Fringe Report

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010

a kate west special report





















The Fringe. One of the most famous theatrical festivals in the world. Held annually in Scotland, any theater geek worth his or her salt cannot afford to miss this celebration of thespian creativity. Originally an off-shoot of the regular festival for those who defiantly wanted their own venue, it is now a respectable entity in its own right and there is nothing like it in the world. Stroll down the Royal Mile (High Street) in Edinburgh, and you will see every kind of performer imaginable, from knife throwers and acrobats, to acapella singers and recitings of Shakespeare. There is something for everyone and with almost 3000 shows this year, the choices are dizzying, not even counting the other festivals in town (Book, Music, International, etc.) So let's start with just a few, shall we?


Shows





















All The Happy People
Project by Greg Hardigan

Two of Hearts Dating Service promises to find you your perfect match. If only it were that easy. This play spotlights behind the scenes, with the harried employees in the trenches. Starting with a sleazy, corporate customer trying to make it with his interviewer, the story covers all the worst about people, dating and bosses. A scoreboard keeps tracks of how many people cry, if that tells you anything. In an inhuman company, with even worse clients, where can new girl Susan find hope? She just might, amidst stellar, strong acting, a relatable script (we've all been there, right, in work and love?) and a real feeling of immediacy, this show is highly recommended. Funny, smart and relevant - a definite must-see.

WHERE
the space @venue 45
63 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DH
WHEN
August 27-29
14:05 pm
http://www.american-myth.com/



















Jennifer Coolidge - Yours For The Night

The incomparable Jennifer Coolidge (AMERICAN PIE, LEGALLY BLONDE, BEST IN SHOW), delights us during her rant about Hollywood and life. She does stand-up as only she can, conversationally, and in her characteristically self-deprecatingly luscious way. Fearless and heroic, she bares all and we can't help but cheer her on.

WHERE
Assembly @54 Georges Street, EH2 2LR
WHEN
August 26-29
20:15
http://www.edcom10.com/

Matthew Hardy - Willy Wonka Explained: The Veruca Salt Sessions

So many of us grew up with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka and who can ever forget Julie Dawn Cole as Veruca Salt demanding, "I want it now!" You would think an evening with the older actress might be a fascinating glimpse into our own past, via her pop culture heritage. Yet, this odd idea (celeb and stalker in distinct therapy sessions) is oddly executed. Film clips and crude sketch bits pop up behind the actors without any sense of rhythm or pacing. In fact, the whole show seems thrown together as a vehicle for the rantings of comedian Matthew Hardy and his obsession with his childhood crush (which the real actress does in fact, actually seem uncomfortable with). Seemingly not well thought out, this show can be easily missed (in spite of its "rave" in Melbourne), considering the thousands of other options open to you. Go find them.

WHERE
Pleasance Courtyard @60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ
WHEN
August 26-29
19:00
lisarichards.ie

In The Pink
Fabulous all-female a cappella!

These ladies from Oxford may not be GLEE-inspired Broadway singers (most of them aren't really belty, more soprano range), but they carry a nice tune. They pick a lot of pop tunes that call for ballsy notes (a la GLEE), but use mostly their upper ranges. That's OK though, as they are awfully cute and have so much fun up on that stage with some pretty adorable numbers. They can sing folks, and have even cut a few albums. Worth a listen for some light refreshment.

WHERE
C Venue 34, Adam House,
Chambers Street, EH1 1HR
WHEN
August 15-30 4:45pm
http://www.inthepink.org.uk/

Free Fringe
http://www.freefringe.org.uk/

Hayden's Rantings Of A Young Fool

Combine some gentle rantings and musings about life and love with some darn good guitar playing (including a few classical numbers) and you've got a really nice afternoon show. Hayden puts you at ease while reciting some cool original poetry and tunes. Feel free to dialogue. He likes that. A real talent, he might be one of those "I-saw-him-when" gems of a find.

