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| Looking a lot like Christmas |
There's a classy, cool way to modify architectural lighting for the holidays. And then there's this.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Theater review: 'A Woman's Place'
isn't necessarily on this stage
"A Woman's Place," West End Players Guild's second production of its 100th season, feels a lot like an uneven episode of "Saturday Night Live" — probably not the outcome directors Renee Sevier-Monsey and Carrie Phinney were going for Friday with their staging of four one-act shows.
A cast of six takes on multiple roles in "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell, "Australia" (at about five minutes, more of a scene than an act) by David Mamet, "Hello Out There" by William Saroyan and "Ashes to Ashes" by Harold Pinter. The pieces' common factor: Each deals with women tested by extreme situations such as rape and murder.
While such an undertaking has a lot of potential, the quality of the acting in this effort varies so wildly to the point where it's just distracting. Compelling performances often are mismatched with actors who are just delivering lines (and making an uncomfortable amount of eye contact with the audience).
There are some notable performances, though. Susan Elaine Rasch is solid in three of the pieces. Her portrayals seem effortless, and "Australia," basically a monologue, is an enjoyable showcase of her range.
Anthony Wininger, as a man jailed for rape in "Hello Out There," is paired appropriately with Elissa Schrader, who plays a 17-year-old with a misguided attraction to him. The two display chemistry — well, as much chemistry as a naive teenager can have with an accused rapist — and their inexplicable love-at-first-sight relationship is a delight to watch.
"Ashes to Ashes," which seems to go on forever, would have been more tolerable with quicker pacing. Pinter's writing is clever, and there's a fairly interesting plot in there someplace, but the glacial speed makes it nearly incomprehensible. Nancy Lubowitz does a fine job channeling Rebecca, a disturbed woman who emotionally — and sometimes comically — recalls an abusive lover from her past.
The cast also includes Chuck Lavazzi and Sean Ruprecht-Belt.
All four shows play out on a drab set designed for "Trifles," which takes place in 1916. But a bare stage with just a few key furnishings — and better use of lighting to establish the moods and locations — may have been a more effective approach. Too often, the stage lights illuminated much of the house, a reminder that it's a church basement.
West End Players Guild deserves applause for attempting an evening of one-acts. But in the end, character development and better pacing would have made for a more enjoyable evening of theater.
By Gabe Hartwig • ©2010 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, STLtoday.com • Published 11.09.10
A cast of six takes on multiple roles in "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell, "Australia" (at about five minutes, more of a scene than an act) by David Mamet, "Hello Out There" by William Saroyan and "Ashes to Ashes" by Harold Pinter. The pieces' common factor: Each deals with women tested by extreme situations such as rape and murder.
While such an undertaking has a lot of potential, the quality of the acting in this effort varies so wildly to the point where it's just distracting. Compelling performances often are mismatched with actors who are just delivering lines (and making an uncomfortable amount of eye contact with the audience).
There are some notable performances, though. Susan Elaine Rasch is solid in three of the pieces. Her portrayals seem effortless, and "Australia," basically a monologue, is an enjoyable showcase of her range.
Anthony Wininger, as a man jailed for rape in "Hello Out There," is paired appropriately with Elissa Schrader, who plays a 17-year-old with a misguided attraction to him. The two display chemistry — well, as much chemistry as a naive teenager can have with an accused rapist — and their inexplicable love-at-first-sight relationship is a delight to watch.
"Ashes to Ashes," which seems to go on forever, would have been more tolerable with quicker pacing. Pinter's writing is clever, and there's a fairly interesting plot in there someplace, but the glacial speed makes it nearly incomprehensible. Nancy Lubowitz does a fine job channeling Rebecca, a disturbed woman who emotionally — and sometimes comically — recalls an abusive lover from her past.
The cast also includes Chuck Lavazzi and Sean Ruprecht-Belt.
All four shows play out on a drab set designed for "Trifles," which takes place in 1916. But a bare stage with just a few key furnishings — and better use of lighting to establish the moods and locations — may have been a more effective approach. Too often, the stage lights illuminated much of the house, a reminder that it's a church basement.
West End Players Guild deserves applause for attempting an evening of one-acts. But in the end, character development and better pacing would have made for a more enjoyable evening of theater.
15-minute call: a little something
for my theater friends
A friend shared this on Facebook a few weeks ago, and I can't believe I failed to repost it here.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Does anyone still wear a hat?
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| Feathers! |
Another of my new obsessions: riding MetroLink. Today's ride (to Brentwood to buy my mom a birthday present) was full of adorable ladies in gigantic hats, presumably on their way home from America's Center downtown, where 40,000 members of the Church of God in Christ have gathered.
The woman sitting in front of me wore a bedazzled velvet hat, but a lady across the aisle sported feathered headgear. She won my imaginary contest.
I'm obsessed with the taco truck
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| The Cha Cha Chow truck at Market and 10th streets |
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| Beef short-rib taco: hamazing. |
Thursday, November 4, 2010
A few redesigned sections
A few weeks ago, I prototyped a new Post-Dispatch section called Home & Away, which resulted in some design tinkering in the other features sections (A&E and Let's Eat), as well. I put together these before-and-afters today to show a friend at another newspaper, so I figured I'd post 'em here, too.
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| A Saturday Lifestyle cover and two new Sunday Home & Away covers (designer: Reagan Branham) |
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| A "before" A&E cover and an "after" A&E cover (designer: Laura Black) |
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