Category Archives: Reviews

September 12, 2013 · 5:08 pm

OLIVER TWIST Review

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my FaceBook fan page. You can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

OLIVER TWIST presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through Sept. 29. You can read the show description here.

Sara Clark as the Artful Dodger, Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist and Matt Lytle as Charley Bates. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Sara Clark as the Artful Dodger, Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist and Matt Lytle as Charley Bates. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Ah, Oliver Twist, the required reading in school that sent many of my generation running in a panic to the Cliff Notes section of the store. (This was back in the dark ages before the interweb, mind you.)

Thankfully, CSC succeeds, again, in bringing a classic literary work to impressive life on stage. Director Michael Evan Haney smartly leads a strong, focused ensemble through this dark story.

Jeremy Dubin as Fagin speaks to Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Jeremy Dubin as Fagin speaks to Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Sara Clark is mesmerizing to watch, doing double duty as the Narrator and The Artful Dodger. The transitions between the two is nicely handled. Excellent work by Kelly Mengelkoch as Nancy. I really enjoyed her believable portrayal of the personal conflict Nancy faced due to Oliver.

Nothing can make or break a show like a good villain. Thankfully, this show has four. On the dark side are Fagin portrayed by Jeremy Dubin and Bill Sikes played by Jim Hopkins. The dynamic between these bad guys was fun to watch as was Fagin’s “attitude adjustment” in Sikes’ presence. On the comic side, great work by Billy Chance as Mr. Bumble and Miranda McGee as Mrs. Corney at the workhouse. Also fun was Brent Vimtrup in several comedic moments. And again, excellent work by the entire ensemble.

Billy Chace as Mr. Bumble and Miranda McGee as Mrs. Corney look on to Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist asking for “some more.” Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Billy Chace as Mr. Bumble and Miranda McGee as Mrs. Corney look on to Ethan Verderber as Oliver Twist asking for “some more.” Photo by Rich Sofranko.

The costumes, designed by Heidi Jo Schiemer plus the set and lighting design by Andrew J. Hungerford, give the show a strong visual style. All aspects of the show really came together nicely.

If the goal was to offer a crisp, clean and entertaining production for ages 10 and up, then mission accomplished. A perfect family outing at the theater.

Click here for a complete list of show times for OLIVER TWIST.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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September 5, 2013 · 12:24 pm

OTHER DESERT CITIES Review

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my FaceBook fan page. You can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Ryan Wesley Gilreath as Trip Wyeth & Sara Mackie as Brooke Wyeth. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Ryan Wesley Gilreath as Trip Wyeth & Sara Mackie as Brooke Wyeth. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

OTHER DESERT CITIES presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through Sept. 22. You can read the show description here.

ETC begins their new season with a good production of the strangely compelling OTHER DESERT CITIES. Director D. Lynn Myers leads of quintet cast of ETC favorites through this one-room family drama.

While there were some solid moments throughout the show, on opening night it felt like the cast had yet to jell into a believable family unit. There was this “deliberateness” to the performances that seemed to be more dictated by the script than by the characters. Of the performers, Dale Hodges as Silda had the most defined performance.

Dennis Parlato as Lyman Wyeth & Amy Warner as Polly Wyeth. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Dennis Parlato as Lyman Wyeth & Amy Warner as Polly Wyeth. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Even when the characters interacted in pairs or trios the emotional connection and history seemed lacking. Simply put with an example: I’d expect the dynamic between Brooke and her aunt Silda to be different in front of mother/sister Polly then when the two of them are alone. But everything seemed to be played at the same level. The pacing also dragged a bit throughout, hindered by too many pregnant pauses and sometimes drawn out reactions.

In the second act, when Brooke is told to sit down so she can hear the “truth” of the family tragedy, there is a noticeable shift in the audience. We are ready for the emotional payoff, but the scene doesn’t build any momentum and flounders. However, I do believe that most of these issues will resolve themselves during the early performances of the run.

Amy Warner as Polly Wyeth, Sara Mackie as Brooke Wyeth & Dale Hodges as Silda Grauman. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Amy Warner as Polly Wyeth, Sara Mackie as Brooke Wyeth & Dale Hodges as Silda Grauman. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Brian c. Mehring provides another beautiful set. I enjoyed how he brought in the colors and textures of the desert into the room. But for me, the furnishing and decor skewed the room more 1970s than 2004.

The decision to place the couch center stage facing to the audience seemed to cause some blocking issues. When all cast members were on stage, several actors were pushed to the edges of the room, making for some awkward positioning at the fireplace, mini bar and against the stage left wall. When seated at the opposing chairs downstage and to the side of the couch, actors had a tendency to upstage themselves. Brooke’s reaction to the “truth” is lost to the audience as she is facing her father upstage for extended peiords.

Overall this is a good production of an interesting script. It just needs to be a bit more spontaneous and dynamic to reach the emotional notes it’s not quite hitting.

Click here for a complete list of show times for OTHER DESERT CITIES.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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August 13, 2013 · 6:47 pm

TOIL AND TROUBLE Review

Breona Conrad as Beth, Joshua Murphy as Matt & Chris Wesselman as Adam. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

Chris Wesselman as Adam, Breona Conrad as Beth & Joshua Murphy as Matt. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my FaceBook fan page. You can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

TOIL AND TROUBLE presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati through Aug. 24. You can read the show description here.

