"Crudeness is Necessary for Clarity"

"The Black Eyed" at New York Theatre Workshop, July 28, 2007

Betty Shamieh's play about the female Palestinian experience covers a lot of ground, some more, some less familiar. The audience enters as one actor is already onstage on the pepto-pink plywood set. She lies there silently until the show begins. Waiting? Punished? Eventually, we find out.

This pink environment is first presented as some corner of heaven when three women join the first by scrambling over the high back wall. All are in search of a man who died in an act of martyrdom. Supposedly, there is a room in heaven for martyrs only.

First up is Delilah (Emily Swallow), looking for Samson (yes, really). As she tells her tale of a young Philistine woman led astray for political means after her own brother was killed at Samson's hand, she is quickly called a whore when she reveals that she did love Samson. When she questions that response, she is told "Crudeness is necessary for clarity." (Maybe I didn't spend enough time in Sunday School - who knew that the biblical Philistines were actually Palestinians?) Ms. Swallow has the most fun of the four women, and gets some of the best lines. On the topic of seduction, she says, "Men can never tell the difference between a beautiful woman and someone who is dressed like one." For all her protestations, she remains in love with Samson and has come to find out if he has forgiven her for her betrayal.

Next we get Tamam (Lameece Issaq) as the sister of a soldier fighting the Crusaders. Her political spin turns on a more violent note and feels a bit more modern. She is looking for her brother to see if his soul has made it to heaven even though she was only able to bury the one part of it should could identify, his hand. Ms. Issaq maintains a quiet intensity in her role, suitable to her character's station in life. Her tale of rape and torture by the Crusaders during their invasion points up similarities

Aiesha (Aysan Celik), our original character in waiting is exposed as the first woman suicide bomber in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ms. Celik is the weakest of the four actors, struggling with transitions from anger to cynicism to taunting. Her bomber had dreams of 100 men awaiting in heaven, "all shapes and colors" to satisfy her every physical desire. This rang the least true of the stories during the evening.

Finally, we meet The Architect (Jeanine Serralles), who was on one of the four planes on September 11, 2001. Ms. Serralles' Architect is written as a obsessed woman with low self-esteem who is only articulate when she discusses architecture (she tells you this more than once, just so you're clear). As her monologue wanders from the tale of the half-Palestinian man with whom she fantasizes living an unfulfilled life, to the moment when she heard the hijackers take over the plane, Ms. Serralles has some gripping moments. It seemed at times, though, the script kept her story from being more compelling, by interjecting the "inarticulate" back in, just to remind you that she's supposed to be inarticulate. She's looking for the hijacker whose eyes met with hers before the plane went down to ask him what she might have been able to say to stop their plan.

While Ms. Shamieh's play provided some insights for me into the minds of Palestinian women over the ages, there didn't seem to be anything new in what they had to say. Director Sam Gold and his uneven cast can't overcome the awkward transitions. Paul Steinberg's pink environment thrusts the cast toward the audience, with no apparent means of escape. The result was sometimes more that the cast looked trapped, rather than the characters they played. Lighting by Jane Cox was a bit more effective.

This is the second play I've reviewed at NYTW. I must say that I particularly like one feature of their playbill, which is a production history from when the playwright started writing to the current production. Ms. Shamieh began this journey in October of 2001.

NYTW is offering a discount for the remaining performances.

Tickets for all performances July 17 – August 19 are just $35 each (reg. $50).

Use code BEBLG28 when ordering.

To purchase tickets, call TeleCharge at (212) 947-8844 or visit http://www.broadwayoffers.com/go.aspx?MD=2001&MC=BEBLG28

New York Theatre Workshop also offers both Student Tickets and CheapTix Sundays.

CheapTix Sundays: All tickets for all Sunday evening performances at 7pm are just $20 each! Tickets are available in advance but must be purchased at the NYTW box office on a cash-only basis.

