Dear theatre friends,
Back again, with a short list of recommendations:
Next week, I’ll be seeing “Jasper” by Grant Macdermott at Signature Theatre. It’s a world premiere, opening the 14th, so no reviews yet. The subject of a family trying to stick together holds perennial appeal for me.
Is it theatre? Is it dance? I’m curious about work which is described as “interdisciplinary, multi-sensory and interactive”. See for yourself– the Holdtight company’s “When the Blossom Passes” will be at The Cell, September 9th- October 2nd.
Do hurry to buy discounted tickets to “Straight Line Crazy”, David Hare’s new play. You may want to read this rave Guardian review of the London production. The New York transfer wouldn’t be such a hot ticket without the extraordinary Ralph Fiennes again playing Robert Moses– he is!
Another much awaited transfer from London is Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt”— Olivier Award winner for best new play. Although it had a Covid-truncated run, the excellent reviews wouldn’t stop. It’s truly memorable– it was the last London show I saw in February, 2020 and I’ve often thought about since. I was immediately absorbed by the overstuffed set, which reminded me of my grandparents’ home.
How wonderful that producers will gamble on bringing the huge, 38-strong, cast to New York. Don’t miss this one!
MTC is beginning the Fall season with a reprisal of their wonderful, 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning, “Cost of Living”, by Martyna Majok. If her name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, she also wrote the profoundly empathetic “Ironbound,” just two years earlier.
Where the Mountain Meets the Sea” is yet another MTC play coming next month– this, to their off Broadway theatre, where seats are all $30. It concerns a Haitian immigrant father and son and their unrequited desire to connect. Having had my own fortunate connection with a displaced Haitian family, I’ll be sure to see this.
While on the MTC site, look ahead to “The Collaboration,” another London transfer, this time from the Young Vic. The fascinating, albeit short, relationship between Basquiat and Warhol is explored in this well-received production.
Unfortunately, I missed the previous “Collaboration: Warhol and Basquiat,” which played off-off-Broadway in 2016. I wonder if the London playwright, Anthony McCarten, knew about this earlier work.
I hope to hear from you, and sit next to you in the theatre!
Carol Tambor publishes a monthly newsletter, which announces worthy shows coming to New York, along with occasional information about London theatre and, of course, the Edinburgh Fringe.