OPINION

Theater Reviews: RED VELVET & MOTHER OF THE MAID

I don’t know your life. I’m not pretending to be omniscient nor do I mean to minimize your issues, but I can hedge a pretty safe bet that your personal problems will dwarf in the shadows of Ira Aldridge and Isabelle Arc. These historical figures are the subjects of two productions, Red Velvet and Mother of the Maid, currently running at Shakespeare and Company in Massachusetts’ culture rich Berkshires.

John Douglas Thompson in RED VELVET. Photo by Enrico Spada.

Lolita Chakrabarti’s Red Velvet tells the story of Aldridge (John Douglas Thompson), a well-known 19th century actor who made his mark playing classical roles throughout Europe. When esteemed actor Edmund Keane falls ill at London’s Covent garden while playing Othello, Aldridge is summoned as a replacement. Pierre Laporte (Joe Tapper), the company manager is quick to suggest Aldridge. What he fails to tell the acting troupe is that Aldridge is African-American. Laporte, an upbeat optimist, thinks nothing of it. However, Keane’s cast is unjustifiably unsettled by the new actor. Facing even further opposition, Aldridge must endure theater critics who judge him based more on his physical appearance than the quality of his work. In spite of audience approval, the theater board is tasked with a challenging decision to keep or remove their new replacement. Aldridge is also suspected of dalliances with his co-star, Ellen Tree (Kelley Curran), further adding to his challenges.

Joe Tapper and John Douglas Thompson in RED VELVET.Photo by Enrico Spada.

Told with the theatrical device of a flashback, Chakrabarti’s script maintains a vitality throughout. It would be easy to single out Thompson for his gripping portrayal, as this Obie award winner leaves an indelible stamp on every role he assumes. Red Velvet is no exception. Yet his fellow actors enhance this play to new heights that strike the perfect balance between intellect and emotion. Director Daniela Varon and her team deserve a standing ovation for mounting this important work that will hopefully transfer to the New York stage. At one point, Ira describes the potency of drama, “That’s the beauty of theatre…it’s about getting under your skin.” Based on that criteria, Red Velvet triumphs.

On the opposite side of the Shakespeare and company campus, a mother is wringing her hands and scrutinizing over her faith in Jane Anderson’s Mother of the Maid. Isabelle Arc (Tina Packer) is a steadfast woman of faith who finds herself in complete dilemma over her French peasant daughter Joan’s (Anne Troup) decision to fight against England in the hundred years’ war. Joan finds the inspiration after continuous conversations and visions from Saint Catherine (Bridget Saracino). Neither Isabelle nor her already cantankerous husband, Jacques (Nigel Gore) approve proclaiming, “You’re a stubborn, reckless girl and you have no idea what you are doing.”

Anne Troup and Tina Packer in MOTHER OF THE MAID. Photo by Enrico Spada.

Joan of Arc’s 15^th century story has been told countless times in various media outlets and the tragic ending of Joan’s life is not a spoiler alert, but Anderson’s contemporary approach to the material is edgy, innovative, and thoroughly affecting. Anderson, an Emmy award-winning writer, has so deeply cut to the core of parenthood that even those without children will be left in a state of moving reflection. A particularly profound moment comes when Isabelle explains the role of motherhood to the Lady of King Charles’ court (Elizabeth Aspenlieder) : “You don’t know her. You never cleaned her nose or wiped her bum or picked the knots out of her hair,” she begins, and ends with a declaration: “You never knew her restlessness and you don’t know her fear. My child is so afraid.” Enter Kleenex.

Like Red Velvet, the company is blessed to have a “rockstar” leading actor, this time with Shakespeare & Company’s founder Tina Packer in the role of Isabel, but she is not tasked with the burden of carrying the play. Often with well-known stories from history, interpretations can become too mawkish and hokey. With Anderson’s script and Matthew Penn’s compassionate guidance, the whole ensemble unites with sympathetic and deeply felt story that will shine new light into the soul.

In addition to the two works reviewed, many other events have shaped the season at Shakespeare and Company. Within the last few weeks, they closed a marvelous compilation of Shakespeare’s works called Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World which ran in their charming outdoor theater. Another outdoor production, Hamlet, was staged in the on the bucolic grounds of the nearby Edith Wharton home. A truncated version of The Comedy of Errors was met with much critical acclaim before ending its run on August 23^rd.

