What: Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre presents a new live-looped musical about the other branch of the Underground Railroad: the one that offered escape and freedom from enslavement by journeying south to Mexico.
And? This is a pretty impressive achievement. I think this is only the second live-looped two-hander I've seen. Nygel D. Robinson and Brian Quijada, creators and stars, are dynamic and thrilling, creating music in an extraordinary way while also delivering deeply grounded and understated performances of Henry, a man who has escaped his enslavement and crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico, and Carlos, the farmer who rescues him. Riw Rakkulchon's scenic design gives us a corrugated metal silo, full of platforms and spaces for all the instruments needed at hand for Robinson and Quijada's composition. The collaboration of director David Mendizábel and choreographer Tony Thomas gives us a staging that is both poetic and clear.
 |
| Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson. Photo from the Berkeley Repertory Theatre run, by Ben Krantz Studio. |
9/12/25: let's talk about anything else
What: TOSOS presents Anthony Anello's new play about a group of friends gathered at a remote cabin on the anniversary of their friend's death.
And? full review here.
 |
| Gabriella O'Fallon, Sadithi De Zilva, Ry Albinus, and Caroline Portante as Beck, Charley, Enda, and Meg. Photo by Mikiodo. |
9/13/25: Clashing Steel
Not a performance, but an exhibition hosted by Culture Lab LIC. Created by fight choreographers Meron Langsner, Edjo Wheeler, and Jesse Belsky, the exhibition is a mixture of history and dramaturgy. Swords of different styles and eras are displayed, including ones used in notable projects (yes, indeed, I saw the sword of the Dread Pirate Roberts and lived to tell the tale). The shape and function of weapons are articulated, and comparisons show among different productions: so a "traditional" Romeo & Juliet weapon array--swords in belted scabbards, daggers and sheaths--is displayed alongside a "contemporary" Romeo & Juliet, featuring switchblade knives and a crowbar. Weapon sets for adult and child productions of the same story mirror each other across a room, the thick foam of the children's weapons apparent when you look closely. Of course, all the blades, no matter how shiny, are blunted. Because what is clear from the exhibit is that while stage and film combat is often flashy and elaborate, one of its main goals is to keep its performers safe. As vital as the comparatively new field of Intimacy Coordination, Fight Choreography tells a story without endangering the storytellers. Because an audience should fear for the safety of a character without fearing for the safety of the actor playing them. I know from looking online that while there are sometimes people on hand to demonstrate fight choreography, there were none the afternoon I went. Still, it was a satisfying and informative visit.
9/13/25: Viola's Room
a repeat visit
No comments:
Post a Comment