Job does Heavy Lifting at the Flea

Job, now playing at the Flea, is a reasonably accurate retelling of the biblical story of Job, from the Old Testament.  As such, it is not a laugh riot.  The adaptation by Thomas Bradshaw follows the trials of Job (played in full voice by Sean McIntyre) as he is tested in his love for God.

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Sean McIntyre, Adam Lebowitz-Lockard photo Hunter Canning

Job embellishes the backstory wherein Satan (the always excellent Stephen Stout) is given full reign to challenge Job’s fidelity to God, played by Ugo Chukwu.  In Thomas Bradshaw's version, God’s sons, Jesus and Dionysus, function as witnesses to the bet.  Grant Harrison and Eric Folks play the sons of God as bickering brothers, self absorbed and uninterested in human endeavors.  It is a funny diversion that pops up occasionally during the show.  And the diversion is necessary because Job has more than its share of tragedy.  The Gods are unconcerned with the humans, except as a reflection of themselves.

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Marie-Claire Roussel, Sean McIntyre    .

Job, a penitent and honorable man, with full faith in God is subject to tests that no mortal should have to endure.  One of Job's sons graphically kills and then rapes Job’s daughter.  His other son witnesses this and kills his brother and then himself.  Job’s wife, Cleo Gray bringing the inconsolable woman vividly to life, leaves him when he cannot renounce God.

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But for Satan and God, this isn’t proof enough of Job’s faithfulness; Satan is allowed to test him again – this time with physical pain.  Job’s eyes are gouged out and he is castrated by the same men he once sat in judgment of.  But still Job puts his faith in God.  Then his friends turn on him – he has lost all, his family, his wealth, his health and his friends, but he will not curse the Lord.

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Job does complain, he demands to know why this is happening.  And God ultimately appears to him, not so much out of love but because he is tired of the whining.  God doesn't answer Job's questions, he merely states that man cannot question such a being.  Ultimately God restores wealth, health, a large extended family and long life to Job.

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The moral of the Bible story is that sometimes bad things happen to good people and we cannot fully understand why, but Job is a long way to get there.  We know that Job suffered but did not forsake God.  However, in seeing the whole thing acted out – well, it is a little disconcerting.  What about the children who were driven to incest and murder for no reason but to test the father?  What about the wife, who renounced God after this happened to her family?

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And all this pain and suffering for a celestial bet?  I had to go back to my Bible to check this, and sure enough it is right there (Job 1:11).  Job is excellently acted, well put together and nicely paced (directed by Benjamin H. Kamine) but you don’t leave the theater all bright and cheery.

Job

Playwright: Thomas Bradshaw

Director: Benjamin H. Kamine

Cast: The Bats (including Sean McIntyre, Jennifer Tsay, Cleo Gray, Ugo Chukwu, Stephen Stout, Grant Harrison and Erik Folks)

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Detroit Doesn't Live Up to Its Promise

Detroit, now at Playwrights Horizons, is a new play by Lisa D’Amour that never lives up to the promise of the actors.  The play’s central theme, a desire for community and human interaction, is directly at odds with the moral of the story, which appears to be never befriend to strangers. The play can never decide what it wants to be or say, which is too bad because there is some great work in it.  Full warning, I am probably in the minority since Detroit was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.

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Amy Ryan and David Schwimmer play Mary and Ben, a suburban couple with normal and manageable problems.  Ben was laid off recently and is using his severance to transition into working for himself.  Mary is a bit harried as on the sole bread winner and drinks a little too much wine in order to settle herself down.  The house next store has been sitting empty for a while; when a new couple moves in, Mary invites them to a bar-b-que.

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Ms. Ryan shows level of frustration with Mary’s life that is extremely believable.  She is suddenly the only spouse working, and Ben seems okay with it.  Ms. Ryan takes Mary seesawing across emotions as Mary struggles to understand what is happening.  Mary's life is frustrating in new ways she doesn't understand and can't cope with.

