RW Lunch #2 - Gaby Brasserie, plus a couple other food-type notes

Between last weekend's blizzard ruining a Restaurant Week meal and a very nasty head cold ruining two shows I was supposed to see this week (you know I'm not feeling well when I give up two sets of theater tickets, especially for the show based on Jane Austen!), there hasn't been much to blog about lately.  I hope you've missed me, even a little.  Today I forced myself to head over to Gaby Brasserie for a RW lunch - it was tasty, but probably doesn't make my list of best lunches ever. Thankfully, I could taste the food even with the nasty head cold...

Gaby Brasserie is located inside a nice midtown hotel - it's very light and airy, with lots of chrome and glass.  The dining room isn't large, but it's nicely put together so it doesn't feel crowded.  My reservation was at the end of the lunch rush, so I pretty much had the place to myself (a few more people straggled in later).  The server was very pleasant, French, I think, and only appeared when necessary.  It was as if I was having a leisurely lunch in Paris - no rush, no overly attentive server, just some yummy French food.

The bread basket that arrived had some very nice tiny baguettes and some olive bread included, though the olive bread looked as if it had oats in it (I have an oat allergy).  I stuck with the tiny baguette and it was excellent, with a crispy crust and soft interior.  And is there anything better than French butter?  Maybe not.  The pot of tea I ordered was also very nice; there were probably four full cups of tea in there, which meant I could have hot tea throughout the meal.  I liked that.  I went to a restaurant for a business lunch the other day and you'd think I had asked for a unicorn when I asked for tea.

I got the lentil soup as an appetizer and it was perfectly nice, though, to be frank, I've had better lentil soups in my lifetime.  There didn't seem to be a lot of lentils, for a start, the broth was rather thin, and it was a little too delicately seasoned for my tastes.  I NEVER do this, but I added a shake of salt to the soup and that perked it up a bit.  I mean, it was fine, it didn't taste bad or anything, but I probably expected a little more.  It was beautifully presented, though, in a gorgeous little white bone china tureen.  I think I may need to get one of those little dainties for my own kitchen.

My entrée was a croque madame and it definitely lived up to expectations!  Of course, how can you go wrong with ham, cheese, béchamel and a fried egg on top?!  You can't!  A heart attack on a plate, that's what I just had for lunch.  But holy hell, it was delicious.  The bread, even with the sauce, cheese and egg, was still crispy and light, and the egg was perfectly cooked so that the yolk just fell over everything and shared its deliciousness all over the plate.  I am a big fan of perfect eggs.  Plus, the sandwich was served with crispy frites and a tasty kale salad with a very bracing vinaigrette, which was just right to cut through the richness of the sandwich.  I couldn't really eat it all because it was so rich, but it was very yummy all the same.

For dessert, I had originally intended on trying the bread pudding, but I was very grateful to my server for noticing that I hadn't finished my entire sandwich and quietly suggesting I change my order to the passion fruit mousse.  Yes, a much better (and lighter) choice.  I mean, I know I was eating 46,000 calories at one meal, but bread pudding, too?  That's a bit much, even for me.  And the passion fruit mousse was so good!  Very light and tart, with some creamy whipped cream on top.  There was also a sugar tuile and fresh berries.  I couldn't finish dessert either (I am rather ready to explode), but I was happy to have that nice sweet/tart/creamy finish to my meal. 

I enjoyed my quiet lunch at Gaby, but it wasn't an amazing experience, like some of my RW experiences have been.  Just a very nice one.  Which is fine.  I've had a couple of other fun food experiences lately, too:  I went with my very dearest pals last week to Harlem Pizza Co.  They have a wood burning brick oven, just like the pizzerias in Naples, Italy, so we wanted to try it.  When we got there, we were the only group in the place, so we had our delightful server all to ourselves.  He was just the sweetest and most adorable guy - he gave us happy hour prices for our drinks, even though we barely made it in time, and he described the specials in such a way that confirmed why they were special!  :)  We ended up getting the special salad of the day, which was a kale salad with a butternut squash puree, croutons and burrata.  WOW.  It sounds kinda weird but it was amazing!  Everything together was just oh.so.delicious.  We were very glad we got two of them so everyone could have enough.  All of the special pizzas sounded delightful, but I stuck with my tried and true margherita pizza.  And it was...delicious.  Very authentic to Naples, in my opinion - perfect proportions of cheese, sauce and crust.  Yum.Mee.  For dessert, we shared a nutella calzone, which was also off the charts yummy.  Served with a huge side of whipped cream.  SO good.  We had a great time at Harlem Pizza Co and can't wait to go back again soon.

