This Has To Be The Marriage Proposals Of All Marriage Proposals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                 Just watching it on TV made me dizzy.  Not even King Kong climbed that high!  

                                 Ah, the things we do for love, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!  But this?  Where just one gust of wind could send a person into oblivion?

                                I don't think so, girls!  Nor for me!  Now, I suppose the only thing to outdo this would be a proposal atop Mount Everest?  But what are the odds of that?

                                Sure, the couple will face legal troubles, but I think it worth it.  Has anyone ever gotten a more romantic marriage proposal?

                                   Well, mine in Tiffany's was pretty special.  But that is another story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               

"Mary Hartman! Mary Hartman!" Are You Really Gone??????????????????????

                                      Yes, darlings, Louise Lasser, Woody Allen's first muse, and who indelibly portrayed Mary Hartman, died on July 6 at the age of 87.  Her death was attributed to natural causes.

                                         During half of my college years, I cannot tell you how many times, darlings, I wandered back to the dorm, so I could hear Dody Goodman say the title name twice and watch all the shenanigans therein--daughter Heather (Claudia Lamb) with her cramps, Loretta and Charlie Haggers (Mary Kay Place and Graham Jarvis) and the disturbing portrayal of spousal abuse between actors. Martin Mull and Sunan Browning.

                                              The soap opera parody was created by Norman Lear. It reminded me of the one Bob and Ray did on radio, "Mary Backstage, Noble Wife."  And after the broadcast, newscaster Judy Licht would greet " 'Mary' maven" with an update on the news before turning out the lights.  

                                                It was a seminal part of my early college years.  Then it went off and Louise seemed to vanish, though I remember her brilliant performance as Ellen Burstyn's friend in the 2000 film "Requiem For A Dream," the film in which Burstyn was robbed of an Oscar.

                                                And now Louise has departed this world.  She will make the next one laugh, and that humor will be missed here on Earth.

                                                 Rest In Peace, Louise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     

Girls, Elevate Your Home Decoration With Sandberg Wallpaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                       Darlings, just look at these patterns!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wouldn't they just enhance every living room or bedroom??????????????????

                                           My favorite is the first one with the brightest of colors.  Of course that is what I am all about.  Bur these others are just as stunning.  The last has a sort of Japanese flavor to it, which could work in the kitchen or bathroom.

                                              No, they have nothing to do with Carl Samdburg the poet, as he spelled his name with "u," not "e."

                                              Bur these patterns will elevate your home stature, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              A home has to be as pretty as us, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is It Hitchcock's Masterpiece???????????????? No, But It Is Exhilarating In Its Detail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Girls, there are so many things I can say about this film, and will, but I will start with my grad school years at NYU.  I took a film course as an elective, and as the semester rolled on, the professor kept hinting that he was going to show us a film that was not legally allowed to be shown at the time--I forget why--and that we were not to tell anyone he had shoun it.

                                             Well, I thought it was going to be something daring, foreign, with a touch of eroticism.  In a way, it turned out to be that way, for the film we saw, Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo," had a more European sensibility than most American film, especially of that time.  I had seen it on TV years before, while still in my teens, and after screening it a few days ago for what was my fourth viewing, I can say this is a film that does not stay static.  Instead, it gets better and better with each viewing. 

                                                   I would also bet, dollars to donuts that Ingmar Bergman saw this film before making his 1966 classic "Persona," as did Robert Altman before filming his 1977 gem, "Three Women."

                                                   "Vertigo" is a film about obsession, and let's start with the director's obsession with blonde women.  This film offers a diptych of them, what with Kim Novak's Madeline, and Barbara Bel Geddes' Midge.  Then there is Novak again as Judy Barton.  Ah......But let me get to some other details.

                                                          James Stewart, in one of his darkest performances, plays John "Scotty" Ferguson, a retired detective due to his suffering of the titular illness.  He is roped in by a former college friend, Gavin Elster, played by Tom Helmore, to following his wife, Madeline, about, and this sets in motion a cat and mouse game that does not end until a confrontation in a church bell tower.

