking with an English accent as a means of escaping who he was and where he was from. Something which annoyed his father to no end.

After the death of his folks, Philip relocated to New York City "where, from the day I landed, I spoke only with an English accent". A charade he's kept up for over a decade. One day while out walking, Philip spies a man who happens to pique his interest and ends up following him around unnoticed for the next few hours. 

Some months afterward, when he happens to run into the same fellow, one Mark Schmidt, Philip strikes up a conversation with him, using information he gathered from their previous encounter. Philip introducing himself as "Harry Clarke". Harry being a confident and outgoing Londoner Philip invented during his Indiana days; and whom he hadn’t thought about in years. Though now Harry is back with a vengeance and through him, Philip finds himself doing and sayings things far outside his usual norm.

It’s not long before Philip, as Harry, begins to insinuate himself into Mark’s life, and by extension, Mark's entire family. Harry's brash openness being a sort of magnet to which they are all drawn. Harry and Mark becoming particularly close, with Harry's presence causing Mark's own suppressed desires to emerge. The outcome of which leads to a place none of those involved had envisioned in the beginning.

Harry Clarke proves to be an interesting experience, as both Philip and Mark continually struggle with who they really are as opposed to who they think they need to be. The story containing elements of Six Degrees of Separation, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and even a bit of The Twilight Zone. Unfortunately, the playwright never decides exactly what he wants to focus on. Is this a story about the duality of man; a lesson on the dangers of trusting the wrong people; a tale of a boy running from his past; or a warning against continually suppressing who you actually are inside? The work eventually getting to the final denouement without being illuminating enough about the actual journey necessary to get there. As such, good as the piece is, one eventually begins to listen to it with a rather detached air, instead of being totally immersed in the tale as it unfolds.

The play also never allows the audience to get inside Harry's head and see what makes him tick. His actions seeming more a continual series of contradictions rather than anything clearly defined. Philip may come to believe Harry is real, but the audience isn't offered enough information to make that decision for themselves. As a result, the story's overall impact isn't nearly as effective as it could be.

There are also problems with some of the other choices Cale has made with his script. One in particular having to do with the fate of a character which feels a bit too contrived. Especially when taking into account all that has come before.

Crudup does an excellent job in taking on the personas of the various roles. His vocal skills particularly evident as he switches from English to Midwestern American and back again. Though he is much more believable when speaking as a male character than a female one. Just as importantly, Crudup is able to convey a very engaging stage presence. Something vital in a situation such as this. The audience being told the story rather than shown it, with Crudup acting as the conduit through when they follow along.

Leigh Silverman's direction is tightly focused and keeps the narrative moving nicely, while not allowing any of Crudup's characterizations to slip into parody or caricature. Something which the character of Harry easily has the potential to do. Scenic design by Alexander Dodge is non-descript enough so it doesn't distract from the story that's being spun, while providing a fitting framework for the final moments of the play.

Harry Clarke is an enjoyable experience, but the tale related doesn't go deep enough to make it something really special.

Harry Clarke
By David Cale

Featuring Bill Crudup (Philip Brugglestein)

Scenic Design: Alexander Dodge
Costume Design: Kaye Voice
Lighting Design: Alan C. Edwards
Sound Design: Bart Fasbender
Original Songs: David Cale
Assistant Director: Bryn Herdrich
Props Master: Andrew Diaz
Dialogue Coach: Elizabeth Smith
Casting: Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA
Production Stage Manager: Shelly Miles
Production Supervisor: Adrian White
Production Manager: Mary Duffe
Press Representative: Sam Rudy Media Relations
General Management: DR Theatrical Management

Directed by Leigh Silverman

Presented by the Vineyard Theatre
Produced in connection with audible

108 East 15th Street
Tickets: 212-353-0303 or www.vineyardtheatre.org
Running Time: 85 Minutes, No Intermission

Closes: December 17, 2017

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Illyria - Offering Much, But Not Telling Enough


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

The birth pangs of the New York Shakespeare Festival, particularly its conflicts with the New York City Parks Department and city planner Robert Moses are the stuff of theatre legend. Playwright Richard Nelson using those events as the source material for his rather meandering play Illyria, at the Public Theater.

Taking place between April and August of 1958, the story centers around Joe Papp (John Magaro), founder of the Festival, and a man who expects and demands loyalty from those around him. He's also not above using his position to get what he wants. Case in point, his insistence on casting his actress wife Peggy (Kristen Connolly) in the company's upcoming production of Twelfth Night. This despite objections from the group's director Stuart Vaughn (John Sanders), who thinks she's clearly wrong for the role. Stuart is also still chafing over his having to cast Peggy in a previous production, despite his protests.

Adding to the tension between the two men is Stuart 's acceptance of a directing offer at the Phoenix Theatre, something Joe is not happy about. Though Stuart insists he can do both jobs without sacrificing the quality of his work at either - the productions being on different schedules - Joe wants him to pick one career path or the other. Matters coming to a head during a luncheon gathering which quickly turns into a verbal battle over art and commerce. Festival press agent Merle Debuskey (Fran Krantz) delivering the most powerful line of the play at that encounter, telling Joe that, while he would do anything for free Shakespeare, he refuses to be associated with cheap Shakespeare. This in regard to a discussion on charging audiences a nominal fee for Festival productions rather than keeping them free for all, as was originally envisioned.

While certainly a subject worth discussing, things start to become repetitive rather quickly. Matters not being helped by the fact that, other than Joe, none of the characters feel in any way three-dimensional, and thus, not all that interesting. Rather ironic, since just about all of those depicted are real people, several of whom became major forces in theatre. This detached feeling becomes even more exacerbated in an extended final scene which goes on and on, and on. Nelson, also doing double duty here as the show's director, seeming to have had no idea of when to end his story.

Nelson does try to keep things the audience engaged by dropping in some interesting tidbits from time to time. These include the group having to deal with a temperamental George C. Scott during one of their productions; various union issues the company faced in order to get their shows put on; and mention of what would eventually become Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts being built on New York's West Side. An institution, Joe and his friends believe, the city authorities are much more in favor of than the Festival.

It should be pointed out that Illyria is not presenting things as they actually happened. As Nelson explains in the program notes, he's taken some liberties with the timeline of events, and has given one particular incident a new outcome for dramatic effect. Yet that doesn't explain the feeling one has of being dropped into the narrative midway through and thus continually forced to play catch-up in order to understand what's going on. Joe's being called before the House Un-American Activities Committee being an example of this.

Nelson must also share the blame, along with sound designer Scott Lehrer, for the continued inability of the audience to hear much of what was being said during the production. The actors apparently being neither miked nor projecting their voices. To be fair, The Public Theater staff did tell the audience before the show began that Illyria was going to be an intimate affair, and that listening devices were available for anybody who wanted one. However there’s a difference between such devices being available and their use being mandatory; something which definitely needed to be the case here.

Despite the work's various shortcomings, the cast give it their all. Particularly Magaro in the Joseph Papp role as he presents a portrait of someone who, while not that likeable, leaves no doubt as to where he stands on every issue. Kranz is nicely stalwart as Merle; while Sanders’ character offers a strong counterpoint to Joe throughout. Stuart also bringing up issues no one wants to talk about. Like asking what's wrong with working on projects that make you money and advance your career?

The set by Susan Hilferty & Jason Ardizzone-West is serviceable, while the lighting design by Jennifer Tipton works well.

The story of Joseph Papp, Robert Moses (who strangely isn't mentioned until more than an hour into the play) and the beginnings of the New York Shakespeare Festival is a fascinating tale and one that certainly deserves to be told. Illyria, however, is not the vehicle with which to tell it.

Featuring: John Magaro (Joseph Papp), Kristen Connolly (Peggy Papp), Fran Kranz (Merle Debuskey), John Sanders (Stuart Vaughan), Emma Duncan (Gladys Vaughn), David Amram (Blake Delong), Max Woertendyke (John Robertson), Rosie Benton (Colleen Dewhurst), Will Brill (Bernie Gersten), Naian González Norvind (Mary Bennett)

Illryia

Written and directed by Richard Nelson
Scenic Designers: Susan Hilferty & Jason Ardizzone-West
Costume Designer: Susan Hilferty
Lighting Designer: Jennifer Tipton
Sound Designer: Scott Lehrer
Production Stage Manager: Theresa Flanagan
Stage Manager: Jared Oberholtzer

Presented by The Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street
Tickets: 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org
Running Time: 1 Hour, 45 minutes, no intermission

Closes: December 10, 2017

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Of Thee I Sing - It's Message Still Soars


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Satire may be what closes on Saturday night, as playwright George S. Kaufman once said, but that was certainly not the case for the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Of Thee I Sing. Gleefully skewering the American political process and written by Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, the show opened on Broadway in 1931, running for 441 performances.

Considering what’s going on in the world today, it’s not surprising the musical is now getting another look. MasterVoices having recently presented a concert version of the show at Carnegie Hall. Though while certainly enjoyable at points, the production was not nearly as strong as it had the potential to be.

As a presidential campaign begins in earnest, the party's major power brokers, Matthew Fulton (Chuck Cooper), Louis Lippman (Brad Oscar) and Francis X. Gilhooley (Fred Applegate), must convince the voters that their candidate, John P. Wintergreen (Bryce Pinkham) has what it takes be Commander-in-Chief. A totally unexpected pick, Wintergreen was chosen simply because his name sounds presidential.

Searching for a platform for him to run on, and one which won’t cost the party anything, the group settles on “love”. They deciding to find the most beautiful girl in the country who Wintergreen will then marry, but only if he wins the election.

Though Wintergreen, who is not above using dirty tricks to get elected, goes along with the idea initially, he upsets the party’s plans at the last minute by falling in love with Fulton's assistant, Mary Turner (Denée Benton). Mary’s hidden talent being that she can bake corn muffins, which are absolutely delicious. It’s not long before the party, and indeed the entire country, are solidly behind the couple as the campaign takes the lovers to every state in union. Wintergreen proposing to Mary at each stop along the way.

Not surprisingly, Wintergreen wins the election. However, just as the combined inauguration/wedding ceremony is concluding, Diana Devereaux (Elizabeth Stanley), the woman selected to marry Wintergreen before he threw her over for Mary, arrives and accuses him of breach of promise. Though the Supreme Court quickly rules in Wintergreen and Mary’s favor, Diana's presence continues to be felt in the new administration. The media continually coming back to the issue, with Diana herself making sure she is not forgotten by the people. Things come to a head when it’s discovered Diana has certain connections to Napoleon. Seeing this now as a matter of his country’s honor, the Ambassador of France (David Pittu) demands Wintergreen divorce Mary and marry Diana, or face an international incident.

Of Thee I Sing pulls no punches when it comes to politics. The show calling out know-nothing politicians and backroom dealings, where the matter of the public good is simply a random afterthought. Also examined are the appeal of what would now be considered reality shows - beauty contests in this case - as well as the sometimes much-too-close relationship journalistic outlets have with politicians; and a world where style means a lot more than substance. While some parts of the book are quite dated, such as when Wintergreen lists the important attributes he’d look for in a wife, the underlying messages of the show are still as powerful as when they were first written.

Just as pivotal to the production is the wonderful Gershwin music, and the often pointed lyrics. Some of the musical highlights include the heartwarming “Love is Sweeping the Country” and the show’s title tune. Also a lot of fun are “The Senator from Minnesota” and “Posterity is Just Around the Corner”. The latter number a swipe at President Herbert Hoover and a statement he made in regards to the Great Depression. It's also a great treat to hear the score performed by a full orchestra. The MasterVoices orchestra performing under the very skilled baton of conductor Ted Sperling.

A chief problem with the show is its execution. Many of the gags landing not nearly as sharply as they should. Sperling, who also handled the directing chores, seeming unsure of his choices throughout. As a result, a good part of the action feels flat and uninspired.

In addition, a number of the performers are unable to get a proper handle on their characters. This is particularly evident in Pink ham's portrayal of Wintergreen. He not playing it naïve enough to come off as an everyman and not cynical enough to be believable as a political power player. He also fails to have any chemistry with Benton, thus blunting the impact of their scenes together.

Benton conversely, is able to ably convey the aura of a relative political newcomer turned practiced old hand as the show unfolds. Cooper, Oscar and Applegate feel rather interchangeable as three political hacks, with none of them really resonating in the roles they’ve taken on here. Coming off better is actor Kevin Chamberlin, who gives a winning performance as vice presidential candidate Alexander Throttlebottom. A person no one remembers and who doesn’t even know his own duties as the VP. Until they’re explained to him by a White House tour guide (Marnee Hollis).

