U.S.

Journeying Inside Llewyn Davis

The trailer for the new Coen brothers movie was a surprisingly dry tease. With stilted, almost Mumblecore dialog in desaturated imagery over Bob Dylan’s folk chords, the trailer sold the movie as any other 20-something inspired indie flick. To frustrate the viewer further, it cuts to black before the audience even hears Llewyn’s first acoustic strum. Upon unwrapping, however, Inside Llewyn Davis proves to be a box stuffed full of the Coen brothers’ best working habits, complete with amusingly dysfunctional failures of characters, dialog that variously nips and bites, and for what it’s worth, the best folk soundtrack for a movie seen since… well, the Coen brothers’ other folk-inspired Odyssey, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Inside Dave Van Ronk album cover — Take note of this cover.

Oscar Isaac takes up the role of a couch-surfing New York folk singer in 1961, who is also a physical amalgamation of early Bob Dylan and his colleague Dave Van Ronk (the latter comparison is revealed explicitly by the cover of Llewyn’s new solo album Inside Llewyn Davis, which remakes the cover of real life album Inside by Dave Van Ronk). The movie begins in media res with an answer to the cutaway of the trailer, by settling right in to a concert at The Gaslight in Greenwich Village (again, Van Ronk’s old haunting grounds). After a pleasant introductory song you get used to the smoky enchantment of the place, rendered by new(ish) Coen brother collaborator Bruno Delbonnel (Roger Deakins was busy shooting Skyfall, so the brothers hired the director of photography from their Paris, je t’aime short). Once the piece is over, however, events quickly turn brutal, as Llewyn apologizes for hitherto unknown drunken actions of the night before to his barkeep friend, and then gets kicked and beaten outside the bar.

It turns out that the beginning is a bookend device and the background to these events are strung out from there. Llewyn Davis is feckless at best: sleeping in an unending circle of his friends’ couches, dropping his equipment off hither tither, and trying to run away from either some crushing responsibility or inner demons, it only becomes clear later which. He’s the existential and dramatic counterpoint to a slapstick hero, his thoughts always one step behind his own actions, resulting in a cascade of negative consequences.

Within the first couple of scenes he loses his upscale professor friend’s cat and is chewed out by Jean (Carey Mulligan), girlfriend of Jim (Justin Timberlake) for possibly getting her pregnant. Situations never really settle from there. As Llewyn Davis traverses the lonely New York City landscape, staving off fatigue and rolling over his debt against time into higher interest rates, we get further insight into the nature of his base circumstances. It turns out that he’s being left behind as Jean’s and Jim’s careers start to blossom, the folk scene starts to crystallize, and Llewyn has to make a decision between finding work and dedicating himself to his art. Thus the odyssey starts, as Llewyn seeks a way to get cash from his agent, the cat back to the Gorfeins, and the attention of record executive Bud Grossman, not to mention come to terms with his defiantly hidden feelings for Jean. This journey will bounce him up and down Manhattan’s west sides and between New York and Chicago, while running him into a variety of Coenish characters such as John Goodman’s appearance as a batty and overweight jazz musician.

As a central character, Llewyn can sometimes be difficult to stomach. With an abrasive personality, caustic attitude, and a constantly burning frustration, he’s every deadbeat mooch you’ve ever been friends with, except slightly more parasitic. Nevertheless the Coens actually manage to not only provoke sympathy, but actually all out empathy for his character. For all his screw-ups he doesn’t have much of a choice, and ultimately his inner motivations come down to things and people he’s lost well before the movie started. The trip he takes doesn’t operate quite like a Hero’s Journey, but rather is the medium through which we gain insight into his past. Thus the movie elegantly lives up to its name.

Whether audiences will muster it will be a different question. Inside Llewyn Davis is inverse O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Where the latter is colorful and fun the former is drab and so dry it crackles. Where the O Brother sold its soundtrack, the soundtrack sells Llewyn Davis. And rather than adapting The Odyssey with folk music, Llewyn Davis structures folk music history around an odyssey. The result is the exact type of movie that excites critics but depresses audiences.

Design and Violence—MoMA’s online experiment

by Austin Arrington

boxcutter — Boxcutter—tool or weapon? Photo credit: HomeSpot HQ

We are often accustomed to think about design in light, happy terms. Design is a way to shape the built environment in beautiful and functional ways. However, design can also be viewed as a creative act of destruction. Design and Violence, an online curatorial project at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), is currently exploring this relationship.

In the 1971 book, Design for the Real World,Victor Papanek writes, “There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a very few of them.” Papanek was a designer and educator who advocated for social and ecological responsibility in the design of products, tools, and community infrastructures.

Designers, whether architects, fashion gurus, or web developers, create new ways for people to interface with reality. In doing so, they play a major role in reconfiguring society and culture.

There are two main questions posed by Design and Violence. How is violence embedded in design? And how does design impact society’s idea of violence?

Design and Violence is organized by Paolo Antonelli, Senior Curator, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA; Jamer Hunt, Director, graduate program in Transdisciplinary Design, Parsons The New School for Design; and Kate Carmody, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA.

The curators invite experts from a wide range of fields (science, literature, philosophy, journalism, and politics) to comment and theorize on the relationship between design objects and societal violence.

The project defines violence as “a manifestation of the power to alter circumstances, against the will of the other and to their detriment.”

One example of such a manifestation of power is gentrification—in which entire communities are displaced through interdependent socioeconomic and cultural shifts in design.

The curators at Design and Violence have mostly collected objects designed after 2001, to signify the paradigm shift that occurred after the 9/11 attacks. One case study was performed on the box cutter/utility knife, due to its role in the 9/11 plane hijackings.

Other concepts that have been explored by the project include the global shift from symmetrical to asymmetric warfare, as well as the development of cyber-warfare.

There are seven thematic categories through which the curators organize objects—Hack/Infect: disrupting the rules of the system; Constrain: binding, blocking, and distorting; Stun: causing blunt trauma; Penetrate: infiltrate the boundaries, breaching; Manipulate/Control: drawing into the realm of violence with suasion; Intimidate: promising damage and death; and Explode: annihilating visibly and completely.

The most mundane of objects can be the subject of a Design and Violence case study. Take a look at Daan van den Berg’s Merrick Lamp. According to the curators, ‘virus’ is a versatile term that can mean an infecting agent for either biological life or computer files. This fact led van den Berg to hack CAD files, 3-D printing a mutated IKEA lamp named after “Elephant Man” Joseph Carey Merrick.

Elephant man — Joseph Merrick, the inspiration for van den Berg’s Merrick Lamp.

Andrew Blauvelt, Senior Curator of Design, Research, and Publishing at the Walker Art Center, calls the Merrick Lamp an act of “aesthetic terrorism.” It serves as a subversive commentary on the industrial homogeneity perpetuated by corporations like IKEA.

The Design and Violence website also acts as a forum for design experts to critique each other’s ideas. For example, the Republic of Salivation by Michael Burton and Michiko Nitta is a project that imagines a dystopian future of food shortages, rationing, and synthetic feeding devices. Philosopher and sustainability advocate John Thackara recently critiqued the Republic of Salivation, on the basis that the global food crisis can be solved in more holistic, environmentally conscious ways.

Design and Violence is an ongoing experiment, with no definite end scheduled. The second phase of the project, currently under development, is its Google Earth extension. This phase will enable users to locate the physical location of each object within the collection, allowing for more traditional viewing of the artifacts.

The Best of Theater 2013

by Ryan Leeds

While the World famous, jolly, full-framed man in the big red suit composes his list of who has been naughty and nice, this incredibly obscure, mildly jolly, big-boned critic clad in wrinkled khakis, a hoodie and hobo shoes, has decided to compile his own list of the year’s best theater offerings. In 2013, Creative teams from both Broadway and off-Broadway presented us with vastly different scenarios and characters: a sexually obsessed doctor (Becoming Dr. Ruth) children defying authority (Matilda), power hungry leaders abusing privilege (Here Lies Love), closeted homosexuals (The Nance), decadent drag queens (Kinky Boots), and well-intended dreamers weaving tales of empty promises (Big Fish). At second glance, this reads like the guest list for a Paul Ryan fundraiser. Moving on….

It should be noted that I began writing for Manhattan Digest in July, so obviously I have not seen everything inspired by the masked men of tragedy and comedy over these last 12 months. But I have seen a lot. Some offerings have refreshed and restored my faith in live theatrical performance. Others refreshed and restored my faith in the ability to quietly, calmly, and repeatedly recite the serenity prayer to myself before I was tempted to whittle the armrest of my chair into a small spearhead to thrust myself upon (Not to name names, but First Date and Let It Be, I’m referring to you).While these are in no particular order, I will save my favorite pick for last.

10. Becoming Dr. Ruth (Play)

For a piece about such a small statured dynamo, this one woman off Broadway story about the notable Dr. Ruth Westheimer stands tall. Debra Jo Rupp’s (That 70s Show) moving performance exudes humanity and humor, which will leave you smiling one moment and dabbing your eyes the next. Author Mark St. Germaine’s well-conceived show about a life well lived is worth a trip to the Westside Theater, where it is still enjoying an open ended run.

PHOTO CREDIT - Richard Termine — PHOTO CREDIT – Richard Termine

9. I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers (Play)

Bette Midler chewed the scenery and served up some dishy tales about the Hollywood elite in playwright John Logan’s delicious show about Mengers, one of the most feared and revered casting agents of the seventies and eighties. How could you possibly resist a gossipy heavy-hitter who could simultaneously hold a Marlboro in one hand and a marijuana joint in the other; all while spilling the dirt on Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway, and Barbara Streisand? Maybe not the type you’d want to bring home to mama, but definitely the kind you’d want to cozy up to for a few hours. The Divine Miss M’s show closed on Broadway in June, but is currently running at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles through December 22^nd

8. Hands on a Hardbody (Musical)

Contestants stood in the heat of the Texas Sun, each vying to win a Nissan truck by keeping at least one hand on it. I know what you’re thinking: They turned that into a musical?!!? You’re not alone. No one stood in line at the box office either and this surprisingly engaging show folded in April after a mere 28 performances. Since then, Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green’s musical has achieved a cult following. Doug Wright’s book portrayed genuine characters in a current, financially strapped America whose people cling fiercefully to optimism and hope. The heartfelt performances in this poignant show left the few fortunate audiences who saw it leaping to their feet. Even being raised as a good ‘ole country boy, It took a Broadway musical for me to get excited over a pick-up truck. Of course, if you add singing and dancing to nearly any topic, my curiosity can be piqued.

