"Search Party" on TBS is a Show to Follow

"Search Party" is a comedy with a mystery centered on a quartet of self-involved 20 somethings living in NYC who act as though the world revolves around them.  The lead, Dory (Alia Shawkat) is the most unassuming of the four.  She works as an assistant for a neurotic, narcissistic wealthy housewife.  Dory is most in need of a life - and becomes obsessed with finding a missing former college roommate, Chantal.  Dory barely knew Chantal, hasn't seen her in 6 years but is convinced she recently spotted her. Dory's passiveness is pushed aside as are all boundaries of appropriate behaviors as she makes it her adventurous quest to find her.  Dory's live-in boyfriend of 3 years, Drew (John Reynolds) is a mousey grad student.  He's tall but lacks backbone.  The couple are still close with 2 former classmates, Portia (Merdith Hagner) and Elliot (John Early.)  Portia is a struggling actress whose conceit knows no bounds.  Their gay friend, Elliot is a hoot.  He's completely self-absorbed & we can't help but be infatuated with the group.  This offbeat comedy has a shady edge and the barrier between the eccentric and the mundane is constantly shifting.  "Search Party" pushes boundaries & blends the genres of quirky comedy with menacing mystery.  Celebrities pop in & out in roles that add sizzle with Dory's story as a burgeoning sleuth.   And, all side characters are compelling in their bizarre bits.  TBS' hit "Search Party" is a resounding find. If you don't look for it, you'll never know what you're missing.

Melinda's Holiday Movie Pick-You Probably Wouldn't have Guessed...

Did you think "A Christmas Story?" Puh leeze, let the kid stay stuck to the pole with his stupid tongue. How many morons were inspired to try that at home?  And, throw that leg out with the trash - or try re-gifting it.  "It's a Wonderful Life?"  It's torture every time that movie comes around and every time a bell rings.  (We know - an angle gets its wings - yaddah yaddah.)   "Miracle on 34th Street?" Nope, although Natalie Woods was cute and the real miracle is that people on the boat got away with murder.  "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?"  Getting warmer - I'm always a sucker for the Island of Misfit Toys which is no longer politically correct which makes it all the more endearing.  Give up?  What else you got?  My yearly holiday treat is "Camelot" with Richard Harris & Vanessa Redgrave.  Wait, that's not a holiday movie you say?  It's my holiday pick nonetheless and with good reason.  It's a wonderful, magical musical.  It's a love story on & off the screen.  Guinevere (Vanessa Redgrave) had an affair with Lancelot (Franco Nero) while making the film.  (They have a son together.)  Why Guinevere fell for Lancelot when married to King Arthur (Richard Harris) beats me; so what if he's a knight in shining armor that performs miracles.
   It's true.  It's true.
   In short, there's simple not -
   A more congenial plot
   For happily-ever-aftering
   than my pick, Camelot.
When dealing with family during the holidays try watching the film.  There's a lesson here on how to handle family - it's to love them… simply love them…merely love them.

Bah humbug!  My favorite holiday character still remains Ebenezer Scrooge

Michelle Says Go High and I Say Good-bye and Oprah Get Out of the Way

I watched First Lady Michelle Obama's final interview from the White House conducted by the effervescent Oprah Winfrey.  First, Michelle is the finest First Lady our nation has ever had in the White House.  The reasons are crystal clear here: her initiatives v. obesity, support of our troops & their families, healthy eating & gardening, your role as a family matriach, and being the bearer of grace & good cheer.  Michelle has always been eloquent, outspoken, inspiring & inviting.  Her lovely & genuine smile served as a beacon of hope & camaraderie.  Never before has a First Lady been as inclusive, accessible & embracing (metaphorically as well as literally) especially to our young people.  Michelle was there with open arms (fab arms) to welcome dignitaries, all ethnicities, families and children.  When Pres Obama made his surprise (staged) stop - he did cover all Michelle's power points.  Hitting home the message of hope for our next generation.  And, I believe this is true.  I also believe Michelle's message of what we say & what we do matters.  This was a trope that served our troops, our country and one that should reverberate long after the Obama family closes the gate on the White House lawn.  "They go high, we go low."  This slogan, despite what the omnipotent Oprah thinks is not one I favor. (Oprah needs to know when to take a backseat.)  This High Lo motto has a condescending tone.  Actions are better served than a haughty catchphrase.  Again, Michelle gets high marks for being a woman of positive action, an admirable role model for young women & young men.  I also love the love we saw in the White House between the Pres & his First Lady (his best decision ever) and their daughters.  We've watched 2 young girls grow into sophisticated, young ladies in front of our eyes.  They have remained steadfast to each other and their parents.  I got a kick out of their eye rolling with the turkey pardoning.  (It is a goofy tradition that has grown tired.)  Ms Winfrey, you are a woman who has earned high esteem.  You were on top form with your intelligent questions but your enthusiasm needed some checking at the door.  Save your glamping for off camera.  (Does anyone think this is going to take place under the camera's len?)  Dear Mrs Obama, thank you for being an example of true partnership, open mindedness, for giving us hope, showing us dignity & bringing fun & humor with your office & to our nation.   First Lady Michelle Obama doesn't need a Camelot tagline - she just did a lot.  Words matter, action matter - thank you.  Michelle, I miss you already!

"Touched with Fire" a Film Focusing on Bipolar Disorder Featuring Katie Holmes

"Touched with Fire" is a film I recommend for numerous reasons.  The main reason being the serious nature of its topic, bipolar disorder, which is handled in both with sensitivity and artistic flair.  The artistry of the movie does not overshadow the significance of disease which most often manifests itself in young adulthood and becomes a lifelong struggle for the individual and their families.  The illness, which has afflicted many great artists (Dickinson, Hemingway, Tchaikovsky, Byron, Wolfe to name but a few) is seen as both a gift and an illness in this dramatic love story revolving around a couple Carla (Katie Holmes) & Marco (Luke Kirby.)  Carla & Marco first meet in the hospital while being treated & monitored for their disorder which was in a state of mania for both.  Unable to sleep (insomnia a main symptom) they feed off each other's manic state; intensifying their mania.  The movie is written & directed by Paul Dalio, who has a bipolar disorder.  Kay Jamison, a psychologist and writer, plays herself in the film.  Jamison counsels the couple on how she manages her bipolar illness by staying on her prescribed medication.  She assures the couple that being medicated hasn't impinged her creativity or productivity.  Jamison calls her medication & treatment "a godsend" that has allowed her to do her work & live a productive life.  The movie aptly portrays the frenetic, disorientation & paranoia that are associated with this mental health issue in a thoughtful and empathetic manner.  The love story between Carla & Marco, finely acted by Holmes & Kirby, is a contrivance that is most effective at showing how shattering a bipolar prognosis can be for a person's life and the lives for those who care for them.  Christine Lahti plays Carla's mother & Griffin Dun Marco's father.  Both actors are superb in evoking strong feelings of love, confusion, helplessness, frustration & devotion.   Poetry is implemented throughout to express both the extreme range of emotions felt at both the manic & depressive phases.  "Touched with Fire" is a princely film that helps to explore what it means to live with bipolar disorder which can only be grasped by those who share the illness or love someone suffering mental health problems.

TV's Funniest Show "People of Earth" on TBS-An Alien Abduction Support Group

"People of Earth" will appeal to earthlings or E.T. alike.  It is a clever comedy about an eccentric, group who've come together to share their alien abduction/experience.   Before you go judging their sanity, know they have all indeed encountered aliens.  (Well, except for one who wants more than anything to be abducted.)  Once you start watching (and you should) you can form your own opinions on how in touch they are with reality.  All the abductions have been in a small upstate NY town, Beacon.  A reporter, Ozzie Graham ("Daily Show") is sent to investigate for a human interest story.   From the moment Ozzie crosses into Beacon bizarre things start happening to him.  "Don't get weird on me people."  The more Ozzie interacts with the "Alien experiencers" the more he becomes open to the possibility of the truth to their encounters.  The support group is led by Gina (Ana Gesteyer, "SNL") a social worker with a disastrous work history.  The group meets in the local church led by Father Day (Oscar Nunez "Community.")   The motley group bring their own hangups & quirks to the mix.  Together, they form a support system where they genuinely care for one other.  Ozzie moves into the town & somewhat begrudgingly into the group.  He becomes attached to the whack pack and weird stuff keeps happening to him.  The "Alien Experiencers" are portrayed as lonely oddballs and not E.T. fanatics.  The actual aliens are also portrayed as a squabbling, bizarre bunch who fumble & blame each other for mishaps.  The aliens are poised to prepare for the pending mother ship and its plans for domination.  There maybe mutiny on board the ship. The producers are veterans of "The Office" & "Parks & Recreations."  There are similarities in the likability of off-beat characters meshing together.  This comedic premise, "People of Earth" who share an alien abduction promises a uniquely funny & endearing experience.

Amy Schumer's Auto-bio "The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo" Too Much Info

"The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo" is Amy Schumer's auto-biography.  In it she shares everything (well how would I know that?) & anything about her childhood, family, sex life, comic personna, introvert personna (huh?) and did I mention sex life.  Schumer's writing is self-deprecatingly hilarious especially her footnotes of her own earlier journal entries.  Her writing has a comic timing you don't see coming which is LOL (don't you hate that?)  It seems Amy gives us a full disclosure, full dose dossier of her life from infancy (yep) through adolescence, parental relationships, boyfriends & sexual relationships and her penchant for the spotlight & making people laugh.  There are serious, somber reflections on sexual abuse, self-doubt & sensible gun controls.   Her pontificating on finding your inner strength is palpable mixed with her dry wit & wisdom.  "Know what it is to depend completely on yourself in life." "What's wrong with being alone anyway?  Being alone is sometimes a great place to be but people are always trying to correct this problem for you."  Amy's upbringing was unique (whose isn't?)  But really, her mother made a lot of mistakes by sharing way too much information & being too permissive rather than being a responsible parent.  (Perhaps, Amy gets her sharing of TMI from her mom.)  Amy's father's alcoholism & degenerative muscular disease are an open book.  Again, more shit than I needed to know.  However, whenever 2 sisters are as close as Amy & her sister, there was something unerring in the home.  And, Amy's outlook on life is resplendent. "Life is full of pain & disappointment.  I've made a whole career out of pointing this out and reliving it in ridiculous ways so everyone can laugh and cry along with me."  Amy's never ending lust for the comic hustle under the spotlight is surprisingly at odds with her inner introvert core.  (Is this part of her ultimate hustle at being funny?)  Amy grasps that making people laugh allows her to dismantle power structures (albeit to her advantage.)   Schumer does what comediennes do best, they push boundaries allowing us more space to examine the ludicrousness in life with humor & a sense of kindred-ship.  Schumer's "…Lower Back Tattoo" has too much intimate info but this is what makes it the most entertaining & rewarding autobiography I've read by a comic.  "Sitting & writing & talking to no one is how I wish I could spend the better part of everyday."  Schumer's on-stage talents are rooted in her embracing of the mundane to the insane.  HEY LADY!

