News & Reviews from New York
   
October 29th, 2014

In HERE LIES LOVE, David Byrne’s concept of doing a rockish musical about the life of Imelda Marcos, former First Lady of The Philippines, famous for her shoe collection, in the manner of a ‘60’s “Happening,” with the audience being part of the interaction is quite bold, and his collaboration with composer Fatboy Slim in the songs, which mixes romantic pop ballads with blasting, pounding cacophony, is all quite theatrical. The leads, Jaygee Macapugay as Imelda, Jose Llana as Marco and Conrad Ricamora are all excellent singers, and, in fact, all of the cast members sing well and the lovely women chorus members also add lyrical dance to the show. The theatre itself at The Public has been restructured for this show. Designed by David Korins, the form is a large pit, with moveable platforms that are performed on, and, high up, a balcony on two sides of the pit with a row of seats, Grotowski manner, with a railing one can peer over. Most of the audience stands in the pit for the 90 minute event, but they do get to see the cast up close, and later to dance with them. Throughout, there are historical projections, headlines of the show’s events in the 60’s well-designed by Peter Negrini. Sound Design by M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer is fine, except for a couple of deafening blast for War and for Storm. Choreography by Annie B. Parson is erratic and quirky, costumes by Clint Ramos are just right, and well-imagined with great style where appropriate, and including a bright, sequined sequence by the women. Spritely, zipping-around Lighting by Justin Townsend is probably appropriate. Some of what is happening and who is who is who is confusing. The love ballads work well, even though much of the verbiage is incomprehensible. a couple of the songs are a bit embarrassing: “Just Ask the Flowers,” and “Why Don’t You Love Me” are too saccharine for me, and in a coda, a young man with a guitar sang, with light drum accompaniment, and moved himself to tears. Altogether, it’s an interesting, unusual experience, directed with inventive flair by Alex Timbers-- especially if you accept the ear-plugs they offer you. (Shoes are never mentioned in the show.)

-- Richmond Shepard—

Performing Arts INSIDER, lively-arts.com, Outer Critics Circle

   
September 23rd, 2014

The revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s 1996 play, THIS IS OUR YOUTH by the Steppenwolf Company, now on Broadway, starts, pre-curtain, with some awful moaning music (?) as an intro to this exposition of the lives of drug-infested drop-out losers, supposedly in 1982, but to me it felt more like 70’s, enthusiastically played by a dynamic Kieran Culkin as a troubled drug dealer, Michael Cera as a lost young man who has stolen $15,000 from his father, and the vivid young Tavi Gevinson as a girl explorer who (we find out) can dance, on a great four level set by Todd Rosenthal depicting an apartment building (the upper three floors used basically to show time of day-- fine lighting by Brian MacDevitt.) The play starts with moronic interaction between the two guys, revealing no intellect, no insights. When Gevinson arrives, there is a shift, and they all reveal intellectual insights, accumulated knowledge, suggesting an education-- offset by behavior between the men like arrested development at age nine (fight choreography by Thomas Schall). As actual depths are revealed, the play becomes more interesting, and Lonergan’s counterpoints of viewpoint hold us, as does the Woody Allen cocaine mishap. Director Anna D. Shapiro’s sharp timing brings this period piece, which echoes today, to life.

-- Richmond Shepard—

Performing Arts INSIDER, lively-arts.com, Outer Critics Circle

   
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