Thursday, February 20, 2020
Review: WEST SIDE STORY ON BROADWAY
WEST SIDE STORY
ON BROADWAY
Directed by Ivo van Hove
Choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Book by Arthur Laurents; Based on a Conception by Jerome Robbins; Music by Leonard Bernstein; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim;
Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins
The Short Review: DON'T MISS IT!
Slightly longer review:
The score, by Leonard Bernstein is, alone, more than enough reason to see (and hear!) the show.
The dancing, choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker is, alone, more than enough reason to see the show.
The direction, by Ivo Van Hove, together with the scenic and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld is, alone, more than enough reason to see the show.
And the basic idea of the show, traced back to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is, also, more than enough reason to see the show.
Finally, with all those spectacular elements put together, the show is AMAZING! There are few times in life when one finds so much energy, and pleasure, and tragedy, and brilliance in less than two hours.
Dharon E. Jones and the cast of WEST SIDE STORY 2020
Photo by Jan Versweyveld.
- The design consists of a back wall on which are projected images and videos, as well as two areas which open; one reveals a dress maker's shop, where Maria is getting a custom-made dress; the other a store where Tony works.
- The videos are mostly live shots of the actors, and the images include outdoor locations which serve as the backdrops for scenes that occur outdoors.
- The live videos plus the live action during the dazzling activity of the dancing and the fighting encompass such a grand scale of action that I felt it would take more than one visit to the show to encompass and appreciate everything that was happening.
- I found the video to be exciting and to contribute to the energy of the show.
- However, the action of the play, with "rumbles" and black vs Puerto Rican gangs squaring off in a formal manner, seems not much like current news, and more like an abstract version of news reports from the era when the original version was created; so the video cameras carried visibly on the stage seemed anachronistic
- The action of West Side Story arises from the conflict of two gangs -- the resident black Jets, and the newly arrived Puerto Rican Sharks.
- but it is not always easy, in the heat of dancing, fighting action, to understand who is who, or which is which.
- In the first photo below, the color theme of the Sharks is reddish, and of the Jets bluish, which helps, but in the photo below that it is much less clear.
- Similarly, the Jets are mostly dark skinned, and the Sharks lighter skinned, but in both pictures below, it is not true of everyone.
- In fact Tony is one of the least Jet-like members of the Jets, and Maria one of the least Shark-like Sharks.
- Is this the point?
Shereen Pimentel, Isaac Powell,
and the cast of WEST SIDE STORY 2020
Photos by Jan Versweyveld
- I have little knowledge of dance. For me, the difference in style of the dancing of the Jets and the Sharks was too subtle to be understood as truly significant.
- As in Rome and Juliet, the initial meeting of the two young lovers, here Tony and Maria, must be instantaneous and spectacular love at first sight. Although Shereen Pimentel and Isaac Powell, as performers, convey throughout the play a convincing bond, and they sing together beautifully, at first they seem like an unlikely couple, (in addition to the feeling described above, that neither is a spot-on archetype of their group).
A note about seating: Some very significant events in the play happen on the floor. It is nice to be very close to the stage, because you feel connected to the actors. (In fact, when the action happens in the rooms behind the wall, and both the actors and their video images are visible, it is the video that seems more real, because the actors seem so small in comparison.) Nevertheless, for at least the first rows of seats in the orchestra, the stage is some inches above eye level; so it may be advantageous to sit in the mezzanine.
A note about the show: The show runs less than 2 hours. There is no intermission. There is no late seating!
Another note: Steven Spielberg, completely independent of the Broadway production, will release a filmed version of West Side Story, expected in December, 2020.
SPOILERS COMING
The story is a tragedy caused by unnecessary and terrible tribalism and hate.
(Spoiler: Every time I see Romeo & Juliet, I keep hoping that this time, they will find a way to prevent the tragedy.
In fact, there have been adaptations -- with a bad reputation -- versions which have a more happy ending. In West Side Story, the end is somewhat altered, but much tragedy remains.)
The story was a tragedy caused by hate 400 years ago when Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet; and it is still a tragedy; and there is still tribal hate today.
In West Side Story, the story just ends, there is no moral explicitly attached. Everyone must take away their own take-away. Shakespeare, however, gave the Prince a closing coda, in part blaming himself, the man in charge:
THE PRINCE:
Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague!
See: What a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
And I, for winking at your discords, too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen:
Have lost a brace of kinsmen:
all are punish'd.
s
Labels: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Arthur Laurents, Dharon E. Jones, Isaac Powell, Ivo van Hove, Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, Shereen Pimentel, Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story
Friday, November 01, 2013
ROMEO AND JULIET with CONDOLA RASHAD and ORLANDO BLOOM
ORLANDO BLOOM AND CONDOLA RASHAD
SHAKESPEARE’S
ROMEO AND JULIET
ON BROADWAY
DIRECTED BY DAVID LEVEAUX
Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad
ROMEO AND JULIET
Photo by Robert Ascroft
Romeo and Juliet on Broadway with Condola Rashad and Orlando Bloom is a great, family friendly Shakespearean Broadway show.
It begins with a bang: with terrific and energetic stage combat; and it continues with the entry of Orlando Bloom (as Romeo) on a motorcycle to screams from the audience. (They scream again later when he takes off his shirt to reveal quite a well developed upper body.)
Orlando is a movie star and Condola Rashad is a great Broadway actress. As Juliet, she conveys a spirit of youth and freshness, and with Orlando they make a convincingly loving young couple. The balcony scene is brilliantly staged and acted.
Condola Rashad
On the Balcony
ROMEO AND JULIET
Photo by Carol Rosegg
The language is clear and understandable; the production continues with fire (literally) and spirit.
The tragic climax (hopefully this is not a big spoiler) of the play seems somehow less tragic than usual, which may play well with the Broadway audience.
Geoffrey Owens, as Prince Escalus, begins the play with authority, trying to keep peace in a town hosting a notorious feud between the Capulets and Montagues; and he concludes the play as the warring families agree to reconcile after the tragic death of their children.
Indeed I found the ending of the play seemed to have more weight than usual - suggesting a parallel with current politics: I found myself hoping that the Congressmen warring on the government - with opposition to even its normal operations - would find a way to become a part of a constructive government process before some tragedy fully unfolds upon the US.
Juliet (Condola Rashad) and her family are cast with black actors and Romeo's family with white actors. However, there is no attempt to equate the war between the Capulets and Montagues with any form of racial tension. (It does help to keep track of who's who -- something that can otherwise be difficult at times in Shakespeare.)
In the play script, Juliet is perhaps 13; Romeo slightly older. And their sudden young teen crush is partly a justification for their rash and poorly considered actions: leading to their deaths by impatience. (A little waiting and everything would have sorted itself out!) Almost all productions, including this one, cast actors who are much older. Part of the reason being, of course, that it is very, very difficult to find actors capable of performing the roles of Romeo and Juliet when they are that young. Various methods of handling the age discrepancy between actors and characters have been tried over the years. In this production, both actors try to assume the personality of younger (kinda foolish) people. Orland's Romeo is very "romantic", and his head seems always in the clouds; Condola's Juliet is girlish, flirty and physically flighty, but very determined.
All in all, if not a profoundly tragic Romeo and Juliet, this is an entertaining, clear, thoughtful, energetic and enjoyable production.
SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet
SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET - THE COMPLETE TEXT (FROM MIT)
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/full.html
ROMEO AND JULIET - OFFICIAL SITE BROADWAY PRODUCTION
http://romeoandjulietbroadway.com/
ORLANDO BLOOM - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Bloom
ORLANDO BLOOM - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0089217/
CONDOLA RASHAD - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condola_Rashad
DAVID LEVEAUX - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Leveaux
ROMEO AND JULIET - ON AMAZON
ORLANDO BLOOM - ON AMAZON
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Labels: Condola Rashad, David Leveaux, Geoffrey Owens, Orlando Bloom, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
MERYL STREEP, KEVIN KLINE, ROMEO, JULIET, AL PACINO
Shakespeare in the Park
Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep
Directed by Daniel Sullivan
Gala Honoree: Al Pacino
This one-night-only event will be performed on the Delacorte’s 50th Anniversary, June 18, 2012
Conceived by Joe Papp, The Delacorte Theater in Central Park officially opened on June 18, 1962 with its first production, The Merchant of Venice featuring George C. Scott and James Earl Jones. During the past five decades, more than five million people have enjoyed free Shakespeare in the Park thanks to the support of Partners and Sponsors.
Tickets for The Public Theater’s Anniversary Gala on Monday, June 18 begin at $1,500 and include dinner al fresco in Central Park and a post-show dessert celebration. For more information, please call 212-539-8547 or visit
http://shakespeareinthepark.org/gala/
www.ShakespeareInThePark.org .
The Public Theater | 425 Lafayette Street | New York, NY | 10003 | 212-539-8734
http://www.publictheater.org/
Note: For more about Joe Papp & The Public Theater, see:
Labels: Al Pacino, Daniel Sullivan, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, Shakespeare in the Park, the public theater