Chilean Dir Pablo Larrain's "Jackie" Starring Natalie Portman

The historic biopic movie directed by Chilean director Pablo Larrain is a myopic look at the tumultuous days surrounding JFK's assassination seen through Mrs Kennedy's eyes.  Jackie (as she asked to be called when no longer 1st Lady) is portrayed by Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman.  As Jackie, Portman appears her doppleganger, complete with her breathy voice & mannerisms.  Mainly, Portman's performance emanates from her doleful eyes.  But aside from scenes of JFK's assassination & the removing of JFK's blood, Jackie displays a narrow emotional range.  We see a poised facade & steely determination.  Jackie's assistant, Nancy, (Greta Gerwig) remains nearby cueing her to smile.  The intentionally blurry timeline covering the fateful day in Dallas through  JFK's ceremonial burial, evokes a disorienting feeling of shock & grief.  Jackie refused to change her blood stained clothing before leaving the airplane where she witnessed LBJ's swearing in as President.  Robert Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard) becomes Jackie's solicitous support & advocate while seeming opportunistic & plodding.  LBJ & Ladybird are not given a sympathetic portrayals.  Rather, they appear eager for Jackie to vacate the White House & tried to quell Jackie's plans for a stately, ceremonial funeral procession.    The movie's intent is ambiguous & hazy.  I felt as if in a fugue alongside Jackie given the voyeuristic focus of the lens.  "Jackie" reveals a limited insight into her life other than her calculated determination to keep her husband's legacy (and perhaps hers) alive.  In short, there's simply not, a deeply stirring plot.  There does seem an endless limit to the fascination with the Kennedys.  They were here for a mere spot.  Yet, Jackie's orchestrated Camelot comparison, ensures they will not be forgot.  

The Film "LA LA LAND" is a Neo-Musical Romance Starring Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling

The vibrantly colorful cinemascope film "LA LA LAND" is a new take on the old school sing & dance musicals (Rogers & Astaire) stuffed with old school romance you'd find in Bogart & Bergman films.  The painless plot is moved along in song & by season.  If people break out in dance for no reason, at least the choreography is spectacular.  Yes, both Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling are convincing hoofers.  As far as singing, they should both keep their day jobs.  John Legend adds his musical talents but his lecture on new jazz falls flat.  The ole story goes boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl with pipe dreams & let's put on a show mojo.  The opening number of cars at a standstill on the LA freeway is a show stopper.  People start to get out of their cars (they're not moving anyways) and burst into camaraderie singing & stomping on rooftops complete with congo drums.  The charm of the movie lies in its vivid wink to the golden days of cinema.  However,  the glitter & dazzle become blinding (but the color blind casting is crystal clear.)  The platitudes hit you like lead pipes keeping the mode from hitting all the right notes.  Still, Stone as Mia, the wanna be actress and Gosling as Sebastian the jazz purist; strictly old school have enough spunk & charisma to keep us entertained.  The break from all the frilly froth for more serious talk on their dreams for  themselves & where the relationship is going, goes on too long.  Of all the movies playing in all the theaters, why pick to go in & see "LA LA LAND?"  I've seen better.  I won't pay to see it again, damn.

Neo-Noir Thriller "Nocturnal Animals" Starring Jake Gyllenhall and Amy Adams

"Nocturnal Animals" (NA) is a raw, emotional roller coaster that is disturbing, perplexing and riveting.  It's no less daunting for Tom Ford's remarkable screenplay & direction.  Ford made his make in the fashion world for Gucci & now has his own successful line.  He made a remarkable leap from fashion design to his 1st film "Single Man" ('05) starring Julianne Moore & Colin Firth which garnered Critics Choice & Golden Globe nominations.  With NA, Ford proves his  filmmaking talents are not merely a trendy phase,  NA, Ford's 2nd feature is another stunning looking film with exceptional acting that provokes gut wrenching, emotional responses.   NA has  received a Critics Choice & Golden Globe nomination.  Susan Morrow (the incomparable Amy Adams) plays Susan Morrow, a successful gallery owner.  While in art grad school & in NYC she runs into Edward Sheffield (an intense & striking Jake Gyllenhal) an old high school crush from TX.  They quickly spark a romance that leads to marriage despite the snobbish objections of Susan's mother (Laura Linney) who disdains Edward as weak & an unsuccessful writer who won't amount to anything.  Mother knows best (Linny is always marvelous.)  Susan comes to the same conclusion and leaves Edward despite his pleading.  Several years later, Susan is a wealthy, successful art dealer & married to a handsome philandering husband (Armie Hammer.)  Alone while her husband is out of town with another woman, she receives a draft of a novel "Nocturnal Animals" sent by her ex which he's dedicated to her.  The movie has an enticing & mysterious  contemporary noir look.  The cinematography is stunning.  The film cleverly shifts to the novel with Susan's reading  envisioning Edward as the main character, Tony Hastings.  Tony, with his wife & teen daughter set off on a long drive through TX where things take a harrowing & violent turn.  The movie morphs into a psycho crime thriller. The family is ambushed by a menacing trio of thugs.  Tony watches helplessly while his wife & daughter are forcefully driven away.  He manages to evade his captor & contacts the police the following day.  Det Bobby Andes (a forceful Michael Shannon) is assigned the case.  Tony is wracked with quilt and grief when his family is found gruesomely murdered.  The plots of the film & novel are wrought with anguish, tension & confusion and intertwine in a beguiling fashion.  The movie could be summed up in one word REVENGE.  Although, I would add the words, intoxicating, suspenseful and brilliant.

Alvin Ailey's World Premier "Unititled American" A Monumental Performance with Profound Impact

"Untitled America" had its world premiere with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater at City Center last night.   The brilliant choreographer, Kyle Abraham aptly named his powerful work "Untitled America" as it reflects the tragic, rampant killings, massive arrests & mass incarcerations that has buried our nation in a malaise of sorrow, oppression & social disintegration.   Abraham has created a work of art whose poignancy is palpable & undeniably imbedded in what we witness in the violence & mistreatment of a group of people, specifically men of color.  The dancers with their sinewy backs turned and arms lifted resonated with tension and sorrow.  The supplicant posturing is in response to the "Hands up, don't shoot" protest which arose from the tragic killing of Michael Brown in 2014.  Brown stood with his hands up in surrender to police moments before being fatally shot.  The crumpling of inert bodies was scorchingly realistic.  So too were aggressive movements indicating handcuffings & imprisonment.  The solemn dancers dressed in smoky shades of slate under hazy lighting.  The dancers flayed their bodies in a frenzy of struggle against imminent confinement.  Audio interviews of prisoners lamented their sentences, their pain of separation from their families and their loss of free will.  The imagery of people communicating through a call glass was achingly mournful.  "Untitled America" was choreographed with intense genius, expressive movements, harsh ambiance & startling imagery it shocked me into awareness.  We are living in a pervasive society of force & state brutality.  We're all implicated in this mistreatment.   I felt revulsion & deep compassion.  Espcially at this time, we all need a measure of grace and hope.  The dignity & poise of the Ailey dancers to Kyle Abraham's visionary "Untitled American" serves as wellspring of awareness for mass incarceration being the most oppressive racial injustice issue of our time.

Julliard Jazz Ensembles-Assembles Elite Jazz Musicians; Joel Ross on Vibraphone

Last night the Julliard Jazz Ensemble paid tribute to The Latin Tinge.  The compositions were by Ray Baretto, Cal Tjader & Carolos Henriquez.  Guest coach for the Ensemble was Carlos Henriquez.  Henriquez, a native New Yorker (b 1979) & Julliard alum, is currently a member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet & the Jazz Orch at Linc Ctr.  Sitting in the audience was legendary artist Wynton Marsalis.  He is also the founder & director of the Julliard Jazz program.  Marsalis & numerous great jazz musicians are dedicated to inspiring, mentoring & insuring jazz remains a thriving art form.  I'm  always thrilled by the performances, the mutual respect between students & professional jazz artists & the infectious enjoyment both on stage & by audience members.  The talented & humble students share their passion for jazz & their struggles to master jazz with its many modules, styles & rhythms.  Joel Wenhardt on piano proudly introduced guest artist Joel Ross on vibraphones.   "Never have I been prouder to share my name & the stage with the great Joel Ross."  Ross has performed & recorded with legendary jazz musicians:  Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock & Christian McBride.  The musical number "Linda Chacana" featured Ross' virtuosity on the vibraphone.  "Linda Chacana" has the innate joy of rhythm that brings up a visceral feeling of Copacabana Club style dancing; shoulders were swaying in the seats.   Onstage, Ross, when not playing actually danced along to the music.  The other jazz musicians are enraptured with their bandmates playing, keeping time with their bodies.  "Gauchi Guara" was another sensual & exciting number with obvious Cuban flair.  The Juliard students play & arrange the compositions.  It's hard to single out individuals from the exceptional ensemble but a shout out to Zoe Obadia on alto sax who also played a trilling flute in "Linda Chcana."   Kanoa Mendenhall played a melodious bass.  Her instrument overshadowed her in height & girth but her sound was rich & vibrant.  The second set brought out another fabulous ensemble who skillfully played the "complex 6/8 timing/rhythm."  The students credited their coaches for helping them to " expand & understand music that is distant from us and for allowing us to figure it our for ourselves while helping us find our direction."  Music is an int'l language & artform melding people of different cultures & heritages.  The sizzling evening of Latin jazz was an affirmation of friendship, co-operation & regard for one another.  I believe music has the capacity to enrich our lives & bring us together.