WHERE
Banshee Labyrinth*, Venue 156
29-35 Niddry Street, EH1 1LG
http://www.haydencohen.co.uk/
WHEN
August 11-28
1:40pm
FREE

*Also at the same venue:

'Utter!' Spoken Word
"Poetry & storytelling with a good sense of humour. Humour with a good sense of poetry.
Free shows, fresh themes and a different line up every day."
August 7-28 @7:30pm every day except Monday

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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

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Behind the Scenes Drama

a kate west review

by Nancy De Los Santos-Reza, with Tomas Benitez

CAP Plaza de la Raza Youth Theater Program

directed by BJ Dodge; choreographed by Marvin Tunney

at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

3540 Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031

contact (323) 223-2475 or www.plazadelaraza.org

MAY 7 - 7:30 PM at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

MAY 8 - 2:00 PM at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

MAY 8 - 7:30 PM at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

MAY 14 - 7:30 PM at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

MAY 15 - 7:30 PM at Plaza de la Raza, Margo Albert Theater

MAY 28 & 29 - 7:30 PM at

REDCAT

Roy and Edna Disney Cal Arts Theater

631 West 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 237-2800

The historical Plaza de la Raza is one of those hidden Angelino treasures that you don't know about it until someone brings you to it. Housed in one of Los Angeles' traditionally neglected playgrounds in Lincoln Park, Plaza has undergone a few revitalizations. And now, by combining its 40 year saga with CalArts Community Arts Partnership of 20 years, you get a sprawling tale of a neighborhood's labor of love. Margo Albert, famed Mexican-born movie actress (married to Eddie Albert), sold her jewelry to keep the performing arts school going back in the 1960's and it has been inspiring young people ever since.

Nancy De Los Santos-Reza, with Tomas Benitez, struggle to put all the components into a cohesive whole and under the direction of BJ Dodge, cast community youth from the program to depict their own origins in, fittingly, "Behind the Scenes Drama". Most of these kids are middle schoolers and from varied backgrounds, so you will see some unevenness. It's also tough to work in all the politics and red tape and still make a dramatically interesting story, so the piece lags at times. And it is naturally rife with inside jokes and inner cultural references, however you do learn an awful lot about the site and definitely gain an appreciation for what Plaza has been doing all these years.

Interweaving, musicians, actors, teachers, parents and of course, the heart of the program, the students, the play demonstrates an intense communal love of the arts and barrio pride and indeed is comprised of alum, current staff and CalArts representatives. The players themselves practically glow with excitement, especially during small moments taken from real life memories and inspirations. It may be a little hard to sit through it all, but while the story could use some editing, the production staff is to be commended for so obviously putting heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into so personal a recital. Can't wait to see what the future holds for them.

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April 10, 2010: Kate West

(originally published on @the3six5 website)

Monday was Opening Day (Opening Night, April 4) in the baseball world. That may not mean much to non-sports fans, but it’s a time for celebration for us die-hards. Or those of us who used to be die-hard at any rate. I was into the San Francisco Giants for a number of years and for different reasons (life stuff I won’t get into here), I no longer follow them. However, whenever I go up to the Bay Area I still enjoy an outing to AT&T Park. No, I don’t like the name either, but the stadium is beautiful, old-time, baseball fun and right on the Bay. Steadfast fans in boats retrieve soaked foul balls for a chance at a five-second news spot.

Anyway, I like visiting there with my dad and today, in celebration of his recently turning 70, we’re going back, just for fun. No stakes. Ever since seeing “Field of Dreams” for the first time, I partly associate symbolic fatherly love with playing catch. It didn’t occur to my father to do that with me, since I am a girl after all, (no offense gal athletes), but I nagged him into it and eventually we started throwing the old ball around in local parks and that really started my love of baseball which I still cherish, whether or not I follow an actual team.

Today though, my dad will walk with a cane and we’ll just talk about days in the park, as both of us are considerably older now. We’ll enjoy the atmosphere, eating as much as we want from vendors (since Mom is staying home) and looking down on our opponents (the Atlanta Braves). Maybe I’ll even buy a t-shirt. No matter how many times we’ve been, we both still marvel at that first glimpse of green field, the blue of the ocean and the cracks of the bats as the players warm up. That sound will always remind me of Dad and as we get ready to go, I am so grateful to have the chance to do this again. For me, nothing starts off springtime like a good game of baseball. And time with family.

Ready? “Play Ball!”

(...and if the game gets rained out, we'll rent a baseball movie.)

______________________________

About the author: Kate West lives in Los Angeles with an extensive theatre background and has been reviewing on her website since 2003.