Those in the mood for a cerebral comedy still have time to catch Yasmina Reza’s two hander, The Unexpected Guest, along with Red Velvet and Mother of the Maid.

For tickets and information to Shakespeare and Company, visit their website http://www.shakespeare.org/Better yet, get out of New York for a spell and discover this gem (and the beautiful Berkshires) for yourself.

MoSex Exhibitions “Hardcore” and “Splendor in the Grass” Offer Polar Opposite Understandings of Coitus

by Jessica Klein

As tends to be the case with the Museum of Sex, the current exhibitions offer a hit-and-miss experience. The relatively tiny museum, located at the corner of 5^th Avenue and 27^th Street in Manhattan, houses a couple regular displays (one room dedicated to how various animals copulate, another showcasing the museum’s permanent collection), but there’s always space for two rotating features, which vary widely in terms of execution and content—hence the current exhibitions, “Hardcore: A Century and a Half of Obscene Imagery,” and “Splendor in the Grass: A Kinesthetic Camping Ground.”

While both exhibitions have one very obvious common denominator (sex), they explore the topic in almost polar opposite ways. The former does so historically, looking chronologically at archives of pornography that date back to a time when the idea of sexual expression was pretty much nonexistent in the public realm (we’ll get to exhibition number two later). Walking through these displayed archives proves a genuinely fascinating experience, especially as it does an excellent job of revealing various precursors to our modern day conceptions of what’s sexy.

For instance, altering photographs to achieve sexual ideals has been practiced for ages. Today, Photoshop accounts for many of the sexualized images we see in places as mundane as subway cars and billboards—and don’t think for a second that higher-end porn doesn’t involve a good bit of editing to make the subjects more attractive. Thus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that people back in the late 1800s felt that their pornographic photos could benefit from extra touch-ups.

Basically, porn-inspired masturbators did what anyone in the 21^st Century with Photoshop would have done—they cut and pasted to create the naked bodies of their dreams. In one collection of erotic photographs found in a Brooklyn brownstone from this period, it was clear that someone had taken to them with scissors, selecting faces from certain photographs to paste atop the bodies from others. If porn was more out in the open back then, the first people to have done this could have certainly benefited from a patent of their genius idea.

Of course, sexual repression was an underlying theme of the “Hardcore” exhibition. It made sure to detail the anti-porn crusade of Anthony Comstock, the man behind the Comstock Act of 1873, which made it illegal first to mail contraception and then was amended several years later to forbid the mailing of all “lewd and lascivious material” (aka, all kinds of porn).

So that porn collection found in the Brooklyn brownstone—it was actually found in the walls of said brownstone, as Comstock had made it his mission in the 1870s to destroy all the erotic content he (and those on his side) could get their puritanical hands on.

This included same sex materials, which were lacking in this MoSex exhibition—but not by any fault of the museum’s. Same sex porn was largely destroyed over the years, not just via Comstock’s crusade but because it was deemed unnatural by many cultures. Considering the United States Supreme Court just made same sex marriage legal nationwide, it makes sense that 19^th Century attitudes about this genre of erotica were proportionally backwards.

Further showcasing historical precursors to modern day ideas about porn, “Hardcore” made a point of touching on the “exotic,” a category of porn that was sought after even before the internet thoroughly globalized the industry. Today, people are fascinated by “other cultures” (to put it not-so-crassly). Straight, white guys love to watch Asian chicks getting it on, to name one, popular stereotype (and to put it crassly).

Centuries ago, this manifested in “anthropologists” traveling to foreign lands and bringing back pictures of these lands’ naked inhabitants. In other words, disingenuous people went to other countries pretending to be anthropologists so they could coerce people there into posing naked for them. How horribly sleazy…at least we can take (dis)comfort in the fact that the sex industry never changes.

