Monty Python's Spamalot April 19, 2008 in Raleigh was fun and well-performed and well-staged. Glad I saw it, enjoyed it, and don't feel the need to see it again. Kind of like a nice dessert that's pleasant enough but doesn't call out to be had again.

A New Brain by Pauper Players at UNC Cabaret space

Enjoyed the solid performance and spare production with H. Was happy to see TK in the show. Was particularly moved by the sailing song (the song itself, the performance and the performer). Looking forward to more Pauper Players shows.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch February 22 in Raleigh at Legends www.realtheatre.org. Well-performed and -staged. Only one song really grabbed me (The Origin of Love, I think is the title). I'm glad I brought ear plugs, and I'm glad there wasn't much smoking.

The Drowsy Chaperone February 12-17, 2008 in Raleigh at Broadway Series South was lots of fun. Went to see it with Howard, who also enjoyed it. I'm still snickering about various parts of the very self-referential show. Well-performed and very clever and funny and aware of musical theater cliches to make fun of. Definitely recommend.

Went to see Sweeney Todd at Company Carolina on February 2, 2008 in Chapel Hill.

The actor playing Sweeney Todd was impressive. The best performance that I've been able to see up close. Lots variety and intensity. Mrs. Lovett was also good, though unevenly able to match Sweeney. Beadle Banford was also impressively smarmy. Anthony, Joanna, the judge, the Beggar Woman all had impressive moments, and Toby was disconcertingly agonizing during the contest and losing it at the end of the show.

The choral numbers were overwhelmed by the orchestra. Mic problems marred some of the numbers, particularly disappointingly Joanna's.

Glad I went to see it.

Performances I've seen in the second half of 2007

Aurélia's Oratorio June 23-24 in Hanover

Strange Fruit, SWOON! June 28 in Hanover Free and outdoors in the afternoon

Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble July 6-August 4 in Pittsburgh

Augustus Saint-Gaudens: Master of American Sculpture film Friday July 13 8pm in Hanover

Pilobolus in New York July 16-August 11 Three different programs, all three of which I want to see

Big Apple Circus July 20-26 in Hanover http://hop.dartmouth.edu/2007-08/070720-bac.html

Dartmouth Theater Dept, A Mouth as Big as All Outdoors July 26 - August 3 in Hanover

Sweeney Todd August 30-September 30 in San Francisco

Met Opera Prokofiev War and Peace December 10-January 3, 2008 in New York I saw this production years ago and it blew me away. It was the most amazing overwhelming stage production I've ever seen. (Rivaled by Cirque du Soleil, but different, of course.)

SF Ballet Don Quixote

Saw Don Quixote on Sunday afternoon with Larry and Dave. What a fluffy, light ballet! It was fun and generally kept my interest and kept a smile on my face.

--- past --- not written up ---

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 3 SF Symphony
Wed Nov 29- Sat Dec 2, open rehearsal Weds 10am

Antonio Gaudi movie Castro Theatre Nov 30 7pm, 9pm

Silly Symphonies animation at Castro Theatre Dec 2 matinee

RECESS! Play Night for Grown Ups Who Need/Want a Play Break
Saturday, December 2nd; 6:30-9:30 pm $15 in advance, reservations recommended
My friend JeffJ has great things to say about Sue who leads this, and expects it to be quite fun.
More info here.

Manon Lescaut SF Opera to Dec 10 (I'm planning Thu Dec 7)

VARLA JEAN MERMAN IS ANATOMICALLY INCORRECT!
December 7th - 16th, Victoria Theatre in SF
For more info visit http://www.victoriatheatre.org/

Traces presented by Circus Center December 13-Jan 1 at Palace of Fine Arts
I expect this will be a really good circus show.
More info on the Circus Center web site.

SF Gay Men's Chorus Home for the Holidays
Dec 14 7pm, Dec 24 5, 7, 9pm at Castro Theatre
More at on the Chorus's web site.

Kinsey Sicks Oy Vey in a Manger Sat December 23 8pm at Herbst Theatre w/KK

Luma at Victoria Theatre
December 17-January 19 Looks like very cool light/movement performance.

Beethoven String Quartets with commentary at Herbst Theatre on Saturday mornings at 10am
February 3 w/ND

Barber of Seville SF Opera Nov 17

Mark and I saw this and generally enjoyed it. Not bowled over. Good lead performances and good ensembles. Enjoyed the set. While intellectually I thought some of the gags were silly, they did get a laugh from me. I enjoyed the ensemble numbers a lot. The solos generally dragged for me, with the exception of the maid's. I don't feel I need to see this again, but glad I did.