Last Friday, I went with some pals to celebrate a beautiful gal pal's birthday.  She's always wanted to go to the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel, mainly to see the Maxfield Parrish mural that hangs there.  So we met and had an absolutely delightful evening (I took entirely too many photos because it's so beautiful there; I'll include some at the bottom of the post).  The Parrish mural is exquisite - I can't believe how vivid and vibrant the colors are on a painting that's around 100 years old!  Very cool.  It's not an inexpensive evening, to be sure, but it was completely worth it!  The atmosphere was amazing, the cocktails were strong and the food was fresh and yummy.  I got the Madison Avenue cocktail, which had patron tequila, blood orange soda, lime juice and a bit of salt.  It was SO good and SO strong.  One is all you need.  I also got the crab cake sliders, but we all ended up sharing everything, so I also got a taste of the mini-burgers, the chickpea samosas and the lobster potato skins.  Oh, and we shared an ice cream sundae for dessert.  I mean, we WERE celebrating a birthday.  Everything was just delicious.  It's never a bad way to end a week:  strong cocktails, lobster, crab cakes and fabulous friends.  In a gorgeous locale.  One of the many many reasons I love NY...

RW lunch #1 - A Voce

Restaurant Week is here!  Restaurant Week is here!  (imagine my saying that in a voice like Steve Martin's in The Jerk.  you know the scene I mean.)  One of my very favorite times of the year is upon us.  I was so happy to get the party started yesterday with lunch at A Voce.

I've told you before that I generally choose restaurants that are out of my price range on a normal day, but are finally affordable because of Restaurant Week, right?  This is again how I chose A Voce.  One of the restaurants in the Time Warner building, A Voce is a pricey venture, though I would totally be up for going back on a special occasion.  Just having lunch there yesterday was a special occasion because it was DELICIOUS!  Is it fair that I already have three nominees for best dish of 2016??

I started off my day yesterday with a big meeting at work, which was very interesting and challenging, and had a light breakfast attached.  That was grand, so I could start off my day with a little something something, but save room for my lunch.  I got to the restaurant a little early, so I could de-hat-head myself and be a little bit presentable in their dining room.

A Voce is a very airy space, with lots of glass and wood.  The dining room isn't huge, but it's a nice size.  I wasn't fortunate enough to get a seat over by the windows, but my seat was very pleasant.  For the most part.  I had the ungood fortune of sitting next to a couple who apparently thought that because I was at lunch by myself, I was in need of conversation.  They were very nice people, but I really didn't want to talk though my whole lunch.  That's one reason I go alone, to eat in happy silence and (generally) read a book that I don't have time to read during the day.  Oh well.  The food was so great that it almost makes me forget about the well-meaning but teensy bit annoying couple on my left.

The bread basket of focaccia with olive oil was very tasty.  I also, naughtily, ordered a glass of wine.  They have a special lower-priced glass of wine for RW, so I went ahead and got the nero d'avola.  It was delicious.  Very smooth, with just a hint of pepper in the background.  I think my very-charming server poured me a bit more than he should've, but I drank every drop. 

For my appetizer, I got the crudo alla puttanesca.  It was amazing!  Atlantic salmon crudo, with capers, tomato, and fresno pepper.  I was at first worried that the fresno pepper would be too spicy for me, but it was such a bite-sized piece, it worked really well with the fatty salmon.  I could've used a tad more acid, but that's a picky picky point.  It was a really yummy dish.

Originally, when I glanced at their menu, I was going to get the housemade pasta for my main course, but then I saw the words: pumpkin mostarda.  Um, hello!  I love pumpkin and I love mostarda!  So I had to get the maiale, aka roasted pork loin, with winter vegetables and pumpkin mostarda.  The vegetables were cauliflower, tiny mushrooms and cipollini onions.  The pork was so juicy and moist, it was lovely.  I don't know what the sauce was, but it was incredible.  Very deep and meaty.  I may have overhead my server tell another table there was anchovy in it.  That would make sense, that really deep, rich flavor could've had an anchovy base.  And the pumpkin mostarda?  Shut up.  Oh. My. God.  YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.  I told my server, if they had been selling that in the lobby, I would've bought it!  It was delicious!  The consistency was very light and airy, almost whipped, with a terrific flavor that had a ton of layers in it.  Everything was so so good. 

I almost got the peanut butter semifreddo for dessert, but I thought that might be too rich, so I got the coconut panna cotta, with passion fruit gelee and poached pineapple instead.  Oh so good.  Really light, with lots of textures (there was a cookie crumble on top, I think) and bright flavors.  Loved it.  I loved everything about A Voce - the service was very pleasant, the atmosphere was warm and the food was incredible.  What a great start to Restaurant Week for me - I can't wait to taste what's next!  :)

First Preview Thoughts on Prodigal Son (and a little bit extra)

Last night, I went to the first preview of John Patrick Shanley's new play, Prodigal Son.  It's being done at Manhattan Theatre Club's Off-Broadway space.  I generally enjoy Shanley's plays, and his screenplays, very much.  Moonstruck is brilliant, in my opinion.  I think he writes amazingly authentic dialogue, his characters are always individuals, and his storytelling skills are outstanding.  I normally don't go to first previews, but when a steeply discounted ticket fell into my lap, I decided to risk it.  But since it WAS a first preview of a new play, I'm sure they're still working, so I'll only say a few things.