In complete contrast to “Hardcore,” the museum’s second temporary exhibition, “Splendor in the Grass,” explores sex haphazardly, almost like a 12-year-old boy trying to exact his first hand job. The second in a series of “Kinesthesia Art Commissions” at MoSex, the first being Bompas & Parr’s Funland (the boob moon bounce from which has made it into the museum’s permanent collection), Studio Droog’s attempt at making sensual “art” interactive feels like it was thrown together at the last minute. Quick, guys, we have to get this MoSex thing ready! Let’s, uh, pitch a few tents, grab some mirrors, get a fog machine, and…that should do it!

Yes, this exhibition literally relies on smoke and mirrors to make an impression on museumgoers. Set up like a camping trip, “Splendor in the Grass” (named after the line in the Wordsworth poem) consists of multiple tents, each of which are meant to provide sensory experiences for those who enter. The first one, dedicated to “self exploration,” is made up of multiple mirrors strung together in such a way that they never quite stay still as you’re examining yourself. This makes for a sensation of dizziness that precludes actually looking at the mirrors for long enough to examine anything.

The next tent over features a semi-amorphous blob draped in a green, prickly material that visitors are invited to graze with their hands, creating a tingly sensation that’s helped along by creepy, whispering commentary that seem to emanate from this amorphous blob—oh, wait, it’s supposed to be the form of a reclining woman? Yes, you can tell for sure now that a little, red, laser-size dot has lit up where “her” nipple should be.

These are followed by three other tents, one of which offers a Twister-esque game without any instructions or logic to it, another of which is filled with the smoke part of the whole “smoke and mirrors” display, and the last of which had something to do with body heat but was apparently broken when my friend and I tried it out (so the “park ranger,” or the exhibition’s supervisor, concluded when nothing really happened after we went inside). Lastly, there’s a faux campfire displayed on the wall that cycles through erotic pictures, making it look as if these frolicking, sexing people are being slowly roasted away like marshmallows.

Ultimately, while “Splendor in the Grass” relies on a lot of materials, sounds, and colors to engage museumgoers, “Hardcore” doesn’t need to because the idea behind it was actually well thought out and interesting. Hopefully the artists at Studio Droog have a much better understanding of sex than what their exhibition portrays—for their partners’ sakes.

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*Images credited to the Museum of Sex website (the first from Mark Rotenberg’s archives)

Theater Review: SEAWIFE

by Ryan Leeds

Hemingway, Verne, Melville, and Homer are all highly canonized classic authors with one thing common: they’ve all written books with nautical themes that are assigned to high school and college students all across the country. Trouble is, when any of their great works (The Old Man and The Sea, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Moby Dick, and Odyssey, respectively) are mentioned, it is usually followed by a blank stare, a vague recollection, and/or a quiet, nearly shameful murmuring that the book was studied , but deemed “boring” by the reader.

Thanks to Naked Angels Theater Company and director Liz Carlson, the symbolic ocean tale has been vividly re-imagined and made exceptionally cool in Seawife, a new immersive musical production currently housed at the South Street Seaport Museum.

The Museum, which itself has been revitalized after weathering Hurricane Sandy and economic travails, offers appropriate rustic ambiance to the story of Percy (first portrayed by Tommy Crawford and later by Will Turner), a young boy destined to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a harpooner. Told through the lens of his sidekick, Caldi (Tony Vo), he weaves a riveting tale of swashbuckling as only he can since, “I am bound to it, as I am the only one who knows it.” The show also brilliantly offers a quiet ecological warning about the sea and those who care for it. The lesson invokes thought, but avoids the urge to proselytize.

A wonderfully tuneful folk-rock score accompanies the story including mandolins, banjos, and fiddles. The Lobbyists, a talented group of musicians are featured as both the band and a majority of the cast. Clocking in at over 2 1/2 hours the show occasionally lags, but once this expansively talented troupe begins their next song, all is forgiven. By collaborating with playwright Seth Moore and an imaginative creative team, they have taken what has become a staid genre and given it a hip, fresh, makeover that is as entertaining as the ocean is vast.

SeaWife plays Tuesday through Sunday at 7:00 PM through July 19th, 2015 at the South Street Seaport Museum (213 Water Street, Manhattan) Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at BrownPaperTickets.com For more information about the show and The Lobbyists, visit seawife.org

Theater Review: AN ACT OF GOD

by Ryan Leeds

Theologians and spiritualists have long believed that God can be found in the most unexpected of places. Studio 54 is probably the last locale they’d suspect, but that is exactly where the Creator of the Universe is currently taking up residency in the form of actor Jim Parsons.

