i guess i'm becoming a theatre critic here- who asked? no one. but i'm doing it anyway.
so, more theatre... well, since i last posted, i have seen a bunch-- Bridge and Tunnel, by Sarah Jones, which I HIGHLY recommend; Cincinatti, which was performed by the fabulous Nancy Walsh and directed by John Clancy- two friends-- they revived it for a single evening. The Dutchess of Malfi, up at Yale, which Ryan stagemanaged- three of my summer actor friends also appeared in it, much to my great amusement. what else...? well, i just saw Breakfast on Pluto- movie, not a play, but excellent.
bridge and tunnel is a one woman show (but unlike RFK isn't a bioplay about a single person) set in a cafe at a sort of open mic for immigrant poets (whose organization is entitled I.A.M.A.P.O.E.T.T.O.O.- and yes, each of those letters stands for something). Jones not only wrote the whole thing, but performs each of the characters in a stunning Anna Deveare Smith-like show of acting virtuosity. However, it's more than just a show of terrific transformations: the whole thing is a really touching story of what makes nyc and the usa in general unique: its immigrant population. in fact, new york simply wouldn't be the center of arts, commerce, culture, etc that it is today without its immigrants and their descendants. i think that goes without saying. the show is structured so that each of the characters (costumed simply with a change of coat, hat, glasses...) has a chance to give their story, and some do just that- some ditch the whole poem idea-- though there are some beautiful ones-- and just tell their stories. i know it sounds like something we've all seen before, but the play and jones' performance are really worth seeing. it's the kind of feeling you'd get if you turned and asked ten people on the subway how they got to new york. i've often wondered what people would say- i mean, everyone has a story- and you sit on the subway next to these living stories. jones, a native of queens, just went and wrote them down.
i thought some more about theatre mitu. here's more or less what i wrote to hannah in an email:
i've been waiting to see if i am still thinking about mitu, and mostly, i've been thinking abotu why i haven't been thinking about mitu. afterwards, i was very "moved" or affected in some way. days afterward though, it hasn't stuck with me. i would have attributed it to the subject matter and the treatment of it. we had a standard hero myth, ok, with a message of anti-violence, ok. in the end, most of the story didn't resonate with me after i saw it. but i think you're right about the lack of terror in general as well.... i don't even think it has to be SO aggressive, as disorienting as you suggest, and i was very engaged in the moment, but i think the reason it's not sticking with me is, as you said, i wasn't fully participating. that being said, i was mostly stunned and moved by the performances. i was struck by how utterly committed to the play and ensemble the actors were. they were all strong, present, and committed. i thought particularly that Aysan Celik did wonderfully, and the guy who played Mibi (Corey Sullivan) was marvelous. also, in the moment, and visually, the whole thing was gorgeous, and mostly, fantastically orchestrated. the fight/death moments particularly-- which is ironic, considering that the play was a critique of violence. it really was beautiful. the music supporting it was also crucial to this.
i'm concerned that a lot of modern theatre is full of this very beautiful work that
lacks emotional/intellectual staying power. maybe it was just this.. i don't know. i am in awe of ruben's ability to organize an ensemble and then train them to be so strong and together, as well as his ability to keep so many balls in the air on stage at once. but the play itself, while engaging in the moment, didn't satisfy me the way i had hoped. i can understand a hero story- in fact, i would imagine the political climate is such that people want to see a play about a hero. but this didn't quite do it. the form was stunning, the content, less so.
there, now that i've said it a gazillion times, you have it.
all that being said: i still recommend it- it is still unusual and so well-orchestrated. it's a beautiful piece.
well... breakfast on pluto. all i can say is that i continue to be fascinated with drag queens/trannies or at least their depiction in the media as vehicles for the "ultimate feminine" as i have taken to calling it, raw guts, reliance on the "kindness of strangers" and incredible sensitivity and pathos. an abandoned boy grows up to be a queen in 1970s northern ireland when the troubles were literally exploding. the movie chronicles in short vignettes his encounters and survival. just see it.
that's quite enough rubbish from me for now. who invented these things anyway? i guess they're exactly for people like me who babble on into the air, not knowing their audience. well, anyway, this is turning out to be a good record for what i've seen and what i thought of it at the time. back to school on sunday, into auditions tuesday, classes wednesday. last semester goals: learn about things that are not drama, don't stress about graduating, eat at home more and at the retreat less, keep reading extracurricular materials, have friends over for beer i promised them a long time ago.
bridge and tunnel is a one woman show (but unlike RFK isn't a bioplay about a single person) set in a cafe at a sort of open mic for immigrant poets (whose organization is entitled I.A.M.A.P.O.E.T.T.O.O.- and yes, each of those letters stands for something). Jones not only wrote the whole thing, but performs each of the characters in a stunning Anna Deveare Smith-like show of acting virtuosity. However, it's more than just a show of terrific transformations: the whole thing is a really touching story of what makes nyc and the usa in general unique: its immigrant population. in fact, new york simply wouldn't be the center of arts, commerce, culture, etc that it is today without its immigrants and their descendants. i think that goes without saying. the show is structured so that each of the characters (costumed simply with a change of coat, hat, glasses...) has a chance to give their story, and some do just that- some ditch the whole poem idea-- though there are some beautiful ones-- and just tell their stories. i know it sounds like something we've all seen before, but the play and jones' performance are really worth seeing. it's the kind of feeling you'd get if you turned and asked ten people on the subway how they got to new york. i've often wondered what people would say- i mean, everyone has a story- and you sit on the subway next to these living stories. jones, a native of queens, just went and wrote them down.
i thought some more about theatre mitu. here's more or less what i wrote to hannah in an email:
i've been waiting to see if i am still thinking about mitu, and mostly, i've been thinking abotu why i haven't been thinking about mitu. afterwards, i was very "moved" or affected in some way. days afterward though, it hasn't stuck with me. i would have attributed it to the subject matter and the treatment of it. we had a standard hero myth, ok, with a message of anti-violence, ok. in the end, most of the story didn't resonate with me after i saw it. but i think you're right about the lack of terror in general as well.... i don't even think it has to be SO aggressive, as disorienting as you suggest, and i was very engaged in the moment, but i think the reason it's not sticking with me is, as you said, i wasn't fully participating. that being said, i was mostly stunned and moved by the performances. i was struck by how utterly committed to the play and ensemble the actors were. they were all strong, present, and committed. i thought particularly that Aysan Celik did wonderfully, and the guy who played Mibi (Corey Sullivan) was marvelous. also, in the moment, and visually, the whole thing was gorgeous, and mostly, fantastically orchestrated. the fight/death moments particularly-- which is ironic, considering that the play was a critique of violence. it really was beautiful. the music supporting it was also crucial to this.
i'm concerned that a lot of modern theatre is full of this very beautiful work that
lacks emotional/intellectual staying power. maybe it was just this.. i don't know. i am in awe of ruben's ability to organize an ensemble and then train them to be so strong and together, as well as his ability to keep so many balls in the air on stage at once. but the play itself, while engaging in the moment, didn't satisfy me the way i had hoped. i can understand a hero story- in fact, i would imagine the political climate is such that people want to see a play about a hero. but this didn't quite do it. the form was stunning, the content, less so.
there, now that i've said it a gazillion times, you have it.
all that being said: i still recommend it- it is still unusual and so well-orchestrated. it's a beautiful piece.
well... breakfast on pluto. all i can say is that i continue to be fascinated with drag queens/trannies or at least their depiction in the media as vehicles for the "ultimate feminine" as i have taken to calling it, raw guts, reliance on the "kindness of strangers" and incredible sensitivity and pathos. an abandoned boy grows up to be a queen in 1970s northern ireland when the troubles were literally exploding. the movie chronicles in short vignettes his encounters and survival. just see it.
that's quite enough rubbish from me for now. who invented these things anyway? i guess they're exactly for people like me who babble on into the air, not knowing their audience. well, anyway, this is turning out to be a good record for what i've seen and what i thought of it at the time. back to school on sunday, into auditions tuesday, classes wednesday. last semester goals: learn about things that are not drama, don't stress about graduating, eat at home more and at the retreat less, keep reading extracurricular materials, have friends over for beer i promised them a long time ago.