REVIEW – Miss Saigon – Palo Alto Players

Miss Saigon is a show that for any production team is, at its core, the very definition of ambitious. It’s a big show, not just logistically, physically and technically, but emotionally. It’s freaking huge. The stakes at every moment are impossibly high (insert visual of me indicating with my hand over my head as to just how high) and demands that each and every character, principal, featured or ensemble, be at an emotional 11 from first to last note. This doesn’t allow for a lot room for mistakes or for a tremendous amount of variance which can be a huge challenge for 2 ½ hours of musical theater with hardly any dialogue that isn’t sung. With that being said, it’s a good thing that Palo Alto Players fully understood the enormity of the task at hand and took on this production with some fine talent, solid directing and creative design in their corner.

While there were several highlights of the production, perhaps the most striking to me was the chemistry between our main characters Kim and Chris, which was brilliant. I’ve seen a lot of stage making out in my day, I’ve even participated in some myself, and so often the romantic scenes end up feeling manufactured, the actors inhibitions too apparent or the technical direction resulting in an unnatural and literally staged session. I don’t want to play the creepy critic here, but it kind of looked like they were really into it. That’s not only a good thing, but in this show it’s essential. Just like Romeo and Juliet, we need to feel that the connection between the two is an intense life and death kind of attraction in able to believe it can be so immediate and force the plot dominos in motion. Our couple pulled their unique relationship off spectacularly. Aside from their ability to appear physically comfortable/down right passionate with each other (in various stages of undress mind you) they are both vocal powerhouses. I mean eye-rolling “that’s ridiculous” kind of singing. Range, stamina, emotional control, hands down they make the weaker scenes and songs stronger and kill the signature awesomeness that has allowed this show to have such a long life.

Also in that category of mesmerizing was The Engineer. Good god the animation and commitment to this role (which really is the best written of the whole show and had a very high bar set by Jonathan Pryce on Broadway) were out of this world. He nails it emotionally, vocally and with a twisted, sympathetic humor so gripping, even in the characters darkest moments when you think maybe it would be misplaced. He has the chops technically as well as that special master storyteller quality that invites you inside his head and lets you experience every layer of subtext between the scripted lines. He owns every moment he is on stage. You’ve seen him before most likely and you’ll see him again. Versatile and professional, he’s one to watch for beyond this stellar performance.

Cheers also to John and Ellen who make the most of smaller roles and do their less exciting solos justice. The ensemble is hard-working with a lot to do in this show and while I wasn’t over the moon about the choreography or their voices all the time, there were standouts among the crowd who remained committed and emotionally invested in all their roles and a number here and there that showcased some great harmony.

The staging is quite pretty and there are a thousand picture perfect snap shots throughout that are especially effective in combination with great lighting design and costuming. The orchestra was tight for the most part and thankfully well-balanced volume-wise so none of the amazing voices got trumped. The set designer addresses the enormous challenges of this show as well as could be expected. It’s an aesthetically pleasing, admirable result for sure, while still unable to completely triumph over SUCH a tall order with a fraction of the space (on and off stage) to fully execute visual perfection.

For all its strengths, this show has a lot of inconsistencies and when the highs are so high the lows stick out painfully. Part of that is the show itself as there are numbers that seem to not really move the plot forward and certainly evoked more than a couple “can we just fast forward” moments.

One needs only to see the opening scene to be inspired to design (or purchase if they exist) a wireless mic pack that is thinner and less bulky than a walkie-talkie. The costuming real estate in the opening scene is sparse and these mic packs had limited places they could be “stuck”. It was not an especially appealing look. That distraction, coupled with some ensemble members who are not as natural with the required sexuality of the opening numbers made for some uncomfortable tableau, forcing the audience to work a bit harder to buy into the plot at first.

I’d find a seat halfway back, as sitting too close could potentially be a disservice to this production. There was a speaker hum that was killing me stage left throughout most of the show and whether avoidable or intentional, I personally can’t stand seeing stage hands on stage or in the wings during a scene and there were several of those moments in both acts. The big “special” effect in act two will likely work a bit better further away too, I didn’t buy it from row C, but it might read more impressive from further back.

