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Written by Catherine Kustanczy
Friday, 19 December 2008 17:41 |
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Caberet Review
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Life may be a “cabaret”, but what is that, exactly? A few things, the first being a place serving up live entertainment; the second is a form of political and social satire. Some consider the word as symbolizing a kind of dream-world, where any brand of lasciviousness and sharp-tongued criticism of social mores is permitted. Cabaret the musical has all of the above, and more. Written in 1966 by Joe Masteroff (book), Fred Ebb (lyrics) and John Kander (music), and originally based on the novels of Christopher Isherwood, the work is perhaps best remembered for the famous 1972 film version featuring Liza Minelli as misfit Brit Sally Bowles and Joel Grey as the Emcee, with slinky, sexy choreography and direction by the legendary Bob Fosse.
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Written by Catherine Kustanczy
Friday, 19 December 2008 17:35 |
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The Music Man Review
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While I’ve always admired the talent and dedication that go into producing a large-scale musical, and I can respect the musical’s place as a mainstream art form, I must confess that it just isn’t my thing. I walked in to The Music Man a skeptic. But I came out a fan. By now, the story is familiar: con man Harold Hill comes to a small Iowa town to sell instruments, uniforms, and dreams of a marching band, but finds much more than he expects, including a good woman, the gratitude of the townsfolk, and a decency that had been previously lacking. Made famous by the 1957 film starring Robert Preston, the piece is an sentimental look back at composer-lyricist Meredith Willson’s Iowa childhood, and an exploration of the intersection between old world values and modern mores.
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Written by Catherine Kustanczy
Friday, 19 December 2008 17:25 |
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Moby Dick Review
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As well as Shakespeare, Shaw, and large-scale musicals being produced at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, there are four new works premiering this season, including Shakespeare’s Universe (Her Infinite Variety), performed at the outdoor Festival Pavilion, There Reigns Love, devised and performed by British actor/writer Simon Callow, and Palmer Park, Joanna McClelland Glass’ exploration of interracial tensions in a Detroit suburb. And then there’s Moby Dick. Unlike other works, there’s no declaiming, no speeches, no laments or words of love. In fact, there’s no dialogue at all. Governor General Award-winning director and playwright Morris Panych has crafted the staged adaption of the 1851 Herman Melville novel as a mix of dance, movement, and mime, all set to the moody orchestral music of French composer Claude Debussy.
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Written by The Lucidforge.com Staff
Wednesday, 09 January 2008 15:09 |
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A Note From the Lucidforge Staff
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Page 12 of 12 |
