The Collaboration

 B+

Paul Bettany (An Inspector Calls, “A Very British Scandal”) and Jeremy Pope (Choir Boy, Ain’t Too Proud) are giving two remarkable performances as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, respectively, in Anthony McCarten’s (The Two Popes, A Beautiful Noise) biodrama about the two-year period in the mid-80’s during which these two artists, badgered by their dealer Bruno Bischofberger (Erik Jensen; Disgraced, Corpus Christi), worked together on a series of joint paintings for a keenly anticipated show. Warhol was already late in his career with declining interest in and prices for his works; Basquiat was the hot new discovery whose career was still in its early stages. The two men had diametrically opposed views of the role of art, but overcame their initial mutual antipathy to actually become friends. Basquiat was able to get Warhol to pick up a brush for the first time in 25 years. The first act describes the beginnings of their joint endeavor. The second act picks up two years later a few weeks before their joint show is due to open. For this play you want to stay in your seat at intermission, because black-and-white films of the two doing things together such as working out are projected on large screens on either side of the stage. I thought these projections were an integral part of the play that added significantly to the experience. Things get a bit melodramatic in the second act when we learn about Basquiat’s relationship with his girlfriend Maya (Krysta Rodriguez; First Date, In the Heights) and the police brutality incident that his close friend and fellow artist Michael Stewart endured. Unfortunately, the play breaks off before their show opens so we do not get the story of the critical reaction to the show and its effect on their friendship. The supporting actors create vivid characters. The set and costumes by Anna Fleischle (Hangmen) are evocative. The wig design by Karicean “Karen” Dick and Carol Robinson is a show all by itself. The direction by Kwame Kwei-Armah (artistic director, The Young Vic) is unfussy, although I did not see the point of having a DJ at the side of the stage before the play began and at intermission.  While the script at times seems uneven and incomplete, the performances by Bettany and Pope are reason enough to see the play. If you can't get there now, wait for the film version that is in the works. Running time: two hours 15 minutes including intermission.

 

NOTE: Dress warmly. Owing to the Samuel G. Friedman Theatre’s lack of a proper lobby to separate the auditorium from the street, the temperature in the theater drops precipitously before the show begins.

Seared

B+

After a run last year in Williamstown, Theresa Rebeck’s (Seminar, Downstairs) entertaining comedy set in the kitchen of a tiny Park Slope restaurant has made it to New York in a first-rate production at MCC’s Frankel Theater. If you are a foodie, you will enjoy seeing Harry (Raul Esparza; Company, The Normal Heart), the brilliant but difficult chef, at work. Harry fancies himself a food artist unconcerned with critical acclaim or commercial success. To the great frustration of his partner Mike (David Mason; Trick or Treat) who funded the restaurant and runs the front of the house, Harry refuses to capitalize on a mention in New York magazine praising his scallop dish. Since the quality scallops he insists on are hard to come by in quantity, Harry refuses to make the dish a regular offering. When an attractive, rather mysterious consultant, Emily (Krysta Rodriguez; First Date, The Addams Family), visits the restaurant one night, she bends Mike’s ear with ideas for improving the restaurant. Mike is sold, but Harry is not. Much of the action consists of shouting matches over implementing Emily’s ideas. The relationship that develops between Harry and Emily is not completely hostile. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s sole waiter, Rodney (W. Tré Davis; Zooman and the Sign), quietly observes everything. When Emily persuades Harry to come up with a new signature dish, he develops one based on wild salmon, which is even harder to obtain than quality scallops. The first six minutes of the second act, with a jazz background but no dialogue, present Harry working on his new seared salmon dish. Depending on your interest in cooking, you will either be fascinated or bored. In any case, it is a virtuoso scene for Esparza. The simmering conflicts come to a boil when a major food critic arrives for a visit. The outcome was a surprise, at least for me. Rebeck writes actor-friendly roles. Everyone gets a chance to shine, Mason somewhat less than the others because his role is less fully developed. Esparza makes the most of a role that fits him well. Rodriguez is so much fun to watch that I was willing to overlook the fact that Emily’s motivation is never satisfactorily explained. Tim Mackabee’s (The Last Match, Vietgone) kitchen is wonderfully detailed. Tilly Grimes’s (Underground Railroad Game) costumes are apt. Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Hand to God), directs with precision. If you don’t mind a lot of shouting and aren’t too concerned about credibility, you are likely to have an enjoyable experience. I did. Running time: two hours ten minutes including intermission. 

First Date ***

(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
This new musical at the Longacre Theatre takes us through a blind date between Aaron (Zachary Levi of TV's "Chuck"), an uptight, awkward Jewish financial analyst, and Casey (Krysta Rodriguez of TV's "Smash"), a Gentile free spirit with commitment issues and a taste for bad boys. The clever gimmick is that we also get to meet all the significant people in their lives who supply a ton of emotional baggage for the encounter. A versatile ensemble of five (Bryce Ryness, Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Sara Chase and Kate Loprest) portray the waiter, Aaron's best friend, mother, grandmother, future son and ex-fiancee as well as Casey's sister, father, ex-boyfriends, therapist and gay best friend. The music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, who have written for Disney, is merely serviceable, but the book by Austin Winsberg has many flashes of wit. It helps a lot that Levi and Rodriguez are such appealing performers with good chemistry. David Gallo's set is not very attractive but functional. David C. Woolard's costumes are appropriate for the characters. Bill Berry's direction is unobtrusive. The theater was full and the mostly young audience was wildly enthusiastic. Good word of mouth may trump the critics here. I enjoyed it a lot more than "Nobody Loves You," which the Times made a Critic's Pick. Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission.