"The People's Republic of Portland" is a one-woman show by "The Daily Show" alum Lauren Weedman. It has the feel of a stand-up routine, or a small-group conversation with a knowing audience. The intimate Ellyn Bye Studio is a perfect fit. One of funniest bits comes at the beginning of the show when Weedman recalls overhearing a conversation where the group was complaining about our city's portrayal on the similar "Portlandia" television show. She then notes that-as if on cue- a cavalcade of the residents who "Keep Portland Weird" show up outside the coffee shop window, including a machete-wielding uni-cyclist..
Other choice moments include: Weeman's observation that residents of The Pearl are far more tolerant of dogs than children, a joke which is both probably true, as well as a gutsy one to make at a theatre situated in the heart of The Pearl District.
Taking a class with a name so New-Age I can't even recall it, hosted by none other than our homegrown streaker who dared to strip naked in protest of the TSA.
And Weedman's likely warranted self-consciousness about letting her 3 year-old watch a movie on a portable device while several other children were engaged in more interactive pastimes. She tells of draping the poor kid with her coat, to avoid the judgmental gaze of Portland Parents.
If you can appreciate our city's eccentricities, and unlike the ladies at the coffee shop, can tolerate an outsider pointing them out, you will enjoy "The People's Republic of Portland."
Monday, May 6, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
"Clybourne Park" @ Portland Center Stage
"Clybourne Park" ties with "Venus in Fur" for my favorite production at PCS so far this season. Both have an edge, and both have biting wit.
"Clybourne Park" is a slight sequel to Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun". Act I tells the story of the white family who sells their house in the Clybourne Park neighborhood to the black Younger family, over the strenuous objections of their neighbors. Act II fast-forwards 50 years, the neighborhood is now predominately black, and tensions arise when a white couple wants to tear-down the house....
"Clybourne Park" is an exquisitely constructed piece, and therefore it is difficult to highlight the best moments without ruining the surprise. I must note however that Andy Lee Hillstrom as the smarmy preacher is hilarious, and there is a joke in Act II that is at once so funny, vulgar, and offensive that the actors had to maintain their shocked expressions and stunned silence for what must have been much longer than expected, in order for the uproarious audience laughter to die down....
Once again, I think "Clybourne" is among the best of the season, and I am not alone, it also won the Pulizer Prize for Best Play.
"Clybourne Park" is a slight sequel to Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun". Act I tells the story of the white family who sells their house in the Clybourne Park neighborhood to the black Younger family, over the strenuous objections of their neighbors. Act II fast-forwards 50 years, the neighborhood is now predominately black, and tensions arise when a white couple wants to tear-down the house....
"Clybourne Park" is an exquisitely constructed piece, and therefore it is difficult to highlight the best moments without ruining the surprise. I must note however that Andy Lee Hillstrom as the smarmy preacher is hilarious, and there is a joke in Act II that is at once so funny, vulgar, and offensive that the actors had to maintain their shocked expressions and stunned silence for what must have been much longer than expected, in order for the uproarious audience laughter to die down....
Once again, I think "Clybourne" is among the best of the season, and I am not alone, it also won the Pulizer Prize for Best Play.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Jon Lovitz @ Helium Comedy Club
Jon Lovitz, frequent "Simpsons" guest star and protagonist of the criminally underrated "The Critic" is performing four shows at Portland's Helium Comedy Club. (Two last night and two more tonight at 7:30 & 10:00 PM.)
First things first, I must note that The Helium made sure I had a prime view of the stage, and I would say they are entirely wheelchair-friendly. Everything about the club is upscale, from the food to the ambiance.
For someone who I am familiar with from network television and relatively benign comedy films, Jon Lovitz's routine was much edgier than I was expecting. I can not think of a single joke I would feel comfortable reprinting here--that is not a criticism, in fact it is high praise. I imagine he gets away with a lot because of his wry smile.
It was a fantastic night, I cannot wait to return to Helium, and I highly recommend catching the final shows tonight.
First things first, I must note that The Helium made sure I had a prime view of the stage, and I would say they are entirely wheelchair-friendly. Everything about the club is upscale, from the food to the ambiance.