Student Tickets: Full-time students with a valid student ID may purchase $20 tickets for all performances (subject to availability). Limit one ticket per ID. Tickets must be purchased in person and require an ID at the box office.

The NYTW box office is located at 79 East 4th Street (between Second Avenue and Bowery) and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 1pm - 6pm.

Nostalgia: The Pain We Get For Going Home

"Gone Missing" at the Barrow Street Theatre, July 22, 2007

The Civilians present an evening of sketches, songs and scenes about people who have lost and found things in their lives, focusing on inanimate objects as opposed to friends and loved ones. The stories are based on actual interviews conducted by the company.

The style of the show is that brand of "edgy," fast-paced, semi-shock-value approach that could have descended into another downtown style ripoff, but there is a self-awareness at play that keeps the show from becoming too smug at its own cuteness. There are a couple of plotlines that run through show including a radio interview with a sociologist about memory and attachment and how they affect peoples' actions, and a woman who misplaced a Gucci pump. The songs are clever, from "The Only Thing Missing Is You" to "Hide & Seek" to "Ich Traumt Do Kamst An Mich" (I Dreamed You Came To Me - I think).

Takeshi Kata's black box set with an underwater backdrop gives an appropriate feeling of fluidity. Thomas Dunn's lighting gives a nod to "Spring Awakening" with a set of hanging bulbs that fly in for one number. Sarah Beers' grey suits provide a neutral palette for the various characters presented.

New York Theatre Workshop Discount

New York Theatre Workshop is offering the following discount for their current production "The Black Eyed."

Betty Shamieh is a playwright, author, screenwriter and actor. Her newest play, THE BLACK EYED, depicts four Arab women from across the ages who meet in the afterlife. As these women – who include the Biblical Delilah and a secular modern Arab-American – struggle to come to terms with their lives and their choices, this shockingly funny play skewers traditional views on sex, family, and terrorism. The New York Times says, "Betty Shamieh has the playwright's most essential gift: the passion for talk. Her rich, urgent prose will fling you into a character's life as though it were your own."

Tickets for all performances July 17 – August 19 are just $35 each (reg. $50).

Use code BEBLG28 when ordering.

To purchase tickets, call TeleCharge at (212) 947-8844 or visit http://www.broadwayoffers.com/go.aspx?MD=2001&MC=BEBLG28

New York Theatre Workshop also offers both Student Tickets and CheapTix Sundays.

CheapTix Sundays: All tickets for all Sunday evening performances at 7pm are just $20 each! Tickets are available in advance but must be purchased at the NYTW box office on a cash-only basis.

Student Tickets: Full-time students with a valid student ID may purchase $20 tickets for all performances (subject to availability). Limit one ticket per ID. Tickets must be purchased in person and require an ID at the box office.

The NYTW box office is located at 79 East 4th Street (between Second Avenue and Bowery) and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 1pm - 6pm.

I will post my review of "The Black-Eyed" next week.

Eight Actors in Search of a Good Play

"Surface to Air" at Symphony Space, July 21, 2007

David Epstein's play about a family welcoming home the remains of a son killed in Vietnam 30 years earlier tries hard, but doesn't quite make the grade.

Director James Naughton has assembled an excellent cast including Lois Smith, Larry Bryggman and Cady Huffman, but their efforts go unrewarded in this 80 minute ramble.

Rob (Mark J. Sullivan), the oldest son, was killed when his plane was shot down in Vietnam in 1971. His brother Eddie (James Colby), also did time in the war, but survived with the usual battle scars. Sister Terri (Ms. Huffman) has also suffered, but seems to have distanced herself from the deeper wounds. And of course, not all of those wounds were inflicted by the war. WWII veteran father Hank (Mr. Bryggman) delivered many of those as well after the loss of his first-born. He also suffers his own scars since his wife Princess (Ms. Smith) hasn't been quite right since Rob's death was reported.

