I know the average reader of OOPM does not spend their evenings at the theater, but you more than likely played a tree, or a singing bumblebee or a baby Jesus at some point in your history. Let’s tap into that part of you for just a second.
In fifth grade your music teacher played Mozart because the school was performing what play? Right! Amadeus, which the Walnut Street Theater is currently performing as well.
Amadeus is not so much about the annoying genius who is Mozart (wonderfully portrayed by Rob Mcclure) as it is about Salieri, the wildly resentful court composer embodied by Walnut Street’s Dan Olmstead. In a nutshell, the story and performance captivatingly addresses the intersection between fame and talent. Salieri’s jealousy destroys his own character in revenge to God for denying him the talent and bestowing it on the undeserving ass that is Amadeus.
The writer, Peter Shaffer, did not give two shits about the durability of his actors’ vocal cords when he masterly envisioned this script. Salieri speaks 97% of the show. This is no complaint mind you. I watched the Academy Award-winning movie after seeing the Walnut Street performance. The movie was a parody of the play. Thank you 1984 for your consummate frivolity.
Unfortunately, the set looked like a bunch of South Philadelphia Grandmom’s had a faux painting orgy on stage and the projections, used for “set changes”, were unnecessary, weak and distracting. The music was underwhelming and the direction felt listless. But, a set is a set and the story is a classic and the acting lovely. It runs at the Walnut Street Theater (825 Walnut St) through March 6th. Take your momma, she’ll love you for it.
If you didn’t run away when you were 13 you may have read the classic, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It was about white and black folk and addressed the issue of RACE, also the name of the Mamet play that opened a few weeks ago at The Susanne Roberts Theater.
RACE was like riding a verbal roller coaster lined with razors. The story is about an oreo law firm whose whiter than white, guy, client is accused of raping a black lady and the law firm’s black chick trainee is a jerk off who couldn’t possibly be as dumb as she is purported. Having said that, thank you David Mamet for writing some delicious dialogue; and to Jordan Lage, white guy lawyer (also the National Security Advisor in Angelina’s SALT) and Ray Anthony Thomas, black guy lawyer, for their cunning undertaking and vibrant performances. I often sit in a theater and dream of intermission, sometimes so that I can leave hastily, without niceties to drink away the loss of my time, but not so here. The snow was piling up outside when Mayor Nutter was introduced. He spoke about roadways and safety, then blah blah Peco, blah blah cell phones, the lights went down, the theater hushed and it was intermission. That is what theater should feel like, not Jersey Boys water torture.
It was only in the second act that I felt like Mamet hated me as well as everyone else on the planet. Either, I didn’t enjoy Nicole Lewis’ performance of the trainee saboteur or I hated how she was written, either way the commentary on race went stale beneath the flurry of her bullshit behaviors. Luckily the banter kept up its end of the bargain. For that alone this is worth a run down Broad St in the snow. You have until the 13th of Feb. to see it at The Philadelphia Theater Company (480 S. Broad St). Go, because for fuck’s sake you live in Philadelphia, end of reasoning.
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