Fringe/Testify

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Etch Dance Co.'s Testify is a display of athleticism and dance tricks that is high on energy, but low on tangible emotion. Artistic Director and Choreographer Elisha Clark Halpin's 30-minute, contemporary dance presentation is supposed to embrace what lurks in women's hearts, but the execution is frenetic instead of heartfelt, and overwrought when it could have been simpler. Not that emotions are simple. But the way they are packaged here-in “jagged and angular” movements that are piled on top of one another too quickly to ponder-is offputting instead of inviting. As a result, the troupe of six often look like gymnasts approaching difficult moves when they dance. The soundtrack, consisting mostly of Jazz tunes by Nina Simone and Etta James, tries to tell us that the dancers have the blues, but only Allison Alemi in “Since we met” and Halpin in “All I could do” express themselves in a manner that befits the love songs. They are the only dancers that are convincing, even if Halpin's dress isn't: the fabric doesn't have enough give for the electrifying steps that she has designed. “Stepping into Darkness'” story about warfare in Darfur is poignant, but Megan Moore, Lauren Steinke and Caitlin Rogowski have way too much to do in the time allotted. Testify may make many statements, but too many of those are witnesses against the importance of emotion instead of for it.
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Testify (Running time: 30 minutes)
The Robert Moss Theatre (440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor near Astor Place and East 4th Street)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/Face the Music....and Dance!

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Despite the title Face the Music...and Dance!, there isn't a lot of confronting going on in this collection of mostly excerpts of choreography designed to tackle everyday struggles. There may be some strong choreography and beautiful lines from the dancers, but only one piece earns the title. As a result, the uneven, 75- minute show zigs and zags from pieces with gravitas to pieces that are beautiful, but ultimately fluffy in comparison.

For instance, Noa Sagie's “Degas duck dag's” take on the roles of women may be lighthearted and quirky -with Hysun Choi capitalizing on the fun-but it immediately sets a tone for the show that undermines its mission. Julian Barnett's “Wooden Heart” has a wonderful part in which Jocelyn Tobias mimics Barnett's movement and he appears to be wearing her like a cloak, but this tale about the difficulties in relationships doesn't have enough of a struggle. Maura Nguyen Donohue's “Jet Stream” is a great blend of talented flautists (Rick Ebihara, Brian Nishii and Perry Yung) and synchronized dancing from Donohue and Barnett, but again, there are no altercations.

Only Heidi Latsky's “What Would You Have Done” succeeds in battling its subject matter: hate associated with the holocaust in the film version of Bernhard Schlink's The Reader. Jeffrey Freeze and Luke Murphy rage, beat their bodies, comfort each other and quiet down in a powerful display of emotion.

Finally, Tina Croll's “The Stamping Group” uses 17 dancers to make a statement about unity “in this dark age”, but we never experience darkness or unity. The dancers pile onto the stage gracefully, but proceed to bump into each other and misstep, causing great confusion. And because Scott Lewis is the only male dancer, you'll wait and wait for him to distinguish himself from the rest, but that never happens. We shouldn't be waiting for a sign of independence when the dance is supposed to be about sameness.

Face the Music...and Dance! may have plenty to say about various themes, but don't expect too much confrontation, conflict, or cohesiveness. But if you're looking for some inspired movement and unusual expressions of feeling, you'll get that and then some.

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Face the Music....and Dance! (Running time: 75 minutes)
The Robert Moss Theatre (440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor near Astor Place and East 4th Street)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/Dante's Divina Commedia-Inferno

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Black Moon Theatre Company's production of Dante's Divina Commedia-Inferno is an innovative, visually stunning and audibly moving take on the Italian poet's masterpiece. Unfortunately, it's also entirely in Italian—wait, what? Presented as a one-man show with English title cards that are like bad Cliffs Notes to the text, this crash course through the nine circles of Hell may not always be comprehensible, but its boldness and passion are always clear.

The show opens with Aminda Asher's superb cello. As the sole musician, Asher not only provides the haunting songs for the journey, but also manipulates her instrument to simulate the cries of the lost souls. Her music goes hand-in-hand with the projection of India Evans' erotic and demonic artwork. As the collage pans slowly before our eyes and in front of the performers, we take the same steps that Alessio Bordoni takes as Dante, descending further and further into a chasm of pain and hopelessness because Rene Migliaccio's direction keeps us rapt with empathy. And though the images compete against Bordoni for our attention, he manages to stir emotion in us… when he's not acting hysterically.