The show is also beset by serious sound issues. A good number of the lyrics being swallowed up in the gigantic auditorium and unable to be heard. This is a critical error, as how strongly the show's messages resonate depends on the audience being able to hear what's being said.

A nice touch was having actor/humorist Mo Rocca take on the part of the narrator. Which he does in a pleasant and genial manner. Rocca also taking the opportunity to drop in some interesting trivia about the production and its history. Such as the creative team's previous effort in satire, Strike Up The Band, and George Gershwin’s penchant for publicly playing songs from Of Thee I Sing before the musical’s book had even been written.

That Of Thee I Sing still has a lot to say is without doubt. However it can't be denied that, satirical lessons and wry understandings aside, much of the show now seems quite corny. Especially when it comes to the ending. For corny to work, it needs to feel both real and involving. In the recent MasterVoices’ production of Of Thee I Sing, it doesn’t. At least not often enough.

 Of Thee I Sing

Music and Lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin
Book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind
Concert Adaptation by Tony Krasker
Orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, William Daly and George Gershwin
Narrative Written by Joe Keenan

Featuring: Bryce Pinkham (John P. Wintergreen), Denée Benton (Mary Turner), Kevin Chamberlin (Alexander Throttlebottom), Elizabeth Stanley (Diana Devereaux), Chuck Cooper (Matthew Fulton), Brad Oscar (Louis Lippman), Fred Applegate (Francis X. Gilhooley), David Pittu (French Ambassador), Rhett Gutter (Jenkins), Anna Landy (Miss Benson) Mo Rocca (Narrator), Ellen Richter (Tourist #1), Marnee Hollis (Tour Guide)

Susan H. Drannm, Stephen Eisdorfer, John Koski, Ken Moore, Vivianne Potter, Robert R. Rainier, Gerald Richman, Lisa Rubin (Supreme Court Judges)

Ghalahad Abella, Nicholas Cunha, Robert James, Vincent Machacek, Edsel Romero, Edward Yim (French Soldiers)

Presented by MasterVoices
MasterVoices Orchestra

Conductor and Director: Ted Sperling

Musical Staging: Andrew Palermo
Sound Designer: Patrick Pummill
Stage Manager: Lisa Ann Chernoff

Presented at Carnegie Hall on November 2, 2017

Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage

Sunday, October 29, 2017

The Home Place - Not Always Where The Heart Is


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

The breakdown of the status quo can be tough on those who've lived by it for so long. An issue Brian Friel examines in his 2005 drama The Home Place. The work having its North American premiere at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

In 1878, Christopher Gore (John Windsor-Cunningham) is an aging and increasingly forgetful British landowner in Ballybeg, Ireland. He is also landlord to the various tenants who live and work on his property. The continuation of a family practice going back several generations.

A long-time widower, Christopher depends greatly on the services of his housekeeper Margaret O'Donnell (Rachel Pickup), an Irish woman who came to The Lodge, as the Gore home is called, when she was a child. She now having more in common with Christopher, who would marry her in an instant, than she does with any of the “common” folk in the area. Including their live-in maid Sally Cavanagh (Andrea Lynn Green).

This is not the best of times for the landed gentry. One of their number having recently been murdered, amid rumors of a growing unrest among the Irish people. Much of this personified in Sally's boyfriend Con Doherty (Johnny Hopkins) who, along with the with more ominous Johnny McLoone (Gordon Tashjian), has recently returned from Dublin.

Making an already tense situation worse is Dr. Richard Gore (Christopher Randolph), Christopher's cousin from Kent in England. Both Christopher and Richard referring to Kent as “The Home Place”. An anthropologist, Richard believes that by examining the skulls and other characteristics of people of different classes, one can use this information to uncover such things as their propensity for violence, ambition, loyalty, sacrifice, etc. Richard and his assistant Perkins (Stephen Pilkington) intent on examining some of the Ballybeg locals in this regard. Though when certain people object to Richard's methods, Christopher finds himself in the middle of a conflict with massive ramifications, no matter which side he supports.

Focusing on issues of class status, human dignity and cultural identity, Friel has crafted an absorbing tale. From Richard's condescending attitude towards anyone not of his station in life - he continually refers to the volunteers for his examinations as "specimens" - to Con and his companions' belief that the land Christopher and people like him control actually belong to the people of Ireland; one can see examples of long-entrenched ways of thinking, and where compromise is not an option. Also telling is the belittling way Margaret continually addresses the less-cultured Sally, as well as her being ashamed of her own father (Robert Langdon Lloyd), the local choirmaster and a perennial drunkard. His presence being a painful reminder of a past Margaret is trying desperately to forget.

