Andrew White - Page 9

Nearly three years after its London opening, Washington's own Quotidian Theatre Company offers us the American premiere of a play that should soon find itself in regular rotation nationwide. Quotidian, with its reputation for understated yet compelling shows, has gone all-out with this production and done Mr. McPherson proud. With a solid, seasoned cast and brilliant period touches in set and costumes, 'The Veil' should be at the top of your list!

As embodied by the engaging Robert Michael Oliver-heavily bearded for the occasion-Sanctuary Theatre revives Whitman in all his messy glory, bringing us his passion, sensuality, sensitivity and eroticism. It's hard to imagine a guy who looks like Santa Clause relishing the kinds of behavior that (until recently) could get you arrested in most states. But he was dangerous in his own day, and as Oliver reminds us so richly here, he will remain a scandalous figure on the American scene for as long as there is an America.

A fascinating blend of dance, monologue, dialogue, lights, sound effects and live music, 'Enter Ophelia, distracted' gives you a piercingly perceptive look into the psyche of a young girl fated to lose first the love of her life, then her father, her mind, and then her life. Ophelia's fictional fate resonates strongly with women to this day, and Kim Gilbert-with the help of Choreographer Erin F. Mitchell-has plumbed her depths in ways that are intensely personal and unforgettable. The intimate confines of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop fairly burst with the passions unleashed in this piece.

When a local treasure agrees to perform a classic of the modern theatre, Washington audiences should sit up and take notice. Under the finely-tuned direction of Scena Theatre's Artistic Director, Robert McNamara-a demanding taskmaster, whose results of late have been spectacular-you are in for a fine evening indeed. Are we at the beach, or in her living room? Is she taking a holiday, or stuck at home for an eternity? She performs, you decide.

Opening as it does to coincide with the 70th anniversary of D-Day, Joe Banno's moving production reminds us just how much we are still haunted by the ghosts of World War II, and the horrific moral dilemmas of those days. With a large cast that is mostly up to the material Banno has given us a memorable evening of theater that challenges us. Forget plays that give you a cozy, morally superior perch, Mann the playwright and Banno the director force us to think about how we contributed to the monster that was Adolf Hitler.

It is the stuff of great drama when people with incredible charm and talent behave like monsters: idealists with a clear vision of the future, leaving human wreckage in their wake. For fans of English literature who are fascinated by Shelley, Byron and the women who devoted themselves to their careers, 'Bloody Poetry' should be a pure delight.

Olney Theatre Center has finally taken the plunge in their intimate black-box space with their inaugural August Wilson production, 'The Piano Lesson.' Blessed with a talented cast, they should enjoy a prosperous run; and the choice of play is appropriate, given the role that Baltimore's own Charles S. Dutton had in its first production. And the piano of the title, with its unique and bloody history, endures as one of the most powerful stage metaphors of our time.

If you're in the mood for an outrageous good time, you can't do better than to squeeze into Fort Fringe and witness Bradley Foster Smith's break-out performance as a talented, sexy usurper. Director Patrick Pearson has given this new show a great launch, complete with a kick-ass backup band and a solid ensemble. WSC Avant Bard should be up to their necks in groupies before Nero/Pseudo's run is over.

Director Evan Hoffman has worked deftly with a strong cast who pop in and out of the action at a brisk, engaging pace. With a special turn by 'Today Show' anchor Kathie Lee Gifford (whose voice work is remarkably good), it's a special evening indeed.

Constellation's spell-binding production of Timberlake Wertenbaker's The Love of the Nightingale may have an old-fashioned name or two, but it is as timely a production as you will ever see. Director Allison Arkell Stockman understands that Greek mythology, like tragedy itself, is a canvas upon which we paint our darkest fears and ponder their meaning. The play paints a complex picture in which victims, bystanders and perpetrators compete for the audience's sympathy; and with Constellation's consistently strong performances, the journey is one of the most thought- provoking I have seen this season.