As the play begins, Eddie arrives with a surprise new wife in tow, Magdalena (Marisa Echeverria) an immigrant from Belize whom he met when they were both working at a local hotel. As he announces his marriage each time (again??) we figure out that Eddie has had some relationship issues. The fragile Princess is immediately won over by Magdalena, contrary to how it's gone with previous children-in-law. Terri is a successful entertainment executive, married to a less-successful Jewish documentarian.

Present to the proceedings is Rob's ghost, lurking about outside James Noone's very nice set. Mr. Sullivan has a series of monologues that ought to tie things together better than they do, but the words he's been given are not up to the task. Likewise, Eddie's insecurities are a frequent non-sequitur manner in which the plot careens.

It's a shame that such a talented cast didn't get better material to work with. Mr. Naughton seems to have done all he can with such a limited source, but even the best directing can't fix bad writing. Each actor is working as hard as he/she can, but to no avail. Ms. Huffman seems to suffer the worst, miscast as a high-power exec. It's only when the story comes back to the family that she shows what she's capable of. Her "business" scenes fall particularly flat. Mr. Bryggman tries to walk the fine line between aging and angry father but can't maintain the balance without better material. Ms. Smith manages the most success, but then again, she spends the most time offstage so she's not saddled with as much as her fellow actors.

For the record, this was my first visit to the Symphony Space theatre - quite an impressive facility.

Don't Cry For Me, Styne and Sondheim

"Gypsy" Encores! Summer Stars production at City Center, July 19, 2007

As Encores! continues to expand programming beyond their original mission, up first is "Gypsy" starring Patti Lupone. Seems like she and Bernadette Peters are competing to see who can do the most Ethel Merman roles. At the moment, I believe they are tied at two each. Ms. Peters has performed Mama Rose and Annie Oakley (both on Broadway) to Ms. Lupone's Mama Rose and Reno Sweeney. If there are others I've neglected, I'm sure I'll be corrected in short order.

This production, under the direction of its book writer Arthur Laurents, does just what a limited summer run should do; bring in a crowd and give them some laughs. Mr. Laurents milks his script for every laugh he can find, even at the price of one or two moments where a bit of pathos might have been nice. In particular, at the end when Gypsy asks Rose why she did what she did all her life. Rose replies "I just wanted to be noticed." It should have been the final touching revelation of Rose's humanity, but instead the mask is solidly back in place and the line is merely tossed out.

As Rose, Ms. Lupone is in her usual fine voice (diction not withstanding). She trumpets through the score, belting out each number with her regular ferocity. Her Rose, however, doesn't always match up to this voice. As she continues to place set pieces during the Orpheum audition (Caroline the Cow), she tiptoes about. When she realizes she's visible, it seems she already knew it, rather than being surprised and attempting to choreograph herself offstage.

In what has been characterized as the most thankless male role in musical theatre, Boyd Gaines gives it everything he's got as Herbie, the world-weary agent. Gaines handles the meek side of Herbie very nicely, but seems a bit at a loss when Herbie does at last lose his temper. His scenes with Ms. Lupone did have a particularly nice quality to them - excellent onstage chemistry.

In supporting roles, Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June and Tony Yazbeck as Tulsa turn in fine performances, but both felt a little held back. Ms. Larkin's June gets a couple of good shots in with her scenes with Louise, but I would like to have seen her more angry about being tied to Rose so tightly. Mr. Yazbeck's "All I Need Is The Girl" showcased him beautifully - a fine singer/dancer.

As Louise/Gypsy, Laura Benanti is delightful. She plods along playing second fiddle to June and June's image until her moment to shine finally arrives. The transformation scene, when she's dressed to go on for her first strip was one of the most touching I've seen of the MANY productions of "Gypsy" that I've attended. This transformation continued all the way through the entire strip-sequence, adding layers as she took them off.

Sets by James Youmans and costumes by Martin Pakledinaz were functional and appropriate, but it is Howell Binkley's lighting that makes this production work.

Star watch: Nigel Redden, director of Lincoln Center Festival and Spoleto Festival USA.