For someone who I am familiar with from network television and relatively benign comedy films, Jon Lovitz's routine was much edgier than I was expecting. I can not think of a single joke I would feel comfortable reprinting here--that is not a criticism, in fact it is high praise. I imagine he gets away with a lot because of his wry smile.
It was a fantastic night, I cannot wait to return to Helium, and I highly recommend catching the final shows tonight.
Jon Lovitz
Helium Comedy Club 1510 SE 9th Ave
Tonight 7:30 & 10:00 PM
Thursday, March 14, 2013
"The Whipping Man" @ Portland Center Stage
"The Whipping Man" is a gripping historical drama, focusing on a wounded Confederate soldier and his two former slaves. One of the most interesting aspects of the play is its exploration of Judaism during the Civil War, it is a theme that seems to be historically neglected.
Gavin Gregory gives an assured performance as strong and devout Simon, and Christopher Livingston shifts effortlessly between comically cunning and devastatingly serious.
Tony Cisek's giant set is spectacular. "The Whipping Man" is a thoroughly impressive production in every way. The run of the show seems to be just slightly shorter than standard, it ends on March 23rd, so I'd encourage everyone to hurry, but I believe it is certainly deserving of an extension , perhaps I'll get my wish.
Celeb: Carter Hudson
Gavin Gregory gives an assured performance as strong and devout Simon, and Christopher Livingston shifts effortlessly between comically cunning and devastatingly serious.
Tony Cisek's giant set is spectacular. "The Whipping Man" is a thoroughly impressive production in every way. The run of the show seems to be just slightly shorter than standard, it ends on March 23rd, so I'd encourage everyone to hurry, but I believe it is certainly deserving of an extension , perhaps I'll get my wish.
Cast:
Simon: Gavin Gregory
Celeb: Carter Hudson
John: Christopher Livingston
Monday, February 18, 2013
"Red Herring" @ Artists Repertory Theatre
Artists Repertory Theatre seems to have read my mind when they planned this season. "Seven Guitars" is one of my top three August Wilson plays, and a prequel to one of the other plays on that short list, "The Lost Boy" tapped into my obsession with True Crime, and now "Red Herring" feeds my endless appetite for film noir.
"Red Herring" is a thoroughly twisty mix of noir detective story, paranoid spy thriller, and somewhat unexpectedly, a hilarious exploration of love and marriage. It is very refreshing to see a show with those three genres, and to have most of the comedy result from the romantic angle rather than a spoof of the other two. Michael Hollinger is a gifted writer, and I hope to see more of his work in the future.
The set is magical, I was chatting with the Marketing Director and she said that even though she has seen it from all angles, she is still mystified by it.
At the end of this roller-coaster of a show, I was reminded of that famous conversation director Howard Hawks had with novelist Raymond Chandler while adapting "The Big Sleep," Hawks asked Chandler who killed Owen Taylor, and Chandler himself didn't know...
"Red Herring" is a wonderful show, if anyone out there was late with a Valentine's Gift, this might be just what you're looking for.....
"Red Herring" is a thoroughly twisty mix of noir detective story, paranoid spy thriller, and somewhat unexpectedly, a hilarious exploration of love and marriage. It is very refreshing to see a show with those three genres, and to have most of the comedy result from the romantic angle rather than a spoof of the other two. Michael Hollinger is a gifted writer, and I hope to see more of his work in the future.
The set is magical, I was chatting with the Marketing Director and she said that even though she has seen it from all angles, she is still mystified by it.
At the end of this roller-coaster of a show, I was reminded of that famous conversation director Howard Hawks had with novelist Raymond Chandler while adapting "The Big Sleep," Hawks asked Chandler who killed Owen Taylor, and Chandler himself didn't know...
"Red Herring" is a wonderful show, if anyone out there was late with a Valentine's Gift, this might be just what you're looking for.....
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
"Venus in Fur" @ Portland Center Stage
"Venus in Fur" is a stunning show. Stunning in the way it bombards the viewer with head-spinningly fast reversals of power and particularly in the way Ginny Myers Lee manages to essentially play three characters at once. When we meet her she is goofy Vanda, a seemingly air-headed actress who auditions for Thomas's (David Barlow) adaptation of "Venus in Furs," a novel by Leopold Von Sacher Masoch, the man who lends his name to the word "masochism". As she disappears into role of a dominatrix, we see for the first time she is not who she seems. Then she later begins to take on attributes of the character outside of scene work and becomes an entirely different person. Along the way, the play explores the attraction of power and control in relationships as well as the creative process.
