The Illusionists

by Mateus Ciucci Ferreira

Broadway, Live Magic Show

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Neil Simon Theater, 250 West 52nd Street, NYC.

Plays through 3 January 2016 Tickets $49-$199

The Manipulator aka Yu Ho-Jin, one of the seven Illusionists in the touring magic ensemble / photo courtesy of www.theillusionistslive.com

BOTTOM LINE: An evening that brings together tradition, excitement and entertainment and unites the audience through wonder, comedy and just the right amount of corniness.

One common assumption that is always present whenever an audience witnesses a theatrical event is that they'll agree to suspend their disbelief. Said agreement allows for the theatrical game to become something bigger than itself, for the artists to embody archetypes, and for the audience to meditate on something more than their individual universes. The Illusionists, a group of seven performers from different corners of the globe, come together on Broadway not to create a never before seen magic show, but to contribute to its survival and to remind us that magic is still powerful and necessary, thus earning our attention and the suspension of our disbelief (instead of taking it for granted).

Hovering above the empty stage is a large and bright LED panel that carries the name of the show. High up to the sides on the seating areas is the band. From inside an empty acrylic box all seven performers appear, each with a title of his own. Dancers, lights, and smoke tricks complete the scenery. The first to perform is The Deceptionist, James More. Delivering the big disappearing acts and working in tandem with the ensemble of The Illusionists' interns and dancers, he displays showmanship with an edge of a Hollywood action movie star. He is followed by The Trickster, Jeff Hobson, who also serves as MC and ties all the other numbers together with great ease, commanding the audience, the show, and his own act.

Then, one by one, we're introduced to the other performers. The Anti-Conjuror (and YouTube celebrity) Dan Sperry is in charge of the gross and agonizing numbers of the evening backed up by a heavy metal speedy soundtrack. Sperry's attitude is akin to that of figures like Marilyn Manson and his talent is camouflaged by the messiness of his performance. His charisma, undeniably his own, also seems to carry that bit of controversial sexiness one might not want to admit.

The Unusualist, Raymond Crowe, follows suit but changes the atmosphere almost completely by presenting a delightful new take on ventriloquism. Crowe's act is delicate, endearing and lyrical. His is also one of the highlights of the evening. And what a wonderful highlight it is. The standard card tricks make their first appearance in the hands of The Manipulator, Yu Ho-Jin. With extreme elegance and a smooth demeanor, Ho-Jin, a South-Korean magic wunderkind, delights the audience and suspends time before our very eyes.

Technology and magic join hands for the numbers of The Futurist, Adam Trent. Displaying a small town boy's charm and a genuine smile that makes it all seem simple and easy, his numbers have just the right amount of comedy, cheesiness and wonder. Last but not least is The Daredevil of the ensemble, Jonathan Goodwin. His are the numbers that make the entire audience hold their breaths, sit in complete silence and clutch on to their friends or seats' arms in response to what's to come.

Without straying away from the magic tricks we've all seen or heard about, The Illusionists also fill the stage with comedy, theatrics and live music while counting on audience participation to (re)create an atmosphere of childish wonder and amusement towards the unknown. They bank on that small yet persistent part of ourselves that instantly connects to the unexplained and to the dumb reward that comes from being tricked. Here and there there were moments when a pragmatic audience member, yours truly, attempted and managed to see beyond the illusion. That was not due to the performers' incompetence or lack of talent, but rather to abilities most of us end up developing in order to become adults—an objective eye, a pragmatic attitude and a sense of practicality—I was reminded of the role magic plays in our lives, how it helps nurture that portion of our perception that turns details into small wonders and adds taste to the dullness of our routines.

