Thoughts on STREAMERS/ROAD SHOW

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 5:04pm

Scott Ellis' meandering, sanitary production of David Rabe's STREAMERS is a Roundabout transfer of the (successful?) production staged by the Huntington Theatre Company last year. There's a far-too-apparent innocence or naiveté that permeates a number of the performances, which gives this revival the feeling of "amateur night at the Laura Pels." Ironically, the biggest offender is Brad Fleischer, whose character is somewhat of an innocent, but not nearly as innocent as is played.

The central focus is the question of whether or not one soldier is just effeminate or actually homosexual; as played by Hale Appleman, there is absolutely no question raised, thereby defeating the "is he or isn't he" subtext. Stronger are J.D. Williams, Larry Clarke and John Sharian. The standout is Ato Essandoh, the member whose performance is worth watching: a master class in the art of gradually building to an explosion.

Rabe's dated script is virtually action-free until the last half of act 2 and the amateur quality of the performances do nothing to make the first hour-and-forty worthwhile. Part of the blame should fall on Ellis, who couldn't find interesting performances within his cast members. Also Ellis' fault is the cleanliness of the production - that barrack (designed by Neil Patel) is gorgeous and the costumes (by Tom Broecker) are Army chic. The middle of Act 1 finds the men mopping the floor - I couldn't help but wonder why.
---
ROAD SHOW, on the other hand, is riveting theater from start to finish. I can't help but wonder whether or not Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman wrote the piece with a small-ish production such as this in mind, but John Doyle's staging at the Public Theater's Newman Space serves the material very well.

ROAD SHOW, née "Wise Guys," "Bounce" and probably some others, is an homage to the road show buddy pictures of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani are brothers Wilson and Addison Mizner, wheeler-dealer raconteurs who strike it rich from the Alaska gold rush to the Florida development boom.

The material itself is no great shakes - Weidman's script is iffy; Sondheim plagiarizes himself with a score that could be labeled "Cut material from ASSASSINS." Just like ASSASSINS, the bulk of the score is hummable, and with Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations, the piece has that distinct Sondheim sound. Doyle's direction makes the script confusing, yet there's something so watchable about the piece that you can't look away.

Cast is very strong - Cerveris and Gemignani are a dynamic duo, with stellar chemistry. The rest of the ensemble is quite good, as well. Design is astounding - blueprint costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, Doyle's convertible junkyard set creates great stage pictures with Jane Cox's lighting. Throwing money in the air at every turn is an inspired touch.

And at that, I take a few-week theatrical break. I just need a little while to recuperate and to spend some time outside of a darkened auditorium.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 8:30pm

bump

[Heybeenfood]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 9:21pm

Couldn't disagree with you more about Streamers.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 10:53pm

Couldn't disagree with you more on STREAMERS, also.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 11:16pm

I am glad you liked ROAD SHOW.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/2/08 at 11:29pm

Totally agree with you on your assessment of the score and book for ROAD SHOW and I'm sorry you didn't like STREAMERS...I'll hopefully be checking it out this weekend or next.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 12:30am

Yeah, I'm going to see Streamers here in the coming months. But, what? You like the ensembles' costumes in Road Show? They are so hideous, and cheap looking.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 7:33am

The detail in the costumes is what I enjoyed.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 7:44pm

Glad you liked Road Show as we generally have the same tastes (aside from Top Girls). I'm seeing it next Friday. Is the stagedoor basically the lobby?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 8:17pm

I liked that each costume was draped differently, but I didn't care for the design at all. Unless everyone was suppose to look a hot mess.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 8:27pm

I'm debating trying to see Road Show at christmas before it closes. Help me make up my mind!!!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/3/08 at 9:18pm

I didn't wait to stage door after this show, but after KING LEAR, it was indeed the lobby.

And do definitely see ROAD SHOW...who knows, it might be the last Sondheim musical.

Posted: 11/3/08 at 9:46pm

I disagree completely about Streamers. I saw the Huntington production twice and it was phenomenal. I'll be seeing this production soon, too, and I urge everyone else to see it as well.

[rossbrew]

Posted: 11/4/08 at 12:41am

Saw Streamers last weekend and was emotionally wrung dry by the end...can't agree with you on your criticisms...

[B3TA07]

Posted: 11/4/08 at 1:00am

I don't know if there is a thread about that Hedda Gabler poster, but OH MY GOD IS THAT FIERCE.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 9:49am

Saw STREAMERS last night and was generally impressed. I wish a couple of the performances had been a bit stronger, but the play built to a remarkable climax. A quibble here and a quibble there, overall a fascinating evening in the theatre.

Unbelievably, a cell phone went off toward the very end of the final monologue. It kept ringing and ringing, the person was clearly trying to bury the phone hoping the sound wouldn't carry. I remember wishing Carlyle could come off the stage and get all Carlyle on the ass of the scumbag with the phone.