Red Herring—Artists Repertory Theatre—SW Portland

A Trip Down Memory Lane

The latest show at ART is Red Herring, a NW Premiere by Michael Hollinger, directed by OSF’s Christopher Liam Moore and designed by long-time OSF designer, Richard L. Hay.  It plays in their small theatre, which is located at SW Alder & 16^th Ave., and runs through March 17^th.  For further information, contact them at www.artistsrep.org and/or call 503-241-1278.

It was the 1950’s, not the best of times, nor the worst of times.  Like a spicy stew, it had the H-bomb, film noir, the Red Scare, blacklisting, the Iron Curtain, Mickey Spillane, G-men and spies.  All the ingredients for a very dark trip down the intricate and winding path of human foibles.  But it also contained IKE, soap operas, Ozzie and Harriet, cars with fins, Rogers & Hammerstein, and the American Dream.  In Red Herring, we enter this comic strip world, for better or worse, till the 60’s do we part.

The plot has many of the above mention devices.  Once upon a time, there may have been a heroic, G-man, named Frank (Leif Norby), who fell in love with his partner Maggie (Val Landrum).  Into this world there also may have been two young lovers, a naïve young girl named Lynn (Amy Newman), who would do anything to win the man she treasured, James (Joshua J. Weinstein), a budding physicist.  But there may also be dragons, in the guise of a mysterious landlady, Mrs. Kravitz (Vana O’Brien) and her equally intriguing husband/boarder/partner (?), Andrei (Michael Mendelson).

But the fairy tale journey becomes a bit more rocky, as we discover that Frank’s main squeeze, Maggie, has a checkered past.  Or, that the young lovers are not as pure, or as patriotic, as we assumed.  And that the dragons may have a “pinker” tint, as they search for a “cheesey” solution that may just bring down all the kingdoms.  In other words, things are not as they seem.  And, that the layers of love, deception and compromise are, indeed, a many tangled thing.  To tell much more of the intricate plot might spoil the story.  But, let me conclude this part by advising that the term “red herring” could be a fish but, in storytelling, it is, in short, a false clue.  Enough said.

The play is labeled by the author as a “fable about marriage.”  It also has elements of a spoof…and a farce.  In short, the main stumbling block on this intriguing highway is deciding  what genre it is.  If it is a farce, it should be played more broadly by the cast, like a Moliere play.  If a spoof, it is a subtler comedy, and should have elements of nostalgia, of homage to an era, like High Anxiety.  If a fable, I would expect a storybook setting, as in Sleeping Beauty.  The actors and director strive mightily to find the happy medium.

The acting is wonderful throughout.  Ms. O’Brien (a long-time, local veteran of the stage) seems to have found the right mix of humor.  Whenever she’s onstage, you are watching her.  She plays an assortment of characters, all of them spot on.  And Mr. Mendelson (another veteran) is super in all his incarnations and accents.  He is equally adept at playing the broader humor of the play.

Ms. Newman has very much the right look for the part.  And her other composite characters are also well portrayed.  Mr. Weinstein is adept, too, at changing his demeanor for his other stage selves, especially good as the priest with dueling confessors.  Ms. Landrum has the right look and sense for her character and plays it with determination.  But, as written, her character seems a little out-of-step with the view of women in the 50’s (aka, the happy homemaker, Donna Reed).  And Mr. Norby (also a veteran) definitely has the right look-- steely-jawed--and manner of the hard-boiled detective of that era.  He plays it with all the bravado and conviction of the male ego of that period.

The inventive direction by Mr. Moore keeps the play moving but without sacrificing the understanding of the story.  And, hats off to Mr. Hay, for his very elaborate, and yet simple set.  It is essentially a bare stage with lots of little nooks and crannies to mask and expose, as needed, the various elements of the locations.  And the coloring looks like B&W line drawings from a comic book of that era.  Bravo, Mr. Hay, you’re extraordinary!

I would recommend this show.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.  And, a side note, you should not miss their next show, The Gin Game, a two-character play, which has the impeccable acting talents of Allan Nause and Vana O’Brien.

