War Horse

a kate west review

by Michael Morpurgo

adapted by Nick Stafford

directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris

and by Bijan Sheibani (U.S. tour)

at the Ahmanson Theatre/Center Theatre Group 

135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90012

running June 14 - July 29, 2012

contact  213-628-2772 or  www.centertheatregroup.org 

The innovative British production of "War Horse" finally makes it way from Broadway to the Los Angeles stage. Originally a book by Michael Morpurgo, the story was adapted for theater by Nick Stafford and brought to life by The Handspring Puppet Company. This South African troupe uses puppetry to illustrate storytelling, a more and more popular approach to modern theater (we all remember Julie Taymor's fabulous version of "The Lion King", right?)

The essential story is of a beautiful horse, Joey, born to be a hunter, but raised as a farm horse by the young Albert Narracott (Andrew Veenstra). Both are soon drafted to the army unfortunately, for the first World War (the war to end all wars), and lose each other in the ensuing chaotic madness of battle. Both endure terrible hardships and are forced to grow up faster than they wanted to, before finding each other again. 

The play seems to tell us, that yes, war is hell. Especially when a hunter learns to be a draft horse, then a war horse, then a draft horse again. The core innocence of the horse with many masters (Michael Stewart Allen as Captain Friedrich Muller is a particularly strong and poignant owner) mirrors the boy's fragile hope in finding his beloved companion once more. There is no mercy during wartime and the only thing that can keep you going is to hold on fiercely to whatever you believe in. Men, women, children and animals die during war - there is no discrimination with death. And as far as the plot goes, that is pretty much it. But a powerful message, to be sure.

Steven Spielberg jumped at the chance to show these images on the big screen and made his award-nominated film "War Horse" while the theatrical productions were still going strong. It is hard to imagine missing out on the creativity of the staging, however. Each horse is masterfully manipulated by three actors. They make the sounds and movements so very realistic, while maintaining a lovely stylized version of that truth. This must have taken a great amount of rehearsal (in fact, the Ahmanson postponed its opening in order to perfect the carefully synchronized choreography). Each animal is crafted with mechanical precision (a bit more complicated than the horses of "Equus") and delights audiences by drawing them into the personalities of the animals. We forget there are humans behind the masks. 

As a sorrowful background chorus, John Milosich sweetly sings ballads during much of the action, giving us a local flavor of Devon, England, in a time gone by. Above the village is a large torn sheet of paper where shadows, drawings and pictures flash across its screen during key moments in the play. There are explosions and (warning) gunshots too, spooking both horse and audience. A simple and poetic story, rather reminiscent of Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty", Joey the War Horse shows us the dimensions of mankind, in moments of kindness and cruelty. It's a nice story, elevated by the incredible stagecraft spectacle of the puppets. (Oh, there's a tank too). 

Worth seeing for the imagery, so don't spoil it by seeing the move first. And you might want to skip the film altogether after this. But that's up to you since ... a horse is a horse of course.

 

To read Black Beauty:
Black Beauty 

To see the movie:
War Horse Read more!

Sideways the Play

a kate west review
a world premiere event
by Rex Pickett
directed by Amelia Mulkey
at Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405 
Contact 310-397-3244 or http://ruskingrouptheatre.com/
Running May 18 - July 22, 2012 - EXTENDED!!!


Rex Pickett's life used to be a mess. Being a writer, the only way he could cope with it all was to scrawl all his deep darks onto paper. You can read all it about in his blog here. But for straight novelization, you'll have to turn to his acclaimed book "Sideways", the wine country's game changer and pinot noir champion (sorry, merlot), particularly in the Santa Ynez Valley. If you haven't read it or seen the delightful award-winning Alexander Payne film, (and if even your parents have seen it, why the heck haven't you yet?) it's about two old friends, Miles and Jack, who go on a wine tasting road adventure for one last hurrah before Jack gets hitched (and Miles can try to forget his recent divorce and publishing woes). How much trouble could they possibly get into? Prepared for a more sophisticated palate than the usual "Hangover" crowd might expect, with a good helping of artistic ennui thrown in, "Sideways" leads us down some dark (but profoundly delicious) paths. For even more in vino veritas insight you can jump on the grape bandwagon, so to speak, and take the actual "Sideways" wine tour in an "Eat, Pray, Love" follower kind of way (more on that phenomenon elsewhere in this blog), or you can check out the newly published sequel "Vertical". If you choose the latter, you may notice a marked difference in the writers voice. The first book was wholly from the point of view of Miles, with a marketable blend of humor and grief, while the second book shows more of that real writer anguish behind the iconic character. Both are semi-autographical, but the second reads much more introspectively.