Prodigal Son tells the story of a "seventeen-year-old boy from The Bronx who finds himself suddenly in a private school in New Hampshire. He’s violent, gifted, alienated, on fire with a ferocious loneliness. Two faculty members wrestle with the dilemma: Is the kid a star or a disaster?"  (I took the quotation from the theater's website)  I enjoyed this story very much - having a teenaged nephew makes me, I think, more likely to get involved in a coming-of-age story about a young boy.  Having the story told so well only made it better.

The last play of Shanley's I saw, Outside Mullingar, had a scene in it that I think is one of the best scenes in contemporary American theater.  I think Prodigal Son has a scene I can say that about, too.  The first scene, where we see the boy and the headmaster size each other up, was just brilliant.  And it was beautifully acted.  The whole show was beautifully acted, but the young boy, Timothee Chalamet, deserves special mention.  He carries the show on his shoulders and he was fantastic.  Quirky, smart, self-destructive, funny, needy - he played so many layers in this troubled kid, and he did it all with a sparkle in his eye and a spring in his step.  You could see why people wanted to save him.

I also want to mention Robert Sean Leonard, who I've been a big fan of for years and years.  He had just left Fordham when I started teaching there, so our paths didn't cross, unfortunately, but I've always enjoyed his work.  He's just so real and immediately recognizable.  He was terrific as the teacher who wants to mentor this boy, but struggles to understand him.  I would love to see Leonard on stage more - I have such fond memories of his Tony-winning turn in Invention of Love, and I thought he was incredible in the revival of Long Day's Journey into Night.  Let's hope that now his tv show is over, he'll do more stage work because he's quite special.

When I looked in the program after the show to see who had done the musical score, I was shocked to see the composer was Paul Simon!  I didn't think he would ever do theater music again!  His score here was very nice, quite evocative and interesting.  Not too intrusive but always setting the mood.  I liked it.  I hope he does more of this kind of thing.  I don't really want to say too much more about the production, other than there were a few things that didn't make sense to me, some directorial choices that seemed odd and I think the pacing was off, but that's most likely because it was a first preview.  I have no doubt that things will come together beautifully by the time the show opens.  There is some ravishingly beautiful stuff in here and I wept several times.  That's always a good sign for me.  Plus, as soon as it was over, I was wanting to go back.  So that's a good sign, too.  They do have some work to do, but I have faith they'll get to where they need to be...

The little bit extra is about my excursion Monday night - I don't know what I was thinking, telling an old friend I'd go to a movie with her.  I had the day off from work!  I really just wanted to lay on my couch and watch tennis for the three day weekend!  Especially since it has gotten so cold.  But I did begrudgingly leave my apartment and went to see the 'live' broadcast of Kenneth Branagh's theater company's production of The Winter's Tale, starring Branagh and Judi Dench.  I thought it was terrific, and if another broadcast comes your way, you should go see it.  The Winter's Tale is one of the toughest Shakespeare plays to pull off because it has so many contradictory forces in it, but when you get the tone right, it can be a beautiful story of redemption, self-discovery and love.  I think Branagh's company mainly gets it right.  Branagh is quite mercurial as Leontes and he makes us believe his sudden jealousy and suspicion with body language and gorgeous text work.  I enjoyed his rapport with his friend Polixenes, but I also intuited a subliminal problem between them that added greatly to the trouble that comes later.  Hadley Fraser was very good as Polixenes, who fell into some of the same traps as his jealous friend later in the play.  But really, the whole reason to see this is Judi Dench.  She is, quite simply, sublime as Paulina.  She finds the humor, the humanity, the sympathy and the rage in every line.  She also has the monologue about Time that comes late in the play and she delivered it exquisitely.  She was really a marvel.  And I think anytime you have the chance to see Judi Dench do...well, anything really, you should take it!     

Preview Thoughts on Skeleton Crew

 Last night, I went to see a preview of a new play by an acclaimed young playwright, Dominique Morisseau.  I've heard about Dominique for years but this was the first play of hers I've seen.  I had seen a scene from this play, Skeleton Crew, at an awards ceremony last year and I was eager to see the rest of the work.  Dominique is from Detroit and often writes about the people of Detroit - I lived in Detroit in the late 80s, so I have an interest and affection there, too.  Skeleton Crew, now playing at the Atlantic Theater on their second stage, brings those things together...