Photo courtesy of Royal Shakespeare Company

7. Matilda (Musical)

Aside from my adorable six and eight year old nephews, I am not a huge fan of children. Matilda has children–A lot of children. But from start to finish, I loved it! So much so that I saw it twice. This import from across the Atlantic is chockablock with fun performances, dazzling spectacle, inventive choreography, pure Broadway magic, and the most talented and winning cast of children you could ever ask for. While Tony voters lauded praise and awards over the mediocre and underwhelming Kinky Boots, Matilda continues packing houses with an irresistible story that will make you feel as young as the leading lady herself.

6. Here Lies Love (Musical)

David Byrne and D.J. Fat boy Slim’s musical “experience” about Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’ rise to power in the Philippines was not just one of the best shows of 2013, but among my all-time favorite shows in New York City Theater. With an insanely catchy score and hypnotic club-like staging at the Public Theater, this off Broadway gem sparkled like no other. Here Lies Love, after being extending numerous times, finally closed in July. Rumor has it a second life will emerge in another venue, but no official announcement has been made. Perhaps my plea to St. Nicholas will help:

Dear Santa,

If you’re reading this, I have but one Christmas wish: Please find a home for Here Lies Love in 2014. I realize that I am a critic of theater and therefore, by default, a repugnant and odious man, but I firmly believe that this will help spread joy, knowledge, and cheer to the masses. So if you won’t do it for me, do it for the rest of New York City. I mean–really, Santa. That ghastly revival of Jekyll and Hyde found a home. I rest my case.

Photo courtesy of Larry Downing, Reuters

5. Ann (Play)

In 2013, fascinating female figures stormed our stages and Texas Governor Ann Richards was one of the best “pickings’”. Holland Taylor brought this strong willed, larger than life politician to life in a memorable performance at Lincoln Center which ran through June. Taylor, who also wrote the show, painted a fine portrait of a political powerhouse who repeatedly defied the odds. Defeating alcoholism, cancer, and chauvinism, Richards’ smart, tart tongue catapulted her to the national scene. Taylor earned a Tony nomination for her role and left us with some sage bits of wisdom from Gov. Richards including: “I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead. You never look back.” Mostly true -unless of course, we are reflecting on the year in the theater– In that case, please take another bow, Ms. Taylor.

4. Big Fish (Musical)

Director Susan Stroman helmed this splashy musical, based on the movie of the same name, but it failed to woo the majority of critics. This one found it to be endearing story about family and sacrifice. Leading man Norbert Leo Butz is sure to earn a Tony nomination for his triple-threat portrayal of a man facing his own mortality with quixotic dreams and simple truths. Big Fish runs through December 29^th at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theater.

Photo courtesy of Sara Krulwich, NY Times

3. The Trip To Bountiful (Play)

Aside from the fact that the legendary and elegant Cicely Tyson’s Tony awards dress looked more like something draped on the Purple People Eater, she was more than deserving of the win for leading actress in a play. Horton Foote’s 1953 revival offered a pleasantly stark contrast to the razzle dazzle of Broadway with its straightforward and quiet nature. Tyson’s stirring performance as Ms. Carrie Watts, a woman longing to return to her childhood home, made this an indelible trip to remember. Ticket buyers took note and the play was extended twice before closing in October. If you missed it, you’ll have another chance to visit this tiny Texas town on the small screen. Lifetime television is currently filming a version including original cast members Ms. Tyson, Vanessa Williams, and newcomer Blair Underwood (Cuba Gooding, Jr. starred in the Broadway revival). It is slated to air in 2014.

2. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Play)

This outrageously unpredictable and hilarious show from the zany mind of playwright Christopher Durang managed to be showered in love with Tony Nominations. It walked away winning best play. With winks to both Chekhov and Snow White (huh?), its’ message of prophesy was timely : “Beware of hootie-pie!” Not really, but collectively, this black comedy was freakin’ hilarious.

1. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Musical)

Hands down the most brilliant show of the year! One cunning, charming, handsome, yet poor single man, Monty Navarro (Bryce Pinkham), discovers that he is eighth heir apparent to the wealthy D’Ysquith clan. One by one he sets out to dispose of the lineage in eager anticipation of claiming his status and riches. Eight of the D’Ysquiths are played with miraculous transition by an abundantly talented Jefferson Mays. The creative team of Darko Tresnjak (Director), Robert L. Freedman (Book/Lyrics), and Steven Lutvak have given us a murderously, jolly good time of fun and frenzy set in Victorian era London. Lucky for us, we only have to travel to Broadway’s Walter Kerr theatre where eight times a week, the D’Ysquiths continue to drop like flies.

