A Play by Paula Vogel

 

Bonnie and I watched Indecent: the true story of a little Jewish play written by Paula Vogel and directed by Rebecca Taichman. 

A review of the play can be found at Hyperallergic.

The review says more than I can say.  

Neither Bonnie nor I had read the review beforehand.  It wasn't long into the play before we were wondering if this is the play about Jessica Asch's relatives, but of course there was no need to wonder.  There were enough clues to know we were in the right place.  A love gem, well worth watching.

You can find the play Broadway HD, or just read the review.

Bonnie and I are still enjoying, evening by evening, another play or musical as we press through finding what was previously, forays to the theatre, now an evening in front of the TV.  

Arta

Noel Coward's Present Laughter

Cobie Smulders and Kevin Kline
 in “Present Laughter”
at the St. James Theater.
Credit Photo:Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Kevin Kline serves ham in a soignée silk

That is the title of the review of Noel Coward's Present Laughter.

I have been waiting for weeks for this Broadway HD production to be broadcast.

Whenever I see the trailer at the opera, I laugh and laugh.

Arta

Broadway - Cyrano de Bergerac

Photo: BroadwayHD

One of the hardest things for me to do is to keep track of shows that are coming to Calgary via the HD networks.

I noticed that Cyrano de Bergerac was coming and made my way to the theatre -- along with 7 other people.  This is obviously not a way to make money.

I was riveted.  This story is a metaphor for the power of words.  Thinking that I was "getting it" I was fine as the plot moved forward.  By the time Cyrano (Kelvin Kline) did his last soliloquy the power of the message about did me in.  I don't know if I just needed a good cry, or what the trouble was, but the tears were streaming down my face.

Those feelings couldn't have been just in me, for the applause from the audience was thunderous as they rose to their feet.

If this production comes at a later date to a theatre near you, try to attend.  It is more than worth the $18.50.

On the way home that night, I was thinking back to the first production I saw where the theatre became a place of intense interest for me.  I can remember being at the Plaza Theatre and seeing Shakespeare's Julius Cesar.  James Mason played Brutus.  That was my Grade X year.  We had to memorize 12 lines of poetry for the teacher.  I did Brutus' "This was the noblest Roman of them all/" sequence.  A world opened for me that has never been closed.  God willing, dementia won't take that away from me, not that I am planning on having dementia.

Should anyone not remember the plot of Cyrano, I have lifted these few words from the Cineplex website:

Synopsis

Soldier and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Kevin Kline) is in love with Roxane (Jennifer Garner), but he’s too ashamed to admit it because of his big nose. When a cadet, Christian (Daniel Sunjata), falls for Roxane, he asks for Cyrano’s help in sharing his feelings. Cyrano writes love letters signed with Christian’s name, and Roxane doesn’t realize that it is Cyrano’s words she falls for. She marries Christian, and Cyrano continues to keep the other man’s secret, even after tragedy strikes.

P.S. There is a short trailer about the movie.  At least go there if you want to see the length of Cyrano's nose.