All in all, you’ll want to see this show for the outstanding performances. You really shouldn’t miss those even if the music in the show gets a bit repetitive and the theater ultimately might just be too small for such an enormous production. Overall the show wins more than not with 4 jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for a complex show that is graced with some extremely bright stars. Miss Saigon plays through May 12th at the Lucie Stern Community Theatre in Palo Alto.

REVIEW – HEDDA GABLER – CITY LIGHTS THEATER COMPANY

Move over Joan Collins. Take a number Omarosa. Not so fast Mommy Dearest. Don’t call us, we’ll call you Scarlett O’Hara. If anything opens up in the cray-cray division we’ll let you women know, but we’ve already got an unstable, hot mess of a villain here that puts all of you to shame, thank-you-very-much. Take off your earrings girls and mind your hair, because Hedda Gabler at City Lights Theater Company is lunging across the table at you Housewives of Honningsvåg style.

Interestingly enough, Hedda Gabler is a play that premiered in 1890 to largely negative reviews, but since then has become a “classic” of 19^th century dramatic realism.  It’s a play that’s been at the heart of theater study for a long time now and honestly, I can’t remember what made Ibsen, and this play in particular, such hot stuff. Lack of sunshine on the long Oslo nights and maybe an Omega 3 deficiency has undoubtedly cast the lonely, dark and dysfunctional shadow that is this play. The script (and this adaptation which I believe is more accessible and easier on the ears language-wise than the original translation) is a fabulous workout and opportunity for actors to play a variety of emotional levels, true. I just question if this play is more for the actors than it is for the audience.

But, then again, maybe all it needs is a name change to bring in the right audience and the right expectation for this play. Perhaps a better name for this play would be All My Fjords, because really, it’s a soap opera. And, as we well know there’s a long tradition of obsession over soap operas and we only have to look at the titles of the currently running reality shows to confirm the power that people behaving badly still holds over us in our current era.

There are copious Jerry Springer moments in this play which tries at first to disguise itself as a polite period piece. Decorum is quickly obliterated with an onslaught of “oh-no-she-didn’t” moments and a substantial amount of “what the what?” served with a side of highly questionable behavior all around. This absolutely provides entertainment, but for me personally, not the highest form, nor the most compelling. Hedda might be a tremendously, non-traditional guilty pleasure for many though, I could well be in the minority here, admittedly.

Though the play wasn’t my shot of vodka, this cast goes through the emotions, definitely committing and “going there” with all the ridiculously bitchy and bizarre plot twists. They’re overall very good actors and they’re staged well. They have indeed embraced the melodrama 100% here, nothing even keeled or down to earth about it and I’m sure all of actors are coming out of this experience, stronger for it. I survived Hedda shirts should be mandatory gifts to anyone that completes a run and I acknowledge whole-heartedly that it’s not only physically stamina building, but craft building to arrive on the other side of Ibsen.

Hedda herself can be played as a woman giving society the bird and really effing with the rules, or a demoralized, tragic, desperate sympathetic victim of societal pressures, but to me this version seemed to really focus in on the insane and malicious side of the character and the extreme lack of compatibility she has with everyone else around her. She is at the center of very damaged, irritating, lecherous, weak company and her interactions with them are intentionally cringe-inducing. They are an unlikeable, unredemptive lot primarily, some of which we can’t even love to hate, they are that icky. But, Hedda herself seemed resigned to me from the very start, at the end of her struggle, not finding joy in the game nor having a very long way to fall or change in the lengthy, unhurried paced journey of the play. And, while maybe in some ways not as dynamic or deep an interpretation as I would have liked, there were significant portions of this play that had me enraged, rolling my eyes and even laughing at the absurd train-wreck of it all.

City Lights consistently has some of the best sound design around and this show was no exception. Stage props were lovely too, giving a necessary period feel to the overall visual. The set is a bit metaphorical and fractured for my liking, but functional and  it certainly fills the space well, allowing for an ample variety of movement.

This is a long play (with TWO intermissions) in a theater that like Norwegian winters, runs a bit chilly, so caffeinate, and bring your layers for optimal enjoyment. 3 ½ jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for this play which, while it may have outworn its welcome as a seminal piece of theatre, certainly had its moments in this production by a hardworking cast. Hedda Gabler plays through April 21st at the City Lights Theater in San Jose.

REVIEW – Jane Austen’s Persuasion – San Jose Stage

There were two very short periods in my life when I read for pleasure. 8^th grade, when a very smart teacher introduced me to the likes of fantasy/sci-fi authors Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, Douglas Adams and Ray Bradbury, and then again my freshman year of college when I discovered and then ended up reading just about every single novel and short story by Jane Austen, Henry James and the Bronte Sisters. Through these authors, I discovered a wit and way with words that inspired me to push through the challenges of dyslexia and the short attention span that accompanies an active imagination and really enjoy reading. All that to say, there’s a special place in my heart for Miss Austen’s literature and I was torn when I heard that San Jose Stage was set to replace the very much-anticipated Three Penny Opera (one of my favorites) with a World Premiere of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. This novel is a bit more heady and a bit less “humorous” and I wasn’t sure it if would translate to the stage as well as say Pride and Prejudice or Emma. Persuasion is a bit more serious and has a more subdued plot than Austen’s other works and therefore a more challenging source material with which to work.

Any time you adapt a work you have to make sacrifices. Some of the best parts of any Jane Austen novel are the descriptions of things and places, not necessarily the dialogue. Translating the nuances, rhythm, precise structure, word choice and wit of the language, (which is very linear) to a stage where you’re taking in all the visuals simultaneously is not an easy thing to do. Just because the “words” are written for you doesn’t mean you are choosing the right ones for the stage and that you don’t have to work overtime capturing the details of Austen’s descriptors without actually using THAT language. I think the adaptor and cast did a very respectable job of a difficult task in this case. One may always like the book in book form best, but this play captures the essence of Austen genuinely.

There’s no getting around it, these are now, stock characters. They are tried and tested characters, but at the end of the day they are predictable and standard. But, that’s not a bad thing. There’s a reason Miss Austen’s work is a classic. There’s a reason we keep adapting her stories to stage and screen. And, there are reasons similar series like Downton Abbey, have us flocking to the TV weekly. There’s something that a significant portion of the population like in these types of stories and in these people and the actors do bring them to life in an amusing and endearing way.

Many of the actors in Persuasion play two characters which normally I really don’t like. This cast did a well above average job of creating characters that were different enough from each other and names cleverly used in the dialogue helped to keep who was being addressed straight, but pay keen attention to the very top of the show to get your initial run down of characters so you don’t get too lost. The period language is preserved and so come to the show expecting at least at first to “find your ear’s groove.” In some places the pace is slow, but when it moves, it does move fast and if you aren’t familiar with the players you may feel like you’re “trying too hard” as an audience member and not just able to enjoy it.

Some of the staging devices have been used many times before in similar page to stage productions. If you haven’t seen a number of shows where minimal furniture is used to represent many things and locations, you’ll likely be charmed by the creative collaborative approach where all the actors are involved with transitioning scenes as a brief narration indicates the who, what and where particulars of the scene to follow. There were also a few gimmicks I had never seen before which were a lot of fun to watch unfold.

The only real issue I had with this production was the lighting. In order to portray location adequately the back wall of the beautiful set had projections displayed on it. With up to 10 people on the relatively small stage at any one time and audience on three sides, some of the action is going to need to take place on the upper ½ of the stage and the staging is very pretty and well done. However, that upper part of the stage is right in the path of the projector resulting in a number of times that it was hard to see facial expressions, not be distracted by the projection ON the actor and in some cases even SEE the actors clearly in the darker areas of the stage kept dim to bring out the projections. The lesser of two evils certainly to have this visual rather than lack of variety in staging, too many sight line obstructions or be confused on location, but still a point of irritation that took me out of the moment too often.

Overall this was a pleasing night of theater and it pretty much delivers what you’d expect. While nothing seems revolutionary, cutting edge or significantly “new” about this production, it is carefully crafted, well performed and certainly entertaining. If you like this genre, I feel pretty certain you’ll like this production. If you’re new to this type of work, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by the adept skills of the performers. 4 jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for an admirable adaptation and a night of period romantic drama and light comedy. Jane Austen’s Persuasion plays through April 28th at the San Jose Stage in… downtown San Jose.

REVIEW- BLUE MAN GROUP – BROADWAY SAN JOSE

Aside from an unexpected and upsetting allergic reaction to Dramamine one time, I’ve never done hallucinogenic drugs, nor do I condone their use, but having seen Blue Man Group, I kinda feel like I know what a good experience with recreational pharmaceuticals could be. The show is without a doubt a trip and to be quite honest I’m still processing it, which is… a good thing.

A motley mix of modern magic show, performance art, mess-making, rave, rock concert, science class and social commentary, it occurred to me only afterwards that there really isn’t a clear premise to this show. No traditional story or through line. We’re never told that these Blue Men are aliens, or represent our egos and ids or that they’re in our minds or any such thing. They just are. Non-verbal, abstract and man do they put on a great show. The art of the double take is catapulted to new heights in this production and while no semblance of a plot in the common sense can be found the audience is completely engaged. And, to be frank, with the integral part that the audience plays in this experience, they don’t really have an opportunity to be impassive.

Now, I’m not one for audience participation usually; I don’t mind watching it so much, but the fear of being chosen to participate in what ideally for me is a spectator event, takes me out of the experience I want to stay in so desperately. I gladly make the exception for Blue Man Group though as the community participation element is presented in a way that is truly creative, light-hearted and in many case quite funny. If you’re in the audience, you aren’t going to be able to escape some kind of participation, but the majority of it is collective and doesn’t single you out in a forced, embarrassing or uncomfortable way. These guys are experts and they know who to pick and who to stay away from. It is in their best interest to choose wisely. Still, if you are one of those that are going to refuse to play no matter what, you should probably skip this one.

There is an unprecedented; nay a RidONKulous amount of things that can go wrong in this show as so much of it is contingent upon precise timing and an enormous amount of power. Literally, the electricity bill for this show must be astronomical. I have to hand out major high fives to all the running crew and especially the stage managers for rolling with the punches and staying on target with the live improvisational elements of the show. If a single cue is missed or not timed correctly, entire jokes/illusions could fail in the very worst way and in some cases people could get hurt. Throw in the fact that this is a touring show and the spaces are vastly different from city to city, and it’s a miracle that actors, musicians and crew can ensure the show goes like clockwork.

This show is loud and full of flashing lights so those with an aversion to sensory overload are going to be challenged pretty much from the get go. Also note that it’s over 90 minutes with no intermission and so laying off the liquids and making a pit stop prior to sitting down is highly recommended for optimal enjoyment. Kids over about 7 will probably really get a kick out of this show too so making it a family outing will add to your enjoyment. There is a fair amount of reading to some of the jokes, but there were plenty of kids giggling throughout last night and they were particularly enthralled by the last section of the show.

Say no to drugs kids, but yes to Blue Man Group. A trippy and engaging 4 out of 5 jewels in the review tiara for a show that combines digital wizardry and bizarre randomry for a totally fun spectacle that is a perfect fit for the predisposed geeky DNA of the Silicon Valley. Blue Man Group plays only one week, through April 7th a the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown.

REVIEW- I HATE HAMLET – BROADWAY WEST THEATRE COMPANY

If I could make a living laughing, I totally would. If laughing could actually pay the bills, dude, I’d be all over that. I’d be first to claw my way to the front of the line to apply and I’d make damn sure I nailed that interview. Hell, I’d even nail the interviewer if that would help secure the position. But, seriously, while I’m a “tough” audience when it comes to comedy, when done right, it’s one of those things that makes me happy to be alive. Broadway West’s current play I Hate Hamlet is one of those shows that pays back your ticket price tenfold in the form of collective joy and laughter therapy, making me really glad I was an audience member even if they don’t pay me in legal tender.

The humor of I Hate Hamlet is part predictable-but-marvelously-delivered-slap-stick and part almost-but-not-quite-meta-intellectual-quip, but none of the actors (or the writer or the director for that matter) let the material take itself too seriously. Nor do they throw any of the comedy away. They commit to all of it equally and their chemistry is delightful. While I’m sure some knowledge of Shakespeare and perhaps some knowledge of John Barrymore would be helpful in getting all the jokes, I don’t feel this play excludes anyone and that’s certainly due in large part to a naturally hilarious cast.

Despite what anyone says, I’m a firm believer that you can’t TEACH comic timing. You can, as a director, break it down to beats and try to help pacing along and give people bits and you can get close, but for comedy to work 100% you have to GET funny on an instinctual, cellular level. This places huge pressure on the director to cast well and boy, did they ever unlock the Casting Achievement. Check.

The entire cast treats their comedy like a live venomous snake. They’re extremely careful how they handle it; focused, gently and assertively, without  ever letting on how difficult it is or how nervous they might be. They’re quick on their feet and agile with their repartee. They go big when they need to and subtle when it serves them. They make it look easy, which it most certainly is not. This balance between consciousness of your audience’s reactions (timing lines between laughs, calculating the perfect moment and volume to get the next line out so no one misses anything) and staying 100% connected to the other actors on stage, is one of the things I love about comedy. When true comic talent applies this level of intuition and multitasking to well-written and well-directed material it really shines. This cast possesses every look, pause, and delivery method needed to take all the written jokes (and even the lines that AREN’ T supposed to be jokes) and birth them a fabulous, funny life.

Special shout out to the flattering and humorous (where appropriate), well-balanced, textile storytelling of the costumes, which helped the audience immediately understand the characters the second they walked on the stage, before uttering a single word.

While the first half speeds along the second half goes just a tad slower with about 10-15 minutes of reflective sentiment and cheese winning out over hilarity. The seats are not the most comfortable in this space (cushioned pews with confining wooden arm rests essentially) but it’s a small price to pay for the benefits that come with smaller theaters. The intimate space makes it easy to catch every sarcastic slow blink, eyebrow raise and nuanced hand gesticulation as well as relish the over the top DRAMA which fills up the venue so grandly. The smaller playing area does cramp some stage combat, but aside from those few minor issues, this was a fantastic example of Community Theater at its best.

A richly deserved 4 ½ jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for a show that runs the laughing gamut from smirks and stifled snorts, all the way to chortles, chuckles and outbursts. I Hate Hamlet plays through April 20th at the Broadway West Theater in Fremont.

REVIEW- Disconnect – San Jose Rep

There’s perfect metaphor for every live theater experience and for the San Jose Rep’s Disconnect, this metaphor was a giant novelty gumball machine. While that should be a totally sufficient description and require no further explanation, I’ll elaborate just in case … it is Monday, after all.

So you go to the grocery store and there’s this fun, brightly colored gumball machine. You approach with anticipation, deposit your money and you turn the crank. The excitement builds as you wait to see what flavor you’re going to get. And, here it comes; red cherry! Perfect, just what you wanted. And, so you watch the gumball, YOUR gumball, spiral down the clear plastic tube, down, down, down it goes, faster and faster, and as it makes its descent, your enjoyment starts to dissipate and you begin to wish it would just reach the bottom already. And, then it does and you’re excited again as you grab it and place it in your mouth. As you crack through the tough exterior of the gumball your first taste of that sugary sweet flavor is redemption for that seemingly impossible wait. You chew and chew and after some time, you realize it has lost its flavor. You chew it a bit longer, thinking somehow it will miraculously recharge and come back to life. And, your jaw starts to hurt. And, in the end, while there were in fact exciting moments of fun and enjoyment,  you’re left with a wad of “dead” gum.

Like our gumball scenario, I think what I wanted out of this play, based on a 3 sentence description, was disproportionate to what I got and perhaps what is maybe even possible. A play taking place in a call center in India is brilliant in so many ways, but challenging in just as many. In this case, while there were great things about this show, the challenges I think won out more often than not.

