Stage Notes (and all that jazz)

Happy Memorial Day!

2012-05-28T08:56:00.003-04:00

To all who served their countries, past and present. Thank you.

Jennifer v. Jessica

2012-05-24T19:07:00.003-04:00

For all the Fanchez(es) still disappointed by AI's final result. (Thanks to Lynn for the 'fanchez' term.)

Craig Ferguson and Scotland's First Minister

2012-05-23T15:07:00.000-04:00

Here's a clip of Craig Ferguson's brilliant interview with the Prime Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond.

The Kings of Catchphrase

2012-05-22T05:12:00.000-04:00

This was cut from last Saturday's SNL episode. A shame.

RIP Robin Gibb

2012-05-20T22:40:00.000-04:00

Here's one of my favorite Bee Gees songs.

Patton Oswalt tweeted: "We're forming a League of Extraordinary Disco. Now let's go find Sylvester." -- Donna Summer to Robin Gibb, in heaven right now."

Kristen Wiig Says Goodbye to SNL

2012-05-20T16:37:00.001-04:00

Craig Ferguson in Scotland with David Sedaris

2012-05-20T14:16:00.001-04:00

The World Will Know

2012-05-19T08:12:00.000-04:00

The cast of Newsies record The World will Know for the cast album.

End of the Rainbow

2012-05-18T20:12:00.000-04:00

Requiem for Donna Summer

2012-05-17T23:18:00.002-04:00

Donna Summer singing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina". Rest in Peace.

Pursuing The Heiress

2012-05-17T22:41:00.001-04:00

It was announced Monday that Dan Stevens who portrays the dashing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, will make his Broadway debut this fall. He will play Morris Townsend who pursues Jessica Chastain's Catherine Sloper in the play The Heiress (Ruth and Augustus Goetz). The production will be directed by Moises Kaufman and is said to be planned for this October. I am so excited for this!

(photos from IMDB.com)

Nice Work

2012-05-17T08:09:00.002-04:00

The Mousetrap

2012-05-15T22:56:00.003-04:00

I've always been a fan of Dame Agatha Christie's work since my mother gave me my first books in 5th grade. Her brilliant whodunits like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and The Mousetrap are among my favorites (yes, despite the absence of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.) So when I recently had the chance to see a show in London, it had to be the world's longest running play: The Mousetrap.

As Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 60 years as Monarch, the play also celebrates its diamond jubilee this year. It is as stunning as ever. And if you haven't read the play, DON'T. Until after you watch it. You'll enjoy the ending much more.

Big and Small at the Barbican

2012-05-15T00:48:00.000-04:00

As a run up into the 2012 Olympics, London is hosting an assortment of cultural events throughout the city. One of those events was the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Big and Small (Gross Und Klein) at the Barbican Theatre. The adaptation of this Botho Strauss work by Martin Crimp is a co-commission from the Barbican Theatre and stars the great Cate Blanchett as Lotte.

I saw the play on April 26, 2012 during my trip to the UK. As the play opens in Morocco, we learn that Lotte is estranged from her husband. It then goes through a dream-like/Alice in Wonderland sequence of episodic scenes in which Lotte tries to find connections with people. As the play progresses, one realizes that she's constantly rejected by people she longs to connect with. I must confess that it's probably the most surreal play that I've seen. I found myself, during the first half at least, very much like the central character.....lost (in terms of not understanding where or why the misconnections were happening). I don't know if that was the intention of the playwright but that was my experience. Not till the 2nd half does one get the idea of the fragility of Lotte's mind. It's not an easy play to sit through but I did enjoy it.

What makes Big and Small enjoyable is the highs and lows it takes you through. The comedy and the tragedy of the piece, which is completely controlled and molded by the magnificent Cate Blanchett. She brings the audience to just about the edge of grimness then pulls you right back into laugh out loud moments. That's a very difficult task to pull off and she makes it look easy. Being onstage for almost the whole of the 2 hr 45min play, she is mesmerizing to watch particularly when she moves across the stage. Transitioning from balletic movements from one scene to slap stick kooky comedy with ease. It's just astounding! By the end, there was an immediate standing ovation (that is RARE in London) and she had 4 curtain calls! I should point out that the supporting cast of Sydney Theatre ensemble were good but let's face it, this is a piece that features the lead.

Big and Small just finished it sold out performance in London and continues it's European Tour in Vienna.

