"Picasso Le Monstre Sacré THEATER REVIEW - LA MAMA ETC,, 60 East 4th St., NYC 10003
https://buytickets.at/theplaygroundtheatre/2084762
June 28, 2026
(Actor) Peter Tate as Pablo Picasso
PICASSO Le Monstre Sacré Directed by Guy Masterson Co-Adapted by Peter Tate and Guy Masterson from the original work by Terry d'Alfonso LA MAMA ETC June 28, 2026 (closing today) Review by BINA SHARIF Visiting veteran actor (from the UK) Peter Tate - he owns the stage (!) - gives us a powerfully energized and excellent one-man showing of the great painter Pablo Picasso in this well directed 65-minute outing. Making a limited engagement at downtown’s LA MAMA ETC in the East Village, “PICASSO Le Monstre Sacre” is a finely detailed lookover at the great man’s many women (which includes 2 wives and several mistresses), and the relationships that emerge with each. His first love, arguably, is his work; his loves are secondary, making it no accident that he found the time and motivation to render thousands upon thousands of works (including ceramics and sculptures) to posterity. Picasso the minotaur, as he may have likened to himself, certainly did what he wanted to do, or so it would seem, and perhaps never fully knowing what the outcome would be. Picasso once publicly noted: “If you know exactly what you are going to do, what’s the point of doing it”? Mr Tate brings out that sensibility with strong, riveting authority. (If you have not yet seen "Picasso Le Monstre Sacré" - already presented in London, LA, and NYC, then you missed something really special). The focus here – with a grand backdrop of one of his brilliant and abstract canvases - consists of a reflection by Picasso about the women that entered his personal world – and of one that left his world in his years as a toddler: his mother, who gave birth to his new sister, but in the process left “Pablito” feeling abandoned and forgotten. Perhaps his adult behavior towards women (a little misogynistic?) was the acting out of a human being traumatized in his infancy. In his adulthood, he warns the ladies of the risks of intimacy with him - “if you get too close to the sun you will get burned”. This is a key comment to his character. Tate skillfully expresses the man in his own self-fashion, which contained his seductive and amorous involvements starting with Fernande Olivier, and then later with legal wife #1 Olga Khokhlova around 1918 (they stayed together for a short time but never divorced; Olga died in the 1950s). His second (legal) wife was Jacqueline Roque, wedded in the 1960s and perhaps the last women of importance to Picasso. Other women included Marie Therese Walter – whom Picasso may have painted the most as in the “Sleeping Woman” series; also Francoise Gilot, and of course Picasso’s “Weeping Woman”, - Dora Maar. (Some of these women had terrible ends). That said, "Picasso" enjoyably acts out the exchanges that these women have with Picasso – giving us lucid bits of “dialogue” of their individual encounters along the way, Here, Tate gives us a perfectly imperfect Picasso; it's a brilliant performance. And, along the way, you may be seduced, too. ===============
"Scorched Earth" Written, Directed, and Choreographed by Luke Murphy St. Ann's Warehouse (Closed April 19, 2026) Review by Kevin Martin
“Land is the only thing worth fighting for, dying for … because land is the only thing that lasts.”
– (character) Gerald O’Hara from Margaret Mitchell’s ‘Gone With The Wind’’,
Director, writer, and actor Luke Murphy leads a cast of 5 excellent stage actors playing multiple roles into a minefield of the challenge of land ownership and land rights in rural Ireland. “Scorched Earth” is based upon a 1965 play by John B. Keane titled, “The Field”. In this outing, there is a ghastly local killing that took place on a given land area connected to and sold via a recent auction which resulted in new ownership by a certain William Dean, an outsider English chap. As to the crime, a feeling of a wall of silence grows in the air.
Flashbacks and family/witness memories are part of the story-telling mix, and it is intense. John McKay (skillfully and persuasively done by Murphy) is the tenant who lived and worked there and does not feel at all comfortable with this development. Thusly, he becomes determined to take care of the matter. The ensuing investigation by the prosecutors involves multi-interrogations, forensic review(s), and personal behaviors. “Scorched Earth” brings together elements from the dark side of human impulses, all capped in societal misgivings toward any persons who get away with crimes; the exploration and investigation of “Scorched Earth” culminates by the final discovery of a solitary, conveniently, deflective acknowledgment by the culprit: “Look what you made me do”!
This is the full revelation of pathological stuff, and how we travel to that point is all awash in intrigue, watching the individual in question display his own manner of evasion, outright deceit, and total self-consumption. Interspersed throughout or in between valuable points of dialogue, chunks of green-brown earth & bog appear within – human sized – to share some private embracing by McKay, a good indicator of his mental disturbance. It is a very hauntingly remarkable sight, layered with several implications dealing with morality and its human response.
Through and through, the staging for “Scorched Earth” and its powerful set design (with shifting and elevating panels and levels denoting distinct locations) is accompanied here by equally stirring light and sound design, along with the audio visual effects, - all mesmerizing- , as the entire cast (Will Thompson, Ryan O’Neill, Tyler-Carney Faleatua, Luke Murphy, and Sarah Dowling) acquit themselves with deep understanding and stunning physicality; “Scorched Earth” is, after all, a powerful movement piece, too. If you happened to not see “Scorched Earth,” well – then next time, if it makes a return run.
==================================== "Ulysses" at the Public Theater
(Running until March 1, 2026)
Created by the Elevator Repair Service
Directed by John Collins
Review by Kevin Martin
In the mostly exquisite, albeit misty and sparkling regions of Joycean literature, it's easy to wander astray in the effort at understanding and then appreciating this master-writer's work. "Ulysses" is mainly grounded in ongoing displays of human expectations, along with non-expectations, and their accompanying fallout. Reading the original, real book of "Ulysses" by Joyce himself is historically difficult, due to the complex interweave and shifting of the action(s) of characters, style and circumstances within its 700 + pages. (Homer's "The Odyssey" itself is/was the inspiration for Joyce's "Ulysses"). This stage production runs 2+ hours with intermission.
The Elevator Repair Service has embarked on a Herculean journey about a one-day/24 hour period of Dublin life situations on the locally event-filled date of June 16, 1904 as set by James Joyce. This production ran earlier - from back around 2024, and so - overall, the cast and its reliable director and co-director (John Collins and Scott Shepherd, respectively) have given the entire undertaking a very fine finish. Time used well, for sure, makes the product shine. This is necessarily an abbreviated production that skillfully manages to give us some meaningful glimpses into the lives of - mainly - Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and Molly Bloom. Each character has powerful moments of challenge both morally and socially, and the way in which those challenges amid character flaws are handled is what makes their stories distinctly dramatic and memorable. (Speaking of "memorable", there is a high-octane food fight that takes place onstage, and it dwarfs my own high-school cafeteria food fights back in the day).
"Ulysses' is an exposé of various interactions as well as moments of private personal behavior of (very) human beings. While the original text is a deeply intricate work, patience is required for this presentation nonetheless. In this outing by ERS, we audience members receive an advisory on the production's format prior to the actual beginning from the utterly energetic and fine also-actor Scott Shepherd that this is a shortened/edited version of the real thing - with visual ""Fast Forwarding" screen-scrolling notations (flashing periodically for a scene change-jump) in lit-up fashion for all to see; hence, skipping over many parts while still serving some meaty sections, both comedic and tragic. Numerous, lengthy Dubliner exchanges unfold on this day. This "Ulysses" starts off by having the actors, all of them absolutely excellent in their roles, playing multiple characters in a sit-down table reading arrangement to get the (adapted) play on its way. At first I pondered that this will be a glorified reading through and through. I am glad to say it was not so.
Actor Christopher-Rashee Stevenson deftly portrays Stephen Dedalus, a man with a sharp, sensitive intellect and love of art whilst covered in guilt over his personal ordeals - family pain and poverty included. His utterance, “History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake,” is a thought that ought to stick to everyone's memory long after leaving the theatre, being in the day and age that we are all now experiencing. Vin Knight lights up the stage with his Leopold Bloom, a Jewish, Dublin-born character with a decent, connective moral tissue showing his humanity without even trying to do so; we also sometimes witness his loneliness, which Joyce might regard as a trait but not a failure. Bloom is otherwise kind and thoughtful as he navigates the occasional moments of anti-Semitism.