Parsons, best known for his four-time Emmy award-winning role as Sheldon Cooper in television’s The Big Bang Theory makes yet another award worthy turn in David Javerbaum’s play, An Act of God. Donning a white robe and perching himself against Scott Pask’s appropriately pure white set, Parsons, along with his angelic sidekicks, Michael (Christopher Fitzgerald) and Gabriel (Tim Kazurinksy) muses on the current state of society. He offers a glimpse into the traditional Ten commandments (“I never meant for it to define Me, to be the one work of mine everyone quotes and debates and interprets”), and creates a new set of edicts (“Tonight, I shall give thee a new Ten Commandments, one that will forever end that uncertainty regarding what it is I desire from humanity that has caused so much bitterness and hatred among you over the millenia, all of which I found very flattering.”)

The philosophical topics, including Creation, the Garden of Eden, what God should or shouldn’t damn or bless, and gun rights, are derived from both Javerbaum’s comedic book of the same name and his popular twitter feed. Is it blasphemous? That question is as debatable as the holy scripture itself. Still, there is much thoughtful commentary to consume in this 90 minute celestial comedy cloud. When extremist groups use religion to support their often irrational behavior, doesn’t it make sense for a Deity to ask human beings to stop killing in His name? “Not that I don’t appreciate it,” He jokes, “But I want you to stop killing in my name, because it’s patronizing.” ISIS, can you hear me?

Parsons timing is as immaculate as…well… a biblical conception! But while the spotlight rightfully focuses on him, one shouldn’t underestimate his co-stars, Fitzgerald and Kazurinsky, who skillfully make the Almighty even mightier with their deadpan deliveries.

An Act of God is perfect summer fare, but latecomers be warned: the King of the Universe will point out your tardiness to the rest of the audience. But lighten up for heaven’s sake; redemptive amusement is sure to follow.

An Act of God is now playing through August 2nd at Studio 54 (254 West 54th Street between Broadway and 8th avenue). For tickets, visit the box office or online at: https://www.telecharge.com/Broadway/An-Act-of-God/

Theater Review: FOR THE LAST TIME

by Ryan Leeds

If character development and story line were as rich as the music, For the Last Time would have all of the combined elements for fine theater. However, Will Pomerantz and Nancy Harrow’s musical, based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Gothic novel The Marble Faun, tends to be a bit muddy, dragging on a bit too long and lingering like ghosts that haunt the re-imagined 1950’s New Orleans setting itself.

Miriam (Brittany Campbell) is a carefree painter, eager to show her more reserved friend Hilda (Anita Welch) , the decadent ways of the world. Ladies’ man Kenyon (Carl Clemons-Hopkins) works his charm on Hilda, while Donatello (Britton Smith) displays his affections towards Miriam. This is voodoo laced New Orleans, however, so one can be sure that nothing on the surface is quite what it appears. Watching the action from afar is the “overseer” (Reggie D. White), a mysterious and dangerous man from Miriam’s past who looms over the Big Easy quartet like the Stay Puft Marshmallow man.

The performances are strong and the cast capably navigates the material it’s been given, but what really makes this show pop are the phenomenal sounds of musical director Cody Owen Stine’s band, bringing Nancy Harrow’s moody, wholly original and intelligent jazz score to life on John McDermott’s ambitious and effective French quarter style set.

For the Last Time is now playing on at the Clurman Theater on Theater Row (West 42nd between 9th and 10th) through June 20th. For tickets and information, visit the box office or http://www.forthelasttimemusical.com/

Theater Review: WHAT I DID LAST SUMMER & THE GLASS MENAGERIE

by Ryan Leeds

A wisp of nostalgia is currently floating over Midtown Manhattan. On 42nd street, the setting for remembrance is a beach town along the shores of Lake Erie in 1945. Signature Theater’s revival of A.R. Gurney’s 1981 play What I Did Last Summer is a touching slice of drama bursting at the seams with an impeccable cast and plenty of food for both the soul and mind.