But this is a theater review. The good news is that "Sideways" turned out to be rather conducive for the type of monologuing so often used on stage. And Pickett found just the place to collaborate with at the Ruskin Group Theatre. And in case you weren't aware, this company exists right across from Santa Monica Airport (yes, Santa Monica does have its own airport - who knew?) You get free parking there and if you are seeing the world premiere production of "Sideways", free wine poured from high-end wineries (list below). Sharp Cellars showed a particularly fun little pinot during a Sunday matinee.


Now about the production itself. Amelia Mulkey directs her professionally adept actors with a light hand, choreographing transitions nicely (the scene changes are very fun too). The actors are likeable, especially the quiet romantic interest, Maya (Julia McIlvaine), who seduces Miles with her wine expertise. Crowd favorite Jack is boisterously played by Jonathan Bray and very much a match for Thomas Haden Church in the film version (if we're making comparisons). Cloe Kromwell lends some hot Italian flavor to Terra, the temptress who enables Jack to fully embrace his bad boy. As for our protagonist Miles, John Colella lends a properly pretentious voice to the famous wine connoisseur. So do people really speak that condescendingly in daily conversation? Yes, writers (and wine drinkers) do apparently, and while his character is constantly made fun of for it throughout the piece, you might also feel the urge to strangle him at times. 


Interspersed with one-sided phone calls to the "real world", the Miles and Jack journey grants us some temporary fantasy, which is easy to believe in after a few drinks, but nausea-inducing upon reflection the next morning. Still, the characters are flawed but believable, and earn their redemptions. Road trips are always fun, even without an actual car, and the play captures the spirit of that wanderlust nicely. A competent crew of secondary characters fills in the action well and Set Designer CJ Strawn gives us a cozy all-purpose setting, which the actors use fully. Director Mulkey creates a charming atmosphere, the way sunny alcohol-fueled vacations should be. Oh, included in the price of admission is a boar hunting trip from the novel (not the movie) with live-fake gunshots, just to warn you. Fun scene though. Kerouac worthy, in fact.

If you've read the original novel and seen the movie, you will see that both the film and stage version stick close to the plot and both are true to the heart of the story, each with a slightly different vision and some scene changes, here and there. Payne added his own indie angst to the project for the movie, while on stage Pickett happily unleashes his full writer angst with subtle changes to the dialogue. Some of that "Vertical" self-consciousness slips through in places, as in the line where Maya praises Miles for being brave enough to write what he writes. You can't really blame Pickett for taking some power back from Hollywood (try collaborating with a major studio sometime and see how creatively unfulfilling it can be) but every once in a while you get that little reminder of the voice behind it all. Granted, a thrillingly intellectual voice.


Plus you still get some of the more famous scenes (spit bucket ring any bells?) so every taste bud will be satisfied. Who hasn't felt as lost as Miles at times, helpless to stop the inevitable self-destruction that seems to consume us more and more in this crazy modern world. All we have to hang on to is each other sometimes. Jack's wild side may be a misdirected complement to the introverted Miles, yet while they are initially bad influences on each other, sticking together through the insanity lands them safely (more or less) where they are supposed to be. Eventually. And really, that's all you can ask of a friend.

Here's the book: Sideways: A Novel 


Here's the new book: Vertical (The Deluxe Edition): The Sequel to Sideways 


Here's the wine: http://affairsofthevine.com/sideways-the-play-wines/  


The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition

Here's the movie: Sideways (Widescreen Edition)


Classic road tripping: On the Road (Penguin Classics) 

Photo by Agnes Magyari: 

Cloe Kromwell (as Terra), John Colella (as Miles), Jonathan Bray (as Jack), and Julia McIlvaine (as Maya)

Salute!

Read more!

Our Town

a kate west review
directed by David Cromer
by Thornton Wilder
at the Broad Stage, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
running January 13 - February 12
contact http://thebroadstage.com/Our-Town or 310-434-3200

You can't get much more small town America than Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. In 1938, Thornton Wilder captured our reverence for nostalgia so very well in his Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Our Town", set in the fictional East coast town, more or less around the first World War. And aspiring acting students have been rehearsing it for ages since. Director David Cromer brings the latest adaptation straight from the Big Apple, with his modern Broadway take on this American classic. It's easy to dismiss the work you were force-fed in school, but read it again as an adult and you might come to appreciate its profound message about life, love, aging and of course, the inevitability of death.

