VITAL
Inaugural post not-quite-brought to you by St. Pat’s Day
Introductions are so far and few between, aren’t they? Ironically, in an age of iPhones and social networking, it’s getting a little tougher to meet new people. Sure, you could befriend a friend of a friend on Facebook because you think their comments are witty, then spend the afternoon poking the hell out of them, but there’s a good chance you won’t recognize them sitting next to you – whilst tweeting your brains out – at your preferred coffee haunt. I’m talking about really meeting someone. In a rush of insanity I thought I would use a St. Patrick’s party I was invited to as a catalyst to introduce you to the concept of this new column. That’s right, I thought why not use the most drunken night of the year – New Year’s Eve aside – as an opportunity to introduce you to a few creative types (artists, photographers, writers, etc.) and take you to a few places (studios, galleries, White Castle) you may not have the time to visit? This also relieves my wife of the pressure of being the sole audience of my incessant ranting. Well, once the party started, the food was too delicious, the beer too cold and the BS of too high a quality to be a buzz kill and start talking shop – who wants to be that guy? So an “official” start will have to wait a few days – or at least till St. Patrick stops dancing on my head. In the upcoming weeks look forward to meeting new people – artsy types, entrepreneurs, and local mucky-mucks – vicariously, while I have all the fun shaking their hands and talking to them. I’ll try to be gentle, but I ain’t making any promises.
Mar 19th, 2009 by Gene Evans
Two ways to run an agent
Body of Lies stars Russell Crowe doing an accent. He’s done a lot of accents lately: New York City Irish cop in American Gangster, also directed by Ridley Scott; American cowboy in 3:10 To Yuma; and Virginia family man here, again directed by Ridley Scott. He also apparently put on 66 pounds to play this character, a lead analyst in the CIA, living in affluence in Virginia, running an agent in Jordan by phone while he picks the kids up at soccer practice in the Lexus. It may not be a Lexus and it may not be soccer, it may be ballet, but it is definitely suburban; we are never allowed to forget that. The contrast between the agent in the field, sleeping on floors, sussing out IED’s, being tortured, speaking different dialects of the native language and the boss who processes the intelligence and directs the agent into more and more dangerous situations is made clear every time Crowe is on screen. It’s about all that is made clear. I find Crowe’s acting to be increasingly like a man who goes to a big closet and picks, first an accent, then a few physical mannerisms, the hair, a walk, something to do with his hands. He puts on a character the way you might put on a suit of clothes, but the clothes always have that new clothes look, they haven’t been worn enough to feel owned. And ownership is what brings authenticity, and that is what makes a character in a situation believable. Crowe’s partner, the man on the other end of the satellite phone, the agent in the field, the dog out sniffing up the terrorists, is played by Leonardo DeCaprio, again working against type to play a grown man, doing a tough job, in a dangerous environment. I know he can grow facial hair, or at least wear a wig and beard well, but that doesn’t quite get him over the hump fully into manhood. There’s something about the whine that gets into his voice when he becomes excited that holds him back and makes him still a boy pretending to do a man’s job. He tries on accents too, going a little Southern once in a while during the course of the film. But consistency is a problem with DeCaprio. Ridley Scott has worked with Russell Crowe several times, all the way back to Gladiator. He has also made some films that should be in anyone’s best all time list: Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise. And one of the best of the modern war films: Black Hawk Down. He knows his way around an action sequence and can tell a story in a compelling way. Body Of Lies is certainly the high-rent version of how Middle East intelligence operations work. Two major stars, an A-list director and a script by the man who wrote Departed, William Monahan, will get you a big budget and a nice release pattern. Why then did it fail? The […]
Mar 19th, 2009 by Mark Metcalf
$3 Wine Test-Drive
There is no better placebo for depression and anxiety than to wander the aisles of a Wal-Mart or Target superstore. It is comforting on many levels: to know that in case of Armageddonic survival there is one place that has it all. To know that there is a product out there which should salve some need in your life. To know that someone is inventing new ways to contain or dispense a beloved product. To know that you can afford something beyond your means - even if it will only last a year before breaking.
Mar 19th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Exciting Fun!