It’s a risky move to perform Inferno in Italian (which may explain why that little fact isn’t mentioned anywhere except for Black Moon's website) and as a solo show. But if you're well-versed in Dante’s original and like non-traditional takes on the classics, you may not get lost in translation…and may not mind so much even if you do.

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Dante's Divina Commedia-Inferno (Running time: 1 Hour)
HERE Arts Center-Mainstage Theater (145 Sixth Avenue, enter on Dominick, one block south of Spring
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/The Books

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

What would you do if you lived in an apartment cluttered with books, but there still weren't enough stories to escape into? What would you do if you were filled with rage, but the illustrations weren't enough to stifle the beast within? If you're Mark O'Connor (Scott David Nogi) in The Books, you'd hire a pro Domme named Mistress Chimera (Aadya Bedi) to fill you with desire, and then stamp it out with pain, humiliation and degradation over and over again. Yet, unlike the characters in books, real people don't always stay in the roles or follow the paths that are prescribed for them. Michael Edison Hayden's play is a dark, somewhat entertaining dramedy about what happens when things don't go as planned.

Written mostly as BDSM sessions (where roles between a dominant and a submissive are assumed) with a few out-of-character scenes in between, The Books is a little risque-a rubber-clad, hollow-toned Bedi spits in Nogi's mouth and literally sits on his face as standard activities-but not very realistic. There is some witty banter between the “queen” and her “slave” and even when they're just being themselves, but when Mistress Chimera, a dominatrix with many clients, starts taking too much of an interest in Mark's personal life, the premise becomes unbelievable. It's not so much that things of this nature can't happen in the line of duty, but Mark is a character that's so guarded, emotionally crippled and unlikable that it's hard to fathom why she would even bother even if her life is rife with unhappiness and dysfunction. The artificiality also extends into the production itself: although there are sound clips to support a Knicks game, those in line view of the TV onstage can see that the set is off.

The Books may explore social abnorms in a way that's rarely depicted (if at all) in theater, but the pages need to be filled with more relatable material.
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The Books (Running time: 90 minutes)
The Cherry Pit (155 Bank Street between West and Washington Streets)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/Borderline

Rob Benson in Borderline

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Talking about mental health is a taboo amongst men. Admitting to having mental health problems is even worse. In Borderline, Rob Benson draws from the experiences of his friends to openly discuss the nature of mental illness from the obvious to the obscure. Unlike the title, the show is not limited to borderline personality disorder. Rather, Borderline is about bpd, schizophrenia, and other nameless behaviors that suggest a disconnection in brain function. Instead of using props and a set, Benson uses sharp lighting and sound cues to sculpt his story and “episodes,” or breakdowns. And it's a good thing, too, because the material, as nebulous as some of the disorders themselves, is sometimes difficult to understand.

Alternating between free verse and straight narrative, Benson forms a semi-hypothesis about the link between ecstasy (the drug) and mental illness. That theory may not help those who are already “disturbed,” but it may just give everyone else food for thought. Although there's nothing cuddly or predictable about Benson's performance, it is remarkably passionate as he transforms from a psych-ward patient to a normally functioning adult. He plays his looks, too: he points out that we don't expect a “young, intelligent, handsome and good-looking” man to be mentally ill, which makes this actor, who looks like he’s out of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, a constant surprise on a sensitive topic.

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Borderline (Running time: 50 minutes)
Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, between 8th and Waverly Place)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org
8/28 @ 9:15 PM

Fringe/His Greatness

Dan Domingues, Peter Goldfarb, Michael Busillo in His Greatness

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Daniel MacIvor's His Greatness is a very entertaining play about the last two days of Tennessee Williams' life. Loosely based on facts, the play is mostly fiction, but it's as a good a theory as any about what may have happened to the Pulitzer-winning playwright before he died. The show takes place entirely in a hotel room in Canada (likely the Hotel Elysee in NY where Williams' body was found), where a late-rising, almost petulant Williams (Peter Goldfarb) spends much of the time in bed, attended by his young assistant/lover (Dan Domingues).