Set near the end of World War II, What I Did Last Summer introduces us to Charlie (Noah Galvin), a precocious 14 year old, his sister Elsie (Kate McGonigle), his best friend Ted (Pico Alexander), and later, his love interest Bonnie (Juliet Brett). Guiding their path is his frustrated, but devoted and rather uptight mother, Grace (Carolyn McCormick) whose husband is overseas fighting in the war.

In his effort to gain summer employment, Charlie, much to the dismay of his mother, seeks a job with Anna Trumbull (Kristine Nielsen) , otherwise known as “the pig woman”. Trumbull is the town’s kooky bohemian who gives art lessons (but as we learn, nobody takes them.) In her younger days, Grace was a student of Trumbull but wishes to put the memory behind her. Charlie arranges frequent visits to the outcast, who is desperate to teach him the ways of an artist. Her attempts are futile, but what he lacks in artistic talent, he makes up for with an open mind and a new world view.

What I Did Last Summer The Pershing Square Signature Center/Irene Diamond Stage Carolyn McCormick and Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen will star as Grace and Anna Trumbull, respectively, alongside Pico Alexander as Ted, Juliet Brett as Bonny, Noah Galvin as Charlie and Kate McGonigle as Elsie. Performances will begin on April 28 at the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center off-Broadway. — .

Galvin, who was recently seen downtown in Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information is unquestionably one of the finest young actors working on a New York stage. With a combination of intensity, focus, and earnestness, he turns out another first rate performance. The character of Charlie could easily become a grating, impetuous twit in the wrong hands. Here, Galvin strikes perfect harmony between anxious adolescence and a hugely likable young man in search of himself and his purpose.

Noone plays “quirky” quite as well as Kristine Nielsen, and once again, she doesn’t disappoint. Nielsen has captured the carefree, anti-establishment spirit of Trumbull, and also evokes Thoreau’s observation that “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Trumbull is one who “coulda been a contender” but has allowed life to triumph over her. Now she fights to be recognized.

In fact, every character in Gurney’s memory play is jockeying for attention . As each one introduces themselves, each is certain that the play is about them. Perhaps it is Gurney’s comment on our own humaness; for at our core, we are all seeking the comfort and assurance of being visible and validated.

Director Jim Simpson guides the piece with sentimentality that carefully avoids the syrupy realm. Michael Yeargan’s sparsely modern but efficient set places the intended focus on the story, while Dan Wiener’s perfectly timed drum interludes add an extra ray of delight to this already charm soaked production.

A few blocks north, the quintessential memory play was set afoot in Masterworks Theater Company’s inaugural production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie and boy oh boy, was it ever a mixed bag.

Williams’ semi-autobiographical tale of abandonment and unfulfillment proved an audacious choice for a brand new theater company, especially after an acclaimed and Tony award Broadway production played the boards less than two years ago.

Although it is mandatory reading for most high school students, here is a cliffs notes version of the plot. (And let’s face it: Even if did read it in high school, you’ve probably forgotten it by now!) Tom Wingfield (Richard Prioleau) is both the narrator and a player in the story. As the primary breadwinner of his family , he spends day after laboring day at the factory and his nights going to the movies (essentially code for “drinking”). Laura (Olivia Washington), is his younger sister, content to spend her days tinkering with her glass menagerie but too shy and handicapped to endure the delicate nature of romance. Jim O’Conner (Doug Harris), a gentleman caller and colleague to Tom, assuages her fears in a tender moment of inspiration. Amanda Wingfield (Saundra Santiago), is a matriarch of force. As she recalls her younger, more beautiful days she also minimizes her daughter’s struggles and throws fits of dramatic hysteria in an effort to hold her broken family together.

First, let’s highlight the pros: Masterworks choice of multi-cultural casting worked quite well. Prioleau, a handsome African-American actor was a marvelous Tom Wingfield. In him, there is a natural ruggedness and internal struggle which evokes sheer empathy and compassion. Prioleau is a gifted young actor and it will be thrilling to watch his career advance. Likewise, Harris delivered a winning turn as Jim, a popular high school jock whose higher pedigree is a stark contrast than that of the Wingfield clan. Harris’ gesture of kindness to the wounded Laura is played with delicacy and his manners would make any mother target him as in-law material. Campbell Baird’s tattered apartment perfectly evoked depression-era ambience.

