The Indian Film "The Lunchbox" is a Sumptuous Feast

The heartfelt Indian film, "The Lunchbox," is by award winning Dir./Screenwriter, Ritesh Batra and serves up plenty of charm.  Batra received the Film Fare Critic Award for Best Movie for this film.  Ila (Nimrat Kaur) is a young wife & mother who is trying to cook up some heat in her marriage.  Everyday she prepares a hot lunch for her husband which is picked up and delivered.  The complex delivery system for lunches is not infallible.  The lunch intended for her unappreciative husband is misdirected to an older widower, Saajan (Irrfan Khan.)  The delicious & lovingly prepared meal does not go unappreciated by Saajan and so ensues a written correspondence between the two.  Their notes to each other serve to rekindle compassion and a renewed outlook.  Ila is played by the impossibly gorgeous Nimrat Kaur who received the Star Guild Award for Best Actress in her role.  (Her husband in the movie obviously has no taste or eyesight.)  Saajan is played winningly by Irrfan Khan of Life of Pi & Slumdog Millionaire.  He has received the Nat'l Film Award for Best Actor.  This simple plot is rich with emotions.  Ila & Saajan felt bereft until their connection sparks life for both.  "We forget things when we have no one to listen to." The Lunchbox is a lavish feast.  "Sometimes the wrong train will get you to the right station."  Get to this film by any means.

Julliard Drama Presents MIDDLETOWN by Will Eno

MIDDLETOWN is written by Will Eno whose play Thom Pain was a finalist for the Pulitzer Play ('05) and whose latest play The Realistic Joneses will soon be making its debut on B'wy starring Toni Collette, Tracy Letts & Marisa Tomei.  This emerging playwright has written an ingenious, verbose play with observations on the mundane & sublime take on a miraculous life of its own.  As in Wilder's Our Town, Eno marvels at the "wonder & awe that is life."  MIDDLETOWN is a middling combination of the philosophy, religion, science; the profound, the absurd, the real & the surreal.  It is written with irony, wonder, poignancy and humor.  And while I was constantly amused I was baffled by the guffaws emanating from the audience.   What could normally be thought of as cliche, was as riveting & mystifying as gravity.  And, if you thought there was nothing new under the sun, you'd be amazed at the unique format with its beginning, middle and end.  If all we are meant to "want out of life is love and to feel beautiful," this is a beautiful play to love.  The clever mimimalistic staging & terrific acting by the Julliard students is commendable.  Sarah Hunt's performance as Mary Swanson was deeply stirring.  Julliard's drama students did an outstanding job with the accomplished writing of Eno's MIDDLETON.  

Bryan Cranston as LBJ in ALL THE WAY on Broadway

If Bryan Cranston is the draw for audiences who want to see Walter White on the Great White Way, so be it.  Come for the actor and absorb the historic 11 month pivotal history which changed the face of our nation with regards to race and civil rights.  ALL THE WAY begins the day JFK was assassinated and LBJ was sworn in as President.  LBJ repeatedly referred to him as the President by accident.  This I found offensive.  It was not an "accident" but a gruesome murder of a Pres. beside his wife forever embedded in our nation's history and the end to what has been referred to as Camelot.  However, Camelot we clearly were not:  lest we forget the blight of Jim Crowe Laws, segregations, the reign of terror by the KKK and oppression of whites over blacks.  The plays scans the 11th months from the assissination to the Presidential election in 1964 which LBJ is obsessed with winning to remain in power.  "Politics is War."  In order to "Win by not losing" LBJ is cunning, devious, ferocious, pugnacious and sagacious at garnering votes and passing legislation.  Getting votes required pandering to the Negro voters which meant getting the Civil Rights Amendment passed.  This brilliantly staged play depicts our Govt. as a House of Cards with Walter White playing  Kevin Spacey in the reincarnation of LBJ during a turbulent & divisive time in our country's recent history.  Other intriguing historic figures represented were Rev. MLK, Sen. Thurmond, Gov. Wallace, Sen. Humphrey and J. Edgar Hoover.   Playwright, Robert Schenkkan is a Tony & Pulitzer Prize author.  Schenkkan's powerful play exposes the murders of the Freedom Riders, fire hoses aimed at Black protestors and the tempest brewing within MLK's affiliates.  Outside the theatre was a peaceful mob waiting at the stage door for our nation's current cult hero, Bryan Cranston.   Regardless of your motivation, make your way to see ALL THE WAY.      