Unfortunately the story is hampered by a very talky text, which often slows the action down to a crawl. The only way to overcome a situation like this is to make the various characters interesting enough so the audience will want to follow along. Something that is not the case here. The entire first act, which lays the groundwork for what is to follow, feels like a gigantic passive experience, where information is provided and positions are staked out, but none of which is in any way engaging.

At least part of the problem can be found in Charlotte Moore's direction, which is unable to make the show resonate as strongly as it should. An example of this being her mention in the show program of how she found the Doherty character both "mesmerizing and terrifying". However, Hopkins' portrayal of Con, while at times threatening, falls well short of how Moore describes him. His presence in the play seeming more like an afterthought, rather than a pivotal figure.

The real shame is that the play contains a lot of material on which to build, with much of the opportunities to do so simply fizzling out. The character of Margaret being a particular case in point. O'Donnell playing a character caught in a love triangle with Christopher and his son David (Ed Malone), as well as facing her own personal identity crisis. Though she displays some strong moments of passion, such as when she shows her disappointment at Christopher or comes face to face with her father, her overall performance is not strong enough to make the audience care about this particular individual, or her ultimate fate.

Windsor-Cunningham on the other hand, delivers a standout turn of a man raging against an oncoming storm which he is powerless to prevent. Like Margaret, he is a person with a foot in two different worlds, yet not fully welcome in either. Originally seeming to be losing his grip on reality he is, in actuality, someone completely beaten down by a life that never turned out the way he wanted.

Randolph is good as the single-minded Richard. Someone who firmly believes in his research, while totally oblivious to how it may been seen by others. Green and Pilkington help add a bit of humor to the proceedings; Green also giving a strong earthy quality to her character. Malone's portrayal of David however comes off as more irritating than anything else. He presenting the image of a man immature beyond his years, with no backstory to the character. The relationship between David and his father is also not nearly developed as it needs to be.

James Noone's set of The Lodge offers a nice touch of opulence, while providing a strong juxtaposition between those who have wealth and those who live in poverty - as indicated by several people who arrive to participate in Richard's study. Michael Gottlieb's lighting nicely complements the atmosphere of the different scenes and tensions of the story.

The Home Place has the potential to be a very interesting and thought-provoking piece of theatre. Sadly with this production, it's just not presented that well.

Featuring: Rachel Pickup (Margaret O'Donnell), Andrea Lynn Green (Sally Cavanagh),
Gordon Tashjian (Johnny McLoone), Johnny Hopkins (Con Doherty), Ed Malone (David Gore), John Windsor-Cunningham (Christopher Gore), Christopher Randolph (Dr. Richard Gore), Stephen Pilkington (Perkins), Robert Langdon Lloyd (Clement O'Donnell), Polly McKie (Mary Sweeney), Logan Riley Bruner (Tommy Boyle)

The Home Place
by Brian Friel

Set Design: James Noone
Costume Design: David Toser
Lighting Design: Michael Gottlieb
Original Music: Ryan Rumery & M. Florian Staab
Properties: Sven Henry Nelson
Dialects: Stephen Gabis
Casting: Deborah Brown
Production Stage Manager: Pamela Brusoski
Assistant Stage Manager: Rebecca C. Monroe
Press Representative: Matt Ross Public Relations
General Manager: Lisa Fane

Irish Repertory Theatre
132 West 22nd Street
Tickets: 212-727-2737 or www.irishrep.org
Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, one intermission

Closes: December 17, 2017

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Measure For Measure - A cup more than half empty


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

Elevator Repair Service, known for taking literary classics and adapting them to the stage - with results ranging from somewhat interesting to completely astonishing - makes their first foray into the world of William Shakespeare with a production of Measure For Measure. Though if you're unfamiliar with the work, odds are you'll quickly find yourself lost in this slapstick-heavy, character-lite presentation now at the Public Theater.