Milwaukee is a happenin’ town, and there’s always lots of stuff going on across our fair city. Here’s my (own, personal, and probably biased) round-up of what I’m really excited about in the next week. Berzerk!, Alchemist Theater, March 22. Always a good time of clean fun, Berzerk! returns to the Alchemist for another installment in the wacky theater adventures that arise when producing in one day a script that’s been written in 10 minutes. Does the thought make you tired? Imagine how the people that do it feel. Accidental Death of An Anarchist, Peck School, March 25-29. This modern piece by Nobel laureate Dario Fo asks how far we can go in protecting ourselves, as a nation, from those that mean us harm in a humorous (if satiric) fashion. This production is part of the Lab/Works series, which brings the focus on what theatre is all about: the acting. Minimalist sets and costumes, if any at all, make the performances stand out all the more. One-Act Festival: Tales from the Dugout, Pink Banana Theatre, March 27 through April 11. Pink Banana Theatre teams up with Renaissance Theaterworks to bring Milwaukee this collection of hilarious, heartfelt and just plain strange tales of relationships. Featuring the works of local up-and-coming writers from all walks of life, Tales from the Dugout will tell the story of the various games we all play in our relationships with lovers and friends. The Neverending Story, First Stage Children’s Theater, now through April 5. Being the geek that I am, I cannot help but be excited about First Stage’s production of this classic fantasy tale. Walking the line between the world of reality and the world of imagination, this production weaves the two together in an unforgettable and thoroughly enjoyable story of mindfulness, forgetfulness, courage and friendship. Read TCD’s review! Complete event listings for what’s happening on all Milwaukee’s stages are available at Footlights online.
Mar 19th, 2009 by Ryan Findley
I heard an amazing song today and decided to write about it.
As anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m a fat, fat man. On the US Department of Agriculture’s Pyramid of Fatness (kind of like their food pyramid, but with more chafed thighs), there’s “fat” fat, “obese” fat, “Jesus, look at that guy!” fat, and me. Seriously. I’m what the Native Americans used to call “a real porker.” That was before they got their groove back and were killed by Kevin Costner. Anyway, in addition to my generous girth, I’ve always had extremely poor posture. Just my luck! I remember a girl from junior high that would get a kick out of calling me “Igor” to my face. “Hey, Igor!” she would shout. “Want some more pudding, fat boy? Mind if I just set it atop your freakishly pronounced hump?” I never did mind, and we remain close to this day. But my point is this: despite my many physical deficiencies, (I also have enough moles covering my body to start a goddamned army. Think that’s funny? What if I told you they were all cancerous, and that I had 4 months to live? Who’s laughing now, dipshit?) I remain an upbeat guy who can occasionally be moved by a simple pop song. Just today – whilst walking through Downtown Milwaukee and doing my best to avoid throwing a brick at that fucking Jesus-mobile – I came across a forgotten song on my Zune that nearly knocked me over with happiness. For people not familiar with obscure, ill-conceived technology, the Zune is Microsoft’s answer to the iPod and a horrible, horrible piece of junk. That song? “What is Life?” by George Harrison. Jesus, what a song: glorious, ebullient, transcendent. Glowing with that Phil Spector-produced sound that makes grown men weep and a grown Phil Spector kill that one chick from Barbarian Queen. It’s a song I hadn’t heard in years – one I had nearly forgotten about completely – but hearing it today really made me happy to be alive and relatively young in this dumpy little town. And when you factor in the onset of spring/summer and a malignant brain tumor, we have a winner. Does anyone else smell oranges? So anyway, this is the part where I would normally embed a YouTube video of the song, but I CAN’T. SEEM. TO. MAKE. THE. FUCKING. THING. WORK. Who designed this Mickey Mouse website anyhow? Even in the future nothing works! (cue an embedded clip from that scene in Spaceba…FUCK!) I kid, I kid. It’s an honor and a privilege to be writing for this site. Truly an honor. And if the thing really does work and I’m just too dumb to figure it out, well, you can call me a dick again. Which you probably will anyway. In the meantime, click HERE for the song. You can thank me later, and ask me where I got these smart new blue jeans I’m wearing (hint: Kohl’s). Don’t forget to Sign My Guestbook before you leave! You are visitor 000283 to […]
Mar 19th, 2009 by Matt Wild
Milwaukee Ballet Announces 40th Anniversary Season
The Milwaukee Ballet announced its 40th anniversary season in style with a lovely early-evening soiree at the Iron Horse Hotel on March 12. It promises to be an exciting and innovative season, with something for every taste. The Nutcracker will (as usual) be the longest-running show of the season, taking over the Marcus Center for most of the month of December (the 11th through the 27th, to be precise). The Company will continue to present artistic director Michael Pink’s vision of this classic holiday favorite. In addition, Milwaukee Ballet will present two other family-friendly, traditional ballets: Cinderella in October of 2009 and Peter Pan in May of 2010. The production of Peter Pan will feature the Mr. Pink’s choreography set to an original score by Philip Feeney composed for the Milwaukee Ballet. Cinderella will enthrall young audience members with lavish period costumes and a pumpkin carriage. Both Peter Pan and Cinderella will feature not only Company members but also performers from the Milwaukee Ballet School, expanding the scope of the School beyond the traditional Nutcracker roles. However, as Mr. Pink noted in his remarks at the announcement party, the Milwaukee Ballet may be turning 40 this year, but it will not use that as an excuse to rest on its laurels or start to look exclusively to the past for its productions. The Company has developed a reputation, both in Milwaukee and across the country, for innovative and inventive productions, and that will not change. In addition to the three traditional ballets, the 2009-2010 season will offer two additional ballets as well as a collaboration with UWM’s Peck School. Innovative Motion (February 11-14, 2010) brings back the winner of the 2009 Genesis international choreography competition, in addition to a world premiere work by Luc Vanier and a piece entitled “Clowns and Others” by Salvatore Aiello. All three will be abstract works showcasing the movement and physicality of dance. In late March, Pure Dance will bring a slate of works that draw not only from classical ballet but from all forms of movement, from Hispanic and Arabic culture to gypsy sensibility to contemporary dance. Jerry Opdenaker and Val Caniparoli will contribute pieces, and Milwaukee’s own Petr Zahradnicek will create another world premiere for the Milwaukee Ballet. In collaboration with the Peck School, the Milwaukee Ballet School, and the Milwaukee Ballet II program, a one-night performance of Ma Maison will be offered on March 9 as part of the Trey McIntyre project. This performance is not included in any of the Ballet’s regular season packages, but tickets can be purchased through the Ballet. In addition to the season, Milwaukee Ballet also announced the launching of their new website. Found here, it features more in-depth information about every aspect of the Company and School. The Milwaukee Ballet also has a new friends group, Balletomane, which will provide support to both the Company and the School. The Milwaukee Ballet’s next performance is the choreographic competition Genesis, March 26-29, 2009 at the Pabst Theater. Tickets […]
Mar 18th, 2009 by Ryan Findley
What Did Matt Do? Wednesdays
Welcome to the inaugural edition of “What Did Matt Do? Wednesdays,” a weekly column that recaps all the stupid shit I did during the day, along with some wicked Crock-Pot recipes for the kids. While this piece will be published each and every Wednesday, it will in fact cover the events of the previous Tuesday, making the whole “Wednesdays” part of WDMD?W kind of misleading. Does that make sense? No, no it doesn’t. So yeah, brace yourself for an exciting column/complete waste of time that would probably be better handled by something like Twitter. (Tweets? Oh, who gives a shit.) Coincidentally, Twittering (Tweeting?) rears its ugly head more times than I would like to admit in the events below, making me feel all dirty and 14 years-old. Technology, how you enrich our lives! I sit alone in my darkened apartment, cowering, afraid. The cold grip of death hovering ever closer, ever closer. Oh, God, just kill me now… What? Enjoy! 10:30AM – Wake up. Discover my girlfriend is calling in sick for the day, putting a serious crimp on my morning routine (i.e. masturbation). 10:40AM – Have sudden realization I made a solemn, drunken promise to blog on ThirdCoast every day. Despair. 11:15AM – Bagels with butter and turkey. Flip on Maury, catch the following priceless introduction. 12:00PM – Walk outside, notice it’s 70 goddamned degrees. Walk past Vitucci’s on my way to the bus stop, notice a dick-ton of people wearing green. 12:13PM – Realize it’s St. Patrick’s day. Catch my bus. 12:30PM – Hop off a particularly ripe 30 bus and meet my friend Larry for a before-work cigarette. Talk about weather, politics, lawn jarts. Larry confesses a crush on starlet Jennifer Love Hewitt. Awkward goodbyes. 1:00PM – Begin my day at work. Despair. 2:15PM – Walk through downtown on deliveries. Sirens and drunken bros abound. Everyone in green. Overhear the line: “Man! White people sure be losing their shit today!” 3:00PM – Head to the County Courthouse to pick up some documents. Have a confusing conversation with the security guard working the metal detector: GUARD (after scanning my messenger bag): “I can’t wait until they start making TVs that small!” ME: “What?” GUARD: “You know, TVs that can get cable and everything!” ME: “Um…” GUARD: “Your iPhone. In your bag. I can’t wait until they make TVs that small!” ME: “Oh! Actually, it’s not an iPhone. It’s a Zune.” GUARD: (blank stare) 5:15PM – Receive an unexpected visit from Adorable Deliveries LLC, a promising new company that sends two lovely, slightly crazed women to your door with a bunch of wonderful, ridiculous shit. Contents of my Adorable Delivery: corn dogs, Sprecher root beer, Gummi Bears, pack of Camel Lights. 6:00PM – Discover that Yahoo! News has a front page story on the awful, awful new Wisconsin logo and slogan. Twitter my discovery. (Tweet my discovery? Oh, who gives a shit.) Receive merciless insults from close friends and family for reading Yahoo! News. Immediately destroy my Tweets. 9:00PM […]
Mar 17th, 2009 by Matt Wild
Blarney Stoned
Oh Bridget where be ye? And who be ye? A Sheehan, Moran, Sullivan? Do you really expect me to find your gravesite with such slim pickins? No birth certificate, only the date (1849) you arrived on these shores, bound from Inch Bridge in Ireland, perhaps married (to John Moriarty, laborer), ten years your senior. A wedding certificate indicates you maybe married John in Massachusetts, but your name is oddly smeared on the document. So many Bridgets, so many Johns, how to know which one belongs to you? It’s said you were buried in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I drove there and couldn’t find you on the plains where sheep once roamed. I’ve searched Iowa gravesites too, near where you bought land in Muscatine County, Iowa, lots of graves, but no you; rows and rows of bones, but no you resting beneath slabs embellished with stuffed teddy bears, strange photographs, sagging crosses and angels with missing parts. Uh oh Bridget, it says here on the yellowing document I unearthed in the Muscatine County courthouse, that you lifted your skirts to neighboring farmer Henry Stoneburner. The document, filed and signed by John Moriarty (with an “X”), points fingers at two October nights, then asks for a divorce AND alimony. The trail petered out, so I’m guessing you refused the divorce, good Catholic be ye. Or were ye? Okay, the Iowa winters were long and hard and Stoneburner was only a stone’s throw away, plus he must have recognized a good plow when he saw one, but shouldn’t ye have known better? Also, I’m given to wondering just how John knew what you were up to. Apparently he drifted away after he addressing the court (leaving you with two kids), but his name, “Wandering John,” is still legendary in 2009. Could be he fled home to Ireland and drank his days away, but in all fairness, he may have been an okay chap saddled with the wrong woman in the wrong place in the wrong time. While grave searching in South Dakota, were you looking up from your pine box and laughing at me, your great granddaughter on a useless mission, combing through the weeds and crumbling slabs to no avail? I mean to say, why should I give a hoot about you? Though named after a saint, you were apparently not one. That said, I do admire your grit. So tell me, how did you manage to get through the Pearly Gates? As a Moran, a Sheehan, a Sullivan, a Moriarty? Things are tough enough up there, what with identity theft and wigs and false noses and plastic surgery, some of it transgender. Unsnarling the heavenly list must be nigh impossible, and whoever was guarding the Gates the day you waltzed through with your skirts held high, was likely snookered grandly. I’m guessing here. Did you know that one of Wandering John’s ancestors (a Maurice Moriarty by name) chased the Earl of Desmond into the Slieve Mish Mountains where he cut off his […]
Mar 17th, 2009 by Stella Cretek
Are you there LiveJournal? It’s me, SubVersions.
When people stop me on the street (a phenomena that happens at least three times every decade), the first thing they ask is: “Jim, if you had to choose your favorite Monkee, who would it be?” The second thing they ask is: “Didn’t you write for the VITAL Source? Whatever happened to that? Are they still in business? What was the deal with Des Moines?” This is typically followed by a long, awkward silence, some polite coughing, and me scurrying off into the night, only to end up drunk and bleeding in a stranger’s bedroom, clutching myself in the fetal position while weeping softly. Or whatever it is you people think I do with my time. OK, an actual story: While sitting in the ski lodge-like confines of the Y-Not III a few weekends ago, readying myself for a set from Milwaukee’s best band, The Trusty Knife, I was approached by Justin Kern, the singer of Milwaukee’s second best band, Crappy Dracula. (Got all that?) “So, with the print version of VITAL dead, are you still writing for them?” he asked. “Yup,” I replied. “After three years of dedicated service and strict adherence to deadlines, I’m now being published on the prestigious ‘internet.’” This sorry news was greeted by a big “thumbs down,” a loud “raspberry,” and a bellowing “Fuck that!” from Mr. Kern. He then took three shots of Old Crow, started a barstool on fire, and ridiculed some hipster girl’s haircut until she cried, all within ten seconds. He’s really quite a character. Which brings us to the brand new site: GoldCoast Subs. I mean, WestCoast Offense. No, wait…THIRD COAST DIGEST. Get it? There’s the East Coast and the West Coast (that makes two coasts thus far, Shooter…), and because of our proximity to the Great Lakes (I guess), we’re the Third Coast! Isn’t that exciting? Thrilling? Dripping with self-loathing? Just a fancy name for “Inferiority Complex The Size Of A Buick?” You bet! So yeah, I’m not a big fan of the new name. No big deal; after all, this is coming from a guy who writes a column called “SubVersions.” What do you think? About the whole “ThirdCoast” name change, that is, not my column. On second thought, if you have any comments about my column – its name and/or its contents – feel free to share. I’ll make sure to give each and every suggestion/spam plenty of thought and consideration. Thanks, Mom. But I kid. Really, I do. It’s a great thrill to continue my relationship with the VITAL crew, and an even bigger kick to be “published” on the internet. I was so eager to pitch in that it only took a dozen veiled death-threats to get me writing again. And while it did get ugly in the end – EastCoast Rap publisher Jon Anne Willow eventually threatened to kill my first-born son if I didn’t blog immediately – time wounds all heels, as they say, and here I am. Besides, her threat seemed […]
Mar 17th, 2009 by Matt Wild
Fire on the Bayou
The corner of Hope and Desire is a perfect metaphor for the city of New Orleans. Battered and ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans continues to strive to not merely recover but to thrive. Written and directed by Kevin Ramsey, Fire on the Bayou at the Milwaukee Rep celebrates the history, present and the hopes for the future of New Orleans through the music that is part of the city’s rich culture. Comprised of not only live singing and music, the show is also sprinkled with spoken vignettes about living in New Orleans. These stories exemplify the unyielding spirit of those still calling New Orleans home. While many of these tales are contemporary, the music is largely several classic tunes. Audiences will most likely recognize songs like “Iko Iko,” “Gris Gris Gumbo Ya-Ya” and “Jambalaya.” Opening with “My Indian Red,” Milton Craig Nealy as Spyboy Jambalaya, immediately lets those attending know that they will be up and dancing with his enthusiasm and playful nature. Jannie Jones, playing Queen Marie, has a deeply flexible voice that resonates with time honored songs about The Big Easy and also with pop numbers like “Proud Mary.” Eric Noden, playing Dr. Johnay as well as serving as co-music director is a jazz and blues enigma. Dressed in a red pin-stripe suit and wearing shades, he plays guitar, bass and harmonica. He also lends his wonderfully rough voice to songs like, “Going to Mardi Gras” and “Basin Street.” Singing as well as playing keyboard, Jeremy Cohen as Professor Short-hair and also co-music director is most impressive while recounting the events of Hurricane Katrina. Rounding out the company is Scott Napoli on drums. Even though he spends the show mostly out of sight, his playing encourages the excitable and party-like atmosphere that the Stackner Cabaret is perfect for. Fire on the Bayou is sympathetic to New Orleans but it won’t let people forget that even in the wake of tragedy New Orleans has the ability to rebound and blossom again. Complete schedule information and tickets for this show are available at Footlights online by clicking here.
Mar 16th, 2009 by Russ Bickerstaff
Blues in the Night
It’s two or three a.m. in the morning on a sultry evening in a shabby New York City hotel. The “blues” overcome three women, all ‘”taking a chance on love” with the same man in the Skylight Opera Theatre’s sensual production Blues in the Night that opened Friday night. While short on a compelling story line, this Sheldon Epps’ Broadway show from the 80s revisits the canon of the great American Songbook through composers Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington- to name only a few. The four performers, last seen in The Skylight’s Smokey Joe’s Café, strut and sulk, sway and shimmy with riveting style that pays tribute to these distinctly American rhythms. While the singers perform on a tiered stage with an iron staircase angling through the open hotel rooms, the production offers the audience a view of each woman, individually or when collaborating on a number, that demands their attention immediately. Drenching the stage in hazy violets and dusky blue light adds to the midnight ambience, and each singer languishes on an overstuffed chair or chaise in the dark while another mesmerizes the audience with a gutsy rendition of these classic songs. Most fascinating in the collection was music composed by women in the early 1900’s, including Ida Cox’s feminist lyrics that long for a woman’s dignity and respect. Alberta Hunter’s “Rough and Ready Man” or Ann Ronnell’s “Willow Weep for Me” provides additional feminine inspiration for these entertainers from the past, as did five songs from the famous Bessie Smith. The three women carry this voice with momentum when Cynthia Cobb (The Lady) impresses throughout “Kitchen Man” and “Take Me For A Buggy Ride,” which uses the double entendre and whip with great emphasis. Or let the imagination soar when Kate Margaret McCann (The Woman) seductively sings “Rough and Ready Man.” Liz Baltes plays the daring Young Girl in “Reckless Blues,” lying right down on the stage floor. The protagonist to this trio, Benjamin Sterling Cannon, engenders his own steam in “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” and “Baby Doll.” Everyone smiles when the first act finale taunts the audience with the choreography and lines in “Take It Right Back.” Collaborating on this show, Musical Director Jamie Johns sits at the “top floor” of the hotel set playing the piano as he conducts percussion by Michael Lorenz, bass by Tom McGirr, and brass by Tim Bell and Tom Schlueter leaving these memorable “Blues” in the mind with utter perfection. And while the saucy lyrics uncover the heart’s deepest desires with each number, any overriding story fades on stage. Enjoy The Skylight’s arousing presentation of Blues in the Night that appreciates this art form in American music, afterwards squeezing your own ‘baby doll’ tight while slipping close together on a cool spring evening when leaving the theatre. Complete schedule information and tickets for this show are available at Footlights online by clicking here.
Mar 16th, 2009 by Peggy Sue Dunigan
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen is beloved in the pantheon of English writers for her gift for social observation and her sly wit. The Milwaukee Repertory Theater brings Pride and Prejudice (perhaps her best-known novel) to the stage in this adaptation by Joe Hanreddy and J. R. Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan directs a cast of some of the city’s best-known actors in this delightful story of love and social standing during the Regency period of English history. The neighborhood in which the Bennett family resides is thrown into chaos when a young gentleman of good fortune rents a nearby estate. Since it is universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, Mrs. Bennett immediately begins scheming to get him to marry one of her five daughters; he falls in love with Jane, the oldest. But the story centers around Elizabeth, the next daughter in the Bennett family, and the young gentleman’s equally wealthy and far more haughty friend, Mr. Darcy. These two strong personalities enter into a courtship that has stood the test of time and entered the annals of all-time most-romantic stories. Along the way, there are various plots, misunderstandings, and tragedies. Austen’s writing is full of wit and innuendo, and Hanreddy and Sullivan’s adaptation respects that. The actors are all equally capable of bringing to life the nuance of Austen’s language, and the subtle supplementation of a raised brow or a wave of a hand. Every single one of them understands and communicates the full richness of their characters’ emotions while maintaining the reserve that is an essential component of Austen’s writing. Lee Stark as Elizabeth Bennett and Grant Goodman as Fitzwilliam Darcy are excellent. They fight, they tease, they fall in love, and they are absolutely believable throughout. Jonathan Gillard Daly and Laura Gordon are both a bundle of neuroses as Mr. and Mrs. Bennett; Gordon in particular is charming, funny, and just a little cringe-worthy during Mrs. Bennett’s fits of shrill histrionics. Brian Vaughn as the Bennett’s cousin, Mr. Collins, is a ridiculous blend of obsequiousness and pride that takes over every scene he appears in, just as one imagines Mr. Collins would take over any room he entered. Gerard Nugent and Sarah Rutan are quietly agreeable as Jane Bennett and Charles Bingley, and Emily Vitriano is loud, boisterous, and delightfully obnoxious as Lydia Bennett. Michael Ganio’s scenic design is minimalist, which seems at first an odd choice for a play about the upper-crust of English society. These people live on estates, in mansions. But, with little set decoration, a change of scene can be accomplished by simply moving a chair from here to there, adding or subtracting a vase of flowers, or raising and lowering a chandelier. This simplicity makes set changes easy, which keeps the production moving along at a good pace, without lagging. It also has the added benefit of making the dialog, most of which was taken directly from Jane Austen’s novel, the […]
Mar 14th, 2009 by Ryan Findley
