Everything Old is New Again

“As I got older, I lost my virginity to both a boy and
a girl within six months.  And I liked both of those experiences.

Kevin McHale shares tales of his sexual awakening.  By the by, he is currently in
London appearing in Sondheim’s The Frogs at the Southwark Playhouse
through June 28th.  Who he’ll sleep with there remains to be seen!

In terms of theatre, the Brits have it all over us – and I’m not just saying that because they serve ice cream.  It’s because their theatre tickets are affordable.  You want to bring the kids to see Wicked?  You won’t have to take out a second mortgage on your house.  You want the best seat?  Maybe you’ll pay the equivalent of $150 for the center orchestra.  My sister and her kids went to see Hugh Jackman at Radio City Music Hall.  They paid $350 each to sit in the back of the mezzanine!  Life is much more civilized in Merry Old England.

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Most of the shows I saw were adaptations of other works.  I’ve never seen the film House of Games.  The David Mamet movie has been adapted for the stage by Richard Bean and was playing at the Hampstead Theatre.  From what I gather, the second half of the play varies from the screen version.  But I can’t imagine the film is better than the taut, 90-minute thriller I saw – and that goes for the writing, the acting, and even the set.  While I completely followed it, I suspect I was in the minority.  I heard many patrons trying to unravel the various twists and turns after the performance.  Of course, I was at a matinee!

Then there was Stranger Things: The First Shadow.  While I could appreciate the stagecraft and performances, I left the play complete baffled – probably because I’ve never seen the series.  I knew I was in trouble when the person sitting next to me showed up in full Star Trek regalia!  While there is no connection between the two series, they do inspire the same rabid loyalty.  The play was entertaining, and I bet if I had a clue what was happening, I would have loved it.

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People regularly adapt Ibsen, and that goes for The Master Builder.  And now London is dissecting My Master Builder by Lila Raicek.  It’s not exactly an adaptation, but more inspired by.  And it’s ideal for Ewan McGregor, who is using it as a vehicle for his return to the West End after 17 years.  He’s been brought back by frequent collaborator, director Michael Grandage.  This version takes place in the Hamptons and uses most of Ibsen’s themes – with updates to include #MeToo, office politics, and other modern-day issues.  McGregor has an ease about him which makes him generally charming, but he lacks some of the brazen swagger that is typically part of the lead’s makeup.  Whether it was his approach or the writing, the balance ultimately shifts to his wife – played brilliantly by Kate Fleetwood.  She all but steals the play right out from under him; she’s virtually impossible to take your eyes off whenever she’s onstage.  The smart sets and fluid direction add to a great night of theatre.

I wonder who thought a great idea for a musical would be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  Again, this is not exactly an adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story or the film starring Brad Pitt.  Instead, this is a retelling set in a fishing village near Cornwall.  Benjamin is not the son of a rich button manufacturer; he’s the son of a poor man with the last name Button.  The music reflects the time and the locale.  This is one of those shows where the actors play numerous characters as well as the musical instruments (kudos to Little Jack, who’s also quite a looker and a hoofer).  I am typically able to suspend my disbelief whenever I go to the theatre.  But with this story, I have enormous trouble getting past the conceit of a full-grown elderly man coming out of a petite woman’s vagina – in a three-piece suit, bowler hat, and carrying a walking stick.  No wonder she didn’t survive!  But if you get past that, this is really a magical show with a very talented cast in an inventive production.

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