Bloom's wife, Molly, is actually licentious, and broken nonetheless by life (example: the loss of her and Leopold's infant son). Within this 24-hour period, she and Stephen meet in this adaptation; it is an encounter of varying symbols, both literary and biblical. As Molly Bloom, actor Maggie Hoffman perfectly renders to all those watching and listening at play's end the really true mother of all monologues, stream-of-consciousness intimacy and all. This play presentation under the fine staging by director John Collins is an Olympian exercise, with all 7 actors playing multiple roles - cat, too, and all tied into layer upon layer of busy, daily life taletelling, chatting about, arguing about, regretting about, - you name it. It would be scandalous to omit mention of any other members of the brilliant cast, so here goes; best compliments and praise to actors Stephanie Weeks, Kate Benson, and Dee Beesnael for their wonderful, crisp juggling of so many roles in the space of less than 3 hours, as is also done by Scott Shepherd, Maggie Hoffman, Christopher-Rashee Stevenson and Vin Knight. Further compliments belong to the technical, design, and administrative hands: scenic design (Dots), costume design (Enver Charkatash, lighting design (Marika Kent), sound design (Ben Williams), production design (Matthew Deinhart), prop design (Patricia Marjorie), show operator (Gavin Price), sound engineer (Jason Sebastian), production stage manager (Maurina Lioce), producer (Hanna Novak), company manager (Becky Hermenze), and production manager (Libby Vera//LJPM).
Traditionally, Friday and Saturday weekend life and activity in the majority of western societies is very often inclined to be much busier - and even bawdier - than events on any weeknight. Thinking about the date of Thursday, June 16, 1904, one wonders what the coming weekend might have been like as per the personal lives of these same characters, if at all. And if you have never read the real "Ulyssess" - clearly a daunting task even for avid book lovers, fear not. ERS's presentation gives us all a fresh look.
The Elevator Repair Service has embarked on a Herculean journey about a one-day/24 hour period of Dublin life situations on the locally event-filled date of June 16, 1904 as set by James Joyce. This production ran earlier - from back around 2024, and so - overall, the cast and its reliable director and co-director (John Collins and Scott Shepherd, respectively) have given the entire undertaking a very fine finish. Time used well, for sure, makes the product shine. This is necessarily an abbreviated production that skillfully manages to give us some meaningful glimpses into the lives of - mainly - Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and Molly Bloom. Each character has powerful moments of challenge both morally and socially, and the way in which those challenges amid character flaws are handled is what makes their stories distinctly dramatic and memorable. (Speaking of "memorable", there is a high-octane food fight that takes place onstage, and it dwarfs my own high-school cafeteria food fights back in the day).
"Ulysses' is an exposé of various interactions as well as moments of private personal behavior of (very) human beings. While the original text is a deeply intricate work, patience is required for this presentation nonetheless. In this outing by ERS, we audience members receive an advisory on the production's format prior to the actual beginning from the utterly energetic and fine also-actor Scott Shepherd that this is a shortened/edited version of the real thing - with visual ""Fast Forwarding" screen-scrolling notations (flashing periodically for a scene change-jump) in lit-up fashion for all to see; hence, skipping over many parts while still serving some meaty sections, both comedic and tragic. Numerous, lengthy Dubliner exchanges unfold on this day. This "Ulysses" starts off by having the actors, all of them absolutely excellent in their roles, playing multiple characters in a sit-down table reading arrangement to get the (adapted) play on its way. At first I pondered that this will be a glorified reading through and through. I am glad to say it was not so.
Actor Christopher-Rashee Stevenson deftly portrays Stephen Dedalus, a man with a sharp, sensitive intellect and love of art whilst covered in guilt over his personal ordeals - family pain and poverty included. His utterance, “History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake,” is a thought that ought to stick to everyone's memory long after leaving the theatre, being in the day and age that we are all now experiencing. Vin Knight lights up the stage with his Leopold Bloom, a Jewish, Dublin-born character with a decent, connective moral tissue showing his humanity without even trying to do so; we also sometimes witness his loneliness, which Joyce might regard as a trait but not a failure. Bloom is otherwise kind and thoughtful as he navigates the occasional moments of anti-Semitism.
Bloom's wife, Molly, is actually licentious, and broken nonetheless by life (example: the loss of her and Leopold's infant son). Within this 24-hour period, she and Stephen meet in this adaptation; it is an encounter of varying symbols, both literary and biblical. As Molly Bloom, actor Maggie Hoffman perfectly renders to all those watching and listening at play's end the really true mother of all monologues, stream-of-consciousness intimacy and all. This play presentation under the fine staging by director John Collins is an Olympian exercise, with all 7 actors playing multiple roles - cat, too, and all tied into layer upon layer of busy, daily life taletelling, chatting about, arguing about, regretting about, - you name it. It would be scandalous to omit mention of any other members of the brilliant cast, so here goes; best compliments and praise to actors Stephanie Weeks, Kate Benson, and Dee Beesnael for their wonderful, crisp juggling of so many roles in the space of less than 3 hours, as is also done by Scott Shepherd, Maggie Hoffman, Christopher-Rashee Stevenson and Vin Knight. Further compliments belong to the technical, design, and administrative hands: scenic design (Dots), costume design (Enver Charkatash, lighting design (Marika Kent), sound design (Ben Williams), production design (Matthew Deinhart), prop design (Patricia Marjorie), show operator (Gavin Price), sound engineer (Jason Sebastian), production stage manager (Maurina Lioce), producer (Hanna Novak), company manager (Becky Hermenze), and production manager (Libby Vera//LJPM).
Traditionally, Friday and Saturday weekend life and activity in the majority of western societies is very often inclined to be much busier - and even bawdier - than events on any weeknight. Thinking about the date of Thursday, June 16, 1904, one wonders what the coming weekend might have been like as per the personal lives of these same characters, if at all. And if you have never read the real "Ulyssess" - clearly a daunting task even for avid book lovers, fear not. ERS's presentation gives us all a fresh look.
============================ "Ghosts" at Lincoln Center Theater
“Ghosts”, by Henrik Ibsen Lincoln Center Theater; Running to April 26, 2025 Director: Jack O’Brien Cast: Ella Beatty, Billy Crudup, Levon Hawke, Hamish Linklater, Lily Rabe; Set: John Lee Beatty; Costumes: Jess Goldstein; Lighting: Japhy Weideman; Sound: Scott Lehrer and Mark Bennett; Review by Kevin Martin; March 20, 2025
Henrik Ibsen's ground-breaking 1881 play, “Ghosts”, published at a time when strong religious practices (most likely Lutheran) sprinkled rigid moral dicta on everyday Scandinavian life, is deftly presented here by the excellent director Jack O'Brien. This is a shortened new version, however, courtesy of Mark O’Rowe. In this staging, the opening scene (or pre-scene) - gives us the whole cast (5 actors) arriving on set with script – or other small items - in hand before the actual play begins. (The same thing occurs again at the conclusion). As to why this device was added to the production is unexplained or at least unclear. That said, the “Ghosts” of Mr. O'Brien is extremely effective, despite the abbreviation.
The play centers on the oppressive societal hypocrisy of Norwegian (island) life in the late 1800s. In this smallish middle-class world of tightly restrictive morals, we find Mrs. Helena Alving, a widow, preparing to fund a new local orphanage in honor of her late husband's (sanitized) legacy. All the while, Mrs. Alving (wonderfully played by Lily Rabe) deals with her local church contact, Pastor Manders (Billy Crudup), who handles the paperwork (deed, official certifications, etc.) for the orphanage. Herein we learn that this conveniently self-righteous pastor and Mrs. Alving have known each other's carnal temptations - though perhaps never realized, due to a visit, years prior, when Ms. Alving felt occasion to seek Manders’ spiritual support so that she may extract herself from the reaches of an abusive and nasty husband. Unfortunately, all Manders would do for her is to simply state that she must return to her marriage, the so-called right and moral thing to do. That really didn’t help Mrs. Alving; naughty bad apple Alving (captain, ret.) simply continued in his profligate, loutish ways. Manders, during his present visit to Mrs. Alving over orphanage matters, maintains his own brand of morality. He is taken aback when he notices that she has some shocking (??) books on display: “The Origin of the Species”, “Madam Bovary”, and even “Huckleberry Finn”. Uh-oh.
