Beautiful Thing – “Brilliantly Acted!”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Nov. 20‚ 2009
BEAUTIFUL THING IS PASSIONATE
This coming of age story is SOMBER, WITTY, TOUCHING and GRITTY! Two young teenage boys are feeling their way into new ways to fall in love. Their romance is totally believable as the two actors Ben Carver and Brant Rotnem really make us believe in the characters. They are perfectly cast. Carver plays a young Boy that is confused about his sexuality. The acting is brilliant. Carver brings out emotional nuances that eventually explode to the surface. Brant Rotnem, Carter’s love interest -- is a rock. He loves sports – and his emotions are teetering on the edge. Yep, Rotnem has plenty of male pheromones that would make anyone wilt in his presence. His performance is both heartwarming, and heartbreaking. Hollywood may just discover this guy.
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Fat Pig – “Provocative!”; Cabaret: Jane Monheit – “On A High Note!”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Nov. 13‚ 2009
FAT PIG: “IT’S NOT OVER TILL THE FAT LADY CRIES”
Tom, a handsome corporate type guy meets an overweight woman at a beach food stand. She is very outgoing and has a great sense of humor, especially about her overweight status. She even jokes about it, as she stuffs more food down her mouth.
Some will wonder why this handsome guy Tom would start to fall in love with Helen. Well, have you ever heard of Chubby Chasers? Tom may be one of them. Or maybe he is just curious about this woman (Helen) who is attractive, even if she is overweight.
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Destry Rides Again - “Great Fun!”; Ashford & Simpson – “A Comet Ride!”; Wing - “Fascinating!”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Nov. 06‚ 2009
DESTRY RIDES AGAIN IS HIGH CAMP FUN
This is a classic Western treat that will put you back in the saddle again. A new cowboy rides into this corrupted hick town on a dusty road. The Cowboy is a down-to-earth, very laid-back kind of guy. His name is Destry. Shucks, he doesn’t even wear a gun on his belt. The new Sheriff has brought Destry in to help clean up the town, where a former Sheriff has disappeared.
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November “Remarkable!”; Mrs. Whitley “Love Bites”; Creature “Riveting!”; Bronson Movie “Raw, Scary!”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Oct. 30‚ 2009
NOVEMBER IS ON FIRE -- AND THEY ROAST POLITICOS
DAVID MAMET’S PLAY “NOVEMBER” IS A FARCE that is probably more “true” than not. Just what does go on in the Oval Office? It could be like this: It’s November in a Presidential election year. The current sitting Prez is facing an election that looks like his chances are not good. His approval ratings are way down, his money’s run out to pay for TV Ads, and nuclear war might be right around the corner. His staff has more or less given up on him. Why, cause he’s basically a moron.
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Tiny Kushner – Five Short Plays; Singer – Anne Kerry Ford
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Oct. 23‚ 2009
TONY KUSHNER is the legendary playwright, who is best known for his “Angels in America” that started out in San Francisco at the Eureka Theatre and then went on to world fame. He also wrote these amazing and wonderful hits: ‘Brundibar, ‘Homebody/Kabul’ and ‘Slavs’. So we know that he is a wonderful with words. However, I’m disappointed in the “Five” so-called short plays at the Berkeley Rep.
It starts out with a little story about two people on the Moon. They are dead – one “The Queen of Albania” – doesn’t know that she is dead, but she does have one subject to rule – a young woman (Valeri Mudek). Cute concept, but not fleshed out very well. The possibilities vanished -- maybe because the U.S had bombed the Moon. I added that part – it’s not in the play.
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Schocktoberfest’s -‘Phantom Limb’; Olivier; Will Durst, Sandra Bernhard; Goldfish at Magic
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Oct. 16‚ 2009
THE TORTURE GARDEN and THE PHANTOM LIMB
THE PHANTOM LIMB is set in a New Orleans brothel following the American Civil War. A rag-tag parade of wounded and mutilated Confederate and union soldiers have come to this place with the promise that the madam will offer to ‘heal’ them. Keep in mind the Soldiers have lost a Leg or an Arm. The Madam Massages the jacket of an armless man and convinces him that she has restored the lost feeling in his missing arm. This money hungry-madam is making quite a good living at taking advantage of these poor souls.
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Call Me Madam – “A Political Hoot”; RENT Musical Still Compelling; Heidi Chronicles; Bling!!
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Oct. 09‚ 2009
CALL ME MADAM – WISE HUMOR PACKS A WALLLOP!
50’S MUSICAL COMEDY SPOOFS AMERICA’S PENCHANT FOR LENDING BILLIONS TO NEEDY COUNTRIES.
“Call Me Madam” the musical hit from the 50’s is so current that you would think that it was written today. Irving Berlin’s Music and Lyrics is just loaded with frothy satire about politicians. And the melodies are just terrific. Every one of the songs are classic standards that you will instantly recognize.
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First Day of School – “Let's Have Sex!”; The Little Dog Laughed – “Brilliant!”; Micro Movies: Me and Orson Welles – “Passionate!”; BLING!
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Oct. 02‚ 2009
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – HURRY UP! BELL’S RINGING!
Well, at this school you would expect to see student activities for the first days of school. Those activities are: Introduce yourself … find seating chart … and do some energizers. You know, like activities that will energize you and your new friends. But in this stage play, the parents take it to a new level. Their first day of school goes like this: They introduce themselves by saying to a fellow parent. “Do you want to have Sex with me?” Instead of a seating chart, it turns out to be a bed. And for energizers – a little glass of wine or more will do the trick.
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South Pacific – “Waves of Fun”; Cleo Laine / John Dankworth - “Sensational”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Sep. 25‚ 2009
SOUTH PACIFIC IS TOTAL ENTERTAINMENT
From the moment that the Twenty Five-piece Orchestra starts to play the score of South Pacific you are ready for a boat ride to Pacific Ocean breezes. Palm trees sway and sailors cavort around half dressed (shirts off) as they sing, dance and do acrobatics “There Is Nothing Like A Dame” they sing. What fun!
Some may think that nothing could match up to the original that starred Mary Martin. I would say that this sweeping rendition is even better than the original.
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Brief Encounter – “I Didn’t Want to Leave!”; Marilyn Maye – “Sensational!”; Romeo and Julien – “Boy Meets Transgender”
by Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave‚
Sep. 18‚ 2009
BRIEF ENCOUNTER - DAZZLING!
I didn’t want to leave my seat. They had to drag me out after everyone else left the Theatre. I was so entranced that I couldn’t move after the show. The Magic will come back if I just sit here – I said to myself
November 20, 2009
