On the Town With Aubrey Reuben
Where All the Stars Shine Brightly!
January 18, 2014
01-13-14 Sting and Trudie
Styler at the opening night party for "Beautiful - The
Carole King Musical" at Cipriani. 110 East 42nd St.
Sunday night. 01-12-14
On Broadway. Beautiful:
The Carole King Musical, book by Douglas
McGrath, words and music by Gerry
Goffin & Carole
King and Barry
Mann & Cynthia
Weil, recreates
a short period in the composer's life at the age of
16 in Brooklyn, when she (a superb Jessie
Mueller) wrote her first hit, got married at 17,
had her first baby, and formed a partnership with
her lyricist husband, Gerry Goffin (Jake
Epstein), which ended unhappily . The songs she
wrote became classics, and throughout the musical,
we hear the most famous, as well as those composed
by their composing rival friends, Cynthia Weil and
Barry Mann (played by Anika
Larsen and Jarrod
Spector). The cast, singers and dancers, are
excellent, under Marc
Bruni's direction. It is a pleasant production,
and the audience will leave the theatre humming or
singing famous songs, like You've
Got A Friendand So
Far Away. The opening night party at Cipriani
42nd St. attracted many celebrities like Sting,
and wife Trudie
Styler, NYC Police Chief Bill
Bratton and
wife Rikki
Klieman.
A revival of Machinal,
by Sophie
Treadwell, is given a first rate production at
the American Airlines Theatre. The set design by Es
Devlin, showing nine scenes on a revolving
turntable, is spectacular. That said, it is
basically a depressing play, with irritating
dialogue. It is based on on the true story of Ruth
Snyder, who was the first woman executed in the
electric chair for murdering her husband. The play
was presented 86 years ago on Broadway and it made
the playwright famous. Today, it is just an
historical oddity. Rebecca
Hallplays the neurotic young woman, and we watch
her working in a mindless job, living with a nagging
mother, marrying her dull boss, whom she doesn't
love, giving birth to a child she doesn't want,
having an affair with a young man, and finally
killing her husband and being sentenced to death.
Hall gives a remarkable performance, but it is a 105
minutes of gloom.
Off-Broadway, The
Acting Company presented a one night staged reading
of The
Real Inspector Hound by Tom
Stoppard, directed by Ian
Belknap. The excellent cast was headed by John
Glover. It is an amusing play, not seen in New
York in many years. A reception followed for the
contented audience.
A revival of Loot,
by Joe
Orton, is a farce about a dead body, stolen
money and a devious policeman. When first produced
in the 1960s, it was considered shocking. Today, it
is just mildly amusing. The production by the Red
Bull Theater features a fine cast, expertly directed
by Jesse
Berger. The opening night party at A.O.C.
attracted many wonderful stage actors like Olympia
Dukakis, Laila Robins and Reed
Birney.
The York Theatre's
wonderful Musicals
in Mufti opened
the season with Sheldon
Harnick's A
World to Win, with four excellent performers Kerry
Conte, Jason Graae, Rhyn McLemore and Aaron
Serotsky, accompanied at the piano by Jeffrey
Saver. It
was a revue of Harnick's songs from famous Broadway
shows like Fiddler
on the Roof.
His professional life was related by the cast. It
was delightful. Among the guests at the opening
night party at the theatre were Charles
Strouse and Sherman
Yellen.
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A revival of Loot,
by Joe
Orton, is a farce about a dead body, stolen money and a devious
policeman. When first produced in the 1960s, it was considered
shocking. Today, it is just mildly amusing. The production by the
Red Bull Theater features a fine cast, expertly directed by Jesse
Berger. The opening night party at A.O.C. attracted many
wonderful stage actors like Olympia
Dukakis, Laila Robins and Reed
Birney.
A delicious sit down three course dinner at
Philip Marie, 569 Hudson St, was served to celebrate Coco
Brown The Brightest
Star in the Galaxy, who is in training for a space trip for the
Space Expedition Corporation in 2015. The charming lady, a former star
of adult films, was the center of attraction, and, although born in
Toledo, Ohio, now for the past 12 years, lives in Germany with her
German husband. After tasting a choice of appetizers, the main course
was either pork, or chicken or salmon or a special Marie's Farmer pasta,
followed by dessert, accompanied by fine wines. It was a delightful
event.
Sofia Italian Grill, 42 West 48th St, had a
tasting for the press. Chef Michele
Orsino prepared exquisite
hors d'oeuvres, accompanied by fine wines. Among the guests at this
festive event were Coco Brown and mystery novel writer Carol
Higgins Clark. This newly opened two levels restaurant is beautiful.
It moved from the theatre district, where it had been popular for many
years. It will be very popular on West 48th St. also.
Film Forum is presenting My
Darling Clementine, by John
Ford, USA, 1946, from January 24-30. It is one of the director's
greatest films. It features a wonderful
cast, starring a superb Henry
Fonda as Wyatt Earp and Victor
Mature as Doc Holliday,
plus the beautiful Linda
Darnell. This magnificent Western ends on a high note with the
Gunfight at O. K. Corral. It has many memorable moments and intelligent
dialogue, that the viewer will enjoy.
Film
Forum is also presenting The Lady from Shanghai, by Orson
Welles, USA, 1948 from January 31-February 6. The film was
considered a flop when it was first released. One can understand why, in
spite of the presence of the glamorous Rita
Hayworth. The murder mystery makes no sense and is completely
unbelievable. It seems that the director was just indulging himself.
However, now there are certain scenes, which reveal the director's
talents; in particular, the finale that takes place in a House of
Mirrors. It is great cinematic photography.
01-14-14 Restaurant owner John Greco and
Coco Brown at a dinner in her honor at Greco's restaurant Philip Marie. 569
Hudson St.
Tuesday night. 01-13-14
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