The Illusionists banks on a tradition that, albeit not without its out-dated traits such as the use of female assistants as targets or helpers, deserves to be maintained and shared with the public. It also honors the tradition of Broadway shows with high production values, talented performers, and a grand team of artists that make their presence and artistry known through lighting (Jared A. Sayeg), rad, dapper, and sober costumes (Angela Aaron), acrobatic routines and athletic choreography (Jenn Rapp) and original music (Evan Jolly). A great choice for the whole family and a good possibility for tourists and New Yorkers alike. 

The Illusionists plays at the Neil Simon Theater, 250 West 52nd Street, through January 3, 2015. The run time is 120 minutes with an intermission. Performances are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7; Fridays at 8; Saturdays at 11, 3 and 8, and Sundays at 11 and 3. Tickets are $49-$199 and are available at theillusionistslive.com.

Check out Theasy.com for more theatre reviews

King Charles III

by Keith Paul Medelis 

Broadway, New Play

By Mike Bartlett; Directed by Rupert Goold

The Music Box, 239 West 45th Street Tickets $37-149

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Runs through 31 January 2016

Tim Pigott-Smith, Anthony Calf, Oliver Chris, and Richard Goulding in King Charles III. Photo by Johan Persson.

BOTTOM LINE: King Charles III is a new classic. 

If you’re following the soon-to-be-obscure theater news like this theater nerd is, you’ll most certainly have heard of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s attempt to “translate” all of the plays attributed to Shakespeare with exciting, contemporary playwrights and dramaturgs. If the battle on my Twitter feed is any indication, some people are pissed. Others champion the endeavor in an attempt to find something new in these plays. In the same realm, but doing something entirely new, King Charles III by Mike Bartlett heads into uncharted territory by creating a brand new play with all the delicious components of Shakespeare’s history plays to construct an imagined story of the reign of the next King of England, and a critical examination of what it means to be a king in the twenty-first century. 

King Charles III is billed as a drama. I’m here to embarrassingly report that I was the only one, it seemed, laughing most of the way through. Bartlett’s clever script is so enormously referential to the form of Shakespeare’s history plays it’s hard not to see this as a thing very aware of the loving, sensitive mockery it is making.

Tom Scutt’s scenic design presents to us a drab, high walled set indicating a royal room from any time between the Magna Carta signing and 2019. It’s even flanked at its four corners with flame torchers dotting the perimeter like the columns of Mr. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. There are ghosts—those of the late Princess Diana and, briefly, the Queen herself—appearing to haunt and incite the driving force of the play. “You will be the greatest king ever” is the mantra. Trouble is, it’s repeated to two different men. There’s royal infighting. The other side disagrees and evil-doings are planned. There's a lot of dudes. There are quick paced scenes, deliberate character introductions and exposition, and beautifully conceived soliloquies, on contemporary matters such as Kate Middleton’s precariously awkward position as heir-maker extraordinaire.

King Charles III is a roaring success that seems almost as implausible on paper as “translating” Shakespeare does. In performance, it’s wonderful.

Bartlett’s other works includes the illustriously titled Cock and Bull, both successful plays in their own right, the former with a much lauded and extended run that played off Broadway after a run at the Royal Court in 2012. Bartlett is smart; his plays are filled with nuanced, biting, oft-times hilarious satire, rich with challenging material for an actor and workouts for audiences.

Here, Bartlett has written almost entirely in verse. Yes, iambic pentameter verse. If you fell asleep in your high school English class, that’s the writing pattern used by Shakespeare that is said to mimic a natural speech pattern but naturally to our ears compels a kind of forward-leaning listening as if something important is about to happen. The lines jerk us forward; ends of scenes poetically finish then lurch onward, directed sharply by Rupert Goold.

The play is exactly right for now. This is a “future history play.” That is to say, a made-up one. Queen Elizabeth II can’t have too many years ahead and soon we will indeed be in the reign of King Charles III. Americans are obsessed with the royals in different, less direct ways than the Brits, as Kate Middleton can barely sneeze without a news bulletin. Bartlett has tapped into this growing interest and the cause for uncertainty a new ruler will bring after some sixty-some-years of this Queen.

Charles (a gentle, empathic Tim Pigott-Smith) ascends the throne and is preparing for his coronation. He is approached by the Prime Minister Mr. Stevens (Anthony Calf) to sign a new bit of legislation passed by Parliament that would limit the need for the antiquated, ceremonial participation of royalty in the political process. Charles is expected to sign, as Elizabeth signed everything, even the things she disagreed with. He does not and instead asserts authority his mother never had, immediately differentiating and distancing his new reign. Charles’s confidant (so tellingly mocked) Camilla (a perfect Margot Leicester) approves of this power play while the rest of the family is suspicious: William (Oliver Chris) and Kate (Lydia Wilson) particularly, with an undecided Harry (played with essential, perfect angst by Richard Goulding).

What’s both wonderful and troubling is that this “history play” replaces the gutsy battles and murders with paper signings and fleeting mentions of Burger King. It’s a juxtaposition skillfully handled though somewhat disappointing in its low stakes. Goold is able to keep the momentum going despite this though who wouldn’t want to see Prince Harry ride into battle, wielding a sword in some War of the Roses’ style combat?

Furthermore, Goold’s direction uses no bells and whistles to tell this story, rather pulling out a bench and hand prop to transform a scene in a way that feels fitting for The Globe and enormously underwhelming in the theme park that has become Broadway. Right from the beginning, actors in black robes hold candles in choreographed formation with a tone so somber and so everyones-view-of-what-classical-theater-probably-is that I cackled inappropriately. And I suspect that Bartlett and Goold have their eye on this. (And I wondered if this quiet, American audience dutifully watching this blatant comedic act differed at all from its original British ones.)

King Charles III is a terrific offering for this Broadway season. It’s juicy, smart, and skilled. That said, I couldn’t recommend it for everyone. I suspect the larger-than-normal and noticeable “should we leave?” faces at intermission are an indication. There were some empty seats in Act II. Those that stay and thrive on this might be Shakespeare fans/appreciators. For them I say, get thee to see King Charles III.

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Fool For Love starring Sam Rockwell

by Shoshana Roberts

Broadway, Play Revival

By Sam Shepard
Directed by Daniel Aukin
Produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club

The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street 

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Tickets $75-150 Runs through 6 December 2015

Sam Rockwell in Fool for Love. Photo by Joan Marcus.

BOTTOM LINE: A raw, unhealthy look at love from esteemed playwright Sam Shepard, revived by actors who breathe life into the script.

It wasn't until I breathed an audible sigh that I realized I had been holding my breath for the better part of an hour. Most shows have a steady build or highs and lows built into the story arc. Playwright Sam Shepard throws those guidelines out the window; this world is written such that I could not help being caught up in the extra sensory blast to my nervous system in which the characters are living. With energy and talent bouncing off the walls of the Friedman Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club delivers a doozy of a production of this stellar work.

May (Nina Arianda) and Eddie (Sam Rockwell) have a sordid past. Their lives are intertwined in more ways than you can imagine. Perhaps it is The Old Man (Gordon Joseph Weiss), whose presence never wavers, that has bound these two together. They have known each other since high school, but with talk of a pact and stories of the past it is hard to commit to each other. May is all too familiar with the emotional abuse Eddie dishes out, as he informs her, “I'll track you down no matter where you go. I know exactly how your mind works. I've been right every single time.” How much can one woman take? Especially when Eddie's most recent female companion not only follows him to May's dilapidated hotel room, but also opens fire on them.

May tries her damnedest to display an air of confidence, but her emotions get the better of her. As her date Martin (Tom Pelphrey) arrives, even more commotion occurs. As a simpleton, Martin takes May and Eddie at their word and obediently becomes a pawn on their game board. Each move they make is strategic. May cannot let her guard down for fear of being hurt yet again.