From the very beginning, MaciIvor establishes the things that he thinks made Williams' life go round, at least at the end: drugs, alcohol, sex with young men, sleep, and the hope that he would be able to produce more greatness in his work. Despite several flubbed lines, the otherwise engaging performers make the most out of MacIvor's fantastic script. This production is theatricality at its best: airs upon airs, a feisty young man (Michael Busillo) that challenges the routines of a somewhat happy home, inevitable drama and angst in a long-term relationship, rousing piano clips from Daniel Kluger, and good direction from Tom Gualtieri to streamline it all. MacIvor may have been referring to Williams when he gave his work the title “His Greatness”, but the name just as easily applies to the quality of his own writing.
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His Greatness (Running time: 1 Hour, 55 minutes)
The Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street, between 7th avenue and Hudson Street)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/6 Seconds in Charlack

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

As the old saying goes, “You only get one chance at true love.” Some people laugh that off. Not Brian Golden, whose 6 Seconds in Charlack follows that theory to its bitter end. Bard (Andy Wagner), a young lawyer-to-be, is torn between a wholesome, by-the-books nurse named Penny (Allison Walton) and the memories of a carefree, sexy dreamer named Candy (Christena Dogrell). The character names are appropriate: Penny is the sensible, current girlfriend, while Candy is the tempter that he met before her. Once you understand that, you have everything that you need to get through this uneven drama.

Although the material and the performances are mostly humdrum or predictable, the music, calling to mind the romance and beauty of Captain Corelli's Mandolin (sans mandolin), is not. However, every time Ned Cray strums his guitar and transports us to another world, Wagner's unnecessary yelling snaps us out of it. The music is also not supported by Golden's script. Although there are moments where the dialogue could have been poetic and passionate, the script and the performers don't mesh. Patrick Mills does a decent job with directing by creating smooth entries and exits for his cast, but the romantic and nostalgic moments between the actors are often stunted by a lack of confidence or a lack of chemistry. Bard may have his hands much too full with lawyering, fixing typewriters, writing novels, moving, and mucking up a relationship, but all of this activity still doesn't make him or the story interesting. Throw in an unsatisfying ending, and what you have in 6 Seconds in Charlack is a production that needs much more time to develop.
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6 Seconds in Charlack (Running time: 90 minutes)
CSV Cultural and Educational Center: Flamboyan (107 Suffolk Street, between Rivington and Delancey Streets)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/The Antarctic Chronicles

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

What do you do when you're tired of your middle-class lifestyle and middle of the road experiences? If you're Jessica Manuel, you sign up for a job in Antarctica where there's no sunlight. In The Antarctic Chronicles, Manuel takes you through her comedic, strength-building journey to finding out what she's made of by going all the way to the bottom of the Earth. This entertaining, well-rehearsed production displays not only Manuel's humor, but her incredible energy as well. The subject matter is often interesting-the possibility of black urine from dehydration and the lessons in fuel in particular-but it's Manuel's zaniness, charm, and physical comedy that really drive the show. Add Paul Linke's sharp direction, seamless sound clips and thoughtful lighting, and what you have is a show that may be below zero in temperature, but way above average in quality.
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The Antarctic Chronicles(Running time: 1 Hour)
The Player's Loft(115 MacDougal Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10012)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

Fringe/ Inferno: The New Rock Musical

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Rick Merino's Inferno: The New Rock Musical sets the first part of Dante's Divine Comedy to a rocking, well-executed soundtrack. But don’t let Carol Wlazlowski’s Halloween costumes confuse you; this is a themed concert, not a musical. There’s no book, just a succession of edgy, appropriately dark songs, each covering part of Dante (Rick Merino) and Virgil's (Sean Jans) journey through the nine circles of Hell. (If you happen to get lost in the “songtelling,” the program doubles as a guide.) There’s no acting, either: the cast doesn't differentiate between the characters that they embody; all the notes and tones from each actor sound the same no matter how many figures they play. No need to abandon hope, though: you can watch the five-piece band that’s spread through the theater, and you can enjoy the vocals, particularly those of Karen Lauber and Buzz Cartier. You'll never get bored, and you might even chuckle at Leslie Segan's limited antics. Being able to hear the 3-count intro to each song may get tiresome,but the intimate space will make you feel like a lucky fan attending a private show.
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Inferno: The New Rock Musical (Running time: 90 minutes)
Dixon Place (161A Chrytie Street between Rivington and Delancey Streets)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org

NY Fringe Festival 2009: I Will Follow

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Do you think you’re obsessed with—ahem, “adoring of”—a band? Think again. Barri Tsavaris's ode to Bono and U2, I Will Follow (the title track from U2's 1980 album), will make you seem like a shallow fan. Based on a true story, this fun, well-crafted and well-executed production is a homage to “Bono-god”(yes, he's a deity here) that showcases the cast's penchant for comedy. With a crazy amount of pep, Tsavaris chronicles her love affair with the Irish band from the moment Bono's “voice seed was planted” in her head in 1992 through current times. Backed by the talented John Keabler and Melissa Center (who play a smorgasbord of characters), Tsavaris forgoes commitment to religion, relationships, and work to stay loyal to her pursuit of Bono-ness.