It is an edgy play, but interestingly, only in what is said. There is no nudity, and yet it can almost seem pornographic at times. It is a mindbinder. It is exceptionally tense, and yet often funny. I absolutely loved it. It is without a doubt my favorite production at PCS so far this season! (I like the edgy stuff a lot....) But, I wouldn't take your grandmother....
It is an edgy play, but interestingly, only in what is said. There is no nudity, and yet it can almost seem pornographic at times. It is a mindbinder. It is exceptionally tense, and yet often funny. I absolutely loved it. It is without a doubt my favorite production at PCS so far this season! (I like the edgy stuff a lot....) But, I wouldn't take your grandmother....
Monday, January 14, 2013
"I Love to Eat" at Portland Center Stage
I saw "I Love to Eat" at the perfect time in my life, I have just begun to cook and I've had enough successes that I've arrived at the "this is fun!" stage. If playwright James Still's portrait of James Beard is accurate, Mr. Beard does not seem to have ever left that stage. He was a foodie, but not a food snob. My favorite parts of the play were the little pearls of wisdom he gives the audience about food, cooking, his own process, and tips and tricks. One of these is his distaste for pretension, (he hated the word "cuisine" to describe American cookery.) There's a moment where he lavishes praise on fellow TV-chef Julia Child's garlic mashed potatoes, though he quick to wonder whether the cream sauce is necessary....
The play shares its name with Mr. Beard's cooking show, the first of its kind, and the title does seem an apt description of the man and his philosophy. He loved to eat, and viewed food as a path to happiness. Some of us got to share in his love for food right there in the moment, as the actor (Rob Nagle) prepared onion sandwiches for the first row....
The highest compliment I can pay the show is that it has inspired me to seek out one of James Beard's cookbooks.... Throughout the show Mr. Beard insists that it was his mission to convince people that cooking is not something reserved for the elite, and I will take him at his word, his approach is very enticing to a beginner, and seems to start with a love for eating. I have that in spades, oh and I have a monogrammed apron just like his... I'm well on my way!
The play shares its name with Mr. Beard's cooking show, the first of its kind, and the title does seem an apt description of the man and his philosophy. He loved to eat, and viewed food as a path to happiness. Some of us got to share in his love for food right there in the moment, as the actor (Rob Nagle) prepared onion sandwiches for the first row....
The highest compliment I can pay the show is that it has inspired me to seek out one of James Beard's cookbooks.... Throughout the show Mr. Beard insists that it was his mission to convince people that cooking is not something reserved for the elite, and I will take him at his word, his approach is very enticing to a beginner, and seems to start with a love for eating. I have that in spades, oh and I have a monogrammed apron just like his... I'm well on my way!
"The Lost Boy" @ Artists Rep
"The Lost Boy" recounts the 1874 kidnapping of Charley Ross in Philadelphia, America's first kidnapping for ransom. Charley is the son of a once wealthy man, but the stock market has crashed and they are living on credit, making the $10,000 ransom a nearly impossible demand. The kidnapping inspired many of our modern day anxieties and fearful admonitions, such as "don't take candy from strangers." (Charley and his brother Walter are lured away from their front yard with the promise of candy and fireworks.)
The case captures the attention of the burgeoning mass-media, and the bizarre and almost sickening imagination of showman P.T. Barnum, who makes frequent appearances in the play and finds some truly odd ways to incorporate the tragedy into his travelling circus acts, culminating in a stomach-turning offer to Charley's father in the play's final moments.....
My favorite scenes-the ones that stayed with me the longest, and were so unnerving that I was surprised they didn't creep into my dreams-were those in which one of the kidnappers, Bill Mosher, (Duffy Epstein) hisses menacingly at the anguished father pulled in so many directions by the police and the media, reminding him that he has his child... Eventually the play becomes about Charley's father and how he is slowly ensnared in the media's voyeuristic trap, it's very hard to watch......