We learn, too, that the late Alving took up with a previously employed maid, a development that in later years resulted in a shattered, lost love opportunity between the Alvings’ son, Oswald (Levon Hawke), and the current maid in the Alving home, Regina (Ella Beatty). And there is scheming Engstrand (Hamish Linklater), the appealing, cunning alcoholic manipulator exhibiting fake meekness, a trait which becomes more and more obvious as the play proceeds. Engstrand gives the impression that he is Regina’s father and makes an effort to influence her. He also spends time fawning over Manders for his own purposes; namely, to procure the pastor’s assistance for building a home for wayward ex-sailors. With the surprise burning of the new orphanage, he searches for more opportunity for himself. He even urgently wants the lovely maid Ella to join him in his venture for an Old Sailors’ Home.
Oswald, having returned during this time from a years-long stay-away in Paris, is a proud, dedicated, if somewhat self-doubting artist. His sojourn was initially engineered by his mother when he was much younger, as a way of keeping her son safe from witnessing his father’s turpitude. Oswald now appears satisfied that he has resided in Paris, especially when he contrasts the relaxed, free Paris life with the stuffy suffocation of this Norwegian living. However, his vulnerable self-image parallels his cursed-from-conception, declining health – a deadly diagnosis that he learned about from Parisian doctors – and which he soon reveals to his mother. “The sins of the father are visited on the sons”, he comments, - a summation of the existential crisis in which he feels trapped and helpless. It is a devastating moment to the mind and heart of Mrs. Alving, for Oswald was not safe after all. And though he truly loves his mother, there is a lingering un-closeness hanging over them. Mrs. Alving is then further overwhelmed when the dying Oswald asks her to euthanize him. Oswald’s last words – while turning catatonic – are “sun..., sun..., sun..., sun... “, a strangely haunting finale.
All the circumstances of this production are dramatically felt, and the acting is all very strong, generally. The casting is impressive (a lot of “names” here). Billy Crudup gives us an actor’s excellence as Manders; Hamish Linklater is powerful as Engstrand; Ella Beatty brings us true humanity, especially near the end when she discovers who she really has been all these years, - a tough heartbreak for sure. The tragic character of Oswald, a 25+ year old, while well dressed as assigned, appears as though he stopped by at Abercrombie & Fitch on his way home from Paris. Levon Hawke, however, is absolutely fine in what is a richly challenging role.
The squarish woodsy set design of "Ghosts" was exquisitely done, and the lighting (that fire!) was perfect. Glad I saw it. ====================================================
Henrik Ibsen's ground-breaking 1881 play, “Ghosts”, published at a time when strong religious practices (most likely Lutheran) sprinkled rigid moral dicta on everyday Scandinavian life, is deftly presented here by the excellent director Jack O'Brien. This is a shortened new version, however, courtesy of Mark O’Rowe. In this staging, the opening scene (or pre-scene) - gives us the whole cast (5 actors) arriving on set with script – or other small items - in hand before the actual play begins. (The same thing occurs again at the conclusion). As to why this device was added to the production is unexplained or at least unclear. That said, the “Ghosts” of Mr. O'Brien is extremely effective, despite the abbreviation.
The play centers on the oppressive societal hypocrisy of Norwegian (island) life in the late 1800s. In this smallish middle-class world of tightly restrictive morals, we find Mrs. Helena Alving, a widow, preparing to fund a new local orphanage in honor of her late husband's (sanitized) legacy. All the while, Mrs. Alving (wonderfully played by Lily Rabe) deals with her local church contact, Pastor Manders (Billy Crudup), who handles the paperwork (deed, official certifications, etc.) for the orphanage. Herein we learn that this conveniently self-righteous pastor and Mrs. Alving have known each other's carnal temptations - though perhaps never realized, due to a visit, years prior, when Ms. Alving felt occasion to seek Manders’ spiritual support so that she may extract herself from the reaches of an abusive and nasty husband. Unfortunately, all Manders would do for her is to simply state that she must return to her marriage, the so-called right and moral thing to do. That really didn’t help Mrs. Alving; naughty bad apple Alving (captain, ret.) simply continued in his profligate, loutish ways. Manders, during his present visit to Mrs. Alving over orphanage matters, maintains his own brand of morality. He is taken aback when he notices that she has some shocking (??) books on display: “The Origin of the Species”, “Madam Bovary”, and even “Huckleberry Finn”. Uh-oh.
We learn, too, that the late Alving took up with a previously employed maid, a development that in later years resulted in a shattered, lost love opportunity between the Alvings’ son, Oswald (Levon Hawke), and the current maid in the Alving home, Regina (Ella Beatty). And there is scheming Engstrand (Hamish Linklater), the appealing, cunning alcoholic manipulator exhibiting fake meekness, a trait which becomes more and more obvious as the play proceeds. Engstrand gives the impression that he is Regina’s father and makes an effort to influence her. He also spends time fawning over Manders for his own purposes; namely, to procure the pastor’s assistance for building a home for wayward ex-sailors. With the surprise burning of the new orphanage, he searches for more opportunity for himself. He even urgently wants the lovely maid Ella to join him in his venture for an Old Sailors’ Home.
Oswald, having returned during this time from a years-long stay-away in Paris, is a proud, dedicated, if somewhat self-doubting artist. His sojourn was initially engineered by his mother when he was much younger, as a way of keeping her son safe from witnessing his father’s turpitude. Oswald now appears satisfied that he has resided in Paris, especially when he contrasts the relaxed, free Paris life with the stuffy suffocation of this Norwegian living. However, his vulnerable self-image parallels his cursed-from-conception, declining health – a deadly diagnosis that he learned about from Parisian doctors – and which he soon reveals to his mother. “The sins of the father are visited on the sons”, he comments, - a summation of the existential crisis in which he feels trapped and helpless. It is a devastating moment to the mind and heart of Mrs. Alving, for Oswald was not safe after all. And though he truly loves his mother, there is a lingering un-closeness hanging over them. Mrs. Alving is then further overwhelmed when the dying Oswald asks her to euthanize him. Oswald’s last words – while turning catatonic – are “sun..., sun..., sun..., sun... “, a strangely haunting finale.
All the circumstances of this production are dramatically felt, and the acting is all very strong, generally. The casting is impressive (a lot of “names” here). Billy Crudup gives us an actor’s excellence as Manders; Hamish Linklater is powerful as Engstrand; Ella Beatty brings us true humanity, especially near the end when she discovers who she really has been all these years, - a tough heartbreak for sure. The tragic character of Oswald, a 25+ year old, while well dressed as assigned, appears as though he stopped by at Abercrombie & Fitch on his way home from Paris. Levon Hawke, however, is absolutely fine in what is a richly challenging role.
The squarish woodsy set design of "Ghosts" was exquisitely done, and the lighting (that fire!) was perfect. Glad I saw it. ====================================================
The Honey Trap
Review – “The Honey Trap” The Irish Repertory Theatre132 W 22nd St. New York NY 10011November 2, 2025by Kevin Martin The Irish Repertory Theatre’s current presentation of playwright Leo McGann’s “The Honey Trap” restores our past awareness back to the “the Troubles”, and this play does it quite impressively. Done without sentimentality and with strong direction by Matt Torney, this is a fine New York debut by Mr. McGann.
Time was when any U.S. citizen would turn on the radio (remember the “radio”?) or the TV set (remember the TV “set”?) back in the pre-internet world of broadcast news, such as in the 1970s. It was quite common in that way to learn the latest news both globally and locally about all sorts of things good and bad, with the bad including the latest killing - or killings almost anywhere. That of course might have involved the very violent strife in Northen Ireland between Catholics and Protestants, many decades ago – of bloodshed having taken place on any night or day prior, a result of (as most newscasters back then referred to it) the "continuing sectarian violence” in Belfast, In “The Honey Trap”, the story begins in our present time with the character older Dave (Michael Hayden) sitting for an interview with Emily (Molly Ranson), a PHD researcher from the U.S. Emily is tasked with putting together an oral history that seeks answers from British soldiers about their early experiences while on patrol in 1979 Belfast.
