Theatre Review: Jersey Boys- Oh What a Night of Music

Sunday began the run of Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Though I was surrounded by an audience consisting mostly of people at least 20 years my senior, at times it seemed like I was sitting with teenie boppers falling over themselves as they swooned over their favorite crooners. And with good reason- the actor/ singers did such an amazing job impersonating The Four Seasons that at times, you kinda forget you’re watching a musical and start to think of it as a concert. But, that’s not to take anything away from the entertaining story about four average Joes from New Jersey with aspirations of fame and fortune.

The story of The Four Seasons, told through the viewpoint of its four original members, does not involve four retellings of the same story. Rather, each member becomes the narrator in sequential order starting with the man who takes the credit for their formation- Tommy Devito. This is followed by Bob Guidio’s version of how his songwriting brings the group its glory days, with three number one’s in a row including Sherry, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry. With his telling comes the interesting origins of some of their songs. For example, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) was inspired by Guidio’s first sexual encounter. Like all things, it ain’t always peaches and cream, and soon bassist Nick Massi tells of how the group falls apart. Gambling debts, family problems, and the disintegration of the original group then gives way to the rebirth as lead singer Frankie Valli tells of how he and Guidio pull themselves out of the hole and back into the spotlight in their new incarnation Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

While character depth isn’t the strength of the show, the characters are interesting and the actors, entertaining. Of particular note are Deven May as Tommy Devito, the mob-connected goodfella/guitarist always looking out for number one, and John Altieri as Bob Crewe, the gender bending writer/producer with an uncanny ear for number one hits who gives The Four Seasons their first big break. Still, the structure of the show more than compensates for the characters’ lack of depth. Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff successfully uses the music to complement a compelling, if not unique, story rather than trying to fit the story around the music. The fact that one hit after another is intricately intertwined into the story makes it more than just a vehicle for the typical “jukebox musical.” Without a strong foundation, it may have just been a concert by a cover band.

While the music is the icing on an already tasty cake, the icing is the most delicious part. Christopher Kale Jones does a fabulous job belting out Frankie Valli’s falsetto. Hitting all the high notes, not only was his range impressive, but he sounded just like Valli. Granted, The Four Seasons were big before my time, but I have heard their original songs before. In fact, I would be surprised if anyone hasn’t heard at least one song by the group. Does Can’t Take My Eyes Off You sound familiar? How about Working My Way Back to You or Stay (Just a Little Bit Longer)? It was like being at a Four Seasons concert- I half expected women to throw their undies on the stage. Instead, the company got an instant standing ovation at the shows end with the roar of the crowd increasing in intensity as the real members of The Four Seasons took bows with their counterparts. Oh What a Night, indeed!

Jersey Boys

@ The Curran Theatre

445 Geary Street

Tickets: $30-$90

Through Dec 30th

Theatre Review: Berkeley Rep- Argonautika Sets Sail on Tale of Humor and Adventure

The story of Jason and the Argonauts is a staple in Greek mythology. The fearless leader, aided by his band of testosterone laden men, seeks out the Golden Fleece, encountering lusty sirens, a formidable sea monster, menacing harpies and a fierce dragon along the way. While many retellings portray our protagonists as courageous men with nary a blemish, Mary Zimmerman’s Argonautika, playing at Berkeley Rep’s Rhoda Theatre, paints a more human picture, using a palette filled with deceit, love and betrayal to paint on a canvas of humor and adventure. The result is a complex masterpiece that tells us a bit about mythology and a lot about human nature.

Zimmerman’s Argonautika is a triumph on multiple levels. Using creative yet relatively simple puppets and a talented cast of 14, many playing various roles, the audience is successfully transported to a world of gods and mythical creatures. Once that reality is established, the individual actors do an amazing job of fleshing out the characters, recreating them with distinct personalities with unique quirks and attributes. The fact that the several actors successfully play multiple characters with differing personas is a testament to the high caliber of their ability. One of the most striking examples is Søren Oliver, who plays both the strong yet dense Hercules as well as the conniving antagonist King Aieetes. The characters are diametric opposites, yet Oliver plays both perfectly.