From R. Allen Babcock's album-covered walls to Barbara Serbes' comprehensive choreography, I Will Follow manages to capture 20 years of serious devotion. Under Steve Wargo's strong direction, the actors are able to convey a child-like glee that stays with you until the curtain falls, even if Jamie Roderick's lighting sometimes keeps their faces in shadows. The only hiccups in Tsavaris's strong voice are the segue into 9/11 and the show's running time: the falling towers are like an anvil dropped in an enjoyable boat ride, and unless you're a die-hard U2 fan, the ninety minutes of gushing are at least 30 minutes too long. But even if you find yourself straying, Tsavaris’s passion for U2 is magnetic and compass-like: that is, it’s easy to follow.

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I Will Follow (Running time: 90 minutes)
The Actors” Playhouse (100 Seventh Avenue South btwn Grove and Bleecker Streets)
Tickets: $15. www.fringenyc.org
Saturday 8/22 @ 12pm, Friday 8/28 @ 5:15pm

FRIGID:The Black Jew Dialogues

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

So a black man and a Jewish man walk into a cheap hotel room together, and after three days come out with The Black Jew Dialogues, a compare-and-contrast comedy that tries to figure out why black people and Jewish people have so much conflict. Written and performed by Ron Jones and Larry Jay Tish, this variety show uses video, interviews, puppetry, fat suits and characters to go through shared histories, customs and food, but there's little substance apart from the laughs.

This is partially due to the fact that the dialogue plays out more like an improvised conversation (both Jones and Tish have an improv background) than a structured script. The theme is simply too heavy to leave it up to chance. And the show itself, rife with stereotypes and popular history, sometimes talks at the audience rather than engage it even though there are some interactive segments. The laughs may be frequent, but they're bought with off-color jokes. For instance, in one interview, a white teenager jokes about kissing and humping a black girl, and then addresses his mom in a showy, rebellious act.

There are some good bits: one is a fun interaction between Jones and God (also played by Jones), in which they harmonize a progressive spiritual that includes lyrics like “bash the white man in the head.” Another is ONE (One N****r Everywhere), in which the government implants a black man in the unlikeliest of places, with President Obama as ONE's most crowning achievement.

It's not just silliness: there's a poignant statement about how Jewish people and black people have earned the right to laugh. It's even qualified by a series of gruesome stills and videos of oppression, but this context, which should frame the whole show, is just an ending. And that's too little, too late.

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FRIGID: The Black Jew Dialogues (60 minutes, no intermission)
Kraine Theater (85 E. 4th St. btwn 2nd and Bowery)
http://www.smarttix.com/ ($16)
Through March 7th.

FRIGID: The Dysfunctional Guide to Home Perfection, Marital Bliss and Passionate Hot Romance

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Ever wish that all the truths and mysteries unlocked about marriage and love over the centuries were contained in one source? Have therapy and friendly counsel failed to give you the answers that you seek? Then you'll be jumping for joy when you get yourself a copy of The Dysfunctional Guide to Home Perfection, Marital Bliss and Passionate Hot Romance, the companion to 2001's How to Have the Ultimate Orgasm Each and Every Time. Or not. Written over wine by Jennifer Gill, Rachel Grundy, Amy Overman, Amy Beth Sherman, and Theresa Unfried, this collaborative effort may display an impressive knowledge of strong historical females and may exhibit strong performances under Gill's competent direction, but the show itself stays too much in the head.

Gill incorporates her literary degree to develop the concept for the play, but the show never comes together as a cohesive drama. Rather, the narrative is broken up into all 9 chapters of the book (with chapter 9, The Sensuous Woman being the most lively and entertaining) that flirt briefly with characters such as Queen Elizabeth I, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Anne Bradstreet to give the audience different perspectives on dealing with relationships. It's just too bad that the presentation is little more than a literary course. The use of simple but effective props and costumes such as a bonnet and a knitted hat that convincingly dubs as a helmet allow the actors to shift in and out of the different characters, but the show is too monotonous. The stage is also littered with over 30 wine bottles that winds up being overkill: the wine is already mentioned in the playbill, and the labor involved in putting the show together is evident onstage.

What most holds The Dysfunctional Guide back is the lack of an authoritative voice. There are simply too many dissenting opinions, different writing styles and no unified theme. From remaining chaste and unmarried to keeping it sizzling in the bedroom, the show doesn't have any clear advice to dish out, which is what a guide should do. Perhaps the writers thought they could avoid the follow-through by calling it dysfunctional, but you still might walk out of the theater feeling short-changed.