In the interview, “older” Dave furtively probes Emily about things she knows (that he might not know) but also opens up slowly to himself about a long ago memory involving his time in the army. His urgent feelings of private guilt and conflict that rest upon his conscience are due to the loss of Bobby, his friend and fellow soldier. He desires to know more. The quiet hell that haunts older Dave is the ambush-killing of Bobby (Harrison Tipping) at the hands of the IRA so many years ago. This bloody event was the result of an evening visit to a local pub by young Dave (Daniel Marconi) and Bobby, two British soldiers looking for a fresh refreshment at a local pub during off duty hours. Whilst attending to their booze and banter, they noticed two young, attractive ladies (Doireann Mac Mahon as Kirsty and Annabelle Zasowski as Lisa), sipping drinks and standing only footsteps away from them. Dave talks up the idea to Bobby of chumming with the lovely ladies and (even though they are each married) perhaps to get to know them a little better, as one might certainly imagine for energetic wandering-eye types. As it goes, Dave receives a surprise phone call from his very pregnant wife; this prompts him to opt out of socializing with either lady. He decides to go right home instead. Bobby ends up staying behind, a fate irreversible as he later leaves the pub with Lisa, going with her to a nearby hotel. There is a smartly detailed bank-and-forth in time pattern of scene-play story telling which dominates the play almost entirely though it never distracts. Without saying too much further about the story's events and thus giving away too much, let it suffice that the dramatic edge of "The Honey Trap" remains sharp from the opening moments until the very end. Suspense is in the air. The cast is a brilliant ensemble of high-voltage acting, with the actors Daniel Marconi (young Dave) and Michael Hayden (older Dave) leading the way. Samantha Matthis is exquisite in her role as Sonia - a woman who has to contend with her own demons in middle age. Lighting (Michael Gottlieb), sound and its superb period choices (James Garver), costumes (Sarita Fellows), fine scenic design (Charlie Corcoran), Wig & Hair (Tommy Kurzman) are all just right, adding a fuller dimension to the production.
As much as "The Honey Trap" explores the themes of guilt, dark and buried secrets, moral disappointments, and other unhealed psychological wounds, this is also a tale of consequences that stick to the memory, and they are awfully hard to erase. "What's done cannot be undone", Shakespeare says. He has a point. PHOTO: Carol Rosegg (Closing November 23, 2025) 212.727.2737 ============================
Time was when any U.S. citizen would turn on the radio (remember the “radio”?) or the TV set (remember the TV “set”?) back in the pre-internet world of broadcast news, such as in the 1970s. It was quite common in that way to learn the latest news both globally and locally about all sorts of things good and bad, with the bad including the latest killing - or killings almost anywhere. That of course might have involved the very violent strife in Northen Ireland between Catholics and Protestants, many decades ago – of bloodshed having taken place on any night or day prior, a result of (as most newscasters back then referred to it) the "continuing sectarian violence” in Belfast, In “The Honey Trap”, the story begins in our present time with the character older Dave (Michael Hayden) sitting for an interview with Emily (Molly Ranson), a PHD researcher from the U.S. Emily is tasked with putting together an oral history that seeks answers from British soldiers about their early experiences while on patrol in 1979 Belfast.
In the interview, “older” Dave furtively probes Emily about things she knows (that he might not know) but also opens up slowly to himself about a long ago memory involving his time in the army. His urgent feelings of private guilt and conflict that rest upon his conscience are due to the loss of Bobby, his friend and fellow soldier. He desires to know more. The quiet hell that haunts older Dave is the ambush-killing of Bobby (Harrison Tipping) at the hands of the IRA so many years ago. This bloody event was the result of an evening visit to a local pub by young Dave (Daniel Marconi) and Bobby, two British soldiers looking for a fresh refreshment at a local pub during off duty hours. Whilst attending to their booze and banter, they noticed two young, attractive ladies (Doireann Mac Mahon as Kirsty and Annabelle Zasowski as Lisa), sipping drinks and standing only footsteps away from them. Dave talks up the idea to Bobby of chumming with the lovely ladies and (even though they are each married) perhaps to get to know them a little better, as one might certainly imagine for energetic wandering-eye types. As it goes, Dave receives a surprise phone call from his very pregnant wife; this prompts him to opt out of socializing with either lady. He decides to go right home instead. Bobby ends up staying behind, a fate irreversible as he later leaves the pub with Lisa, going with her to a nearby hotel. There is a smartly detailed bank-and-forth in time pattern of scene-play story telling which dominates the play almost entirely though it never distracts. Without saying too much further about the story's events and thus giving away too much, let it suffice that the dramatic edge of "The Honey Trap" remains sharp from the opening moments until the very end. Suspense is in the air. The cast is a brilliant ensemble of high-voltage acting, with the actors Daniel Marconi (young Dave) and Michael Hayden (older Dave) leading the way. Samantha Matthis is exquisite in her role as Sonia - a woman who has to contend with her own demons in middle age. Lighting (Michael Gottlieb), sound and its superb period choices (James Garver), costumes (Sarita Fellows), fine scenic design (Charlie Corcoran), Wig & Hair (Tommy Kurzman) are all just right, adding a fuller dimension to the production.
As much as "The Honey Trap" explores the themes of guilt, dark and buried secrets, moral disappointments, and other unhealed psychological wounds, this is also a tale of consequences that stick to the memory, and they are awfully hard to erase. "What's done cannot be undone", Shakespeare says. He has a point. PHOTO: Carol Rosegg (Closing November 23, 2025) 212.727.2737 ============================
“Philadelphia, Here I Come”, by Brian Friel
Directed by Ciaran O’Reilly
(“P-H-I-C” is one of many plays in The Friel Project)Closing May 5, 2024. Irish Repertory Theatre 132 West 22nd Street NYC 10011
Review by Kevin Martin
Ciarán O’Reilly and Terry Donnelly
Tim Palmer, James Russell, David McElwee, A.J. Shively and Emmet Earl Smith PHOTOS: JEREMY DANIEL ++++++++++When Madge the assiduous housekeeper (played with smart, luminous simplicity by the excellent Terry Donnelly) enters the dining area of the O’Donnell household, circa 1962, all is a place of domestic quiet. But just as she has finished setting the table – and calling out for young Gar with “Gar, your tea” !, - this young Gareth O’Donnell is already in plain sight, marching through the space and ecstatically belting out, ala Al Jolson, “’Philadelphia’, Here I Come, Right Back Where I Started From ...!
Simply put, in “Philadelphia, Here I Come”, we discover playwright Brian Friel’s “public” Gar on full display, the Gar which is distinctly presented apart from the play’s “private” Gar, and as such, each part is effectively played by David McElwee and A.J. Shively, respectively. This is a kind of coming-of-age story where dreams are grand and hopes spring eternal. It is in a town called Ballybegg, in County Donegal, 60+ years ago, in which public Gar – about 25 in age - exhibits all the bursting energy of migrant expectations as to the making of a journey to promised-land America. The ensuing exchanges of mental chit-chat that occur regularly between the Public and Private Gars (2 wisely dramatized halves of the same conflicted character in search of himself) reflect an under-the-surface yearning for love from his/their truly taciturn, small businessman father, “S. B.”, played with a fantastic paternal aloofness by Ciaran O’Reilly. (O’Reilly also directed this production with just the right deftness and pacing).
The play - with its stellar cast, no one excepted - might be asking us: what motivation prods a young person to leave home, family, and town and go out to seek a newer, and hopefully a better world? It takes many things of course. Things like general disillusionment, economic interest or need, a desire for a valuable professional career of some kind, an individual search for a fresh emotional something that waits elsewhere, yet to be – if ever, realized. Gar, motherless since his earliest infancy, does not feel loved by his unintimate, distant father. In moments of uncertainty and daring, Private Gar (the truest, inner self) is right nearby to praise, cajole, warn. The intelligent, caring Madge herself has been a sort of mother figure to Gar, for she knows him well. Gar’s own mother, Maire, died a mere 3 days after he was born – though decades later her spirit somehow fills the air inside the O’Donnell house. Nowadays, Gar senses positively well what his mother may have been like as a person – thanks to any recollections of Maire that she has shared. As well, when Madge’s very buoyant, energetic sister Lizzy (already settled in Philadelphia years prior) stops by the O’Donnell house in Ballybeg for a family visit, Gar is as inspired as ever, wanting very much to come to Philadelphia and live with her, - at least for a while. It feels apparent that anybody who recalls the late Maire would likely say that she and Lizzy had very similar personality traits.
The ending is crisp and believable. Earlier in that final part – Private Gar urges Public Gar to stay clear and open: “It’s the silence that’s the enemy”. Briefly, Public Gar and S.B. talk openly to each other about earlier days when he was just a lad – when father and son together enjoyed fishing on the lake, a good moment for bonding. The bond seemed to have lessened over time, interrupted by the burdens of life. But for a brief, promising moment they both cheerily reminisce. How nice it was. =================================================
Simply put, in “Philadelphia, Here I Come”, we discover playwright Brian Friel’s “public” Gar on full display, the Gar which is distinctly presented apart from the play’s “private” Gar, and as such, each part is effectively played by David McElwee and A.J. Shively, respectively. This is a kind of coming-of-age story where dreams are grand and hopes spring eternal. It is in a town called Ballybegg, in County Donegal, 60+ years ago, in which public Gar – about 25 in age - exhibits all the bursting energy of migrant expectations as to the making of a journey to promised-land America. The ensuing exchanges of mental chit-chat that occur regularly between the Public and Private Gars (2 wisely dramatized halves of the same conflicted character in search of himself) reflect an under-the-surface yearning for love from his/their truly taciturn, small businessman father, “S. B.”, played with a fantastic paternal aloofness by Ciaran O’Reilly. (O’Reilly also directed this production with just the right deftness and pacing).
The play - with its stellar cast, no one excepted - might be asking us: what motivation prods a young person to leave home, family, and town and go out to seek a newer, and hopefully a better world? It takes many things of course. Things like general disillusionment, economic interest or need, a desire for a valuable professional career of some kind, an individual search for a fresh emotional something that waits elsewhere, yet to be – if ever, realized. Gar, motherless since his earliest infancy, does not feel loved by his unintimate, distant father. In moments of uncertainty and daring, Private Gar (the truest, inner self) is right nearby to praise, cajole, warn. The intelligent, caring Madge herself has been a sort of mother figure to Gar, for she knows him well. Gar’s own mother, Maire, died a mere 3 days after he was born – though decades later her spirit somehow fills the air inside the O’Donnell house. Nowadays, Gar senses positively well what his mother may have been like as a person – thanks to any recollections of Maire that she has shared. As well, when Madge’s very buoyant, energetic sister Lizzy (already settled in Philadelphia years prior) stops by the O’Donnell house in Ballybeg for a family visit, Gar is as inspired as ever, wanting very much to come to Philadelphia and live with her, - at least for a while. It feels apparent that anybody who recalls the late Maire would likely say that she and Lizzy had very similar personality traits.
The ending is crisp and believable. Earlier in that final part – Private Gar urges Public Gar to stay clear and open: “It’s the silence that’s the enemy”. Briefly, Public Gar and S.B. talk openly to each other about earlier days when he was just a lad – when father and son together enjoyed fishing on the lake, a good moment for bonding. The bond seemed to have lessened over time, interrupted by the burdens of life. But for a brief, promising moment they both cheerily reminisce. How nice it was. =================================================
"The Weir" is back at the Irish Rep where it is thriving nicely.
Review by Kevin Martin
Conor McPherson's insightful rumination on everyday woes and wonders - taking place in a plain but charming old pub somewhere in the west of Ireland - is doing well by a cast of excellent actors and you ought to see it before is closes August 30.
Throughout history, Irish life has been interspersed with ghostly stories of all matters and in such a way that it is a permanent feature of its culture. This quality lends itself to the native Irish skill for storytelling, which for good or not-so-good makes most folks who know something about the Irish experience of daily life likely to want more, know more, and yes - have more.
The centerpiece of "The Weir" appears by way of the character Valerie (strongly realized by Sarah Street) who arrives at the pub midway in the story by which time the handful of male patrons have already (mostly) talked their tales of mysterious past events and down-home tales of local curiosity, All of these actors glow in their roles. ========================================
Throughout history, Irish life has been interspersed with ghostly stories of all matters and in such a way that it is a permanent feature of its culture. This quality lends itself to the native Irish skill for storytelling, which for good or not-so-good makes most folks who know something about the Irish experience of daily life likely to want more, know more, and yes - have more.
The centerpiece of "The Weir" appears by way of the character Valerie (strongly realized by Sarah Street) who arrives at the pub midway in the story by which time the handful of male patrons have already (mostly) talked their tales of mysterious past events and down-home tales of local curiosity, All of these actors glow in their roles. ========================================
"Beckett Briefs” at the Irish Repertory Theatre
Review by KEVIN MARTIN Running to March 16, 2025 The 3 Samuel Beckett one-act plays of "Not I", "Play", and "Krapp's Last Tape" all make for a faithful and well put staging, courtesy of director Ciaràn O'Reilly.
February 8, 2025 "Not I" is the mouth that roared onstage at the Irish Rep but was not quite seen, or at least somewhat difficult to see. (If memory serves me rightly, the late Billie Whitelaw did this piece with only her mouth hauntingly lit all throughout). Here, the mesmeric voice of the character "Mouth", - acted with very strong vocal skill by mouth-actor Sarah Street, nonetheless emerges victoriously in its own presentation. The stage is in total darkness, a black-hole of the Beckett view of our commonplace world as articulated by Mouth - humorously at times - in an alarming tidal wave of verbal expression by alternately shouting, crying, complaining, regretting, cursing, laughing, and musing away her (and ours, too?) tainted and wounded existence, all defined by the mortal coil of plaintive human everydayness. In a unique way, Mouth shows us - or rather narrates us, through her abyss of sadness, isolation, despair, and disappointment. Indeed, "Not I" is also "Yes, Us"; in the Beckett mindset, we are all the very same character: Mouth, who rivets our ears as well as our souls, Almost all of us are at least a little bit damaged and there's no way out. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Play" gives us the wife Woman 1 (Kate Forbes), the mistress Woman 2 (Sarah Street), and Man (Roger Dominic Casey). The three are in a love entangle/triangle, all residing (??) in sizable, individual urn-shaped objects with only their still-living heads to show for it. Many urns are used to contain creamated remains of the deceased. The conflicted lives have overlapping issues; Woman 1 is betrayed and hurt upon learning about her husband's (Man) unfaithfulness. All this as Woman 2 is confronted with a sense of ill-repute - being hooked up with a married guy. the character Man himself attempts to deal with his marital disloyalty and expectations, couched in both self-interest and remorse. The effective stage lights shines brightly and separately on each sad personage when speaking. It is an effective image at each turn, highlighting the dramatic urgency in the words spoken. All actors here bring refreshing, well realized believability to their roles :::::::;;::::::::::::::::::::::::: The utterly excellent F. Murray Abrahm - as Krapp in "Krapp's Last Tape", brilliantly inhabits this disillusioned but lovable aging man who lives alone in in his colorless den as he listens to old tape recordings of himself from age 39, and each of which he conducted every year at birthday time. Krapp is a vision of a human being facing an isolated continuation. There's nothing to prevent that from happening, of course. In Abraham's hands, we witness an individual feeling the dust in the wind of his long ago past. In the solitary space of Krapp's world, he reflects back many decades - and at one point engages in some private reminiscence over a romantic experience, exposing a tender moment more than a million miles away from his present lonliness. Eventually, after Krapp has finished delving in - for now, his very private tapes and their attached memories, we witness Krapp while he sits in mere silence, covered by hopelessness, and maybe ruminating over other doings on his tapes yet unheard. "Krapp's Last Tape" is an existential snaphot of man awashed in despair in need of a happiness that never can be. Abraham embodies Krapp with total understanding. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
February 8, 2025 "Not I" is the mouth that roared onstage at the Irish Rep but was not quite seen, or at least somewhat difficult to see. (If memory serves me rightly, the late Billie Whitelaw did this piece with only her mouth hauntingly lit all throughout). Here, the mesmeric voice of the character "Mouth", - acted with very strong vocal skill by mouth-actor Sarah Street, nonetheless emerges victoriously in its own presentation. The stage is in total darkness, a black-hole of the Beckett view of our commonplace world as articulated by Mouth - humorously at times - in an alarming tidal wave of verbal expression by alternately shouting, crying, complaining, regretting, cursing, laughing, and musing away her (and ours, too?) tainted and wounded existence, all defined by the mortal coil of plaintive human everydayness. In a unique way, Mouth shows us - or rather narrates us, through her abyss of sadness, isolation, despair, and disappointment. Indeed, "Not I" is also "Yes, Us"; in the Beckett mindset, we are all the very same character: Mouth, who rivets our ears as well as our souls, Almost all of us are at least a little bit damaged and there's no way out. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Play" gives us the wife Woman 1 (Kate Forbes), the mistress Woman 2 (Sarah Street), and Man (Roger Dominic Casey). The three are in a love entangle/triangle, all residing (??) in sizable, individual urn-shaped objects with only their still-living heads to show for it. Many urns are used to contain creamated remains of the deceased. The conflicted lives have overlapping issues; Woman 1 is betrayed and hurt upon learning about her husband's (Man) unfaithfulness. All this as Woman 2 is confronted with a sense of ill-repute - being hooked up with a married guy. the character Man himself attempts to deal with his marital disloyalty and expectations, couched in both self-interest and remorse. The effective stage lights shines brightly and separately on each sad personage when speaking. It is an effective image at each turn, highlighting the dramatic urgency in the words spoken. All actors here bring refreshing, well realized believability to their roles :::::::;;::::::::::::::::::::::::: The utterly excellent F. Murray Abrahm - as Krapp in "Krapp's Last Tape", brilliantly inhabits this disillusioned but lovable aging man who lives alone in in his colorless den as he listens to old tape recordings of himself from age 39, and each of which he conducted every year at birthday time. Krapp is a vision of a human being facing an isolated continuation. There's nothing to prevent that from happening, of course. In Abraham's hands, we witness an individual feeling the dust in the wind of his long ago past. In the solitary space of Krapp's world, he reflects back many decades - and at one point engages in some private reminiscence over a romantic experience, exposing a tender moment more than a million miles away from his present lonliness. Eventually, after Krapp has finished delving in - for now, his very private tapes and their attached memories, we witness Krapp while he sits in mere silence, covered by hopelessness, and maybe ruminating over other doings on his tapes yet unheard. "Krapp's Last Tape" is an existential snaphot of man awashed in despair in need of a happiness that never can be. Abraham embodies Krapp with total understanding. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Beacon" at the Irish Rep Writer: Nancy Harris Director: Marc Atkinson Borrull
(Closed as of November 24, 2024)
ACTORS ROLESKate Mulgrew BeivZach Appelman ColmSean Bell DonalDavid Mattar Merten RayAyana Workman Bonnie
Review by Kevin Martin
(Closed as of November 24, 2024)
"For murder, though it hath no tongue, will speak with most miraculous organ".