The source material already makes the story a classic, but the nuances woven into this production make it a worthy retelling. For one, this is one of the most human renditions of the tale. The protagonists are portrayed as a ragtag group of competent yet somewhat bumbling he-men who growl and beat their chests. Jason, meanwhile, is their charismatic yet ultimately self-serving leader. We see their blemishes and realize they are human (or at least half-human, half-god). Even the gods are anthropomorphic: Manipulative, nepotistic and meddlesome as they are, they hardly seem the detached entities that watch from above. Instead, they abet their favorite humans through complicit interventions to the harm of others. The most onerous example is Aphrodite and Eros’ role in influencing Medea to betray her father and her countrymen. Somehow we are able to forgive the likable characters and hope they make it home to their families with the Golden Fleece. Despite their flaws and shortcomings, the audience finds itself rooting for them in the face of danger and trouble.

But perhaps the most entertaining aspect of this extremely entertaining play is the adventures and exploits of the Argonauts. It is always curious how one can relay the epic scope of the story in a medium as limited as a play. Zimmerman’s staging and direction keeps the story majestic and sweeping. Even when using miniature scale props, the magnificence and grandeur of the scene is apparent to the audience. Zimmerman shows why she has won numerous accolades, including the 2002 Tony for Best Director.

The humor is yet another layer of this production, keeping the story from becoming too heavy or serious. And still, Zimmerman adds yet another layer by cleverly pointing out a few similarities between our current president’s foray into Iraq and Jason’s quest, which brings him to the unwelcome shores of Colchis.

Human, humorous, exciting and timely, Argonautika is another feather in Berkeley Rep’s exciting 40th anniversary season. Take some time to see it before it closes on December 23.

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Nov/29/argonautika.html

Performance Review: SF Symphony- More Than Meets the Ear

I think of myself as representative of the average classical music listener. I have taken a few music appreciation classes in college. I enjoy hearing live performances by the San Francisco Symphony. I’m familiar with the biggies – Beethoven, Mozart and Bach. But within the past few years, I have made an attempt to expand beyond my musical “comfort zones,” choosing programs featuring composers that I may know by name, but not necessarily by ear. On occasion, this has resulted in some less than satisfying results. But the majority of the time, my curiosity and adventurousness are rewarded: Last week’s all-Shostakovich program is one such example.

To be honest, my prior exposure to Russian composers did not extend far beyond Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. But several factors made me interested in this program in particular. First, I had been told on several occasions that Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony was a must-hear. Also, these performances were being taped for Keeping Score, a national program aimed at making classical music accessible to all people hosted by the symphony’s maestro Michael Tilson Thomas.

The three pieces performed were as varied and storied as the composer himself. The first consisted of three pieces that made up the suite from a ballet entitled The Golden Age. The next was an 11-song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, featuring a soprano, a mezzo-soprano and a tenor. The last was the most famous of the three – Symphony No.5 in D minor, Opus 47. Each piece was stunning and lush in its own way. But knowing the historical context in which these pieces were written made them that much more exciting and fascinating because of the added meaning, nuance and character.

In order to get the most out of the performances, it helps to become familiar with the music on different levels. Sometimes that means listening to the music beforehand. However, the pieces are not always readily accessible. Often, reading the program notes about the history surrounding the pieces provides great insight. Doing so in this case was almost integral to really appreciate the music.

Shostakovich wrote the pieces during Stalin’s regime in the USSR. On several occasions, his work was censored and criticized as being against the state. Fearing reprisal, Shostakovich was forced to temper his condemnation, hiding it under a guise of mock admiration and faux nationalism. This is quite evident in music from The Golden Age, which tells the tale of a Soviet soccer team that travels to a Western city.

The thundering beats representing the power of the communist ideology nonetheless provided a rousing piece that was exciting and fun to listen to. Dance of the Black Man and two Soviet Footballers, which was heavy on the percussion instruments, timpani and triangle and included parts for tuba, bassoon and saxophone, was reminiscent of a march at a college football game rather than a ballet.

That Shostakovich even dared to write From Jewish Folk Poetry in 1930s Russia is a testament to his commitment to humanity in the face of an overtly anti-Semitic totalitarian dictatorship. Everyday pain and suffering is Jewish life in Russia was represented in works with names such as Lament for a Dead Infant and A Song of Poverty. The pieces provided snapshots of Jewish life through a Klezmer-influenced lens. Soprano Oksana Dyka and mezzo-soprano Elana Manistina sang with great power and emotion, providing even more depth and substance to the music. Tenor Vsevolod Grisnov, however could not match their vocal clout.

