Birthday weekend is over and four more shows are done and gone. A terrific friend and I had a terrific
time watching The Christians, Cloud Nine, Fool for Love, and King Charles III. As I was leaving the theatre after the last of the four shows, I overheard some of the obviously native New Yorkers claim how their theatre going experience has been a bit tiring, a bit predictable, a bit inconvenient – – what with crowds and parking, you know.
And I thought politely, “Shut the f*** up. You have no idea what a privilege it is to have this be your regular experience! And again with great deference and respect, “Shut the f*** up.
Back to NYC in early November for more NYC lovin’ . Till then, please check out my back-to-work
teaching theatre website: www.theatreclassaddict.com
King Charles III
Written by: Mike Barlett
Directed by: Rupert Goold
Music Box Theatre
Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
“What If” guides this “future history” play. What if the Queen of England was dead? What if Charles was REALLY up next in line to be king? What if he decided to be more than a figurehead and assert powers that the royal family has not exerted in generations? What if he didn’t sign a bill recently passed by the House of Commons? What if he pulled out dusty old books of royal precedent and found that he could shut down parliament and demand a re-election. What if the King of England just said, “NO.” Continue reading King Charles III →
Fool for Love
Written by: Sam Shepard
Directed by: Daniel Aukin
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
Production website 💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Fool for Love passed the “gay test.” The first criteria that I look for in enjoying Sam Shepard is the amount of gay that I find on stage. Obviously I celebrate all that gay artists and particularly stage artists have done – – but I do not like gay with my Sam Shepard. If it isn’t 100% straight, then it just doesn’t tell the story and fits like bad, off-the-rack clothing.
This play was bleak and sexually explosive. Seldom did they ever mention the sex act and even more seldom they didn’t go to the easy, cheap overplayed crudeness in language that would fuel a play say by David Mamet. Little was said or done with the sexuality but you won’t find a play that smokes with lust more then this. Continue reading Fool for Love →
Cloud Nine
written by Carol Churchill
Directed by James MacDonald
Atlantic Theatrre Company
Production website 💉💉 out of 5.
Cloud Nine was the dirtiest play that I have ever read – that is when I was in undergraduate school in the early eighties. It was full of not only talk about gender, cross-dressing, gay and lesbian issues – – it actually played them out – – and further – – it went on to stage actual sex acts on stage. I thought the world of that the world of theatre was going to change forever! It did! – – at least to the the 90’s when all of this actually become a bit played out – and certainly here in the 21st century it plays out as a curious period piece of a play suffering as a severe horn-dog and unable to find a date for the weekend. Continue reading Cloud Nine →
The Christians
Written by: Lucas Hnath
Directed by: Les Waters
Playwrights Horizons/Mainstage Theatre
Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Along with a good number of New Yorkers, I went to see The Christians fully ready to celebrate a roasting, lampooning and biting satire on those who call themselves fundamental Christians – – but boy did I receive a sit down and shut up moment!
From the first moment that the church choir shuffled their way on stage and that ridiculous electronic “magic organ” played I was armed and ready. The faces of that pudgy, white chorus with their sweet, sweet, oh so sweet faces and women with only reasonable makeup and reasonable shoes started to do their thing, I sharpened my fangs and thought I was in for a treat. Pastors wife was sitting there so composed and elegant with that somewhat superior smile, church elder grasping the bible (the only things older then he) and the pastor went to the pulpit. Ready, set – – oooops Continue reading The Christians →
the guy who sees everything