Since the show doesn't open until next week, I'll only mention a few things.  The first thing is:  GO SEE THIS PLAY.  It isn't often that I get to see a play about blue-collar workers, about people I know and grew up with, so I'll always stand up for one.  Also, this play has such beautifully detailed writing and characterizations and acting.  It's truly so well done.

Skeleton Crew takes place in a breakroom of a small auto manufacturing plant.  We meet three longtime co-workers and see how they love and respect each other.  The ups and downs of these lives, with respect to their jobs and their outside world, are wonderfully detailed.  The disintegration of the auto industry, the precarious nature of current life in Detroit and the issues of personal fulfillment are all portrayed.  Each character is detailed and true, speaking with glorious language that is still grounded in truth and reality.  They each have problems, both at work and at home, but they puzzle through the problems and support each other in a loving way.

photo credit: Ahron R. Foster

The characters include the older woman of the group, who has wit, salty wisdom and secrets; the young pregnant woman who is unsure of her life outside of the plant but sure of her worth inside it; the hot-headed young man who has a plan for his future and won't let anyone get in his way; and the supervisor who managed to get off the line, but knows to whom he owes his good fortune.  There's a fifth character, but I don't want to give it away.  The surprise was one of my favorite parts of the show.

The play is serious, funny, moving, tragic and authentic, all at once.  I knew these people, even while they were completely original, and I got so caught up in the situations that Dominique thought up for them.  I was particularly taken with the pregnant character (and the actress too - I misplaced my program so I don't have names in front of me, sorry) - her speeches and impulses were so interesting to me.  But, really, all the characters were interesting to me and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.  I think the show is very well directed and designed, the small space didn't feel small at all.  I liked the sound design and music choices very much as well.

Seat neighbor-wise, I was sitting next to a man who was probably too old for me trying to pick up his date, who was probably young enough to be his granddaughter.  It was a little disconcerting.  He kept trying to impress her by talking about his former career in radio. I'm guessing being on the radio isn't on the top of a young gal's potential mate list nowadays.  Moving on.  I was also sitting in front of stereotypical annoying NY theatergoers, who talked in their outdoor voices about all the shows they've seen (getting most facts wrong) and they seemed to be in the minority of people who didn't enjoy the galactically big hit Hamilton and were very smug in their insistence that everyone around them know it.  But the rest of the audience was wonderfully engaged in the exciting show in front of us and committed to enjoying the show - most everyone jumped to their feet at the end.  I'm so glad I saw Skeleton Crew and I'm looking forward to experiencing more of Dominique Morisseau's unique vision.  You should go check out this production, too.

Review - The King and I

I've wanted to see the current revival of The King and I ever since it was announced, but it has been a hot ticket all along.  I have a hard time digging up full price for shows, even if I am a huge fan of Kelli O'Hara and I've enjoyed Bartlett Sher's direction in the past.  I'm a bit sorry I missed seeing Ken Watanabe, but when a TDF ticket popped up for last night, I knew Hoon Lee would be an amazing King!  I've seen him in several shows over the years and have always enjoyed his work.  I'm so glad he's getting such a high-profile chance to show his stuff.  Oh, and so as to not bury the lede, I LOVED the show.  LOVED.

I've seen many productions of The King and I over the years and I almost always enjoy it.  The songs are beautiful and the story is always moving, especially at the end.  I saw the last revival at least three times - I saw Donna Murphy, Faith Prince and (yes) Marie Osmond as Anna.  Marie wasn't bad!  Anyway, last night, I got quite teary throughout the show, at places I'd never really gotten teary before.  I think I just get more emotional as I get older.  Things of beauty or ephemeral perfection make me well up.  They just do.  As I told my nephew over the holidays, I'm a crier.  Deal with it.  :)

I will admit, however, that I was worried at the start of the evening.  First off, I was a bit miffed about the overture.  I'm no music history expert, but I'm thinking that overture was cut and paste within an inch of its life and it didn't seem to flow as well as the overtures that are in my brain.  Maybe those are different and last night's was the right one?  I don't really know, to be honest.  I guess I could do some Googling to find out.  But I was unhappy with it.  I loved the opening effect with the ship (and one of my very favorite actors, Rocco Sisto, was playing Captain Orton!  It's not a big part, but he brought his wonderfulness to his brief time on stage.  More on him later), but as the ship was sailing in, the ushers let in the latecomers, who all seemed to be in my section, so I really lost the thread of the opening of the show.  That annoyed me as well.  Anna's son Louis' mic didn't seem to be working, either.  Grrr.  But, slowly but surely, Kelli O'Hara pulled me in, from her very first moment.  And I thought the staging and the physical production was gorgeous, right from the beginning.  Well, to be honest, from my seat in the loge, extreme house left, I couldn't see anyone when they went upstage past the stage façade, but thankfully, they didn't do that too often.  I didn't get to see the King's throne at all; he only sat there a brief moment, but I do wish I could've seen him. 

