IF FOUR CURTAIN CALLS AND STANDING OVATIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU TO SEE ‘EDWARD SCISSORHANDS’ – then you might as well fold your tent and take off for a small isolated Island.

Matthew Bourne has taken the movie “Edward Scissorhands” to new thrilling heights with a soaring musical score and astonishing lighting. Along with that, he has picked some of the best dancers and actors in the world. This stage version of the extremely popular movie is definitely in the WOW category. You know that you are watching great actors who can portray people of a suburban town without uttering a word. Their hand movements, their eyes and the expressions on their faces tell the story. When they dance – its like whipped cream on top of the biggest Ice Cream Soda that you have ever had. From Jitter Bug and beyond – this team give dance a wicked send up.

‘Scissorhands’ is deftly directed. The haunting moments of a boy that was made part by part by his ‘Maker’ never gets to get completed. His maker dies before the final touch of putting real fingers on the young man. He now has to live with the tempory metal scissors that he was wearing until he got the real thing. He becomes the town Celeb and dazzles the people who live in the “Wisteria Lane” pastel houses, with his fantastic ability to trim bushes into poodles and other animals. He also becomes an expert hair stylist using his metal fingers to give the ladies wonderful modernistic hair do’s. What fun it is to watch him cut hair at “Edwardo’s Hair Salon”. But, alas – Celeb status doesn’t last forever, and because of an incident that was not his fault – the boy is run out of town by an envious boyfriend and his group of high-level testosterone pals. Edward is driven back to the old crumbling castle where he is doomed to live alone. For a time, he found love, kindness and was happy. One moment everything was bright and breezy, but darkness and envy creeps in to shatter the sweet moments.

The bright, energetic cast dances up a storm. It’s pure entertainment. There is a dream sequence that you will just love. Edward dreams (Sam Archer) that he finally has real fingers and dances with his love. This is a musical without words – so everything depends on what the dancer can reveal to us. It’s like watching a silent movie with a marvelous orchestra conducted by Terry Davis. Edward may have scissors for hands, but I doubt if there was a woman in the audience that wasn’t lusting for him. Maybe, it’s the danger factor.

Matthew Bourne has given us an inspired and glorious musical dance show that is sweet, inventive and quirky. It’s everything I had hoped it would be. Except for this: I would like to suggest that maybe a singing voice (off stage) set to the wonderful music from the film could give this show that extra edge. I can hear it in my head – a duet love song, in the background, sung by someone, as Edward and his love dance, would in my view, add another dimension to the heart-wrenching story. It has been done before to great success in other shows. “Contact” comes to mind.

RATING: FOUR GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE!!!! At the Orpheum Theater.

DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHER, GENIUS. That would be Matthew Bourne.


Director Matthew Bourne

In my chat with Matthew Bourne the day before the premiere opening of “Edward Scissorhands” -- The Dance musical that is on the way to Broadway, we talked about some of his shows.

I asked him why “Story Without Words” was cancelled in Berkeley before it opened. Bourne said: “It was strictly a financial thing.”

And when I asked him why it took ten years for his wonderful “Swan Lake” to get to San Francisco…he replied, “We weren’t invited before that. We can only go where we are invited Lee. We really didn’t tour Swan Lake. It only appeared in New York and the Ahmanson Theater in LA and in San Francisco.

‘Highland Fling’, (based on local favorite La Sylphide) is another of his shows that had success in London…and I wondered why it never came to the U.S. “We just can’t get people interested in it”, he said. “They just don’t seem to get it”.

Is there any news of Will Kemp (a dancer who appeared in many of Bourne’s shows.)? Will he be in something soon? –“Will is not available right now. He prefers to do shorter things and not make long-term commitments. He is going in the direction of acting and wants to concentrate on that. Being in a touring show requires that long-term commitment.

When I asked him whether any more of his ballets would be shown on PBS as “Swan Lake” was. He seemed to think that some of them would make it to TV in the near future. And, that is good news for people who can’t afford tickets for the Theater.

