Archive for August, 2008
Video Teasers for Theatre
Just watched the video teaser for Company of Angels‘ new production of “The Chalk Boy” which opens, Thursday, September 4th downtown at the Alexandria Hotel as well as opening simultaneously in New York. First of all, thank you to Amy Patrice Golden and the company for inviting me to come and review their play, I am honored and [...]
Retarded
Okay this is way off tangent but…I saw “Tropic Thunder” this weekend and it was hi-lar-i-ous. Just a fun, wacky, clever romp. Robert Downey, Jr. was brilliant, actually Oscar Worthy. But more to the point: what is the deal with these developmentally-challenged groups (and I’m talking about the bureaucrats not their clientele) bleating on and on [...]
In Memory of Dave Depino and Other Thoughts
Just a quick note about the Dave Depino Memorial at the Odyssey last week. Again, I didn’t know him that well, but well enough, and judging by the love and respect from the 50+ people there – many of them fellow critics – Dave was a “Critics Choice” kind of guy. I heartily concur. It [...]
“Assassins” reviews
LA WEEKLY THEATER PICK ASSASSINS When composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim and writer John Weidman look at assassins, their vision is wayward, tough, ambiguous, sympathetic and bitterly satiric. They see people desperate and unhappy enough to embrace the quick and easy solution that never works. The figures they show us — John Wilkes Booth (Christopher Davis Carlisle); [...]
Re-Imagining the Critic
Maybe we should re-imagine the profession of the critic? Starting off by perhaps calling them “Advocates” or “Arts Advocates” rather than “reviewers” or “critics”? I realize there’s a gay magazine (or a relgious magazine not sure which) called the Advocate – so they may have already co-opted the word “advocate”. I remember I fought my [...]
Dave Depino
Just a short post to let everyone know that the memorial for our friend and LA Theatre advocate and respected critic will be happening Tuesday, August 12th, 7pm at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble. Critic and friend, Madeline Shaner wrote a lovely tribute here along with a republished letter from 2000 about the late Dave Depino “The [...]