Julliard's "Master Harold & the Boys" by Athol Fugard

Last night Julliard's Drama students gave an outstanding performance of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold & the Boys."  Fugard, (S. African b. 1932) is an award winning, playwright, author, dir. teacher and political activist.  Most noted for his anti-apartheid plays that have garnerned world wide acclaim for tearing down apartheid in S. Africa.  Fugard was awarded a special Tony in '11 for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre.  "Master Harold & the Boys" was performed on B'wy in 1982 & won the Drama Desk Award.  "Master Harold…" is representative of his upbringing under the oppressive apartheid govt. in S. Africa.   Noted for his anti-apartheid support and boycott of segregrated theaters,  his plays were banned in by govt. imposed restrictions.  However, Fugard's plays were performed to wide audiences across the globe.  "Master Harold & the Boys" resonates powerfully today as a reminder of segregation in S. Africa & of insidious bigotry.   The 3 character play depicts dehumanizing racism and the onerous nature of prevailing prejudice.  Harold is a teenage school boy who has known the 2 black men, Willie & Sam,  who have worked in his family's cafe since he was a toddler.  A bond of friendship & respect had developed over the years but is quickly decimated in one racist, hateful rant spewed by Harold.  Both Corey Doris (Willie) & Austin Smith (Sam) gave honest and powerful performances.  Look for these young actors next on Broadway.  Meantime, don't miss this pivotal play at Julliard.

Twelfe Night - Tremendous Delight

Shakespeare's body of work will forever stand the test of time.  His use of the English langue is majestic poetry; absolute genius.  Twelfe Night at the Belaso Theatre takes the play to new heights by taking the audience back in time to capture Shakespeare's plays as they were 1st performed @ the  Globe; mid 17thC.  Come early to watch the all male cast being dressed and some actors transformed into their female characters.  The costumes are in accordance to the costumes of the day.  The staging, costumes, lighting barred the use of anachronistic articles.  Each actor had their own dresser.  The white face make-up is heavily applied and the transformations are simply transfixing to observe.  Candles made from bees wax & tallow are lit from suspended chandeliers, dropping gobs of wax on the stage.  The music is performed using renaissance winds & early reeds, brass, and strings by a historically informed musical ensemble.  "If music be the food of love, play on."  Get there early to watch the magic unfold on-stage.  "Better 3 hrs. too early than a minute too late."  And don't hesitate to ask audience members to please sit down in their seats so as not to obscure your view.  No audio announcements are made asking cells phone be turned off and surprisingly, none rang. The synopsis of this comedy is similar to The Tempest - mistaken sexual gender benders; "The course of true love never did run smooth."  The ensemble cast was dazzling.  Mark Rylance playing Olivia and Stephen Fry as Malvolio were brilliant.  "Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness."  Be afraid to miss this truly great thespian experience.

Afternoon of Faun, Tanaquil Le Clerq - A Disappointing Yawn

It sounds like a tragic novel; famous ballerina struck down at the height of her career by polio.  Tragically, it is the true life story of prima ballerina Tanaquil Le Clerq, wife of George Balanchine and muse to Jerome Robbins.  Robbins was infatuated with Tanaquil "Tanny" and choreographed Afternoon of a Faun specifically for her.  Balanchine 1st met Tanny as a 14 yr. old ballet student in the hallway where she had been sent out from her classroom.  There is exquisite footage of Tanny's transcendent dancing.  The film also benefits from wonderful photos of Balanchine, Robbins, & Tanny.   Jacques d'Amboise, a Kennedy Honor recipient who partnered with Tanny, provided very insightful commentaries on Tanny's talents as well as her relationships with Balanchine & Robbins.  Letters between Tanny & Robbins alluded to an intense but unrequitted love between them.  Unfortunately, the main narration for the doc. came from Balanchine's long time assistant which was skittish and detached.  This incredible life was presented with little emotional impact.  When stricken with polio, Tanny was placed in an artificial lung and not expected to survive. Polio left her paralyzed and adrift.  Jacques addressed every dancer's anguish, "If I'm not a dancer, who am I?"  Balanchine's marriage to Tanny withered while his choreography continued to reach exceptional heights.  Sadly, the artistic parts to this film do not combine to create a masterpiece and the film falls flat.    

