THE BUTTERFINGERS ANGEL – The Players, Providence, RI

December 3, 2017December 3, 2018 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The second show of The Players season is William Gibson’s “The Butterfingers Angel, Mary & Joseph, Herod the Nut and the Slaughter of 12 Hit Carols in a Pear Tree” originally written for a church pageant. Hard to believe that he also was the author of the dramatic “The Miracle Worker.” An imaginative retelling of the Christmas story brings new relevance to its timeless subject. Gibson combines a series of short scenes, traditional Christmas music, antic characterizations into a wholly original theatre piece. It deals with the story of Joseph, Mary and the birth of Jesus in an off kilter point of view. The flow of the action follows the Biblical events, but is enhanced by a tree, a sheep and a donkey who talk. Gabriel is a klutzy apprentice angel facing a lay off if Gabriel messes up one more time. The angel is flustered most of the time. Mary is a feminist matchmaker who wasn’t interested in marriage or men while Joseph is a philosophy spouting wimp who proclaims he is too old for his intended. Herod is a drum beating nutcase who is the funniest one of the bunch. Director Vince Petronio picks 15 performers to play the various roles in this show.

“Noises Off”, URI Theatre

December 1, 2017December 1, 2018 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The second show of URI’s season is “Noises Off”, a 1982 play by Michael Frayn. The idea for it was born in 1970 when Frayn was standing in the wings watching a performance of “Chinamen”, a farce he had written for Lynn Redgrave. According to Frayn, “It was funnier from behind then in front” and vowed to write a farce from behind. The term “noises off” refers to sounds that occur offstage. Frayn plays on the concept of a play within a play, in this case a play called “Nothing On” in which a young girl runs around in her underwear, men drop their trousers, and many doors continually open and shut. Each of the three acts contain a performance of the first act of the play within a play. Act 1 is set at the dress rehearsal, the night before opening with the cast still fumbling for entrances and exits, missed cues. misspoken lines and bothersome props, most notably several plates of sardines. Act 2 is seen from backstage, providing a view that reveals the deteriorating personal relationships of the cast that lead to offstage shenanigans and onstage bedlam. Act 3 is the end of their 10 week run where personal friction has increased and everyone is anxious for the show to be done with. They attempt to cover up a series of mishaps but end up compounding the problems and draw attention to the bungling performance. The slapstick in the latter two acts is hilarious and where the strength of this script lies. Director Christopher Simpson chose the nine best performers for each of these roles and infuses the farcical elements needed to leave the audience in stitches all evening long.

Read more ““Noises Off”, URI Theatre”

“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE MUSICAL” (The Community Players, Pawtucket, RI)

December 1, 2017December 1, 2018 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE MUSICAL”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The holiday musical at Community Players this year is “It’s A Wonderful Life, The Musical”. Based on the beloved 1946 film, this family friendly musical faithfully follows the familiar story of George Bailey’s life from childhood dreams to midlife disappointments. After George wishes he had never been born, an angel is sent to earth to make his wish come true and we all take the journey to discover whether his time on earth has mattered at all. Cinematically scored, this musical adaptation breathes new life into a familiar story, while retaining the warmth, humor and pathos of the original. Director Vinnie Lupino picked a strong leading man to portray George Bailey in Duane Langley who is onstage the entire show. His comic timing as well as his dramatic acting as he wrings every bit of pathos from this role,leaving the audience in tears. So you have the necessary ingredients for a very successful Christmas musical that audiences of all ages can enjoy thoroughly from start to finish. The musical score adds layers to these well known characters from the movie version especially Mary Hatch’s character as the audience discovers she yearned for George all through high school by being madly in love with him as she reveals in “My George Bailey.” Bravo on a job well done!

Women Stand Strong in Boch Center’s Magnificent ‘The Color Purple’

December 1, 2017December 1, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Mike Hoban

The Color Purple – Based on the novel by Alice Walker; Book by Marsha Norman; Directed by John Doyle. Music and Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray; Set Design by John Doyle, Costumes by Ann Hould-Ward; Lighting by Jane Cox; Sound by Dan Moses Schreier. Presented by the Boch Center Shubert Theatre through December 3.

For those who believe that pain and suffering are indeed the gateways to a spiritual life, then Celie, the central character of The Color Purple, must surely be the poster girl for that philosophy. Celie suffers through presumed incest, teen pregnancy, and losing her children all by the time she turns 15, and the years that follow don’t get much better. But through persistence and prayer she endures her trials and tribulations and transforms herself into a strong woman of dignity and honor before our eyes.

Greater Boston Stages’ ‘She Loves Me’ is a Delight

November 28, 2017December 3, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Mike Hoban

‘She Loves Me’ – Book by Joe Masteroff; Music by Jerry Bock; Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Based on a play by Miklos Laszio. Directed by Ilyse Robbins; Music Direction by Matthew Stern; Scenic Design by Brynna Bloomfield; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Costume Design by Gail Astrid Buckley; Sound Design by John Stone. Presented by the Greater Boston Stage Company at 395 Main St, Stoneham through December 23rd

The Greater Boston Stage Company and director Ilyse Robbins have again mined gold from Broadway’s lesser known catalogue, following up the wonderfully campy season opener Dames at Sea with an utterly charming production of She Loves Me, which debuted on Broadway in 1963. Featuring two of Boston’s most gifted female musical theater actors (Jennifer Ellis and Aimee Doherty – both fresh off sterling performances in the Huntington’s Merrily We Roll Along) as well as a pair of Boston’s emerging leading men (Sam Simahk and Jared Troilo), She Loves Me is a delight.

Laughter Abounds in Moonbox Productions’ “The 39 Steps”

November 28, 2017November 28, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

(Cirone, Zahnzinger, Mussett and Gazdowicz in Moonbox Productions’ “The 39 Steps”)

by Michele Markarian

“The 39 Steps”. Written by Evan George Patrick Barlow. Directed by Allison Olivia Choat. Presented by Moonbox Productions, the Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, Boston through December 9.

“I was bored – no, more than bored, tired,” begins the play’s hapless, world weary protagonist, Richard Hannay (Kevin Cirrone), from a rented flat in London. He decides to go to the theater, where he meets a mysterious woman (Sarah Gazdowicz, playing one of three roles) who, after shooting off a gun in the theater, asks if she can spend the night. When his guest is mysteriously murdered, Hannay is the suspect-at-large and goes on the run, but not before the dying woman gives him the address of a professor in Scotland with the cryptic phrase, “the 39 steps.” It is here that Hannay’s boredom ends and his adventure begins, as he journeys to Scotland. Along the way, he meets another young woman as well as a multitude of characters, some benign, some nefarious, many inept, and all played by Man 1 (Bob Mussett) and Man 2 (Matthew Zahnzinger).

Company Theatre’s “Company for the Holidays” Sparks Holiday Spirit

November 28, 2017November 28, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Evan McKenna

“Company for the Holidays: A Christmas Spectacular” – Directed by Zoe Bradford and Jordie Saucerman, Music arranged by Steve Bass and Chris Hansen, music direction and several original arrangements by Steve Bass, choreography by Sally Ashton Forrest, costume design by Kathryn Ridder, lighting design by Adam Clark, set design by Ryan Barrow and James A. Valentin. Through 12/17

While Black Friday deals and long lines at the Christmas Tree Shop remind us that December is almost here, gifts and Christmas decorations don’t always spark that genuine holiday spirit. It’s family, song, and traditions that give Christmas its true essence, and that’s what Company Theatre’s “Company for the Holidays: A Christmas Spectacular,” which premiered Friday, illustrates so well, making it the perfect entré into the Holiday season.

Oberon’s “The Fever” Brings Sense of Community to Theatrical Experience

November 16, 2017November 24, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Mike Hoban

The Fever – Written and Directed by Abigail Browde & Michael Silverstone. Created in collaboration with Brandon Wolcott, Emil Abramyan, and Eric Southern. Produced by Oberon in collaboration with 600 Highwaymen. Performed at the Ex at the Loeb Theatre, 64 Brattle St. Cambridge through November 19

If you’re one of those folks who is a little (or a lot) skittish about the thought of attending a show where audience participation is built into the theatrical experience, relax, The Fever is not that kind of a show. In fact, it’s not really a “show” at all, certainly not in any traditional theatrical sense. This oddly compelling piece plays more like a social experiment in unforced compliance than theater, but it works in a way that never feels forced or hokey.

Trinity Rep’s 40th Anniversary “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” A Holiday Gem

November 15, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Trinity Repertory Company ushers in the holiday season for their 40th Anniversary of their production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and adapted by Adrian Hall and Richard Cumming. The show’s underlying themes of charity, forbearance and benevolence are universal and are equally relevant to people of all religions and backgrounds especially with the unsettling events in this country and around the world. This familiar tale is about the curmudgeonly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the ghosts of Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present and Future who hope to change his destiny and save his soul to ultimately discover the true meaning of Christmas.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time and the Mystery and Suspense Genre

November 12, 2017November 12, 2017 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Michael Cox

The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-TimeAdapted by Simon Stephens from the novel by Mark Haddon. Produced by Speakeasy Stage Company and playing at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion October 20 – November 25.

Just after midnight in Swindon, a town 71 miles West of London, fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone finds a dog brutally murdered in his neighbor’s garden. Wellington, a cherished family pet, has been impaled with a pitchfork and is still pinned to the ground. Mrs. Eileen Shears, the owner of the dog and the garden, calls the police. And when they arrive they’re looking for answers. But Christopher can’t provide them. Instead, he assaults the officer.

As The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time unfolds, Christopher tells us his side of the story. He writes it down in a notebook as part of a school project, and he chooses to convey the experience as a murder mystery.