Helen Hunt ("Mad About You", "As Good As It Gets") plays the Stage Manager, usually reserved for a folksy older Mark Twain-ish fellow (think Hal Holbrook). While that role does not necessarily have to be gender specific, it is traditionally depicted as a wise and kindly all-knowing observer. Hunt is matter of fact, which is fine, despite her tendency towards mannerisms, but she does lack some warmth. However, she works well with the rest of the cast and you can't go wrong with excellent dialogue so she does keep our interest.

Grover's Corners is a typical happy little village with typical gossip and neighbors. Emily Webb (played sweetly by Jennifer Grace) marries her next-door-neighbor George Gibbs (the amusing James McMenamin) and generations happen. Scenes of soda fountains and sports at school and the local choir are all played out under a subtle shadow of war. Mothers and Fathers fret and argue, Milkmen and Paper Boys comment on the goings on while Hunt's Stage Manager fills us in behind the scenes. Wilder's general message is that life can be sweet and good, but is too often marred by tragedy and therefore should be all the more precious to most of us. Some of his clever devices include the audience being lectured by various townspeople like Professor Willard (David LM McIntyre) and Editor Webb (Tim Curtis) who regale us with the town facts, while the Stage Manager prompts the audience to answer prepared questions. A complete picture of the town is set up quite nicely in this charming fashion.

The stage itself initially has minimal props, essentially a couple of tables and chairs, and in this production the dress is modern, even though it is set in the early 1900's, the idea being to give us a sense of timelessness. However, seeing a teenager discuss a fifty cent raise with his father can be jarring when he's wearing jeans and sneakers. Director David Cromer does use the space quite well, until one of the last scenes when Emily goes back to visit her family and a true set is revealed, way in the back of the theater, with a fully functioning kitchen. One generally wears rose-colored glasses when looking into the past but it would be nice to be able to fully hear and see properly as well. The most famous monologue of the entire play takes place upstage, far away from the audience and you can barely make it out. The shadows of the past should be a bit more metaphorical in favor of giving us a satisfying ending.

Still, much of the staging works great. The wedding scene is nice and emotional, with poignant turns from Mothers Webb and Gibbs (Ronete Levenson and Lori Myers). Normally portrayed as the height of romantic fulfillment, this wedding shows us the reality of growing older and the fear of leaving youth behind. Hunt comments that one minute you are happily in your twenties and then suddenly you are seventy. It happens so very fast. The final act is done very well (with the exception of the kitchen scene) with stoic actors reflecting on the way the living don't see what's right in front of them and never take the time to fully enjoy and appreciate life while they are in it. Choir Director Simon Stimson (the sharp Jonathan Mastro) especially captures the bitterness of this realization.

All in all, the production will leave you with much to reflect upon. The actors are strong and there is even the occasional dramatic score (courtesy Jonathan Mastro), which adds a nice touch. Thornton Wilder is too often dismissed as a sentimentalist but this play has a lot of hard truths, which are far from sentimental. You will find despair and hope, love and anger and eventual acceptance, like much of life. Cromer is to be commended for a slightly modern take on an overdone piece of theater, but also needs to be careful not to undersell the more important parts of the play.

So do any of us figure out any of this life stuff before it's too late? According to Wilder, "The saints and poets, maybe - they do some." Take heed, folks - slow it down a little. And since we're being all modern - be your own Ferris Bueller.

Get your own copy here:
Our Town

Read more about it:

www.thorntonwilder.com

Read more!

Stones in His Pockets

a kate west review
by Marie Jones
directed by Zeljko Djukic
a TUTA Theatre West Production
at The Zephyr Theatre
7456 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
August 19 - September 17, 2001
contact (323) 960-7822 or Plays411

Olivier-award winning "Stones in His Pockets" originally premiered in Ireland in 1996, depicting a small Irish town taken over by a Hollywood film crew and the resulting conflicts that would inevitably arise. The latest version, actually showcased in Hollywood, remains true to the original story.