Hamlet
Went Thurs Nov 2 8 PM Climate Theater, 285 9th Street in San Francisco with MarkA

Intense and involving performance. Since I haven't seen Hamlet before, the whole thing was unexpected for me. I lost a bit of attention at the end and something about suicide and murder gets me to check out a bit. Certainly glad I went, though, and was mostly taken in by the show. It was also nice to visit a bit with Stuart, the director/editor.

It’s “Hamlet” like you’ve never seen it before- reduced to a slick hour and forty, the tale has been streamlined and taken in a new direction, with unexpected plot twists, a reshaped ending, re-conceived characters and more, all while still using the original dialogue. See the director/editor's press release in his blog for more.

Momix Marin Center October 28 8pm

Went with Mark A (with dinner before at Sushi Ran's bar in Sausalito, which was crowded, so make reservations or have lots of time if you want to go).

Really enjoyable show. Somewhere between Pilobolus and Cirque du Soleil. Lots of neat movement and lots of illusion. I want to see their other shows.

I particularly liked (and am writing here for my own reminder in case I want to crib ideas later) jellyfish, rope waves, half black/white costumes, white legged four- and six-legged beings, the arm birds, dancing on the inflatable balls, the spirit puppets, and the spinning webs, much of it lit with blacklight footlights, and all shown behind a scrim (to help hide apparatus, black clothing, and helpers and puppeteers in black).

From press materials: "Known internationally for presenting work of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, Momix has been celebrated for its ability to conjure up a world of surrealistic images using props, light, shadow, humor and the human body." More on the Momix web site.

Troijka

Went to see this with MarkA (after yummy dinner at Thai Basil).

I generally like Stuart's work, and this one actually pulled me in enough that when the revelation came, I was actually surprised and had my head spin for a minute making sense of what had gone before.

See http://horrorunspeakable.com/chronicles_troijka.html for more.

Beethoven Quartet
Another good concert, this time with just one quartet. Lecture style was smarmy to me, but interesting in content.

Bouquets to Art
Mar 21-25 at DeYoung Museum
Floral designers put dozens of arrangements and installations related to various works and rooms around the museum. Interesting to see how different designers pull different things (textures, colors, compositions, even images) from the works and respond to them in flowers.

Wasn't as interesting this year as last for me. There were a couple of striking pieces (the three lamps in flowers with the woman and a glass of port, the oval arrangement with the woman bronze).

It was nice to see the new DeYoung. A few appealing things: the fern garden between wings, the contemporary mirrored glass forms, nice and reasonably priced cafe, and best of all the room of Hudson River School paintings. Heart-wrenching and inspiring to me. Bummer that the tower closed before I could make my way up it... Guess that'll be next time.

http://www.bouquetstoart.org/

Love's Labour's Lost

Went with DavidvdW (who also liked it) and DaveIS (not so much) to see this after sushi at Hana Zen.

I enjoyed it quite a bit, laughed out loud, felt the visceral "oh no, this will go badly", and was only disappointed a few times when the language went past me.

I liked it enough that I'd kind of like to see it again, maybe after reading it or a bit more about it.

I thought the contemporary back-alley bar setting with rock music and music video prelude and interludes worked well and were fun.

Exit Theater
www.horrorunspeakable.com

Gem of the Ocean
Feb 15 at ACT in SF

Went with David vdW and enjoyed the production. It was compelling, but I was surprised that I felt an observer all the way through, rather than being pulled in, despite the City of Bones ritual and other moving elements.

Pilobolus
Marin Center Jan 28 '06
with Val & Russ & Cory

Good show. Liked Aquatic a lot. The Empty Suitor clown bit on pipes was a good 5-7 minute concept presented in 5-7 minutes. Symbiosis and Day Two were enjoyable Pilobolus. Unfortunately, I was a bit sleepy/dozey during Day Two.

Cirque du Soleil Corteo
11/18 in SF DavidSe, JimL, Jeff & Ellen, Bill & Chalet

Another good Cirque show. The pre-curtain illusion is interesting and fun. The early bed/trampoline act is cool.

Phaedra
11/17 at Climate Theater in SF
http://www.horrorunspeakable.com/ 11/3-19

An intimate and nicely done performance. I must admit I got a little lost toward the end, but I enjoyed the show and am looking forward to Stuart's next show in the late winter/early spring.

Miss Liberty
by Irving Berlin presented by 42nd St. Moon 11/13 at Eureka Theater in SF
A friend from college, Brandon, is working on this show. Other 42nd St. Moon shows I've seen have been really enjoyable.

This was no exception. Not a particularly deep or moving show, it was nicely done and enjoyable. As corny as the song "Big Fish" is, it's catch and it's still on my mind whenever I think of this song. The performers were appealing and compelling all around. Fun.

http://www.42ndstmoon.com/42newweb/season/currentseason.htm 10/27-11/13