TWELFTH NIGHT @ THE DELACORTE THEATRE (PUBLIC WORKS)

There is nothing I love more in this world than a good update on a classic. Now, as of late I have found myself trapped in many a discussion on the validity of a modern interpretation. But as I was taught and as I have known, I always come prepared to an argument with an arsenal of facts, site source material and the good ol’ gizmo (bam!)

Here’s a perfect example of a modern update of a Shakespearean classic that happened this past weekend right in the heart of our city, Central Park. The Public Theatre’s Public Works Program put up a SMASHING production of Twelfth Night at the Delacorte and let me tell you, not one toe was left untapped, not one soul left unenraptured by the brilliant coming togethers of the average Joe and Tony Award winning stars.

We know the story (or we’ve seen She’s the Man…) but here, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Shaina Taub do something so special with the text; a modern/classic fusion so flavorful, rich and comforting, all the while keeping its roots which perfectly mirrors their Illyria, New Orleans.

And I get it. Some updates are super forced and out of left field (There’s a production of Antony and Cleopatra back in Chichester that haunts me to this very day) but to declare “If music be the food of love, play on” and not think of New Orleans in all its music, art and sex appeal, there’s simply no hope in ever changing your minds. Frillies and plumes to you all!

Nikki M. James shines as Viola, mastering the language with coolness and ease. Jose Llana is a perfect Orsino, oozing incredulous amounts of love and angst, all in a man-bun, no less! Nanya-Akuki Goodrich’s Olivia was so spirited and jovial, a refreshing change to a character we know to wail on.

Audiences fell in love with Sir Toby Belch, Mr. Jacob Ming-Trent, a Public Theatre (and Entertainment Hour!) favorite as well as Andrew Kober’s side splitting Malvolio.  Every single audience member in that sold out house was with these captivating performers one hundred percent, laughing at every nuance, radio silent at every touching moment.

 

One of the community groups that took part in this production was the New York Deaf Theatre. They served the role as the unspoken words inside Viola’s head when she wants to tell Orsino that she’s a woman and she loves him.  Feste, played by Ms. Taub herself , sings “Is this not Love?” while the group dances and signs around Viola and Orsino. Certainly an absolutely gorgeous inclusion that I will never be able to forget.

I urge you all to support the Bard in all its forms and veneers wherever it pops up! Because God knows I won’t shut up about it.

Review: Brittany Goodwin

Photos: Sarah Krulwich

Antony and Cleopatra @ The Public Theater's Anspacher Theater

Tarell Alvin McCraney reimagines Shakespeare’s classic in The Public Theatre’s production of Antony and Cleopatra.

The play tells of the scandalous love affair between the Roman general Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and how their blind passion leads to their ultimate downfall and deaths. Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus are the joint rulers of the known world. Anthony, however, is captivated by Cleopatra and neglects his duties to spend time with her in Alexandria. This scandal creates a rift between Antony and young Octavius Caesar.

McCraney calls this piece “a hybrid, being both a tragedy and a history”. However, the audience may consider McCraney’s Antony and Cleopatra a hybrid for different reasons. The story revolves around a Roman general and an Egyptian queen, yet McCraney has chosen to transform Anthony into a French soldier and Cleopatra into a Haitian princess. The French speak with British accents while the Haitians speak in American creole. The setting is very ethereal with a blend of Calypso music filling the air amid the white draped fabric, Roman columns and pools of water. Haitian dancing, voodoo and some haunting vocals are also thrown into the mix. These choices present a lot of blurred lines, some of which meld brilliantly to captivate the audience and some with the dissonance of oil and water creating confusion for the average theatre goer.

Michael Thurber’s music under the direction of Akintayo Akinbode is a driving force in transporting the audience. It sets the scene, conjures panic, soothes and lifts spirits. Chivas Michael’s angelic vocals add great texture to stark scenes.  Gelan Lambert’s choreography is intriguing and appropriate for the setting of the story, though it has some peculiar moments.

Joaquina Kalukango is perfect as Cleopatra. She bewitches not only Mark Antony but the entire audience as well. Kalukango gives Cleopatra the perfect blend of charm, insanity and seductiveness.  Jonathan Cake’s performance of Mark Antony was strong though he induced some awkward chuckles from the audience during vulnerable moments. Samuel Collings gives a breathtaking performance as Octavius Caesar. Collings evokes a true depth behind every glance and is fascinating to watch even in the scenes where he is not the center focus. Most of the other company members portray 2-3 different roles throughout the show and each delivers their characters with newly defined complexity.

While McCraney’s Antony and Cleopatra may leave the audience with mixed reviews it certainly breathes a welcome freshness into this 407 year old classic.

Review By: Staci Morin
Photos By: Joan Marcus

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson @ Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

Move over traditional musical, indie rock is here to stay on Broadway. What RENT did for the village, Spring Awakening did for raging hormones, and Next to Normal did for a reversed Oedipus complex; Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson takes the typical history lesson by the collar, and gives a big F.U. to political correctness, stuffy explanations, and pompous “just-the-facts” attitude. It is set ablaze with a powerful score, an electrifying cast, and a production that captures the ferocity and complexity that was our seventh president – Andrew Jackson.

Even with an unusually quiet audience for such a powerhouse of a musical, the energy of the entire company – band included – creamed the scene with power and passion with not just the book, but the sheer subject matter. Touchy subjects – such as mass genocide and the infamous Trail of Tears – were approached with pristine wit and tenderness, creating an unsettling and yet spot on discourse within the audience members. The cast and crew nailed the feel good and thoughtful musical with a balance of ease that made it appear effortless.

Alex Timbers and Michael Friedman have created, what one audience member jokingly remarked, “The No-fear-Shakespeare for the history books, but done right!” Their work was refreshing among the other dime a dozen revivals and movie-made-musicals that seem to be creeping into the Big White Way. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is the little patch of underground utopia that restores faith for the modern musical.

Benjamin Walker is a riot as Jackson, with his keen sense to capture the unruliness and internal struggle of a brilliantly mad man, he does not fall short of kicking ass and taking numbers as well as making you weep. On a scale of one to ten, he blazed through at a constant fifty, light up the stage with his voice, timing, and clarity of his role. Also, Maria Elena Ramirez’s role as Rachael (Jackson’s wife), was stunning. In her most poignant number “The Great Compromise,” the little woman gives her character a sharp turn from the comedy into tragedy with such grace and precision, giving further definition to her character. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’s stellar cast is rounded out by the brilliant ensemble. Each member does a great job of portraying many different characters and even picking up an instrument or two to play with the band!

With the Bernard B. Jacob Theatre looking more like the interior of a bar – with the décor landing somewhere between an old fashioned tavern and an AC/DC concert – the generation gap of both era and genre made for a phenomenal combination. As stunning as the costumes were, continuing to stick to a westernized feel of today’s multi-layered look, there were several unnecessary costume changes among the chorus members; which did nothing to enhance the plot or scene, but more so to inflate the ego of the fashion gods. The lighting aspect was a stunning visual orgasm, as color changing neon tubes protruded from the stage, rippling on and off between numbers for the hard rock effect; while hundreds upon thousands of strings of lights glowed overhead – and over every space available for that matter – to create that old time feel of Southern comforts for the more somber numbers. Justin Townsend, lighting designer for this production, better take one hell of a bow for pulling off one magnanimous spectacle.

With the tired, but true saying, “history always repeats itself,” the message in this production is clear, keeping its audience members interested in more ways than one. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is a must see, if not for the reasons above, then for at least a really crazy guy, in some really tight jeans.

Review By: James Russo & Sarah Hogan-DePaul