Theater review: She the People

 

It starts off with the six ladies of Chicago’s “She the People” warning that “photography and misogyny are strictly prohibited.”

That’s your clue that feminism rules, at least here at San Diego Repertory Theatre for the next couple of hours, while the well-known troupe from Second City takes apart man-centric society bit by bit. The gloves are off, so be forewarned. Your mom would be scandalized if she knew you were spending 90 minutes listening to so much, shall we say, colorful language. 

There are scripted elements, such as the teacher of How Not To Be Racist 101, in which one “student” responds “I booked my wedding reception at an old plantation.”

Or a longish section in which each woman elaborates on the introductory “I’m a woman in a commercial,” and takes apart what women are asked to sell on the air. You know, shampoo, food….

One of my favorite bits takes place at a kid’s birthday party. He’s a year old, and the ladies postulate that “It may be that your baby is gay” and “You might have a little homo in your home today.”

But the best bits are the improvisations, such as one on the audience-supplied word “pillow.” One cast member’s response: “Sex with me is like a pillow. Down.”

Audience involvement is big, in fact, especially in a game show section in which an audience member is brought onstage as contestant.

This is an evening of movement, with the women constantly coming, going and combining in different ways. They get wonderful musical help from music director/sound designer Elise Wattman, playing keyboard from one side of the stage. 

It’s a night of one-liners, audience participation and, let’s face it, male-bashing, or at least male superiority bashing. And that can’t be a bad thing.

But slow down, ladies. It sounds like you only have 15 seconds to finish and catch the bus.

Theater review: For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls

There’s not much amusement in the news or politics these days. But The Roustabouts Theatre Company brings some welcome relief in “For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls,” Christopher Durang’s screamingly funny parody of Tennessee Williams’ classic play “The Glass Menagerie.” It’s playing through Dec. 4 at Moxie Theatre.

Two slightly worn banners on either side of the stage feature pictures of odd critters and recognizable people like Putin, Jeff Bezos (or was it Mark Zuckerberg?) and Janet Leigh gazing down.

Four of the city’s finest actors – Wendy Maples, Walter Murray, Omri Schein and Wendy Waddell – make hilarious hash of this well-known (but not funny) play.

In his opening remarks, Director Phil Johnson notes that “the topics of ‘Southern Belle’ are gremlins and handling irritation.” You’ll sense plenty of irritation here, with language to match. Be forewarned.

This black comedy opens with Waddell and Murray, happily married for 13 years, being visited by Murray’s former high school flame Maples. This is a woman with ample endowments and no sense of decency, who says “I’m not fat. I just have a food problem, and some of it shows.” Mentioning that in school “I was very promiscuous” interests Murray, and she wastes no time demonstrating, much to his wife’s annoyance. This gets worse, and funnier, until we get to the next scene.

Omri Schein, one of the city’s best comic actors, gets to do some fun stuff. He plays a waiter (something he’s done more than once) annoyed with his customers, who leaves and returns with a gun and takes a hostage. He plays a desperado for a bit, then takes front stage to say that he wanted to be an actor, “but this story isn’t really about me.”

But in his best bit, Schein plays the hypochondriacal Laura (called Lawrence), who plays with his prized collections of glass cocktail stirrers, which he describes at length. He insists he’s a cripple, so refuses to go out. This drives mom Amanda (Waddell) crazy (or crazier).

Despairing of ever foisting Lawrence off on a suitor because he won’t leave the house, Amanda invites a female caller named Ginny (Maples), who is hard of hearing and overly friendly. Ginny screams during the whole scene – and, wonder of wonders, still has a voice at the end.

There is a section about writing for film, in which the two men come up with a new plot: a rabbi meets a priest and they fall in love. I’ll leave you to find out how this develops.

Acting is uniformly excellent and extremely funny. Wendy Waddell seems to get the most time to play annoyed, and she is convincing. Wendy Maples plays annoying, Walter Murray plays along and Omri Schein is the group’s professional clown. But mostly they’re all just hilarious.

The costumes by Renetta Lloyd and Roz Lehman are outstanding – colorful and, of course, funny. Kudos also to Alyssa Kane’s set design, simple and very amenable to changing set pieces. Chloe Oliana M. Clark’s lighting is excellent as well.