Where did I get teary?  Lots of places.  First, during the March of the Siamese Children - the orchestra sounded glorious, the set and costumes were perfect, the children were adorable and Hoon Lee as the King was so touching; proud and affectionate with all his children, yet still regal and commanding.  I believe I had an audible sob when the tiniest adorable child yelled "I believe in snow!", and the whole ending just wiped me out.  I don't remember the show being such a sobfest before, but...there you have it.

photo credit:  Paul Kolnik

I think my tears can be traced to how real and full the performances were.  I was so caught up in everything and felt things even more deeply because of how wonderful the characterizations were.  I marvel at Kelli O'Hara, I really do.  Every time I see her on stage, she has created such a complete and authentic person who I utterly engage with.  And her singing - magnificent.  Not only the sound, but the acting and the intention throughout the songs.  It's often like hearing songs anew.  She found so many new things, as did most of the actors.  Ruthie Ann Miles was fantastic as Lady Thiang and her "Something Wonderful" was just revelatory for me.  Paul Nakauchi was simply terrific as Kralahome.  From his very first entrance, you could see a person who was always thinking, always considering.  There was a moment of shocked respect on his face when he was first sparring with Anna that was so jarring and real, I was taken aback.

Jon Viktor Corpuz just broke my heart as Prince Chulalongkorn.  Seriously.  I don't think I've ever been so affected by that character before.  He can't be that old, but the wisdom of his acting...wonderful.  You could see everything - the overly-proud young man who thought he had nothing to learn, the inquisitive child, the dutiful son and tentative leader.  His arc is beautifully played and in the last scene: exquisite.  Really.

photo credit:  Paul Kolnik

I've saved my favorite for last.  I thought Hoon Lee as the King was magnificent.  So regal and imperious.  So sexy and funny.  And confused.  And warm.  And scared.  Wow.  Everything I wanted.  Plus, he sang beautifully.  Again, I saw things I have never seen before.  I guess I've never noticed how quickly the "Shall We Dance" happiness and the Tuptim awfulness come together.  Anna and the King have had this connection during the dance and he comes to her for the reprise, when suddenly they're torn apart by what he thinks he must do as King, but what he no longer CAN do.  I was just destroyed by the crumpling of his character, how affected he was by Anna's 'you ARE a barbarian' line!  I believe I may have gasped at the rawness of the pain from both of them.  That whole scene was staged so wonderfully well.  Their connection and relationship was built so gradually, that you could see why they came to a meeting of the minds.  They complemented each other so well.  Oh, it was just great.  Everything was great.

photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Before I forget, I just want to mention:  "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" is one of my favorite scenes ever and it was again so gorgeous.  And the ebbs and flows of it, echoing the ebbs and flows of what is happening behind the scenes, was grand.  I was just struck anew by how beautifully The King and I is constructed.  No wasted space, with a powerful message always present on top of, and underneath, whatever the current action is.  Really.  This is a first-rate revival.  I was a bit worried I would be disappointed because I have looked forward to seeing this show for so long, but my expectations were completely surpassed.  I can only hope the show comes up on TDF again because I so want to go back.

A happy treat happened after the show:  I was waiting for the subway and when I looked up, I saw Rocco Sisto standing waiting for the train, too.  Normally, I would just let the moment pass, but I have been a fan of his for such a long time (we also worked at the same summer theater one summer, though he was in a show and I was working in the box office, so I'm not sure our paths ever crossed there) that I just had to say something.  So I approached him and told him how much I enjoyed his performance.  He was very gracious and just started chattering away about how much he was enjoying working with the company.  One topic led to another, then we kept chatting as we rode the train together.  It was a delightful half hour or so and I'm very grateful to a kind man for letting an aging fangirl have a moment with him.  It made a magical night even more magical.

Preview Thoughts on Our Mother's Brief Affair

Last night was the happy occasion of seeing my first play for 2016!  I got my finances a little bit more in order over the holidays (having very generous parents who pay for everything when you're home really helps), and I got right onto TDF after I got back and picked up a few tickets (god bless TDF!).  I'm so gluttonous, I'm seeing three shows this week, then one a week for about a month or so.  I'm going to try to do better, but we'll see.  In my life, it's either feast or famine.

After having my purse searched twice before entering the theater (really?  they had to check my purse before I went into the box office to pick up my ticket and then again when I walked into the theater?  are they selling illegal substances in the lobby, because that's the only place something new could appear in my bag between the two spots.  but I digress.), I went to my very nice seat in the Samuel J Friedman theater: eighth row, on the aisle, for Richard Greenberg's new play Our Mother's Brief Affair.  Since the play doesn't open until next week, I won't go too crazy with the comments.  Though I do have a few things to mention...