Here are some photos I took that night:

The Barbican Centre

they have a great restaurant area

Poster for the Cultural Festival

The Stage Door

Oh yeah, celebrity sighting of the night,
actress Olivia Williams (Miss Austen Regrets and the hippie mom
from the movie Hanna )
came out of the stage door just before
Cate Blanchett (I didn't get a photo of her though)

The Programme

Cate Blanchett smiling and signing away!

Happy Mummy's Day!

2012-05-13T09:34:00.001-04:00

Breath of Fresh Air

2012-05-11T22:23:00.002-04:00

Mike and I went to This American Life -Live! last night. It was an all-star edition of the popular radio show hosted by Ira Glass, featuring David Sedaris, Tig Notaro, David Rakoff, Monica Bill Barnes and company, and OK Go. It was engrossing, funny, moving, and inspiring. Catch the encore screenings on 15 May, and also May 26 & 27 in Australia. It will be one of the most unique and best things you'll ever see in your life.

Here's the short film made by Mike Birbiglia for the event, starring Fresh Air's Terry Gross.

Jon Hamm Makes Music

2012-05-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a clip of the always funny Jon Hamm, freestyling with Reggie Watts on the upcoming IFC series Comedy Bang! Bang!

And another one.

In case you missed it...

2012-05-09T07:59:00.004-04:00

The cast of Evita on The View.

Postcards from The Theatre Museum (UK)

2012-05-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

In 2005 I visited London and made sure to go see the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden. It was a satellite of the Victoria and Albert Museum and located in the heart of the West End. At that time, they had a special exhibit on the famous acting family, The Redgraves. In 2007, due to lack of funding, the museum closed so I was thankful that at least I got to see it before the closure. However in 2009 the Victoria and Albert Museum in the South Kensington area re-opened the collection to the public in one of their wings. I recently visited the V & A Theatre and Performance Galleries and found that the collection now resides in a much better home even though it isn't in the West End anymore. Not only is it well featured and curated but they have a more extensive gallery which features the Art of Live Performance be it theatre, ballet, opera or concerts. I'd like to share my photos from 2005 and from my recent visit this April 2012.

Theatre Museum in Covent Garden circa 2005:

Entrance of the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden

Chair used and designed by Sir Henry Irving in Becket

Natasha Richardson's dress when she was Lady from the Sea in 2003

Here's an interview of her talking about The Classics

The following are photos taken this April 2012 at the Theatre and Performance Galleries of the V & A Museum

Punch and Judy Puppets

Skull props for Hamlet

Costume from The Producers

model of the stalls and circles of a theatre

A Collection of Posters from West End Shows

Portrait of Richard Burton in Henry VIII

Shakespeare's First Folio

Maggie Smith's costume when she played Lady Bracknell

in The Importance of Being Earnest

Kylie Minogue's dressing room

Costumes for Scar and Sarabi in

The Lion King

Set model for A Long Day's Journey into the Night, 1972

various headrests from different shows

set model for the ballet Hamlet in 1942

set model for Sweeney Todd - it's even interactive (yes I played around with it!)

and shows how lighting can change the mood of the scenes

A Strap Trap

Set model of Theatre Royal Drury Lane

same model from above but showing the sides to emphasize the flies

Mr. and Mrs. Stewie

2012-05-04T11:30:00.000-04:00

I do apologize but this is another Cate Blanchett post but how can one resist? She is the voice of a new character in Family Guy. Her name is Penelope and she is Stewie's female version whom he eventually falls in love with. This episode aired last Sunday (Apr. 29th) and if you hurry, you can watch the whole episode On Demand (again thank you DVR!).

Bottom Doubles

2012-05-03T23:22:00.004-04:00

This was a few weeks back but the episode aired here in America on 4/28/12. I actually just saw it yesterday (thank you DVR!) Here's Cate Blanchett, Euan McGregor and Michael Sheen on the Graham Norton Show. In this clip, the host asks Cate Blanchett about "Bottom Doubles" and towards the end, we eventually get a very funny anecdote from Euan McGregor about being naked on stage. Have a look!

To see the full episode, click here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Streetcar back on Broadway

2012-05-01T14:04:00.000-04:00

A Stephen King Musical

2012-04-29T14:02:00.000-04:00

Seth Obsessed! with Morgan James

2012-04-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

Peter and the Starcatcher

2012-04-25T13:58:00.000-04:00