Some Final Thoughts:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed my critiques since joining this publication mid-year. I am truly grateful to Ryan Shea at Manhattan Digest for allowing me to contribute about a medium which I find increasingly vital in our breakneck digital era. There is something both exciting and sacred about observing fascinating performances and stories which give us the chance to reflect and learn more about ourselves and our fellows. Without the distraction from email, voicemail, text messaging, social media and other stimuli, we can sit in beautiful, old theaters and be whisked away to days gone by, present day, or days yet to be seen. Whatever the setting, I simply inhale deeply and hope for the following: that what I’m about to see won’t suck, that the lady behind me who giggled at the announcement about unwrapping candy at the start of the show won’t be the same one who, twenty minutes into the show decides she needs a Werther’s original–and will take twenty more minutes to annoyingly unwrap the confection, that no child will confuse the back of my seat for a soccer ball, that the couple in front of me won’t delude themselves into believing that no one can hear their conversation, and that people who think that texting is appropriate will be met by ushers and taken into the alley where they will meet the same fate as some of the characters who were “wiped ” from the script of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. I’m serious here. Sit back. Relax. Turn off your phone and shut your pie-holes. We’ll have much to discuss in 2014–after the curtain closes. Your crotchety critic, Mr. Snooty Crankypants, thanks you for your consideration.

Sweet Spot at Philip Marie

by Jaime Kohl

You know you are home when you taste the love on the plate. When you walk into John Philip Greco’s second home, Philip Marie, you can feel that homey draw. You can taste the passion of the chef in each perfectly cooked muscle and shrimp that he will present to you. And if you have a palate that leans towards the sweeter side; you will find yourself a new regular spot.

From the opening bite you can taste the sweet tilt of the meal. There was a cornbread that seemed like a cross between a bread and dessert piece. The warm, crumbling cornbread was sweet and grilled with a sweet butter sauce, but the crispy rosemary I truly enjoyed. I just needed more balance, maybe just some white pepper; and maybe something else. But none the less I did not want that level of sweetness to start out a long meal. But the crust on this bread and crisp rosemary was delicious….the rest just not as much.

Chef Grecoo officially opened up the meal with a perfectly balanced salad. Bitter arugula with sweet raisins, cranberries and currents in a warm Israeli couscous and beet salad; all dressed with bright lemon vinaigrette. This was one of the highlights of the meal. Although there was sweetness in the dish everything was brought into balance. The bitter and sour notes sang just as loud as the sweet ones.

Next off was butternut squash soup with breadcrumbs. This bright orange soup was one noted and really in need of some additional flavors. Butternut squash is delicious and naturally very sweet and often needs acid and or bitterness or just something else to bring it together. The breadcrumbs did offer some salt and slight contrast in texture in the first moments that followed the food being presented; but quickly became soggy and quickly got lost.

Now these are a few of my favorite things; bacon, oysters, spinach and goat cheese. The Five Eastern Roasted Oysters with crispy bacon, creamed spinach and goat cheese presented on a bead of pink Himalayan rock salts provided some of the most deliciously flavorful bites. But, if I didn’t see the oysters with my own eyes I would not have known they were there. Now this is a delicious and savory dish; but the main ingredient was hiding at the school dance like a wall flower. I would order this again, but I wouldn’t need the oysters to be there.

I couldn’t resist questioning the Captain Crunch crusted Mediterranean Sea Bass. I was wondering how anyone could keep this dish from turning into an odd dessert, but Chef Greco knew just how to do so. He crusted the branzino fillet with a mixture of captain crunch and panko breadcrumbs. It was served over some fresh tagliatelle with a tahini sauce and grilled fennel. The fennel and tagliatelle are delicious. I happen to love the way that fennel can transform with different heat applications. The grilling left a great char and caramelized some of the sugars in the fennel its self leaving and interesting and beautiful contrast to the sweet and tender fish. Although the tagliatelle and tahini were delicious they did not obtain the same marriage of flavor that some of the other pieces on the dish had. There was just something about the tahini that was not in line with the rest of the plate.

The Tuesday night clam bake. Well this is just dam good. The broth that Chef Greco creates with the chardonnay base is the perfect base to permeate the delicious and fresh seafood. Despite the perfect cook on the shrimp and muscles, the delicious half lobster (with all the major cracking of the shell taken care of) and clams, the broth stole the show. The dish is the Tuesday special costing $18.95, and is served with a baked potato and corn on the cob; it’s a steal. There are nightly specials served and I look forward to trying the rest of them. Be sure to check out the other nightly specials. And this winter there will be a great deal of game meats served as the winter menu arrives.

Dessert was a vanilla pound cake with spiced poached pear, grand marine sauce and fresh dense whipped cream. The pears were delicious as was the sauce but the pound cake was just there as a contrast in texture; which was nice, but honestly not needed. I would have just loved a bowl of those pears and sauce.