The 5th Symphony was an epic piece, soaring and jubilant, but often interspersed with stretches that seemed uncertain and stunted, particularly at the end of the first movement. The way Shostakovich juxtaposed these two motifs heightened the disparity. It can be interpreted as his attempt to please Stalin while stealthily injecting his veiled venom. Historical context aside, the 5th is also technically interesting because he splits the violins into three sections (typically there are two), and the violas and the cellos into two sections (rather than the usual single section for each). The result is a complex mélange that is expertly handled by the San Francisco Symphony.

The symphony allows not only for the enjoyment of the tried and true, but offers opportunities to sample lesser known composers. Some may scoff at the notion of Shostakovich being lesser known, but that is just proof of my musical naïveté. Fortunately, the symphony provides the opportunity to grow through these types of performances and programs like Keeping Score.

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Dec/6/shostakovich.html

Performance Review: Cirque du Soleil- KOOZA Will Take Your Breath Away

Several weeks ago, as I was riding the T to Mission Bay, I remember seeing another “building” going up. Several stories tall, this one seemed a bit different. First of all, it was going up in the AT&T parking lot. Second, this one had a festive blue and yellow motif to it. And then it dawned on me … the circus was back in town: Cirque du Soleil, that is!

Every time Cirque du Soleil rolls into town, one can expect an amazing show filled with gorgeous costumes, magnificent sets, original music and some of the most entertaining acts around. Cirque’s latest, "Kooza," which started its tour of the US here in San Francisco, is no different. Or rather, I should say, it is just as stunning and entertaining as previous Cirque performances.

"Kooza," inspired by the Sanskrit word for treasure chest, tells the tale of the Innocent, a melancholy loner who encounters strange and enchanting characters including a wand-wielding wizard called the Trickster, the wily Pickpocket and the burlesque King. Rather than follow a coherent storyline, it is actually a montage of death-defying acts, clowning and audience interaction pieces stitched together. Add costumes that allude to Alice in Wonderland, Baron Munchausen and the Wizard of Oz, set it to music blending and inspired by ’70s funk, orchestral music and traditional Indian music played by a live band, and the result? A veritable treasure trove for the senses to be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

Packed with some mind-blowing stunts, the over 2½-hour evening began with 19 artists that performed Chairvari, a combination of acrobatics, trampolines and human pyramids. Based on the Inuit game of “blanket toss,” performers took turns flying through the air and diving into a fabric held by the others (think of how firefighters catching someone jumping out of a burning building). Other acts, though less elaborate, were equally stunning. One such act, which was my wife Lucky’s favorite act, was by the three female performers in Contortion. Flexible beyond belief, these women take turns balancing on one another in unimaginable configurations and positions. Even as we watched them bend and move, it was often difficult to comprehend how what they did was humanly possible.

There were also acts that are seen at most any circus, including trapeze, highwire and unicycle. But if you’ve ever seen a Cirque du Soleil show, you know that even the most ordinary is made extraordinary. In the case of the highwire act, two taut wires cross diagonally at 15 and 25 feet above the stage with a total of four walkers performing. One frightening moment came when one of the walkers lost his balance and fell, grabbing the wire just in the nick of time. It was a frightening reminder of just how difficult and dangerous these acts were.

My favorite act was the Wheel of Death, in which two artists leap and counter-rotate in a three-story tall, 1,600-pound contraption consisting of two opposing large metal wheels spinning on its axis at dizzyingly high speeds. Inside, and occasionally on, the two wheels are two crazy men balancing on either side. I apologize to the children who sat within earshot – expletives accidentally left my mouth on more than one occasion as we watched in both amazement and terror as these fearless men thumbed their noses at gravity and laughed at the laws of physics while using their weight and movements to make the contraption rotate. For the most part, I was transfixed on every move. But part of me wished they would just finish the act and put an end to their flirtations with death.