Peter Pan—Northwest Children’s Theatre—Portland, OR

"The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up"

Peter Pan, the immortal classic by J. M.  Barrie and adapted for the stage by Milo Mowery, Rodolfo Ortega and Jeff Sanders is playing at the NW Cultural Center through  January 6^th, 2013.  It is located at 1819 NW Everett St.  The production is directed and choreographed by Sarah Jane Hardy (NWCT’s Artistic Director) with fight choreographed by Zero Feeney.  Flying By Foy has been doing this since the Mary Martin version in the early 50’s.  For further information go to www.nwcts.org or call 503-222-4130.

Productions of this play go back to the early 1900’s.  And the part of Peter has usually been played by a young woman.  It has been on stage and TV as a musical with Mary Martin; a Disney, animated version (voiced, this time, by a boy, child actor Bobby Driscoll); Mia Farrow in a later TV incarnation; Spielberg’s opus, Hook, with Robin Williams; a 5-act, British, Trevor Nunn stage interpretation; and, more recently, a very good, non-musical, Australian film, with a boy as Peter; et. al.

Reading into the story, it is clear that Barrie is very respectful of women (Mothers, in particular).  As Peter explains, the reason there are no girls as Lost Children in Neverland is because they are too smart to fall out their prams (and, thus, hustled off as a lost child).  He also has a dim view of Men, as they are pictured either as a Prig (aka, Mr. Darling) or a cut-throat Pirate.  And Neverland is an escaped from the horrors of Adulthood.  A chance to preserve forever the innocence of Childhood.  Alas, tis not to be—reality will win out.

This production is a premiere of another musical re-imaging of the tale.  Gone are Tiger Lily and her tribe (probably, politically incorrect, nowadays) and also the bittersweet epilogue where Peter meets Wendy’s daughter, Jane, unaware of the ravages of time.  And also gone are the endearing songs from the original musical and replaced with a new look into the unending magic.  Some are successful, some are not.

The story should be familiar.  Peter Pan (Michael Kepler Meo), a perpetual boy, is entranced by bedtime stories that the oldest daughter of the Darling family, Wendy (Lea Zawada), tells to her brothers.  So he entices her and her brood to fly with him to “…the second star to the right and straight on till morning,” so that she can be a Mother to his pack of Lost Boys.  Needless to say, a band of Pirates, under the leadership of Captain Hook (John Ellingson) are constantly at war with Peter and his group.  Of course, like all good fairy tales, this one ends up with everyone getting their just deserves.

The flying is super and set changes equally impressive, in how quick and smooth they are.  The sword-fighting scenes by Mr. Feeney were quite entrancing without appearing dangerous.  And the scenic designs and miking (Jeff Seats, Shana Targosz, & Kristeen Willis Crosser) were wonderful, especially the creation of the dog, bird and crocodile.  The flow of the show must have been a nightmare to coordinate but under Ms.  Hardy’s capable hands, it all comes off seamlessly.

As mentioned, some of the songs work and some don’t.  The best of them are I’ll Not Leave You; Boys Are Mean to Birds; I’ll Never Grow Up; and The Boy Who Lives Forever.  Much of the success of these numbers is because of the almost operatic voices of Mr. Meo (Peter), Ms. Zawada (Wendy), and Sophie Shely as the Neverbird.  They have a solid future in singing and musical roles if they choose to pursue it.

The Hook (Mr. Ellingson) and Smee (Kevin-Michael Moore) team, the villains you love  to hate, are quite effective in their exchanges with each other and, especially, with the audience (to cover the scene changes).

Mr. Meo as Peter is quite extraordinary, both in voice and as an actor.  I predict an exciting career in this field for him.  And Ms. Zawada as Wendy is equally impressive, both in singing and acting.  I have marveled at her before in OCT productions, as well as their Y/P improv troupe, Impulse, and as Rose Red in NWCT’s Snow White.  I look forward to seeing  her fine performances in future productions.

And to emphasis that a role being small doesn’t mean you can’t shine.  Cases in point, Ms. Shely in the demanding roles as Nana, the dog, the Neverbird and Tick-Tock, the Crock are excellent.  She manages to convey in her movement and singing the character of these varied creatures, as well as manipulating the puppets.  Well done, Ms. Shely.  And Parker LaRiviere as Slightly, one of the Lost Boys, is noticeable in his command of the stage when he’s on.  I expect good things of him, too, in the future.

