Epiphany

C-

Well, my recent lucky streak at the theater ended with a thud this weekend. Make that two thuds. Today’s disappointment was this Lincoln Center Theater import from Galway. Brian Watkins’ tonally wobbly homage to Joyce’s “The Dead” must have lost some key ingredient crossing the pond. For me, it completely failed as engrossing theater. On the bright side, it is providing employment for some fine actors including Marylouise Burke, Jonathan Hadary and Omar Metwally. Would that they had better material to work with. The high-strung mature hostess, Morkan (Burke), has invited a motley group of friends over to revive the celebration of Epiphany. No one is quite sure what Epiphany is and no one has read the detailed instructions their hostess had sent. The guest of honor is Gabriel, a celebrity author, whose promised attendance is the main attraction for the other guests. Morkan insists that her guests surrender their cellphones to avoid distractions from their goal, whatever that may be. They chatter inanely with little interest in what others have to say. Kelly (Heather Burns), a musician, punishes the guests with an excruciating excerpt from a contemporary piano piece. At this point it seems that the author is aiming for satire. Then there’s an extended slapstick episode involving Morkan’s oldest friend, Ames (Hadary), and a knife. Finally, Gabriel’s luminous partner Aran (Carmen Zilles) arrives with the bad news that Gabriel isn’t coming because he’s too depressed to leave the house. Aran’s charisma evokes undivided attention from the others. Sam, a psychologist (Metwally), administers an extremely personal test to Kelly. The mood darkens when Morkan reveals why her sister is not present. Most of the guests say their goodbyes, leaving Morgan and Ames sitting at the table as it begins to snow inside. That’s all, folks. Two hours have passed without intermission – or theatrical payoff. 

 

The Lucky Star

 C

 

This fact-based drama by Karen Hartman tells the story of the Hollander family, well-to-do Jews in Krakow, who refused to heed the warnings to leave Poland in August 1939 from Joseph (Danny Gavigan), their one relative who left. Excerpts from their letters to him, which form the most significant collection from the Krakow ghetto to be preserved, and the context surrounding them, are the backbone of the play. The letters Joseph sent to Poland are of course lost. The story is framed as an over-enthusiastic book tour lecture by Joseph’s son Richard, who found the letters and had them translated and published. Richard’s closing remarks are interrupted by his adult son Craig (Sky Smith), who accuses him of not telling the whole story. The second act reveals much of what Richard left out, which involves another set of letters, between Joseph and a person whose identity I won’t give away. Unfortunately, this outline is more coherent than the play. Several of the family members we meet are too generic to make much of an impression. The fact that some actors play multiple roles, sometimes of differing gender, is confusing, especially one instance early on in which the same actor plays two women of opposite temperament without even a change of costume. The family experiences, while tragic, are in no way exceptional. At least for this Jew in his 80s, there was nothing that enriched my understanding of the Holocaust. Maybe the problem lies with me. Earlier productions in Baltimore and Chicago, when the play was called “The Book of Joseph,” received raves from the critics. The quality of the acting varies. Steven Skybell, who was so wonderful as Tevye in the recent Yiddish “Fiddler,” seemed too exuberant as Richard. The always appealing Alexandra Silber is marvelous in two very different roles. The remaining actors are Skye Alyssa Friedman, Nina Hellman, Eva Kaminsky, Alexa Shae Niziak, Mike Shapiro and Dale Soules. The costumes by David Burdick are evocative. Daniel Ettinger’s scenic design is versatile and efficient. I am at a loss to evaluate Noah Himmelstein’s direction because I am unsure whether better direction could have improved the result. Running time: two hours ten minutes including intermission.

NOTE: I will admit to carrying a grudge against the management of 59e59 Theaters. Their refusal to include any biographical information on the artists in their programs except for a QR code link is disrespectful both to them and to the audience. I have commented previously that they attract the least diverse audience in Manhattan. If they have been doing any outreach since my comment, it was not evident today.

 

Romeo & Bernadette: A Musical Tale of Verona & Brooklyn

A-

If you’re looking for an evening of light Summer entertainment, you should consider Mark Salzman’s delightful musical romp now in an Amas Musical Theatre production at Theater 555. Romeo (Nikita Burshteyn), newly awakened after an overdose of Friar Laurance’s sleeping potion, arrives in 1960’s Brooklyn in search of the Juliet-look-alike he spots in Verona where she is vacationing with her family. She is actually Bernadette Penza (Anna Kostakis), spoiled daughter of mob boss Sal Penza (Carlos Lopez) and his wife Camille (Judy McLane), who never lets her spouse forget that she is Veronese while he is merely Sicilian. Bernadette is soon to be wed to Tito Titone (Zach Schanne), a mobster on the make from Yonkers. When Romeo arrives in Brooklyn, he saves the life of Dino del Canto (Michael Notardonato), son of mob boss Don del Canto (Michael Marotta), who gratefully welcomes him into their family. Of course the Penzas and the del Cantos are archenemies. As they say, complications arise. The silliness of the plot is redeemed by a sterling cast of ten who elevate the material by their commitment to their roles, a tuneful score that Salzman appropriated from Italian opera and popular song, wonderful costumes by Joseph Shrope that define their characters, and unexpected flashes of wit sprinkled through the book. There is a funny language lesson which upends Pygmalion by having Dino teaching Romeo to coarsen his language to be more like Brooklynese. The score has duets, a trio and a quartet that are almost operatic. It’s hard to single out anyone from the excellent cast, but I will mention Burshteyn for his beautiful tenor voice, Kostakis for her limber dance moves, McLane for her vivid acting, Ari Raskin for her liveliness as Bernadette’s friend Donna and Viet Vo for adding depth to the role of family bodyguard. The versatile Troy Valjean Rucker is in a category by himself – he plays six roles, male and female, with aplomb. Director/choreographer Justin Ross Cohen keeps everything moving smoothly. It all adds up to a very pleasant couple of hours. As of today (6/4) it’s on TDF. Running time: two hours ten minutes including intermission.