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The new neighbor couple is Sharon and Kenny, played by Sarah Sokolovic and Darren Pettie.  We find out right away they are recovering addicts, which might account for their roller coaster moods.  Ms. Sokolovic’s Sharon veers wildly between happiness and gratitude for being included in the community, she is overly sensitive and awkwardly demonstrative.  Mr. Pettie’s Kenny, on the other hand, is quietly reserved, almost (but not quite) smug.  Kenny seems in control, almost dangerously in control.  Despite the differences, these two couples make a believable connection - perhaps because they haven't connected with anyone else in the community.

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Mary, along with the new couple, Sharon and Kenny, keep the cook-out discussions very superficial, not sure that they can keep control of their emotions.  When these emotions do break free, it is anyone’s guess what manifests itself.  In this mix, David Schwimmer’s Ben is a perfect conduit for the audience.  Ben attempts to placate both his wife and slightly crazy people next door, while maintaining a normal neighborly relationship. Mr. Schwimmer’s calm demeanor grounds Detroit in reality.

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Ultimately Sharon and Kenny prove to be a horrible influence on Mary and Ben, and everything goes wrong – both in the story and with the play.  During Detroit, you often wonder where the show is going, it turns out that it isn’t going anywhere.  It ends with a big finish that doesn’t resolve anything.

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The scenic design, by Louisa Thompson, is amazing.  It conveys the right amount of personnel public areas, the hometown patios and porches that are comfortable and familiar.  Anne Kauffman directs this disjointed story.  With the talent and expectations, I didn’t find the show enjoyable, I expected a lot more from Detroit.

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Detroit

Playwright: Lisa D'Amour

Director: Louisa Thompson

Cast: John Cullum, Darren Pettie, Amy Ryan, David Schwimmer, Sarah Sokolovic

website

Big Band Redux at 59E59 Beguiles the House

59 E 59 Theater C is transformed into a Big Band venue for the new show The Anderson Twins Play The Fabulous Dorseys.  The venue doesn’t exactly match the dimensions of old, but the band more than makes up for it.  A six man combo featuring the Anderson Twins lays down amazing tunes, transforming the theater into a club in the blink of an eye.

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The story of the Dorseys is told via the 1947 film The Fabulous Dorseys, interludes are played on a screen high above the stage.  The Anderson brothers engage in a bit of artificial sparring in homage to the Dorseys, however the less said about their acting ability the better.  The brothers' musical abilities, on the other hand, are stunning and more than make up for a few awkward moments.

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The combo plays a number of Dorsey era tunes, with the original arraignments, those by Sy Oliver prominent among them.  Sy Oliver has an interesting back story not mentioned in the show – he was the first African American arraigner for a white Big Band.  It is a treat to hear these songs played so vibrantly and so fresh.

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The band includes Peter and Will Anderson playing a variety of instruments; clarinet, flute, bass clarinets and various saxophones.  Also featured are Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet, Kevin Dorn on Drums, Ehud Asherie on Piano and Clovis Nicolas on base – although there slight modifications due to availability during the run.  Each of these men seemed excellent on their instruments.

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Having never heard Big Band’s live, the show was a revelation to me.  The musicality and energy was elating.  As with other 59 E 59 musical shows, the audience is encouraged to bring in drinks and enjoy the atmosphere.  At about 90 minutes, with an intermission, it was a perfect length for a new comer to the genre.

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The Anderson Twins Play The Fabulous Dorseys is an wonderful evening, you step back into a lost time and forget about your troubles for a while.  You will be in good company, I have rarely seen a more entranced and entertained audience.

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And, so you don’t spend the first 20 minutes trying to figure it out, the Anderson boys look like younger, thinner Manning Brothers (Eli and Payton).

The Anderson Twins Play The Fabulous Dorseys

Combo: Peter Anderson,  Will Anderson, Jon-Erik Kellso, Ehud Asherie, Kevin Dorn, Clovis Nicolas

website

York Theater: Upcoming - Man With a Load of Mischief

THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY

PRESENTS

STAGED CONCERT OF THE OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

“M A N   W I T H   A   L O A D   O F   M I S C H I E F”

MUSIC BY JOHN CLIFTON

LYRICS BY JOHN CLIFTON AND BEN TARVER

BOOK BY BEN TARVER

DIRECTED BY JENN THOMPSON

MUSICAL DIRECTION BY BRYAN WADE

CONTINUES YORK’S 16-MONTH CELEBRATION OF OFF-BROADWAY

THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY!

OCTOBER 1 & 2, 2012

AT YORK THEATRE AT SAINT PETER’S

 Continuing their “Celebration of Off-Broadway," The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), will present a staged concert production – similar in style to their acclaimed Musicals in Mufti Series – of the 1966 musical Man with a Load of Mischief, with music by John Clifton, lyrics by Clifton and Ben Tarver, and book by Tarver. Directed by Jenn Thompson with music direction by Bryan Wade, Man with a Load of Mischief will play three performances only, Monday, October 1 at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, October 2 at 3:00 p.m. at The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s.  Casting will be announced shortly.

George Dvorsky

A wayside inn – The Innkeeper is about to close for the night, for lack of customers.  Suddenly an accident to a coach brings to this humble setting of a handsome Nobleman and his Lackey, a beautiful Lady and her Maid. But the Nobleman isn’t noble, the Lackey is no lackey, the Lady is no lady, and the Maid is no maiden.  The stage is set for romance – and intrigue  -- in Man with a Load of Mischief.  And we are set for a banquet of gloriously melodic and witty songs that prompted once critic to say, “Few Broadway composers could equal this score!” The Bergen Record.

Man with a Load of Mischief received rave reviews when it was originally presented Off-Broadway in 1966. “Perfectly charming.  A solid hit,”declared The New York Times.  While the New York Daily News stated, “Sprightly and ingratiating.”  “Remarkably appealing,” said the New York Post.

Tickets are priced at $39.50 ($25 for members of the York’s new membership program) and are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (enter on 54^th Street, just East of Lexington), Monday through Friday (12-6 PM). 

The York Theatre Company’s “Celebration of Off-Broadway” Series has included fully staged productions of  Closer Than Ever and Ionescopade, and Mufti productions of I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road;  Still Getting My Act Together;  Oh, Coward!;  The Housewives’ Cantata; The Mad Show; Tomfoolery; and The Tom Jones Mufti Series: The Shoe Goes On; Harold and Maude;  Colette Collage;  Roadside; andThe Game of Love, totaling 200+ performances over the past 16 months.

The York Theatre Company, in association with Edward Negley, Neil Berg and Adam Friedson, has recently announced a new block of tickets on sale for one of the best reviewed Off-Broadway shows of the year, Closer Than Ever with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire.  Tickets are now on sale through November 25, 2012 at The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54^th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).  Closer Than Ever will play its 100^th performance tonight !  A special Wednesday matinee  has been added on September 26 at 2:30 p.m.

With direction by Mr. Maltby, associate direction and choreography by Kurt Stamm and music direction by Andrew Gerle, the cast also featuresJacquelyn Piro Donovan (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables), George Dvorsky (The Scarlet Pimpernel), Anika Larsen (Xanadu, All Shook Up, Avenue Q) and Sal Viviano (The Full Monty). 

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire's musical treasure Closer Than Ever reopened in June at the York Theatre Company with an exciting new cast and fresh additions to the timeless score.  An intimate musical about love, friendship, security, happiness – and holding onto those essentials in a world that pulls us in a hundred directions at once – Closer Than Ever at the York isn't merely a revival, it's the homecoming of an Off-Broadway classic. “An absolutely exquisite and exhilarating theatrical experience. 4 out of 4 Stars!” exclaimed Matt Windman, AM NY.  “A truly magical, satisfying experience! Wonderful! Exhilaratingly comical.  Sung with flair, compassion and wit!” declared Jennifer Farrar, Associated Press.  Celebs that have recently been spotted at Closer Than Ever include: Joan Rivers, Linda Lavin, Michael Feinstein, Kathie Lee Gifford, Judy Collins, Doris Roberts, Jonathan Tunick, John Kander, Karen Akers, Donna McKechnie, and more!  A new cast album will be released by JAY Records.