It seems a teensy bit of a misnomer, I think, to call this Greenberg's new play, since it was previously done at South Coast Rep.  But, that's what all the materials say, so who am I to judge?  I saw Greenberg's The Assembled Parties at the Friedman a couple of seasons ago and I remember enjoying myself.  I went back and looked at my review - this section caught my eye:  "I appreciated it, I enjoyed it, I was even moved by a couple of speeches at the end, but I didn't LOVE it.  Too bad for me, I guess, but I just felt like there were so many unanswered questions.  Should there really be so much left for me to figure out?  Should so many things we believed from the first act really fly out the window in the second?  I don't know.  But these are the types of things that kept me from all-out loving this play."  Hmmmm.  That's really interesting because I feel almost EXACTLY the same about Our Mother's Brief Affair!  And now I'm wondering - is this a modus operandi for Richard Greenberg?  To set things up in the first act that get thrown out in the second?  Because life is precarious or something?  Or you can never know the truth?  I don't know.

Linda Lavin plays Anna, a mother who has been a difficult nut to crack for her children, who reveals big secrets about herself when she thinks she's on her deathbed.  Greg Keller and Kate Arrington are her bewildered adult children and John Procaccino plays a couple of pivotal characters in their lives.  The play is essentially a series of monologues, or asides to the audience, with occasional scenes played to illustrate previous asides.  So there was a lot of 'telling' with a little bit of 'showing.'  But then there was 'telling' INSIDE the 'showing', so things started to get a little frustrating for me.  At times I felt as if I were just watching them read the play to me instead of performing it. 

photo credit: Joan Marcus

That's not to say I didn't rather enjoy the story or the performances, I did.  I was intrigued in spite of myself, Greenberg's dialogue can be so witty and smart (maybe sometimes a little too smart?), and I found Linda Lavin to be stop-the-presses brilliant.  She found so many layers to this woman; we're never supposed to know if she's telling the truth or making up stories, but everything she said felt genuine and true to me.  At one point, she looks at her son and says (I paraphrase) "You're looking at me.  I've been waiting for you to look at me."  I completely knew what she meant - she was a woman trying to be seen as a woman by her children, not just as a mother.  That made sense and moved me, as did Anna's confession of the other event that had caused her so much guilt over her lifetime.  But I feel as if it was the actress moving me and not the play itself.  I could be wrong, I guess.  The other actors were also quite good, though obviously Lavin's role is the meatiest and most interesting.

I don't know.  The rest of the audience seemed to be eating the play up - every time there was mention of a town or landmark in Long Island, portions of the audience would titter.  And let's just say the average age of the audience made it easy for them to grasp the twist at the end of the first act, whereas I had to search my brain, listen to what the actors were telling me (with the houselights up - why?  most of the rest of the play was direct address that broke the fourth wall, so why was this bit different?  but I again digress.), and then do a little Googling during intermission.  Throwing some real-life drama into the world of the play was interesting, though.  Seat neighbor report:  the guy sitting next to me had a hard time sitting still, but during a monologue in the second act, he suddenly raised his sippy cup of wine in salute.  Uh, ok.  And there was some rather racist nonsense being discussed behind me that made me consider getting a sippy cup of wine of my own and then 'accidentally' spilling it on those lunkheads, but I stopped myself.

I also have to say that the physical production did not make itself known to me; the set, lights, costumes and sound just felt off.  Perhaps I just didn't 'get' what was going on, even though there was enjoyment to be had.  Spending time with Linda Lavin is always worthwhile and there were some moments to savor, so my first theatrical outing of the year was not a waste of time.  Plus, I got some of those little cupcakes at Baked by Melissa - I can highly recommend their winter special cupcake called Golden Cereal, with lots of graham cereal deliciousness.  Here's to 2106 and theatrical deliciousness!  :)

First Flashback Friday of 2016!

This is kinda freaky - in a strange coincidence, when I woke up this morning, I had the music from Coast of Utopia running through my head.  I often wake up with really random music playing; yesterday, it was Swan Lake.  Not one of the really famous bits, mind you, but a piece from one of the scenic transitions.  Last week, I kept hearing "Sister Suffragette" from Mary Poppins when I woke up.  WHY?!?!  I always fantasize about someone inventing a phone app where you can enter what song was in your brain and the app tells you what it means.  Can someone please get on that?

Anyway, NINE years ago today (I can't believe it's that long, I remember some of these stage pictures as if I saw them last night) was the happy day I saw two parts of a trilogy of plays.  This reminds me that I'm dying for a new Stoppard play....  Enjoy!

1/8/07:  Well, I saw both parts of Stoppard’s Coast of Utopia on Saturday.  Afterwards, I was totally ready for a midnight showing of part three.  This is a cracking good story, acted terrifically and perhaps is the best directed production I’ve seen in years, if not ever.  It is that amazing.

