ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD (Contemporary Theater Company, Wakefield, RI)

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Contemporary Theater Company’s current show is “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” by Tom Stoppard. This play expands on the exploits of two minor characters from “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare. Written in 1967, the title characters are the leads and Hamlet, himself has a smaller part. The two characters are brought into being within the puzzling universe of this play, by an act of the playwright’s creation, and those they encounter, often confuse their names, as they have interchangeable yet periodically unique identities. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are portrayed as two clowns, two fools who are in a world beyond their understanding. They can’t identify any reliable feature of the significance in words or events because their own memories are unreliable or incomplete. They misunderstand each other constantly as they stumble through their philosophical arguments where they often state deep truths during their nonsensical ramblings. However, they depart from these ideas as quickly as they come to them and at times one appears more intelligent than the other but this position is changed back and forth during the show. After they witness a performance of “Murder of Gonzago”, they take a boat trip to England with the Player and her acting troupe where they are ambushed by pirates, lose their prisoner, Hamlet and eventually resign themselves to their fate. Director Chris Simpson infuses his cast with high energy and elicits some comic and bawdy performances that enthrall the audience all night long.

He blocks the show wonderfully and keeps the show in constant motion with topnotch pacing. Chris makes the show understandable to the audience. Costume designer Lydia Troiano supplies the cast with some gorgeous period costumes. Delivering tremendous performances are Rebecca Magnotta as Rosencrantz and Laura Kennedy as Guildenstern who are onstage almost the whole time during this three act play. They bring the characters to life with strong line delivery with Laura as the more astute character while Rebecca’s character is more emotional and less on the ball intellectually. The shtick that Chris gives them is brilliantly performed especially funny is when Rebecca removes her belt to stop Hamlet from passing by but instead constantly has her pants around her ankles, winning much laughter from the crowd and one of Laura’s comic bits is when she stabs the leading Player with comic results ensuing. They have splendid onstage chemistry together.

 

The other lead is Valerie Tarantino as the Player. She shows comic timing and wonderful delivery of her lines. Is the Player just funny or is there something more crafty and sinister behind the comic antics? The powerful delivery and funny antics at running hither and yon with the acting troupe performing death scenes over and over again with hilarious results. Other talented performers, Caroline Morey, Sami Avigdor, Neal Leaheey, Ashley Macamaux and Sean Marran are the Tragedians while Tammy Brown plays the moody, Hamlet while Nancy Winokoor plays Gertrude, his long suffering mother. Andrew Stigler plays the crafty, Claudius while Kelly Robertson plays the ethereal, Ophelia Ryan Sekac plays the skeptical, Polonius. So for a wonderful rendition of Stoppard’s absurdist, existentialist play, be sure to catch “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” at Contemporary Theater Company before time runs out. You will laugh heartily at the antics of this excellent cast.

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD (27 April to 19 May)

Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI

1(401)218-0282 or www.contemporarytheatercompany.com

‘Barbecue’ Grills Up Layers of Comedy with a Slice of Commentary

By C.J. Williams

 

Written by Robert O’Hara; Directed by Summer Williams; Scenic Design by Jessica Pizzuti; Costume Design by Tyler Kinney; Lighting Design by Jen Rock; Sound Design by David Wilson. Presented by Lyric Stage Theater, 140 Clarendon St. Boston, MA.

 

“Barbecue”, the new comedy by Robert O’Hara currently being staged at the Lyric, dives right in. Into comedy, into the half-tragic, half-sidesplitting look at addiction in the O’Mallery family, and into a park where the team of dysfunctional characters are setting up for an intervention with their drug-and-alcohol-addled sister, Zippity Boom.

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13 RUE DE L’AMOUR (The Arctic Playhouse, West Warwick, RI)

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The Arctic Playhouse’s current show is “13 Rue de L’Amour” by Georges Feydeau. It was written in 1892 and translated by Mawby Green and Ed Feilbert. It is about locked doors, sexual innuendoes, mistaken identity, clothes switching owners and lying continually about the circumstances in turn of the century, Paris. Justinien is a seemingly blameless husband who periodically leaves his wife Leontine to go on hunting trips. Family friend Gustave, a doctor and man about town, has his suspicions about what Justinien is really hunting. He tries to use his suspicions as a way to get Leontine to visit his bachelor pad on 13 Rue De L’Amour. The confusions begin mounting as Justinien’s young nephew, Jean-Pierre who is still a student, needs money from his uncle to entertain his own mistress; the uncle’s friend Birabeau confesses doubts about his own unseen wife; and several of the men seem to be wearing identical pants while this is going on. Add a love starved female German concierge who was a countess, at the bachelor apartment and a befuddled police inspector to the proceedings and you have the ingredients of a funny French farce to tickle your funny bone. Director Christian O’Brien infuses his cast with madcap shtick to leave you laughing in the aisles.