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Alice in Wonderland in 3D

a kate west review

directed by Tim Burton

The much-anticipated new Tim Burton project "Alice in Wonderland" has finally arrived. Combining Burton's distinct cult status and Walt Disney's immense marketing machine ensures there is no way you haven't heard of this movie. But whether it actually lives up to the year-long hype remains to be seen.

First off, it's yet another take-off/adaptation of a classic children's story; this time of the enduring tales "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll. In this version, Alice is a young woman tumbling down the rabbit hole once again in order to escape a dreaded marriage. To her surprise, her childhood dreams of Wonderland (called Underland here) are all real. There is a brief nod to the well-known story, but the rest is all conjecture. Alice must fight the Jabberwocky and save Underland from the evil Red Queen, restoring the crown to the White Queen. During her arduous journey she reunites with old characters like the Mad Hatter, the Caterpillar and of course, the White Rabbit. While the personalities are fairly intact, the plot takes several jarring turns.

Mia Wasikowska is Alice, who must decide whether or not to take on great responsibility, in both her normal and other-world life. She gives an intense performance on heroism and will undoubtedly inspire little girls to stand up for themselves. She holds her own against monsters and villains and unlike the Alice from the books, she makes genuine friendships, especially with the manic Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). Helena Bonham Carter's digitally bloated head as the Red Queen is quite disturbing, but effective in conveying petulant madness. Her shrill magnificence works well, as does Anne Hathaway's dreamily psychotic White Queen. Alan Rickman is properly sage as the blue Caterpillar and Christopher Lee has a brief, but ominous turn as the Jabberwocky, when Alice ends up confronting demons, literally and figuratively. The mix of digital vs live action is a tad perplexing, however. Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) are CGI as is the March Hare (Michael Sheen), but Alice, the White Queen and the Mad Hatter are as real as, well, can be imagined in this fanciful world.

The visuals are stunning, as is Burton's rich imagination, but really has so little to do with the core of the story that one wonders why he didn't just call it something else. Naturally, returning to a childhood site is never as one imagines, but this veers so far off track that it is bound to disappoint some literary die-hards. And the especially unfortunate choice of having Depp's Mad Hatter finish with a bizarrely inappropriate modern dance reminds us that the movie is really pop culture at its best and not in keeping with classic literature, even as a childish homage.

Unfortunate, because there are some good ideas here like dragon-slaying and prison breaks, but none of them are nostalgic nods. More like frenetic hypothesis. It's not a bad movie and parts of it are interesting indeed; it just doesn't live up expectation. And if you are going to spend over a year enticing us with scrumptious ads, please make sure you keep a good script. The story is what is important, over special effects and celebrity names. At heart, we want to remember what it's like to fall down that hole and wonder what it would be like to shrink down to toddler size again. A different perspective can always fix a little social anxiety.

You can find the soundtrack here:

Alice in Wonderland

Read the classic:

The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition

Directed by
Tim Burton
Produced by
Richard D. Zanuck
Joe Roth
Suzanne Todd
Jennifer Todd
Written by
Linda Woolverton (screenplay)
Lewis Carroll (book)
Starring
Mia Wasikowska
Johnny Depp
Anne Hathaway
Helena Bonham Carter
Crispin Glover
Michael Sheen
Stephen Fry

Alan Rickman

Timothy Spall

Matt Lucas

Christopher Lee

Barbara Windsor
Music by
Danny Elfman
Cinematography
Dariusz Wolski
Editing by
Chris Lebenzon

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The Pee-wee Herman Show - NOW ON BROADWAY (click here for latest dates)

a kate west review

written by Paul Reubens & Bill Steinkellner (John Paragon)

directed by Alex Timbers

at Club Nokia/LALive, 800 W. Olympic Blvd. LA 90015

contact 213-765-7000, www.clubnokia.com or www.ticketmaster.com

running January 12 - February 7

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls! He's back! The 80's icon man-child known as Pee-wee Herman (a.k.a. Paul Reubens) is settling in for a limited time only in the land of La-La, downtown Los Angeles. Catch him now at LA Live's Club Nokia in the newly renovated downtown (a la the Disneyfication of New York's Times Square).