The case captures the attention of the burgeoning mass-media, and the bizarre and almost sickening imagination of showman P.T. Barnum, who makes frequent appearances in the play and finds some truly odd ways to incorporate the tragedy into his travelling circus acts, culminating in a stomach-turning offer to Charley's father in the play's final moments.....
My favorite scenes-the ones that stayed with me the longest, and were so unnerving that I was surprised they didn't creep into my dreams-were those in which one of the kidnappers, Bill Mosher, (Duffy Epstein) hisses menacingly at the anguished father pulled in so many directions by the police and the media, reminding him that he has his child... Eventually the play becomes about Charley's father and how he is slowly ensnared in the media's voyeuristic trap, it's very hard to watch......
Friday, December 14, 2012
"A Tuna Christmas" @ The Winningstad Theatre
"A Tuna Christmas" is nearly unbelievable, I knew going in that two actors played a multitude of characters, but I was unsure whether they played them all.... I found myself glancing at the playbill to see who played a particular character, and confirmed that it was indeed one of the two actors.....
Almost as stunning as the number of characters played by two people is the sheer speed at which they transform. For a show whose main source of humor comes from poking fun at the slow pace of life in Texas's tiniest town, things on stage sure move at a breakneck pace. (The biggest laugh I had of the night was over something very simple, one character is on the phone with another, waiting for her to pick-up: all of a sudden the other character rockets on to the scene in a huge easy chair, perfectly encapsulating the split-second timing that is key to the show.)
The scene-stealer of the night for me was Didi Snavely, the owner of the used weapons store, whose slogan is: If we can't kill it, it's immortal. ("Her" sing-song delivery is hilarious!)
Another stand-out is Charlene Bumiller, a depressed teenager.
"A Tuna Christmas" is quite a show, a seemingly impossible undertaking by only two actors, it will put you in the mood for the season, and it will certainly put your idea of hustling into perspective.....
Almost as stunning as the number of characters played by two people is the sheer speed at which they transform. For a show whose main source of humor comes from poking fun at the slow pace of life in Texas's tiniest town, things on stage sure move at a breakneck pace. (The biggest laugh I had of the night was over something very simple, one character is on the phone with another, waiting for her to pick-up: all of a sudden the other character rockets on to the scene in a huge easy chair, perfectly encapsulating the split-second timing that is key to the show.)
The scene-stealer of the night for me was Didi Snavely, the owner of the used weapons store, whose slogan is: If we can't kill it, it's immortal. ("Her" sing-song delivery is hilarious!)
Another stand-out is Charlene Bumiller, a depressed teenager.
"A Tuna Christmas" is quite a show, a seemingly impossible undertaking by only two actors, it will put you in the mood for the season, and it will certainly put your idea of hustling into perspective.....
Cast:
Jeffrey Jason Gilpin
&
Alan H. King
"A Tuna Christmas" runs now through Dec. 23rd. at The Winningstad Theatre located inside the Portland Center for the Performing Arts
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The Dinner Detective
I arrived in the reception area for "The Dinner Detective" at the Courtyard Marriott City Center and was asked to pick a name that would be my alias for the evening, I chose "Stephen Hawking" which would get a big laugh....
I took my seat and the show began. "The Dinner Detective" is slightly different from other Interactive Mysteries in that the characters in the show are not obvious at the outset, and you are expected to mingle and "interrogate", rather than have the characters make their way over to you, hence the aliases. While this does serve to enhance the mystery a little bit, I wasn't really in a position to move freely. In fact, I had chosen my seat poorly in relation to where the "stage" ended up being, fortunately a woman (who also turned-out to be one of the actresses) offered to switch seats, I believe that there was at least one character at each table, and if so, that does help negate the need to move.
All of the actors have fun with their roles and most of the information is revealed in scenes and hand-outs. The solution to the mystery was fittingly obscure, only two people guessed the culprit, and the only one who answered it fully was also the man who the detectives picked on for most of the night, dubbing him "The Rookie"
I had a lot of fun, the three-course meal was very tasty, and missing-out on the mingling portion did not seem to detract too much, although it might be something they should consider changing.....
"The Dinner Detective" at the Courtyard Marriott City Center, 550 SW Oak St.
Dinner & Show $59.95 (two-for-one deals are sometimes offered on Groupon and LivingSocial....)
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