In his opening introduction, Director Phil Johnson describes this as “a welcome one-two punch to the Quarantine Blues.” You will agree.

“For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls” plays November 20, 21, 23, 27, 28 and Dec. 2-4 at Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd. 

Talkbacks will be held after the Nov. 21 and 28 matinees.

For tickets: https://www.theroustabouts.org/

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masks required.

Theatre Review: Hairspray

                         You Can't Stop the Beat

Broadway San Diego returns triumphantly to live shows with an oldie but very, very goodie: “Hairspray,” the 2002 teenybopper musical based on the 1988 John Waters film.

It’s a rollicking piece about a chubby but fearless ’60s Baltimore high schooler named Tracy Turnblad (Niki Metcalf), who wants to dance on the local “Corny Collins Show.” She’s got the moves and personality, and isn’t about to be stopped when mom Edna (Andrew Levitt) starts reciting the depressing facts of life for overweight TV performers. Dad Wilbur (Christopher Swan) knows his daughter, and is quietly on her side when she announces that she’s going to audition.

But she’ll have even worse trouble in the form of the show’s meanie producer, Velma Van Tussle (Addison Garner), who wants to keep her off the show so that her own daughter Amber (Kaelee Albritton) can lock up that spot.

At the station, Tracy meets dreamboat (and excellent Elvis soundalike) Link Larkin (Will Savarese), which gives her another reason to want to be on the show, and her song “I Can Hear the Bells” is a charming paean to young love.

But Tracy the renegade ends up in detention at school, where she meets Seaweed J. Stubbs (Brandon G. Stalling) and several other African American students, who, it is assumed, are routinely in detention. Here’s another chance for Tracy to make a difference: they’re terrific dancers, and she’ll try to get them on Corny’s show as well (remember, this is 1962) – if she can get them (and herself) out of detention.

There’s another fascinating character here, as well: amply-endowed Motormouth Maybelle (Toneisha Harris), owner of the local record shop, a great character and fine singing actor, whose motto is “The bigger your girth, the more you’re worth.”

Ambition, young love, not-so-young love (wait till you see Tracy’s parents do “You’re Timeless To Me”), and fun and frenetic choreography will keep you amused and maybe even humming along as the story unfolds.

Acting and dancing are fine all around. Metcalf’s Tracy is a delight, and Andrew Levitt is a real gas as mom Edna. Toneisha Harris’ Motormouth Maybelle also deserves mention. Likewise Brandon G. Stalling’s delightful Seaweed J. Stubbs.

David Rockwell’s set design offers several effective scenes with silhouetted actors behind the onstage group. William Ivey Long’s costumes are colorful and often amusing as well. And oh, my gosh, what can I say about those wigs by Paul Huntley and Richard Mawbey? Just enjoy them.

Originally directed on Broadway by Jack O’Brien, then artistic director of The Old Globe, this toe-tapping winner picked up eight Tonys in 2003 and ran for more than six years. If the enthusiasm of tonight’s audience is any indication, it still reels ‘em in.

With a cast of 30-some and a fine orchestra of nine led by Patrick Hoagland, what are you waiting for? Get on down to the Civic Theatre for a fun time because, you know, you can’t stop the beat. But hurry, it’s only here through Sunday.

“Hairspray” runs through November 21. For tickets, see broadwaysd.com.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent test is required, as is a face mask.

 

Film Review: Ghostbusters: Afterlife

 

                      

The 1984 trio of university researchers who became director Ivan Reitman’s original “Ghostbusters” were a little slapdash in the ethics department. 

Now, 37 years later, Reitman’s son Jason co-wrote and helms “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” featuring not just the aged scientists but a much younger trio of kids equally amused by ghosts and other weirdness.

Does it stand up to its illustrious ancestor? Oh, yes. This time we’ve got Phoebe (McKenna Grace), a smart, scientifically savvy 13-year-old as shocked as mom Callie (Carrie Coon) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) to see the godawful mess of a house left to Callie by her recently deceased scientist dad. But they’ve been tossed out of their place for nonpayment of rent and have little choice. The house has a “Psycho” feel to it but it’s in much worse shape.

Phoebe is fascinated by the place. She finds herself playing chess with an invisible spirit that moves the pieces. She also makes friends with a local boy named Podcast (Logan Kim), equally interested in science, who talks about “ghost traps” and the like. He finds and blows on an Aztec death whistle, and opines about the Sumerians, who he says believed in a land of the dead. This will be important when he and Phoebe end up down a cavernous hole.

While the kids are enjoying themselves, Callie meets Mr. Grooberson, a teacher played by Paul Rudd (apropos of nothing, Rudd was just named People Magazine’s sexiest man alive), who takes a liking to her.

All kinds of goofy things happen, including the expected appearance of ghosts (looking like something out of a kid’s cartoon) and funny noises and all kinds of odd stuff. Grooberson meets a monster at Walmart. Callie becomes a monster.

The cast is excellent. The three kids are especially delightful, and Rudd’s Grooberson will delight kids who have had, shall we say, unusual teachers.

Even the holdovers from the last film, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Dr. Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson) show up. 

It’s a reunion of sorts, just as goofy as all the other craziness that goes on in this silly, delightful escape from the current disaster we call real life. Don’t miss it.

Opens November 19 only in theaters.

Theater Review: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

John Treacy Egan, Andrew Polec and Tommy Martinez

Watch out! It’s November and you know what that means: it’s time for the annual reappearance of the Grinch, Dr. Seuss’ famous meanie who lives in a cave up on that cold Mr. Crumpit and takes delight in trying to stop Christmas from coming to Whoville, down below.

He’s been doing this at The Old Globe for some 24 years now, and horrifying/delighting hordes of playgoers. This year continues that tradition brilliantly.

The world has seen a lot of grinchy behavior in the past 18 months or so, but this Grinch (Andrew Polec) is wearing four pounds of greenness and a face full of strange makeup in addition to the terrible attitude. No wonder he’s in such bad humor. But he is fun to watch, there’s no doubt about that.

You’ll also enjoy this year’s program, which offers two pages of fascinating statistics, like how many wigs and how many sleighs you’ll see.

You remember the plot: Old Max, the Grinch’s old dog (John Treacy Egan) is retiring and moving away, and he’s come back to say goodbye to his successor Young Max (Tommy Martinez) and the Whos down in Whoville before he moves on. But the old boss is still complaining about the obvious joy the Whos take in their community, and most especially in preparing for the Christmas festivities. The Grinch is desperate to stop the fun, and devises a really awful plan to steal all the presents so they will have (he thinks) no reason to celebrate.

So he ties antlers to his poor dog, hitches him to the sleigh and down to Whoville they go. But no matter how mean he is, the Whos still offer kindness, friendship and Christmas dinner. How can any self-respecting meanie deal with that?

You know the answer, but you’ll love seeing it onstage for the first or the 24th time. I’ve seen every production of it, and I get misty every time.

The cast is great, as always. I think Polec is my all-time favorite Grinch because of the way he tosses in enough humor to make you go along with him. The kids are double-cast; we saw the red team and all were adorable and fun to watch, especially Leila Manuel’s Cindy-Lou Who, the one who manages to melt the old grouch’s heart.

Tommy Martinez is great, returning as Young Max, as is Egan as his reminiscing elderly counterpart. Larry Raben, Bets Malone, Christopher M. Ramirez and Ariella Kavashny round out the speaking adults, and there’s a bevy of other Who adults and kids who all look great and sing and dance with gusto.

This particular production adds some different, peppy choreography by Bob Richard to add to the original by John DeLuca. 

James Vásquez directs with just the right touch, and Elan McMahan leads the capable orchestra. It all adds up to a show that may just have you singing or at least humming along with the songs. 

“Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” runs through Dec. 31 at The Old Globe’s Shiley Theatre. Performance times vary; check www.TheOldGlobe.org or call the box office at (619) 234-5623. 

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of entering the theater will be required.

Theater Review: Ben Butler

             Richard Baird and Brandon J. Pierce

The American Civil War was anything but civil, but playwright Richard Strand has found a way to create a fascinating, thought-provoking and (believe it or not) funny play about one of its more interesting incidents.