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FRIGID: The Dysfunctional Guide to Home Perfection, Marital Bliss and Passionate Hot Romance (50 minutes, no intermission)
The Red Room (85 E. 4th St. btwn 2nd Ave and Broadway)

Tickets: http://www.smarttix.com/ ($15)
Through March 7th

FRIGID: End of the Trail

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

If you really want to get to know someone using a fun, party-friendly tool, forget playing Truth or Dare. End of the Trail, by Kenny Neal Shults and Sean Owens, is a much more entertaining, exploratory and incredibly witty game. Written almost eight years ago by this pair of real-life friends, it's a shame that this gift wasn't bestowed upon the theatrical world sooner. When several predictions for Armageddon coincide on the same day and threaten to “reset” the earth, rather than cower under the table, Sean and Kenny spend their last few hours playing a dangerous game of truth, pain, and nostalgia. Going through emotional and mental landmines that would make a therapist shriek, the pair map out their lives from how they met to how they'd like to leave the earth with all the failed relationships in between.

Using great wordplay and chemistry, the two actors effortlessly engage the audience from beginning to end by encouraging them to think and laugh uproariously. From Cameron Eng's visually arresting “board” that resembles Monopoly on downers to Alexia Staniotes' foreboding “talky clock” (countdown to the apocalypse), the show is conceptually inventive and exciting. End of the Trail may denote the last moments of these characters' lives, but let's hope it's the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration between the writers behind them.

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Frigid Festival: End of the Trail (60 min., no intermission)
The Red Room (85 East 4th Street, between 2nd Ave and Bowery)
Tickets: http://www.smarttix.com/ $15
Through March 6.

FRIGID: Jihad for Vent and Dummy

Ron Coulter and Sid Star in Jihad for Vent and Dummy

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

You may have seen plays before that attempt to debunk religious beliefs by emphasizing thought over faith, but you've probably never seen it done the way Ronald Coulter's Jihad for Vent and Dummy does it. In it, Coulter tells the audience that we're the “dummy” to his “ventriloquist” by conforming to religion and creating and subscribing to a faith instead of thinking for ourselves. Sid Star, the wooden dummy, acts as a devil's advocate and uses humor to question Coulter's points.

Before you remark to yourself that Coulter's mouth is moving, Star makes fun of him for that and other things involving the title and content of the show. Although Coulter takes caution not to single out a specific religion by name, the very title of the show and some of the dialogue suggest that he had Islam and Christianity in mind when he was developing the concept. It's just too bad that Coulter never makes a cohesive argument.

Between funny quips and a creative bit where he exchanges his voice for Star's, Coulter performs a play within a play with Star in order to establish the parallels between theater and religion. However, Jihad for Vent and Dummy is much more about making declarative statements about how arbitrary religion is rather than supporting it with solid examples. And never does Coulter allow for the possibility of faith/belief and intellect co-existing in a symbiotic relationship. Of course, to do that would negate the premise for his show. At one point, Coulter even inserts a Q & A session with the audience to get their feedback, showing insecurity in his theme.

Jihad for Vent and Dummy may get a few laughs, but this cutesy presentation and the lack of follow through won't get the spiritual and philosophical wheels turning in the direction that Coulter would like. You may be amused every once in a while, but you'll leave the theater the same way that you came in.
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FRIGID FESTIVAL: Jihad for Vent and Dummy (50 min.)
Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery)
Tickets: $15. http://www.smarttix.com/
Through March 8.

The Philanderer

A womanizer gets caught between two very different women in this feisty and entertaining production of Shaw's gender-bending and socially critical comedy.

Photo by LAB Photography

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

With the house seats right on the modest stage, any audience member is in a prime location to see the grimaces and false smiles bandying about in Theater Ten Ten's production of The Philanderer. And it's a good thing too because the cast's overexaggeration of gestures and body movements is exactly what will keep you laughing giddily. George Bernard Shaw's comedy about the evolution of relationships is great fun in the hands of a talented cast that is committed to authenticity, airs, and most pronouncedly, great diction.

With a delivery and tone that sometimes channels Family Guy's Stewie, you'll be able to detect other signs of immaturity in Julian Stetkevych's Leonard Charteris. Jumping from Julia Craven (Tatiana Gomberg), a wealthy and impetuous young woman, to Grace Tranfield (Anne Gill), a wiser, more subdued mate, Charteris delights in choosing promiscuity over marriage and lies over truth until his games turn Julia into a lovesick puppy.