The love and fury between May and Eddie is strong. Arianda and Rockwell push and pull each other physically and mentally, caught up in a painful love. A psychotic love. An unhealthy love. Is there a way to overcome the past? To overcome this torture?

This flawless rendition of Fool for Love has a je ne sais quoi about it. The common idea that love is pain certainly comes into play here. Even Arianda's blinks are fraught with frustration. She, Rockwell, Weiss, and Pelphrey all live and breathe Shepard's world. They are grounded in a solid reality within an excellently planned space from the amazing scenic designer, Dane Laffrey. The set evokes countless thoughts and feelings to analyze as its own entity, and then once again as part of the collaboration with the characters who are drinking and kissing and fighting there. Strip everything away and Sam Shepard's compelling script still stands on its own: dark and twisted, yet funny as hell. Underlying issues and serious thinking still hit home in the midst of jokes that made me smile. Laugh or cry? I didn't know what to do as I left the theatre in awe.

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Spring Awakening – the Deaf West Production

by Molly Marinik

Broadway, Musical Revival

Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater; Music by Duncan Sheik
Directed by Michael Arden
Produced by Deaf West

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Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street Tickets $49-139 | Runs through 24 January 2016

A scene from Spring Awakening. Photo by Joan Marcus

BOTTOM LINE: This smart revival from Deaf West joyfully employs American Sign Language to create a layered, meta-theatrical experience.

The 2006 Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening was not due for another Broadway turn so soon; the original production closed just 6 years ago. But this new version, produced by Deaf West, makes the case for the power of a revival. When a beloved show can be re-mounted and re-imagined to not only bring out the beauty of the original but to say something totally new, it doesn't matter how much time has passed (or not passed, as it might be). This important production is a welcome addition to the new Broadway season, and well worth the time of both avid fans and those uninitiated with the show.

Spring Awakening is based on the play Spring's Awakening by Frank Wedekind, written in Germany in the late 19th century. Banned for its crude and intimate look at teenagers discovering their sexual selves, the story is amazingly familiar even today, particularly for the way it pits teens against adults, showing the disconnect between the generations, while so astutely exposing the internal conflict that comes with coming of age.

Wendla (Sandra Mae Frank) is a schoolgirl in a strict family, and she begins to realize that she's uninformed when it comes to the subject of baby-making. Her mom (Camryn Manheim) is horrified to have the conversation, so she quickly drops it. Wendla's classmates, meanwhile, are having similar concerns. Melchior (Austin P. McKenzie) draws it out for his good friend Moritz (Daniel N. Durant), and both get in trouble when the physical evidence is discovered. As these "awakenings" transpire, things begin to go south. Wholly unsupported by teachers and most other grown-ups, the kids are on their own to navigate these awkward times. The pressures take their toll and—lest we forget this play is German—the kids will suffer the consequences.

With music by Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening is a soulful rock musical with pop undertones. In this production the band sits on stage, becoming part of the visual picture, set into Dane Laffrey's cavernous design. It doesn't rock as hard as the original Broadway production did, and the only true concert moment happens during "Totally Fucked." But the real star of this production is the use of American Sign Language (ASL) to tell the story. Many of the cast members are hearing impaired, and all of the dialogue and lyrics are signed or projected. The physicality of ASL is, in its own right, a beautiful form of movement, and the aesthetic of gesture takes center stage in this revival.

Katie Boeck is the voice of Wendla, and Alex Boniello is the voice of Moritz. There are a few other cast members who play the voices of various roles (that are played by non-hearing actors), and the conceit includes these performers sharing the stage with their counterparts. The result is beautifully "meta" as we're always aware of the double duty. We know we are watching a piece of theatre, and the comment on language fuels a deeper level of understanding in this musical, which just so happens to be about lapses in communication. The large cast is energetic and passionate. Spring Awakening is an ensemble endeavor, and a beautifully rendered one at that.