Know Theatre of Cincinnati brings another quirky gem to the stage with the MACBETH homage, TOIL AND TROUBLE. Non-Shakespeare fans can relax though. Aside from some parallel plot points, and several lines quoted directly from the bard’s work, this is a contemporary play.

Breona Conrad as Beth, Joshua Murphy as Matt & Chris Wesselman as Adam. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

Breona Conrad as Beth, Joshua Murphy as Matt & Chris Wesselman as Adam. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

Initially we meet roommates Matt (Joshua Murphy) and Adam (Chris Wesselman). Both are unemployed “victims” of the current economy. Adam, the idea man, has come up with a multi-million dollar scheme to “take over a small island nation off the coast of Chile populated by miniature vicuña.” Murphy and Wesselman have an easy chemistry on stage and both give solid performances.

Rounding out the cast is Breona Conrad as Beth. Conrad brings great energy and characterization to the role. Beth, who is obviously wearing the pants in this trio, quickly makes a grab for power using her wits and wiles against both Matt and Adam.

The script is fun, with some great world-commentary from Matt. Director Eric Vossmeier makes smart use of the stage, keeping the action moving without seeming hurried. Opening night the show seemed to dip in energy near the beginning of the second act, but managed to get back on track fairly quickly.

Overall a fun, quirky comedy – the perfect ending to a summer evening in Over-the-Rhine.

Click here for a complete list of show times for TOIL AND TROUBLE.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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August 9, 2013 · 12:29 pm

THE 39 STEPS Review

CSC_The 39 Steps1

Nicholas Rose and Miranda McGee. Rich Sofranko Photography

THE 39 STEPS presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through Aug. 11. You can read the show description here.

CSC kicks off their 20th anniversary season with a special event production of THE 39 STEPS. This comedic take on the Alfred Hitchcock thriller features the solid cast of Nicholas Rose, Miranda McGee, Billy Chance and Justin Combs under the direction of Brian Isaac Phillips. I attended the opening night performance on July 19. (My apologies for the delay in this review. I promise to be more timely for the rest of the season.)

CSC_The 39 Steps2

Billy Chance, Justin Combs & Nicholas Rose. Rich Sofranko Photography.

One thing obvious on opening night was that CSC has a very invested fan base, who have a real connection to its performers. This, combined with a few breaks of the fourth wall, led to a very vocal audience swept along in the fun.

The chase scene aboard the train was my favorite in the show. All elements came together brilliantly.

The only “complaint” I had was with the pacing in a several places. Part of this stems from a few of the comedic bits going on too long. Most notable was the political rally scene near the beginning of act two. One comedic old man is funny, two of them slows the show momentum considerably. Also the black-outs between several scenes (I assume required due to limited backstage space) interrupted the pacing.

Overall a very entertaining production and a great “thank you” to their patrons for making their first 20 years such a success.

Click here for a complete list of show times for THE 39 STEPS.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the showor my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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June 5, 2013 · 1:53 pm

IN WHICH I SET MYSELF ON FIRE Review

Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Simon Powell as Roman, Carey Parsons as Rita & Blair Bowman as Chris. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

IN WHICH I SET MYSELF ON FIRE presented by Cincinnati Group Theatre as part of the 2013 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Click here for the show description, a list of show times, links to local media coverage and other reviews.

I think it’s great to see new works by local playwrights at the Fringe Festival. One entry this year is NKU-grad Hayley Powell’s new play IN WHICH I SET MYSELF ON FIRE.

For the most part, I found the script to be solid and it held my interest throughout. Director Brandon Moore guides a strong ensemble  (Robyn Novak as Sylvia, Simon Powell as Roman, Blair Bowman as Chris and Carey Parsons as Rita) well in the confined space. The blocking made good use of the playing area and had a sense of purpose. Emotionally the scenes felt right. Sylvia and Chris’ confrontation scene was a personal favorite. Also the cast seems to have done some in-depth research on how to act drunk. 🙂

Carey Parsons as Rita, Blair Bowman as Chris, Simon Powell as Roman, & Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Carey Parsons as Rita, Blair Bowman as Chris, Simon Powell as Roman & Robyn Novak as Sylvia. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

I wasn’t sure on the time frame involved. I understand the main three were college friends, but how long after college are the scenes taking place?

Live cellist Cole Guillian accompanies the play and at times it is very effective. In a couple of scenes, as he started to play, my first thought was that someone’s cell phone was going off.

I’m not sure what the next step is for this work but I could see it expanded into a full length play. What follows are some observations for whatever their worth. I was a bit unclear about Rita (BTW Parsons gave great face throughout the show). She was a friend to Sylvia, but didn’t seem to interact much with the other characters.

The issue of catholic-guilt seemed a little light. Heaven and hell aren’t just Catholic concepts and with audience members not being Catholic, you may have to provide a bit more exposition for them regarding the guilt.

Additional lines or scenes to better help understand Chris & Roman’s relationship , why Roman and Sylvia ever got married at all, and a bit more resolution to Chris and Sylvia’s relationship after the big confrontation.

Overall a very promising start on a new work from a new organization.

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my FaceBook fan page. You can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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