This is a production to be seen, as the acting is outstanding and the story a recognizable classic.  A warning, though, get there early, as parking is a real problem in the  NW area of Portland.  And if you do choose to see this warm play over the Christmas Season, tell them Dennis sent you.

King Hedley II - Portland Playhouse - Portland, OR

"The Rhythms of Life"

This play is written by August Wilson and directed by Jade King Carroll.  It runs through December 30^th.  The theatre is located 602 NE Prescott St. in North Portland.  For ticket and season information call 503-488-5822 or visit them at www.portlandplayhouse.org.

The late, great playwright, August Wilson, wrote a 10-cycle play series about the black experience from the 1900’s though the 1990’s in the Hill District of Pittsburgh,  PA, where he grew up.  Recently ART did a prequel of this story, Seven Guitars, with a couple of the same  cast members.  (Read my review of that show on this blog.)

At the center of the story is King Hedley II (OSF actor, Peter Macon), a ticking time bomb, dissatisfied with his lot in life.  He is looking, if not for easy money, at least a fair shake, unhampered by race issues.  He has a willing accomplice and supporter of anything he does from Mister (Vin Shambry, son of Red from Seven Guitars).  Meanwhile his wife, Tonya (Ramona Lisa Alexander—from Seven Guitars) has a job and wants a family and a “normal” way of life.

They are living with the woman who raised Hedley, Ruby (Monica Parks), who has her  own desires and secrets.  Next door lives Stool Pigeon (Victor Mack, playing an older version of the same character he was in Seven Guitars).  He spouts Bible quotes, collects newspapers for his view of the world and, with all his eccentricities, may be the most aware person of them all.

Into this explosive mix arrives Elmore (John Cothran, Jr.), a con man and an old flame of Rudy’s.  His intrusion into their precarious lives, upsets the delicate balance and sets off a chain of events that will, ultimately, end in tragedy.  To tell more of the story would expose parts of it best left to the discovery of the audience.

The direction by Ms. Carroll keeps the energy and flow of the story moving at a brisk space, although three hours long, it is never boring.  Her connection with the actors in the show is obvious, as every look and nuance of theirs has meaning.  And the Scenic Design by Owen Walz is terrific.  You literally feel you have been transported in time and space to the poorer section of a large city in the 80’s.

The whole cast is electric!  I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing those roles.  They actually inhabit them, as any trained professional actor would.  Mr. Macon, as Hedley, is a powerhouse, a force of Nature to be reckoned with, driving his character and the story to its  inevitable conclusion.  Mr. Mack is fascinating to watch, as his character tries to balance  Bible teachings with the harsh realities of the “real” world, a continuation of  his character, Canewell, in Seven Guitars.

Mr. Cothran, Jr. is a master.  His monologues set up much of the history of the story and one is rapt when he waxes eloquent on them.  And Ms. Parks does equally well with her reminisces of a world gone by and a life never realized.   Mr. Shambry and Ms. Alexander round out this powerful cast, filling in solid support for the sad but powerful structure of this tale.

An overall theme of Mr. Wilson’s about the world may be echoed in Stool Pigeon’s words, “Ain’t gotta believe in it for it to be true.”  And, possibly, from Ruby, about men, “…talks like sugar but gives salt.”

But it’s also about Birth, Death, and Re-birth.  As proof, the seeds that Hedley plants to grow flowers; the kitten that is buried in the garden, with the understanding that it will be re-born; the death of one of the characters in the story, with a baby on the way to fill this void; and Bible quotes throughout to the Cycle’s continuation.  (Similar instances are in Seven Guitars.)  The world may be “too much with us,” but with us, it is, like it or not, for better or  worse.

Interesting to note that Wilson’s Two Trains Running will be playing at OSF this Spring.  The third of his plays performed in Oregon within a year.  Good to hear, as it’s well deserved.  If you choose to see this play, tell them Dennis sent you.

Sherlock Holmes & the Case of the Christmas Carol—Artists Repertory Theatre—Portland, OR

"Dole/Dickens - An Uneasy Alliance"

Sherlock Holmes… plays at ART through December 30^th.  It is written by John Longenbaugh and directed by Jon Kretzu.  ART is located at SW Alder & 16^th Ave.  Contact them at www.artistsrep.org or call 503-241-1278 for ticket/season information.