Originally created by Paul Reubens as a character for the world-renowned Groundlings Theatre, Pee-wee Herman became a cult-like figure after Tim Burton's surprise hit "Pee-wee's Big Adventure". His tailored grey suit, white shoes, crew-cut hair and red bowtie made nerdom, if not cool, then hipper for not being cool. "Pee-wee's Playhouse" had a nice little run on television and won a few Emmys, appealing to children and adults alike. What really catapulted him into fame was the endless repetition of lines (and that unmistakable laugh) from the show and movie by enraptured fans, who weren't able to tell you exactly what they loved, except that Pee-wee made them laugh. Hard.

The current show brings back characters from the Playhouse, such as Miss Yvonne (Lynne Stewart), the most beautiful woman in Puppetland, Cowboy Curtis (Phil LaMarr, replacing the original buckaroo Laurence Fishburne), Mailman Mike (John Moody), Chairry (now Lori Alan) and Jambi the Genie (John Paragon). Surrounded by a cacophony of relics from 1950's t.v. shows, Pee-wee merrily jabbers on to both neighbors and inanimate objects, like the chair, the clock, the globe, fish, flowers, a mechanical robot and a flying Pterodactyl. Addressing the audience, he pulls us in right away, announcing the secret word, our only role having to scream loudly every time a cast member uses it. Each entrance is more exciting than the last (except for the grand entrance by the man himself), the crowd going wild at every memorable line and reference. Notably missing from the very first cast is, of course, the late Phil Hartman, a great friend of Reubens.

In this episode, based on the HBO special of the same name, Pee-wee finds out a secret about Miss Yvonne and very much wanting a wish of his own, selflessly gives it away so she can have her heart's desire. His friends rally to give him a happy ending, gently poking fun at each other and gleefully citing pop cultural references all the while (and sing and dance!) Interspersed with a cartoon, fan mail and the endlessly fascinating old time film about how not to be a Mr. Bungle (you'll have to see it to believe it), everyone has a grand old time, especially the audience. There is an out-of-character scene with a Bear (Drew Powell) which is almost jarring, but even that Reubens pulls off effortlessly in the end.

The real success behind this character is his ability to interest small children and adults of every age with simple plots and morals, peppered with more sophisticated innuendoes. The campy reverence for the nostalgic era of children's shows is quite endearing. While making fun of himself in a way, Pee-wee remains an innocent, truly joyful in his performance, but winking at the crowd all the while. Not an easy feat. It's a big show with big heart and Reubens and cast (especially Lynne Stewart, Phil LaMarr and John Paragon) do have a terrific time up on stage so it's almost impossible not to be swept away in the feverish acclaim. Unless you're already familiar with his work, it is difficult to explain the cult status. Personal indiscretions aside (get over it already), this guy is often underrated as a versatile, multi-talented and sometimes brilliant character actor and comedian. But hopefully this show will produce more Pee-wee awareness. Give him a chance folks, he (his laughter anyway) is infectious. Hope you remember your Pledge of Allegiance. I know you are, but what am I?

Anyone else have "Tequila" stuck in his/her head?

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila_(song))

Cast

Paul Reubens (Pee-wee)

John Moody (Mailman Mike)

Drew Powell (Bear)

John Paragon (Jambi)

Jesse Garcia (Sergio)

Phil LaMarr (Cowboy Curtis)

Lynne Marie Stewart (Miss Yvonne)

Lance Roberts (King of Cartoons)

Josh Myers (Firefighter)

Lori Alan, Josh Myers, John Paragon, Drew Powell, Lance Roberts (Voices)

Watch the original Mr. Bungle here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7X5-Drctk

Where Can I Get Even More Pee-wee?!!!

Pee-wee's Playhouse #1 - Seasons 1 and 2

Pee-wee's Playhouse #2 - Seasons 3-5

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

The Pee-Wee Herman Show - Live at the Roxy Theater

The public can follow Pee-wee Herman on

Twitter @peeweeherman facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PeeweeHerman

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Alice In Wonderland

a kate west review

directed by Lynn Olson, produced by Amy Blum

choreographed by Kimiko Broder

musical direction by Wendy Caldwell

music & lyrics by Sammy Fain & Bob Hilliard,

Oliver Wallace & Cy Coban, Allie Wrubel & Ray Gilbert,

Mack David, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston

music & book adapted by Bryan Louiselle & David Simpatico

from the Walt Disney 1951 animated film & the Lewis Carroll novels

at South Pasadena High School

1401 Fremont Avenue, South Pasadena 91030

contact South Pasadena Educational Foundation (SPEF)

(626) 441-5810 or (626) 441-5820 www.spef4kids.com

February 5, 6, 7 only!

