BABY UNIVERSE- A Puppet Odyssey, by the group Wakka Wakka & Nordland Visual Theatre, written and directed by Kir Jan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock, with puppets by Waage and costumes and masks by Warnock, is an amazing picturization of the creation of a universe (after our Sun has died) by rod and hand puppets from tiny to larger than life size. The subtlety of the movements by the five puppeteers, who wear dark body suits with gasmasks, giving them an ape-like suggestion, is extraordinary as the phantasmagorical surroundings segue from action to action as the baby grows. The writing is clever and original, and the vocal acting by the superb cast is on a par with their puppetry. It is the most original and engaging puppet show I’ve ever seen— work of this caliber is rare (except for some of Basil Twist’s work). The coordination of all elements: writing, acting (Waage, Warnock, Melissa Creighton, Andrew Manjuck, Peter Russo), lighting (Kate Leahy), set Wakka Wakka and Joy Wang), sound design (Brett Jarvis), and music (Lars Petter Hagen) is amazing as the baby universe is born and grows in size and consciousness. It is brilliant work in all departments. I would say that BABY UNIVERSE is not for children under fourteen, but it is a rare, exciting, vivid experience for the rest of us. At the Baruch Performing Arts Center thru January 9th. 212/352-3101 or www.theatermania.com.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

MARILYN MAYE at The Metropolitan Room on West 22nd St.: Yes, she’s been around for a while, but her energy and strong voice with impeccable timing and musicality is ageless. Although most of the songs in her set “Her Kind of Broadway” are familiar, she is such a magnetic performer in strong inner contact with her audience as she fills the room with vocal imagery, that the songs are new and fresh. A lovely trio, Todd Firth (piano), Tom Hubbard (bass) and Ray Marchica (drums), are under her lifting her and helping her fly. This Broadway song set is heartwarming, and musically just lovely— a polished, delightful cabaret show. It’s a privilege and a joy to experience a performer of this caliber; this is as good as it gets. Long may she wave!

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

A FREE MAN OF COLOR by John Guare, an epic historical deconstruction taking place at the time of The Louisiana Purchase, has brilliant set design by David Rockwell and wonderful costumes, beautifully constructed, with a stylized historosity and intricate specificity, by Ann Hould-Ward, with superb lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer. It is well staged, but poorly directed by George C. Wolfe: the movement patterns are clean and clear, the pageantry vivid; all the acting, except for a few, is over-the-top performance. The four sins in Acting are: growling, singing lines, popping plosives and sounding the in-breath. Most of these poor misguided cast members were unrestrained (or probably encouraged) by the director, and the awful acting was disturbing, and, in fact, repellant. Jeffrey Wright, the lead, is the worst, and his long monologue in Act One, all on one level, was so boring I almost nodded out in spite of the level of noise pouring from his mouth. Guare’s play seems to be rather amusing in its clever anachronisms, and I’d love to read it, but my companion and I found the manner of acting in this production so repulsive, that we left at intermission.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

I saw another historical deconstruction the same day, and the exaggerations, a mixture of character and caricature, in this one work. So I’ll start by repeating part of my review of the Off-Broadway production this year:

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, written and directed by Alex Timbers, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, is 18th Century history done in Rock and Roll played in 19th Century Melodrama style with Brechtian influences. It’s full of creative physical activity, jokes and songs in a psychedelic, anachronistic view of events. It’s full of comic shtick and surprises, and stands on the shoulders of Monty Python. Creative choreography by Danny Mefford in this satire on politicians, politics and American History helps make it fly. Benjamin Walker, who plays Jackson, is a handsome, charismatic singer, and he and his surrounding gang of lively, talented comedian/singers/musicians give us an outrageous comic musical show with bold contemporary no-holds-barred splash.

For me, it worked better off-Broadway-- in this production it seems to flatten out in the last quarter, after Jackson is elected president, and the joyful audience sounds popping out early in the show fade as it gets political and serious, and loses some of its early brash panache. All in all, a really good Rock musical, with good performances, and plenty to keep a contemporary audience engaged and entertained. And since the off-Broadway version is no longer running, I’d suggest that you see this one. I’ll bet you like it.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

ELF, book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, is a delightful show, with good jokes, imaginative visuals and cute songs. It has a versatile cast of singer-dancers, including the adorable Sebastian Arcelus as the human brought up as an Elf, and the most innovative choreography, by the director Casey Nicholaw, this side of Susan Strohman. David Rockwell’s design, Gregg Barnes terrific costumes and Natsha Katz’s lighting enhance everything, and the show is witty, clever, totally engaging with catchy, charming songs, and all is energetically directed by Nicholaw. The little kids in the audience were totally into it, and the kid in the adults, who also got the in-jokes, laughed and were moved by the spirit. A very lively, fun-filled show.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS: music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson— What an inspiration— telling the sordid story of the persecution and prosecuting of nine black young men falsely accused of raping two white prostitutes in Alabama in 1931 as a Minstrel Show performed by blacks, who play all characters, white and black, including the sheriff, and only one white, John Cullum in the cast as The Interlocutor. It’s a bizarre, but palatable way of telling this horrible story, including a humorous song about the electric chair. It’s all a surreal nightmare played out as an absurdist comedy. It’s beautifully, innovatively directed with style and flair and brilliantly choreographed by Susan Strohman, with a top notch versatile ensemble cast including the vivid Joshua Henry, design by Beowulf Borrit that is simple but profound and fine costumes by Toni-Leslie James. THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, although cartoony in presentation, is a unique, powerful theatrical experience full of songs by two of the best, and the final moment will move you and stick with you.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.

David Mamet’s A LIFE IN THE THEATRE gives Patrick Stewart a vehicle to spread his wings and fly as an actor as he dances through many caricatures in snips of plays an actor might be thrust into in his career. Costar TR Knight as his young counterpart bats the proverbial ball back quite nicely, and this play, an extended sketch, really, as crisply directed by Neil Pepe, is a smiler. I enjoyed everything both actors did in this rather light entertainment. Designer Santo Loquasto outdoes himself in innovation in the many scenic flashes, costumes by Laura Bauer illuminate the many characters as Kenneth Posner’s lighting illuminates all with proper subtlety. I might go and see it again just to see Stewart in action whether in cavort or contemplative mode. He’s a joy to watch.

Richmond Shepard-- Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com.