A Week Filled With Theater!

Last week was one of the very rare weeks that I got to see a new show nearly every day. Since two of them were in very early previews, I didn't think I should write about them, but maybe I'll write about how happy the week made me instead.

As if last Tuesday night's experience at Sunday in the Park with George didn't make me happy enough, before I left for the theater that night, I got an email that a free ticket was available to the third preview of the new Broadway musical War Paint.  Since I know, and love, many people working on that show, I was delighted to go.  Plus, hello, Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole.  AND I'd be sitting amongst a group of about 50 of my very favorite people.  All signs pointed to my enjoying myself.

And enjoy myself I did.  Since I saw only the third preview, I won't comment much about the show itself, except to say that Patti and Christine are giving amazing performances and it was nice to see a show with not one, but two, powerful ladies-of-a-certain-age starring in a show.  If I thought the pacing of the show could tighten up, well, ok, it was the third preview.  But I spent most of the evening grinning from ear to ear, at delicious lyrics, lovely melodies and a funny/touching libretto.  And those performances.  And sharing it with 50 of my very favorite people.  I hope to get back to the show after it opens to see how everything falls together once the show is frozen.  Oh, and I should also say the audience ate the show up.

War Paint isn't the only show I saw last Wednesday, surprisingly - I arrived in my office a little late that day, and my new boss wondered if I would join her at the matinee of Will Eno's play at the Signature, Wakey Wakey.  I will admit to the fact that Eno's plays are perhaps not my cup of tea, but I figured a free ticket is a free ticket and the show got great reviews AND I'm a huge fan of its lead Michael Emerson, so I took my new boss up on her kind offer.  After seeing Wakey Wakey, I think I can again admit that perhaps Eno's plays are not my cup of tea.  I had this to say in one of my previous reviews of his work:  "...some of it was hip, funny and relatively profound....I wasn't touched or even really engaged, I was just vaguely curious about what might come next."  That kind of sums up my experience at Wakey Wakey.

I wish I could've been as moved as other people obviously were at the play, it just didn't touch me.  Nor did it touch my seat neighbor, who fell asleep almost immediately and was snoring throughout the brief afternoon performance.  But I did laugh at some very funny, and quirky lines, a few lines made me think, and I did feel that Michael Emerson was sublime.  There were some truths there about mortality and living life to the fullest, but there was also quite a bit of twaddle that kept turning my brain off.  The physical production was good and I admit to being delighted with the coup de theatre at the end of the show.  I even brought a souvenir back with to the office with me.  But afterward, all I could feel was 'whatever.'  I guess I'm glad I saw Michael Emerson, but the show didn't really do anything for me.  Oh well.  The rest of the audience, including my new boss, really loved it. So...there you have it.  I wasn't part of that crowd and that's ok.  As I frequently say, it's not like theater is math and there's only one right answer.  There are some plays that touch you, and some plays that don't, and that's part of being a person in the world.  Or some other pretentious twaddle.

Friday night, I was again the happy recipient of a free ticket, via a sick co-worker, to the first preview of the revival of Present Laughter.  I remember adoring the show when I saw it starring Frank Langella many years ago, and I am a HUGE fan of Kevin Kline.  He's been an especial favorite for many years and I always try to catch his stage performances.  Again, it was the first preview, and even though the script itself is set, I'm sure the production will evolve over previews, so I'll just share a few thoughts.  I thought the show was in excellent shape for a first preview, though it did run a little long.  I could tell which of the scenes had perhaps been rehearsed more frequently, because they were faster and funnier and ready to go.  Some of the other scenes were still a little meandering and not quite there yet.  But I think, once the show is up to speed, it will be an entirely delightful evening.  Kevin Kline is a charming, suave rascal (I laughed so loudly at one of his double takes that my seat neighbor laughed at me), and everyone around him is doing great work.  Kristine Nielsen is especially riotous throughout.  I really had a fun time, while acknowledging that the show dragged in places and maybe one of the actors is still finding their way.  After lucking into a free ticket, I will definitely buy a ticket for later in the run to see all of the performers at full flight.

I had to work Saturday morning and early afternoon, and I figured since I'd be in the neighborhood, I might as well catch a matinee (this was before all the free tickets came my way - I might've resisted the urge if I'd known I was seeing three other shows before I bought the ticket).  I was afraid that the sales weren't on fire for the new play Significant Other and maybe I should see it now in case it has to close soon, so that's the matinee I chose. As this post is already too long, I'll just offer a few thoughts about the play.  I enjoyed myself, though I did find myself rolling my eyes at times during the first maybe two-thirds of the show.  I have pre-conceived notions about plays dealing with privileged twenty-somethings.  I freely admit those pre-conceived notions.  Even while rolling my eyes, though, I could appreciate the wit, warmth and intelligence of the script, along with the wonderful acting by the cast (Gideon Glick is really remarkable).  But I will say I was terrifically moved by the last third of the play, and was really sobbing by the end.  So it all added up to something for me - even though earlier I kept thinking "oh, you handsome twenty-something, stop being so sad about being single, you're still a baby and won't be single for long," the thoughts being expressed about the fear of being alone, and the financial realities of being single around a bunch of married people, was quite spot on, no matter what your age.  And the grandmother character, gorgeously played by Barbara Barrie, just broke my heart.  So all in all, I'm very glad I saw Significant Other, even if it did take me a while to get on board.  

Oh, and I'll just briefly mention what I did after the matinee:  I had to run back to the office and work for a little while and then I felt as if I needed a cocktail.  Since it was so cold out, I just stopped at Dos Caminos, which is close to my subway stop.  They were pretty busy, but I got a seat at the 'railing' and ordered a margarita and an appetizer platter.  The food was very yummy, with small portions of three different appetizers, so it was nice to have a little taste of different things.  I liked the taquito the best, so if I were to go back, I'd probably order a full plate of those.  The margarita seemed small at first, and pricey, but when I got up to leave, I couldn't feel my feet.  For me, that's the sign I'm a little drunk.  So I guess there was a lot of tequila in my drink after all, ha ha.  It wasn't an inexpensive stop, so I may not go back to Dos Caminos very often, but if/when I'm flush, it's not bad for a Times Square restaurant...