An amazing 5th Grade Musical "Alice in Wonderland" now appears at the South Pas High Auditorium. And who doesn't love a good rendition of Alice? Best of all, the production is on the professional level of the best adult community theater around. 70 kids (s-e-v-e-n-t-y students) from Arroyo Vista, Marengo and Monterey Hills dance and sing their little hearts with a joy not to be denied. To coordinate that many ten and eleven year olds is a remarkable enough feat on its own, but the creative output on top of it is truly impressive.

We all know the story, so here are the Cliff Notes: There are three Alices, (small, medium and tall Alice) and they each take turns wandering through a more and more perplexing land of nonsensical creatures. She falls through the rabbit hole chasing the White Rabbit, grows smaller and larger eating and drinking prop cookies and colorful liquids, dances with seafood, argues with valley girl flowers, talks with caterpillars and cats, has an Un-Birthday, plays Simon Says with the Red Queen and survives a death sentence, returning to the real world, just as her older sister finishes reading to her.

Director Lynn Olson and Choreographer Kimiko Broder do a fantastic job organizing this potentially unruly brood. Complicated dance numbers are completed with the finesse of "Dancing with the Stars" competitors and children wander on and off stage with impressive precision. Talent runs rampant throughout the cast. Eric Kuo has a nice turn with the White Rabbit, ever late for important engagements, three Cheshire Cats (Olivia Feldman, Wayne Monical and Lorie Meza) make up a mischievous trio, Charlotte Emerson does a super goofy March Hare and Sandra Moore is hilariously imperious as the Red Queen. All the Alices are fine (Analisa Bribiesca, Cynthia Warren and Faye Witherall) and while not everyone can sing or dance perfectly, each and every child in the play gives it his and her all. This is an obviously well rehearsed production, up to any consummate professionals standard.

The music is upbeat and fun, even with the out-of-context "Zip-A-Dee-Dooh-Dah" (isn't that from "Song of the South"?), and the lines are delivered surprisingly clearly and well (how many elementary school plays have you understood in its entirety?) The costumes and set are all cute and quite befitting a school play. All in all, this is an excellent show. Maybe SPEF should think about taking it on the road, pending revamped child labor laws? Good, clean fun for all.

So go. Please support children in the arts. All ticket proceeds go directly to the students at the South Pasadena Unified School District. And tell YOUR kids.

Full Cast

Analisa Bribiesca, Caroline Becronis, Eric Kuo, Olivia Feldman, Wayne Monical, Lorie Meza, Charlie Primuth, Sandra Moore, Declan Chin, Lucy Loken, Alana Carmona, Jake McCurdy, Kevin Foster, Aaron Salinas, Jane Lian Wang, Clara Wong, Megan Wong, Owen Calvin-Smith, Cynthia Warren, Faye Witherall, Anissa Santos, Isabel Barbera, Haley Peters, Ariana Woodworth, Jessica Lopez, Madison Hirano, Charlotte Emerson, Cristo Nava, Sykler Ramirez, Katie Lam, Gunther Vaden, Matthew Wright, Yee-Sum Make, Hailey Newton, Grace Kull, Ella Wilson, Parker Crumley, Lauren Zableckis, Earyn Smith, Alice Stearn, Rebecca Daley, Finn Hadsell-Florin, Vaughn Huelsman, Callum Kuo, Ruben Nava-Landeros, Reed Pickering, Andrew Son, Randy Zhou, Vanessa Chai, Katherine Conte, Sara Jaime, Matthew Kramsch, Jesse Newman, Cindy Tsai, Sara Bellusci, Alison Cordano, Josie Friesen, DJ Myer, Inesh Rathi, Leo Sonner, Mia Tanner, Ryan Vargas, Talia Baker, Pearl Bang, Spencer Gurley, Katia Hise, Sarah Ohta, Grace Privett-Mendoza, Perah Ralin, Yuna Yamazaki

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Loyal To The End

a kate west reflection

(see link above)

Kate West creed below

(from Pixar's "Ratatouile")

[Anton Ego’s Review of Gusteau's.] "In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new; an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking, is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook". But I realize - only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."