- Shakespeare
All now closed up following a lengthy run, this staged work of over-busy emotional intelligence couched in the miscalculations and conflicts of both heart and mind - penned by Nancy Harris - didn't dissapoint. While the flow of the evening's loaded information was a little tough at times to follow, it nonetheless felt like a property worthy of strong reflection. Coming out to this oceanside from the esteemed Druid Theatre of Galway of a few years back, "Beacon" is more than a one-plot kind of setup. On the night that I attended (just days before its folding), "Beacon" moved along with an updown, downup energy felt througout the roughly 2-hour evening. The play slowly unloads (with some care). The lead character Beiv (Kate Mulgrew) is a well-known painter of large canvases who arrives from life in Dublin at her (Irish) West Cork abode, a hideaway of sorts located on the actual coastal edge (right smack in front of a wavy, smashing surfside, - a video looped, extremely effective visual). The studio/place contains huge windows looking out at the ocean, a do-over design done by Beiv. As to why she comes here could be due to a very nasty deed she herself may have committed in the past. That comes out toward the end, and it takes a good while getting there. Before that emergence, we find that Beiv's U.S. residing, tech-software career son Colm (Zach Appelman) and his new American bride Bonnie (Ayana Workman) have stopped in to visit this windy wintry locale as part of their honeymoon (go figure). It turns out that Colm, who has a cold relationship with his self-occupied mother-painter, is looking for answers, as per his late father's unexplained death. He is seeking these answers - if any - from Beiv. Almost nobody has a rosy past, - or present, this work seems to be saying, as the play brings out other issues such as the harsh, unexpected discord between the newlyweds, from which Bonnie suddenly goes missing (another disappearance). There is also the return to memory of a long past sexual affair between Colm - who for the most part has moved on with his life - and Donal (Sean Bell), a local chap who does handy work around Beiv's place and who had known Colm since their shared youth. There is also the high strung local podcaster, Ray (David Mattar Merten), investigating unsolved (perhaps criminal) cases in the island's vicinity. And so forth. While there is a lot of story detail to unpack in a short time, "Beacon" remains a good, smart effort, with bravery in the attempt. "Beacon's" acting was mostly fine, with the exquisite, skillful, energetic Kate Mulgrew leading the pack. Sean Bell impressed as the wounded, bravely expressive Donal.
Overall, the play is bold but overambitious and absent the rage. In the early part of the play, when Bonnie meets Beiv, she comments about menstruation while gazing at one of Beiv's canvases, all painted in near-reddish tones with circular brush strokes, and set up on an easel: "You can really see the female rage,” says Bonnie. Replies Beiv, correcting her: "It's blood orange".
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
"The Hard Nut" at BAM Created, Choreographed, & Directed by Mark Morris (Presented in the Peter Sharp Building) A Starry Ensemble Dazzles!Review by KEVIN MARTIN December 21, 2024(Above Photos by Julieta Cervantes) I have seen many la-de-da, fine, fancy, and extremely well put establishment choreographic works over the years in Gotham, but nothing can come close to the thrilling, energized creation of master Mark Morris’s transport of Pytor Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", side by side of ETA Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Morris renders us a bold treatment of a classic tale that works handsomely: technically, choreographically, and (of course) musically. "The Hard Nut" is perhaps the most exhilarating "updating" of a grand ballet and score that can be had almost anywhere today. This Nut starts with Mr. Brandon Randolph in his gutsy, stunning self-transformation as the housekeeping Maid. Stepping into the TV room to usher the young ones to bed, this maid is like no other. While she spins and pirouettes all throughout the space with the airiness of a mere feather in mid-air flight, we are all peeking inside the family life - in Christmas party mode - of the Stahlbaum family that includes the 3 kids: Marie, Fritz, and Louise all nicley played respectively by Mica Bernas, Christina Saihada, and Karlie Budge (who is also in the role of the uglyish Princess Pirlipat). With the already opening music piece having carried us all into their world, we are set to live and watch the unfolding of family life, - in a fairy tale smart 1970s/Morris style. Subsequent to all the quite nimble opening scene footsteps of the Maid - tippy toes and all - are the skilled Hard Nut story-givers lined up as appropriate balletic movers and shakers - with the memorably acted, featured roles starting with that of Mrs. Stahlbaum/Queen (Elisa Clark), Drosselmeier (Billy Smith), the Nutcracker/Young Drosselmeier (Domingo Estrada, Jr.), Barbie Doll (Miriam Gittens), Robot (Kyle Halford), Rat King (Kara Chan), and Rat Queen (Deepa Liegel) .
"The Hard Nut" is a modern, eye-feasting fairy tale taken from past genius and given new shining insight by Mr. Morris, a totally refreshing thing to do, - even though "The Hard Nut" has now been around for decades (hard to believe). It's best - for those who have yet to see it - to not give away all the goods about "The Hard Nut". The Nutcracker music played splendidly under the strong guidance of conductor Colin Fowler. In like fashion, Adrienne Lobel gets good credit for (WOW!) set design. Costume design by the late Martin Pakledinaz is magical. The lighting design by James F. Ingalls hit all the marks.