Strand’s play “Ben Butler” runs through Nov. 14 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. NCRT’s artistic director David Ellenstein helms the play.

It’s 1861, hostilities have just begun, and Union Army Major General Benjamin Butler (Richard Baird) has just arrived to take over at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He’s reading a telegram on his desk when his stiff young adjutant, West Point graduate Lieutenant Kelly, enters. Butler looks up.

“It informs me that last night, Virginia seceded from the Union,” Butler says.“What do you make of that?”

“Not much,” answers Kelly. “It only makes official what we already know.”

Kelly has another reason to talk to his boss. “There is a Negro slave outside who is demanding to speak with you,” he says. In fact, he reports, there are three runaway slaves at Ft. Monroe, and they are seeking sanctuary.

Butler informs Kelly that legally he must return slaves to their owners, but when Kelly seems fearful to relay the message, Butler tells him to show the slave in.

This is the beginning of a most unusual relationship. Butler, who loves his authority and his sherry (he offers the latter to everyone who walks into the office) is also likely the only Union officer who voted “57 times” for Jefferson Davis as president of the Confederacy, before war broke out and Butler changed sides.

Likewise, Shepard Mallory (Brandon J. Pierce) is a different kind of slave. He seems most concerned that no one find out that he knows how to read. But he says his main problem is that he can’t resist telling the truth, which, he says, has made him universally hated. As proof, he lifts his shirt to reveal deep scars on his back from whipping. 

When Butler asks why, Mallory’s response is “I was whipped because me and the man with the whip just saw things differently.” 

That is also his philosophical reason for this – or any – war. Mallory and the other slaves escaped from making fortifications for the Confederate cause. He says they now want to help the Union cause.

Butler thinks a better idea is for the slaves to escape, but Mallory will have none of it. So Butler is stuck with them.

Baird is masterful as the turncoat Confederate who can be clever, exasperating, or just plain stubborn. If you’re wondering about that hair, Google the real Butler and see what the original looked like.

Mackey’s dutiful lieutenant is suitably – and comically – subservient, and always fun to watch.

Pierce is excellent as the slave Mallory, too smart for his own good but delightful to watch as well.

Bruce Turk is likewise fine as Confederate Army Major Cary, who comes to collect the slaves toward the end of the play.

Marty Burnett’s set is properly spare and utilitarian, and lighting and costumes are (as always) wonderfully handled by Matthew Novotny and Renetta Lloyd, respectively.

What will happen? I’m not disclosing it, but know that “Ben Butler” is a clever, fascinating “think piece” that will give you plenty to talk about on the way home.

“Ben Butler” runs through November 14, 2021 at North Coast Repertory Theatre.

Shows Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: northcoastrep.org; (858) 481-1055

 

Film Review: Love It Was Not

It always cheers me up to learn about someone ordered to do evil who does good instead.

But a Nazi SS officer at Auschwitz? Who would even believe that?

But “Love It Was Not” is a true story, a documentary about Franz Wunsch, a Nazi officer ordered to make sure the stream of prisoners to the crematorium at Birkenau never lacks for victims. 

It’s Wunsch’s birthday, and he’s just returned from herding the latest group from the train. But he wants someone to sing for him, so he asks and a young Slovakian prisoner named Helena Citron volunteers. She is not only beautiful, but has a lovely voice.

He’s no slouch in the looks department either, and there is as much of a spark between them as either can afford to betray. But he does his job, willingly beating male prisoners and visibly making life miserable for all while assigning Helena to the “cushier” job of working at Kanada, the storeroom for personal effects of the prisoners, rather than physical labor.

Of Helena’s family, only Helena and her younger sister survived the camp and lived to be freed, and that only because Wunsch intervened to save the sister while she was lined up for the ride to the crematorium.

The story is told through interviews with survivors, including Wunsch’s wife, who wrote Helena before Franz’s testimony at the Nuremberg trials, asking her to exonerate her husband. He was, in fact, the last Nazi to be tried there.

It’s a story of horror and kindness, unspeakable evil and unexpected good, during an awful time in human history. “Love It Was Not” should be seen by all – whether they are old enough to remember, or just seeing as history – so that perhaps the horror will never happen again.