Chef Greco sat down with me for a little and shared with me some of his story. Philip Marie is the first restaurant Chef Greco opened, he also is the proud owner of 123 Burger Shot Beer, Bamboo52 Sushi Bar and Lounge and Posh Bar and Lounge. But Philip Marie is he’s first and your first always will have a special piece of your heart; and he proudly wears that piece of his heart on his sleeve as he cooks here. He has a sweet tooth; if you do too, this is where you need to eat. The restaurant opened when John Philip and his wife Suzanne Marie Greco returned from their honeymoon and decided to go all in and sell everything they owned to opened up 16 years ago here in Manhattan; the restaurant turn over capital of the world. But with great effort the husband/wife team opened up their New American restaurant and they have been in the same place (where every other restaurant but one has come and gone) since 1998. This is a quality place that you can feel the warmth from the leadership to the table staff. It was a pleasure dining under Chef Greco’s guidance.

Theater Review: “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”

by Ryan Leeds

Before the curtain rose, I was hooked. As is my typical routine, I leafed through the playbill and literally laughed out loud at the custom page titled, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Attending the Theatre”. Among my favorites: “A Gentleman never kicks the seat of the audience member in front of him (unless of course, it’s deserved)”, and “A Gentleman always stands to let other theatergoers seated in his row pass by. Tripping them is optional.” Instantly, my expectations were raised by this cheeky insert and I knew that I would be in store for for a good time. I sorely underestimated just how marvelous a time I would have.

Broadway’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is in a word, brilliant. I hesitate to use that adjective since it is frequently overused for the undeserved. Yet under Darko Tresnjak’s deft directorial hand, Gentleman’s Guide.. can proudly and properly take its’ rightful place among the realm of theatrical brilliance.

This high spirited Victorian-era musical opens with Monty Navarro (Bryce Pinkham), a financially strapped bachelor who learns that his recently deceased mother was a member of the D’Ysquith family, an extremely wealthy clan who tend to thumb their noses at the less fortunate. As Lord Adalbert D’Ysquith (Jefferson Mays) points out in song: “I Don’t Understand the Poor.” For Navarro, that isn’t much of an issue. Lord Adalbert won’t be alive much longer. Neither will the rest of the D’Ysquith family. The cunning Navarro, who is eighth in line to inherit the throne, plans to extinguish each member until he at last, is the successor. While he hacks away at the lineage, you’ll be on the edge of your seats glued to every clever line and rolling in the aisles at each murderous outcome.

There is so much genius rolled into this single show, beginning with Robert L. Freedman’s book and lyrics. Based on the 1949 British film, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Freedman’s book is quick-witted and smart, combining both silly slapstick with high-brow humor. Composer and Co-lyricist Steven Lutvak has graced us with delightfully catchy offerings of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions. With beautiful lush melodies and tuneful patter songs, Lutvak’s music is the best original score heard in quite some time.

Jefferson Mays. Again–sheer brilliance. Mays plays not only one D’Ysquith family member, but all eight–men AND women! How is this possible? It is a feat that must be seen, as mere description does not do it justice. Bryce Pinkham’s gold-digging Navarro oozes more confidence and charm than James Bond at a roulette table. His laissez faire attitude towards murder is disturbing, but is done with such ease, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear. The methods by which the D’Ysquiths are eighty-sixed are comic gold. Let’s just say you may never look at beekeeping in quite the same way. Lisa O’Hare and Lauren Worsham sparkle as two of the love interests (Sibella Hallward and Phoebe D’Ysquith, respectively) . A particularly intricate scene between all three ensues in Act II (“I’ve decided to Marry You”). Stage and screen legend Jane Carr delights as the doting, daffy Miss Shingle and the stiff-upper- lipped ensemble reeks of impeccable propriety.

Aside from taking awhile to generate steam, Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a fine-tuned Stradivarius and the best new original musical to hit Broadway in ages. Not since OJ Simpson’s infamous trial bombarded American televisions has romance and murder been so entertaining. I guarantee you’ll have a great time, but if you don’t, remember that this critique is simply my opinion: Please don’t kill me.

“A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder” now playing at the Walter Kerr Theater 219 W. 48^th street (between Broadway and 8^th ave.) Tickets available at the box office, by phone:800-432-7250, or www.telecharge.com

The cast with Bryce Pinkham as Monty Navarro (standing center), Jefferson Mays as Lord Adalbert D'Ysquith (red), and Jane Carr as Miss Shingle (seated) in a scene from "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" at the Walter Kerr Theater. Photo credit: Joan Marcus. — The cast with Bryce Pinkham as Monty Navarro (standing center), Jefferson Mays as Lord Adalbert D’Ysquith (red), and Jane Carr as Miss Shingle (seated) in a scene from “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Walter Kerr Theater. Photo credit: Joan Marcus.

Maria Kang’s Message Lost Amid Controversy

by Blair Kaplan

Credit: Mike Byerly Photography/Maria Kang

Maria Kang, a California mother of three, who came to be known as “Fit Mom” for her no nonsense approach to health and fitness is once again caught in the crosshairs of an ongoing public uproar.