"A World of Its Own" Photography Exhibit @ MoMA

The recently opened photography show @ the MoMA, "A World of Its Own: Photographic Practices in the Studio" is broad in subject matter, style (with a disproporational amount of black/white photos) and the artists' country of origin.  Photos range from the mid 19th C to the present, including video installations fill all 6 photography galleries with varying subthemes on the artist's studio.  The commonality being works made indoors - this left a large blank canvas. "It is possible for photographers to make or design objects that can be treated with light, thereby creating a world of their own which is in many ways as interesting as the visible external world."  More than a doz. countries were represented by more than 90 photographers.  It should be noted most  photographers shown are Amer. but many of foreign birth.  Works were represented from Nigeria, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italiay, Israel, Iran and Lebanon.  The doz. black/white Lebanese photos of idential dimension all show men posed with different menacing weapons creating an ominous dread.  Included are a multitude of well-known names: Man Ray, Cindy Sherman, Brancusi, Edgerton, Maplethorpe Avedon.  Perhaps it feels a snub not to have been included. The only 2 celebrity shots were of Joan Fontaine (who recently passed) & several jovial photos of Charlie Chaplin.  I found many of the lesser known artists' works very compelling.  Note:  Greta Bratesceu (b. 1926)  a Romanian avant-garde artist works made during her country's oppressive regime.  There is an  obscure but arresting photograph by Peruvian photographer, Chambi (b. 1891) of a peasant.  Also make note of Nigerian photographer J.D. Ojeikere's cultural photos of women's hairstyles.  This beguiling & meandering exhibit looses luster with its blurred intent, seemingly all over the map.

NY KNICKS - a Loss, a Win & a Bobble Head

Wed. night @ MSG the Knicks lost by 4 points to the Portland Trailblazers; a much younger, feistier team.  Although, the Knicks only lost by 4 and they played a decent game.  Plus, I went away with the T-shirt that fell into my lap while I wasn't looking.  Last night, the Knicks finally broke their losing streak by routing the Denver Nuggets.  In celebrity row there were Giant & Mets players (no A-Rod or any other Yankees.)  An even better stroke of luck were the free Carmello Anthony bobble head give aways.  Free bobble heads, a win for the Knicks, all is at peace in the world or at least we have World Peace.

Doc. Film "TIM'S VERMEER" Shed's New Light on Vermeer's Paintings

"Tim's Vermeer" is the unexpectedly entertaining quest by Tim Jenison, a successful Acad. Award inventor, techno-expert, that asks the question, how did Vermeer paint in a photographically exact style 150 yrs. prior to photography being invented.  I thought this delightful & thought provoking film was going to be as rousing as watching paint dry.  Despite shallow expectations, I was duly impressed with  Tim's tenacity, ingenuity, devotion and amusing personna.  Tim describes himself as a "techno geek"and believes Vermeer utilized a mechanical camera obscura & mirrors to capture the image onto a canvas enabling  him to capture identical colors, light & objects.  There are no "documenations" linking Vermeer as an apprentice painter, no underlying lines found on his paintings & he produced less than 3 doz. works.  Documentation is not merely defined by writings "paintings are documents" as stated by British artist David Hockney.  Hockney was consulted in regards to Vermeers' pearly, magical use of light in his paintings.  Tim chose to replicate Vermeer's "The Artist's Studio" which hangs in Buckingham Palace.  A hilarious scene shows Penn, Teller & Jenison outside the Palace pleading to gain viewing access from Queen Elizabeth.  The Queen granted Jenison 30 glorious minutes viewing time.  He shares his reverance for this rare opportunity.  The project was over 3 yrs. in the making with 200 days of actual painting.  Asked if he ever wanted to quit  he candidly admitted "if we weren't filming, I would have quit by now and found something else to do."  The film is directed by Teller of Penn & Teller; magicians/entertainers fame.  Tim was very emotional upon completion of the painting which is an excellent facsimile proving that smoke, mirrors & technology are viable tools of art.  The mystery still remains -  how did Teller direct this ingenious doc. without speaking a word?    

