New York Monthly Herald. July 2006 Issue P. 63
NEW YORK THEATERS & MUSICALS BROADWAY CONTINUES ON P64
Jersey Boys: A
bio-revue telling the story and singing the songs of Frankie Valli and the
Four Seasons. 8 Tony Award nominations. If you warmly recall
listening to these hummable chart-toppers, this sentimental and heartfelt
evening could be a very good buy. In an unfavorable season for 'jukebox
musicals', this show won fairly strong critical reviews, and audiences are
responding enthusiastically to the old, familiar songs. The show has some
real dramatic heft to it, as the actors' spoken stories were singled out
by the critics as especially praiseworthy. Usually, 'book' (everything in
a musical that isn't sung) is an afterthought, but here, as each of the
band-members speak from the heart before launching into the precise
harmonies, it frames the showcased songs very nicely. May be
inappropriate for 12 and under. (Strong language.) Children under the age
of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
Mama Mia: A surprisingly
popular choice among the suburban set, this lively pop musical features
the songs of the 70’s europop group ABBA, played to enthusiastic nightly
standing ovations. The frothy mix of beat, lyric, and look makes this a
very easily-approached show. The wafer-thin story, in which a mother
confronts her past on a beautiful Greek island, provides a jumping-off
point for the easygoing ecstasy of ABBA. Those looking for really
serious theatre should look elsewhere, but there is a peculiar kind of
Broadway magic at work in this tuner, which first bowed in late 2001. By
the end, practically the whole audience is singing along to ABBA and
dancing in the aisles, and these are not your average ABBA fans. Family
Rundown: The kids certainly seem to enjoy the songs, but you might want to
have an explanation ready for a central plot point - one character is
unsure which of three men is her father.
Rent:
After you see the movie, check out the original - the Pulitzer Prize
winning rock adaptation of Puccini's La Boheme set in the grungy
corners of New York City. Christmas, the Lower East Side. A filmmaker
tries to get over his lesbian ex-girlfriend. His roommate's girlfriend has
committed suicide after learning she has AIDS. Outside, a transsexual
named Angel rescues a fellow named Tom Collins after a mugging, and
upstairs, Mimi, an S&M dancer, is shivering in the cold. Call it Puccini
meets Manhattan. The show opened at the New York Theater Workshop in the
East Village in 1996, and created an immediate sensation - the combination
of the quality of the production and the untimely and tragic death of its
young creator, Jonathan Larson, created an energy that launched it into
the theatrical stratosphere. (The theatre has been retrofitted to resemble
a Lower East Side dive, so those looking for all the guilty pleasures of a
Broadway theatre should adjust their expectations.) No children under the
age of 4 will be admitted. Not recommended for children under 14. Everyone
is required to have a ticket.
Shining City: From
Manhattan Theatre Club, a new Irish drama starring Brian F. O'Byrne,
Oliver Platt, and Martha Plimpton. 2 Tony Award nominations. This
production (with a different cast) originated at London's Royal Court
Theatre, where it went over quite well.
The plot involves a middle-aged conflicted fellow in Dublin; he goes to
see a psychiatrist who turns out to have more demons than the patient.
Mature audiences, to be sure, but a good ticket for those looking for a
harrowing and skillful evening in the theatre.
Robert Falls helmed this effort - he's one of the most respected working directors of American drama. The critics were generally respectful, praising the acting values and the set, with a few kvetching about the slightly elliptic plot. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
Spamalot: The unmistakable
humor of the erudite idiots of Monty Python comes to Broadway, disguised
as musical comedy. New in 2005, this extravaganza has all the campiness of
a Napoleonic march, seasoned with the offbeat humor that has had
Englishmen walking funny since 1970. Best described as a (lavishly
appurtenanced) parody of a Broadway musical staged by half-drunk Cambridge
undergraduates - witty, free-wheeling, endearingly amateurish at times (Hamlet
it ain't), it's very, very funny. Much of the show is based on the Monty
Python "Grail" film, and all the classic skits, bits and songs are dusted
off and wheeled out for the appreciative audiences. Python fanatics will
revel in the live-action energy of the old jokes, and if you’re just along
for the ride, you’ll probably still enjoy the good-humored send-up of the
Main Stem by the smart, funny, and instantly recognizable sensibility of
Eric Idle and traveling companions. Though this was once an almost
unattainable ticket, you can now generally get a midweek performance at
face price a couple days in advance. Weekends appear to be much tougher.
The producers raised prices and eliminated the "Rear Mezzanine"
designation in October, so the face price for anything under the balcony
is now about $110. Casting News: Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, and David Hyde
Pierce have left the show. Simon Russell Beale left the show 4/25,
replaced by Harry Groene. Sara Ramirez has been replaced by Lauren
Kennedy. You'll note that there are some "partial view" seats being
offered via the concierge service. While normally all seats sold through
the service are full-view, the producers have recently discounted the
(slightly) obstructed seats, making them a decent value. May be
inappropriate for 8 and under. Children under the age of 4 are not
permitted in the theatre.