Thom Pain (based on nothing)

Thom Pain (based on nothing)
Starring Michael C. Hall
Written by Will Eno
Directed by Oliver Butler
Signature Theatre
November 24, 2018
Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

Watching Thom Paine (based on nothing), with Michael C. Hall is a 70 minute romp round the existential racetrack that feels very much like Beckett brought back to life.  In fact, as I was sitting there, I began to see this play and imagining what it would be like to have seen Waiting for Godot– now told in the 21st century and now played out after the death of Estragon.  What would Godot be like after the death of one member of its infamous couple?  How would Vladimire hold forth on a world when there was no one to verbally spar with him?  Can you imagine the pain of all those jokes and pondering landing on ears that were no longer there to answer.  Existential on steroids for sure . . . Continue reading Thom Pain (based on nothing)

Head Over Heels

Head Over Heels
A New Musical

Head Over Heels
Songs by the Go-Go’s
Based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney
Conceived & Original Book by Jeff Whitty
Adapted by James Magruder
Music Supervision, Orchestration & Arrangements by Tom Kitt
Choreographed by Spencer Liff
Directed by Michael Mayer
Hudson Theatre
November 21, 2018
Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.

Sometimes I get the urge to be a total tourist I’m New York.  I want to walk around Times Square and run into people by taking pictures of all the tall buildings.  I want to do that avoidance dance as all of those poorly masked cartoon characters waddle to you to take the pictures with mandatory tips. I want to read each of the jumbo-trons and plan a meal in one of the oversized restaurants.  And to this perfect tourist day, I would get tickets to see Head Over Heels.  This musical, struggling at the box office, is an odd fairy tale like adventure of a kingdom held bound by a curse and threatened to “loose their beat.”  For an out-of-towner this really could be the perfect show. Continue reading Head Over Heels