Like The Philanderer's overly rapid pace in the beginning, Charteris does a lot of fast talking to escape committing to either woman, even though Grace, as a “new woman” who is advanced in her strong manner and elevated mind, is more his match. However, you wouldn't think so at first. Wearing an ill-fitting costume and locked in an amorous embrace with Charteris, Grace first appears to be the fleshly character that Julia turns out to be, but as the play progresses, her wit becomes evident. Despite Charteris' attempts to shake Julia at every turn, Stetkevych's zaniness plays well off of Gomberg's petulance, and one can't help but wonder why he won't make it work.

In addition to this lust triangle, there's a gaggle of philosophical heavyweights milling about the Ibsen (Henrik) Club, trying to one up each other while putting their two cents in about the trio's situation. There's Sylvia Craven (Barrie Kreinik), Julia's delightfully cheeky sister who pokes fun at everything and everyone. Their father, Colonel Daniel Craven (Greg Horton), thinks he's dying from a disease that Dr. Paramore (Mickey Ryan) diagnoses him with, but this storyline is far from morose. As the Colonel, Horton elicits more laughs naturally than anyone. Joseph Cuthbertson (Duncan Hazard), the Colonel's rival/friend, is spry and comfortable both as the center of attention and on the fringe of a scene. The Page (Shauna Horn), an unnecessary character, floats in periodically with announcements and deliveries.

Like many of Shaw's plays, The Philanderer executes biting and clever social commentary under the veneer of humor. Under Leah Bonvissuto's sharp direction, the whole cast flexes their acting muscles almost as if in a competition, but there's great, lively interaction between them even if it's sometimes at the expense of chemistry. Although four acts are excessive for 105 minutes, the set changes are smooth. If only gender and social relations were the same.

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The Philanderer (1 hr, 45 min with 1 intermission)
Theater Ten Ten (1010 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10028)
Tickets: $20 212-352-3101 or 866-811-4111(toll free)
Through March 15, 2009

The Whale

The Whale is a wonderfully entertaining and conceptually creative version of Melville's Moby Dick, retold as a one-man show with an incredible and awe-inspiring performer.

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

The Whale is Melville's Moby Dick adapted into a vivid and explosively visual one-man show. Co-adapted by Renee Philippi and Carlo Adinolfi and performed by Adinolfi, respect and appreciation for the text jumps off the stage and wraps you in the embrace of a giddy boy seeking adventure. Using ship props, blocks and everything else aquatic, Adinolfi begins to impress with a balancing act right at the beginning and never relents.

Adinolfi’s magnetism and grace make it easy to experience Captain Ahab's madness and to switch to Ishmael's alienation and wonder. His fluidity, Philippi’s whimsical direction and David Pinkard's provocative sound effects also bring out the romanticism in Melville's epic. The only wrinkle in this flow is Adinolfi’s recitation of chapter numbers as a means to fast forward through the text. It’s a practice device that aids comprehension, particularly for those well-versed with the novel, but it comes across awkwardly.

What comes across more often is the inventiveness in this interpretation. Take, for instance, the various replicas of ships and boats. From the tiny canoes that Adinolfi maneuvers with a standard-size harpoon to the ship replica with mast and retracting cloth sales, everything is engineered and used to immerse the audience in the story's excitement and fun. The white whale even makes an appearance—a white sheet and wooden planks have never been this majestic and all-consuming.

In sixty-five minutes, The Whale recreates an American classic, allowing us to see it through a child's eyes, but still retaining some of the more adult themes. This production feels like a complete representation of Moby Dick, even though it focuses more on the obsession and revenge than the racism and politics of the novel. More importantly, with all the work Philippi and Adinolfi have put in, it’s completely passionate, too.

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The Whale (65 minutes, no intermission)
Barrow St. Theatre (27 Barrow Street, New York, NY )
Tickets: $20 http://www.smarttix.com/
Through January 25

Silent Heroes

A solid script, wonderful performances and a moving premise make Silent Heroes a show worth breaking the silence for.

Lisa Velten Smith and Sarah Saunders in Silent Heroes

Photo by Jim Baldassare

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

In Linda Escalera Baggs's powerful Silent Heroes, Miranda (Sarah Saunders), a flag-burning, Vietnam War protesting, 70s love-promoting assertive woman turned Marine wife, can scarcely believe the predicament she's in. Her dreams of becoming a lawyer and living the unsheltered life are now squandered by her husband's aviator ones. Even worse, she's getting instruction on Marine base life by a gaggle of Stepford wives that form her dysfunctional circle.

