It's not just apostasy and hellfire here on Planet Histriomastix (must post sometime on why I chose this name, especially since another blogger has posted his predictably twisted reading). I'm also in the business of shameless self-promotion! I thought things would slow down after the end of the 2006-07 season and the announcement of the Tony nominations, but theater never sleeps. Between the Brits Off Broadway festival, the Pretentious Festival, the Fringe and assorted other Off and Broadway shows who chose to open in summer, it looks to be a busy next few months.
Here are some recent doings. I penned a profile of nonagenarian Broadway book-writing legend Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba) for the London Times here.
On Tuesday, I spoke with WNYC's Amy Eddings and read the Tony nomination tea leaves. Also wrote the station a brief reaction here.
Yahoo!'s Broadway page now includes Adam Feldman and my insoucient weekly vlogs about what we've seen and thought. Bookmark it here.
Checked out a couple of shows at Brits Off Broadway. One is definitely worth catching: The Receipt. A perfect example of how two clever lads with some training in puppetry, mime and non-traditional theater can evoke a wonderfully witty, disturbing world out of two filing cabinets, small figurines and sound effects from a synthesizer. It plays through May 27. Details here.
Puppets? I'm there.
Posted by: jaime | May 17, 2007 at 10:49 AM
Well, to be precise, toy-theater-type puppets. small human figurines (like small army figures) manipulated and placed in unexpected locations. I might have my terminology wrong...
Posted by: David Cote | May 17, 2007 at 10:57 AM
It's not puppets as such. (I saw these guys at the Comedy Festival in Melbourne last month, they're getting around). There's a fair bit of that kind of theatre here: it makes a kind of fetish out of objects and uses them ingeniously as theatrical devices, doing all sorts of things with scale, perspective etc. It can be very witty. OK, it sounds like puppets, it even uses some of the techniques of puppetry, but it isn't quite. The soundscape on this show is amazing, btw.
Posted by: Alison Croggon | May 17, 2007 at 04:35 PM
Sorry about the quick read on Histriomastix. But I did try my best to make a good story out of it. “Predictably twisted.” I assume you mean that as a compliment.
You’re cool, fool, with me. You always have been.
Peace be with you, young skywalker.
Posted by: nick | May 17, 2007 at 07:31 PM
Ah, yes, it wasn't puppets. But it was still wonderful. Something similar in spirit to puppetry, though. I really loved it.
Posted by: jaime | May 23, 2007 at 01:17 PM