Barry Shabaka Henley in Satchmo at the Waldorf. (Photo by Alicia Donelan) Actors like one-man shows because they present opportunities for them to display their performance versatility and stamina. Producers like one-man shows because they, by definition, have low payrolls. If only there weren’t those darned reviewers, for whom one-man shows are the bane of their existence, … [Read more...]
Postcard from Broadway, No. 2: Great cast enlivens so-so ‘Waitress’
Keala Settle, Jessie Mueller and Kimiko Glenn in Waitress. (Photo by Joan Marcus) So I arrived in New York on an uneventful flight late on Saturday morning, and two and a half hours later I was sitting down to my first show — the penultimate preview of a new musical, Waitress, based on the 2007 film of the same name that starred Keri Russell as a diner waitress and pie-baking … [Read more...]
Near-flawless Hermès Quartet missing sense of fun
By Kevin Wilt Thursday night, the Hermès Quartet of Paris gave a near-flawless performance at the Eissey Campus Theatre as the debut of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach’s new Young Concert Artists Series. But despite their precision, which was much appreciated by the intimate crowd, it did not seem like the members of the quartet were having much fun. That seemed to … [Read more...]
Strong lead performance helps improved ‘Flashdance’
Likely to be familiar from the movies is the tale of Pittsburgh steel mill welder Alexandra “Alex” Owens, wearer of the iconic one-shoulder sweaters in 1983’s Flashdance. Despite the box office underperformance of its kindred spirits — Footloose, Fame and Saturday Night Fever — here comes another music-based flick trying to make the transition to a stage show, and perhaps to … [Read more...]
Aniston’s performance not enough to lift heavy ‘Cake’
As the praise for Jennifer Aniston’s performance in Cake continues to reverberate across awards season, it begs the question: Are voters bestowing these hosannas on the acting, or the makeup? I’ll submit that that the distinction lies with the latter, that it represents another case of misapplied plaudits. Voting blocs love when actors step out of their comfort zones, and this … [Read more...]
Unforgettable lead performance marks ‘German Doctor’
A family of five travels down a single dirt road, endless desert on either side, toward a destination they must reach before dark. They don’t quite make it, a torrential storm batters their car, and they’re being followed by a mysterious stranger whose intentions are unknown to them. Both cars stop for a shelter at a remote shack, where raw meat hangs on hooks. If that doesn’t … [Read more...]
Elegant setting enhances richness of Beethoven
In olden days, the Elector of Cologne nurtured the young Beethoven and gave him the opportunity to play in his Bonn Court Orchestra. The nobility, back then, knew that cultivation of the arts made for a happy populace: Music-making reflected well on them. Jump to the 21st century and we find another kind of nobleman, billionaire Donald Trump, baron of all he surveys, placing … [Read more...]
Williams’ performance lifts ‘Waltz’ into poignancy
Girl is married to boy. Girl meets new boy. Girl’s marriage is threatened. The plot of Sarah Polley’s new film, Take this Waltz, is as boilerplate as a romance paperback, but it’s filled with quiet revelations, anchored by yet another masterful performance from Michelle Williams. We all know that women can be just as hedonistically self-destructive as men – just as prone to … [Read more...]
Lead performance clunky, but ‘Magic Mike’ has artistry, too
I recently rewatched Gray’s Anatomy, Steven Soderbergh’s film adaptation of Spalding Gray’s extraordinary monologue about his experiences with an obscure ocular condition. Released in a delicious Blu-ray transfer from Criterion, the film looks better than ever, with Soderbergh’s colorful aural and visual additions enhancing Gray’s already gripping narrative. As I watched … [Read more...]
The View From Home 38: New releases and notable screenings, May 15 to June 9
Not since A Clockwork Orange has Beethoven’s music been imbued with as much primal sexual urgency as in The Kreutzer Sonata (Zeitgeist, $19.93), a present-day transplant of a controversial 19th-century novella by Tolstoy. In the performance montage scenes of the titular sonata, the violin and piano play off each another like generous lovers. The players penetrate one another … [Read more...]