This is the second time (first, being Triangle    Productions) this weekend I’ve reviewed a show with a terrific cast being hampered by a flawed script.  The intent of the play is to join Dickens’s Scrooge with Doyle’s Holmes.  As far as the script goes, this union is forced, at best.  But a wonderful cast manages to pull Christmas magic from a shaky premise.

As the story begins, Mr. Holmes (Michael Mendelson) coldly ignores and shuns his closest companions, Dr. Watson (Tim Blough) and Mrs. Hudson (Jane Fellows).  With that accomplished, he sits alone on Christmas Eve to contemplate his barren existence.  Thus arrives Moriarty (Tobias Anderson) from the grave.  As penance for all his evil doings, he forewarns Sherlock of visits he will have of three spirits, sent to alter his behavior.

The first spirit (Nathan Crosby) illuminates a lonely youth (Matthew Kerrigan) of Holmes, where he alienates himself from his family and his true love, Becky (Melissa Whitney).  The second spirit (Gary R. Powell) exposes the present day, in which he is a silent witness to those around him, as to how much he really is loved and needed.  The third spirit propels him to a future in which the world is ravaged by war and destruction, and he will become a Moriarty-like contributor.

I think we all know the outcome.  Holmes sees the errors of his ways and becomes a changed man.  He is redeemed.  He embraces his friends and Christmas and even solves a mystery in the bargain.  Such is the Beauty of this Season!

The entire cast (as mentioned) is wonderful.  Most of them play numerous roles and do them all very well.  They are all articulate and precise in their speech, lending well to the diverse portrayals of each of their characters.

Outstanding among the supporting players are Mr. Anderson (Moriarty, et. al.), a veteran of many years in Portland theatre.  He shines in every role he plays.  Next he will be seen in a one-man show, The Illustrated Bradbury, based on stories by one of my favorite authors, Ray Bradbury.  It will be produced by Theatre/Theater in the Spring. 

Also Gary R. Powell (Spirit 2, et. al.), another long-time Portland veteran is a joy to watch in the many incarnations he creates on the stage.  (I had the pleasure of acting with him many moons ago in The Firebugs.)  A true professional.  And Mr. Blough gives a heart-felt performance as Watson.  You see the complexity of his emotions toward his friend, Holmes, and the hurt he must feel when pushed away.

And the acting of Holmes by Mr. Mendelson (another local veteran) is spot on.  He has the right look and feel (script notwithstanding) of the character.  His range of emotions of this (uneasy) marriage of Ebenezer and Sherlock seems quite genuine.  This character dominates the story and the actor must likewise do so with the role, as he does.

The scenic design by Jeff Seats is pliable and works well in the many settings that are called for in the story.  Likewise, the direction by Mr. Kretzu keeps the action flowing, in and out of the different scenes, with nary a misstep as to where they are, sometimes with only minimal settings as a suggestion.

The costumes, on the other hand, don’t always succeed.  The flimsy “mask” of the  first spirit is an amateurish attempt at anonymity.  The costume of Spirit 2 is silly, at best, looking like a giant leprechaun.  Spirit 3 fits the setting of the future (as written), being an industrial black smoke stack, but it comes across more of a toy than anything scary, albeit the  mechanics of it, (the same, I assume, as the boat in their Jack Goes Boating) is quite effective.  This, of course, could all be called for in the script and, if so, is not the fault of the Costume Designer (Jessica Bobillot).  The rest of the costumes are quite compelling.

The fault, then, “lies not in our ‘stars,’” but in the material.  The attempt of meshing two famous, legendary, fictional characters into one story is dangerous from the outset.  You must, at least, have two compatible genres and, in this case, you don’t.  Yes, they are both  written by British authors about loners “living” at approximately the same time (late 1800’s).  But that is where the resemblance ends.

Dickens’s Scrooge, is a morality character, journeying in a tale about “sin” and redemption.  Doyle’s Holmes is a brilliant detective solving crimes.  In Longenbaugh’s interpretation, Holmes, in the first act, is simply mean-spirited toward his closest companions for no apparent reason.  (Yes, Doyle’s Holmes can be aloof, arrogant and aggravating at times toward people but never deliberately mean.) 

