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| Caught Photo by Peter Wochniak |
My take: As I write in my review for KDHX, this ingenious puzzle box of a play is almost too clever for it's own good but it does raise issues about the contextual nature of Truth in a thought-provoking and entertaining way that doesn't break the fourth wall so much as ignore it. Just remember what the Firesign Theatre said: "Everything you know is wrong!"
Held Over:
The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy Almost, Maine Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 8 - 18. "A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keeps the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani's Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost - not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness - experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.
My take: This is a charming set of romantically comic one acts with a strong dose of a kind of magical realism. We did the local premier of this a few years back at West End Players Guild and the show has been cropping up here and there ever since. I haven't seen the Looking Glass production, but I can attest to the fact that the play itself is first-class stuff.
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| Anything Goes Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg |
My take: Cole Porter's 1934 hit has undergone at least three major revivals (and, to quote Tom Lehrer in a radically different context, "God knows how many between"), each one of which involved significant alternations in the script and score. The New Line production has apparently gone back to the original book (a collaborative effort among Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse (of Jeeves and Wooster fame), Howard LIndsay, and Russel Crouse)—whch is perhaps the most radical thing one can do with this show at this point. It's apparently working; Steve Callahan at KDHX calls it a "triumph" while over at Ladue News, Mark Bretz says the production "blends silly comedy, stylish music and effervescent performances in a winning combination which cleverly utilizes all hands on deck." I guess I need to reserve a ticket.
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| The Last Romance Photo by John Lamb |
My take: I've been an admirer of playwright Joe DiPietro since I performed in the local premiere of his comedy Over the River and Through the Woods many years ago, so I have no hesitation recommending his work here. Besides, how can I resist a comedy about late-life love that involves opera? Based on Tina Farmer's review for KDHX, you probably won't be able to resist it either. "Anchored by veteran actor Joneal Joplin and featuring arias from Clark Sturdevant," she writes, "the production is a warm and tenderhearted diversion that feels instantly familiar and comfortable. And, while the show successfully makes a case for the benefits of remaining active and curious as we age, the lessons about love and friendship are delivered in a way that's applicable to any one, at any age."
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| Menopause the Musical |
My take: This popular ensemble show has been around for a while now, having premiered in 2001 in Orlando, Florida, in a 76-seat theatre that once housed a perfume shop. It's last visit at the Westport Playhouse was ten years ago, and it seems to have lost none of it's comic shine. "Who will enjoy this," asks Ann Lemmons Pollack in a review of the show last year, "beyond women of what they call un age certain? People of both genders around them unless they have no sense of humor. That includes family, friends and co-workers. One of life's cruel jokes is that the menopause hits many households about the same time adolescence does. Here's something to tide us over." Since this is effectively a remounting of that same production, I think I'm on safe ground putting it on the hit list, as I did last January.
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