Review: "The Sunshine Boys" at The Ahmanson

Ah, the Ahmanson. LA's premium Broadway outlet. Patrons can always count on this venue to deliver some type of theatre that will be either going to or coming from New York. So...it figures that Danny Devito and hisTaxi comerade Judd Hirsch would eventually make an appearance. 

I liked it. But it is not the best thing I have seen this year. 

The Sunshine Boys exhibits timely, old-school comedy in that "best friends who know everything about each other" kind of way. This is a true Neil Simon piece of work, in a good way. I enjoyed it for sure, as I always happily laugh through Neil Simon plays. But if I may make a sweeping generalization, Dads love Neil Simon, so if you're looking for a good father/daughter date or a "bros night out," this is the show to make him laugh. There are some really great situational moments, some super lines...and others that are incredibly cheesy. Overall it's a good time. 

Apparently DD loves this role, as a quick Google search of the show yields a multitude of articles, photos and infrmation on his previous run with the now late Richard Griffiths. After all, it was DD's West End debut. Woot. He does a great job in it. He's got the timing down and I would go as far to say that he owned the role of struggling, nearly retired actor, Willy Clark. He and Hirsch play off each other well...I can't exactly say that something was missing specifically...but it needed something to happen to make it exceptional. I wasn't completely awed in my theatre experience that night, but I did enjoy some good laughs with a friend.

There was one brilliant moment that stuck out to me in particular. When Al Lewis comes over to Willy Clark's Upper West Side appartment (his former Vaudeville companion) to rehearse for their television reunion act, there is a dispute over the blocking for their comedy sketch. The two spend nearly four silent minutes rearranging the furnature behind each other's backs. I could not stop laughing, watching DD waddling around the stage, with JH unknowingly fumbling around behind him. That was a great, old fashioned, piece of gag blocking. I laughed nearly the entire time and there was never a word spoken on stage.

Surprise Bonus: Justin Bartha makes a small appearance. Sorry, not his best performance. And this is my second time seeing him on stage. Cute...but could have done more with the role.. Maybe he's better off just almost dying in every Hangover film. 

Anyway, it's cute. In that good Neil Simon kind of way. Don't miss it. But, there are some other great shows coming up at CTG this season that I might be more excited for. 

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The Sunshine Boys ran September 24th through November 3rd at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

Review: "12 Angry Men" at the Pasadena Playhouse

Last Sunday, I was lucky to be invited to the packed house, final dress of the Pasadena Playhouse's performance of 12 Angry Men. What a gorgeous venue with good seating for eveyone. I had never been there before and I look forward to returning.

Director Sheldon Epps takes a bold step in splitting the cast of this classic piece of American literature by Reginald Rose in half by race: black and white. This is an interesting idea that I will revisit later. But-

I'm going to keep this review short, because all I really need to say is that this was a very good production of a very good play.

The cast is tight all around, really brining the diverse backgrounds and personalities of the men to life. Juror #8 played by Jason George of Grey's Anatomy (among other pieces of film and television) really brings the show home, while each of the men really grips the audience through elements of humor, passion, prejudice and experience. The acting was extremely impressive, even heartwarming in a play as tense as this, but, that being said, this is such a well written piece of theatre that the show really speaks for itself. There's no question why it's a classic piece of American theatre and literature. My friends and I really were on the edge of our seats the entire time (even though the two theatre majors were completely familiar with the plot).

Talking with my theatre-going friends at dinner after the show, we all agreed that the show was great, very well done. Our only hesitation is that we would have liked to see the black/white dynamic, perhaps showcased through different roles. Or, switching roles amongst the cast at every performance. At the end of Act I, we see that the jury is split, the blacks thinking the boy on trial is innocent, the whites saying guilty. Stereotypically, this does make sense, but we were interested in seeing how the play played so to speak if the roles had been reversed or jumbled.

Don't miss it. I feel like I'm being brief, but this is one of the best shows I've seen upon moving back to LA.

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12 Angry Men runs November 5th through December 1st at the Pasadena Playhouse. For tickets and information, check out 12 Angry Men.

Review: "The Black Suits" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

I'm sitting in the garage I always dreamed of in high school. Two(ish) hot dudes, plus a nerdy drummer and base player, guitars raging, a stash of weed hidden inside a neglected toolbox and half a bottle of Jaimison that some college drop out stole from his dad's liquor cellar. For a teenage girl, the atmosphere is beyond perfect. I'm digging the scene, I feel like the luckiest (premature) hipster on the culdesac and I'm probably going to make out with one of these rockers by the end of the night. The band plays and...they're ok...not the U2 protégés I had been hoping for...but I'm still having a good time. Ok, so this song is a little cheesy...and they're not actually that great...but I'm still having a great time and these guys are cute and funny. So I think I'm going to stick around to see what happens.

Thus entailes my audience experience whilst watching Joe Iconis's latest original musical, The Black Suits. The show is fun, it has moments very reminiscent of high school, some that are very moving and honest, some great comedic timing and super cool set design...but I wasn't sold on the package in its intirety. While the musical had its moments, I was not totally in love with the music like I hoped I would be. I am SO HAPPY that CTG took the chance on an original content musical (I am prone to vomiting at movie to musical adaptations these days), but I didn't find the music itself especially original. To give you an idea, the style is a little bit like Spring Awakening meets Next to Normal meets SMASH which is not surprising considering that the smash (haha) hit TV show is Iconis's musical baby. And actually, just combine the concepts behind of all those shows to get the plot of this play. Teenagers with emotional issues, struggle to fame, angst: yes, they're timeless but at the same time...what else is new? None of the songs really stuck with me, unfortunately. And I like it when I leave the building whistling a song or two. 

The cast has its ups and downs. The boys have a great dynamic as an ensemble. They're all great singers and they seem to have a lot of fun together. Sometimes they got a little wiggly in their teenage moments of immaculate solo glory. The women have their high and low points. I had moments when I wished for a little more Joan Jet and a little less Cinderella in the female lead, Lisa. Then we also raise the question of why the female characters are the supporters, the cheerleaders so to speak for the men, for the boys' band, but honestly that's not where my biggest concerns lie with this production. I didn't enjoy any of the three female ballads: ultra clichè. 

I'm not ripping on this show, completely. I laughed often and I was touched by moments of teenage bliss and torture. I invited friends. I rocked out a little. Do I think it has a life on Broadway...maybe for the market...maybe to sell out...but I'm not totally impressed. Dont miss it, but it's also ok if you do. In other words, it was fun while it lasted. 

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The Black Suits runs at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, CA from October 17th through November 24th. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or through centertheatregroup.org.