When we think of Norway, "laugh riot" is usually the last thing that comes to mind. The Washington Stage Guild's premiere production of Elling may be slow going at first, but it revs up to give you an amusing slice of life in modern-day Oslo. It's a very funny place indeed. This Elling is a classic comedy in the Odd Couple mode. Think: Neil Simon meets Sigmund Freud, with a healthy dose of Ken Kesey thrown in.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph and the Living Word Project have combined rap, spirituals and dance to create an unforgettable show red, black, and GREEN: a blues (RbGb) that explores the challenges and ironies of an urban artist who gets deputized to help 'Green' an inner city that is already under siege from its traditional challenges, and perhaps the greatest challenge of all-gentrification. Because the show represents the fruit of four separate projects staged in four cities, it has the feel of an intimate travelogue.

Remember those sappy romances from the 1930's and 1940's? Think you've seen 'em all? Think you've seen enough of 'em, already? Guess again: England's Kneehigh Theater, currently in residence at the Landsburgh, breathes new life into the old genre, and not only makes them a joy to watch, they've managed a few technical marvels as well.

At 2 ½ hours this production may be a bit long in the tooth for some, but it is made so much easier to watch because the actors never let you forget they're just actors-and that they're only here to tell you a really cool story from bygone days. Anachronistic touches like glasses-a sure sign of modernity-fit in seamlessly with the Buddhist temple setting, even though the tale of The Green Snake is set in the Song Dynasty, before the USA was even a gleam in King George's eye.

The framing device for 'Not by Bread Alone' is the baking of bread, an activity that is labor-intensive at first but which also allows plenty of time for family and friends to hang out and swap stories while the dough rises, with more tales to tell when it goes in to bake. The bulk of 'Not by Bread Alone' consists of the performers introducing themselves, talking about their lives and dreams, and acting out a few of their dream-scenarios along the way.

As a part of this month's international theater festival at the Kennedy Center, audiences have had a rare opportunity to meet directors of some of the world's most innovative companies -and a personal highlight for me was having the chance to meet Adina Tal, founder of the Nalaga'at Theater Deaf-Blind Acting Ensemble and director of the production Not By Bread Alone that will be appearing here for two nights.

Written in the late 1950's in a fine post-graduate frenzy, Kopit's play was inspired as much by the European avant-garde as by the angst of the Eisenhower years. Director Tyler Herman has done a great job in his first production, creating the anarchic, bizarre feel that Kopit's play requires, with Katie Wertz's surreal set and Jacy Barber's biologically-correct costumes (for the fish and plant life) creating just the right off-kilter atmosphere.

The Kennedy Center's international theater festival got off to a truly moving start, thanks to a three-evening visit from Peter Brook's company, Theatre des Bouffes du Nord and their touring production of Can Themba's short story, "The Suit." Set in South Africa, in the suburban village of Sophiatown, "The Suit" is a cautionary tale of infidelity, jealousy, and the heavy toll that vengeance can take. It was a rare opportunity for Washington audiences to experience one of the world's master artists at work-an artist whose 60+ year career has spanned any number of innovations, but whose style has remained deceptively simple.

The pleasures of WSC Avant-Bard's production are many, beginning with Sara Barker's brilliant embodiment of Virginia Woolf's hero/heroine. One of English literature's most enduring labors of love, the stage version of 'Orlando' also gives us a glimpse of Sarah Ruhl early in her career, adapting Woolf's classic novel at a time when she was too young to be intimidated by an iconic feminist work. Director Amber Jackson has assembled a truly talented ensemble who give audiences a no-holds-barred performance not to be missed.

Given its long history of producing the plays of George Bernard Shaw, it was inevitable that the Washington Stage Guild would someday attempt to mount Shaw's monumental, impossible play cycle, Back to Methuselah. Methuselah tilts at the usual ideological windmills, with a fanciful dash of futurism thrown in for good measure. Perhaps because of its reach, the script shows occasional signs of strain; but the Stage Guild does an admirable job bringing our dear Irish curmudgeon's epic to life.