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On Broadway, Les
Liaisons Dangereuses, by Christopher
Hampton, based on the novel Choderlos
de Laclos, at the Booth Theatre, is a Donmar
Warehouse Production, directed by Josie
Rourke. The play takes place among the
aristocracy in France in the 1780s. Mertreuil (Janet
McTeer), a scheming widow, and Valmont (Liev
Schreiber), a feckless womanizer, devote their
lives to seducing younger men and women. There is
little chemistry between them. Schreiber enters the
room with bottles of champagne, and
constantly pours drinks into glasses. He appears to
be auditioning for a position as a sommelier. He
seduces three young ladies during the play. This is
the first time on Broadway that sex is not erotic.
McTeer receives oral sex from a young lover. They
are bored, and boring for the audience. The
set is a decaying room, where the cast moves bits of
furniture to indicate the frequent scene changes,
introduced by monotonous music and singing. In other
words, this is an overlong, tedious play.
Shakespeare is
timeless. With a national election approaching, the
esteemed Off-Broadway Red Bull Theater presented an
updated, modern version of Coriolanus,
with a charismatic Dion
Johnstone in
the title role, at the Barrow Street Theater. An
excellent cast, which included the always marvelous Stephen
Spinella, Patrick Page and Lisa Harrow, directed
by Michael
Sexton, offers a look at the corruption rampant
in government. We celebrated the opening night at
Houston Hall with guests Mark Linn-Baker and Michael
Urie.
New York Gilbert & Sullivan
Players is
a New York Treasure. They keep the great words
and music by the two geniuses alive. We were
delighted to attend two short, entertaining one act
operettas, Cox
& Box and Trial
by Jury at
the Marjorie S. Deane Theater. The first was by Sullivan without Gilbert,
but is a joy about two men living in the same room
unknowingly. Daniel
Greenwood, David Macaluso and Matthew
Wages sang
wonderfully, and were very funny. A singer was
indisposed in the second, and Artistic Director Albert
Bergeret rose
to the occasion, and seated at the side of the
stage, sang the role, while the performer acted and
mouthed the words silently. Encores were sung to
close the program, chosen by the audience. It was
a grand night.
Film Society Lincoln Center presented
a press preview of L'argent,
by Robert
Bresson, France, 1983. It opens on November 11.
Although it is well made, and beautifully restored,
it will not to be to everybody's taste. It is
relentlessly grim, and it is cynical view of human
life. It takes place in Paris, where a young student
passes off counterfeit money. It continues to
circulate, causing other people to lie, and causes
trouble for an innocent victim. It leads to a
miscarriage of justice, which ends in an
horrendously. There is no humor and no pleasure in
the film. It is depressing.
The Jewish Museum held a
press preview for the French
Designer and Architect Pierre Chareau: November
4-March 26, 2017. He designed exquisite
furniture, and his Maison de
Verre was
an architectural jewel. He escaped from France
during World War II, and came to New York. He died
in 1950. It is a fascinating exhibition.
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The Museum of Arts and Design
(MAD) held
its Mad
Ball at
Pier 60: Chelsea Piers, and among the honorees for
the Visionaries!
Awards was Charles
S. Cohen, (photo below), who attended with his
lovely wife Clodagh
"Clo". Charles
is the President and CEO of Cohen Brothers Realty
Corporation, and active in film production,
especially French cinema. I had the pleasure of
photographing them twelve
years ago when they
first met. The gala was a lovely event.
The Guggenheim Museum presented a press preview of Tales
of Our Time: November 4-March 10, 2017. Seven
modern Chinese artists presented their artworks,
which include videos, paintings and sculpture, and
includes tea being brewed and served in a Chinese
tea garden. It is an imaginative and inventive
exhibition, which every art lover will enjoy.
The Accessible Art Fair New York
from Brussels in partnership with MvVO
ART presented
a wonderful exhibition of art by many international
artists, including Grant
Collier, USA,
(Alan Cumming admired his art) (photo Below), Luc
Vandervelde Lux, Belgium and Margaret
Ann Withers, USA, three talented artists, with
whom we spoke. I also chatted with the charming Maria
van Vlodrop, Co-Founder
& Director, Accessible Art air New York and Founder,
MvVO ART. It runs from November 1-25 at the National
Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South. At the VIP
Premier Event, sponsors were elit vodka from the
House of Stoli, Brussels Airlines and Neuhaus
chocolates with many partners. Besides the
exquisite vodka and delicious chocolates, wine,
caviar, cheese, fruit, crackers and crudites were
served. It was a splendid evening.
The US Launch to kick off the 27th
Rallye Aicha Des Gazelles Du Maroc, the
unique off-road Rallye race for women only in the
Moroccan desert, was held in the elegant French
restaurant Rotisserie
Georgette, 14
East 60th St. A cocktail reception featured
excellent Moroccan wines, French champagne and
delicious hors d'oeuvres. The Guest of Honor was
Mrs. Christine
Lagarde, Managing
Director of the International Monetary Fund.
Unfortunately, the same evening, we were invited to
a Gala Dinner at Essex House, and although we waited
for over an hour for Madame Lafrage to arrive, we
regretfully had to leave without meeting the
distinguished lady.
The 34th Anniversary New York
Asian Women's Center (NYAWC) Phoenix Awards Benefit
Gala was
held at Essex House. The Gala Honoree was Sheryl
WuDunn, the
first Asian-American reporter to receive the
Pulitzer Prize. We missed the VIP cocktail
reception, but arrived in time to dine on delicious
filet mignon (my wife) and halibut (me), and hear a
speech given by this remarkable lady. Also, there
were performers, a comedian Aparna
Nancherla and an Indie
Rock Artist Queen
V, who entertained the guests, followed by an
auction, which raised funds for a noble cause. It
was a superb evening. |