From the nanno-second that Alex (Tom Sturridge) begins to speak in Simon Stephens’ Sea Wall at the Public Theater, we know it is going to be a bad day at Black Rock. Or Mudville. Or wherever it is this story-teller is located as he talks to us. Ditto for Abe (Jake Gyllenhaal) in A Life by Nick Payne. In the latter there are a few laughs well-played by Gyllenhaal, but on the whole, it is a gloomy evening.
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“Winsome” is the word that comes to mind. I looked it up and the first words are: appealing, engaging, charming, winning, attractive – all of those work. When Charles Busch performs he does not perform the way some do. He lives his life out loud. As a cabaret artist, Charles Busch opens the book that is himself and invites us to peek over his shoulder as he turns the pages. We are only to eager to accept.
Read MoreFull disclosure – scheduling was difficult for On Blueberry Hill in terms of reviewer availability. Nobody could do it. I myself was going to pass until a friend of mine emailed to say GO SEE THIS SHOW.
I did – and Holy Katoodles am I glad. I owe the aforementioned friend a bottle of wine or a barrel of monkeys – her choice.
There are times when I feel that I should tag my posts “The Minority Review”. After listening to the audience hooting and hollering their approval for Roundabout Theatre’s production of True West, that is exactly where I am positioned. I have no idea what play the audience saw – perhaps it was just one or two steps over in a different dimension. That would explain it.
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