Off-Broadway, Donnybrook!, music and lyrics by Johnny Burke, is a delightful musical, well sung by an excellent cast, headed by James Barbour and Jenny Powers and directed expertly by Charlotte Moore. The opening night party took place at Jake's Saloon with guests like Tony Walton, David Staller and Matt Cavenaugh.
Really Really, by Paul Downs Colaizzo, is a grim view of modern, depressing college life, as seen by the seven characters on display in this story of unhappy students trying to succeed in the new world, which does not seem to offer them the future their parents had. It holds the interest of the audience with its constant plot twists. The opening night party at 49 Grove attracted David Mamet (his daughter Zosia Mamet stars in the play), Ben Stiller and Kathleen Turner among other guests.
Much Ado About Nothing starring Jonathan Cake and Maggie Siff, celebrated its opening night at Gallagher's Steakhouse with guests Julianne Nicholson, David Ives and his wife Martha.
At Studio 54 Below, Edward Hibbert made his cabaret debut with original songs and others by Noel Coward and Cole Porter. He told amusing stories of his life in the theatre in England and America. It was a delightful performance, very entertaining and enjoyable. Many of his friends congratulated him afterwards, including Patricia Conolly, Margot Harley and Maria Aitken.
The New York City Ballet presented its glorious production of The Sleeping Beauty, music by Tschaikovsky, choreography by Peter Martins, including the exquisite Garland Dance by Balanchine. It is, without doubt, Martins greatest contribution to the company. The costumes designed by Patricia Zipprodt are alone worth the price of admission. They are sumptuous. With over one hundred dancers, including many adorable children, students from the School of American Ballet, it is a brilliant ballet. The dancing was first rate. Sara Means was outstanding as the Lilac Fairy. Megan Fairchild was excellent as Princess Aurora and Joaquin De Luz was an elegant Prince Desire. In the Wedding scene, Chase Finlay, Teresa Reichlen, Lauren Lovette, Ana Sophia Scheller and Daniel Ulbricht were among the impressive soloists. It was a most wonderful and enjoyable performance.
Film Society at Lincoln Center presented press screening for Rendez-vous with French Cinema February 28-March 10. Renoir, by Gilles Bourdos, France , 2012, is a slow moving, beautifully photographed film about the fragile, ailing great French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir during World War I, his war- wounded son Jean, who became an outstanding filmmaker and an ambitious young woman, who poses in the nude for the painter and becomes involved with his son. The acting by the three stars, Michel Bouquet, Christa Théret, Vincent Rottiers, is superb and the story is absorbing and enjoyable.
Therese Desqueyroux, by Claude Miller, France, 2012, features Audrey Tautou as an unhappy housewife on a provincial estate in southwest France. Frustrated in life, she attempts to poison her husband (Gilles Lellouche). Based on a novel by Francois Mauriac, the actors give fine performances and the photography is beautiful.
In the House, by Francois Ozon, France, 2012, is an unusual story of a high school literature teacher (Fabrice Luchini), who becomes obsessed with a student's ability to become a fine writer. As he helps the student (Ernst Umhauer), his life unravels. The actors, including Kristin Scott Thomas as the teacher's wife who also becomes involved in the tragic conclusion, give splendid performances
Granny's Funeral, by Bruno Polalydes, France, 2012, is an unfunny comedy about a pharmacist (Denis Polalydes) having to bury his grandmother, with whom he had very little contact during her life. The ridiculous scenes have very little humor, and the characters are unattractive.
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The Girl From Nowhere, by Jean-Pierre Brisseau, France, 2012, is about a lonely, retired professor (Brisseau), who rescues a homeless young girl (Virginie Legeay), being attacked in the stairwell of his apartment. He shelters her and she becomes his assistant on a book that he is writing about his philosophy of life. Strange happenings begin to take place in his apartment, including illusions and ghosts. I enjoyed the film for its intelligent dialog and wonderful scenic effects, and found the film absorbing and intellectually stimulating.
Jappeloup, by Christian Duguay, France, 2013, is a true story about the horse of the title, who wins an Olympic gold medal for his horse jumping rider (Guillaume Canet). We see the birth of the foal and watch the horse develop into a champion. It has beautiful scenes of the competitions, which horse lovers will enjoy.
Journal de France, by Raymond Depardon and Claudine Nougaret, France, 2012 is a documentary of a present day trip that the photographer takes around France, photographing scenes that interest him. At the same time, film clips of his remarkable life are shown, when he began filming in the 1960s on trips to various countries, during their civil war (Venezuela), Russian occupation (Czechoslovakia) and other noteworthy news events, until the present day. It is a fascinating look at a true artist.
A Lady in Paris, by Ilmar Raag, France/Belgium/Estonia, 2012, has an Estonian caregiver (Laine Magi) leave her country to care for an elderly, wealthy Estonian lady living in Paris (Jeanne Moreau). Their difficult relationship is the basis of the story. It is well acted by the two marvelous actresses, who create a memorable film.
Augustine, by Alice Winocour, France, 2012, is the story of a maid (Soko), who experiences seizures and is sent to a mental hospital in the nineteenth century, where a doctor (Vincent Lindon) treats her for hysteria with various experiments to restore her to health. The two principal actors give strong performances in this bleak look at life in a mental hospital of the period.
Shadow Dancer, by James Marsh, UK/Ireland/France, 2012, is a depressing tale of a young Irish woman (Andrea Riseborough), arrested in London for an aborted bomb attempt in the underground. Forced to cooperate with the British secret service or spend years in jail, she returns to Belfast to spy on her family. It reflects the reality of the unhappy conditions of life in Northern Ireland in the 1990s.
Ballet in Cinema from Emerging Pictures presented La Bayadere, choreography by Marius Petipa, music by Ludwig Minkus, from the Bolshoi Ballet, which was captured from a live performance on January 27. It was spectacular thanks to the presence of three outstanding soloists, Svetlana Zakharova (Nikia), Maria Alexandrova (Gamzatti) and Vladislav Lantratov (Solor). Their dancing was simply brilliant. Zakharova is amazing, and is probably one of the finest ballerinas in the world today. With beautiful costumes and sets, and a lovely score, played by the orchestra, under the baton of Pavel Sorokin, it was a magnificent, unforgettable presentation.
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02-18-13
Director
David
Cromer
(L)
and
playwrighht
Paul
Downs
Colaizzo
at
the
opening
night
of
"Really
Really"
at
the
Lucille
Lortel
Theatre.
121
Christopher
St.
Tuesday
night
02-19-13
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