In Vienna, immorality has been running rampant. Prostitution, drunkenness, lechery and similar vices all steadily on the increase. Hitting on a plan to stem this tide of inequity, the Duke of Vienna (Scott Shepherd) announces he will temporarily depart the city and leave the well-regarded Angelo (Pete Simpson) to rule in his place. The Duke confident that the pious and upright Angelo will be able to restore morality and order to Vienna. Something the Duke himself has been unable to do in all his years in office. Assisting Angelo in this task will be the Duke's trusted confidant, Escalus (Vin Knight).

Despite his proclamations to the contrary, the Duke has no plans to leave Vienna. Rather, he intends to clothe himself in the garb of a humble friar and, thus disguised, move about the city unnoticed while observing Angelo's actions and their results.

Once Angelo assumes control, he wastes no time in enforcing the Duke's wishes. Houses of ill repute are pulled down or shuttered, and a strict no-tolerance policy towards other moral weaknesses is strictly enforced.

Among those caught up in the regulations of this new regime is Claudio (Greig Sargeant). Found guilty of impregnating a woman out of wedlock, he has been sentenced to be hanged. It doesn't matter the woman in question is his fiancée, Juliet (Lindsay Hockaday). Angelo keen on making an example of Claudio in order to show that no one is above the law. In desperation, Claudio implores his sister, the beautiful Isabella (Rinne Groff), who is about to enter a convent, to plead his case.

Much to Angelo's surprise, he finds himself responding to Isabella in a totally unprofessional manner and, after a bit of internal conflict, yields to his baser impulses. He offering to have Claudio freed only if Isabella first spends the night with him. While all seems lost for the brother and sister, unexpected help arrives in the form of the disguised Duke, who overhears their plight while visiting the prison where Claudio is being held. The Duke putting his own plans into motion in an attempt to ensure that everyone gets exactly the justice they deserve.

In the rights hands, Measure for Measure is a play ripe with possibilities. Particularly due to the wealth of satirical targets the text presents. Including, the hypocrisy of overly zealous moralists, politicians who pass the buck and then take swoop in and take the credit, and how the legal and penal systems can be usurped by some for their own purposes. A hilarious example of the last being a prisoner (Gavin Prince) who refuses to be executed on the day he is to die because he happens to be too drunk. Shakespeare's not-that-subtle attack on those in power being visible from the first moment of the play to the last.

Measure for Measure is also considered one of Shakespeare's so-called "problem plays". Largely because the course Shakespeare has laid out for this story is not always an easy one to navigate. Both ERS and director John Collins being unable to effectively do so.

Rather than edit the text to suit their particular vision, the company, Collins also being ERS' artistic director, has instead decided to present the piece basically as is. While shortening the work's running time by having the various characters speak their dialogue very, very fast. The actual text projected on the walls at such times to give the audience the chance to follow along.

Unfortunately in speeding up the dialogue, Collins and company have also removed all of the potential cadences, shadings and other inflections that show the words to be far more than what's written on the page. As a result, everything spoken in this manner feels totally flat, with most of the characters seeming more like cardboard cutouts than anything resembling flesh and blood. This is especially true for Isabella. Groff giving the impression in these sequences of someone simply reading lines her verbatim and not caring a wit about what she's saying. Yet when her dialogue is slowed down to normal speed, she and Sargeant blow the roof off the theatre in a scene where Claudio pleads with Isabella to give in to Angelo's demands in order that his life be spared. This then showing the problem to be not so much the actors, but that the company's the vision for the production.

The main dramatic elements aren't the only casualties of the rapid-fire dialogue. Comedic subplots also suffering. Nowhere is this more evident than in a scene where a constable (Hockaday) brings in two men to face charges related to bawdy-house activities. Meant to be a poke at the legal system, and filled with twisted words and cutting comments, this entire sequence comes across as dull and lifeless.

The company has also tried to infuse the story with a number of slapstick elements. Some of which work quite well. Such as Angelo tossing papers into the air as he and Escalus go over some business matters. There's also an enjoyable moment early on where the characters recite their dialogue through old-style mouthpiece telephones. The set consisting of long rows of tables with phones atop them - kind of calling to mind the set of The Front Page. However other comical efforts suffer from severe overplaying. A example being the characters responding to some of the coincidences (a.k.a. plot twists) Shakespeare plays are famous for. The unrealistic responses being even more glaring as they occur in the final scene of the play.