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Ode to Anne Frank

Jan 12, 2010 8:17 | Updated Jan 12, 2010 8:22

Woman who hid Anne Frank dies at 100

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Miep Gies, the office secretary who defied the Nazi occupiers to hide Anne Frank and her family for two years and saved the teenager's diary, has died, the Anne FrankMuseum said Tuesday. She was 100.

In this 1998 photo, Miep Gies displays a copy of her book "Anne Frank Remembered" at her apartment inAmsterdam.
Photo: AP

Gies' Web site reported that she died Monday after a brief illness. The report was confirmed by museum spokeswoman Maatje Mostar, but she gave no details. The British Broadcasting Corp. said she died in a nursing home after suffering a fall last month.

Gies was the last of the few non-Jews who supplied food, books and good cheer to the secret annex behind the canal warehouse where Anne, her parents, sister and four other Jews hid for 25 months during World War II.

After the apartment was raided by the German police, Gies gathered up Anne's scattered notebooks and papers and locked them in a drawer for her return after the war. The diary, which Anne Frank was given on her 13th birthday, chronicles her life in hiding from June 12, 1942 until August 1, 1944.

Gies refused to read the papers, saying even a teenager's privacy was sacred. Later, she said if she had read them she would have had to burn them because they incriminated the "helpers."

Anne Frank died of typhus at age 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945, just two weeks before the camp was liberated. Gies gave the diary to Anne's father Otto, the only survivor, who published it in 1947.

After the diary was published, Gies tirelessly promoted causes of tolerance. She brushed aside the accolades for helping hide the Frank family as more than she deserved - as if, she said, she had tried to save all the Jews of occupied Holland.

"This is very unfair. So many others have done the same or even far more dangerous work," she wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press days before her 100th birthday last February.

"The Diary of Anne Frank" was the first popular book about the Holocaust, and has been read by millions of children and adults around the world in some 65 languages.

For her courage, Gies was bestowed with the "Righteous Gentile" title by the Yad Vashem. She has also been honored by the German Government, Dutch monarchy and educational institutions.

Nevertheless, Gies resisted being made a character study of heroism for the young.

"I don't want to be considered a hero," she said in a 1997 online chat with schoolchildren.

"Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid nobody would ever help other people, because who is a hero? I was not. I was just an ordinary housewife and secretary."

Born Hermine Santrouschitz on Feb. 15, 1909 in Vienna, Gies moved to Amsterdam in 1922 to escape food shortages in Austria. She lived with a host family who gave her the nickname Miep.

In 1933, Gies took a job as an office assistant in the spice business of Otto Frank. After refusing to join a Nazi organization in 1941, she avoided deportation to Austria by marrying her Dutch boyfriend, Jan Gies.

As the Nazis ramped up their arrests and deportations of Dutch Jews, Otto Frank asked Gies in July 1942 to help hide his family in the annex above the company's canal-side warehouse on Prinsengracht 263 and to bring them food and supplies.

"I answered, 'Yes, of course.' It seemed perfectly natural to me. I could help these people. They were powerless, they didn't know where to turn," she said years later.

Jan and Miep Gies worked with four other employees in the firm to sustain the Franks and four other Jews sharing the annex. Jan secured extra food ration cards from the underground resistance. Miep cycled around the city, alternating grocers to ward off suspicions from this highly dangerous activity.

In her e-mail to the AP last February, Gies remembered her husband, who died in 1993, as one of Holland's unsung war heroes. "He was a resistance man who said nothing but did a lot. During the war he refused to say anything about his work, only that he might not come back one night. People like him existed in thousands but were never heard," she wrote.

Touched by Anne's precocious intelligence and loneliness, Miep also brought Anne books and newspapers while remembering everybody's birthdays and special days with gifts.

"It seems as if we are never far from Miep's thoughts," Anne wrote.

In her own book, "Anne Frank Remembered," Gies recalled being in the office when the German police, acting on a tip that historians have failed to trace, raided the hide-out in August 1944.

A policeman opened the door to the main office and pointed a revolver at the three employees, telling them to sit quietly. "Bep, we've had it," Gies whispered to Bep Voskuijl.

After the arrests, she went to the police station to offer a bribe for the Franks' release, but it was too late. On Aug. 8, they were sent to Westerbork, a concentration camp in eastern Holland from where they were later packed into cattle cars and deported to Auschwitz. A few months later, Anne and her sister Margot were transported to Bergen-Belsen.