We’re watching the dawn of a new age, in Russia and Europe, through the eyes of six characters who really witnessed it.  They rage and argue over philosophy and love, and we see how history unfolds, not only for a country, but for individuals, and how the one can reflect the other.  It’s filled with the dizzying intellect of all of Stoppard’s plays, but it plays out in very human and personal ways, which makes the intellect all the more accessible.

photo credit: Sara Krulwich

The acting is first-rate.  Ethan Hawke is quite good, if a little one-note, as the young philosopher turned revolutionary.  He is the brother to four sisters who idolize him to the point of ruining their own lives.  Billy Crudup is nearly unrecognizable as the socially inept literary critic.  His speeches on art and life are gorgeous.  Brian O’Byrne is the social philosopher, and perhaps the eyes through which we’re going to see how everything plays out.  I don’t totally love his characterization but I admit he’s really a masterful actor.  David Harbour, Richard Easton, Jennifer Ehle, Amy Irving all play different characters in parts one and two, and they are all terrific in both roles.  Jason Butler Harner is very touching as Turgenev.  Actually, everyone is terrific. 

The storytelling in part one is different from the storytelling in part two and that was fascinating.  Part one, act one, is set totally in Ethan Hawke’s family home outside of Moscow.  Seven years or so go by, with projections telling us how much time has gone by.  Part one, act two, takes place in Moscow, in the same years.  It shows us the events that are talked about in act one.  SO interesting.  Part two is told somewhat chronologically, though we do see scenes replayed a couple of times, to see how the beginning of an event can somehow bend in on itself.  Again, really interesting.  I’m looking forward to seeing if part three has a different device altogether.

photo credit: Sara Krulwich

There are some simply stunning visual images in both pieces.  SPOILER IMAGE:  The show opens with a striking image of an old Brian O’Byrne, sitting in a chair high above the stage, while cloth underneath him represents the swirling waters of change (I think), and then he spins down down down under the stage as the waves swirl higher and higher.  The cloth suddenly disappears into the stage, then we see all of the actors, along with some mannequins, standing across the mirrored stage.  It’s amazing.  It looks like hundreds of people on that stage.  The mannequins appear now and then, standing there as the masses of humanity that all of the philosophy will eventually effect.  Gorgeous.  There are just so many beautiful stage pictures that I can’t describe them all.

I seriously cannot wait to see part three.  For once, in a way, I feel like Ben Brantley did—at the end of his review of part one, he said he felt like a wonderful book had been torn from his hands before he finished it.  Since I saw the shows, I’ve felt like I’m walking among the characters I met Saturday.  Just like in a fabulous book that stays with you.  I’m dying to see how it all turns out.

Happy New Year! (or, What I've Been Up to Lately)

Howdy, everyone!  Happy 2016!  I seriously cannot believe we are in the year 2016.  I remember thinking, when I was high school, the year 2000 was so far away, I would never live to see it.  But, there you have it.  I still have a few days to go until my first theatrical event of the year, so I thought I'd do a little catch-up post...

The holidays were lovely this year - unseasonably warm, but it made running around town much easier.  Especially since my mom has the habit of parking 47 miles away from any store's front door.  It's a quirk that I'll never understand, but at least she did it this year in 60-degree weather.  She and I had a good time taking my nephew Christmas shopping; we also took him out for Chinese food one day.  It's always a happy day when my nephew eats something, though I must admit I'm learning to just deal with his food things.  Life is just too short.  Fun was also had with all of my extended family at our annual cookie exchange and our annual Christmas Eve bash.  I loved meeting my new baby cousins and playing with toddler cousins.  A lot of fun was had by all.  Oh, and my sister got remarried.  But I'm still working through my feelings on that.  :)

Oddly enough, I saw a lot of movies over my holiday.  My nephew got two movies on DVD for Christmas and he wanted me to watch them with him.  I'm a very lucky aunt.  So, in the comfort of my parents' home, we watched Captain Phillips and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.  Not being a fan of the fantasy genre, I enjoyed Captain Phillips more, though my nephew did make fun of me for crying.  He also took pity on me during our viewing of The Hobbit by telling me a lot of the middle portion was 'boring' and that we should 'fast forward to the battles.'  OK by me.  The cinematography was beautiful, though.  Captain Phillips was very exciting and exhausting, with a lot of everyday terror thrown in.  I enjoyed watching the story play out during the movie and I enjoyed reading more about the subject later.  I always find the 'story behind the story' articles to be very illuminating.  The trivia feature on my IMDB app is one of my very favorite ways to pass a day.  We also all watched The Martian, which my sister was streaming at her house.  I thought it was terrific and Matt Damon was spectacular.  I was very engaged in the story and loved how it glorified education and common sense, without being too pedantic.  I enjoyed reading more about the accuracy of the science after seeing that movie, too.