Andrew Friedman and Jerry Richardson play multiple characters, zipping through personalities and accents at a break-neck speed, reminiscent of a similar two-person show, "Greater Tuna" (set in the American South). While "Tuna" has more defined transitions, "Stones" runs through its plots of characters so fast that at first it is a bit difficult to follow. Once you get the hang of it, however, (watch the changing handkerchiefs), the story makes much more sense. It helps that Marie Jones wrote some compelling dialogue, with convincing drama between the characters. Although it would be awfully nice if more time could be spent on some of the characters, especially the ones with significant life changing events. It's still interesting, but would be even more so if we were able to invest just that much more.

That said, Friedman and Richardson do an excellent job of keeping it all together. They handle the accents fine and are able to switch back and forth between a dizzying amount of personalities (young, old, male, female, you name it) like the seasoned professionals they are. Their range of emotions in such quick changes is impressive as well, so kudos to them both for a great display of versatility. They are definitely a good team and work terrifically well with each other. And the obvious comfort level and chemistry between them is really nice to see. Director Zeljko Djukic must have worked long hours getting all those characters straightened out for everyone. Natasha Djukic’s minimalist set works with the quick mood and scene changes, as that seems to be the most utilitarian, and the same can be said for costuming. There is virtually no time for set or costume changing within the manic piece, so that’s that.

The essential story is that of Charlie and Jake, two Irish extras on location in their home town during an American film shoot and all the variety of people they interact with, from all walks of life. Of course there are some cultural misunderstandings and always the underlying Irish national weariness of being the constant underdog. Again, it is initially tricky to follow what's going on until you understand the transitions between all the people. Sad Irish laments happen, with some flashes of American disdain. Some of the characters are more dimensional than others, and again could really use some fleshing out. The behind-the-scenes drama of a play-within-a-play is always catchy though and it's fun to kind of see the inner workings of a big budget studio set. From the standpoint of a play anyway. The film terminology is fairly correct, and as an added bonus, they talk about cows a lot too.

Do these two countries finally come together in united understanding at the end? Well, that wouldn’t be very realistic, would it? So no, things pretty much continue as they are, but the plight of the little people, the extras and underdogs, gets a little spotlight. Big pictures are made of up of tiny points of view, literally and figuratively, and “Stones” attempts to capture this, from the other side of the screen. Good acting and lyrical writing help that along and the audience seems to respond well to the onstage energy. It’s running one more weekend, so be sure and catch it at the Zephyr in good ‘ol Hollywood. Nice job, guys - there's a reason you're Ovation recommended.

Read more!

RADAR L.A.

a kate west review
an International Festival of Contemporary Theater
produced by REDCAT (The Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater)
with Center Theatre Group and the Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival
www.radarla.org

Influential theater ensembles from Chile, Mexico, Japan and Australia are among the companies to be featured alongside Los Angeles artist when REDCAT launches the international RADAR L.A. Festival. REDCAT serves as one of several venues for the groundbreaking festival, which features 15 productions that are fueling the dialogue about the evolution of contemporary theater.

As a venue for bringing cultural diversity to Los Angeles theater, the above festival is great. Keep in mind however, that just because a piece was written in a language you are unfamiliar with, doesn't automatically mean that it is brilliant. It would be a disservice to these hard-working artists to give them points for being "exotic" (i.e. the tiresome Angelino habit of giving a standing ovation to every play you are even mildly impressed by). So on artistic merit alone, here are three festival samples reviewed:

Amarillo

by Teatro Linea de Sombra

directed by Jorge A. Vargas

written by Gabriel Contreras

at REDCAT

631 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles 90012

running June 16 - 19

The renowned Mexican visual theatrical troupe Teatro Linea de Sombra (roughly, Shadow Line Theater) brings us "Amarillo", the story of one man's attempt to cross the U.S. border. Destined for Amarillo, Texas, speculation arises as to what happened to him on the way and why he never arrived.

Raúl Mendoza is this everyman, the typical migrant trying to find a better life in another country. In fact, he says as much in his monologues, calling himself by several names, as he could be any number of those desperate souls south of the border. At one point he layers up with different clothing, which could represent all he owns in the world, as well as a piece of each person passing through on the way to the American Dream. We follow him up to the point he disappears, his relatives never to know his fate.