And his childhood doesn’t really seem so bleak (except for his mother dying) as his brother, Mycroft, seems very supportive and he obviously has the love of Becky.  But, again,for no discernible reason, he spurns both of these gestures of warmth.

The second act works the best, seeing the importance of his influence on people and situations.  But the third act seems more of an indictment on War rather than having anything to do with the immediate story.  (Interesting note, there was a television presentation by Hallmark, I believe, in the 60’s called Carol For Another Christmas, which had a similar theme, but the formula was used throughout the tale.)  In short, the joining of various themes/genres in this play, doesn’t often work.

Does this mean the show is not worth seeing?  Absolutely not.  The cast is excellent and should be applauded.  And is it not the holiday season wherein feelings of joy and good fellowship should rein?  You bet.  And this production, by the end, does leave you with that.

A side note, one of ART’s Season Sponsors, the Hotel Deluxe (only a block away), has an excellent Happy Hour menu and a terrific brunch.  I highly recommend it.  And if you do go to one, or both of these venues, tell them Dennis sent you.

Mother Courage and Her Children - Theatre Vertigo - Portland, Oregon

"Mercenary Madness"

Mother Courage… by Bertolt Brecht and translated by Tony Kushner (Angels In  America) plays at theatre vertigo through November 17^th.  It is directed by John Steinkamp with original music by Joseph Appel.  Contact them for more info at www.theatrevertigo.org or call 503-306-0870.

Brecht, a German Expressionist writer during the early 1900’s, was disillusioned by many things:  War, Religion, the Military, and Society, in general.  What he seemed to be in favor of was—survival.  Survival at any cost.  His Mother Courage seems to be the epitome of that philosophy.

The story is about a mercenary, Mother Courage (Paige Jones), and her wagon of  wares, that is her survival kit, during the religious wars that swept across Europe during the 1600’s.  With her are her three children, Eilif (Mario Calcagno), the eldest and cleverest, Swiss Cheese (Robert Wyllie), the youngest and a little simple, and her daughter, Kattrin (Brooke Fletcher), a  mute.

They encounter the various opposing forces during the war and she sells to each, after all, she is an equal-opportunity-mercenary.  She befriends a few, like the Cook (Jason Glick) to one of the Generals, a man with an agenda of his own; a Chaplin (Matt Kerrigan), who  changes allegiances as it suits his purpose; and Yvette (Karen Wennstrom), a prostitute, playing with both sides of the  fence.  In short, they all know how to survive.

The War takes a tragic toll on Mother Courage’s family.  But she, undaunted, traverses the shell-shocked countryside in search of the next meal, monies, more goods for her wagon, sometimes even just for a decent conversation.  The brief respites of Peace seem to breed no real change in her world.  But she, like Mother Earth, will endure.  She does not fight the climate of change but embraces it, as just another challenge in an ever-changing map.  She  will survive and we are glad of it.

The most striking thing to me about this production is the use of space.  Mr. Steinkamp has, with very few set and props pieces, takes us on a trek across time and space, that is totally believable.  He has, with the swinging of a gate, changing the position of the wagon, or putting up a curtain, taken our imagination of a roller-coaster journey.  And the wagon, which is as much of a character in the show as any of the actors, is a marvel, thanks to Scenic Designer, Ryan Nicolai.

Except for the main characters already mentioned, the cast is an ensemble piece, and they are all very good at changing gears when necessary.  But at the heart of it is Mother  Courage, who must  be the driving  force in the production.  And Ms. Jones is just such a whirlwind!  As good as the other actors are, she commands the stage, as the character should.  She embodies Courage and is unwavering in the choices she makes, and gives us a view of a person that will overcome every obstacle and survive all tragedies.

Equally as good is Ms. Fletcher as her mute daughter.  She has an amazing ability to give complete focus to all the situations onstage.  And she can successfully communicate, with no real dialogue, what she is feeling, just through her expressions.  A talent any actor can envy.

The original music (Joseph Appel) and musicians are good and is a backdrop for spoken dialogue.  It underscores it well and is part of the storytelling atmosphere of the show.  One should be warned that there are adult situations and harsh language in the show and the running time is about three hours.  But the time is well spent.  If you see it, tell them Dennis sent you.