By Dale King Brighton Beach Memoirs could easily be subtitled Neil Simon’s Family in Crisis. But the playwright didn’t do that. Instead, he crafted a stellar autobiographical drama that melds whimsy with pathos, anger and, ultimately, forgiveness. He takes the time to develop the characters and spotlight their ability to deal with adversity without ripping apart the family … [Read more...]
‘Hunger Games’ works for adult viewers, too
Budding young romance and the threat of violent death are powerful dramatic forces, but who knew they were strong enough to get teens to read? That formula has worked three times now in recent years, first with the Harry Potter books, then the Twilight vampires vs. werewolves trilogy and now with The Hunger Games phenomenon. Each time, Hollywood followed up the blockbuster … [Read more...]
‘Monger’ danced amazingly, but needs more theatrical weight
What resonates in your mind’s eye after watching Monger, the evening-length work by choreographer Barak Marshall, is the astonishingly original movement. With the fusion of highly arresting visual images, an extremely diverse music score and such powerfully athletic and gestural movement, Marshall has created an absolutely original portrayal of oppression. Monger reveals … [Read more...]