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Hell – It Ain’t Paradise, but “Paradise” May Show the Way Out

 

By CJ Williams

 

‘Paradise’ – Written by Laura Maria Censabella; Directed by Shana Gozansky; Scenic Design by Jenna McFarland Lord; Costume Design by Gail Astrid Buckley; Lighting Design by Karen Perlow. Presented by Central Square Theater, 450 Mass Ave. Cambridge, MA -2139 through May 7

 

Hell is other people, goes the famous saying. But perhaps the proverb is just plain wrong. In “Paradise”, we get a glimpse of another possibility: maybe, just maybe, Paradise – and freedom from prejudice, loneliness, and lovelessness, can only be found by bridging the judgment gap between you and me.

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Huntington’s ‘Who and the What’ Examines American Muslim Family Life From the Inside

 

By Mike Hoban

 

‘The Who & the What’ – Written by Ayad Akhtar; Directed by M. Bevin O’Gara; Scenic Design by Cristina Todesco; Costume Design by Mary Lauve; Lighting Design by Annie Wiegand; Sound Design by M.L. Dogg, and Original Music by Saraswathi Jones. Presented by Huntington Theatre Company at Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., Boston through May 7

 
“Anything worth believing in, is worth questioning,” a friend with a healthy skepticism of all things institutional once told me. That thought came to mind while watching “The Who & the What,” the intense but often comical drama now being staged by the Huntington Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion. And while questioning long held beliefs that are accepted as truth – particularly those of the religious sort – may be a healthy intellectual exercise and a path to true wisdom, challenging the belief systems of others usually has consequences, as it does for the central character in this very funny and thoughtful play.

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“THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL” (Mansfield Music & Arts Society)

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The current show at MMAS is “The Great American Trailer Park Musical”, an adults only, funny but warm hearted musical comedy. In present day Florida, in a trailer park called “Armadillo Acres”, Betty, Linoleum (named after the floor she was conceived on) and Pickles sun themselves with complete indifference to ozone depletion. They provide narration and commentary on the goings on in the trailer park. Ever hospitable they set aside their sun reflectors to welcome the audience. Read more ““THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL” (Mansfield Music & Arts Society)”

“BILOXI BLUES” at Ivoryton Playhouse, CT

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The current show at Ivoryton Playhouse is “Biloxi Blues” by Neil Simon. This show is the second play in the three play cycle of the Eugene Morris Jerome plays. The Broadway show opened on March 28, 1985, closed on June 28, 1986, ran for 524 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Play.

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“ART” (2nd Story Theatre, Warren, RI)

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

2nd Story Theatre’s latest show is the 1998 Tony Award winning play, “Art.”  It is Yasmina Reza’s serio-comedy and is a sophisticated study of the nature of friendship. One of Marc’s best friends, Serge, has bought a very expensive painting: all white with white diagonal lines. As Marc and Serge argue about its value and the definition of “art,” another friend, Yvan is pulled into the fray. Soon the discussions become less theoretical and

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YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN (JANICE MACDONALD’S STUDIO THEATRE COMPANY- Fall River)

Studio Theatre Company’s current offering is “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown,” running this weekend; Friday through Sunday at Saint Anne’s Frat, Guild Street, Fall River.

 

Based on the well-loved Charles M. Schultz comic strip, “Peanuts,” You’re A Good Man brings to life all your favorite comic strip characters – in full, living color.  With a cast consisting of, Roger Machado-Fournier playing the title role – Charlie Brown, Erin Cote as Lucy Van Pelt, Nishan Lawton as Linus Van Pelt, Stefani Lawton as Sally Brown, Stefanie Bonalewicz-Lafontaine as Snoopy, Joe Nelson as Schroeder, and with a surprise cameo, the adorable Connor Lafontaine appearing as Woodstock.

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“SEUSSICAL” (Rhode Island College Theatre)

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Rhode Island College Theatre’s closing show of their season is “Seussical, the Musical”, which creates the witty, wild and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss. It reveals a world where anything is possible from an elephant in a tree, to a person too tiny to see, to a heroic child and dreams running wild. The show is a magical, musical world where helping a friend, never giving up and keeping a promise comes true.

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