The rest of the cast is made up of women (Alicia Laguna, María Luna, Vianey Salinas, Antígona González) who portray lovers, muses, dancers and chorus. Jesus Cuevas is the main voice of this chorus, chanting in an almost Tibetan baritone and singing to the main character throughout his journey. Through them we get glimpses of life and love, the people hoping back home, snippets of human longing.

But don't expect a linear story. The company specializes in visual art, shown to full multimedia proportions with a huge screen projected on the back wall, several cameras following the action on stage in black and white and footage of various scenes depicting images of illegal alien life, such as passing trains and haunted faces. When Mendoza's character gets stuck in the desert, the women bring out jugs of water and bags of sand are flown in from the rafters. Cutting them open with a knife demonstrates time (and life) running out for our wrung out protagonist. One of them is even shaped like a heart and is lifted skywards, fatally wounded.

Director Jorge A. Vargas gives us a technically interesting show, filled with props, cameras and screens but also a stage essentially bare of any set, so it is not visual stunning in any traditional sense, and at times even desolate. Also, the story is an old one, covered many times, and while the company is to be commended for innovation, it is difficult to separate the sledgehammer message of obvious truth from the minimalist deprivation of the senses. Still, the poetic nature of the piece is worth a listen (some of it in Spanish).

Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner, and the Farewell Speech

by Chelfitsch

directed & written by Toshiki Okada

at Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC)

514. S. Spring Street, Los Angeles 90013

running June 17 - 19

The Asian company Chelfitsch (roughly, selfish), combines simple stories with stylized movements (often as formal as in Kabuki theater). In "Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner, And The Farewell Speech," office workers contemplate an upcoming farewell party and some daily minutia of typical office life.

While three temporary employees are having lunch, they come up with ideas for a farewell to one of their own. Each of them stands and monologues his/her thoughts, while making deliberate movements to accent their ideas, which they also repeat endlessly. It is definitely amusing to watch them take so formal an approach to picking a take-out menu from Hot Pepper Magazine and the audience revels in this originality. Then two permanent workers discuss air conditioning in the office, repeating the dialogue and movements several times, with only slight variations. Finally, the co-worker being let go gives a rambling speech to her awkward colleagues.

The choreographed movements and repetitive dialogue are quite fascinating and Director/Writer Toshiki Okada shows this technique well, for the most part. By the end though, the final speech goes on a bit too long (and might be hard to follow, given that is in Japanese, with subtitled English, as in the rest of the piece). Actors Taichi Yamagata, Riki Takeda, Mari Ando, Saho Ito, Kei Namba and Fumie Yokoo do a good job of maintaining this highly disciplined blocking, however. It is a funny piece altogether and while some of the movements are inexplicable (touching toes while talking to a co-worker), others are delightfully quirky, like rapidly fanning a magazine. A fun show to take in, contemplate and discuss.

Neva

by Teatro en el Blanco

written & directed by Guillermo Calderón

at REDCAT

631 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles 90012

running June 14 - 18

Teatro En El Blanco (roughly, Theater In The White) has been wowing Latin American audiences for years and now brings its latest production "Neva" to the festival. Olga Knipper (Trinidad González) is Anton Chekhov's widow and is found at a St. Petersburg rehearsal space during the Russian Revolution. Her fellow actors (Jorge Becker and Mariana Muñoz) take turns placating her diva tendencies, while worshipping her artistry.

Director and Writer Guillermo Calderón depicts a delightful peek into the absurd drama of the actors world, while real chaos and drama drum outside the windows. Olga is haunted by the death of her beloved and plays her heightened misery to the hilt (wonderfully played by González). Jorge Becker and Mariana Muñoz equal her in their schizophrenic back and forth rants, merging lines of a play with their own realities until no one is sure which world is real. The exaggerations are hilarious (even in subtitled English in a Spanish play) until the final speech by Mariana Muñoz takes your breath away.

The passion in this piece is riveting and very (literally) focused as the stage is a raised platform spotlighting the three actors in intimate detail. A definite must-see.

Read more!

LOST

a kate west reflection
spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert spoiler alert

One of the only television series to provoke a flurry of online speculation on such weighty matters as literature, physics, love and the afterlife, "Lost" will definitely take its place in pop culture history. Granted, it's probably nothing university professors would consider in-depth, but to even allude to the philosophical in a mere t.v. show is something new these days. And fans will still be discussing the controversial finale long after its prime time demise.