Kang was the recipient of harsh criticism after an image that she posted to her Facebook page last year recently went viral. The picture of Kang, clad only in a sports bra and mini fitness shorts, and surrounded by her three young sons (aged three and under), features the question “What’s your excuse?”

The controversy surrounding Kang was reignited once again on November 22, when she responded to a photo campaign launched by Curvy Girl Lingerie, in which larger women are seen in their bras and underwear.

Kang expressed her annoyance in a post of the following on her Facebook page:

“1. We have a health issue in America with over 2/3 overweight or obese.

2. We have a healthcare crisis. We spend over 3 trillion in healthcare yearly!

3. We have a childhood obesity issue, with many children suffering from adult diseases like diabetes.

4. We have magazines everywhere praising the celebrity (with all her resources) for being fit after months of giving birth and scorn the “real every day mom” who is able to be successful.

5. We keep blaming the culprit (school lunches, fast food, etc) when the real change starts at home – ESP those who lead, which are the parents.

There are some serious contradictions in our society. I know many people still get riled up with me and my convictions but the truth is I KNOW how it is to work your ass off and not have energy at the end of your day. I know how it feels to be overweight and not drop an ounce after years of disordered eating. I know how difficult it is to raise multiple children – all born a year apart – and make my fitness and nutrition a priority. Lastly, I know how it feels like to grow up with an unhealthy mother wondering if she will live to see your wedding day.”

We need to change this strange mentality we are breeding in the U.S. and start celebrating people who are a result of hard work, dedication and discipline. I’m not bashing those who are proud and overweight, I am empowering those who are proud and healthy to come out and be the real role models in our society.”

Facebook, which suspended Kang’s account for three hours following her post, reportedly did so because several people had reported the post as “hate speech.” The account was suspended for two days before being restored without Kang’s post, with Facebook claiming a misunderstanding, telling Kang that she could repost her opinion if she wanted to.

Kang was surprised by Facebook’s reaction, saying “I was pretty shocked. I definitely think my freedom of speech was removed.”

As a former bulimic, Kang says that she did not intend to fat-shame overweight women, but impressed upon the fact that being obese is unhealthy and should not be celebrated.

“It’s never my intention to say someone should look a certain way,” she said. “But I am not going to stand here and say being obese is okay and we should accept that as the norm.”

While I don’t necessarily agree with the manner in which Kang went about stating her opinion, it cannot be denied that she surely has a point, and that she has gotten us talking about health and weight in this country — a discussion that despite an incredulous amount of diet supplements and focus on body image, has been long overdue.

It cannot be denied, as Kang says, that the money spent on poor health and its effects in this country are astronomical; the cost of being obese trickles down to almost every aspect of life. From the families of those affected, to the cost of healthcare, to the toll that poor self-esteem and depression can take, obesity has undoubtedly become an epidemic. It has also been scientifically proven that a healthy diet and exercise are the cure for most health issues and diseases associated with obesity. Furthermore, it cannot be denied that said healthy eating habits and exercise are the product of hard work, dedication, and sometimes will power (okay…always will power). These facts we know. So what exactly are we so angry about?

Sure it can easily be interpreted that Kang comes across as preachy, holier than thou, and in some respects even abrasive. Her “What’s your excuse?” mentality tends to pin those without abs against those with a hefty six pack. It can easily put those of us with cellulite on the defensive.

I understand, because the truth of the matter is that even at my fittest, I do not look like Maria Kang. I do not have a six pack, or a mere 18% body fat for that matter. However, hating Kang, or citing her for “hate speech” is not only outlandish and inappropriate (not to mention in my opinion highly unconstitutional), but it defeats what I believe to be Kang’s true message, which appears to be getting lost among the ridiculous hubbub.

I believe that in an age where we are so inundated with ideas, it is hard to get others to listen to what’s being said short of shock and awe. So instead of hating on Kang for the way that she looks, let’s break down what it is that she is trying to say, rather than how she is saying it. It may just prove helpful.

1. Obesity is unhealthy.

2. Being healthy means a healthy diet and exercise.

3. A healthy diet and exercise take work.

4. Lots of work.

5. We should work. Hard.

This is not to say that Kang thinks that we should all look like her clones. Just that we should strive to lead healthy lives instead of making excuses for our inaction. If you are obese there is no doubt that you are beautiful. You should hold your head up high and love yourself with every fiber of your being. And if you don’t, I implore you to start. In fact I demand that you do.

But as humans we are constantly evolving. That’s why each and every one of us should be able to look at ourselves and improve upon where we are. If we slack off in class and earn a D, should we not still strive for an A? We may come up short again, but what kind of life would we be living if we stopped trying all together?

Though I don’t agree with Kang’s approach, I agree with what it is that she is trying to say. And if you still don’t want to exercise or make Popeye proud, that’s your prerogative. I am certainly not in any position to tell you what to do. And if you don’t like what Kang has to say, you can take it with a grain of salt (atop of fries), or leave it altogether. But she is certainly entitled to voice her opinion.

