NYC Conservancy Good Buy for the Summer; Free Tulips - MTA Poetry Summertime Good-bye

The New York Conservatory Garden on 104th and 5th Avenue is a beautiful oasis inside NYC's Central Park.  It's free to the public.  The Conservatory Garden (CG) is the only formal garden within Central Park and can be entered through a French wrought iron gate dating back to 1894.  The CG is divided into three distinct garden styles:  Italian, French & English.  The CG is always a work in progress as plants, flowers and grounds are constantly evolving and being worked on by volunteers.  Today the French garden was barren of its colorful array of spring tulips and new foliage was being layed out for planting.   My friend inquired if the tulips were taken out and what they did with the bulbs.  The friendly staff answered "Yes, and there are  containers of the bulbs that were just removed & plastic bags in front of the center fountain for anyone who wished to take them."  There was even a sign in chalk in front of the bins, FREE TULIP BUDS.  The Conservancy leads guided tours through the gardens every Saturday.  The charge for the 90 minute tour is $15 for adults.  But, the last Saturday of the month is free.  You do need to register online.  Another great free find is the MTA Poetry in Motion Posters on the subway.  I caught a glimpse of a new poem entitled Summertime.  I hope to run across the poem before I leave NYC for the summer.  Every summer has its stories.   "People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy."  (Anton Chekov)  Summertime is an endless possibility of the best of what might be.  

STAGE LIFE by Martin Tackel Strives to Tackle Life Behind the Curtain at the Lion Theater

STAGE LIFE is an ambitious and intelligent gambit for gaining a glimpse into the lives of playwright, actors, producers, directors, etc., whose roles in the theater are masked behind their productions.  While often insightfully razor-sharp to the angsts and misgivings that congeal into a theatrical performance, it was oftentimes clotted by its own cleverness.  As Oscar Wilde said, "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single of what I'm saying."  Wilde was one of many famous playwrights whose witticism were often quoted.  Some of the other great playwrights quoted were Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Willliams and William Shakespeare.  The play contended live theater is the consummate art form with wizened wit.  Thorton Wilder expressed it best "I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms.  The most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."  The One Act 90 minute play packed a lot of punch in what felt like a sparring match with multiple rounds.  Some of the jabs connected with more impact than others. The acting classed led by Sanford Meisner (Broadway veteran Stuart Zagnit) was an entertaining insight into what transpires and what's required of an actor.  Meisner's method shared Konstantin Stanislavsky's goal for the actor see the world through the eyes of the character they're portraying.  The 6 actors in their time played many parts.  "In the Throes" adapted from a story by Dorothy Parker about writer's block missed the mark.  "The Critics" landed a resounding whack parodying the pompousness of critics.  "Memorial to a Bad Man" was an exercise in melodrama for which Stanislavsky was heard shouting from his grave "I don't believe you!"  STAGE LIFE was a broad stretch into the vast canvas of a thespian society; a magnified microcosm of life.  I choose to praise the outweighed fragmented scenes that succeed rather than knock the play with its flaws.  Martin Tackel's creative adaption was clipped paced & entertaining.   Tennessee William's writing was pushed by the negative. "The apparent failure of a play sends me back to my typewriter that night before the reviews."  This pompous critic left feeling contrite and humbled by the workings of STAGE LIFE.

MoMA: Bodys Isek Kingelez's (b. Congo 1908) CITY DREAMS - Seems a Mini Me to NYC

Bodys Isek Kingelez's imaginative and detailed futuristic architectural structures comprise the first ever solo show of a Black African Artist.  Kingelez (b Belgian Congo 1948-2015)  was an autodidactic artist.   Now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country was under colonial rule from the late 19th C and under Belgian rule from 1908-1960.  Working in then-Zaire (Central Cong 1971-1997) Kingelez didn't leave the country until 1989.  Kingelez architectural sculptures "extreme maquettes" appear to represent a colorful, sci-fi society.  The unique and detailed sculptures represent a kaleidoscope of bright colors & unique shapes that overall appear as a magical, theatrical amusement park of the future.   I didn't get a sense of a utopian society but rather a disinfectant surreal paradigm that felt cold & uninhabitable.  There are no signs of life or vegetation.  Still, I enjoyed the splendor of his creative shapes and utilization of mundane materials and vibrant metalic substances.  The miniaturized panoply of architectural buildings are amusing and constructed with technical artistry.  This is exhibit is worth making a detour to see but doesn't drive a destined visit.  Perhaps, the appeal will be greater on Lilliputians, children or doll house devotees.  Note the names & locations on the buildings are handwritten by Kingelez.  Once outside the MoMA I was struck by parallels between Kingelez's seemingly fantasy architecture echoed in the ever changing & growing surrounding metropolis area.