Doc. Screening "A Good American" Bill Binney's Battle to Detect & Protect US & Discussion Following

The Aspent Instit Arts Prog screened "A Good American" a doc. on Bill Binney (BB), a genius mathematician formerly with the Nat'l Security Agency (NSA.)  Binney brilliance & relentless pursuit to intercept & decipher communications from terrorist organizations was undermined by US govt intelligence agencies:  NSA, CIA, NRO (Dept of Defense) & Homeland Securities.  It's always painful to watch video of the 9/11 attacks.  It becomes intolerable to discover this heinous attack & previous assaults: on the World Trade Center, foreign US Embassies, the Cole Naval Ship & Laden's invasion into Afghanistan should have been circumvented had BB decryption of meta data communications been heeded.  The astounding findings of Binney's small mathematics/tech team were thwarted by our govt agencies, top level generals and Sec Hair & VP Chaney ("the dark sides.")  BB's abilities & breakthroughs are similar to Alan Turing (b. Britain 1912-1954) a mathematical genius, cryptanalyst & pioneer of computer science.  Both trailblazers' were shamefully treated & prosecuted by their own countrymen.   (Legal actions have been dropped v. BB & his "Thin Thread" analysis team.  Turing's breakthroughs are credited with decoding enemy information in WWII.  BB's resourceful findings were ignored & obfuscated.  The film starts with footage of the Twin Towers' demise.  BB professes "I would never commit suicide. If something happens to me - it's not suicide."  Jonathan Capehart, Pulitizer Prize-winning journalist & MSNBC reporter asks post screening, "Is anybody else freaked out by this film?" (Absolutely!)  Capehart inquired if BB fears for his life.  Thankfully,"No." He feels now he's  too much out in the open.  He's in the process of getting into court to present his case.  (Several cases are pending.)  BB & his partner's homes were raided by armed militia & their computers & data confiscated.  This documentary is extremely enlightening & infuriating.  It's an amazing portrait of a brilliant mind & brave whistle blower.  His patriotic & pacificist motives are driving him is to uncover the truths behind the corrupt, financially driven conspiracies within our govt.  "The worst of war is to make others as vicious to stop it.  Mistakes by leaderships perpetuate wars.  My goal is to provide information to leaders so as not to make mistakes."  

French/German Film "Things to Come" Starring Isabelle Huppert

"Things to Come" is written & directed by Mia Hansen-Love (b France 1981) and is a pain quotidian family drama sautéed in philosophical debate.  The star of the film is French actress Isabelle Huppert who plays Nathalie.  Huppert is as much a French icon as Catherine Denueve.  Nathalie is a philosophy teacher/writer.  At the beginning of the film, Nathalie is married with children.  She writes & teaches philosophy & has an eccentric mother who is depressed & very demanding of Nathalie.  Time frames elapse either at a snail's or fleeting pace.   In midlife, Nathalie's children have left to lead their lives and her husband of 25 years leaves her for another woman. "I thought you'd love me for ever," she tells him.  She continues teaching, amidst student unrest, her editors decide to make changes to her book withoug her consent and her exasperating mother dies.  Nevertheless, Nathalie has an indomitable spirit and is handling these setbacks with flair.  She has the support & admiration of a former student, Fabian.  Fabian is a published writer who credits Nathalie as his inspiration.  It's to Fabian she laments the loss of the family's vacation home on the coast where they raised their children.  Fabian invites Nathalie to visit him in the farm compound he shares with other writers/philosophers.  She visits during the summer and winter and while the setting is idyllic, she has her own life in Paris to live with complete freedom.  A French film would not be complete without food, flowers, music, protest, sex & incessant dialogue.  In other words, this film is tres French, and the Americans daily grind does not quite have that je ne sais quois of the French.  Although, woe to him who desires nothing.  My philosophy is that Paris is always a good idea.

"From Oy to Vey" & "The Lady of the Castle" Musical Tales of Jewish Humor & Heartbreak

Theater for the New City and The After Dinner Opera Co had a and early bird special:  2 shows with live music & singing for the special price of $18 per person.  Vat a deal!  Actually it is more than you bargain for and the earnest cast & musicians bit off a little more than we could all chew.  "From Oy to Vey" is Jewish comedy popular in the Borscht Belt or Yiddish Theater.  It was all kidding aside, kitschy.  In a politically correct sensibility there was stereotyping.  I didn't find it offensive.  As for hilarious, meh.  But, each of the 5 short singing skits had its zinger punch lines that earned a laugh.  A Henny Youngman humor for the not so young, sung with a lot of zip.  I enjoyed this 1/2 hour comedy schtick of yesteryear.  "The Lady of the Castle" was an about face & too long in the tooth based on a true story; "A Ghostly Operatic WWII Tale."  The horros of WWII didn't just end in 1945.  We follow 2 Jews, Dora (mezzo Darcy Dunn) & Sand searching to find surving children, relatives & belongings stolen by the Nazis.   Their quest leads to an ancient castle that served as a Nazi headquarters.  Zabrovsky (Bennett Pologe) is the quasi-sinister owner of the manor.  His manners are at first brusk, dismissing Dora & Sand.  He relents & offers them hospitality for the stormy, eerie night.  Dora senses something is amiss.  They discover Zabrovsky kept a young Jewish girl, Lyda (Amanda Yachechak) hidden in his castle during the war & 2 years more.  Zabrovsky changed from Lyda's savior to her captor.  We're meant to feel outrage at Lyda's forced imprisonment & simultaneously sympathetic for Zabrovsky who had protected & loves Lyda.  He sings a lyric much more than politically incorrect, it's sexually perverse & unlawful.  "I've loved you as a daughter, sister & wife."  "The Lady of the Castle" is a smorgasbord with too much schmaltz.  Still, the earnest ensemble cast were all commendable especially Amanda Yachechak with a lovely singing voice. The impressive original musical score was performed by a pianist, cellist & flutist.  This was an all you can eat entertainment bargain at $18.  You will leave feeling overstuffed.  

Melinda's Malarky Around the Apple 10 Top Music & Dance Performance Picks 2016

My top 10 favorite music & dance performances in 2016 in alphabetical order:


1.   Alvin Ailey's "Deep" by choreographer Mauro Bigonzettie

2.  Alvin Ailey II's " "Breakthrough" by choreographer Manuel Vignoulle

3.   Jazz at Lincoln Ctr with Wynton Marsalis & Dancers Jared Grimes & Lil Buck

4.  Jazz at Lincoln Ctr with jazz vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant

5.  MET's:  Live Arts "The Colorado River" with live musical performance

6.  Nederlander Dance Co at City Center

7.  NYPhilharmonic:  Bartok, Dvorak & Bruch

8.   NYPhilharmonic:  Holst's "The Planets"

9.   Steely Dan at the Beacon

10.  Tap Dancer Kazuroni Kumagai at 92ndY  

Melinda's Top Ten Theatrical Productions for 2016

The following plays are in aplhabetical order by title:


1.   Boy - by Anna Ziegler

2.   Dear Evan Hansen - a musical by Dan Pasek & Justic Pasek

3.   Familiar - by Zimbabwe playwright Danai Gorira

4.   Ingonito - by British playwright Nick Payne

5.   Love, Love, Love by British playwright Mike Bartlett

6.   Notes from the Field - by playwright social activist Anne Deveare Smith

7.   Oslo - by J.T. Rogers -the Israeli/Palestinian clandestine peace process

8.   Smart People - by Lydia Diamond

9.   The Royale - biopic play on boxer Jack (Jay) Johnson

10. Turn Me Loose - biopic play on Dick Gregory

Melinda's Museum Exhibits that Hit the Top Ten List for 2016

The following exhibits are in alphabetical order by artist or title comprise a motley mixture:


1.   Diane Arbus photos: "Further Beginnings" her earliest photos at Met Breuer

2.  "The Battle of Brooklyn" at NY Historic Society

3.   "Max Beckmann in NYC":  oil paintings at MET

4.   "Jerusalem Everyday People under Heaven 1000-1400" at MET

5.   Maholy-Nagy "Future Present" at Guggenheim

6.   "Manus v Machina" Fashion Institute at the MET

7.   Agnes Martin "Minimalist Art"  at Guggenheim

8.   Kerry Marshall "Mastry" at Met Breuer

9.   Larry Silvers "Black & White Photos of NYC 1949-1955" at NY Historic Society

10.  Van Dyke Art Collection at Frick  

Melinda's Top 10 List for Favorie Films in 2016

The following top picks are placed in alphabetical order by title:

1.   "Arrival" - Alien invasion starring Amy Adams & Jeremy Renner

2.   "Come What May" - French/German film at the outbreak of WWII

3.   "Disturbing the Peace" - Doc. Israeli/Palestinian peace activists

4.   "45 Years" - British film starring Charlotte Rampling questioning her 45 year marriage

5.  "Our Little Sister" - Japanese film of sisterly love

6.   "Manchester at the Sea" - Family anguish starring Casey Affleck & Michelle Williams

7.   "Moonlight" - Transcendent coming of age story in an artistic triptych format

8.   "Rams" - Icelandic film - Fueding brothers struggling amidst an agricultural/livestock crisis

9.   "The Measure of a Man" - French film - a quiet film of human dignity & compassion

10.  "The Handmaiden" - Korean/Japanese film - an erotic thriller

Special mention to:

Kujo and the Two Strings - a beautiful animated Japanese folklore
 
"The Eagle Huntress" -Doc of a Mangolian girl the first to become an Eagle Hunter

The MET Opera Presents L'Amour de Loin by Finish Composer Kaija Saariaho

The fairly new opera "L'Amour de Loin" by Finish composer, Kaija Saariaho (b Finland 1952) had its world premiere at the Salzburg Festival in 2000.  For those who are not true opera lovers, this will not convert you into a fan of this magnificient art form.  I faulted the staging which might have caused the late, great installation artist, Dan Flavin (b Amer 1933-66) to see red.  The opera takes place in the 12thC on the Mediterranean Sea.  The set for the sea was a layering of neon lined lights.  The raked lights were vivid in oscilating tones of turqoise, azure, amber, vermillion & a trillion other shades.  In fact, viewing required shades the flaring lights were that blinding.  This was a minimalist opera featuring only 3 characters:  a mezzo-soprano, soprano & bass baritone.  Soprano, Susanna Phillips' voice was exquisite.  Phillips sang in La Boheme at the Met earlier this season.  She received the Met's Beverly Sills Award in 2010.  The sole object on stage (besides the lights) was a retractable bridge/  staircase.  This moveable structure proved a distracting device.  Every so often a chorus, comprised of all black torsos would rise above the waves.  The effect intended to be sombre was somewhat silly & was met by a temerity of tittering.  The program notes "…the score earned immediate praise for its beauty and individuality."  I'm not a huge opera buff, I admit.  "L'Amour de Loin" was not a big hit for me.

NYPhil Rehearsal of Mozart's Music Had Many Stops and Starts under Maestro Bernard Labadie

The anticipated pleasure of listening to the NYPhilharmonic's all Mozart performance:  Symphony #31 in D and Flute Concerto #2 in D was distressing & atypical with the numerous fits & starts by guest conductor Bernard Labadie.  Labadie (b Canada 1963) was named the Artistic Dir of the Opera de Quebec (1994) and nominated at L'Opera de Montreal (2002.)  And while he has conducted the LA, Chicago, Boston, SF Orchestras & many more, I've never before heard a rehearsal requiring so many repetitive stops & restarts.  In Symphony #31, I counted a score of disruptions & instructions from Labadie.  I began to feel badly for the orchestra members.  Mozarts magnificient music was so chopped up and chewed out that many in the audience walked out.  The 3 movements moved at a snails pace and the dissatisfaction was palpable.   There was only a short pause between Symphony #31 & the Flute Concerto #2 probably due to the drawn out rehearsing of the Symphony.  Robert Langevin, principal flutist with the NY Philharmonic (2000) was stopped by the conductor & given several corrections.  I heard a very courteous Labadie thanking Langevin for rephrasing his playing but I'm just saying…I've never ever been to a rehearsal where the orchestra had so many pitfalls.  I felt pity for our illustrious NYPhilharmonic.  So did other patrons who walked out early.  I left at intermission.  I missed hearing Exsultate, jubilate K 165 and Symphony #39.  I was not exalted by the rehearsal which should have been a resounding jubilation.

