Bare...the album

I've lived with Bare for a few days now. If you don't know the story behind the album release, Bare is a small show that played way-off broadway (in L.A. and New York) in 2004. It was announced for a commercial run that never materialized. A free highlights disk was released in anticipation of the commercial run. As the regional rights became available the creative team decided to do a full studio cast recording. They expected to sell a few disks, but were deluged with orders that delayed its arrival on my doorstep by almost a month.

I had the opportunity to see the New York production of Bare. While I thought it was tragically flawed, I also developed a great affection for the show. The original CD is one of the few recordings to have permanent space on my iPod. Having the complete recording has only increased my affection for the show. I think it's still flawed, but there are truly extraordinary moments throughout.

Since it's not a well-known show, a word about the plot. Bare is set in a Catholic boarding school, spanning the feast of the epiphany to high school graduation. Peter and Jason have been lovers throughout high school. Peter is ready to bust out of the closet; Jason isn't. The terrified Jason has a one-night stand with Ivy. She gets pregnant; Jason has even more to deal with...and he doesn't deal well.

What's to love? The recording has been beautifully assembled. The cast has not a single weak link. Matt Doyle (standing by over at Spring Awakening) is an amazing Peter. I thought Michael Arden offered the definitive Peter, but Matt does fantastic. James Snyder is fine as Jason. Jenna Leigh Green is also fine as Ivy. I think her performance on stage surpasses her album performance, but this is a quibble. She's also faced with a character I still find poorly drawn. (More on that in a moment.) All 12 actors who make up the student cast are great, and the adults are, too. A particular shout out to Kaitlin Hopkins who also repeats from the New York cast with great emotion.

The music is also great. Moving, memorable. People have said the music is a mashup of Rent and Spring Awakening, but it has great originality and beauty. The style is appropriate to the show. The lyrics, too, support the show well. There are certainly clunkers among the lyrics, but many more moments are inspired.

Bare particularly feels fresh and real--maybe even raw--in its representation of boarding school teens. Over the years, friends have recounted Catholic boarding school experiences, and their stories would fit right in with those in Bare. The cliques, drugs, relationships all ring true.

Most of the changes are for the good. The new lyrics for "Epiphany" give the opening a better vibe and cleaner start. Tweaks throughout add some nice humor (though there was always humor). Sister Chantelle gets a bluesier "911 Emergency," which is the only jarring change from the past recording.

So, why do I still hesitate? The cliche. For so much of the album I have the feeling that it ranks with the best I've heard. Nonetheless, I still struggle to get past Jason and Ivy's relationship. It's to cliche to have everyone consider her a slut, when we know she's a virgin. Really, her chastity serves only one function: to make it clear that Jason is the father when we realize she's pregnant in Act II. And Jason's struggle throughout often seems stuck firmly in the 80's. (SPOILER ALERT) The album allows for the possibility that Jason's death is an accidental overdose rather than a suicide, but his struggle with coming out feels so dated. That's in stark contrast to the rest of the story, which feels fresh and current.

And if that's my only complaint, it keeps Bare from being very great theater. Flaws and all, though, Bare is special. It's special for me personally, but it's also special because of the love and care that has gone into assembling the recording.

In addition to the video above, check out the website.

And check out these scenes from the NY production:

Enchanted?

Yes, I still am. I would count myself among the skeptics who doubted Enchanted was going to be all that. Well, truth be told, it is all that. It's an excellent film that will without a doubt charm the britches off the kids, but will resonate strongly with the rest of us. In fact, those of us weened on Disney films will find the iconic Disney moments thrilling.

The latest Disney heroine, Giselle (Amy Adams), is cast out of Andalasia--cartoon land--by the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) who will lose her crown when Giselle marries her son (James Marsden). Giselle ends up in modern day New York--live action land--where she applies her two dimensional fairytale charms to three dimensional problems. The resulting story takes a journey that is at once charming, sweet and laugh out-loud funny. Enchanted flips the Disney cartoon universe on its head.

The film stumbles here and there. Patrick Dempsey is his typical sexy, charming self, but there's nothing new here. Idina Menzel is stereotyped, though her performance is redeemed at the end. The story drags in places.

But these are quibbles. Enchanted is so good as to almost be subversive. Almost. It is Disney after all.

For a great guide to Disney films that are quoted in Enchanted see our bud at maninchair.

Thumpa Thumpa Theater

I'm always a little disappointed when my first thought at the end of a show is "I feel like I got my money's worth." I guess that's better than leaving with with the feeling that I didn't get my money's worth, but my experiences at the theater--even bad theater--are generally so much richer and worthy of ongoing thought.

But that is exactly the feeling I had last night at the end of Fuerzabruta, the off-broadway experience at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square. Most people I know seem to think that "from the people who brought you De La Guarda" is sufficient description of the show. The show is a hour-long collection of set pieces accompanied by an awesome, pounding techno beat organized around the idea that it takes brute force to get through life.

Fuerzabruta is fiercely creative. You're never amazed with the thought of how did they do that, but always amazed at the thought of how did they think of that. And you're always part of the show. You have to let yourself be seduced. Otherwise, the annoyance of being stepped on as the audience gets shifted around or the combination of mist and powder forms a glue on your clothes will get to you.

After being relocated the first couple of times, I did get into it. I liked being part of the audience. And in the final moments, when you're forced to commit or stay on the sidelines, it was awesome to commit. I think I even registered a little disapproval at those on the margins who refused to jump in and dance in the rain.

So, how best to experience Fuerzabruta. Think of it as going to a club with a circus going on all around you. Does that mean it's for the clubkids? Well, they were there in force and right in the center of things from start to finish. But it's also for those of us who can enjoy and appreciate creativity with a throbbing techno beat.

For those interested, here's the trailer. There's also lots more on YouTube, since there's no prohibition against photography (only flashes). Fair warning, though: my companions felt the trailer gave away 95 percent of the show.

Beautiful Streamers

The Huntington Theatre production of Streamers is a solid, functional production of an important American play. But this Streamers lacks the intensity and shock that it had when I saw the film version many years ago. Perhaps times have changed. Perhaps we have changed. The effect, though, is a production that feels more like a historical artifact than one that makes David Rabe's Vietnam drama feel fresh and relevant.

Scott Ellis has assembled a fine cast and his direction certainly supports the text, but once again much of it feels like a stage version of the 1984 Robert Altman film, which itself felt rather, well, stagey.

So, I'm very glad I saw it, but disappointed that it no longer had the relevance it had two decades ago.

Annie Lennox at Symphony Hall

Annie Lennox closed out her Songs of Mass Destruction tour last night at Boston's Symphony Hall. Latennox was on tour in support of Eurythmic's second album last time I saw her, and in the intervening years she has achieved greatness as a musician and thinker. And there was something about the concert last night that left me feeling honored to have witnessed it.

Lennox has been such a strong force in my life for so many years that I had to be there. And she was amazing. But, she was amazing in spite of...

In spite of the fact that her voice was raw and harsh. Thank goodness for her this was the last stop on the tour. I don't think she could have made it through another stop.

In spite of the fact that the projections detracted so much from the performance. For almost every song that has had a video, images from the video projected on the screen about her head. Only once was a live shot used. That only made those of us farther from the stage want more live shots. But no. When the screen was used effectively--particularly with "Dark Road" and "Sing"--the effect was dramatic. But most of the screen time was wasted with stock images from years past.

But the set list was perfect. She gave stirring renditions of classics and new songs, often in new, interesting arrangements. She, unexpectedly, included a healthy dose of Eurythmic songs, including the classics and, better, the best (e.g., "There Must Be an Angel" and "When Tomorrow Comes.")

The chatter was very limited, but nice. And it was always front and center that the night was special because it was the last night of the tour.

Songs of Mass Destruction is the best of Lennox's four solo albums. She's still out to change the world, and the concert made that all the more clear...and possible.

Oh yeah, Rosie and Kelly were there, too. It was fascinating to see the wave across the audience as people realized she was there. Thanks to Rosie for posting this:



All in all, a pretty phenomenal experience!

Whole New Thing

To be honest, I purchased Whole New Thing because I needed to top off my DVD order to get free shipping. It looked most interesting among the dvd's I new nothing about. Is it a great movie? No. Am I glad I got it? Most certainly.

Whole New Thing tells the story of Emerson (Aaron Webber), a 13-year-old boy sent to public school after being home schooled for all his life. Emerson deals with adjustment issues, including a wicked crush on his English teacher. Besides the marital difficulties his parents face, there's not much else that happens.

The thing is, Webber and the film do a great job of capturing the social awkwardness of a teen being thrust into his first social situation with kids his own age. His social interactions--at least in film terms--largely involved giving massages to his parents' friends. Emerson is incredibly self-confident, but not easily able to engage with those he meets. He thinks nothing of stripping naked with another 13-year-old boy for a sauna before they do math homework.

Given his history, then, it's not surprising that he connects more readily with his teacher (Daniel MacIvor), a closeted man who gets sexual release from rest-stop sex. This creates another awkward dynamic. Emerson is clearly the aggressor in this relationship. It's a crush, but it's also a crush by someone who doesn't know appropriate boundaries.

Webber is always engaging and is supported by strong players. The ending of the film is not particularly satisfying, but in a slice-of-life story, there's always more to follow. And that's okay.

Iceland Dance

Last night, I got to see a New England performance by Iceland Dance, now on its first ever U.S. tour. The company opened with Peter Anderson's "Critic's Choice," a multimedia, interactive piece in which the performers--dancing to the music of Otis Redding--are accompanied by an ongoing dialog between a critic from the company and the composer via a webcam. I thought the piece was fascinating. The dancers were fantastic and the concept engaging and distancing at the same time. Go Brecht.

The second act comprised two pieces: the duet, "Elsa," and "Man is Always Alone." Both worked well.

Iceland Dance uses traditional dance forms in very contemporary ways. While the "Critics" really impressed me, the evening itself was very impressive. When I visited Iceland, I felt that I had visited a culture that was founded on the same ideas and concepts of many cultures. But because of its isolation and desolation (it is, afterall, a big hunk of lava rock), the culture flourished in its own direction and on its own terms. That's what I felt about Iceland Dance, too.

Attend the Tale...

I've seen many productions of Sweeney Todd over the years. Most recently I've seen the Mrs. Lovetts of Christine Baranski, Patti LuPone and, now, Judy Kaye. I've seen recreations of the original production--well the tour at least--small productions by local groups and the Sondheim Festival production. Last year, I saw the John Doyle production with LuPone, and I was blown away. The only negative comment I had at the time was the distraction caused by how overwhelmed I was by the talent onstage. It went something like this: "Oh my god, now he's playing the violin, now he's playing the clarinet, now he's playing the keyboard, and he's singing at the same time. Wait, did Sweeney just kill someone?"

I was thrilled that my first foray into Boston theater was going to be the Sweeney tour, because I wanted to share the experience and relive it. The talent is just as amazing, but the wonder of this production is that it felt fresh and different. Like Chris Caggiano at Everything I Know I learned from Musicals I saw the Todd understudy David Garry. I found the performance to be a compelling one, though undersung. (Someone asked, "Does Sweeney always shout his lines?")

But this is Judy Kaye's Sweeney Todd. She brings a new sensibility to the role, and it has most to do with what I liked about the tour. She gets nice laughs, but different ones than LuPone. Her performance isn't quite as dark, but it makes for a more menacing climax. And when Sweeney is ushering Mrs. Lovett to her death, she's already sensed the inevitability of it in a way that moved me more than other productions.

The other compelling performance in the tour, and almost as responsible for its freshness is Edmund Bagnell in the pivotal role of Tobias. Caggiano is dead on when he notes that Bagnell brings a different but equally compelling performance to that of Manoel Felciano in the Broadway incarnation.

Finally, snaps to John Doyle for direction that remains crisp and illuminating. The sparseness of the orchestrations allow for the lyrics to shine through in wondrous ways. The conceit of having actors and orchestra in one is still fresh and creative.

And at the end of the show I still had to say, "Where do they find such incredible talent?"

Mike Clayton

I will see any film that has Tilda Swinton in it. My affection for her goes back to her earliest work for Derek Jarman. She elevates any project she's associated with, and if they're not always great films, Swinton elevates them.

Michael Clayton is not a bad film. It's actually intriguing. Hours seem to pass before you have any sense of what's happening. That's not a totally bad thing, although the film does really drag in places. Largely, it works, though. The ambiguity is engaging rather than off-putting.

This is among George Clooney's better roles and better performances. The wink-and-nod characterizations that have driven much of his work is largely absent from his Michael Clayton. Clooney is supported by a great cast, and by that I mean more than Swinton. Swinton, however, stands out in a tortured, harsh performance. Tom Wilkinson provides a moral center to a film that struggles to find it. Sydney Pollack also stands out.

Michael Clayton has stayed with me in interesting ways. Perhaps the moral ambiguity of our time gives it a resonance I didn't quite realize.

Time to Catch Up...Across the Universe

I'm spending a little time today catching up on a few posts after a crazy few weeks. I'm told that if you go for more than two weeks without blogging, you're a poseur. Well, dammit, I've been busy. However, I did manage to catch a few things here and there (wipe that smirk off your face).

Count me as one of the big fans of Across the Universe. Yes, I'm a Julie Taymor devotee. I'd have to look hard for a more creative mind. While Across the Universe is not her best work, it's a strong, powerful film. Taymor does a masterful job of evoking the period and setting a compelling story within it.

I like the Beatles, but they didn't define my youth. Most Beatles music I own is recorded by someone else. But I do appreciate their importance to those who came of age during my diaper years. The songs provide a great context for the story.

The film is trippy. The visual imagery is incredible.

In May 2006, I saw the CanStage production of Hair. It was so powerful, I drove up to see it again the night before I moved from New York to New Hampshire. I'd seen Hair many times, but every prior production was a nostalgia piece, a greatest hits of the 60s. There was no attempt at relevance beyond that. The CanStage production was the first production to argue for the continued relevance of Hair.

I got the same sense from Across the Universe. Taymor locates the Beatles music in a context that is real, gritty, psychedelic. The performances--mostly--feel like they're located in the period. The leads are good, and the supporting players are better.