                                                                For viewers'' sakes, that is as much of the plot I will divulge.  The force of this film is Kim Novak's performance as Madeline/Judy.  As the former, she is so elegant looking--my God, how I would want to wear that green dress in that red walled restaurant, or the white coat when she kisses Stewart by the sea with the waves majestically dashing against the shore--yet switches adeptly to crudeness when playing Judy, a girl who seems to have come from the wrong side of the tracks.  It is to Novak's credit as an actress, and Hitchcock's direction, that she is able to pull this off so adeptly.  I would never have expected it of her.

                                                                    I had forgotten how lushly technicolored this film is. San Francisco is to this film what Venice Italy was to "Summertime."

                                                                       "Vertigo" has any number of interesting shots--Madeline's apartment building, the museum and the portrait of Carlotta Valdez, with matching flowers, in the museum where Madeline sits, the iconic shot of Madeline "jumping" into the bay--demonstrating this may not be Hitchcock's masterpiece, as some declare, but his most visually arresting film.  And one can see here the foreshadowing of his next film which I consider his masterpiece--1960's "Psycho."

                                                                            Watching "Vertigo" is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, one that fascinates again and again.  I do not know when, if ever, I will see it again, but I can say with certainty it will continue to fascinate viewers.

                                                                                And, oh my God, Kim's outfits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        

Girls, You Will Not Believe It--I LOVED This "Ragtime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                  We saw this show last Sunday.  I had been curious about it ever since seeing the TV commercial with the whole company performing outdoors in what was my former workplace.  I knew the cast was terrific, but I had reservations that it was staged by Lear DeBessonet, now the head of Lincoln Center Theater.  I did not care for how she handled "Oliver!" at ENCORES, and I was afraid she would ruin "Ragtime" more than I felt it had been.

                                    I admit I have a problematic history with this show.  The E. L. Doctorow novel on which it is based is one of my favorites.  So much so that, when I first heard Robert Altman was to direct the movie version, I was on cloud nine.  But that fell through, and I refused to see the Milos Forman film version of 1981.  I still feel only Altman could have done "Ragtime" justice.

                                      I saw two previous productions.  I saw the original at the tail end of its run, and I am sorry to say no one in it was memorable, and the performers seemed to be walking through the performance, so it was lackluster.  There was a revival in the early 2000s, featuring Christiane Noll, whose father, a musical director, I had worked with in "The Pajama Game" in 2001.  She was good, but in retrospect brought nothing to the role.

                                        This "Ragtime" started as a concertized version at The New York Philharmonic.  At the time I asked why?  Then it became such a hit it moved to its current occupancy, The Vivian Beaumont Theater, next door to my former workplace.

                                          Allow me some humble pie.  Lear DeBessonet's staging of this production more than compensates for her miss with "Oliver!"  "Ragtime" begins on a dark stage, with the title in lights hanging above it.  The lights go down, the stage lights go up, and a little boy runs across the stage.  Then another begins the story of the New Rochelle family.  Then slowly, inexorably, like the dancers in "A Chorus Line," the entire company is elevated to upstage center, assembled and ready to sing.  They sing, they form combinations suggesting their stories will all interconnect, which they do, and while I always loved the opening number, I have never seen it staged as beautifully.

                                            That's just for starters.  Joshua Henry was out that week.  I had seen him in the 2018 "Carousel," so I know what he can do.  His replacement, John Clay III was every bit up to the level of Henry, and his and Kayla Pecchioni as Sarah's rendition of "The Wheels Of A Dream" not only stopped the show but brought tears to my eyes.  I had never shed tears for this show before.

                                              But the real anchors of this show are Caissie Levy as Mother, and Brandon Uranowitz as Tateh.  By the way, the story of he and his daughter may resemble another musical, 1986's "RAGS," which I still say has the superior score, but "Ragtime" is more embracing of all cultural intersections into America at the turn of the century.  Levy's is a powerful presence on stage, as is her singing, especially in the second act song, "Back To Before."  I am glad this gifted actress, whom I first saw do Sheila in the 20099 "HAIR," was recognized with a TONY Award.  Uranowicz breaks your heart every time he is on stage, as does Pecchioni as Sarah.  And there is also "SUFF's" Shaina Taub as Emma Goldman, Ben Levi Ross as Younger Brother, Morgan Marcell as Evelyn Nesbit, and Rodd Cyrus as Harry Houdini.  Part of this "Ragtime's" success is the great cast that has been assembled.  I urge you to see them before the show closes in August.