The New Musical "In Transit" Not Worth the Price of a Metro Fare

The driving contrivance for the new musical "in transit" at Circle in the Square is its all acapella  performance.  Unfortunately, this show never pulls out of the station.  The acapella musical numbers run on the local with rap, gospel, blues and razzle dazzle broadway tunes.  Sadly there is neither razzle in the music and less dazzle in the story lines construed out of the 8,000,000 commuters daily in NYC.  The plots derail with a wanna be Broadway musical star, temporarily working as a temp, a gal who dropped out of grad school to follow a guy ("and who hasn't") to NYC and then gets dropped, and a gay couple planning their wedding but one partner isn't planning on coming out of the closet to his mother.  The one number with some zing was "Wingman."  Friends watching a hockey game at sports bar choreograph sleek moves to help one of the guys score with a lady.  But, the musical score is a snore and the characters stuck in banal situations "souls between stations."  The emcee is Boxman, a subway performer trying to promote his own music.  Boxman crosses paths with all the characters but his panhandling act doesn't pan out on the platform station.  The spotty levity comes from common commuters' frustrations: unintelligible intercom information, hostile MTA confrontations, a rat taking out pizza and peeing on the tracks. "Don't sleep in the subway darlin' Don't stand in the pouring rain."*  Don't buy a street umbrella and don't waste time on this uninspiring show.  Skip "in transit" you'll find somewhere better to go.  (*P Clark)

"Manchester at the Sea" A Malaise of Sorrow Starring Casey Affleck & Michelle Williams

"Manchester at the Sea" is a movie sure to garner a trove of accolades from the critics & academy.    The turgid pace for this requiem of grief is painfully slow; rippling pain in its wake.  Two Chandler brothers, Lee (an affecting Casey Affleck) and Kyle (the unfailing Kyle Chandler) were raised in a small New England fishing town, Manchester.  Both brothers tow an odyssey of sorrow.  Kyle raised his son Patrick (a likeable Lucas Hedges) as a single parent after his wife became an alcoholic. Alcohol abuse is suffused throughout the film.  Kyle succumbs to a fatal disease leaving a will that provides for Lee to become Patrick's guardian.   Meanwhile, Lee is living in Boston as a janitor in a small basement apartment and getting into bar brawls by night.  The storyline is not linear.  There are touching flashbacks to happier times on Kyle's small fishing boat with Lee & a young Patrick.  We also see scenes of Lee's domestic life; married to Randi (an exceptional Michelle Williams) with 3 young children.  There's a missing story as to what ended Lee's family domicle which we've yet to uncover.  Lee is drawn back to Manchester to bury his beloved brother and temporarily oversee his nephew. Kyle had made a will stipulating Lee as guardian to Patrick & trustee for the estate.  Except, Lee was unaware of his brother's intention & has no intention of taking on the responsibility of his nephew or relocating.  Lee's ominous reputation is known to many in Manchester prior to our learning of his devastating tragedy.  Lee's unbearable & "unbeatable" grief render him soulless.  He seeks solace through acts of violence.  The frigid landscape mirrors Lee's frozen existence.  Signs of life ebb & flow around Lee as lives with Patrick & among people from his past.  Lee becomes able to cull the grace to seek help for Patrick & himself.  "Manchester at the Sea" is awash in quality acting and beautifully shot.  Nonetheless, the film is moored in anguish that many would choose to cast off.

French Artist Francis Picabia's Works at MoMA Will Have Your Head Spinning

The recently opened Francis Picabia (French 1879-1953) exhibit at MoMA:  "Our Heads Are Round so Our Thoughts Can Change Direction."  This wonderfully wry title shows a large photo of the artist riding a tiny schwinn with an inviting grin.  A self-proclaimed funny guy, he's the guy with enormous  talent, curiosity and the endless ability to reinvent himself.  Picabia was a zeitgeist of multiple eras with an constantly changing aesthetic & perspective.  This is a show that is hard to pass up and harder still to codify.  Picabia's work runs the gambit of artistic styles:  impressionism, radical abstraction, Dadaist provocation, pseudo-classicism and photographic based realism to art informel.   Picabia is a provocateur in multi-artistic expressions.  In addition to his paintings, he was a poet, performance artist, illustrator and filmmaker.  Be sure to watch his whimsicial Dadaist film, listen to the background audio about the artist and the poetry readings best heard in the last gallery.  Living through both WWI & WWII, perhaps Picabia's developed a wry sense of humor and a penchant for a chameleon sensibility in his work.  Some of the artists whose styles he tried on were:  Picasso, Matisse, Seurat, Monet and Magritte. Magritte & Picabia seem to share a trickster psyche.  The earliest works (1912-1914) saw works in an impressionist style, focusing on landscapes & architecture and cubist paintings.  Also note the titles he uses which add hum  "Comic Wedlock" & "She Corrects Manners While Laughing."  Picabia interest in machinery are seen in his mechanomorphic images.   Trying to find common threads throughout will remain enigmatic.  There are recurring Adam & Eve subjects and Spanish Women portraits.  But, these are all done with varying styles & techniques.  I was most intrigued with his later "transparency" paintings with multilayered figures & motiffs.  Picabia incorporates a plethora of techniques & materials in his works with winsome results; matches, hairpins, coins, feathers & nails.  Picabia is a genius extraordinaire on par with Picasso.  Unlike Picasso, Picabia's constantly evolving art make identifying his oeuvre elusive.  "Our Heads Are Round so Our Thought Can Change Direction" is a whirlwind of an exhibit that is endlessly exciting & fun.

The Musical "A Bronx Tail" Directed by Robert DeNiro Music by Alan Menken

The new Broadway musical "A Bronx Tail" is based on Chazz Palminteri's book and later made into a play & a movie starring Robert De Niro.  This time the De Niro wisely steps back & lets a talented ensemble cast of triple threats:  actors, singers & dancer, do the hard hitting stuff.  Alan Menken known for his illustrious & prolific Disney scores: "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty & the Beast" and "Aladdin" to name but a few from his slew of hits, wrote the music.  The musical numbers are aimed at a rapid fire pitch.  Some of them are hit out of the ballpark while the majority all meld in the infield.  There were several show stopping numbers including the opener "Belmont Avenue" with fleet footwork, "I Like It" sung by an upcoming young star Hudson Loverro as the young lead Calogero "C" and "One of the Great Ones." "One of the Great Ones," is sung by the Don of the thugs, Sonny.  Sonny becomes a fatherly mentor to "C."  These 3 wise songs drive the storyline and rise to the top.   Mostly, the musical numbers tend to blend or stretch to be lessons in morality.  The story's hero is "C," a young boy growing up in the Bronx (late 50's-60's) on Belmont Avenue, not straying far from the hood he loves.  C loves his working class parents & has close ties with his father but finds himself torn between worlds: loyalty to his parents, his friends and looking into his own heart.  "C's" parents try to steer their son to do the right thing but send mixed messages.  "C" cops to Sonny's belief that work is for suckers and succumbs to Sonny's shady lifestyle.  The play also contains a star crossed lovers "West Side Story" with the "Wops" and Blacks fighting for their turf.  "A Bronx Tall" is a musical mixed bag of "Wise Guys," "West Side Story" and father/son genres. The exceptionally talented ensemble featured killer choreography with singing voices to die for.  I feared I wasn't going to like this musical incarnation.  I didn't love it but I liked it a lot.   This is an offering you shouldn't refuse.

"The Edge of 17" Starring Hailee Steinfeld & Woody Harrelson

This coming of age teen flick clicks on all burners.  "The Edge of 17" produced by James L Brooks captures the emotional rage of an insecure & precocious teen, Nadine (an exceptional Hailee Steinfeld) with credulous charm & frustrations.  It's tough enough being a social outcast from early adolescence &  add to that, a handsome/popular older brother, Darian (Blake Jenner) also mom's favorite.  The beloved father & emotional anchor dies while driving with Nadine making her life nearly unbearable.  Her  saving grace is her only friend, Krista (Haley Richardson.)  They become fast friends at an early age only later to feel completely betrayed when Krista falls for her brother.  The mother is played with self-consuming neurosis by Kyra Sedgwick.  She seems to only relate & rely heavily on Darian.  Mr. Brunner (a terrific Woody Harrelson) is Nadine's history teacher to whom she vents her feelings of outrage, self-loathing & vulnerabilities.  "The Edge of 17" is set far above most teen movies.  Every scene is engaging & convincing.  Cruel things are said to Nadine from her brother, mother, classmates & even Mr Brunner.  But, Nadine lashes back in ways that are hurtful to others & self-destructive.  We continuously care for what Nadine is feeling or doing.  Nadine's tells Mr Brunner she intends to commit suicide.  His concern is measured and he responds admirably.  Meanwhile, the social scene of high school teens resonate with fun, frustration & fear.  Nadine's mother tells her "Everybody is miserable.  Just some people are better at pretending."  There's not a false note in this engaging film.  Steinfeld is wonderful in her role.  Irwin (a terrific Haden Szeto) is the classmate who tries to befriend Nadine.  Sometimes, you just need to look nearby to find friendship and acceptance.  "The Edge of 17" is an edgy & entertaining movie for teens & adults alike.  "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name."  And those who see "The Edge of 17" will be glad they came.

Gilmore Girls-We Women Want More Gilmores

The verdict is on Gilmore Girls mini-series on Netflix.  It's an overwhelming crowd pleaser.  But, please, as Michel (Yanic Truesdale) tells the female applicant "now is the time to take out your tissue."  They just don't many shows anymore of the quality of "Gilmore Girls."  Whoever said "You can never go home again," is so wrong.  Whoever said "More is more," is so right.  Watch "Gilmore Girls" and I rest my case.  The shows are true to form to their former incarnate and then taken to the next great level.  This tongue teaser, heartwarming series is a pastiche of blasts from the past, ballet, broadway, romance, friendship and familial love.  I loved the sets (real & surreal) the rants, the banter, the reunions, the mass confusion and anticipated epiphanies.   This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for This Wonderful series brought back to Life.  Lorelai & her mother finally listened to each other, empathized with the other &  benefitted in in their own lives. "Barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly - Just a little change.  Small to say the least.  Both a little scared."* Beauties more at peace. Bravo! We want more Gilmores.  Perhaps, the title should be changed to Gilmore Women We Love.

*"Tales as Old as Time"

Gilmore Girls Series - Stuck in a Time Warp? Women at Some Point?

Bringing back the popular "Gilmore Girls" series is cause for celebration.  The series is being revised as an original Netflix program.  It follows the same 3 generations of Gilmore Girls; grandmother, mother & prodigal daughter, Rory.  It's now a decade since the emotional finale when everyone bid adieu to the the lovely ingenue, Rory.  Rory graduated from Yale & was set to embark on Obama's presidential campaign.  I've just watched the 1st two episodes (mini-marathon movies each,) I have some reservations before declaring it a rave of a reboot. Stars Hollow is still center stage.  This charming "Camelot" of a small New England town has more than its share of eccentric citizens.  Lorelai, the queen of witty witticism declares "the town is set within a snow globe."  The perpetual dialogue is fueled by the omnipresent caffeine elixir.  Luke's (Scott Patterson) diner provides its fair share of coffee.  Rory (Alexis Bledel) is  Lorelai's daughter (Lauren Graham) who is Emily's daughter (Kelly Bishop.)  Rory is the lovely & endearing homewrecker of yesteryear.  Lorelai is as loquacious as before with a little more body mass to love.  No body shaming permitted.  Afterall, this is an empowering series for young girls.  A little fun is poked at the added pounds at Lorelai's expense.  Emily is showing signs of aging.  She has become a recent widow after 50 years of marriage.  Edward Herman was wonderful as the family patriarch.  His death assumes a sombre & prominent presence.  The gaggle of local yokels include: the irritatingly intense Paris, the huggable lug, Luke and Logan in London engaged to wed & in bed with Rory along with motley town criers.  Change churned slowly.  There is Kirk's "ooober" enterprise and faux wifi at the diner.  But, the story arch has always been the battling banter between the Gilmore generations.  Rory & her mom are tight.   Lorelais & her mom continue to fight.  The well meaning advise from Lorelai to her bereft mother to seek professional counseling is a masterly coupe at the show's core  (a major score.) The jury is still out on the series.  I'm hoping that Dean (Jared Radaleci) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) will be back to add flavor to the brew. Carol King is a local, but she's yet to sing.  The marvelous B'wy star Sutton Foster is cast in the local musical which is hilarious.  Hooray, the show is back.  Footnote: Rory "is not back," which means she's amongst the unmoored 30 something set.  I'm yearning to sing praises but for now, stay tuned.

British Netflix Original Series "The Crown" Reigns Supreme

British director Peter Morgan (The Queen with Helen Mirren) is the creator/director of this original historical drama "The Crown" which covers the life & times of Queen Elizabeth II.  As an American I am beguiled with the British consuming love affair with their Royal Family.  Having binged watched with addictive adoration "The Crown" I have garnered a sense of history & sensibility for the Brit's devotion to Royalty.  Morgan has created a captivating & beautifully filmed historic drama that centers around the life of Queen Elizabeth II.  The Queen (and the distinctions are denoted) is the focal point from which we view her circuitous ascension to the throne.  Personal dramas swirl around the Royal family, scandals, political rivalries, power plays are all provocative and most intriguing, the vouyeristic lifestyles of the aristocracy and those who serve them.  Claire Foy ("Wolf Hall") gives a sovereign portrayal of the Queen and leads a stately ensemble cast.  John Lithgow as "Churchill" the imposing & power hungry leader is the sole American actor in an otherwise British bunch.  Lithgow holds his own amongst but for his adherence to an American accent that does a disservice to the role.  However, this Netflix glorious feature could only be made richer by having Dame Maggie Smith as a domineering dowager.  Still, I give this enticing series, "The Crown," the highest ranking.

Nederlander Dans Theater Dazzles at City Center with Topical Performances and Top Talent

The Dutch Nederlander Dans Theater was founded in 1959.  It was an experimental an edgy dance theater that has continued to convey innovative contemporary performances.  Highly awarded and regarded internationally, the Nederlander's dancers are comprised of elite dancers & artists throughout the world.  Some dancers are from the US & the Netherlands and others hail from Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil, England, Portugal, Germany, Ireland, Iran, China, Belgium & Taiwan.  Consider the broad amalgamation of artists and note how amazing this collaboration results in a pinnacle of creative artistry.  Nederlander continually alters the landscape of contemporary dance with  electrifying new conventions & excellence.  Two pieces that premiered this year in their repertoire were performed Friday night: "Woke up Blind" choreographed by Marco Goecke (b. Germany) & "The Statement" choreographed by Crystal Pite (b. Canada.)  "The Statement" exuded a demonic aura of fallen angels such as Lucifer.  Beings who are defiant, rebellious; choosing evil over virtue.  The dancers were in all black but an for a mesmerizing female dancer dressed in demonic red velvet pants.  The dance was also interpreted as lovers' rebuff, leaving heartbreak & isolation in its wake.  The dancers agile movements were therianthropic, shapeshifting of humans into sightless bats.  The nimble,  stylistic contortions were exhilarating.  The music seemed to emanate from within the dancers outward.  The complex combinations of movement in "Woke up Blind" were eye-opening and revelatory, reflecting deeply rooted human emotions. Crystal Pite's "The Statement" is dance theater in its most formidable form.  The combustible topical choreography combined text, technique and movement for an omnipotent anti-war presentation that is provocative & thought-provoking.  Four dancers dressed in street close hover over a conference table with a dark tunnel-like structure hovering menacingly overhead.  The four stylishly slithering & pouncing dancers are imbued with individual dialect. Without the dancers speaking, we know instinctively which character is being represented.  The seemingly odious, but benign metaphor for disclaiming responsibility of a business debacle morphs into a tormented finger-pointing for failing to intervene in bloody conflicts. "How did it get to this." "I was just following orders." The dancers moved organically over & under the table emoting despair, vindictiveness and pending doom.  Pite's gripping piece deserves a Nobel Prize. "The Statement" is artistry at its finest & most inspiring.  It's a noteworthy social declaration for peace.

Prof Dennis Hale Talks about His Book "The Jury in America: Triumph and Decline"

The origins of the jury system can be traced back to the 12th C.   Dr Dennis Hale, Prof of Political Science at Boston College spoke at the 92ndY about his new book "The Jury in America:  Triump and Decline."  His fascinating 45 minute talk (with a 15 minute Q&A) was extremely enlightening.  The American jury system is the central element of democracy in our government.   Our right to vote is a vital element also but our singular vote is amongst millions of others.  Being on a jury, imparts a pre-eminent power to impact a ruling pertaining to the laws of our country.  A juror acquires a direct experience to rule.  The individual juror is not omnipotent but a jury brings together a random cross section of the population who must deliberate together towards a verdict.  Prof Hale traced this history of the jury from its inception; an all white property owning sector through its many biased pratfalls and limitations.  Hale touched upon 4 more recent jury trials including the Zimmerman case & the McDonalds' hot coffee fiasco.  Jury reforms in the 19th & 20th Centuries were discussed.  The number of jury trials have been steadily declining.  Plea bargaining is mainly responsible for this trend.  Jury consultants have flourished due to ubiquitous  foreknowledge of monumental events & pre-emptive juror selection.  Prof Hale impressed upon me his view that verdicts which may seem startling, as in Zimmerman's vindication of Trayvon Martin's murder, result because "only facts with evidentiary basis are presented.  Not atmospheric innuendo."  Prof Hale also stressed jurors are schooled & guided in the law & rights by judges & lawyers.  The jury system has progressed since Samuel Chase, an Assoc Justice of the US Supreme Court in the 18th said "The jury has the right to determine the law and the facts." Grocho Marx said "I was married by a judge.  I should have asked for a jury."

Two NYC Icons In Conversation Sarah Jessica Parker and Andy Cohen-Too Irresistible

First, the dish on SJP's ensemble.  The Renaissance woman whose talents are endless, is a fashion icon.   She always assembles an ensemble that is unique & tres chic.  She wore sparkling emerald green slippers, a golden glimmering vest under a long sleeveless vest over black slender slacks. Her style is effervescent as is her personality & intellect.  Andy Cohen exudes warmth, charm & a joie de vivre that is delightfully infectious.  These 2 stars came together last night at the 92ndY.  It was obvious there is a deep bond of friendship & admiration between these 2 dynamos.  SJP had a heart to heart tete a tete in part to promote his new auto-bio "Superficial."  SJP pointed out that this memoir had a more introspective tone.  Andy, agreed saying he wrote the book as a fun read but it was a vulnerable and honest exploration of his seeking "a more full life."  Andy spoke about his love for writing & opening himself up to a "perfect partnership."  He also spoke of the possibly becoming a parent.  The banter between the two was delightful.  SJP did asked Andy what he would say to Trump.  "You're going to  fuck-up the traffic in NYC everyday."  Which is true and on a more sombre note, "You've been dividing us and now you need to take back every hateful thing you've said and bring us together."  As for Pence, "He's the most anti-gay VP ever."  When asked, "Which housewife would you most like to fire?"  Andy pleaded the 5th.

British Playwright Simon Stephen's "Heisenberg" Stars Mary-Louise Parker and Denis Arndt

British playwright Simon Stephen's ("Curious Incident of the Dog…) new 1 act, 2 character play "Heisenberg" swings for the fences but falls short.  Georgie (a garbled mouth Mary-Louise Parker) plants an unwarranted but not unplanned kiss on the neck of a complete stranger, Alex (Denis Arndt.)  Alex is a senior.  He's surprised but nonplussed by the planted smooch.  Georgie's apologetic confessions stir Alex's sympathy.  She tells him she's lonely since the death of her husband.  Alex's tolerance turns to annoyance when she admits to a compilation of lies.  Georgie pursues Alex at his butcher shop much to his surprised chagrin. We're unsure what's driving Georgie's attachment.  However, she manages to convince him to take her out.  Their stilted dinner conversation is steered by Georgie's bumptious banter & inappropriate inquiries.  The stark set consists of 2 tables & chairs rearranged between scenes marked by brief blackouts.  Audience members are seated in bleachers behind the narrow stage.  They appear within reach of the actors.  The title "Heisenberg" may be deduced from the 1932 Nobel Prize winning German theoretical physicist known for his uncertainty principle built on his philosophy of matrix formulations.  The play's aspiring esoteric message is mundane:  wake up & smell the coffee.  Life is precious, meant to be relished and shared.  Alex has kept a diary for 67 years.  Georgie discovers & devours them.  She tells him they're dull & poorly written except for his 1 brief love affair.   However, she manages to convince him to take her out on a date.  Georgie's chance encounter proves highly calculated but the outcome is unexpected & highly improbable.  The formula for "Heisenberg" is faulty.  The high minded theory doesn't deliver positive results.