New York City Photography: The Queensboro Bridge

by Mark Giarrusso

The Queensboro Bridge is one of the most iconic crossings in the world. It spans the East River along side the world famous Roosevelt Island Cable Car. The bridge draws thousands of tourists and commuters per day. It also is one of the only toll-free crossings in all of New York City.
One of the best parts of the bridge is that it is available to pedestrians. Along the walkway is a chain link fence where many people leave locks with messages on them. Others are blank, leaving only the ones that have placed them to know their true meaning. It’s definitely something you have to look for but priceless when you find them.

FDR Drive, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Queensboro Bridge, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

1st Ave., New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Roosevelt Island, New York City, Photo by Mark Giarrusso, 2013

Theater Review: Every Day A Visitor

by Ryan Leeds

For most people, the thought of spending their golden years in a nursing facility brings an overwhelming sense of dread. After all, in such a stifling environment, there isn’t much to do but sit around, play cards, listen to one another complain about the food and personal ailments (provided the hearing aids are intact) , and wait for a knock on the door from the man with the hooded black cloak. For the residents of a Jewish Nursing Home in the Bronx, there is a livelier alternative. In Richard Abrons’ off Broadway play, Every Day a Visitor, this alternative is a world of imagination. Instead of living a painfully drab existence, these spirited seniors decide to take on personas of well known political figures to “role play” themselves into a happier state of mind. While it doesn’t eliminate their realities, it certainly alleviates the monotony of their day to day routines. From Mayor LaGuardia to Bella Abzug, Henry Kissinger to Golda Meir, new dialogues are created and eventually, this all too often forgotten sect of society is reinvigorated.

It is refreshing to see a show that both illuminates and empowers the elderly. Usually, they become stereotyped and neglected by a youth obsessed media driven by beauty and botox. Here, we meet older individuals who realize that, while circumstances may not change, self-perception and self-respect can be altered. While it seems like fortune cookie wisdom, it is a gentle reminder for young and old alike

Unlike other quality works of entertainment that have paved paths for the aging (Recall TVs classic Golden Girls and Ron Howard’s 1985 film Cocoon) Every Day a Visitor has a scarcity of laugh out loud moments. Yet it succeeds in holding a continuous smile. The didactic script can sometimes feel more like a lecture and less like a night at the theater. Perhaps to the great delight of these veteran actors, some of the cast appear to be too spritely to be among the downtrodden and feeble. But under Margaret Perry’s sound direction, Every Day A Vistor takes a maudlin notion and turns it into a breezy, yet poignant piece of accessible theater.

Every Day A Visitor plays off-Broadway at Clurman Theater on Theater Row (410 W. 42^nd between 9^th and 10^th) Now playing through Dec. 14^th. Tickets available at the box office, online, . https://www.telecharge.com/Off-Broadway/Every-Day-a-Visitor/Overview?AID=AFF000022800&cm_mmc=Maxamoo-_-affiliate-_-web-_-AFF000022800 or by phone: 212-239-6200

Theater Review: The Preacher and The Shrink

by Ryan Leeds

The Preacher and the Shrink by playwright Merle Good may well be one the most incredulous plays I have ever seen. The plot centers on Dr. Michael Hamilton (Tom Galantich), a grief stricken minister from rural Pennsylvania whose wife recently passed away from breast cancer. His mentally unstable daughter Constance (Adria Vitlar) has returned home from New York City to rekindle the estranged relationship with her father. Both are dealing with their loss in different ways: Constance copes by being angry and disbelieving in God; Dr. Hamilton mourns in a stoic, quiet way while his once solid, now floundering Christian faith is tested. So far, it has a basis for decent Theological debate. Here is where it takes a turn into the ridiculous zone: Constance has been seeking aid from Dr. Alexandra Bloomfield (Dee Hoty), a caring, but somewhat hard-nosed psychiatrist who just happens to be visited upon by Constance’s Daddy. Bloomfield starts counseling Hamilton and they soon “remember” that they were once childhood sweethearts. Will they rekindle this long past romance? Are you still awake? If so, you’ll soon be zooming down another path of unintentional silliness. Constance makes a sexual harassment claim against one of her father’s church pastors, Rev. David Wheeler (Mat Hostetler). She is willing to drop the charges against him if– well, I won’t ruin it. This play has done enough damage to itself.

This hackneyed script is chock full of pithy lines including, “Grief can tear a family apart”, “I used to think a scar was a sign of hope, but now I think a scar is just a scar” and the ever- so- insightful, “Life can take many turns.” For audience members, a U-turn from the theater might be the best direction.

Luckily, there are a few redemptive qualities in this ill-conceived mess. Vitlar is a promising young actor who gives layered dimensions to her mentally conflicted Constance. Three time Tony award nominee Hoty makes the best of bad writing by delivering Bloomfield’s lines with the best professionalism she can muster. Brian Prather provides a practical, but pleasing set that works
nicely as Bloomfield’s psychiatric office.

Good’s purpose for authoring The Preacher and the Shrink is no doubt well intended. The themes of spiritual conflict and questioning Deity can make for gripping, thoughtful drama. But here, his foundation is flimsy from the start and continues to falter throughout. While it won’t shake any religious beliefs you may have, you may leave questioning your own faith in choosing a better play.