Tom Stoppard's "Travesties" on Broadway is Dada Yaddah Erudite Nonesense

Tom Stoppard has consistently proven to be the real thing as one of the leading contemporary playwrights having won 4 Tony Awards.  Stoppard was knighted in 1997 and in 2000 awarded the Order of Merit by Her Majesty the Queen.  Stop me now before I go off on Tom's verbose banter that has become his hallmark.  "Travesties" is a loquacious & surreal homage to literary & poetic legacies.  "Travesties" first opened in 1974.  It's a pastiche of Joyce's powerful prose pitted against the lunacies & desecration of war.  The play is set just prior to WWI in England and told in flashback by Henry Carr (Tom Hollander) who was acquainted with literary legends James Joyce, Tristan Tzara & Russian Revolutionist Leader Lenin.  The overlapping of historic figures is meant as verbal barrage on revolutionary impact; art vs. war throughout history.  The crossfire is blisteringly bizarre and oftentimes incomprehensible.  Other artist thrown into the fray include Beethoven and Wilde.  This is a madcap pretentious & repetitious play in which to say art is what survives an epoch.  Joyce's epic poem Ulysses is repetitiously revered.  Stoppard's dadaist play succeeds in creating a dadaist play that is deliberately irrational and artistic anarchy.    

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - You Don't Have to be a Potter Fan to Have Fun

I'm one of the few who knew little of the ongoing Harry Potter phenomenon.  Still, I reveled in the splendid British transplant of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" which received numerous accolades and Olivier's on the London stage.  I was fortunate to attend with a friend, an obsessed Potter fan.  She provided a sufficient synopsis to bring me in sync with the Harry Potter sagas.  Needless, entering the newly renovated Lyric Theater is an immersive magical experience.  Many audience members of all ages were adorned in character costumes that sparked an enchanting ambience.  The tall Gothic ceiling and Phoenix motif are elegant & bewitching.  The astonishing marquee outside has an immense wing morphing from the billboard.  It feels as if it may take flight.  The play (shown in 2 parts) is an exhilarating escape into a fantasy tale of time travel filled with friendship, family, courage & magic.  The ensemble cast was exceptional.  The convincing special effects were haunting & surreal; the staging smart & affective.  I was transported to a make believe world that came alive.  I felt a kinship to the characters and transfixed immersed into this supernatural universe.  "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is an inspiration & celebration of one's imagination.

British Film BEAST by Writer/Dir Michael Pearce is a Suspenseful Tense Psychological Thriller

BEAST is a film that is grabs you with its intriguing & eviscerating claws.  British dir/writer Michael Pearce has assembled a haunting cast. The heroine Moll (Jessie Buckley) has you wondering whether she is victimized or traumatized.  Moll lives at home with her domineering mother Hilary (Geraldine James) to help care for her father with Alzheimers.  Moll sings in the church choir which Hilary leads.  Hilary praises the choir but calls out Moll "I need more from you."  Hilary demands a lot from Moll.  She appears coldhearted & cruel towards Moll while adoring of her beautiful married sister.   Moll's mother orchestrates a 27th birthday party in which Moll feels demeaned & dismissive.  She leaves her own party & heads to a local club for a night of drinking & dancing.  In the early morning hours outside the club Moll is rescued from the aggressive unwanted advances of the man she had partied with by a handsome stranger armed with a rifle.  Moll follows her rescuer, Pascal (Johnny Flynn) to his car.  Moll uncovers a bucket of poached hares which sheds a harrowing metaphor.  Pascal takes her home after passing through a police road block.  At home her mother is standing guard & grills her for having left and stayed out all night.  When Pascal returns the next day Moll invites him for dinner overriding Hilary's disdain.  Hilary's disapproval doesn't deter Moll from falling insanely in love with an irreverent & magnetic Pascal.  She sheds the shackles of her mother's watch and moves in with him.  Layers of Moll's complexities are slowly revealed.  Several young women have been found murdered in the area.  When Pascal becomes a prime suspect Moll is questioned and provides a false alibi for her lover.  Suspense, suspicion & ambiguity concealed the film with a demented & unbalanced sense of evil.  The irrational behaviors of Moll & Pascal draw them together into a fierce & twisted relationship.  The sumptuously shot film is drenched in ominous psychological mystique that sustains our attention.  The final outcome may not prove satisfying but the grizzly ending provides plenty of food for thought.