Two of the helpers, Victor Kugler and Johannes Kleiman, were sent to labor camps, but survived the war.

Around 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands before the 1940-45 Nazi occupation. Of those, 107,000 were deported to Germany and only 5,200 survived. Some 24,000 Jews went into hiding, of which 8,000 were hunted down or turned in.

After the war, Otto Frank returned to Amsterdam and lived with the Gies family until he remarried in 1952. Miep worked for him as he compiled the diary, then devoted herself to talking about the diary and answering piles of letters with questions from around the world.

After Otto Frank's death in 1980, Gies continued to campaign against Holocaust-deniers and to refute allegations that the diary was a forgery.

She suffered a stroke in 1997 which slightly affected her speech, but she remained generally in good health as she approached her 100th birthday.

Her son Paul Gies said last year she was still receiving "a sizable amount of mail" which she handled with the help of a family friend. She spent her days at the apartment where she lived since 2000 reading two daily newspapers and following television news and talk shows.

Her husband died in 1993. She is survived by her son and three grandchildren.

Find Out More Here:

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank Remembered: The Story of the Woman Who Helped to Hide the Frank Family Read more!

NINE

a kate west review

directed by Rob Marshall

music & lyrics by Maury Yeston (Andrea Guerra)

original book by Arthur Kopit

screenplay by Anthony Minghella & Michael Tolkin

Already a playful adaptation of Federico Fellini's famous semi-autobiographical film "8 1/2", the Tony-award winning musical "Nine" is now a major motion picture. Starring Daniel Day Lewis and directed by Rob Marshall ("Chicago"), it blurs the line between fantasy and memory, reality and dreams.

Guido Contini (Daniel Day Lewis) is a 1960's world famous film director at a crisis in life. He's a notorious womanizer, yet loves his wife Luisa dearly (the adorable Marion Cotillard). He can't help it - he's always loved women, starting with his incredible Mother (the incomparable Sophia Loren) and his first love, the local prostitute, Saraghina (fabulously depicted by Fergie) to his sultry mistress Carla (Penelope Cruz) and the idolized movie star Claudia Jensson (Nicole Kidman).

Deep down Contini wants to be good and needs to be loved, but mistakes worship for the real thing. What he knows best is making movies and in the course of the film, we see his desire for women conflict with his strict Catholic upbringing, creating the tortured self-absorbed egomaniac with a genius for cinematic art. His charisma will only carry him so far, and eventually everyone gets fed up with him, from his hard-working Producer to his long-suffering wife.

Marion Cotillard ("La Vie En Rose") has the most touching and tender scenes in the movie, plaintively singing "My Husband Makes Movies" as he continues to neglect her. The musical scenes are all great in fact, especially Fergie's stompingly lusty "Be Italian" and Cruz's sexy "Call to the Vatican". Most of the actors can sing, with the exception of Lewis and Judi Dench (as the matronly Costumer Lilli), but their immaculately strong performances carry them through beautifully. Kate Hudson plays an American reporter Stephanie in a brand new number "Cinema Italiano", shot like a sparkly Versace runway show.

True, the costuming and 1960's look is très chic, but the movie lacks a true heart, in spite of the excellent cast. Guido Contini should be the charming devil-may-care rascal who wins us over, but he's so tired and desolate by the end, he has nothing left to give. Small changes from musical to film (won't give it away here), don't make much of a difference, but as this is a difficult musical to begin with, technically and emotionally, it's a tough transition to screen that Director Rob Marshall just quite can't pull off.

Still, it's got some fun numbers and a few cool retro looks here and there, so is definitely well worth a viewing.

Directed by	Rob Marshall
Produced by	Rob Marshall Marc Platt Harvey Weinstein John DeLuca Maury Yeston
Written by	Anthony Minghella Michael Tolkin
Starring	Daniel Day-Lewis Marion Cotillard Penélope Cruz Judi Dench Fergie Kate Hudson Nicole Kidman Sophia Loren
Music by	Andrea Guerra (Score) Maury Yeston (Songs)
Cinematography	Dion Beebe
Editing by	Claire Simpson Wyatt Smith
Studio	Relativity Media
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK:
Nine 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.

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