Bits of clowning were interspersed between death-defying acts to allow the audience to catch its collective breath. While I admit that I am not a big fan of most of it, when it was mixed with audience interaction, it was very entertaining. The Pickpocket, in particular, was just phenomenal. It was amazing that he was able to remove a patron’s wrist watch without his cognizance. But it was absolutely mind-boggling that the Pickpocket was able to remove the man’s tie without him being any wiser. The Obnoxious Tourist was on the other side of the spectrum – an annoying character with few, if any, endearing characteristics or skills.

Any evening out is likely to cost a pretty penny, especially for the starving student, but here are a few tips you may want to consider to keep the cost down. 1) Take the N to the end. You can then jump on the T or take a 10-minute walk to the Grand Chapiteau (the blue and yellow tent). Either way, a $3 roundtrip Muni ride beats the price of gas+parking ($20 at AT&T Park’s lot A). 2) Eat before or after the show. A hotdog meal was selling for about $12. 3) Cirque du Soleil offers student discounts for those with a valid ID for shows on Tuesday through Thursday as well as the 4 p.m. shows on Friday. Discounted prices range from $49.50 to $81, not including any handling charges.

Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA
Under the Grand Chapiteau at AT&T Park
Through January 20
$55-90 for adults; $38.50-$63 for children under 12
www.cirquedusoleil.com or call (800) 361-4595 for tickets

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Dec/6/kooza.html

Performing Arts at a Discount

There are many opportunities to enjoy the artistic offerings that San Francisco has to offer. But how can anyone afford them on a student budget? Here is a list of the top five ways to save money on the arts. This list is not exhaustive, but it is a great place to start. Rather than include full details, only cursory descriptions, Web sites, phone numbers and names of programs of interest are included for the sake of brevity. Therefore, I was not able to include fees for special services in some programs (ticket exchange, telephone transactions, etc). So do your due diligence and read the information on the Web sites and/or brochures thoroughly or call the box office if you have questions. See you at the theater!

5. Group discounts – Berkeley Rep is one of the country’s best professional resident theatre companies. They have won many accolades in the past including a Tony for Best Regional Theatre, and their 40th birthday year should be no different. The Rep has a program called Entourage: Gather 15 of your closest friends to watch a show at $15/student (except Friday and Saturday). You can all go to the same performance or go to different performances if your schedules don’t mesh. It’s simple to set up, and the organizer has the opportunity to earn a free ticket. For more info, go to www.berkeleyrep.org/entourage/index.asp.

SHN, which is responsible for bringing Broadway hits to San Francisco, often offers group discounts through UCSF organizations. For instance, Arts and Events has $25 tickets for the Sept. 13 showing of Mamma Mia! Occasionally, the School of Pharmacy will organize deals as well. Their latest was an outing for Avenue Q, winner of the 2004 Tony for Best Musical. Keep your eyes peeled for PLUS announcements e-mailed weekly by Maureen Conway for opportunities throughout the year.

4. Tickets sold the day of the performance – Different organizations have different offerings, but what it all boils down to is discounted tickets (usually two per student ID) on a first come, first served basis depending on availability the day of that show. Usually, you have to call the day of the show (sometimes the day prior to) and then line up at a given time on the day of the show.

3. Select 3rd party discount ticket agents – Although you have to register for this site, you can buy tickets for half off (excluding a per ticket service charge on a sliding scale) for shows that week at www.goldstarevents.com. Not only do they have offerings from impressive institutions, they also have discounts on treatments from a variety of spas. If you frequent the site often enough, you’ll see free tickets offered once in a while.

TIX Bay Area (TBA) has a kiosk located in Union Square that sells half price tickets to shows on the day of the performance. The shows are posted at 11 a.m. at www.theatrebayarea.org/tix/tix_halfprice.jsp. Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. and can be bought with cash only. It should also be noted that TBA will once again organize the local offering of Free Night of Theater, a national program put on by Theater Communications Group. Last year featured over 150 free performances in the Bay Area by over 100 companies. This year’s Free Night will fall around October 18. For more info, go to www.theatrebayarea.org/programs/FNOT.jsp.

2. Subscriptions – While all the previous options are based on availability (excluding #5), this is an especially important option if you want to check out some of the hotter shows with a limited number of performances. San Francisco Symphony concerts featuring Itzhak Perlman and almost any of the ones conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas are likely to sell out well in advance. But if you get a half-price student subscription, you can be guaranteed a seat for as little as $15 a performance. A pre-concert talk is included with your ticket. There are several 6-concert options plus an option to create your own series from a list of performances. For information, look for brochures on campus or call Ticket Services at (415)864-6000. Even if a series has already started, you can buy pro-rated subscriptions.