Juilliard Dance Senior Graduation Concert 2018

The Juilliard Dance Concert performed by the graduating class of 2018 was spectacular.   The Juilliard Dance Department trains their students to be amongst the highest caliber of contemporary dancers with a rigorous program in classical ballet & modern dance.  Illustrious alumni dancers & choreographers include among others Robert Battle Pina Bausch, Paul Taylor and Lar Lubovitch.  This year's program provided solo performances for the dancers from works by leading choreographers including William Forsythe, Cristal Pine, Wayne McGregor, Kyle Abraham and Gustavo Sansano.   Every dancer demonstrated remarkable skills, musicality and artistry.  The bodily movements were intuned with expressive accentuations and lyrical fluidity.  The dancers eloquently demonstrated a wide range of meaningful assertions through every modality and gesture.  I will call out 3 works that I found to be extraordinary.  Hannah Park performed a premiere work "Borne" by Alice Klock that was ephemeral.  Ms Park floated above & within the music composed by Nils Frahm.  Alysia Johnson dressed in a gold lyrex body suit was bedazzling in "Show Pony" by Kyle Abraham.  Her every movement flowed majestically.  And, Taylor LaBrzzo premiered Peter Chu's "Fitting Out" which was electrifying from the first moments.  Seated on stage she rapidly removed a barrage of unending transparent masks and then proceeded to form the pieces into an arranged structure.  Her movements were lithe, surprising and intriguing.  My congratulations to an exceptional group of students who have had the opportunity to study with first-class teachers and top professional choreographers.  I was awed by the aptitude, understanding & unique interpretations by all the students.   Congratulations to the commendable class of 2018.

Melissa McCarthy in "Life of the Party" Gets a Failing Grade in a Mom Goes Back to College Movie

Deanna (the irrepressible comedic actress Melissa McCarthy) plays a mother dropping her daughter Helen, (35 year old Gillian Jacobs) off for her senior year at college.  Just moments later her husband drops a bombshell she didn't see coming, he's dropping her for another woman (Julie Bowen).  This movie is an abomination.  It's a sickening mixed concoction of "An Unmarried Woman" "Mean Girls" "Old School" and "Cougar".  It's more than enough to make you puke.  Helen is now determined to pursue her college degree which she dropped when she became pregnant with her daughter.  Only now, she's matriculated to college at the same university as her daughter.  Remember the college boyfriend you wished you could have a do over?  Don't go see this film.  This will be time you'll regret and can never get back.  Helen (and all her sorority sisters who are too old for their roles) are a ragtag mix of misfits.  They are won over by Deanna's old college try and perkiness.  Helen gives her mom a make over do over and brings her along to a frat party.  The cougar relationship between Deanna and handsome student Jack made me want to hack.  Having sex in the stacks?  Really?  This movie is worse than waking to remember you have a paper due that you didn't do.  Maya Rudolph as Deanna's best friend added some humor.  This worked because they're on the same page.  Signing McCarthy up in this film is an embarrassingly pathetic walk of shame.

The Revival of Mark Medoff's "Children of a Lesser God" Is Less than It Could be

The revival of Mark Medoff's Tony winner for best play (1980) feels amiss despite the two outstanding leads.  James (Joshua Jackson) does the heavy lifting signing & speaking for both himself and Sarah (Lauren Ridloff in a heartfelt Broadway debut).  Too much weight is shouldered by the two which burdens the storytelling.  James is the new speech teacher at the school for the deaf where he meets Sarah, a former student who stayed on as a border & housekeeper.  James is assigned to work with Sarah to get her to speak.   Sarah is not a willing pupil and makes her refusal to speak known, "I don't do things that I can't do well."  The fractious teacher/pupil relationship turns into a love match.  But their love is fraught with friction.  There is mounting frustration felt by both.  The shortcomings with the play stem from a riddled script, flimsy sets and flawed audio.  Too much of the dialogue gets lost in translation.  However, the prescient messaging of the play resounds clearly.  The multi-racial cast echoes the struggle to feel empathy versus pity and proffering help without browbeating.  Grammy & Tony winning composer Brandford Marsalis' score underlines the disability of deafness to fully appreciate the gifts of music.  The play signals a reckoning for failing to inhabit & embrace one another's worlds.  And, undermining and under valuing people for themselves is sinful.

THE MET "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination - Crucifixion Depictions Inspire Beauty

The MET's new Fashion Institute's Show is a glorious gathering of Catholic papal robes and religious adornments poised in a wondrous contemplative dialogue with design & fashion.  The Papal robes are crafted with remarkably intricate and exquisite artistry that the depiction of religious figures and biblical events can be appreciated apart from religious convictions for their breathtaking and awe inspiring depiction of beauty.   Many of these creations from the Vatican & Sistine Chapel have never been made accessible to the public until now.  This is reason enough to be curious to view these rare & spiritually anointed religious vestiges:  chalices, headpieces, shoes, gloves and cloaks.  The items are showcased to gain intimate access to the fine artisan details and heavily designs.  The bejeweled robes, head pieces and cloaks are hypnotic in their majesty.  Together these religious elements evoke a hierachy of submission and a surprising secular sense of serenity.   The liturgical music anchors the exhibit in an ambience of sanctity.   The fabulous fashion exhibit on the main floor is inspired & resplendent with reference to the Catholic religious garments & symbols derived from the 1800s Catholic Church.  The saucy, stunning & elegant fashions show a creative homage that takes design to a revered & fanciful homage.  The iconic designer names include Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, McQueen, Dior and more.  The references to outfits worn by nuns, priests and the Virgin Mary are funky, stylish, irreverent and resplendent.   The clever & delightful designs may be deemed as metaphoric tributes to beauty inspired by passion rather than fervent religious convictions. "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" is aptly titled and worthy of an open minded viewing that will be greatly rewarded.

Jason Reitman's "Tully" Stars Charlize Theron as an Overwhelmed and Overwrought Mother of 3

Motherhood never looks or feels good in Jason Reitman's film "Tully".  Tully is the maiden name of Marlo (Charlize Theron) which we learn when her husband Drew (Ron Livingston) is filling out paperwork at a hospital following a near fatal DUI.  Dir/producer Jason Reitman's films ("Juno" & "Up in the Air") handle life's rough patches with an uplifting & loving touch.  "Tully" never floats  out from under the malaise of motherhood's overwhelming demands.  Marlo & Ron are married with 2 children and about to have their 3rd child.  The film is overwrought with tension & drudgery. Their son Jonah is described as quirky, a euphemism for somewhere on the autistic scale. She's informed by the director of the posh private school which has accommodated her children thanks to her brother (Mark Duplass) being a large benefactor.  At the end of the school year, shortly after the birth of their baby, the school's director (Gameela Wright) informs Marlo although Jonah is loved at the school it's not the right fit & will no longer be accepted.  Marlo's successful brother attempts to be Marlo's benefactor offering a night nurse to enable her to rest and better cope.  The night nurse (Mackenzie Davis) seems a free spirited nymph who magically cleans their home, bakes cupcakes and shakes up things in the bedroom.  Things turn from dreary to bizarre as the night nanny becomes a Svengali to Marlo leading her astray.  Despite an excellent cast led by Theron, there is nothing fulfilling in "Tully" a film of pre & postpartum depression unless Reitman is on a mission to deglamorize and stave off parenthood.

Kyle Abraham A.I.M. at the Joyce World Premiere "Meditation" and "Drive" (2017)

Kyle Abraham is the artistic director /choreographer of A.I.M.  The dance company has been performing at the Joyce this past week.  The world premiere of Abraham's "Meditation: A Silent Prayer" is a sombre tribute to young people of color who have been killed by police officers those vindicated in their deaths.  The piece was a liturgy of mourning for "fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, friends" who were murdered.  The shocking audio tape of Philando Castile's girlfriend speaking to the officer who fatally shot him is heard.  Dancers move lethargically through space and lie prone resembling corpses "laying outside uncovered for hours".  The backdrop is of 3 black men whose eyes blurred eyes look as if they're looking in multi-directions.  The potency of the choreographed piece is its political statement that aches with suffering & injustice.   "Drive" choreographed (2017) by Abraham showcases the talented dancers fluidity and versatilities.  It's a glorious representation of inspiring bodily movements encapsulating vast human emotion.

Susan Stroman's "The Beast in the Jungle" Is Not a Thriller in Manila or An American in Paris

The combined talents of dir/choreographer Susan Stroman ("Contact" & "The Producers"), Tony nominated playwright David Thompson and Tony winning composer John Kander ("Cabaret" & "Chicago") has all the makings for a real knock out show only it falls flat.  This dated production, based on Henry James' novel is trite.  The dance play is ephemeral fluff lacking in bite.  The flashback storytelling of young lovers who missed their chance at love because of a haunting emotional trauma that led Young (played by Tony Yazbeck) to flee his beloved May (Irina Dvorovenko, a former ABT dancer) packed a mere powder puff jab.  The two leads went a few rounds with some charming though uninspiring choreography.  Michael Curry's scenic designs were  corny.  The only knock out punch came from Kander's original score performed live.  Stroman leads this "Jungle" into a bungled beast.  It's a sleepy, tangled mess that's not worth going the distance.

NY Historic Society "Walk This Way" Shoes from the Private Collection of Stuart Weitzman

Surely this would seem to be a fun & frivolous promenade through a gallery of glamorous shoes perhaps adorned by celebrities.  But as they say, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did only backwards and in heels and this show is more than just a shoe fetish find.  The shoes are from the Stuart Weitzman private collection (which is why I thought it was going to be shoes from their own commercial business).  The shoes are laced in with history.  On display you'll find shoes worn by the suffragettes, by the factory workers; shoes that hold relevance to history for women's achievements and struggles.  There are the shoes for the working woman as well as designer shoes for haute couture.  The pictures tied in and the curatorial notes support femininity, self-empowerment and progress.  The artisanal craft of designing & creating shoes shine brightly.  There are cushy seats you'd find in high end shoe stores for you to sit and take some weight off your feet before tallying forth.  This show is fun, enlightening and more rewarding than a 1/2 off shoe sale.  The 3 winning designs selected at the end of the show are worth noting.  You'll also find an original pair of Ginger Roger's shoes from the film "Top Hat".

Laughing Stock Production "randy writes a novel" Is a Novel Comedic Approach to Pondering Life's Ironies

It was no surprise that Laughing Stock Production of "randy writes a novel" was a one puppet show.  What was delightfully surprising, was how entertaining, erudite and unique an experience  this comedy sketch which stretched into something inordinately funny & thought provoking.  Randy is an elastic pink headed sock puppet with white bulging eyes.  He looked something like a pepto bismal colored Kermit with a similar saucy & sincere attitude.  Randy announces himself as the opener for the opening act which is in fact Randy.  He promises "fucking magic" as he interacts with the audience in the manner of a live stand-up comic appearing on stage.  However, this comic only rises above his boxed facade as a ruse for a faux figurehead. The gimmick acts as a friendly mask in establishing a jocular rapport with the audience.  The initial comic material of observational humor is LOL.  And, once the puppet has the crowd in hand the show transforms into a prologue of iconic literary writers as a preamble to reading us his novel.  Randy's bantering of where you're from & what do you uncovered 2 UN employees; one from India and one from Australia "here trying to save the world."  Randy asked their biggest fears.  "Fear of people's stupidities."  An elitist fear replied Randy.  The show juxtaposes jokes of masturbation with procrastination from reading aloud his novel.  Randy shifts from his comedic schtick to more enlightening topics of Buddhism, existentialism and mortality.  The musings of a pink sock puppet pull some about face twists although Randy concedes the show was "billed as a comedy." This ingenious Laughing Stock production pushes the boundaries of communication and disconnection.  Art is meant to push your thoughts in another direction. Who'd have thought such clever philosophical comedy could come from a faux facsimile of a live stand-up comedian?    

