"DIMANCHE" at BAM Fisher Hall

      "DIMANCHE" at BAM    From left: Sicaire Durieux and Sandrine Heyraud

The most fantastic and magical spectacle at BAM regarding the devestation of climate crisis.

Written and directed by Sicaire Durieux, Sandrine Heyraud and Julie Tenret. Trust me, there is no actor or performer in town right now who can match these artist's talent. This brilliantly theaterical show is by the superb Belgian company, CieFocus & ChaLiwate'.

 It is an extreme joy to watch so much brightness of talent about a devastatingly bleak subject matter such as the havoc on earth created by the climate disater.

From the beginning to the the very end of this surreal and fascinating fast paced, 75 minute long show, you will be riveted to the fact and amazement that so much ability of all kinds, movement, acting, puppeteering, writing, directing is embeded in these blessed bodies and minds.

Dimanche consists of different vignettes. Three reporters in a van trying to document the wild life near the snow clad glaciers, perhaps at the Arctic Circle. It's as physical as it can get. One of the greatest Puppet of a polar bear on a glacier and the Cub coming out and going right back in and finally lost at the ocean when the iceberg separate and finally breaks losing the Cub for ever. We watch in awe of the puppeteers ability.

Next vignette takes place in a dining room of a house. An old lady, (the greatest puppet ever made, coming downstairs in a mechanical chair, which stops and begins again and she is exhausted and have a little stroke, finally sits and rests on a chair. The room is so hot that multiple fans absolutely are of no use. Everything is flying off with the sudden gush of awful wind, the whole dinner including the plates and utensils fly away, the chairs melt, rain pours, everything is flooded, inhabitants of that room hang on to whatever they can for their lives but to no avail. There are storms, floods, howling wind, great flamingo puppet torn into pieces, a sad and devastating picture of precarious conditions because of the traged of climate change everywhere. I have never seen a stunningly beautiful performance,  at times hilarious about such a sad and tragic subject. If you have the chance to catch only one show in your life, run to Bam to see Dimanche. This great experience will stay with you for a long time.

                                           Flamingo Puppet from "DIMANCHE"

Reviewed by Bina Sharif

ATCA (Member of American theater critic's association)Editor/publisher:artsinternational.blogspot.com. Email:binashariff@gmail.com

Cell:212-260-6207

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"LETTERS FROM MAX, A RITUAL" AT SIGNATURE THEATER

"LETTERS FROM MAX," A RITUAL," AT SIGNATURE THEATER

By Sarah Ruhl

Directed by: Kate Whoriskey

The play is based on orrepondence between the playwright Sarah Ruhl and his brilliant young student Max Ritvo who died of cancer at the age of 25, and the book of letters between the playwright and Max, "Letters From Max." which was published posthumously. This epistolary play is the letters they exchanged for almost four years. Max Ritvo was a brilliant poet and there is amazing amount of beautifully sensitive poetry, dialogue and songs in those letters. Since the play is based on a real tragedy, an early death of a wonderful talent and we are always aware that this young poet who has already published a few books and have a great future ahead of him will not survive,  still the play is a happy play, not all along but there is plenty of humor and vitality in it though the underlying sadness is palpitable and that's where the brilliance of the playwright, the director and the actress (Jessica Hecht ) lies.  Jessica Hecht who play the role of Sarah Ruhl, the Yale drama teacher is very tender, soft, funny and extremely caring.  Her compassion comes through all along and that adds to the softness of the grief. Actual the play is done not about grief  so much but about the celebration of Max's young life and his potential.

Max is being played by two actors, Zane Pais and Ben Edelman. I saw Zane Pais in the role the night I saw the play and Zane Pais was amazingly energetic and full of enthusiasm and very funny. He has great stage presence and Charisma and even when we know that he is terminally ill, we want to postpone that feeling and enjoy his vitality and his poetry.

Jessica Hecht as Sarah is beguiling, she breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience involving us in the feeling of the ultimate loss of her friendship she is going through but hiding it with great un-hidden pain with her humerous remarks.

Some time the play does feel like a long poetry reading with music (Ben Edelman on piano) but that's ok because the play is about a poet and his work and the work is very impressive. Any one who loves the spoken word won't be disappointed. Max Ritvo was twenty years old when he started studying with Sarah Ruhl and for the remaining five years they wrote letters to each other about morality, philosophy, after life and the joys of poetry.

The set by Marsha Ginsberg is exciting and original. There is a round cube like structure upstage center and once in a while the front wall/doors open up and that area serves as a room in the hospital with Max lying there for one of the many tests he had to go through. Finally he moves to California to be his mother and the letters between the two of them continues. Finally he dies and the sadness engulf us, that sadness all of us have been avoiding for two hours.