Anyway, this post is really a shout-out to the die-hard fans out there, not a description of what the show is about (who can say that, even now?) or even a review. It's just, I haven't pondered a t.v. show this much since, well, ever. Following Jack, Kate, Locke, Sun/Jin, Sawyer, Hurley, Desmond, Charlie/Claire, Michael/Walt and (sigh) Sayid all these years really sunk them into my consciousness somehow, in a way that no other show did. Yes, I wanted to unravel mysteries (more satisfactorily than "X-Files", I have to say) and cliff-hangers kept me tuning in, but really it was about the characters. Those damned likable characters supposedly randomly marooned on a woefully underrated mysterious island. The location was spectacular, the sets first-rate and the musical score devastating. All those factors made this unreality so very real, and always touching at the heart of the matter - being human. And of course the actors themselves portrayed weakness and nobility so easily they made us all feel vulnerable.

So now, weeks later, I am still thinking about death. And life. And it's not as scary as it used to be. If we all end up in a church of our own making, with friends we went through hell with, we are going to be alright. If only. A series finale is in itself about an ending, obviously. And I thought I was good with those. I could move on to the next phase in my life, kind of ... unphased. But lately it's been harder and I get more sentimental as the years go by. Or maybe it's just that the changes are bigger and the moves cover more ground. And fantasy relationships are easier.

I like the idea of being led by my faithful canine companion to another plane of non-existence (though I don't want to have to stumble onto it with a gut wound and while we're at, I'm not planning on running over anyone in a wheelchair, no matter what dimension I find myself). Fox did that scene so well, that culmination of everything he was supposed to be, and had learned. We were used to the flashbacks all along, so these final bursts of insight into the past should not have surprised us, but the heart wrenching emotion that came with them this time around was almost hard to bear. Each epiphany and awakening we saw coming, but still they blinded us (yes, yes, we know, except Shannon and Sayid, boo!) The peace and happiness that came after - well the whole series seemed worth that. No more questions. It doesn't matter anymore. Not all of life's mysteries are meant to be revealed.

Suffice to say, everything on the island was real, we know that now (remember the creators promised us from season one that we were not in purgatory). Hurley and Ben maintained it for years after and when everyone finished with his/her life, they all showed up together, as if pre-arranged. Kate had been waiting years apparently. Jack finally found faith. And the light was never extinguished.

Miss you guys already.

Created by	Jeffrey Lieber J. J. Abrams Damon Lindelof
Written by	Damon Lindelof Carlton Cuse Edward Kitsis Adam Horowitz Elizabeth Sarnoff and others
Directed by	Jack Bender Stephen Williams and others
Starring	Sam Anderson Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Naveen Andrews L. Scott Caldwell Nestor Carbonell François Chau Henry Ian Cusick Jeremy Davies Emilie de Ravin Michael Emerson Jeff Fahey Fionnula Flanagan Matthew Fox Jorge Garcia Maggie Grace Josh Holloway Malcolm David Kelley Daniel Dae Kim Yunjin Kim Ken Leung Evangeline Lilly Rebecca Mader Elizabeth Mitchell Dominic Monaghan Terry O'Quinn Harold Perrineau Zuleikha Robinson Michelle Rodriguez Kiele Sanchez Rodrigo Santoro Ian Somerhalder John Terry Sonya Walger Cynthia Watros
Composer(s)	Michael Giacchino

Complete Set:
Lost: The Complete Collection

Read more!

Bleeding Through

a kate west review

written & directed by Theresa Chavez & Rose Portillo

from the novella by Norman Klein

About...Productions

at Shakespeare Festival/LA

1238 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90026

contact www.aboutpd.org OR (800) 595-4849(4TIX)

running October 23 - November 22, 2009

"Bleeding Through" is a nostaglic oldies Angelino noir piece that, in spite of the retro cool set pieces and costumes (thanks to Akeime Mitterlehner and Pamela Shaw), just doesn't hold interest. It is very busy though. Co-Writer/Directors Theresa Chavez and Rose Portillo work up some uniquely intricate staging by having the actors appear in scenes behind the audience and to the sides, as well as on the main stage. Add the orchestra up there too, and an awful lot is going on all at once.

David Fruechting heartily narrates this story of intrigue and murder, but by the time he's through, no one cares anymore. The play is long and involved and a bit self-important, although there is some solid acting. Lynn Milgrim and Elizabeth Rainey trade off playing older and younger versions of each other, which is an interesting device and they are both quite good. Not all of the acting is spot on, however, particularly Ed Ramolete's rather plodding Ezra, neighbor to Molly and mostly meant to spur on her old stories. The rest of the cast (James Terry, Brian Joseph and Pete Pano) is fine.

