Archive for the ‘ Theater ’ Category

Get Your Culture On: A review of “Romeo and Juliet” in Central Park

Line-sitting

On Saturday the 23rd of June, ETL & I adventured. It began as our adventures so often do, with me freeloading on her couch to get an early start, in this case, an early start of 5:14am for me, slightly earlier for ETL.

We prepared for the day, gathered our provisions and gear, and drove into Manhattan, arriving slightly past 6am. Amazing, free, legal parking was found and secured on East 79th street, and we headed into Central Park for our chilly 7-hour picnic. We laid out our camp happily near to the head of the line, (ETL estimated about 40 people ahead of us), and settled in to wait. And waaait… And waaaait.

sleeping bag

Continue reading →

2007
06/25
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Theater
2 comments

Free Opera—You Get What You Pay For: A review of “La Bohème”

At 6pm on June 20th, Cunningham Park looked ordinary, at first glance. Then the stage erected for tonight’s performance loomed into view, as did the dozens of people already congregated on tarps, lawn chairs, and blankets. A small area in front of the stage was barricaded off and some white lawn chairs were already set up there. A man wearing a bowtie and a tux stood behind the barricade and signed autographs. His incongruity with the rest of the scene drew our attention and I sent out my minion, Dazvsemir, to gather information and possibly a playbill.

at6pm

This was our view when we got there

Continue reading →

2007
06/21
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Theater
1 comment

Ballet Genius: A Review of Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg.

eifman-ballet-playbill.jpg

I came to Boris Eifman’s Gala Night completely prepared to fall unconscious. I was sick, sleepy, and my aunt, whom I haven’t seen in months, was the only real reason I was there. We crammed into the tiny seats not far from either the back wall or the ceiling of the New York City Center on West 56th Street and allowed people to step all over our feet as late comers tried to shuffle to their seats before the curtain came up. The show was sold out.

It is very difficult to tell a story with ballet–the audience should know the plot and then read it into the dance. This is why I often fall asleep or at least find my mind wondering while enduring the art of ballet I have to remind myself took the dancers years to perfect. Eifman reinvents the ballet with each new production and makes it clear that it is not a one-dimensional performance to be enjoyed only through hyper-cultural snobbery.

Continue reading →

2007
04/13
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Theater
Leave a comment