Simpson does a rather nice turn as Angelo. Both in acting out his internal crisis of faith, and with his slapstick-laden reactions to events going on around him. He also being one of the few performers able to make his character at least partly resonate with the audience. Sets by Jim Findlay work well, as do the costumes by Kaye Voyce, some of which suggest a 1930s/1940s feel.

An interesting experiment to be sure, the final result is simply too far off the mark to effective. Hopefully, ERS's next theatrical effort will be something more satisfying.

Featuring: Scott Shepard (The Duke). Vin Knight (Escalus), Peter Simpson (Angelo), Mike Iveson (Lucio), Maggie Hoffman (Provost), Gavin Price (Froth/Friar/Boy/Barnardine/Messenger), Susie Sokol (Mistress Overdone/Elbow/Abhorson/Varrius), Lindsay Hockaday (Pompey/Juliet), Greig Sargeant (Claudio), April Matthis (Nun/Mariana), Rinne Gross (Isabella)

Measure For Measure

Written by William Shakespeare
Created and performed by Elevator Repair Service

Set Designer: Jim Findlay
Costume Designer: Kaye Voyce
Lighting Designers: Mark Barton & Ryan Seelig
Projection Designer: Eva Von Schweinitz
Sound Designer: Gavin Price
Specialty & Prop Designer: Amanda Villalobos
Teleprompter Software Designer: Scott Shepard
Production Manager: David Nelson
ERS Producer: Ariana Smart Truman
Production Stage Manager: Maurina Lioce
Assistant Stage Manager: Spencer Armstrong

Directed by John Collins

The Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street
Tickets: 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org
Running Time: Two Hours, 20 Minutes, no intermission

Closes: November 12, 2017

Friday, October 6, 2017

A Clockwork Orange - Where It's All In The Eyes Of The Beholder


Reviewed by Judd Hollander

One of the more provocative dramas to hit the Off-Broadway stage in recent years is the U.K. import, A Clockwork Orange. A transfer of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 novel to the stage, the work is a powerful indictment against violence, as well as the methods some people undertake to try to stop it. The play currently having its New York premiere at New World Stages.

In present day England, teenage Alex deLarge (Jonno Davies) and his fellow droogs (a.k.a. gang members), gleefully partake in frequent rampages of violence. Causing mayhem and fear for no particular reason other than the thrills it gives them. The gang adapt at such efforts as breaking and entering, robbery, theft, assault and in some cases, rape and murder. One could actually call them rebels with nothing specific to rebel against.

While Alex has been able to talk his way out of tight scraps in the past - due to his pretty face, his feigning ignorance of the seriousness of his actions, and the hope others have that he can still be redeemed - all that changes when he’s arrested for murder and subsequently convicted. Alex’s downfall caused by a betrayal of one of his own gang. One whom Alex had tangled with previously and who still nurses a grudge against him.

Once in jail, Alex continues to use his powers of persuasion to try to skew the system to his own advantage. He helped in his efforts by prison guards who are more than willing to turn a blind eye in certain matters, so long as order is maintained. Upon learning that participation in a certain experiment will lead to his almost immediate release, Alex quickly volunteers to be a test subject.

However, the procedure in question is both revolutionary and controversial. The plan being that it will supposedly remove Alex's inherent violent tendencies by conditioning his body to reject them. Thus making the process akin to a sort of lobotomy. There are also many who voice their misgivings about the whole idea. Particularly the prison Chaplain (Timothy Sekk), who feels that any such change has to come from within. But with a society clamoring for protection against a systemic rise in violence, and the resulting issue of prison overcrowding – which one prisoner protests against, to no avail – the project is given the green light to proceed.

While the novel was written at a time where youth violence was on the rise in Britain, the story remains quite timeless due to its central theme of one’s personal rights – in this case the right to be violent - being sacrificed for the greater good. A question that’s been debated numerous times over the years and will, in all probability, continue to be long into the future.

Particularly ironic is how Alex finds himself becoming a tool for those on both sides of the debate. First with the authorities who rely on an untested solution to solve a widespread problem, thus enabling them to remain in power; and later with the so-called "free-thinkers" who want to use Alex to advance their own cause and condemn the experiment. Though in a rather poetic twist, when one of those in the latter camp turns out to be someone who previously suffered at Alex’s hands, he immediately condemns him. All the while conveniently forgetting that the person Alex is now is quite different from who he once was.

Davies, who previously played Alex in the U.K., gives nothing less than a tour-de-force performance. His portrayal of a young man who enjoys violence for its own sake is frighteningly real. While his seemingly involuntary reactions after the experiment are poignant and affecting enough to turn the character from villain to victim. This “switchover” – for want of a better word - then leads to the core question of the work. Specifically, when does society go too far in trying to stamp out the symptoms of a disease, instead of trying to cure its root cause?

Also quite illuminating is a scene where Alex meets up with some of his former droogs who have since become members of a law-enforcement unit. Their new status being someone's idea of using "ex-villains to catch real villains". The authorities giving these new recruits pretty much free reign in terms of how they get the job done.

The rest of the all-male cast, many of whom play multiple roles, both male and female, are excellent. Sekk in particular, does a good turn as the firebrand Chaplain. Both via his speeches to the inmates and in his protest against the experiment in which Alex becomes involved. Brian Lee Huynh is quietly terrifying as Dr. Brodsky, architect of the experiment. A man supremely confident in his theories and all too-willing to field test them, regardless of the dangers involved. Another standout is Ashley Robinson as the Minister, a career politician who sees Brodsky’s methods as a way of placating a frightened public.

Also quite good is the way the cast (American except for Davies) delivers the dialogue, particularly the droog-speak, all of which is indicative of a sub-culture these young men share.

Direction by Alexandra Spencer-Jones is very well-done. Especially when it comes to the stylistic approach used for much of the on-stage violence - particularly when it’s Alex who's delivering it. This initially appears somewhat disconcerting, until one realizes the audience is seeing the entire story through Alex's eyes. Thus, when Alex is inflicting said violence, he sees it as nothing less than beautiful. Though when the violence is done to him, not so much. Davies being the show's Fight Captain also helps here. He working hand in hand with Spencer-Jones, and Dance Captain Aleksander Varadian, to give an otherworldly feel to much of the physical action presented. All of which makes it no less terrifying. The accompanying music, both original and existing – the latter of which includes Beethoven, a favorite of Alex's - helps to add to this atmosphere.

Ending not with a bang, but with a whimper that resonates just as strongly, A Clockwork Orange offers a powerful comment on the cyclical yet continuing nature of violence and how those who are able to move beyond it, only do so on their own accord. Though sadly, without leaving any clues for the generations who come after to avoid falling into the same trap.

Featuring: Jonno Davies (Alex deLarge), Jimmy Brooks (F-Me Pumps/Billy Boy/Governor/Policeman/Comedian/Dolin/Len), Matt Doyle (Georgie/Zophar/Nurse Bromine), Sean Patrick Higgins (Dim/Pedofil/Joe The Lodger/Aide), Brian Lee Huynh (Frank Alexander/Dr. Brodsky/Big Jew/Dad), Misha Osherovich (Pete/The Doc/Rubenstein) Ashley Robinson (Minister/Old Woman/Rich Bitch/Policeman/Mum/Bully), Timothy Sekk (Chaplain/Mr. Deltoid/Mary/Rick), Aleksander Varadian (Marty/Warder/Mark Alexander/Dr. Branom).

A Clockwork Orange

By Anthony Burgess

Lighting Design: James Baggaley
Sound Design: Emma Wilk
Costume Coordinator: Jennifer A. Jacob
Dialect Coach: Stephen Gabis
Production Stage Manager: Vanessa Dodgson-Thomas
Assistant Stage Manager: Lilly Deerwater
Production Management: Libby Jensen
Company Manager: Kelly Ann Gray
Advertising and Marketing: AKA
Social Media: Janine Lee Papio
Press Representative: Vivacity Media Group
Casting: Stewart/Whitley
General Management: Martian Entertainment LLC/Glynis Henderson Productions Ltd.
Original Music Composed by Glenn Gregory and Berenice Scott
Associate Producers: Rachel Roussel-Tyson/Tyrus Emory
Fight Captain: Jonno Davies
Dance Captain: Aleksander Varadian

Directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones

Presented at New World Stages
Address: 340 West 50th Street
Tickets: 1-800-447-7400 or www.telecharge.com
Running Time: 90 minutes, no intermission
Closes: January 6, 2018



This production of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess was originally developed and presented by Action to the World (U.K.) and directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones