Generalization warning: Theatre is ethereal, and its very impermanence draws audiences to little theatres in dark corners of the city, where they hope to witness a brief moment of artistic synergy. This season, non-profit theatres around town are churning out some great and not-so-great examples of small pieces with big themes. Here are some from last week:
Iphighenia 2.0 HIPSTER FRIENDLY SCHOLAR FRIENDLY
Welcome Charles L. Mee to your honored place in the New York theatre scene. Whether or not you find Chuck's disjointed constructions and pastiched dialogue to be exciting or excremental, I am thrilled to see Signature Theatre devoting part of their season to this historian-turned-playwright. The contemporary lens through which he views this crusty classic reveals the epic relevance of this tale of war's far-reaching effects. Director Tina Landau's ominous vision for the piece includes highly-charged movement and horrific sequences that don't always flow logically. For a shocking and disturbingly sexy look at the tragedy of war, visit Signature, and grab your $20 ticket today before it closes on October 7, 2007.
100 Saints You Should Know
Playwright Kate Fodor undercuts a few expectations about organized religion and its failure to soothe today's troubled souls in her first production at Playwrights Horizons. Thankfully a solid production rescues this predictable and emotionally manipulative story (yes, I felt a warmth during the mother-daughter resolution) from movie of thhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gife week status. And don't miss the stalwart Lois Smith in yet another engrossing performance. This one just closed, but visit Playwrights Horizons for more info on the rest of their season.
The Misanthrope HIPSTER FRIENDLY SCHOLAR FRIENDLY
Ivan van Hove is one of those directors who finds a dominant visual motif in the classical work he's adapting, and by the end of the production, his actors are literally dripping with or rolling in it (Search for pig's blood and Hedda). With one hell of a cohesive vision of a world morally adrift, plenty of sexy technological tricks and the best ensemble off Broadway, this production overcomes the weak adaptation of Moliere's masterpiece and gaping wholes in both our own souls and the storytelling. Be prepared for a strong smell if you take a front row seat, and do it soon; this show leaves New York Theatre Workshop's stage on November 11, 2007.
Next up... Dividing the Estate at Primary Stages and Night Over Taos from INTAR.
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