The Preacher and the Shrink is playing now at the Beckett Theater on Theater Row (410 W. 42^nd street between 9^th and 10^th) Tickets available at the box office, online at: https://www.telecharge.com/eventoverview.aspx?cityName=NY%20City%20Area&productId=9918 or by phone: 212-239-6200.

Theater Review: “Big Fish”

by Ryan Leeds

The hype is true. Undeniably, absolutely, one-hundred percent true. Rarely do I cave into “must-see” hysteria from popular and artistic culture. When I am told that something or someone is too extraordinary to be missed, I subconsciously set my expectations high. So high in fact, that upon seeing the “not-to-be-missed” performance, this self-proclaimed “Snooty Crankypants” greets the mass acclaim with my usual temperate response: “That was OK.” And then I creep back into my curmudgeonly dungeon and wait for the next over blown phenomenon to arrive.

In this rare case, I have joined the leagues of wise musical theater aficionados who have placed Norbert Leo Butz on a towering pedestal. From major roles in Rent, Wicked, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Catch Me If You Can, this flexible showman rightfully joins the ranks of Broadway royalty. Butz is in fact, one of our finest contemporary theater performers and is triumphantly leading an accomplished cast in Director Susan Stroman’s production of Big Fish.

This splashy musical is based on the novel by Daniel Wallace, and the Columbia Pictures film written by John August. August also wrote the book to this stage version. Big Fish tells the story of Edward Bloom (Butz), a small town “average joe” who is known for spinning hyperbolic tales of grandeur to family and friends. Bloom’s son, Will (Bobby Steggert) , is about to tie the knot and fears that his now elderly father, whom he barely understands, will hijack the ceremony with one of his infamous fables. Shortly following the wedding, both father and son are faced with life altering moments and slowly start to learn more about one another. Much of the narrative unfolds in the past through Edward’s “memory” and Butz has the daunting task of playing him both as a young man and a now aging senior. If Tony voters don’t recognize his flawless performance, we might as well call Suzanne Somers and ask her if she is available to revive her catastrophic one woman show, The Blonde in the Thunderbird. In other words, Butz is a shoe-in for at least a nomination. While not a matinee idol in the traditional sense, he brings immeasurable acting flexibility, humor, charm and winsome warmth to this demanding leading man role.

What makes Edward’s life story so pleasantly curious is the fact that it has been either exaggerated or completely fabricated. What is the purpose of it all? In his own words: “Surprise ending. Wouldn’t want to ruin it for you.” While I won’t ruin the surprise ending, I would advise that you bring an ample supply of Kleenex. The final moments of the show will soften even the hardest of hearts. My guest and I, along with most theatregoers, exited to the streets with tears in our eyes–an indication that this piece has served its purpose of affirming life and portraying grace extended beyond boundaries.

But like the central character (and every human being for that matter), the show itself is not without its’ flaws. Much of the criticism I have towards this stage adaptation is the very same criticism I had from the 2003 film. Both are too long. Bloom’s stories, while whimsical and imaginative, frequently begin to stagnate into a sea of boredom. Similar to an unruly drunk uncle at a family gathering who has repeated the same stories for the last five years, we wish that we could simply fast forward to a fresh chapter.

Composer Andrew Lippa has penned some tuneful and memorable songs for the show, most of which have a driving, rambling, country essence. Appropriately, they match the restless spirit of Edward Bloom and the small town from which he hails. In particular, Edward’s songs, (“Be the Hero”,”Fight the Dragons”) serve as cheery self-help anthems-reminding us to reach beyond ourselves and to carve our own destinies. Sure they border on schmaltz, but just a touch adds richness to the mix. In Act two, Sandra Bloom (the elegant and classy Kate Baldwin) delivers a straightforward, but lovely ballad (“I Don’t Need a Roof”) about the unfailing love for her husband and the power of marriage. Some of the other music however, becomes as tedious as the tall tales and does little to propel the story.

The trend of Image projections seem to crop up in a majority of Broadway shows these days and while I am not usually a fan, designers Julian Crouch, Benjamin Pearcey, and Donald Holder have brought us a panorama of beauty and spectacle which perfectly complements, but never upstages the story.

The ensemble of Big Fish is solid and everyone is bringing top talent to the stage. But the show truly belongs to Edward Bloom. While you should be suspicious about how he is weaving the story of his own life, it would be foolish not to believe that Butz has breathed inexhaustible life into him and is giving us a legendary performance that will be talked about in truth for years to come.

Big Fish, which opened on Oct. 6th has unfortunately posted a closing notice for Dec. 29th, 2013. I could be cheeky and use puns like, “Get a ticket before the fish swims away” or “You’ll be hooked by Big Fish” but I’ll simply be dull and boring and say. “Go see it!”

Big Fish is playing now through Dec. 29th 2013 at the Neil Simon theater (250 W. 52^nd street between Broadway and 8th Avenue). Tickets available at the box office, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Big-Fish-a-New-Broadway-Musical-tickets/artist/1859083or by phone: 877-250-2929

U.S.

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