Company One’s ‘Really’ a Painfully Brilliant Work of Art

Rachel Cognata and Kippy Goldfarb in REALLY (photo by Paul Fox)

 

Really – Written by Jackie Sibblies Drury; Directed by Shawn LaCount; Costume Design by Amanda Mujica; Lighting Design by Jason Fok Scenic & Properties Design by Ben Lieberson; Sound Design by Lee Schuna. Presented by Company One Theatre in Partnership with Matter & Light Fine Art, a gallery in SoWa, 450 Harrison Ave., Boston through March 12.

 

 

There’s a touchingly beautiful song by Jackson Browne called “Fountain of Sorrow,” which begins with the songwriter stumbling across some photographs of an old girlfriend and remembering what their time together was like. In the song, he’s struck by one of the pictures of  her that he knows she may not have liked as much as the others, but that showed her “true” spirit, including a “a trace of sorrow in (her) eyes” – that forces him to realize “what I was seeing wasn’t what was happening at all” in the relationship.

 

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Trinity Rep’s “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM”

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Trinity Rep’s current show is Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” It was suggested by “The Knight’s Tale” from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” and was written between 1594 to 1596. This version is set at a 1986  Spring High School dance.

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“URINETOWN” (Bristol Theatre Company)

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Bristol Theatre Company’s current show is “Urinetown” which won three Tony Awards in 2002. “Urinetown” is set in the future where a drought of epic proportions has forced corrupt officials to come up with a unique way to conserve water: people may only use public restrooms and they must pay for the privilege. Fed-up citizens take to the streets, but those breaking the law are carted off to the mysterious “Urinetown” never to be seen or heard from again. The satirical musical pokes fun at and sends up “The Threepenny Opera”, “Annie”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “West Side Story” and the Gershwin romances simultaneously. Director Chris Plonka casts all these roles beautifully and infuses the show with high energy from start to finish. He also brings out the light hearted side and brings the much needed tongue in cheek humor it deserves. Diane Campagna creates all the dance steps which spoofs the other shows wonderfully while musical director, Mario Sasso supplies the topnotch musical direction to pull off this unique and funny show.

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“CAROUSEL” (Swanhurst Chorus’ 23rd Annual Dinner Theater)

“CAROUSEL”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Swanhurst Chorus’ 23rd Annual Dinner Theater musical is “Carousel” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Based on the play “Liliom”, this show takes place in a small New England fishing village in Maine between 1873 and 1888. The tale revolves around the love affair between Billy Bigelow, a traveling carnival man and Julie Jordan, a local factory worker. They end up getting and after learning he is to become a father, Billy kills himself in a botched robbery.

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Timely Relevance with Brecht on Brecht

 

By Michele Markarian

 

‘Brecht on Brecht’ – Written by Bertolt Brecht. Arranged by George Tabori, from various translations. Co-produced with Boston Center for American Performance. Directed by Jim Petosa; Music Direction by Matthew Stern; Scenic Design by Ryan Bates; Costume Design by Alyssa Korol; Lighting Design by Bridget K. Doyle. Presented at the Black Box Theater at the New Repertory Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown through March 5.

 

Two men and two women rush out of the wings, wearing red clown noises and pushing a shopping cart. They babble and chant slogans relevant to today (…”nevertheless, she persisted”.  “No war”, etc) before bringing onstage a man in tails (music director and accompanist Matthew Stern) to the piano. “What the heck IS this?” I thought somewhat crankily, before settling in to the very entertaining, often moving, and frighteningly timely kaleidoscope of Bertolt Brecht and his writing, expertly directed by Jim Petosa.

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Arts Emerson’s ‘Beauty Queen’ of Leenane’ is a Tragicomic Masterpiece

 

By Mike Hoban

 

Beauty Queen of Leenane – Written by Martin McDonagh; Directed by Garry Hynes; Set & Costume Design by Francis O’Connor; Lighting Design by James F. Ingalls; Sound Design by Greg Clarke; Original Music Composed by Paddy Cunneen. Presented by the Druid Theatre Company of Galway at Emerson/Paramount Center’s Robert J. Orchard Stage by ArtsEmerson, at 559 Washington St., Boston through February 26th

 

Loneliness is a disease. It will gnaw at you like a cancer, and much like the disease of addiction, it can force you to abandon your basic human principles just to stave off that horrible feeling of emptiness. That point is driven home with both laughter and pathos in the “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” the tragicomic masterpiece now playing at the main stage of Emerson College’s Paramount Center. The play, which won multiple Tony Awards as well as a slew of ‘Best Play’ accolades when it made its debut on Broadway in 1998, is now in the midst of a twentieth-anniversary tour by Galway’s Druid Theatre Company, which swings through LA, New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Ann Arbor before heading to the Hong Kong Arts Festival in mid-March.