Dance Works in Progress Featuring Liz Gerring, Shannon Gillen and Abby Zbikowski at 92nd Y - WOW!

The Harkness Dance Center May 4, 2018 "The Body in Action" featured 3 Dance Companies' works in progress under the direction of 3 choreographers/artistic directors:  Liz Gerring, Abby Zbikowski and Shannon Gillen.   This was an intimate and exciting exposure to the choreographers' creative process and the demanding rigors required of the dancers.  Gillen said her piece "Superbloom" was inspired by the sudden burst of flowers & vegetation in AZ where she lives that surface immediately following a rainfall & shortly thereafter wither & die.  Having this concept it was discernible in the dancers vibrant largess of movements followed by listless & shriveling motions.  Zbikowski spoke about her dance bio and that of her dancers and their collaborations.  The 4 consecutive sections were performed without pause and unaccompanied by music.  The two dancers wore sneakers that added discordant squeaks to their frantic darting which felt like a rigid aerobic exercise.  Gerring's "Field work-in-progress" was the more complex and stimulating choreographed piece.  She shared her thought process & problem solving in terms of controlled spatial relationships, tautness and repose.  "Field" was far & wide the most developed and engrossing work.  The 6 dancers (for a work being developed for 7) showed amazing strength and graceful control.  The panel following the dancing part of the program included Gerring, Zbikowski and one of the dancers.  Listening to the choreographers question each other's intentions and struggles was an incisive master class into the undertaking of expressing their motives.

A Night with the Paris Review - Selected Shorts Performed by Actors Linda Lavin, Jin Ha and Others

A Night with the Paris Review is always a good idea.  The Paris Review is a prestigious & influential literary magazine credited with publishing talented new writers such as Philip Roth, David Foster and T. C. Boyle to name a few.   Last night at Symphony Space, we were treated to a reading/performance of 5 short stories published in the Paris Review. The Review was founded by expatriates George Plimpton and Peter Mathiessen. The stories were incredibly intriguing, funny, peculiar, melancholy & bizarre.  Each talented actor gave voice and theatrics to the varied & remarkable stories.  "How to Travel with a Salmon" by Umberto Eco was performed by Jin Ha recently featured on NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar.  The exasperating "fish" tale is of an American writer's frustrations while staying in a foreign hotel whose operations need modernization and a better system of communication.  Ha's annoyance mounts in this absurdly convincing comedy of errors.  George Fox's "The 26th Second" is a dark comedy of a married couple who bicker over the husband's secret suicide pill just uncovered by the wife.  Marital discord & mistrust was performed with perfection by Tony & Emmy winner Linda Lanvin.  "Marabou" is written by Joy Williams a recipient of the Paris Review's Lifetime Achievement Award.  This was bizarre & morose.  A story of a mother the day she buries her 26 year old son from a drug overdose.  Two time Emmy winner Michael Emerson voiced the grieving mother mourning amongst her son's friends also struggling with addictions.   The most energetic reading came from actress Colby Minifie  currently seen in Marvel's "Jessica Jones".  Her performance of "The Weirdos" by Ottessa Moshfegh, winner of the Hemingway/PEN Award was incredibly entertaining.  It's an odd LA love story.  A young man manages a rundown  LA apartment complex while aspiring to be an actor.  Moshfegh's blend of humor, eccentric characters & discernible descriptions was irresistible.   Minifie's reading brought clarity & comedy to a quirky tale.  The evening was a tribute to talented & unique writers & actors.  It was tremendously pleasing to have these selected shorts brought to life.