British Dir Tomas Leach's doc "Lure" is a Real Gem of a Film

London based doc filmmaker, Tomas Leach's 2nd film "Lure" follows several people hooked into uncovering buried treasured in the Northern Rocky Mtn region.  Forest Fenn, a notorious art dealer  & self-promoter, purportedly left a pirate's bounty in gold & precious stones for the taking by anyone clever enough to decipher his cryptic clues (or lucky enough to stumble upon it.)  Leach's 1st doc "Saul Leiter," (2013) a 20th C NYC photographer.  Leach uncovers the artistic jewels captured by Leiter's lens.  Leach's camera captures Leiter artistic genius & allows his humanity to quietly reveal its many   fascinating layers.  "Lure" has the captivating hook of striking it rich by finding gold.  Regardless, it's the intangible profundities & experiences Leach's magically hidden camera captures from a handful of engrossing treasure hunters.  The beauty of the vast landscape is only one of the many rewards to this resplendent looking & entertaining doc.  While Fenn may or may not have planted an actual treasure chest is moot.  Fenn's shameless self-promotion makes him the least appealing character but his vie for an enduring legacy is universally valued.  Those whose journeys  we're priviliged to join include 2 female friends, both formerly with the police force.  The they joy found in nature & their shared experience outdoors was infectious.  The most colorful character is a former city slicker who gave-up material wealth for the ardors of living off the land.  Still, he is obsessed with outsmarting Fen & everyone to be the first to find the loot.  In contrast, is a middle aged woman whose motives remain somewhat ambigious.  But, it's clear the quest & vast landscape are filling a void.  The most poignant portrait is of a middle aged husband & father undergoing chemo.  He is undeterred in his mission.  His teenage son sojourns with his dad for the camaraderie & to ensure his well-being.  The father is completely convinced he'll solve the mystery & reap the treasure.  He asks Leach (off-camera) "Shall I contact you after I find it."  Seek out this jewel of a film.  Its rewards are priceless.

Israeli Author Amos Oz at 92ndY Talks: His New Novel "JUDAS"

Amos Oz (b Jerusalem 1939) is regarded as Israel's most famous author ("My Michael" & "Where the Jackals Howl") has received numerous literary awards and the Legion of Honor (1997.)  He's also been called a traitor.  Mr Oz was at the 92ndY to promote his new book "Judas" a story which resonated  for him personally & profoundly.  The word Judas, Oz explains equates as traitor.  He was consumed with the story of Judas as a young man working on a Kibbutz.  He spent countless hours reading the new testament to learn the story of Jesus & Judas.  Oz said "the story of Judas is the most terrible story - responsible for more blood shed.  It is the Chernobyl of anti-semitism leading to the Holocaust."  Oz vehemently argued several flaws in this "ugly" story that are nonsensical for blaming Judas for Jesus' crucifixion.  Oz said as a young man he was asked by a nun if he was Jewish.  When he answered yes, she asked "why would you kill Jesus, he was such a nice young man."  Oz joked that he told her he was at the dentist that day.  Oz was an interesting & entertaining speaker.  He maintained that prevailing anti-semitism stems from a perpetuated myth from past centuries.  He read in Hebrew a small section of his novel "Judas" which was re-read in English.  Oz explained the structure of his new book. The novel is an ongoing dialogue between the 3 eccentric co-habitants who form a miraculous familial bond.  Oz referred to his notes.  He outlined the story so clearly I understood its dynamics.  Most thought provoking were Oz's comments about what it means to be a traitor.  He enumerated historic traitors including Churchill, Ben Gurion, Sadat & Arafat.  "Being called a traitor can be a badge of honor."  Oz told us that from all his reading of scriptures & the new testament the most important thing was the teaching of the moral obligation of being kind.  "People can change.  I've seen people change.  People do change and they can surprise themselves."

"Arrival" Alien's with Amy Adams as an Intergalactic Linguistics Expert

"Arrival" is a contemporary sci-fi movie direted by Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies" 2011) starring Amy Adams (Dr Louise Banks) and Jeremy Renner (Dr Ian Donnelly.)  It takes a realistic approach to how our world would respond to alien space crafts landing simultaneously in various parts of our world.  In many ways this echoes "Contact" with a realistic examination of the expected co-operation & disconnect between power house nations.  At first, all 12 countries align global communications to share information.  It's not long before China & Russia pull out of the pack threatening aggressive attacks on the gigantic, alien (a not so politically corect term) spacecrafts.  Louise is brought in as a linguistic expert assigned the improbably task of deciphering messages transmitted by the intergalactic space travellers.  The anti-gravity affects, military protocols, mystifying aliens & hieroglyphics are all credible & intriguing.  The celestial sic-fi plot takes a cerebral leap of faith that outshines other E.T. storylines.  "Memory is a strange thing.  We're bound by it with a beginning and an ending."  While working to save humanity, Louise sees dreamlike flashbacks of her daughter Hannah from the joys of infancy & early childhood to her heart wrenching death as teenager.  Hannah's special name is a palindrome; spelled the same forward or backwards.  I interpreted this captivating & beautiful alien invasion movie more as an intelligent paradigm of time travel.   Would you live your life over knowing the future?  I'd go back and see "Arrival" again.

Doc "Disturbing the Peace" Israelis & Palestinians Dedicated to Peaceful Alliances

"Disturbing the Peace" is both a wrenching doc. on the the courageous Palestinians & Israelis committed to establishing a safe, peaceful & reasonable resolution to the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The perpetual warring factions determined to destroy each other have growing numbers within their ranks wanting to end the bloodshed & co-exist peacefully.  These courageous civilians have served in the Israeli army & within the Palestinian militia.  They've found mutual ground in their complicated relationships with one another.  "We both held a common willingness to kill people we don't know."  A former Israeli soldier tells us "Fighting denies the humanity of the other side.  We must think about the suffering & humanity of the other side."  These brave, benevolent individuals, viewed by many as traitors, have formed a movement, called Commandos for Peace (CFD.) CFD are dedicated to breaking down the walls of hatred & violence that have killed, maimed & oppressed masses of people for what feels an enternity.  It's a revolutionary endeavor exemplifying the possibility for change using a strategy of non-violence and open communication.  The doc shows wrenching footage of carnage & destruction inflicted on both sides.  The focus is on several Israelis, formerly in the army & former Palestinian militants who share the epiphany: enough is enough.  Bloodshed only brings more bloodshed.  A Palestinian mother whose son was killed, wept watching footage of Israeli fatalities from a suicide attack.  She tells us "A mother's pain is all the same.  Blood does not come in 2 colors."   One soldier said "There is courage fighting in the army.  There is real courage in civilians who don't stand for everything the government dictates."  Directors Stephen Apkon & Andrew Young's Hebrew/Arabic language documentary is sub-titled in English.  This is an intelligent, affecting & inspiring film that  examines the possibilities of sworn enemies turning swords into plowshares.  The paradigms for peaceful resolutions are deemed not only admirable but possible.

Liz Gerring Dance Co World Premier "(T)here to (T)here" Collaborating with Artist Kay Rosen

Liz Gerring's new, collaborative dance performance "(T)here to (T)here" premiered at the BAC as part of the White Lights Festival last evening.  This dynamic piece was enhanced by the visual text by artist Kay Rosen and score by composer Michael Schumacher.  Schumacher's computer generated composition provided a constant tonal sound that underpinned the forceful impact of the dancers.  The The 5 dancers, including Gherring performing in her piece, are all robust dancers whose athleticism maintained a taut elegance.  The austere staging & language based artwork also enhanced the impact of the abstract fluidity of the dancers' movements.  The piece commenced with an urgency relating to time and its perpetual momentum.  The individual choreography flowed unimpeded.  The physical contact between dancers was minimal but the parrallel connections were echoed resoundedly.  Rosen, whose works have been exhibited at the MoMA, Whitney & internationally, used illuminating text that  defined spatial relationships.  Rosen interwove & played with various words such as divisibility, vertical, horizontal, and there.   The identically sized lettering showed the equation 1 + 1 = 1 1.  The cerebral & potent performance portrayed the independent beauty of an individual with its moments of human interaction.     

Crooked TRUMP Takes $103,000 for Campaign from CEO of Pipeline Project

Correct, Trump, pres-elect collected $103,000 from CEO Kelsy Warren of Energy Transfer Partners (ETP.)  The corrupt company destroying sanctioned Native Amer lands from ND to IL & threatening the safety of the water supply to millions.  Warren has been noticeably absent from the front lines regarding the North Dakota Pipeline project pushed through by ETP.  The Obama administration finally put a halt to the project which is nearly 85% complete.  Warren wants to reassure everyone that this destructive, invasive and toxic project will get pushed through under Trump.  Of course, reassured is not how I view this immoral fiasco that is financially driven.  Warren contends this is an efficient way to transferr oil to save people money. (Just take lands that belong to indigenous Native Americans & tear them up.)  "We will get the easement and we will complete our project," boasts the CEO charlatan.  Mark Albert of CBS News asked Warren if has spoken about the pipeline with Mr. Trump.  His insidious response, "I've never met the man."  In other words Warren dodged the question.  And, he donated $103,000 to Trump's election.  To quote Warren directly, "They {protestors} will not stop the project. That's naive.  They're not stopping us."  Coming from press elect last month "We're going to allow the Keystone Pipeline and so many other changes to to move forward."  Trump has not disavowed his statement.  You can bet he's going to allow it.  What a disgraceful, dangerous hypocrite Trump has already proved himself.  He's called Hilary crooked while taking money from big business to insure their noxious self-interests and his own.

"Les Liaisons Dangereuses" with Liev Schrieber & Janet McTeer

Finding entertainment in a play about cruel manipulations of people's emotions was futile.  The world is a cruel and dangerous place.  Art has the power to enable us to escape from ourselves and to discover ourselves.  Today, my mind found the tedium of sexual dalliances & debauchery as a game unamusing.   The staging was stunning with the candle chandeliers.  Schrieber & McTeer were exceptional in their roles.  But, I didn't have the wherewithal to care at all.  Perhaps, my dismal reception for what was meant to scintillate was never given a fair opportunity to flicker.  Still, I felt fidgety throughout and found the production without substantive merit.

British Playwright Mike Bartlett's' "Love, Love, Love" Biting Satire of Baby Boomer's Self-Indulgence

British playwright, Mike Bartlett (b 1980) is a brilliant, prolific playwright, "King Charles III" 2015.  He's an interesting playwright with a broad spectrum of subject matter that incorporates clever contrivances to his staging.  "Love, Love, Love" is a lighter farce focusing on a swinging 60''s couple. Both are narcisstis who spout freedom, free love and adventure without concerns for the consequences of their all consuming self-indulgences.  Sandra meets Kenneth in a London flat while on a date with his his older, working class brother.  Kenneth has been freeloading & annoying his older brother Andrew who wants him to leave.  Sandra manages to manipulate Andrew out of his apt. & shamelessly seduces Kenneth.  Both are more suited being cut from the same solipsistic mold.  "Love, Love, Love" is in a triptych format.  It deals with generational divides, sibling rivalry & cavalier concern for others.  The 2nd act is set in an affluent home in 1990.  Kenneth & Sandra are married & parents to two teens.  Time has moved forward but the couple remain annoying, manipulative & self-centered.  Their children become pawns & collateral damage from lack of parental love & support.  The tour de force meltdown by 16 yr old daughter Rose when frustrations boil over is exasperating & exhilarating.  The 3rd act set in 2012 is a cumulnation of the wake of destruction caused by the couple's climbing the ladder of success while simultaenously breaking it.  The son is not a fully functioning member of society.  The distraught, 37 yr old Rose fails miserably to convey to her parents how empty & alone she feels.   This engrossing satire may seem shallow.  But, stop in the name of love to consider the cost of a self-obsessed generation that has razed our planet and empowered a hate monger to flourish.  What the world needs now is love, sweet love.

"Loving" Illegal Interracial Marriage Ruled Legitimate by the Supreme Court

"Loving" is a graceful film based on the odious arrest & conviction in 1958 of an interracial couple in VA for marrying & cohabitating.  As put by the arresting officer to Richard Loving (Australian actor Joel Edgerton "You know better. That don't fly here. God is law. A sparrow is a sparrow and a robin is a robin.  They different for a reason."  The hateful ruling stated their "marriage went againt the peace & dignity of the commonwealth."  This hateful rhetoric festered from slaver.  It was deplorable but enforceable under the laws of VA & several other souther states.  Mildred Loving (Ethiopian-Irish actress, Ruth Negga) was pregnant with their 1st child when officers barged into their bedroom and arrested the couple.  Loving was released on bail the following morning but Mildren was detained for several days in prison.  Her husband was not allowed to post bail for his wife.  The movie begins disarmingly, Mildred tells Richard she's pregnant and his quiet delight.  There's no frivolous disclaimer  "…being based on a true story."  The landmark civil rights case was ruled by the US Supreme Court in 1978 that marriage is an inherent right guaranteed by the Constitution.  It's only been since 2016 that the Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal.  "Loving" is an intelligent, unhurried profile of a courageous couple who risked their safety, the safety of their family & lengthy incarceration to rectify an egregious ruling in the courts and racist mentalities.  The heart rendering acting by both Negga & Edgerton is stirring.  The wheels of justice turn slowly.   "Loving"tells the history of unsung heroes of humanity and social justice with eloquence & dignity.   This historic civil rights film warrants viewing.    

"Ultimate Beauty Bible" at New Ohio Theater-The Ugly Underbelly in the Big City

The world premiere of Page 73's "Ultimate Beauty Bible" is a black comedy of a couple of NYC gals who are self-proclaimed gurus of glamour.   Three women are at the helm of a fiendish friendship.  They have all mounted the masthead of the fashion mag. "Crimp;" an amalgamation of" Cosmo" & "Vogue." Since joining together as interns, Danielle (an exceptional Eboni Booth,) Lee & Tiffany, the trio have triumphed into senior editorial positions which provides them plenty of swag & misconceived notions of self-esteem.  Danielle & Lee are roommates.  Tiffany lives alone, somewhere downtown.  The 3 buccaneer, besties work hard by day at their glam jobs & are on the prowl most nights hunting for booty.  Daneille, the seeminlyg more sensible & self-assured of the 3 says she'd "just like to meet a nice cute guy."  Ergo, Kit, short for Kristopher (or nitwit) saunters by & is waylaid by "Tif" who orchestrates his hook-up with Danielle.  Kit & Danielle's dalliance at her aptmt is waylaid by Lee when she stumbles home late to find him in their living room.  Danielle has only recently been diagnosed with cancer & is beginning her treatment process.  Although she shares her diagnosis with her friends & Kit, she receives the most comfort & empathy from Seth, her insurance phone contact who givers her his direct extension.  Mixed in with this glossy group of characters is Autumn, a lowly intern at "Crimp."  Autumn sprays bizarre biographical soliquies.  Yet, her perceptive observations surgically dissects all that is noxious in her vertiginous surroundings.  The one act, two hour plays runs on, managing to get on your nerves but also under skin.  The talented ensemble cast & clever staging suture some of the play's flaws.  Kit texts his breakup to Danielle while he & Lee sneak into an affair.  Kit says to Lee, "I told you I love you. I didn't say I like you."  I didn't love this appealing production.  I will say I liked it.  

Doc "The Eagle Huntress" Soars as an Inspiring Biopic of A Mangolian Teen

The majestic documentary of a 13 yr old Mangolian girl, Aisholpan, is both inspiring & groundbreaking. Director Otto Bell's light touch gives us an unobtrusive view of a remarkable young woman, Aisholplan and & her family.  The film is a stunningingly beautiful look at their nomadic lives in the mountainous Mongolia outskirts.  Aisholpan is the 1st female ever trained as an eagle hunter. It's a courageous & highly skilled undertaking which up until now had been delegated to men. This arduous, dangerous & noble task has been handed down from father to son, from generation to generation.  However, in this remote region of the world, change in attitudes and opportunities for women are expanding.  I formed a fondness for this soft hearted girl with a strong will; willing & able to do whatever it takes to succeed.  She is helped in her quest by her loving father, her biggest ally & mentor.  Their bond is endearing & unbreakable.  He's admirable & heroic as her proponent.  There are many skeptics among the older men opposed to women becoming eagle hunters.  Those opposed have strong dictates for roles assigned to men & women.  Nonetheless, she is permitted to perform in the highly esteemed eagle hunting competition.  It's no buzzard kill knowing she wins.  Full eagle hunter status is only bestowed after capturing prey.  Despite being a longtime animal advocate, I applauded Aisholpan successful hunt.  The respect & teamwork between Aisholpan and her animals is incredible. Every frame of this gorgeous film grants a look into the fascinating, harsh & happy lifestyles in this remote region.  Bell's enthralling doc. presents the exciting process of capturing an eaglet & the necessary training.  A sense of tradition & a respect for nature is felt throughout.  "The Eagle Huntress" shows the rigorous demands upon Aisholpan and her family.  It also presents the pride, thrill, love and respect Aisholpan experienced & inspired in others.    

Ava DuVernay's Doc "13th"-Emancipation Bent into Incarceration & Injustice

Ava DuVernay's disturbing documentary "13th" is meant to make us uncomfortable, as well we should be.  The "13th" Amendment; the emancipation decree is legal semantics for the transformation of slavery into Jim Crow laws into mass incarceration of black men.  Footage of lynchings, violence against peaceful civil rights protestors and black men being arrested & imprisoned are horrific.  However, as a society, we promulgate unfair & inhumane sentencing practices.  Senator Booker and legal activist Bryan Stevenson are eloquent yet alarming voices of reason explaining how systemic racism in our country has evolved from the plantation to incarceration. The Reagans', Clintons', Bushes' misguided war on drugs became legal loophole for locking up black men in alarming numbers & with egregious sentences.   In other words, "slavery" is not legal but the incentive and intention of imprisoning of a disproportionate population of black men has become big business with financial & racial driven motives.  Everyone must see this intelligent and piercing documentary.  Hopefully, its  intent will provoke a public's outcry for humane changes in our country's legal system.  The inhumanity of slavery has in theory been abolished.  In reality, we have become a heinous nation of mass incarceration.  DuVernay's documentary is required viewing, especially now that the KKK has endorsed a presidential candidate who doesn't disavow their support.  DuVernay is a powerful filmmaker who allows the interviewees their say.  DuVernay makes it apparent the troubling truths of the clandestine cover-up of today's Jim Crow rulings.  

THE ENCOUNTER-An Immersive Diversion into Sensory Overload

British dir/playwright Simon McBurney's one act one actor iteractive theatrical experience is not an original inception.  The production relies on sensory overload and an overly ambitious concept.  Disney was an earlier innovator of immersive technology in their "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" theme park film.  Each seat was wired for individual, visceral responses.  "The Encounter" provides headsets for each "guest" with instructions to ensure they're operational for everyone's inward audio & visual interactions.  At times, this proves very clever & eerily effective.  Nonetheless, Disney will inform you it all comes down to storytelling.  The play is at its most charming when its lone performer, Richard Katz, is cajoling & bribing his 2 yr old daughter to go to bed.  She finagles a treat and a bedtime story.  She wields the upper hand while mom is away at a Buddhist retreat  Katz sets the audience up with an instructive, introductory pre-performance.  The driving, true story is the quest of Nat'l Geographic photographer, Loren McIntyre.  McIntyre journeys into the deep recesses of the Amazon.  His mission is to prove the existence of the Mayoruna Tribe whom he claimed rescued him from a near fatal attack by the "Cat" Tribe."  This intriguing story gets lost in translation.  Simon McBurney conceived and directed this tech savvy theatrical immersion.  He beats the audience into madness by fusing everything in an overkill.  There are environmental messages & philosophical queries of merit.  And, there is much to recommend in the creative aural & visual encounter.  However, the blending rendered a madness of mixed messaging that was dense in special effects and obtuse in substance  Although, this may be the show to encounter after drinking the kool-aid.

Tap Dancer Kazunori Kumagai "Speak with Your Feet" & Guests Left Me Speechless

Kazunor Kumagai (b Japan 1977) put on a tap dancing performance with guests artists at the 92ndY.  Kumagai began tap at the age of 15.  He moved to NY at 19 & trained with Ted Levy, Buster Brown, Jimmy  Slyde & Gregory Hines. He was dubbed by the Village Voice as the "Japanese Gregory Hines."  Kumagai talent is definitely on tap with Hines but he brings his own incredible virtuosity and timing.  Perhaps his hat was an homage to his mentor.  Kumagai demonstrated a fast paced debonair flair.  His tight timing and precision was phenomenal.  I liked the duet he did with 24 year old Gabe Winns.  The two had their own distinct rhythms that paired together effortlessly.  Their dancing was phenomenal.  Winns showed a freer style which complimented nicely Kumagai's meticulous footwork.  Kumagai entered & exited their duet with skill & grace allowing Winns his sensational solo.  The dancing was accompanied by Brooklyn born Sabrina Clery on vocals; an amazing jazz singer.  Clery also did a profound reading of Maya Angelous poem "Touched by an Angel" to this heavenly  performance.  On guitar was Masa Shimizu also born in Japan.  And, Alex Blake( b Panama 1951)  played heartily on bass.  Unfortunately his enthusiastic playing caused him to fall off his seat but Kumagai didn't miss a beat.  The diptych wood platforms did not constrict the dancers.  They moved sleekly from platform to floor.  The platform's sides also served as a sounding board for their tapping.  "Speak with Your Feet" was so remarkable, overflowing with amazing artistry.  I was in awe of the artists & left speechless.  The sold out crowd gave a resounding standing ovation.