The San Francisco Opera’s hot tickets are Philip Glass’ world premiere of Appomattox, and Das Rheingold, the first in Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle. 3-, 5-, 7-, and 10-opera series are available, giving students and teachers half off the regular price. Brochures with application forms can be sent if you contact Kyle Minor at kminor@sfopera.com.

1. Culture Card – Since 2002, San Francisco Performances has been offering the Culture Card, a program in which students can view any number of pre-selected performances from the list found at www.performances.org/cclist.asp.

Past years have included the renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet to name a few. This year’s highlights are sure to please: jazz vocalist Luciana Souza; legendary composer Philip Glass on piano with Wendy Sutter on cello; and international award-winning Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang among others. This year, the Culture Card will sell for $25. Holders will have the option of bringing a guest for half-off the regular ticketed price. If you go to 20 or more shows, that’s close to a dollar to see shows with regular ticket prices of $40 and up. These aren’t nosebleed seats where you have to squint just to see the action. Just show up at the box office with a valid UCSF Student ID one hour before the performance starts to claim your ticket. Christine Lim, the Artistic Director of Education/Artistic Administration, will answer questions and sell Culture Cards at a date to be determined (mid to late September). Another way to purchase a Culture Card is by calling (415)398-6449 or downloading the order form from www.performances.org/sfpculturecard.asp.

Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Aug/30/culturepearls.html

Dinner Theatre Review: Teatro ZinZanni- Showing Off at Zany ZinZanni

Chimeric, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, means "created by, or as if by, a wildly fanciful imagination." I can find no adjective more perfectly befitting of Teatro ZinZanni, a surreal world of vaudeville, French cabaret, acrobatics and comedy underneath a huge antique Belgian spiegeltent (of which there are only eight left in the world) decorated to look like a huge carousel. Boasting an impressive cast of stars renowned in their respective fields, Teatro ZinZanni (TZ) is great for a special occasion or just for a truly unique experience.

Located on the Embarcadero at Pier 29, TZ has been wowing audiences for more than six years. The cast changes every three to four months, allowing new talent to add differing elements to the show. Nevertheless, each group has consisted of an amazing wealth of talent. Looking at this season's assembly, it seems it would be hard to beat in turns of ability and accomplishment, though.

The characters are a motley crew of restaurant workers, including a bumbling waiter, a chef with a flamboyant secret, a womanizing maitre d', a ditzy aspiring dishwasher and a "professional entertainer" who seems to be no more than a professional annoyance.

As the night progresses, their amazing talents unfold: each of the performers is impressive, whether they are performing high above the crowd on trapeze; or contorting and balancing on one hand; or foot-juggling beds, wheels and people. The gathering of talented performers includes a medal winning gymnast, a soprano from San Francisco Opera's Adler Fellowship, performers who have been a part of Cirque du Soleil and Tony award winner Lillian Montevecchi as Madame ZinZanni, a charismatic diva with panache and style. And yet, Cookie, the hilarious chef played Kevin Kent, steals the show. Kent's amazing improvisational ability and rapport with the audience make him a crowd favorite. As he pulls participants from the audience, it seems he is having as much fun being entertained as he is entertaining. Unfortunately, Kent will only be around for the rest of this season, but he will undoubtedly return for future seasons. All through the night, a five-piece band provides live music to accent the shenanigans that literally may occur around you.

What makes chimeric the perfect adjective is the fact that it is also defined as "of, related to, or being a chimera, a substance created from two different species." The two species involved here are the aforementioned show and the gourmet five-course meal that accompanies the show. When you first enter the tent and are seated at your table, which may or may not be shared with another party, a plate of appetizers including smoked salmon mousse, herb crostini and various vegetables is there to greet you. As the show rolls on, the food comes out at a constant pace. A carrot soup and a Caesar salad are served by dancing waitresses before the main entrée is brought out. Choices include orange braised beef short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled chicken breast with a mustard tarragon sauce, as well as swiss chard and goat cheese ravioli for vegetarians and Himalayan red rice paupiettes with tomato ginger coulis for vegans. For dessert, double lemon cheesecake with fresh strawberries is served. While the meal was filling, both my wife Lucky and I felt that the $110 ticket ($135 on Fridays and Saturdays) was a reflection of the performance rather than the meal. Despite an average meal, the night was exceedingly enjoyable.