Costumes are by: Anita Yavich, lighting by Amith Chandrashhaker and projection and video by S Katy Tucker.

Ben Edelman and Zane Pais composed original music created with sound designer, Sinan Refik Zafar and the beautiful song at the end of the play was composed by Max Ritvo.

REVIEWED

By Bina Sharif

ATCA

Editor/Publisher: artsinternational.blogspot.com

Co-host: HI DRAMA

binashariff@gmail.com

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Des Moines at Polonsky Shakespeare Center: Brooklyn

"Des Moines" at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center by Denis Johnson                                             Presented by Theater for a New Audience with Evanstar Films.

 Directed by Arin Arbus

"Des Moines" is the final play of the late Denis Johnson, who was also an esteemed novelist and a short story writer. This play have had many workshops and perhaps many things were cleared up but some of them still retain it's mystery, mostly confusion about its construction. Having said that, the play does hold it's intrigue for us. We are keen to know where it is leading us because the characters are very interesting and surreal.

There is a husband, Dan (Arliss Howard ) his wife, Marta (Johanna Day) having breakfast in their kitchen. Dan is a taxi driver who gave a ride to someone who died in a tragic plane crash and he is extremely traumatized by it and keep trying to remember what were the last words spoken by that un-fortunate man. Dan, actually has nightmares about it and keeps shouting during his sleep. Marta,  his  wife is eager and nervous to reveal some important news to her husband but doesn't have enough courage because the news is also tragic. So, she avoids the issue and they both end up talking about mundane things such as butter and margerine. Dan prefers butter. Dan has a friend who is a pastor, father Michael (Michael Shannon) who wears heavy face make up including bright lipstick and was seen by Dan outside a gay bar at the time of bar's closing.

Michael Shannon who is a brilliant actor (great performance by him in the play Killer at the same theater) is kind of wasted here. There is the couple's grand daughter Jimmy (Hari Nef ) a trans woman who's gender affirming surgery went bad and she ended up in a wheel chair. Set designer, Riccardo Hernandez created majestic French doors in the middle of the kitchen and when they open, Jimmy, whom we have not met yet appears in a wheel chair.  Her  rooms is beautifully lit byScott Zielinski giving us a colorful early Christmas like atmosphere. A pleasantly glamorous surprise.

The wedding ring of the person who died in the crash was given to Father Micheal and Dan is waiting for the pastor to bring it to his house because the deceased's widow, Mrs. Drink water has been visiting  Dan to get her ring back.

After Pastor shows up, Dan gets the ring and Mrs. Drink Water arrives shortly after that and then the play assumes a dream like shape. I personally thought that the play was Dan's dream but I dismissed the idea soon after.

They all start to drink, and I mean some serious drinking goes on for a long while. A drink called depth charger is consumed by all. Depth charger is a drink consisting of beer mixed with a shot of strong whisky.  All of them drinkk lots of depth chargers and Mrs. Drink Water (Heather Alicia Simms) even stand up on the kitchen table and sings and do dance like movements.

  I was so afraid that she might hurt herself because she was so drunk like the rest of them but she was a pro and thus kept her balance.

 Mind you it's not a realistic play though the beginning of the play and it's kitchen set is pretty realistic. At the end every one is smashed and  they make a real mess.  Then, they abruptly leave. Jimmy goes back to her make believe early arrival of bright Christmas lights, and Father Micheal also decides to call it a night.

 Next morning Marta clean up the mess as she wakes up from a very strange night. In between all the confusion, there is talk of morality, the belief in life and doubts about the purpose of our existence by Father Micheal without a clear promise or hope of any kind of comforting spirtuality for our troubled souls.

It still held my interest in a an absurd way because the play is kind of absurd which is fine with me.  Actors are pretty good and work very well throughout but can't solve the confusion inherent in the script.

While we were leaving some one in the elevator asked, "What was this play about?" And a wise woman answered, " Everyone was trying to get away from their pain."

BINA SHARIF

ATCA

Editor/publisher: artsinternational.blogspot.com

Email: binashariff@gmail.com

Mobile: 212-260-6207

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NOWISWHENWEARE (the stars) at BAM /Fisher Hall

"NOW IS WHEN WE ARE" (the stars) at BAM/Fisher Hall

Installation/Theater/Performance by Andrew Schneider Part of Next Wave 2022.  