I love going to the big screen showings of classic films sponsored by Turner Classic Movies.  I've been to see White Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca and other cool movies.  This year, I talked my mom into going to see Miracle on 34th Street, the original black and white version from 1947.  It was great to see the original on the big screen - the gorgeous shots of 1940s New York, the beautiful costumes and wonderful performances were so fun to experience and enjoy.  I've probably seen Miracle on 34th Street dozens of times, but I've never really noticed before: the real hero of the movie isn't the lawyer representing Kris Kringle, it's the postal employee who decides to send all the Santa Claus letters to the courthouse!  He doesn't do it to be heroic, of course, he just wants to lessen his workload, but he saves the day anyway!  Unlike in the remake (which I enjoy), where the lawyer comes up with his own way to save the day.  So, way to go, unknown postal employee!  It was nice to see our local movie theater so full that day - I saw some grandparents with kids, couples my parents' age and some folks who looked like my contemporaries.  Everyone was well-behaved and my mom and I had a great time, especially when we met my dad later for dinner.

There aren't all that many movies my entire family can see together, since we all have different tastes.  I kind of talked my parents into seeing Bridge of Spies - I was dying to see Mark Rylance's performance and figured seeing it for only a few bucks in Ohio would be cool.  Thankfully, my parents enjoy Steven Spielberg movies starring Tom Hanks, so it wasn't that hard of a sell.  Bridge of Spies is a terrific film, quietly thrilling and filled with deep subtext and fantastic performances.  Seeing the building of the Berlin Wall slapped me in the face, I have to say, and the way Spielberg juxtaposed kids getting shot and killed for trying to jump over that wall with kids jumping over fences in New York was chilling.  Rylance was off-the-charts brilliant, with so much roiling under that placid exterior.  And Tom Hanks, who I also generally enjoy, was the perfect foil for him.  He radiates such decency, with a layer of intellectual skepticism, that anchored the movie.  I remembered some of the real-life events that happened and inspired the movie, but I didn't know much.  I just thought it was a terrific film, very educational and very entertaining at the same time.  I hope it's remembered during awards season.

When my nephew was younger, he was obsessed with Star Wars.  Christmas pretty much involved my getting him a new Star Wars Lego set and he was happy.  Unfortunately, now that he's a teenager, he's decided he doesn't really like Star Wars anymore.  Hate when that happens.  So that wasn't going to be a family outing.  He went with his dad and his brothers.  When I asked him what he thought, he gave me such a detailed review, along with where he thought The Force Awakens fits in the Star Wars mythology, that I was rather taken aback.  It was really very smart and I love having these grown-up conversations with him.  So I decided to wait to see the movie until I got back to New York, so I could see it at the Ziegfeld.  I think I've already mentioned how much I enjoy seeing a movie there.  It just seems like the way movies should be seen.  Plus, by waiting a bit, the crowds were gone and I saw the movie the other night with maybe 50 other people.  It was great.

Star Wars is the first movie I saw that I wanted to see again immediately.  My parents couldn't quite grasp seeing a movie more than once, but they took me.  I'm not much of a science fiction or space buff, but I just loved the sense of wonder and fun that was in the original film (now referred to as Episode 4: A New Hope, I guess).  Plus, as a teenager, I was crushing on Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill BIG TIME.  I saw all three of that original trilogy a number of times and have a nostalgic fondness for them.  I also saw the three 'prequels' and pretty much hated them all.  They had no sense of fun or adventure.  They seemed sterile and joyless.  At least to me.  So when it was announced that superfan JJ Abrams would be directing this new installment, I was very excited.  I was a big fan of Abrams' Alias and Lost (before it rather lost its way), and I even got sucked into his Star Trek reboot.  I'm happy to say that I felt that same sense of wonder and fun while I was watching The Force Awakens.  Yes, the plot felt really similar to A New Hope, but that was ok.  It was a cracking good story, with exciting chases and battles, and terrific acting, which is something the prequels sorely lacked (Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor excepted).  I smiled almost all the way through this new chapter.  Well, I smiled when I wasn't crying.  It was just a treat.  I giggled when Harrison Ford made his first entrance, I thought Harriet Walter's 30-ish-second scene was a highlight, and I was ever-so-satisfied with the last scene.  I can't wait for the next installment.

I also loved the world Abrams created.  Full of the entire spectrum of humanity (or alien, as the case may be) - many races, species, nationalities and genders, all working together to save the galaxy.  Especially the strong and powerful woman at the center.  I loved it.  It was also fun to know that some of the new music in the cantina scene was written by a composer/lyricist I'm particularly a fan of, so that increased my enjoyment even more.  All in all, I'm glad I saw it and I might even be up for a second viewing.  Now that I know the story and don't have to worry about what will happen next, I can go and savor the beautiful cinematography and try to unearth clues about what will be coming in the next chapters.  Plus, it's always fun to try to recapture some of that joyful wonder.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am in complete agreement with my nephew's review.  He is a pip.