Also, for some reason, Molly's past life and past lovers appear on the screen behind the actors in a black-and-white film, where she's inexplicitly portrayed by yet another actress (Kikey Castillo). Someone gets killed, men appear in raincoats in dark parks, Molly can't decide between two men and the narrator soaks it all in. Suffice to say, the film noir takes just don't all fit together. Meanwhile, the audience members may get whiplash turning around every five minutes to follow all the action.

None of these devices have particular motivation in connection with the actual plot and while it is all interesting to look at, and delightful to touch (during intermission you will get a chance to go on stage and see and touch some of the fabulous props), it does not add much to the story. Unfortunate, since Angelenos need more good, solid and classic pieces of historical tales. More of the story would be revealed here were certain viewers able to stay awake for the whole thing. Apologies.

Read more!

Nostalgia and Dreams

a kate west review
world premiere presented by
White Buffalo Theatre Company
written by Brett Holland
directed by Kerrie Keane
at the Deaf West Theatre
5112 Lankershim Blvd.,
North Hollywood 91601
running April 17 to May 24



contact whitebuffalotheaterco.com
or (818) 569-3037

"Nostalgia and Dreams" is a brand new play by Brett Holland, company member of the eclectic White Buffalo Theatre Company in North Hollywood. An apartment building full of tenants showcases lives turned upside down at the same time a local Cathedral is scheduled for demolition. The obvious references to a crisis in faith are interspersed with seemingly dark secrets. Unfortunately, despite committed performances, it doesn't quite come together.

One young couple battles with what appears to be a marriage-ending secret. Another mother-daughter pair wrestles with possible anorexia. One tenant whines about being gay and another neighbor talks to someone dead. In an effort to create universal conflict, Playwright Brett Holland makes the characters interact from time to time, but ultimately they have no real affect on one another.

Director Kerrie Keane weaves the story lines together, but not everything fits. For instance two "suits" (Danny Junod and Jessica Wright) slip down the theater aisles when the lights dim in between scenes. Their corporate presence seems to indicate societal and business pressures on the protagonists, often egging them on into deeper insecurities. They howl and gyrate, taunting everyone, but could just as easily been eliminated as they do not add much to the general plot.

Speaking of plots, the script follows quite a perplexing few. Paul (Playwright Brett Holland) is a young man tortured by his homosexuality. He is shadowed by a young boy (Chris Haehnel) who appears to be a symbol for something. His inner child? His past? His future? It is never explained. We never find out why Paul is so unhappy with his lifestyle or his relationship to a stressed-out new mother (Regina Peluso). Standout Sydney Park is radiant as Rebecca, the young girl with a God fixation who wants to be much too thin. Her mother (Angelina Leaf) is in denial until finally snapping in a rather awkward force-feeding scene, after neighbor Paul attempts a half-hearted intervention. Tommy (Carlo Serna) and Amy (Marguerite Moreau) are a young couple with communication problems. Their relationship is a bit grating and cutesy. And after all the build up with a seemingly dark secret, their resolution is a bit watered down. Lynne Conner is a spiritual old woman who talks to herself, or maybe someone from her past or from the graveyard. That is never explained either. Marguerite Moreau and Sydney Park (keep an eye on her so you can say you-knew-her-when) give the strongest performances, in spite of the rather weak dialogue. Nothing connects in a truly genuine way.

Life, death, love and spirituality are all touched on but never given deep illumination. The play would do much better as a one act, in a shorter format, with some brief glimpses into life vignettes. That way, each character could have snippets of conversations and the poetic intent would work much better, rather than leading us down character paths, only to find ourselves asking why? Granted, the intention is sincere, but the overall writing needs tidying up as the messages are rather obvious. There is a lot of yearning and some inexplicable monologues in the mix as well. Also, the attempt at absurdism does not quite make it. To go in that direction, one would need to go to the other extreme and make a longer play, with more fleshed out fantastical characters.

As it is, the play now stands in between two genres and does not reach its true potential. We never specifically find out what the nostalgia and dreams are all about either. Too bad. The White Buffalo Theatre Company certainly has heart however and seems to be doing well for itself. So there's that. Read more!