by Michele Markarian
‘Gabriel’ – Written by Moira Buffini. Directed by Weylin Symes. Presented by Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, through May 14.
It’s a rare piece of writing that immerses you in its world so intensely that to leave it is almost a shock to the system. Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend series is this kind of writing. Throw in a five-star cast with superlative direction, lights, sound and set, and you have Stoneham Theatre’s masterful production of “Gabriel”.
By Richard Pacheco
The Gamm is doing a new version of Frederich Schiller’s “Mary Stewart” adapted and directed by Gamm Artistic Director Tony Estrella. While there are some slow moments in it, the acting is excellent and vibrant.
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Shining Light’s spring production this year is “Beauty and the Beast” by Disney. The musical first opened on Broadway on April 19, 1994 and ran for 5,464 performances, closing on July 29, 2007. It is based on the 1991 animated Disney movie, the show tells of a spell cast on a Prince which transformed him into a ferocious beast. He must love and be loved before the final petal falls from the rose or he will be a beast forever. Into his life comes beautiful, bookish Belle. They must learn to love each other after he makes her a prisoner in his desolate castle. Belle could melt the ice and even his heart but will she be able to see through his facade in time? Throw in many colorful characters including her inventor father, Maurice, the town strongman, Gaston, his crazy sidekick, Lefou and the numerous enchanted humans turned into household fixtures at the Beast’s castle and you have the makings for this sensational musical presentation. Director Mike Landry, musical director Alex Tirrell and choreographer Matthew Parello cast this show excellently, winning these hard working performers a resounding standing ovation at the end of the night.
Read more “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket, RI)”
By Richard Pacheco
“The Best of Everything” at the 2nd Story Theatre is a play based on the Rona Jaffe controversial best selling novel about sexual politics in 1960’s Manhattan. Set in the pre-women’s liberation era, “The Best of Everything”, tells the story of five young and impressionable secretaries who are new to Manhattan and publishing and their adventures to find a nice boy to take them out to dinner, and possibly lasting love while dodging the garter snappers and lotharios at Fabian Publishing. While it was highly provocative and controversial at the time, it seems rather tame and mild today.
Read more ““The Best of Everything” at 2nd Story (Warren, Rhode Island)”
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The current musical at Ocean State Theatre Company is “Victor Victoria”, the 1995 musical which is based on the 1982 movie starring Robert Preston and Julie Andrews. The 1982 movie was a remake of movie from 1933 called “Viktor Viktoria”, a German film comedy. A penniless soprano, named Victoria Grant, colludes with a struggling gay impresario to disguise herself as a man named Victor, who entertains as a female impersonator known as “Victoria.” This down on her luck singer finds fame as a drag queen.
By Michele Markarian
The Gift Horse, by Lydia R. Diamond. Directed by Jim Petosa. Scenic Design by Jon Savage, Costume Design by Penney Pinette; Lighting Design by Alberto Segarra; Sound Design by Dewey Dellay. Presented by The New Repertory Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown through May 14.
Ruth (Obehi Janice) is an energetic and engaging teacher and artist who is struggling to conceal, even from herself, a painful secret from her childhood. Once in college, she falls in love with, and then befriends, Ernesto (Alejandro Simoes), her gay neighbor. Ernesto and Ruth connect in all ways but one, but with Ernesto’s recommendation and support, Ruth is introduced to her therapist and future husband, Brian (Maurice Emmanuel Parent). Brian helps Ruth unravel the mystery of her inability to be intimate with a man, and despite Ernesto’s and Brian’s resistance to one another, they all manage to come together and create a different kind of family than the one Ruth grew up in.
PROOF
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The second show of the 18th season for Renaissance City Theatre Inc., the producing entity for the Granite Theatre is the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning “Proof” by David Auburn. The show opened on Broadway on October 24, 2000 and ran for 917 performances. The movie version starring Anthony Hopkins and Gwenyth Paltrow opened in September, 2005. “Proof” can be described as a mystery, a romantic comedy and an exploration of mental illness. The play centers around an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, on the eve of her 25th birthday. She has been overshadowed by her brilliant mathematician father, Robert, who has been mentally ill for years, and of whom she has cared for. After his sudden death, Catherine must come to terms with following in her father’s footsteps, and with the fear that she might have inherited his illness.
By Richard Pacheco
“Art” currently at 2nd Story is s smart, funny, vibrant play brought vividly to life by an exceptional cast with great interactions and sheer chemistry. “Art” is a play by Yasmina Reza that premiered in 1994 in Paris. The English-language adaptation, translated by Christopher Hampton, opened in London’s West End on 15 October 1996, starring Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay and Ken Stott and ran for eight years. It opened in New York in 1998 and was awarded the Tony for best play and the best actor award went to Alfred Molina.
Read more “Smart, Funny, “Art” at 2nd Story Theatre (Warren, 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
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.
Read more “13 RUE DE L’AMOUR (The Arctic Playhouse, West Warwick, RI)”