While Priloeau and Harris were the stronger portions of this 4 person cast, the same praise could not be shared with their female co-stars. Santiago appeared to be a seasoned actor, given her lengthy program bio which includes Broadway credits and well known television appearances, so she should be given the benefit of the doubt. Here though, she charged through her performance with her foot constantly pressed to the gas pedal, allowing little opportunity for her to gradually increase the intensity of Amanda. Washington also has a tendency to conjure unrealistic anxiety in Laura, specifically upon her first interaaction with Jim.

Masterworks Theater Company appears to be on the right track as they aim to produce classic works in the coming seasons. Founding director Eric Krebs deserves high praise for exposing new audiences to classic works. One can only hope that his team will find collectively talented ensembles so that his recent “mixed bag”, directed by Christopher Scott, will be upgraded to a sack of gold.

What I Did Last Summer is currently playing at the Pershing Square Signature Center (42nd street between 9th and 10th). For tickets and information, visit the box office or online at:http://www.signaturetheatre.org/

The Glass Menagerie ended May 30th at the 47th Street Theater (304 West 47th street between 8th and 9th). For more information about Masterworks Theater Company, click http://www.masterworkstheatercompany.org/

Theater Review: IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU

by Ryan Leeds

“Cute” might be enough to cut a wedding cake, but it’s not enough to cut the pain of dropping your hard-earned dollars on Broadway’s latest musical romantic comedy, It Shoulda Been You. That’s the bad news. The good news is that this harmless confection will likely grow legs and be reproduced in regional theaters across the country.

Set in a swanky hotel on the day of a mixed marriage wedding, the show pits two sets of parents against one another: Judy and Murray Steinberg (Tyne Daly and Chip Zien), devout Jews whose daughter, Rebecca (Sierra Boggess) is tying the knot. In the other corner is George and Georgette Howard (Michael X. Martin and Harriet Harris), an uptight Protestant pair. Their son, Brian (David Burtka), is poised to take Rebecca’s hand, but not if his bride-to-be’s old flame, Marty Kaufman (Josh Grisetti) has anything to say about it. Albert (Edward Hibbert), the “so gay he nearly flies away” wedding planner, Annie (Montego Glover) , Rebecca’s “friend” and Greg (Nick Spangler), Brian’s “friend” round out the line-up of main players, except for Jenny Steinberg (Lisa Howard), Rebecca’s sister and chief organizer.

Lisa Howard. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus

In spite of all its’ dippy humor by book writer and lyricist Brian Hargrove, Howard is the knockout star of this union, effortlessly taking shoddy material and weaving it into a bold and beautiful fur coat. As she puts on a good face and vies for the approval of those around her, Howard’s Jenny embodies warmth, sincerity, and a showstopping storm of sass near the finale in “Jenny’s Blues.”

The idea of It Shoulda Been You is clever: take an old-fashioned wedding comedy and put a modern spin on it, but the cake rarely rises. Sure, there are some gut-busting moments. Greg and Annie’s “American Idol”-esque love song, “Love You Till the Day” is comedic nirvana. (Watch the reactions of those seated behind them for additional guffaws). Aside from these two numbers, Barbara Anselmi’s music is far from memorable.

Nick Spangler and Montego Glover. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus

The show is chock full of rich talent, from an always solid Tyne Daly to newcomer Josh Grissetti, whose nebbishness and irresistible charm furnish the show with winning endearment. Celebrity director David Hyde Pierce is no stranger to well crafted theater, but even under his hand, the ingredients create a batter of general disappointment.

Allow me a cheeky moment to paraphrase the wedding vows: Do you, New York ticket buyer, take It Shoulda Been You to be your musical comedy partner for 90 minutes, mostly in sickness but with a slight smattering of healthy humor? Will you love it and cherish it until it starts and only then realize that there are better options on the boards? If so, please answer, “I do”. Just know that next year this time, you’ll be able to see it in summer-stock at a fraction of the cost.