Tonight, 1975, it’s a crash course on what to expect, for they have gathered on Nick Francone's tight, realistically-furnished tarmac waiting room to discover the identity of a fighter pilot that recently crashed and burned. These women don’t say much that’s positive about being a Marine Corps aviator’s wife, and why should they? Pregnant and battered Patsy (Julie Jesneck), hard-edged Eleanor (Rosalie Tenseth), “stay out of it” Kitty (Lisa Velten Smith), nurse and sole African-American Felicia (Dionne Audain) and the stoic leader June (Kelly Ann Moore) all know better.

Baggs's crafty, cheeky, and exciting dialogue gives the cast great material to work with; the stellar performances give Baggs’s play something to live for. With characters that are as different as night and day, there's always something thrilling, intellectually stimulating, compelling, or a combination of the three going on. This helps Silent Heroes to smoothly cover a wide spectrum of issues (Vietnam babies to civil rights) in an effortless, wonderful way. It also allows for quick shifts in mood: one minute, these strong women facetiously recite the Corps mantra, the next, they’re launching into an impassioned monologue about the need for patriotism. And when the moment is still and the hysteria dies down, Jonathan Sanborn's chilling aircraft sound effects reminds the audience of the premise.

Aside from Rosemary Andress’s questionable blocking (characters occasionally speak with their back to the audience or obstruct sightlines), Silent Heroes is nearly flawless. These women may not be on the frontline, but their loyalty to the U.S. Flag and their husbands is of the utmost importance. Silent Heroes is a portrait of valiance at its best, unsung in its contribution, but loud and memorable just the same.

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Silent Heroes (1 hr, 45 min., no intermission)
Shetler Studios (244 West 54th St., 12th Fl., NY NY)
TICKETS: 800-838-3006. $18.
Through January 24th.

Mindgame

Nothing is as it seems in this intellectually-stimulating thriller/farce about a writer that visits an insane asylum to write a book about one of its residents. Although Mindgame has a slow beginning, the first-rate performances, solid script and great set make it a wonderful show.

Lee Godart and Keith Carradine in Mindgame
Photo by Aaron Epstein

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Anthony Horowitz's Mindgame is a mind-bending and entertaining exploration of sanity that not only dares you to question society's standard, but tickles your funny bone, too. From the opening sequences where we hear a kooky song with the lyrics “run rabbit run” (not the Eminem or Pink Floyd version) interrupting the quiet to the Houdini-like set where doors seem to appear and disappear, we are being set up for a ride into madness. The ride is closer to the Teacups than the Scream Machine, but blood pumping through your brain is just as valuable as blood pumping through your heart.

For some people, staying in one's head too long can sometimes be a bad thing, as with Mark Styler (Lee Godart), a pulp-crime novelist who has built a career on serial killers. While waiting for two hours for Dr. Farquhar in his office, Styler captures his impression of the Fairfields asylum on tape, but his relentless musings on his strange environment seem unnatural. It's even odder when things that should be recorded on tape are not: when “run rabbit run” comes on and shuts off inexplicably several times, Styler doesn't reach for his tape recorder. From there on out, it's used sparingly.

By the time Keith Carradine enters the stage, you're ready for some excitement, but it doesn't come immediately. As Farquhar, Carradine is a commanding presence, but his exchanges with Godart are so cyclical at first that it slows down the pacing of the plot. However, the dialogue soon opens up to reveal great chemistry between the two actors and an invigorating, mental dance. Styler does his best to see a patient named Easterman, but Farquhar is steadfast in denying him access and repeatedly asks him to leave. Too bad Styler won't accept no for an answer.

Between lines of dialogue that are pregnant with underlying meaning and subtle humor, Kathleen McNenny cuts in as Nurse Plimpton, a 40s-dialect talking dame with a pink wig and a sexy nurse costume befitting of Jennifer Tilly. If you think you have the play figured out by then, Plimpton throws a monkey wrench in your confidence. Her appearance softens Farquhar's resolve, and soon he's not only letting Styler stay, but coaxing him into trying on a straightjacket to experience how the crazy half lives. Everything after that unfolds in a Psycho kind of way that confounds, amuses, and appeals.

Whether you're able to stay two steps ahead of the show or not, it has many enjoyable elements. From the fantastic performances of the cast under Ken Russell's direction to Beowulf Boritt's dazzling set, it awakens all senses and keeps them awake. Throw in Bernard Fox's sound clips that appropriately match the tension or levity of each scene, and what you get is a thought-provoking, quality show. Mindgame is part chess and part charades, and all wonderfully perplexing.

