Girls, There Is Nothing Like It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 The Holiday Season is really rushing in.  The Radio City Christmas Tree arrives Saturday, and yesterday David and I took in the very first performance of The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.  And it lived up to its name.

                                   The Rockettes Falling Soldiers Routine is still an impressive showstopper.  But the icing on the cake, is the Living Nativity.  I am telling you, when the angel descends from the sky, singing, and The Nativity appears, with even the Baby Jesus being a real baby, I don't think the real thing could have been better staged.  There was, however, a lamb, downstage left, who looked directly at the audience.  Maybe it was his first time on stage, or maybe he just wanted extra attention.  But all the animals were fabulous. 

                                       This show is equal opportunity.  It gives audiences a secular, colorful, commercialized look at Christmas, with songs aplenty.  But when it goes spiritual, look out.  I mean, this is on par with "The Song Of Bernadette," darlings, and you had better be sitting up straight in your seats.

                                          The 90 minutes flew by, with everyone getting their fill.  This is one of the most satisfying of all Christmas entertainments in NYC.  And for those who value unison dancing, look no further than here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             The Holiday Season is upon us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, After Viewing "Parasite" I Still Do Not Know What To Expect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        I had always wanted to see this 2019 film, the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for "Best Picture."  But when I did, it was far from what I expected.  What I did expect was a light, Korean take on the comedy of social manners, where a poor family envies a wealthy one, and tries to interject its way into it.  That element is there, but the results are far from comic.

                                            It is hard to explain.  There is also the matter of a group of squatters living in a hiding space of one house, and how they function while the owners go about their business. This was when I got confused and just settled back and watched.

                                              Bong Joo Ho knows about convoluted plotting and great camera shots capturing the sprawl of Korean suburbia in a manner that almost replicates America.  Sunshine surrounds one, but darkness is hiding underneath.

                                                   And when it erupts, oh, my God!  What starts out as a child's birthday party turns into a massacre worthy of an 80's slasher film, when some homeless guy with a machete comes onto the property and starts killing everyone in sight.  This sequence goes on for almost too long, and leaves a blood bath in its wake, unlike any I have seen, and that would be plenty.

                                                       Ho asks who the parasite is, or who are the parasites?  Is it you?  Is It I?

                                                       The film leaves viewers to figure this out for themselves.

This Has NOTHING To Do With Tennessee Williams, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  When I hear the name of Elysian Fields, I think of Stanley and Stella Kowalksi.  Isn't that where they lived, or at least nearby?  Imagine my surprise, when I heard it in this new musical, that the name comes from Homer's "The Odyssey" (which I have not read since high school) and refers to a place at the West end of Earth where men can inhabit freely.  Sounds good to me.  At one time, Manhattan seemed to be that.  But now...............

                                     Alas, if only I could dwell on the above and not have to talk about this new musical, also titled "Elysian Fields," and written by Steve Fisher and Marc Fliedner.  It played in the John Cullum Theatre at the American Theatre Of Actors, and this was its closing performance.  They have come up with an interesting premise--what if Abraham Lincoln had a gay relationship with Joshua Speed, meanwhile following two present day gay men named Abraham and Joshua.   It is a great idea, but like many great ideas it fails to work, not because of lack of the librettists' talent, but because they have tried to cram too much, musically and dramatically, into this show.

                                        Had the show been split into two acts, one centering on Lincoln and Speed, the other on Abraham and Joshua, this could have been a good show.  The composer and lyricist have a sense of musicality and melodic structure that gives the show some potential.  But the show is mired down in the concept of time travel, which I never fully grasped, and want to cover present day issues like civil and gay rights.  One could build shows on those issues alone.  Here, too many ingredients cause the soup to boil over.

                                          Cut, cut, cut, that is what the show needs.  Refigure it into the two-act concept I suggested, get rid of the ensemble, so Andres Coopman can provide more varied choreography and cohesive direction, and center it on the story of the two sets of Abrahams and Josuhas.

                                             By the way, the actors playing those roles, Harrison Drake and Casey A. Johnson are amazingly good.  Centering on them would give them more talent to display and keep this show on track, which it badly needs.  Drake is the hottest Abraham Lincoln I have seen, and that helps a lot.  Johnson as Joshua is cute-ish, but I wonder how the relationships would work.