So exquisite an original idea is "The Hard Nut" by Mr. Morris that all who truly care for such originality as well as artistic passion should see it again next year - and beyond. (Why not)? ============================
"The Hard Nut" at BAM Created, Choreographed, & Directed by Mark Morris (Presented in the Peter Sharp Building) A Starry Ensemble Dazzles!Review by KEVIN MARTIN December 21, 2024(Above Photos by Julieta Cervantes) I have seen many la-de-da, fine, fancy, and extremely well put establishment choreographic works over the years in Gotham, but nothing can come close to the thrilling, energized creation of master Mark Morris’s transport of Pytor Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", side by side of ETA Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Morris renders us a bold treatment of a classic tale that works handsomely: technically, choreographically, and (of course) musically. "The Hard Nut" is perhaps the most exhilarating "updating" of a grand ballet and score that can be had almost anywhere today. This Nut starts with Mr. Brandon Randolph in his gutsy, stunning self-transformation as the housekeeping Maid. Stepping into the TV room to usher the young ones to bed, this maid is like no other. While she spins and pirouettes all throughout the space with the airiness of a mere feather in mid-air flight, we are all peeking inside the family life - in Christmas party mode - of the Stahlbaum family that includes the 3 kids: Marie, Fritz, and Louise all nicley played respectively by Mica Bernas, Christina Saihada, and Karlie Budge (who is also in the role of the uglyish Princess Pirlipat). With the already opening music piece having carried us all into their world, we are set to live and watch the unfolding of family life, - in a fairy tale smart 1970s/Morris style. Subsequent to all the quite nimble opening scene footsteps of the Maid - tippy toes and all - are the skilled Hard Nut story-givers lined up as appropriate balletic movers and shakers - with the memorably acted, featured roles starting with that of Mrs. Stahlbaum/Queen (Elisa Clark), Drosselmeier (Billy Smith), the Nutcracker/Young Drosselmeier (Domingo Estrada, Jr.), Barbie Doll (Miriam Gittens), Robot (Kyle Halford), Rat King (Kara Chan), and Rat Queen (Deepa Liegel) .
"The Hard Nut" is a modern, eye-feasting fairy tale taken from past genius and given new shining insight by Mr. Morris, a totally refreshing thing to do, - even though "The Hard Nut" has now been around for decades (hard to believe). It's best - for those who have yet to see it - to not give away all the goods about "The Hard Nut". The Nutcracker music played splendidly under the strong guidance of conductor Colin Fowler. In like fashion, Adrienne Lobel gets good credit for (WOW!) set design. Costume design by the late Martin Pakledinaz is magical. The lighting design by James F. Ingalls hit all the marks.
So exquisite an original idea is "The Hard Nut" by Mr. Morris that all who truly care for such originality as well as artistic passion should see it again next year - and beyond. (Why not)? ============================
======================= Gaviota
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"GAVIOTA" (The Seagull) at BAM (Fisher Hall)
GAVIOTA: Theater in the "Square"...?
November 21, 2024
Review by KEVIN MARTIN
Conceived and Directed by Guillermo Cacace
Produced by Romina Chepe
Adaptation; Juan Ignacio Fernández (based on The Seagull by Anton Chekhov);
ACTORS ROLES Paula Fernandez (Arkadina) Marcela Guerty (Tricorin) Clarisa Korovsky (Masha) Romina Padoan (Nina) Muriel Sago (Kostia)
Dramaturgy: Juan Ignacio Fernández
Assistant Director: Alejandro Guerscovich
What with the sweet-raspy, soaring, hauntingly gorgeous voice of Chavela Vargas singing down on us as we take our seats (general seating for all), one may rightly suspect a theatre evening of intense creativity is about to unfold, and you wouldn't be wrong. Although it may not be a perfect gem of a production, this all-female "Gaviota" sparkles nonetheless. Astutely directed by Guillermo Cacace, "Gaviota" is a skilled, innovative and smartly realized effort by Spanish-speaking actors in this very re-fashioned version of Anton Chekhov's play "The Seagull" while keeping the audience's full attention. This is a good thing because its staging format is not what one normally expects of a Chekhov production, thus rendering the evening performance as something of a surprise. Alas, although not an utterly perfect production in any traditional sense, it manages to compensate by showing boldness of execution. This is cleverly demonstrated by the willlful discardment of the period costumes, sets and scenery typical of Chekhovian visions. In its place for the entire (app.) 90 minutes of the show where the action of this production employs the sole use of a very big square wooden table - taking place in the countryside - and around which sit the characters of "Gaviota"/The Seagull, acting out the story by sitting in place rather than moving about on cue, as would normally happen according to stage instructons in any official, original Seagull text. But does that boldness of execution satisfy? Basically yes, as wherin the director's program note itself suggests the value of "...{opening} ourselves to our guests/public {in order} to share the precariousness of a work table". The key word here for me is "precariousness". Fortunately, all the actors' characters at this table are strong and clear in their expression, even if I could not see all the faces of the actors at work. (More about this below). As it is presented, that big work table is actually its own stage. Interestingly enough, the large platform helped me to imagine, at times, the characters' moving about. Being all done in Spanish (my own kind of speaking Spanish is "so-so" at best), I was generally able to follow the sequences of the action of "Gaviota", having been already familiar with Chekhov text, reading it and seeing it done over the decades in a number of venues, including in London with Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Natasha Richardson, and then again several years after that at the National Theatre with Judy Dench, et al. This "Gaviota" manages to bring forth the essence of Chekhov's Seagull in the entagled, overlapping needs and wants of the characters scarred by emotional unfullfilment - including love unrequited, which is a large element in the Chekhov universe, especially unrequited love of the artist. We find Nina, a young lady falling in love with Trigorin while seeking success and fame as an actress, but Trigorin the writer is the younger lover of Arkadina who is a well-established, famous actress herself. There are other areas of the story that have this perplexity, too. As for the seating: my limited seating arrangement allowed me to see the famed writer Trigorin (or "Tricorin", played by a very strong Marcela Guerty) directly across the table from me in the 3rd row. I was able to see much, but not all, of Kostia (Muriel Sago) and Arkadina (Paula Fernandez Mbarak) who sat together; their mother-son exchanges were totally forceful and memorable. I could not see Masha (Clarisa Korovsky performing here as (maybe a reshaped characterization) the studious observer of emotions; this is smoothly done as she then responds with dramatic effect to a query regarding her habit for wearing black: "I'm in mourning for my life"). I could barely see Nina the "seagull" (acted quite nicely by Romina Padoan). The lighting was basically good but did not seem to be a production priority. These little distractions were not helpful - to me - as an audience member but I survived it, and (yes) survived it gladly. ===========
Herein Gods and Mortals Clash!
"The Half-God Of Rainfall" New York Theatre Workshop
===================
New York Theatre WorkshopReview by - Kevin M. MartinAugust 15, 2023
If there is one play anywhere in NYC during these dwindling weeks of summer that ought to summon the enjoyment of intelligent ticket-holders (hello, out there?), then the brilliant acting and striking production values that shine within this finely staged epic production should resonate well after leaving the theatre. Done as a sort of workshop motif - albeit very persuasively, with actors self-describing their characters directly to the audience - "The Half-God Of Rainfall" moves rather provocatively due to its eventual, overall unity of effect, allowing it all to come together, section by section. While not exactly perfect, it gets awfully close (perhaps the script could be slighlty trimmer). But THGOR moves along at good speed nonetheless, and it sticks to the memory for all who pay attention. And yes, attention should be paid. Nigerian-born British playwright and poet Inua Ellams (author of the successfully produced play, "Barber Shop Chronicles" at the UK's National Theatre) skillfully demonstrates a craft of both dramatic and tragi-comic storytelling and poetry as he mixes Greek and Yoruban mythology with very contemporary living. With a positively clear direction by Taibi Magar, Ellams manages to pull it off. Weaving together these elements (storytelling and poetry), THGOR tells us a tale of our half-god, Demi (acted bravely by Mister Fitzgerald); Demi did not have a very cheerful childhood; but, loving basketball, he grows to be very physically, athletically blest. In THGOR, Demi becomes an athlete of grand ability and aspiration ala Michael Jordan style and influence (who could be a mightier "flying" god-like sports hero than MJ)? Demi, it turns out, is a modern, or contemporary child version born into the world from violent rape by the god Zeus, shown as an ultimate authority symbol of expoitative power and imperialistic abuse toward powerless innocents. (Here, Zeus is played with a cold, righteous entitlement by Michael Lurence). Zeus's crime impregnated Demi's Nigerian priestess mother, Modúpé; apart from cold-blooded murder, is anything more evil than cold-blooded rape? To get away from it all (it ain't easy being victimized and stigmatized by rape), Demi is taken away from his Nigerian youth by his mother and brought to the USA where he will hook up with the Golden State Warriors (yes, those Golden State Warriors), of which the great mortal athletes themselves are god-like in their basketball prowess. Perhaps, somehow or in some way, Demi will now help restrieve his whole personhood and that of his mother by avenging the pain and abuse thrust upon them by Zeus? Modúpé - acted impressively by Jennifer Mogbok - is a single mom violated, though noble and courageous, as she truthfully, and with raw will, succeeds near play's end at sharing a powerful and disturbing memory of the past violence she endured. It is a moment of absolute, sheer anti-oppression condemnation.