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Mindgame (2 hrs, 20 min with intermission)
Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street btwn 6th avenue and Varick St.)
Tickets: 212-691-1555 $64-$74

Cymbeline

Folding Chair's ambitious production of Cymbeline is a nearly perfect show worth much more than the measly $18 price tag. With six thespians tackling 25 roles, you'll get a highly-skilled cast, great direction, and all the heart, passion, and humor that you can stand. Despite a less-than-believable Queen, you'll come away knowing that this ensemble is a tour-de-force.

Paul Edward Hope and Josh Thelin in Cymbeline

Photo by: Marcus Geldud

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre

Folding Chair Classical Theatre's production of Cymbeline is a wonderful romp into British history and a razzle-dazzle display of acting talent. It follows the story of Posthumus Leonatus (Paul Edward Hope), a man with questionable pedigree, and his troubled, secret marriage to Imogen (Lisa Blankenship), King Cymbeline's (Gowan Campbell) daughter. It’s been called both a tragedy and a romance, but in the hands of the cast, it's nothing short of an incredible feat in skill and entertainment. A six-person ensemble plays 25 roles, with nothing but acting chops and limited costumes to distinguish one from the other. Like Folding Chair's previous productions, Cymbeline is boldly performed in plain clothes and simple props, leaving the focus on the words, the performance, and Marcus Geduld’s spearheading direction, which turns the text into a passionate animal.

Newcomer Josh Thelin, who plays four roles, stands out in the company. His Cloten is wildly emotive, a geyser of passion, hubris, and tomfoolery. One particularly vivid scene has him prancing around in leopard-skin undies as he commands a flamboyant servant (Hope) to give him a hilariously conceived butt massage.

Thelin may stand out, but almost everyone in the cast is a triumph, even when their voices dip beneath the hum of the air conditioner. Only Karen Ogle's Queen needs some help, for she plays the part in the same manner that she plays Cadwal, Cymbeline's long-lost son. The tiara she wears isn’t enough to make her regal: whereas the rest of the cast do well without full costume, a stiff one with boning could have helped to improve Ogle's posture and movement.

The music, which fits the swelling and contracting of the circumstances, could’ve used some stiffening too: it is too grand for the show's aesthetics. Then again, from Hope’s great fight choreography to the acting and the directing, everything is grand. Fresh, gutsy, and exciting, Cymbeline is, like Our Country's Good earlier this year, another jewel in Folding Chair's crown.
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Cymbeline (2hrs and 45 min with intermission)
78th Street Lab (236 W. 78th Street, NY NY 10024
Tickets: $18 http://www.smarttix.com/
Through November 2nd.

Woyzeck

Ryan Nicholoff and Dena Kology in Woyzeck

Photo by Emily Owens PR

Reviewed by Cindy Pierre
[See also: Jason Fitzgerald's review]

Many liberties are taken in Counting Squares Theatre's production of Woyzeck, but most of them are not for the best. In this version of Buchner's work, the setting has moved from Germany to Iraq and the Midwest. But things start to get a little too creative: Woyzeck's (Ryan Nicholoff) madness, brought on by the damages of war, is represented by an Andrews Sisters-type trio that function more as harpies and burlesque performers than the harmony group that is known for entertaining troupes. These talented singers look like something out of a Tim Burton film (great costuming by Karen Walcott), but end up dominating the show so much that the wartime drama becomes a poor musical. Although the cast is full of spirit and energy, the show is oversexed and doesn't come close to the social commentary on poverty that the unfinished play intended (or, at least what analysts have concluded). Instead, it inserts inappropriate humor into serious circumstances, and turns chaos and confusion into hushed whispers that are echoed.

The production includes the original content about poverty—Woyzeck earns extra money for his unfaithful girlfriend, Marie (Dena Kology) and his illegitimate baby by taking part in medical experiments like living on an all-pea diet and performing menial tasks for his Captain (Aaron Kirkpatrick)—but these scenes don't have the impact that they should to get the audience to understand his plight. Even the theme of poor people lacking morals because of their poverty gets lost in the numerous song and dance numbers. And the murder scene, the climax of the show, falls flat due to poorly conceived staging by Joshua Chase Gold. Woyzeck may be marginally entertaining, but its relevance to Iraq and present economic issues such as rising gas prices is moot, beyond the notes on the playbill. Sometimes sticking to the meat of the script is better than getting carried away by the trimmings.

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Woyzeck (80 minutes, no intermission)
Under St. Mark's (94 St. Mark's Place, NY, NY)
Tickets: $23