                                             In any case, there is hope. "Elysian Fields" was a workshop production, an Equity showcase, so more work can be done on it.  If my suggestions are followed, the show could be on its way to a moderate success.

                                              Oh, and three hours is much too long, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Do Not Invite These "Visitors" To Your Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Bryna Turner's domestic drama has a capable cast, including the theatrical Divinity that is Celia Keenan-Bolger.  But not even Celia can save this mess.  Jenna Worsham's direction is skilled and capable but adds up to nothing because Turner's text is not fully realized.

                                             The premise is simple--a youngest sister, Joanna (Mary Wiseman) and her partner, Naomi (Eco Jouley) wants to have a baby, but there is a problem.  One of Joanna's kidneys is failing and in order to carry the pregnancy she needs a donor fast.  So, they invite Joanna's siblings, including estranged brother Rory (Danny Wolohan) and the battle is on.  Who will give Joanna one of their kidneys?.  The next 90 minutes, with no intermission, hinges on that.

                                                But Turner's writing is not cohesive.  I thought at first that Theresa (Ceilia Keenan-Bolger) and Henry (Will Pullen) were husband and wife. I thought Henry the most insufferable of the group but wait until a twist at the end when the real villain is revealed.  Oh, my God!

                                                   Of course, things are entertaining enough--who doesn't love family bickering because it is all something we can relate to--but it isn't "August: Osage County."  Even though that play we twice as long as this, Tracy Letts was a skilled playwright, the time just flew.  Had this been three hours long, I am not sure I would have last, Celia or not.

                                                     I can only wish Celia luck with this show and hopes for a better one that showcases her singular talent. Yes, she has the range to go beyond her past portrayals, but the writing here just does not do her character. justice.

                                                       Skip this one, girls, as it may not run long, anyway.  For more gripping family drama, pick an argument with one of your most disliked relations.

                                                           Hey, the holidays are coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                                    

                                                     

"Hell's Bells!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Christ On A Bicycle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                            I have not heard that expression in ages, but I used to hear it often, as a child, used by my parents' generation whenever they got frustrated.

                              One day, I did or said something to my mother, and she had just had it, so she shouted this at me!  I began laughing, because as soon as she said it, what came to me was the image of Judy Garland in the house up in the cyclone, and instead of Miss Gulch appearing on her bike, it was......Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              But that is just me.  The phrase is of British origin, but I know not where or how.  But whenever I think of it, I want to burst out laughing.

                                I always thought Jesus had a sense of humor, so I think he would get a kick out of it.  He would have to have a sense of humor, with all the craziness going on down below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Go for a bike ride, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Election Day And Happy Gojira Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        And Gojira would like all of you to get out there and vote!

                                       It is the first Tuesday in November, so that means Election Day.

                                       But--On this day in 1954, seventy-two years ago, and fifteen days before yours truly was born, an art house in Los Angeles introduced the original 1954 "Gojira" film.  Unfortunately, it took 50 years for viewers to see it, thanks to Joseph E. Levine and his dumb idea of cutting it, Americanizing it and having Raymond Burr as some sort of patsy.  And then the name was changed to Godzilla!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Make no mistake, darlings, the name is Gojira and we have Baby Gojira living with us.  Both wish everyone a Happy Election Day and urge you to get out and vote.

                                            I would not be surprised if Gojira, who is so thoughtful, is working the polls today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Did You Know Yesterday Would Have Been Betsy Palmer's 100th Birthday??????????????????????????????

                                 No one has ever said, "Kill her, Mommy! Kill her!" like Betsy Palmer.  I can say this because I am having such fun with Linda Cardellini as the young Pam Voorhees, whom I could easily see morphing into Palmer.  The adaptation, however, is something else, and that is not a compliment, but I will discuss all that at length, once I have finished the entire series.

                                   How could Betsy have guessed a piece of junk like "Friday The 13th" would have become a cult classic, and Mrs. Voorhees turn out to be her signature role?  Such are the ways of show biz careers.

                                       Wouldn't we all have loved to wear that white fisherman's sweater yesterday to honor Miss Palmer.  I know I would have.

                                          So, a happy 100th birthday to Betsy Palmer, and another 100 years of entertainment from Mrs. Voorhees.

                                           "...what you did to him!  Look what you DID to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                          Don't you just love it, darlings???????????????????????