Review by Bina Sharif

"The truth, dear Brutus, lies not in the stars but in ourselves." - Wm. Shakespeare

"NOWISWHENWEARE" Is a captivating audience participation-on foot journey of about 45 minutes done within a pitched, darkroomed, immersive light show, the workings of which occur under a starry (very starry) and celestial canopy, represented by thousands of quite tiny overhanging lights (the stars) all dangling from above whilst one get speckled with voiced comments from within the same ebony environment - of our shared unconsciousness, perhaps,  There are many other sounds, too. I had no idea what to expect- but I have to confess, "NOWIS WHENWEARE" Is entirely original in both its ideas: imaginative, creative and technical and its overall presentation. It is a deeply reflective visit to the mysterious neighborhood of one's faraway imagination. You shouldn't feel bored in any way possible.

This show is bold, imaginative and energetic- and made entirely possible by the excellent artistic and technical skills of its creator, Andrew Schneider.  This show is also extremely brave. It's not so easy to led the audience into the pich- perfect darkness with such care and concern and make them completely comfortable and safe. It's quite surreal and evokes many emotions about the darkness in our own souls which seek light constantly. 

It's a brilliant Infinity Mirror Room created by Yayoi Kusama (lighting), all inspired by seeing the great Milky Way for the first time. Perhaps in the future we will all reflect better upon our existence.

THE PATIENT GLORIA AT St. Ann"s Warehouse

THE PATIENT GLORIA by Gina Moxley; Directed by John McIlduff; Producer: Emma Coen

With: Gina Moxley, Liv O'Donoghue, Jane Deasy

A divorced woman named Gloria gave permission to be treated and filmed by three well established

psychotherapist in three different session with the promise that the film will be only for training

 purposes,  but they broke that promise and eventually put it on Television.

 The Patient Gloria is based on that film. 

The film was called, "Three approaches of psychotherapy."

 Gina Moxley plays all the psychotherapists,

 with her own twisted and hilarious take and performance.

Before tha play begins, she is sitting and sewing something which reveals itself as a penis, actually three

 different kinds,  for three different therapists.  This approach is hilarious for a while but eventually

 become redundant and loses the fun it evoked in the very beginning but Moxely is a great performer

 and still commands the stage.

She herself explains that in her real life in Ireland as a young women she was always told that sex is

 never enjoyable but it's actually violent and relates her experiences of men exposing themselves to her

 and in one of her depiction of the psychologist she just goes right in between the legs of her patient

 Gloria and magically disappears from the couch. That is an amazing bit. Liv O'Donoghue as Gloria

 is quite effective, confused, anxiety stricken, believig in her therapist, revealing her most private

 thoughts to therapists who are non-serious with many problems of their own and un-knowingly become

 caricatures of themselves.

 The play is very much a satire about psychoanalysis.

 Jane Deasy is energetic and plays, electric guitar and sings songs such as.,"In my room" and "Shitlist"

which are quite enjoyable. She also did the choreography. Moxley as a therapist tell Gloria that if any

 one has one disability, such as having a mangled arm should not dislike all her other normal body parts

 and must admire her person as a whole. She brilliantly displays her make believe mangled arm in such a

 brilliant manner that it becomes one of the best scene in the play.   As a whole the play is very

 enjoyable, maybe not for everyone but I imagine it must have been a riot in Ireland.  

                       

DOWNSTATE AT Playwrights Horizon

 DOWNSTATE by Bruce Norris; Directed by Pam MacKinnon

                                    

                                       Francis Guinan and K. Todd Freeman              

Bruce Norris, who won the Pulitzer for Clybourne Park, has come up with an entirely different

subject matter which is quite disturbing as well as gripping throughout.  In the very first scene we

 encounter a very angry and anxiety stricken young man Andy (Tim Hopper ) and Em (Sally Murphy)

 Andy's wife confronting a wheel chair bound older man Fred (Frances Guinan )

We soon realize that Fred is one of the four men convicted of sex crimes against the Minors and Andy is

 one of the victim who thirty years later has found Fred in a group home with three other room mates

 who had been convicted and been sentenced already but now live under the supervision of their parole

 officer Ivy (Susanna Guzman)  who is very strong and caring about their wellfare.

The other three men are, Dee (K. Todd Freeman ) Gio (Glen Davis ) and Felix (Eddie Torres ) . They are

 all convicted of sexual crimes against minors except Gio who served for statuary rape.

These men are not allowed any smart phones or internet leaving a vey claustrophobic life and express

 lots of anger about their situation. In conrast Fred is very calm and in control. He listens to Andy and

 his wife as if nothing dangerous ever happened, but it did and Amdy had been traumatized all his adult

 life.