(L to R) Tyne Daly, Lisa Howard, Sierra Boggess, David Burtka, and Harriet Harris. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus

It Shoulda Been You is now playing on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street between Broadway and 8th avenue. For tickets and information, visit the box office or go to: http://www.itshouldabeenyou.com/

Wrap Bracelets That Make A Statement: Hole In Her Stocking

by Danielle Flocco

With spring in full bloom and summer ahead, it felt like the perfect time to add some more color to my accessory drawer. As usual, I turned to Etsy, my go-to for something nice with a handmade touch, where I found a wonderful shop called Hole in Her Stocking.

It was hard to choose a single bracelet from all the great pieces in the shop, but remembering that they look like more than just one, I settled on a blue, turquoise, purple, and silver wrap. Intrigued with the shop and how their beautiful color schemes and styles came to be, I reached out to the owner, Jennifer, for some more information.

The Hole in Her Stocking shop was started several years ago as a hobby, with Jennifer taking time off here and there. Over the last year, though, she invested herself more seriously in the shop and created for herself a successful brand. Jennifer is a one woman team from Long Island, crafting each of her colorful pieces on her own, recruiting family only for modeling.

It turns out talent does run in the family, being that Jennifer first gained an interest in jewelry making growing up. She shared with me that her mother and grandmother were very crafty women and often made their own jewelry. Early in her life, Jennifer followed their lead and started creating her own pieces. Her natural taste in style has always been that bohemian, hippie style, so it is only natural that Hole in Her Stocking oozes fun and happy vibes.

We all love getting a great product in great packaging, and that element was certainly not overlooked by Jennifer. Several months ago she started experimenting with custom stamped sacks, and naturally the response was overwhelming. While looking to give her customers something unique, she ended up creating a keepsake bag, perfect for storage and travel, that comes with every bracelet.

The start of Jennifer’s interest in jewelry making, and the influences behind Hole in Her Stocking make for a great story behind the shop, but obviously the products speak louder than any words can. Let me start by saying, I was extremely excited to get the mail to catch my first glimpse of the custom stamped sack and multi-color wrap bracelet.

The sack, complete with my name and an arrow design to complement, has a light burlap texture and a drawstring on top. The bracelet fits securely in the bag, with the drawstring pulling to a tight close. Durability is key with any packaging, and the sack is cute and personalized means of protection from everyday messes. I definitely recommend keeping the bag, whether you choose to store your bracelet in it or just use it for travel.

I opened the little sack to unveil what would become my go-to color pop, and pulled out the slinky like bracelet. With nine layers of beads, my bracelet wraps from larger beads on the bottom to slightly smaller beads on the top. It starts with a line of light turquoise beads that sit securely against the loop ending on the bracelet. From there, it wraps to light blue, to silver rectangular blocks, to an almost wine colored purple. While I wouldn’t usually like blue and purple together, the accent of the silver blocks between the two layers adds a together but separate element to the bracelet, which is what ultimately gives the image of being multiple pieces. From the wine-like purple beads, it moves up to slightly translucent purple beads, and then to another layer of silver. The silver line here are faceted circular beads, yet again creating the image of a separate bracelet. My wrap finishes off with a layer of turquoise, followed by what I see as almost magenta, and ended with a line of dark royal blue that ultimately completes the bracelet.

The beads used on the bracelet are good quality, leaving no worry for sudden breakage. However, they do scratch easily, so it is vital to watch where you reach with the bracelet on. My initial concern with such a layered bracelet being a wrap would be that it wouldn’t fit my wrist properly; that either it would be too structured or bend very easily. The first time wearing the bracelet it did feel a bit stiff, resting on my wrist with room to spare between the bracelet and my arm in some places. But after the first couple wears, it almost came to fit my arm better, and now sits very comfortably every time I put it on- which is almost everyday.

The colors in the bracelets are incredibly bright and will stand out no matter what you wear, which is my favorite part. My personal favorite way to style the bracelet is with an all black outfit, letting the bracelet do the talking. On all black, the colors pop so much on their own that it makes me feel as though I need no other accessories. Another great style idea is to wear something that picks up one of the colors in the bracelet. For mine, I wore it with black flats, black leggings, and a flowy turquoise shirt. With the turquoise shirt and accents in the bracelet, the look was very fun, bright, and put together. I’ve also gone on to wear the bracelet with white, blue, and pink shirts along with a black cardigan, and the bracelet was, again, the perfect accent.