There were plenty of things about this play I thought were fresh and new which is always a positive. The majority of the performances really were quite entertaining and showed depth and chemistry. There were spans of dialogue I found exceptionally engaging, exploring far more topics than I was expecting and doing so fairly well. There were moments of solid humor and genuine wit throughout. Technically, the lighting, scene and sound design worked well together to create a cohesive, faced-paced, visually interesting and believable environment. Thumbs up to the board ops too who were super precise with their timing and did a great job synching up with the actors to produce quick, crisp scene transitions.

While there were a number of excellent, more serious topics explored and layered into this show, I think this show would have been more impactful had it addressed the same topics almost strictly using comedy. Instead it spiraled down, down, down to the crazy and dark place, resulting in a piece that felt confused and inconsistent, leaving me longing for a much more comprehensible flow.

Much closer to 105 minutes than the 90 minutes stated in the program and with no intermission, the play felt long in several places. Some of the overlapping call center scenes felt repetitious making it difficult to follow one, let alone three simultaneous plot lines, which in turn made it harder to get attached to characters. I missed some of the character development and progression in the chaotic mix and consequently was caught off guard with the eventual bizarre and relatively depressing, tangential direction of the plots.

For all the wit and good ideas, the execution of the Rep’s production was yes, a bit of a disconnect for me personally. I’d see it for the ideas and the massive potential, but not expect the gumball to be anything more than just a gumball. 3 1/2 jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for a play that didn’t leave a bad taste on the review palate, but kind  of left less of any taste than I wanted. Disconnect plays through April 14th at the San Jose Repertory Theatre, Downtown.

REVIEW – John and Jen – HILLBARN THEATRE

I’d generally consider myself an escapist when it comes to theater. I like to laugh, learn, be thrilled and occasionally fall in love when I attend a production. Given a choice, I don’t often voluntarily seek out the more dramatic shows that are apt to make one cry. Yes, my ideal expectations associated with theater-going tend to sit comfortably in the realm of “happy” theater, yet I find on the occasions when I am moved, saddened or angered by a production’s content, the experience is surprisingly enjoyable. This was certainly the case with Hillbarn Theater’s production of John & Jen; a lesser done, two-person musical that tackles heartbreak amongst other darker, less Princessy issues, with aplomb.

The flow of this show reminds me a lot of a Paul Simon song, not so much in style but in structure. Much of it is sung conversation and cathartic stream of consciousness with the occasional gift of a beautiful melody that opens you up in ways that only music really can. Sometimes syncopated and sometimes consisting of unique harmonies that concern themselves more with communicating an emotion than pleasing your ear perhaps, it’s complex music, at least to my minimally ear. It’s sung technically very well with heaps of expression, but it’s slightly more of an acquired taste for the layman I think. There are beautiful notes to be sure, both quiet and belted, but it’s easy to see why the music alone hasn’t sold this show to the masses. Like poetry, there’s a real subtlety to this music overall that I think can be difficult to take in during your initial exposure. But, like a great painting, you might not think you “like” it or be able to articulate why you like it, but you’re none-the-less moved by it. It helps that the actor and actress are skilled at singing expressively and that the small band (featuring a cello, which I loved) are nothing less than perfect.

The challenges of time passage were addressed with a minimalist, but complete approach to set, props and costumes. I never felt the actors were rushed or had to start a scene before they were ready despite the transitions from scene to scene clipping along quite quickly with almost all the action taking place in the songs rather than broken up with dialogue.

This play will hit home for many and could hit particularly hard for a certain segment of the audience who’ve gone through similar experiences to John and Jen in their own life. Without revealing too much, I will say, as a warning, the process of recovering from a death is central to the show and so you should be aware the shows emotional toll on you is virtually inescapable (even for tough monarch-types.) Perhaps the most fascinating thing about how this show is written and performed, is how an audience member with very little (if any) point of reference and ability to empathize with these characters, can be pulled in a made to feel like she can.

Not your happy romantic comedy for sure, but worth the just over 90 minute visit. Skip the mascara (unless you like sporting the raccoon-chic look) and pack a tissue or two as well for the ride. 4 jewels out of 5 in the review tiara for a sentimental and turbulent, personal journey, freshly and professionally presented. John and Jen plays through April, 7th at the Hillbarn Theatre.