In the smart overall mix of THGOR, there is Hera (well acted by Kelley Curran) as Zeus's wife. She, too, clearly has her reasons for bitterness. Here you will also meet Sàngó, Nigerian god of thunder (and ego-enemy to Zeus, watch out!), very ably put by Jason Bowen.
We also encounter the Nigerian deieties who bring forth the larger narration with a chorus sensibility. Early on, we meet both Elegba (Lizan Mitchell, who grabs our attention from the start) and Ozun (a radiant, articulate Patrice Johnson Chevannes all garbed in bright, brazen blue); each helps to narrate the eventual rise of Demi into the magic sportmosphere.
Throughout THGOR, witness the bold imagery of ancient Greek warrior-gods intermittently reflected in a huge semi-circle - as well as the swampy, rich, dirt ground surface along with real rainfall (thank you very much), - exquiste choices of scenic design; original stage lighting by Stacey Derosier is memorable and works perfectly.Effective scenic design as well as sound design come from Riccardo Hernández and Mikaal Sulaiman, respectively; Linda Cho gives costume design a wonderful fit. Projection design by Tal Yarden and stage movement by Beatrice Capote deserve praise. Above (excellent) photo is from Joan Marcus
There is much to appreciate and learn from this approximately 95 minute intermissionless work. Too bad it can't run another 6 weeks.
New York Theatre Workshop79 East 4th StreetNY, NY 10003
Tel. 212-460-5175tickets@nytw.org
If there is one play anywhere in NYC during these dwindling weeks of summer that ought to summon the enjoyment of intelligent ticket-holders (hello, out there?), then the brilliant acting and striking production values that shine within this finely staged epic production should resonate well after leaving the theatre. Done as a sort of workshop motif - albeit very persuasively, with actors self-describing their characters directly to the audience - "The Half-God Of Rainfall" moves rather provocatively due to its eventual, overall unity of effect, allowing it all to come together, section by section. While not exactly perfect, it gets awfully close (perhaps the script could be slighlty trimmer). But THGOR moves along at good speed nonetheless, and it sticks to the memory for all who pay attention. And yes, attention should be paid. Nigerian-born British playwright and poet Inua Ellams (author of the successfully produced play, "Barber Shop Chronicles" at the UK's National Theatre) skillfully demonstrates a craft of both dramatic and tragi-comic storytelling and poetry as he mixes Greek and Yoruban mythology with very contemporary living. With a positively clear direction by Taibi Magar, Ellams manages to pull it off. Weaving together these elements (storytelling and poetry), THGOR tells us a tale of our half-god, Demi (acted bravely by Mister Fitzgerald); Demi did not have a very cheerful childhood; but, loving basketball, he grows to be very physically, athletically blest. In THGOR, Demi becomes an athlete of grand ability and aspiration ala Michael Jordan style and influence (who could be a mightier "flying" god-like sports hero than MJ)? Demi, it turns out, is a modern, or contemporary child version born into the world from violent rape by the god Zeus, shown as an ultimate authority symbol of expoitative power and imperialistic abuse toward powerless innocents. (Here, Zeus is played with a cold, righteous entitlement by Michael Lurence). Zeus's crime impregnated Demi's Nigerian priestess mother, Modúpé; apart from cold-blooded murder, is anything more evil than cold-blooded rape? To get away from it all (it ain't easy being victimized and stigmatized by rape), Demi is taken away from his Nigerian youth by his mother and brought to the USA where he will hook up with the Golden State Warriors (yes, those Golden State Warriors), of which the great mortal athletes themselves are god-like in their basketball prowess. Perhaps, somehow or in some way, Demi will now help restrieve his whole personhood and that of his mother by avenging the pain and abuse thrust upon them by Zeus? Modúpé - acted impressively by Jennifer Mogbok - is a single mom violated, though noble and courageous, as she truthfully, and with raw will, succeeds near play's end at sharing a powerful and disturbing memory of the past violence she endured. It is a moment of absolute, sheer anti-oppression condemnation.
In the smart overall mix of THGOR, there is Hera (well acted by Kelley Curran) as Zeus's wife. She, too, clearly has her reasons for bitterness. Here you will also meet Sàngó, Nigerian god of thunder (and ego-enemy to Zeus, watch out!), very ably put by Jason Bowen.
We also encounter the Nigerian deieties who bring forth the larger narration with a chorus sensibility. Early on, we meet both Elegba (Lizan Mitchell, who grabs our attention from the start) and Ozun (a radiant, articulate Patrice Johnson Chevannes all garbed in bright, brazen blue); each helps to narrate the eventual rise of Demi into the magic sportmosphere.
Throughout THGOR, witness the bold imagery of ancient Greek warrior-gods intermittently reflected in a huge semi-circle - as well as the swampy, rich, dirt ground surface along with real rainfall (thank you very much), - exquiste choices of scenic design; original stage lighting by Stacey Derosier is memorable and works perfectly.Effective scenic design as well as sound design come from Riccardo Hernández and Mikaal Sulaiman, respectively; Linda Cho gives costume design a wonderful fit. Projection design by Tal Yarden and stage movement by Beatrice Capote deserve praise. Above (excellent) photo is from Joan Marcus
There is much to appreciate and learn from this approximately 95 minute intermissionless work. Too bad it can't run another 6 weeks.
New York Theatre Workshop79 East 4th StreetNY, NY 10003
Tel. 212-460-5175tickets@nytw.org
"DIMANCHE" at BAM/Fisher
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Review by KEVIN MARTIN
An enterprize of great pith and moment unfolds in BAM's presentation of "DIMANCHE"
Above Photo: Sicaire Durieux, left, and Sandrine Heyraud in “Dimanche” at BAM Fisher The current spasm of artistic fire in the production of "Dimanche" has been burstingly afoot at BAM's Fisher Hall since last week - albeit (sadly) for a limited run. Sitting there to witness razor sharp acting by 3 exquisitely skilled artists of body and soul, I muttered internally that I am having an "Ah-Ha" moment, where it suddenly happens (though infrequently) that the senses of the performers' air of dramatic expression (containing both wit and pathos on a physical level that is breathtaking) are so well realized, that it spills onto the entire audience. The powerful theme is environmental - as in the changing climate patterns now afflicting planet Earth along with its inhabitants, whether 2-footed, 4-footed or otherwise; one may derive a clear warning given off by these 3 chroniclers. The finely tuned message is shown to all who see/watch this uniquely conceived production: we are all at risk. Flamingoes, polar bears, and humans - and probably all living creatures - botanical and zoolligical - are really all in one, big perilous, ecological danger zone. With its effective, economic lighting (Guillaume Toussaint Fromentin) and strong scenography (Zoe Tenret), "Dimanche" vividly reminds us that we are now being - and have been for decades perhaps - plagued by real, wild science-fictionish storms of rain and wind as well as melting ice bergs and warming/rising oceans and you name it. In presenting this universal message-of-the-moment for the masses, these utterly brave and gifted actors, Julie Tenret, Sicaire Durieux, Sandrine Heyraud (or Thomas Dechaufour) - as well as Shantala Pepe, Christine Heyraud, Julie Dacquin (or Sophie Leso), give us a series of dynamic vignettes illustrating the atmospheric changes occurring all around us - but here, it is all dramatically heightend to get the point across. Example: the great mama polar bear (puppeteer brilliance) that loses her cub when the ice-berg chunk they have both been resting upon suddenly splits apart in two to cause their ineveitable, horrifying separation from each other. Oh, yes, our great big oceans are suffering indeed. Another very powerful example: the family turkey dinner and its attendants literally getting pulled away by Monster Nature's hyper gale force roaring through the front door of their remaining home - (right through the dining room, no less), - well it's enough to forget about cooking for quite a while, for sure. I won't tell you more than that here. Suffice it to say that you will be lucky to see this production. Simply put: this very fresh and almost dialogue-free experience just might blow you away, too.
May 2023 Actors, writers, and directors of "Dimanche": Sandrine Heyraud, Julie Tenret, and Sicaire Durieux: PC Stephanie Berger
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