To say the least, I adore my bracelet from Hole in Her Stocking. The stacked look without the effort, the comfortable fit, and the bright colors to pop are just a few of the best qualities. There is near to nothing one of these bracelets wouldn’t look good with, and with most of them being under $30, there is no reason not to get one, or a million, of them for yourself. Mine in particular is only $17.50! So, do your wardrobe a favor and style it with the accessories it deserves.

Love what you see in the shop? The first ever lookbook is in progress, giving us all something to look forward to. And don’t forget follow @holeinherstocking on Instagram, where you can see all the new styles as they are listed and all the existing ones in all their boho glory.

Theater Review: A QUEEN FOR A DAY

by Ryan Leeds

Giovanni “Nino” Cinquimani (David Proval) is worried that he’s not going to make Sunday mass. This should be the least of his worries however, since his lawyer, Sanford (David Deblinger) has just presented him with a proffer agreement, otherwise known as a “queen for a day” letter. The contract, drafted by US Attorney, Patricia Cole (Portia), will provide Nino immunity for any comments he makes about his younger brother and mafia kingpin, Pasquale (Vincent Pastore).

Michael Ricigliano, Jr.’s drama, A Queen for Day certainly does not cover new ground. Two of its stars, Proval and Pastore, were featured on the hugely popular HBO Series The Sopranos. Here, they both do the best they can with the material, but it often feels like a parody of the “bada-bing, bada-bang” brand. Sure, a major plot twist occurs which, to my knowledge, has never been attempted; the likes of which further challenge the bond of brotherhood. And yet, the script rarely manages to raise them above the level of caricature. Deblinger’s Sanford also reads as the cookie cutter, highly neurotic lawyer, while Portia’s Patricia Cole appears on the scene as a relentless pit bull. There are deep secrets, but few layers in any of Ricigliano, Jr.’s one dimensional characters.

Andreea Mincic’s dank, foreboding warehouse set, combined with Isabella F. Byrd’s moody lighting design appropriately set the tone for a gangster hide-out. The 90 minute show will presumably appeal to followers of the leading men and hard core fans of the mobster genre. But for the rest, you can simply, “Fuggetaboutit.”

A Queen for a Day is now playing at Theatre at St. Clements, 423 West 46th street between 9th and 10th aves. For tickets and information, visit http://aqueenforadayplay.com/tickets/

Theater Review: NIRBHAYA

by Ryan Leeds

If, in the midst of watching Nirbhaya, you realize that your heart has momentarily stopped beating and you are holding your breath, then you will indisputably be eliciting the appropriately human response. Your fellow audience members are likely joining you in this awestruck silence.

Writer and director Yael Farber’s profound docudrama chronicles an unnerving and heinous act that took place in Delhi, India on December 16th, 2012 when Jyoti Singh Pandey, a young physiotherapist intern, was brutally gang raped by six other men. Her male friend was also beaten. Pandey eventually died from the trauma, sparking a national and international outrage against sexual violence. The show’s title, Nirbhaya, is a Hindi word for “fearless” , an attribute which Pandey clung to until her dying day.

As the 100 minute intermission-less show begins, Pandey emerges, singing a hauntingly beautiful Indian song and walking as though she were a phantom. She remains on stage through most of the piece, hovering over the proceedings and serving as a reminder to her fellow victims, whose stories are equally as painful. They include accounts of a mother choosing between her own children, a dowry bride who was doused with kerosene, and other brutally forceful sexual acts. Farber’s deeply affecting script is unyielding in its’ attempt to demand attention, but it never steers into the direction of melo-drama. At times, Nirbhaya is uncomfortable to watch, and yet such a reaction brings to mind Edmund Burke’s quote that “evil thrives when the good do nothing.”

While we immerse ourselves in the vapid headlines of Bruce Jenner and “Dad Bods”, Nirbhaya forces us to remember that our humanity can be stripped from us at any moment, induces a spirit of gratitude, and spurs us into action. It is not hyperbolic to proclaim that this may well be the most important and imperishable pieces I have seen in my twenty plus year history of New York City theater.

Nirbhaya is now playing through May 17th at the Lynn Redgrave Theater, 45 Bleecker Street. For tickets, call 866-811-4111 or visit nirbhayatheplay.com

OPINION

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