Is he a “Sir” yet in England? “No, not yet – but I am in ‘The Order of The British Empire’. It would be nice though to get that honor from the Queen. We’re working on it.”

I have always wanted to see a musical based on the Oscar Wilde Story “The Portrait of Dorian Grey”. It was a Great movie that still intrigues people today. – “It’s funny that you brought that up. You must be psychic. As we are talking, right here, on this Laptop is a lot of research that I have doing on Dorian Grey. The only thing is, I don’t know whether I want to use a Canvas Portrait that ages or use a photo. Another thing that bothers me about the story is that there are no good guys in it. There are no redeeming characters in it.” I also mentioned that I had thought that it had all of the dramatic elements for a great musical and that I thought that Andrew Lloyd Webber could probably come up with a great score. And there IS some music from the movie. Who could forget Angela Lansbury singing ‘Little Yellow Bird’?

We’ll see who beats whom to the stage. Or maybe collaboration?

IT’S A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE


Joy Lian and Ricardo Rust. Lois Tema

Most boys have a hard time telling their mother that they are gay, especially when they are already living with a lover. I know one guy that is so afraid that someone will find him out that he introduces his live-in lover as a friend. They even have different Telephone numbers – so that lover never needs to answer the other phone, in case one of his sisters should be on the other end of the line. Everyone just assumes that they live in different areas of the City.

And that’s just what the story in the musical “Convenience” is about. With a musical score, the story unfolds about how little things – explode into big differences. The son feels Mom is too controlling and he dreads telling her that he is Gay. Mom has her own little secret too. She has met a man that she plans to marry, but doesn’t want to tell her son. The story is told almost completely with the singing. Rarely is there any dialogue that isn’t sung.

The trouble with the music is that it basically is a one- song score that is reprised over and over. Not one song stands on it’s own. There is the recurring tune – that not only sounds like Sondheim, but also is extremely close to the Melody of one song in Sweeny Todd…called “Nothing’s going to Harm You.” As a matter of fact, there is a close resemblance to Sondheim’s little musical “Company”.

That aside Gregg Coffin’s story has much to like. There are some very witty lyrics that shine on many fronts. The cast is very talented. Everyone is truly believable in their roles. They are: Andrew Willis-Woodward as Vince who gives a natural, amorous touch to his role. Loretta Janca as ‘Mom’ wins us over. Also turning in effective performances are Ricardo Rust (he’s a hoot), Joy Lian (as young ‘Mom’) and Mike Figueira as Mom’s boyfriend.

For those that look for details – Vince who lays back frequently on a couple of chairs wearing different color tee-shirts will notice that every time he lays back, not matter what Tee he is wearing – there is always a two inch gap of skin showing. Now, that must have taken some real planning. Nice touch though.

All in all ‘Convenience’ is smartly plotted and directed…making it a satisfying and entertaining evening.

RATING: THREE GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE!!! At The New Conservatory Center.

THE FUNNIES

COULD IT BE TRUE? They say that K. Fed (X Mr. Britney) has started cashing in his chips for free dinners…now that Mrs. Britney has canceled his credit cards. What is it they say: “What goes up – must go down.”

Bono is not happy. The Irish rock band U2 won a court battle against a former stylist. They claimed that the stylist took important memorabilia without their permission almost two decades ago. Celebs say: “See – age doesn’t affect your memory.”

Michael Jackson at a recent awards show was booed while singing “We are the People”. Seems he can’t hit the high notes anymore. Celebs add: “Give it up Michael”.

“The sash you have to wear – it’s embarrassing.” That little gem came from George Clooney who has been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2006. This makes him a two-time winner.
Celebs wanna know: “How do they know he’s the sexiest? Do they have some kind of bed test or something?” Those Celebs – always wondering.



The Photo of Lee Hartgrave Boy Reporter is by Jim Ferreira – Film Noir & Hollywood Glamour. www.lafterhall.com.

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