NYPhil Performs Bartok, Dvorak & Bruch's Violin Concerto #1; Violinist Frank Huang

The program for the New York Philharmonic, led by conductor Pablo Heras-Casada, was Bartok's Dance Suite, Dvorak's Symph #7 and Bruch's Violin Concerto #1 with violinist Frank Huang.  An interesting overlapping of composers all living between (1881-1904) in the Eastern Bloc vicinities.  Max Bruch's beautifully performed concerto belies the misfortune of its composer.  Bruch possessed musical genius a poor brain for business.  Having chosen to sell his composition to a publisher for a fixed price and no provisions for future royalties, Bruch did not reap the financial rewards for his magnificient composition.  At the end of WWI, Bruch was in need of funding and thought to raise money by giving the manuscript of his work to two unscrupulous American sisters to sell on his behalf in the states.  The sinister Sutro sisters were duplicit in their dealings and Bruch never received any payment for his manuscript.  Bruch (b Germany 1838-1920) also had the misfortune of being overshadowed by his contemporary Brahms.  When listening to Bruch's alluring Violin Concerto it is bittersweet to concede he didn't benefit from his delightful music.

"Vietgone" A Comedic Drop-in on the Viet Nam Conflict at MTC

A comedy about the Viet Nam War sounds unseemly.  "Vietgone" does away with political correctness and its wry, fast paced humor will annihilate your defenses should you surrender to this prickly & poignant play.  The cleverly staged production at Manhattan Theater Club is set in 1975.   The drama begins with the pandemonium of the last evacuation & fall of Saigon.   The play is bookend by the playwright (played with earnest humor by Paco Tolson.) The playwright starts with a comedic disclaimer to any characters portrayed as factual and any similarities, coincidental.   The ending is a touching interview between the playwright and his father, Quang (an excellent Raymond Lee) The son is asking his father for his account of the Viet Nam War.  The father's witticism turns into a fury that pulls together the play's solmen intent.  American/Viet Namese playwright, Qui Nguyen was born in AZ to parents who met in a refugee camp after being airlifted out of Viet Nam.  Tolson tells us "This is not a war story.  This is a love story."  In truth, it's an amalgamation of both with added heart, humor, satire and rap.  This unlikely, likeable play is set within the time warp of the 70's.  It's astute construct brandishes between Viet Nam, the confines of a refugee camp and the open roads between AZ & CA.  Viet Namese buddies Quang & Nhan form a pair of "Easy Rider"parodies; just one of the many eccentric, serious & silly scenarios.  Quang's love interest in the camp is Tong, a self-proclaimed bitch (played winningly by Jennifer Ikeda.)  Tong escapes the Viet Cong along with her overbearing mother (Samantha Quan) played intentionally over the top for laughs.  This politically incorrect play gets so many things right.  It gives us plenty to ponder regarding refugees, wars' brutalities, family & love in its many free forms.  All kidding aside, this funny & thoughtful play played for laughs, looms as an insightful perspective on the Viet Nam era; errors made and wisdom gained.  

Kerry James Marshall Retrospective "Mastry" at Met Bruer-Blew Me Away

Kerry James Marshall (KJM) is a black, American painter whose retrospective "Mastry" recently opened at the Met Breuer.  Did I need to point out the masterful painter is black?  No, but KJM, a classically trained painter, makes the black American experience a major point of his storytelling.  All KJM's figures are black.  Marshall doesn't mince metaphors.   The intent to solely paint black figures is to fill the void in art history. "If I didn't do it, how else were they going to be seen?…I had to do it."  I have to admit, I have never seen an exhibit to this extent or caliber that exmplefies black figures in history & daily living.  It's been too long over due.   KJM's skill & artistry knocked me out and blew me away.   There's a plethora of inferences be drawn from his complex compositions & storytelling.  KJM steers figurative paintings towards the forefront in a epoch veered towards contemporary abstraction.  The contents of his paintings contain social & historical commentary as well as literary & artistic references.  To encapsulate everything that resonated for me is futile.  I'll call attention to several large scale outdoor paintings on the upper floor:  "Past Times" and "Better Homes and Gardens."  There's  much to absorb & digest within each of his paintings.  In "Past Times" there is a sardonic messaging of exclusion from these elite, leisurely activities such as golf (the figure is facing away) and croquette (a young girl dressed all in white blatantly starring at the viewer in defiance.)  The painting's irony  compares & contrast with Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon…"   "Better Homes and Gardens" unfurls urban decay & disintegration.  Graffitti and paint blotches appear as rubbish overtaking the landscape.  There are numerous ties to literary giants.  In Ellison's "Invisible Man," the black painting makes the figure all but disappear into the background except for his eyes which glow & appear to follow you.  In many of the works, the eyes portray the same powerful stare as in Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."  The eyes honed in on me from all angles.  The two portraits "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein," alluding to Shelly's novel were transfixing.  They confront the responsiblity of having created the monstrosity of slavery.  Now, how do we as a nation respond to what we've reared?  This masterful exhibition of KJM's works resonated profoundly with me.  I felt the echo of Shelly's words in the majority of his work:  "Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful."  "If I cannot inspire love,  I will cause fear."

Tragic Reality TV Shocker "Christine (2016)" Stars Tracy Letts as the Station Mgr

For those who have come of age watching reality TV, unbeknownst to life before cellphones & modern technology, the tragic on air suicide of Christine Chubbuck in 1974 may not resonate with you. Yes, this is disturbing, but not likely shocking.  And those who remember the 70's without hi-tech all around us, the world felt awfully big & at times very lonely.  "Christine" is a film that captures the 70's antiquated ways & Watergate days.  Christine Chubbuck (an effectively volatile Rebecca Hall "The Gift") is a mentally unstable TV reporter at a small Saratoga station.  The film depicts her unraveling in the weeks before she shot herself on live TV.  Tracy Letts (actor & Pulitz Prize winning playwright "O'Sage County") plays the local station mgr Michael.  Michael & local news anchor, George (Michael Hall "Dexter") are both patient, perplexed and vexed at Christine's rants & inappropriate behavior.  No one, except for Christine's mother, fully comprehended her manic descent.  Yes, Christine is demanding & delusional, but no one at the network would have predicted her desperation leading to a publicized suicide.  Monday morning quarterbacking revealed things going off the rails.  The ensemble cast is first rate.  The movie's 70's soundtrack is sharply intune with what is happening.  The Watergate scandal mirrors Christine's deception & cover-up.  Nixon was the 1st Pres to resign and Christine's suicide the 1st ever televised.  Yes, these were all major news stories at the time, but now seem footnotes in history & a harbinger for the obsession of reality TV & life on the internet.   The film is a disturbing examination into mental illness.  You can never tell, but I don't think this well intentioned film is going to make it.

S Korean Film "The Handmaiden" Adapted from "Fingersmith"

A story is all about the journey.  And, you can't kid a kidder.  This sumptuous film is directed by award winning  S Korean  Park Chan-wook (b 1963.)  Chan-wook also wrote the screenplay adapted from Welsch writer Sarah Waters' (b 1966) novel "Fingersmith."  I'd describe this lovely to look at but discomforting film as sensual, erotic, brutal, mysterious, unexpected & exceptional.  Except, this is not made for the faint of heart or a prudish public.  The handsome and talented leads are all S Korean actors of immense talent.  The story is told as an overlying triptych meant to trick you.  You may think you know what plot twists will exist. Don't be so sure.  Lying to a liar extraordinare is never a fait accompli.  The Japanese/Korean language film with English subtitles swops tongues continuously.  The tale is in part Dickens' "Oliver Twist," part Bronte's "Jane Eyre" and has steamy scenes as seen in the French film "Blue is the Warmest Color." "Shades of Gray" is a pale comparison.  Mainly, the movie carves out its own class.  Sookie (Kim Tae-ri) is an artful dodger; an orphaned pickpocket under the tutelage of conniving conman, "Count" (Ha Jung-woo.)  The Count schemes in collusion with Sookie to snare the wealthy heiress, Lady Hideko (a scintillating Kim Min-hee) into marriage out from under her cruel & depraved uncle.  The old man has his own mendacious plans to wed his niece.  This is the least of his more devious distractions.  Lady Hideko has had a life of privilege albeit imprisoned in the majestic manor.  Once Sookie is entrenched as handmaiden to the Lady the movie becomes a sensual & surprising game of cat & mouse & cad culled in a manipulative, menage a trois.   "The Handmaiden" could stand alone on its voluptuous visions.  There's an aesthetic abundance to become enraptured with in the film.  I recommend this disquieting film,"The Handmaiden." It elicits a rich, tactile response that grabs you.  

THE HARVEST by Samuel Hunter at LCT3 Reams Religious Fervor

Playwright Samuel Hunter (b Idaho 1981) received the Drama Desk for "The Whale" ('13.)  His award winning plays delve into religious fervor with an unfavorable light.  His characters tend to be manipulative religious fanatics or vulnerable individuals seeking solace.  "The Harvest" is a laborious one act with some clever writing and several intriguing characters.  However, this loquacious play drives its biting commentary on religion through the head like a rusty nail.  Aida (the exceptional Zoe Winters "Red Speedo") is the driving, divine force for a group of maleable young people seeking to do good proselytizing Christianity to the world.  Aida assures her followers they're making a real difference in the world by spreading "the superior Christian faith." The play begins & ends with a feverish prayer session complete with convulsions & incoherent tongues.  In between, there's an intense reunion between Josh & his older sister Michaela.  Michaela, a former meth addict, didn't return home for the recent burial of their alcoholic father.  She's driven back 12 hours straight after Josh sent her a terse email.  She is on a mission to save him from throwing his life away in a war torn Arabic country converting Muslims to Christianity.  The play is set in the basement of a church.  The allegory of descending downward into darkness is apparent along with the total blackouts between multiple scenes.  There are other subplots:  a married couple with a controlling & cowardly husband and the sexual tension between Josh & Tom.  Tom is the tormented son of the church's patriarch.  Just before heading to the airport, Aida hands out childish, paper awards to the group.  "The Harvest" gleams secular views while scorning religious zealots.  Sadly, the seeds of satire lose zeal by the end of this belabored play.