                                                I cannot say I now embrace the score, but I recognize more its quality and how it functions in relation to the story.  Some of that comes from DeBessonet's staging, and the exquisite cast.  I may not listen to a CD of this show, or sing any of its songs, but I will remember this production with special affection, as it made me appreciate "Ragtime."

                                                    This "Ragtime" is all that is promises and is as definitive a production as ever will be done.

                                                    Girls, I strongly urge you to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hell May Be Hot, But "Hadestown" Is Not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     I really cannot say what I expected from this show, which we saw last Saturday night, but whatever it was I did not get.

                                     This show swept the 2019 TONY Awards, and has been running for seven years, and I cannot figure out why.  To be fair, none of the performers in the current cast can be accused of walking through the show; their passion in performing the material was palpable.  Yet the end result was unsatisfying.  

                                        The plot blends two Greek myths--that of Hades and Persephone, and the other of Orpheus and Eurydice.  For starters, I did not like the idea of Jordan Tyson, playing Eurydice as a 21st century schoolgirl.  Tawdry and cheap!  I also was not bowled over by the score, written by Anais Mitchell, who also did the Book and Lyrics.  Those who like gospel, spiritual, Black culture centric music should go for it, and while I respect those forms, they did not work for me here.  Maybe the Book was just a little too long, and the show in the second act dragged.  I did love the trio of actresses playing the Three Fates; their numbers were always well staged and fun.  Plus, the set design, by Rachel Hauk, establishes a sort of smoky 'Streetcar Named Desire,' or "Porgy And Bess" atmosphere that works.

                                          Dark lighting may be apt for the subject, but it is rough on an audience.  I have not seen a show so darkly lit since the original "CATS" over forty years ago.  Though we sat fairly close to the stage, some things were not as visible as I might have wished.

                                           I looked at the show as an interesting, if not quite successful, experiment.  It started downtown at the New York Theatre Workshop, then moved uptown to Broadway.  Maybe it should not have.  Or maybe the Book should have been trimmed, and the show kept off-Broadway.

                                              Nevertheless, I am glad I saw "Hadestown."  I wish it seven more years of success, and joy to all the theatergoers who see and embrace it.

                                                 Simply not my cup of tea, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 

Girls, We Stayed At The Algonquin Last Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Now, last weekend was Pride, but that is not the reason we stayed.

                           The Actors' Temple, where David has been active before we met, and with me has been to several gatherings and services, were having a twenty-year anniversary tribute to Rabbi Jill.  That was the impetus for going, though we did other things, too.

                           But let me start with The Algonquin.  Quality service as always, but I was disappointed that have not yet replaced Hamlet with another feline mascot.  And after nine months, since I first inquired.

                              However, I did find out--and I hope I was not just getting the runaround--that they are looking for a rescue cat to replace Hamlet.  Now, according to Algonquin history, the cat to replace Hamlet has always been a female and always named Matilda.  But that will not be the case this time.  I have been assured that the succeeding cat will be a male and also named Hamlet. When he arrives, he will be Hamlet IX.  Isn't that exciting?  I cannot wait to meet him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               As for the temple, the service was lovely and the tribute fitting.  The highlight of the tribute, especially me, was when Musical Stage Legend Neva Small, got up and sang a song she sang in Bernstein's "Mass." I have always wanted to hear the whole work, which Neva and others introduced originally at the Kennedy Center.  Neva was superb and showed everyone there how to really perform.  She will be 74 in November, the day before my birthday.  Mine is the 18th, hers the 17th.

                               We love you, Neva!  You will always be a legend to us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               And congratulations to Rabbi Jill.  I wish her another twenty years of service.

                              "Would a convent take a Jewish girl?"  No, darlings the real question is--Would a Yeshiva take a Catholic boy??????????????????"

                                And love to The Algonquin, and all the staff there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!