Fred was a Piano teacher and Andy was his student and Andy's pain is coming across from the stage to

 the audience while Fred still plays Chopin in a very peaceful manner.

Dee on the other hand doesn't believe that he committed a crime. He thinks he had a love

 relationship with a minor who was totally in love with him and used to write him letters during his

 prison stay telling him how much he missed him. Ivy tries very hard to convince Dee that he needs to

 deal with his denial of reality and not hide behind the fake notion of love. K. Todd Freeman, as Dee is 

 very emotional and strong about his belief. He is also the one who takes care of Fred with lot of concern

 about his disability.

Glen Davis as Gio who works at Staples and brings a co-worker, Effie ( Gabi Samels ) home, while he is

 not allowed and they indulge in drugs in defiance and doesn't express any remorse about his past while 

 Eddie Torres as Felix is extremely expressive about his guilt and remorse and try to seek redemption in

 religion, bible is his redemption.

All these characters are extremely disturbing to watch. The play  is about guilt, repentence, redemption

 but there are no simple answers and the playwright deals with all the complexity of these issues which

 are very hard to take with a sense of a razor sharp eye and leave it upto us how to feel about these very

 disturbed and disturbing characters who evoke our disgust and sympathy at the same time.

Pam Mackinnon 's direction is srong and sharp.

                                                      Sally Murphy and Tim Hopper

Reviewed by Bina Sharif (ATCA)

Editor/Publisher:artsinternational.blogspot.com

email:binashariff@gmail.com cell: 212-260-6207

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BOSWELL, A PLAY BY Marie Kohler

                                                                    BOSWELL

                                                           by Marie Kohler

                                                             Josh Krause and Brian Mani

Director: Laura Gordon; Costume Design: Misti Bradford; Scenic design: Jody Sekas;

Lighting Design: Katy Atwell; Wig Artisan: Emily Christoffersen;

In a small theater packed with artifacts of the time, depicting 1763 when Boswell, a Scottish-biographer, diarist and a lawyer visited London and met one of the greatest conversationalist, Dr, Samuel Johnson who was a poet, an English writer who wrote the dictionary of the English language and was also an essayist, moralist, critic, lexicographer and a man of letters.

Boswell was a young ambitious man who had great curiosity and he, made notes of every experience in his every day life diligently and that's how he ended up composing the biography of Johnson called, The life of Samuel Johnson, a rare book which had real quotations of Johnson and it was of a different style of biography because it was based on Boswell's journals and his memory and his conversations with Samuel Johnson.

In Boswel,  a contemporary fictional researcher, Joan (Phoebe Gonzalez ), a graduate student travels from Chicago to Scotland in 1950 being aware of the newly unearthed, scripts, letters, diaries in(1920-1950) to check  out the new material. 

The set by Jody Sekas serve many locations and have many maps, books, old trunks filled with papers, notes, manuscripts, pure gold for the researcher, and also serves as a salon,  meeting places of great literary scolars of London such as Oliver Goldsmith, most famous actor of his times, David Garrick and a reat friend of Samuel Johnson, Burke and Henry Thrale and his wife Hester.

It also serves as an Inn where a certain lady Fiona (Miriam A. Laube, who also plays three different  roles) Has a treasure of gold for Pheobe to dig in. They bicker quite a bit but it's an intersting,  intelligent, and mildly acidic bicker.

Boswell is played by very charming and likeable Josh Krause. He is also very well liked by the ladies he meet and for sure is a ladies man but doesn't shy away from making copius notes of everything he hears.

After 11 years of their friendship, Boswell and Dr, Johnson travell together to Scotland and Boswell ends up writing his journal of a tour to the Hebrides on which the biography, The life of Samuel Johnson is based.

 Brian Mani is excellent as Samuel Johnson and he even looks like him. Majestic and bigger than life,

the greatest conversationalist and wit who ever lived. His costume is also very effective. In-fact all costumes are brilliant. All actors did a wonderful job. The play is very well directed by Laura Gordon. The transition between scenes is smooth and subtle. Boswell is MHK production's award winning play.

It was a great delight to see this play acted with intelligence, skill and wit.  Boswell is MHK production's award winning play.  It's one of the very best play I have seen recently and I have always loved Dr, Samuel Johnson and Boswell and their amazing contribution to the history and literature.  

                                                 

                                                      Miriam A. Laube and Phoebe Gonzalez

Reviewed by Bina Sharif (ATCA); Editor/Publisher:artsinternational.blogspot.com email:binashariff@gmail.com     Cell: 212-260-6207;  Facebook; Instagram