 

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RADIUM GIRLS (Walpole Footlighters)

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Walpole Footlighters second show of their 94th season is “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, discovered b Madame Curie, an international celebrity while luminous watches were the latest rage until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, “Radium Girls” traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who can’t bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees.

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Wheelock’s ‘Billy Elliott’ – the Next Best Thing to Broadway

 

By Michele Markarian

 

Billy Elliott the Musical, Music by Elton John, Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall. Directed by Susan Kosoff. Presented by Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA, through February 26.

 

This winter, you can take Amtrak or the GoBus to New York City to see one of the many fabulous musicals there that grace Broadway. Or you can make it easy on yourself by taking the D line to Wheelock Family Theatre to catch “Billy Elliott the Musical”. You won’t be disappointed.  From the sets to the choreography to the exceptional cast, “Billy Elliott” is a show that should not be missed.

 

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“Thriller of the Year” at Theatre One

 

By Richard Pacheco

Theatre One finishes its season with a production of Glyn Jones’ “Thriller of the Year,” a play about a thriller writer who suddenly finds her life in jeopardy after winning a major award find a copy of her latest award winning book has been delivered with no note and no indication as to who it is from.

As the evening unfolds, when a series of unfortunate accidents occur, she soon finds out why: someone is trying to kill her using methods from her own book. Will she be able to discover the identity of the murderer before it is too late, using her novel to stay one step ahead; she finally comes face to face with the murderer. In the last chapter of her book how did her heroine die? And will Gillian suffer the same fate!

Jones, was a South African writer who also wrote for Dr. Who which he not only wrote for but acted in several times.

 

The cast is strong and energetic. The have a solid chemistry between them and real verve. The award-winning writer, Gillian Howard, is played by Susan Salveston. Howard is smug, self-satisfied with her own importance and more than a bit of a bully. She likes to get her way at any and all costs, from anyone around her from her publisher to her assistant, her doctor to her soon to be former mother-in-law. None of them really matter in her universe unless they contribute to her goals and succumb to her wishes. Salveston handles it all with verve and aplomb, making the nastiness delicious and entertaining as she goes about verbally abusing people at her whim.

Holly Christian Cipriani is her publisher, Irene Knight, the woman who put Howard on the map in the writing world and now must endure Howard’s relentless attacks and threats to find another publisher for her next book. She likes her alcohol, and indulges in it liberally at the apartment, particularly when Howard is on the attack, knowing full well Howard is not suppo0swed to drink for health reasons. Cipriani is energetic and bold in the role, a solid presence fully able ton confront the rampaging Howard.

Vanessa Lima is Madge Robinson, Howard’s assistant and for all practical purposes indentured servant. Madge has a growing discontent with her job and her boss an wonders about leaving to find greener pastures in the job market. Madge is very efficient and has contributed a lot behind the scenes to Howard’s success, perhaps even adding something to her acclaimed novel, more than just typing it. She has an underlying resentment against her boss that is well justified. Lima is excellent in the role, a mixture of submission and self confidence in her abilities and contributions to her boss that is appealing and effective.

Elizabeth Goulart is the dedicated and determined Beryl Spence, Howard’s doctor at her beckon call. She is smart, dedicated and determined to be the most supportive doctor, even making house calls in the wee hours of the morning. She often battles Howard over health choices like drinking brandy. Goulart has a smart presence as the doctor. She is poised and in control at all times even faced with Howard’s often bombastic and relentless assaults on her and her advice. Goulart handles it all with confidence and conviction.

Finally there is Howard’s soon to be ex mother-in-law, Edith Howard who longs for Gillian to get back with her son and often hints very obviously in that direction. Edith is genuinely concerned and a bit of a meddler to achieve her goal of getting her son and Gillian back together again. She is not obnoxious it her quest, just very obvious. Linda Merritt is Edith. She is meek yet determined in her quest and she handles the role with sincerity and warmth. She is convincing.

Together this ensemble evokes a sense of impending doom, which mounts as the play progresses. All this under the sure and firm direction of Peg Holzemer, which keeps it all directly on track to build suspense and concern as the tension mounts.

The set by John Marzelli offers a fine sense of upper class presence with paintings on the wall and furniture.

All these elements offer a fun quest for a murder and mayhem as it all closes in and you wonder who is out to kill Gillian and why. It comes as a surprise which I will not spoil.

It will be presented again March 10 & 17, and Saturday evenings March 11 & 18 at 7:30pm. Sunday afternoons March 12 & March 19, at 2pm. Tickets are $20 for general admission, and $18 for seniors and students cash only at the door. We collect food donations at all our performances for the Middleboro COA Senior Pantry. Come join the fun with Theatre One, bringing a little bit of Broadway to your backyard. Info 1-774-213-5193.