Pam Tanowitz Modern Dance or Yoga Class?

PAM TANOWITZ DANCE performed 2 World Premiere compositions at the Joyce Theatre last night. The program was less than an hour with 1 pause.  The first piece, PASSAGEN,  featured a female duo accompanied by violinist P. Harris.  Harris moved to 3 different musical stands while playing on stage.  The music was by Amer. avante-garde composer John Zorn ('13) and played with forceful virtuosity by Pauline Harris.  Unfortunately, Harris broke so many strings while playing they became distracting.  The dance itself was  so minimalist that it felt like a warm-up exercise & was unremarkable except for the Lulu Lemon yoga-like costumes which co-ordinated nicely with Harris' dress.  The 2nd piece, HEAVEN ON ONE'S HEAD began with an intriguing curtain raised 1/2 way with a male/female couple in androgynous red velvet shorts/tops that reminded me of GONE WITH THE WIND (made from the curtain fabric.)  The pas de deus with Dylan Crossman & Sarah Haarmann was magnetic.  The movement of one was connected to the other with elasticity & taut musicality.   Modern dancing which has now become a blend of ballet/modern in Tanowitz's piece looked more like a choreographed yoga class.  Tanowitz used too many basic yoga positions found in yoga works: warrior II, warrior III, modified side angle, 1/2 downward dog, tree, & leg high poses.  None of the dancers did a head stand but they were dancers lying in sha vassanah on stage and audience members napping.

NYC Ballet World Premier: Liam Scarlett's Acheron

Last night marked the World Premier of Acheron, commissioned for the NYC Ballet Co.  British born choreographer Liam Scarlett entered the Royal Ballet School at age 11.  As a student he won the Kenneth MacMillan & Ursual Moreton Choreographic Awards.  In '05 Scarlett joined the Royal Ballet and retired in '12 to become the 1st Artist in Residence for the Royal Ballet to focus on choreography.  Also on the program was Bigonzetti's Vespro ('02) & Preljocaj's Spectral Evidence ('13).  The 3 ballets shared several similarities.  The dances began without musical accompaniment, all used vocal accompaniments that were of disservice, and the lighting was dark and somber.  Mark Stanely did the lighting on all 3.  Scarlett did the costume designs as well as the choreography for Acheron.  The men were all shirtless with white/purple leotards & the women uniformly attired in unattractive strapless  petticoat dresses in white/purple.  Scarlett's choreography, however, had much to praise once you got past the clarion organ music which sounded like an intro to Phantom.  There dancers were lying on the stage or standing frozen too much of the time.  The lovely paus de deus were danced in amongst the prone figures.  The dancing eventually soared with surprisingly innovative lifts that were thrilling.  Sara Mearns & Adrian Danchig-Waring's partnering was sensual & silky. The entire ensemble was superb.  Acheron is a nouveau piece with much to recommend & admire.

One Day I Asked Pina, Doc. Film on Choreographer Pina Bausch's Works

The German born Bausch (1940-09) created a monumental impact on modern dance, performance art & German Expressionism.  The doc. "One Day I Asked Pina" follows her dance troupe of 10 yrs. for 5 years on an European tour.  Her troupe was comprised of 26 dancers she selected which represented 13 different nationalities.  Bausch has received numerous int'l honors: Laurence Olivier Award, Kyoto Prize, Goethe Prize, Praemium Imperiale, just to list a few.  While her works are world renown, Bausch remained an elusive and enigmatic figure.  Bausch's presence is minimal in the film.  Her astonishing dances retain central focus.  The originality of her creations mystify the lines between dance and theatre with a robust intensity.  The dances provoke a strong response of abhorance or intrigue.  Nothing is mundane or passive.  Her dancers were able to personify music & emotions.  Dir. Robert Brook in his TIGHT ROPE doc. film defined acting as capturing what is real and the joy essential for connecting the body & imagination.  Bausch asked her dancers to explain love?'  Some said: "love comes & goes, love ends, love is a fairy tale, love ends in failure but you try again."  This riveting doc. captures all these feelings through dance.  Her work presents dance in a way that blends  movement, touch & life.  "One Day I asked Pina," shows the work of an exceptionally original artist in the dance world developed a real connection with dance to the world