XANADU a blast!
Recently I had the pleasure of receiving free tickets to Broadway's XANADU (blogging has its perks right?) The show was wonderful: lots of kitschy, cheesy fun. I shared the experience with my two brilliant, fellow graduate students in NYU's department of performance studies: actor Myrton Running Wolf and actress-comedian Ellen Clerghorne. Here's what they had to say:
Myrt says:
"Xanadu was fun. It seems that mocking one's self has become the best way of purchasing license in today's competitive and cynical theater world, while at the same time convincing the powers-that-be to invest in a multi-million dollar Broadway endeavor. There's not a lot of deep critical analysis to be had in this production, and that's the wonderful point. Being familiar with the feature film "Xanadu" that the stage production is based off of would be helpful, and might lend some insight into several "inside jokes", but it is not essential viewing to enjoy this production. Essentially nothing is. This is escapist fare in a long line, and a longer growing line, of Broadway tradition. The performances were technically on point and some reached masterful creation, especially that of the sister witches who both managed to steal every scene they were in and many times went head-to-head to outlandish and enthusiastic reception. They story also brilliantly lampoons the attempted seriousness of the Olivia Newton-John fllm while managing to pay a certain amount of homage to its original creators. In a world of theater built more and more on bottom line reciept counts, this musical will do just fine, and at the same time give plenty of diversion to those who need a break from
the rigors of 8am-5pm, Mon.-Fri, existence."
Ellen says:
"It was great! Really, it was loads of fun. The leads were talented the chorus chewed up the scenery. One actress did the princess tam tam crossed eyed double consciousness thing. Lots of breaking of the 4th wall ... they had some audience members on stage and the director used the balcony and isles to create deminsionality. Unlike Brecht they did not want to distance the story or performers from the audience. It was so not John Cage. the almost all white audience cheered and clapped and laughed appropriately. The references are so West Coast, dude: very white (which of course means the appropriation of black vernacular all over the place, "girlfriend"...including finger snaps and "oh no you didn't"). What are we going to do with our white folks. They just don't know what to do with themselves. If you like shiny things and smoke machines or gender benders, and old men lusting after their lost youth and erections...RUN don't WALK. Would I recommend it? hello? Yes. How often do you get to see a feel good mind numbing show? OK prime time network television notwithstanding...go! "
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