The tent comes to life Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Reservations are taken up to six weeks in advance and are advised for weekend shows. In addition to the ticket, there is a dining room service charge of $10 per person charge and drinks are not included.

Teatro ZinZanni: Love, Chaos And Dinner
Pier 29 on the Embarcadero
438-2668
www.zinzanni.org

Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/content/2006/05/25/zin.html

Theatre Review: ACT- Sweeney Todd Is Razor Sharp

American Conservatory Theater (ACT) opened its 41^st season with the re-envisioned interpretation of Steven Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Straight from Broadway to San Francisco before launching a national tour, many of the original actors reprise their roles in the John Doyle production that garnered rave reviews and 2 Tony Awards. Bay Area theatergoers are given the chance to enjoy Sweeney Todd until October 14^th, an extension of 16 performances past its initially planned run.

The protagonist is an innocent barber who was sent to an overseas prison in Australia by corrupt Judge Turpin and his crooked magistrate Beadle, intent on taking advantage of the barber’s wife. The story picks up after years of wrongful imprisonment, as the barber returns to London with the new identity of Sweeney Todd. Instead of a happy reunion with the wife and daughter he left behind, Todd is informed by Mrs. Lovett, the owner of the shop that sells the worst meat pies in London, that his wife went insane and committed suicide, leaving his daughter to be a ward of the judge. Taking pity on the barber, Mrs. Lovett takes him in and restores the razors that served him in his previous life. Before long, he and the pie shop owner are serving up mysterious meat pies with a side of vigilante justice.

It is a strange tale, indeed, especially for the likes of a musical. But if the audience can relate to the issues dealt with- love, hate, revenge- on a visceral level, they will embrace the characters and the story. This production succeeds in making that connection, even as a musical thriller, thanks to some fine performances and a unique staging that allows us to focus on the music and the performers. In fact, it succeeds with enough humor to keep the audience from realizing that murder really isn’t a laughing matter…at least until a twisted turn of events sheds blood-red light on the debilitating hold that vengeance has on the heart and mind.

David Hess portrayed Todd with such despair and seething anger that the audience sympathized with the character almost immediately. Once he won us over, his terrible wrath and maniacal vengeance seemed justified as he carries out his plans. It was almost vindicating to see the good guy behaving badly- even if the good guy was a serial killer. With every bloodied neck and its accompanying bucket of blood, he fell further from salvation, yet came closer to redemption. Equally enjoyable was Judy Kaye as Mrs. Lovett. Her part can be described as comic relief, if dark humor is to your liking. I often found myself laughing, perhaps at what would be considered inappropriate times by civilized people, at gallows humor. Referring to the stuffing of the pies in a tongue-in-cheek number titled “A Little Priest,” she jokes with Todd, “This might be a little bit stringy, but then of course it's... fiddle player!” The supporting cast, who also played the same roles on Broadway, are equally strong for the most part. One of the outstanding numbers is Johanna, sung with heartfelt emotion by as Antony, the love interest of Todd’s daughter for whom the song is titled.

What made the staging unique was that the actors also played their own instruments on stage. With a single setting and all actors on the stage at all time, the audience is forced to focus on the music and the performers, creating a more intimate setting in which they were always present. While it was probably a logistic nightmare in terms of staging and orchestrating, these professionals pull it off extremely well. Kaye not only sings and acts, but plays the tuba and percussion. Others play the cello, violin, keyboard, and clarinet. The instruments never interfered with the storytelling. Rather, they become instruments of storytelling themselves. For instance, the chords played on the clarinet by Diana DiMarzio as the Beggar Woman, are reflective of her psychological demeanor- shrill, startling, and discordant.

Sweeney Todd is one of the best offerings I have seen at ACT in the last couple of years. Hopefully this is indicative of the rest of the season, which include pieces by noted playwrights such as David Mamet (Speed-the-Plow), Athol Fugard (The Blood Knot) and Sam Shepard (Curse of the Starving Class).

Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Sep/27/sweeney.html