Michael Arden's direction keeps the show continuously engaging. Although the production is directed to a pristine finish, there is a lot going on, and some of the choices seem superfluous (I'm thinking specifically of bubbles and a ribbon dancer that seem cheap and distracting in light of the otherwise powerful visuals). Spencer Liff's choreography is the hidden gem of the production, so seamlessly integrated with the signing that I didn't realize how all-inclusive the movement vocabulary is until long after I had left the theatre.

The Deaf West production of Spring Awakening is miraculous in its representation of the power of theatre. On its own, the revival has many wonderful attributes, including a dynamic cast and impressive design. But far more important than any of that is how the company puts all types of performers on stage and speaks to ability and disability in such an important way.

(Spring Awakening plays at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street, through January 24, 2016. Performances are usually Monday at 8, Tuesday at 7, Thursday at 7, Friday at 8, Saturday at 2 and 8, and Sunday at 3 and 7:30. Check the calendar at springawakeningthemusical.com for showtimes. Tickets are $49-$139 and are available at ticketmaster.com.)

Find more theatre reviews at Theasy.com 

Your Love, Our Musical!

Review by Ben Coleman

Improvised by Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman

Part of the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival

Off Off Broadway, Musical
Runs through 8.30.15 (7pm)
VENUE #4: Spectrum, 121 Ludlow Street, 2nd Floor

                      Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman.

BOTTOM LINE: An evening filled with laughs as two musical improvisors reenact love stories from select audience members.

Musical theatre and improvisation is not a combination one typically thinks of as “winning.” How do they make up the songs? Do they have to rhyme on the spot too? What about duets? And the biggest question: is this going to be awkward? The intersection of these two forms certainly seems fraught. However, in the capable hands of Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman, mixing musical theatre with improv is just as delicious as mixing chocolate and peanut butter. Your Love, Our Musical! proves to be a highly entertaining evening where songs and stories collide in an explosion of silliness and hilarity. Skeptics, leave your doubts at the door.

After walking up two flights of stairs, the audience takes their seats in a crowded apartment amidst a selection of folding chairs, bucket seats, recliners, and couches. The books and CDs on the wall indicate we are in a person’s home, and the lighting operator working from the island kitchen is another hefty clue. A piano, bass, and drum set are stationed in the designated performance area, and from a door in the back enter our hosts. Kaufman, tall and bearded, and Vigil, big-haired with mischief in her eyes, welcome their guests jovially, and then pose the question that will define the evening: “Who here is in love?”

Timid hands raise, and a couple is selected. At the performance I attended, the chosen pair were a British couple who had been together for 17 years. The first part of the performance is talkshow style Q&A, rich in as many laughs and jokes as the musical improv section that will inevitably follow. Vigil asks how they met, and the man in question responds that he first ran into his wife on his doorstep when he was “skiving off” from work. This English turn of phrase proved to be quite the lyrical gem in the second half of the show when Kaufman delivered a surprisingly dextrous number, you guessed it, “Skiving Off,” where he professes the need to “skive to stay alive, and skiv to live.” Of course with any long-form-improv (not to mention when it is of the musical variety) there are peaks and valleys, and while a vast majority of the repartee is witty and side-splitting, there are bound to be other moments that don’t stick their landing. 

Overall, Your Love, Our Musical!, is a swell balance of hilarious and charming. It’s delightful to watch the chemistry between these musical improvisors as they broadly act out the love stories from their audience members. With a sharp tongue beneath their warm smiles, Vigil and Kaufman prove to be lively hosts with a deadly sense of humor.

(Your Love, Our Musical! plays at VENUE #4: Spectrum, 121 Ludlow Street, 2nd Floor, through August 30, 2015. Performances are Fri 8/14 at 7; Sun 8/16 at Noon; Sat 8/22 at 10:30; Wed 8/26 at 7:15; and Sun 8/30 at Noon. There is no late seating at FringeNYC. Tickets are $18 and are available at fringenyc.org. For more information visit www.yourloveourmusical.com.)