Wintuk - Madison Square Gardens, New York

Wintuk
Writer & Director: Richard Blackburn
Choreographer: Catherine Archambault

Reviewer: Jeff Savio

As we enter the winter season, many children eagerly await the arrival of snow. Cirque du Soleil’s seasonal spectacular, Wintuk, follows Jaime, a young boy, on his quest to discover why winter has yet to bring much desired snow to his city. Along the way, he is joined by a playful young girl, a shy man, and a wise Shaman. Together they encounter a host of colorful characters as they make their way to the imaginary arctic world called Wintuk. The plot, while fairly loose and simple, presents a fun backdrop for the fascinating action that constantly fills the stage.

In typical Cirque du Soleil fashion, Wintuk’s story comes to life with jaw-dropping stunts and tricks that are beautifully choreographed, flawlessly executed, and seamlessly integrated. The result is nonstop action across the entire stage that provides an exciting and engaging family-friendly experience. Each act – whether juggling, balancing, bicycling, tumbling, or a variety of other acrobatic stunts – pushes the limit of what you thought was possible, leaving you all the more bewildered. In one scene, a construction worker balances high above the ground on a single board stacked atop teetering levels of pipes and cylinders. In another, acrobats perform a Russian bars act, flying into the air, tumbling, and then landing gracefully on the thin bar from which they were first launched. Each act is performed in character with immense energy and ease. If the laws of gravity do exist on the stage, they seem to not apply to the actors as they perform these seemingly impossible feats that leave you on the edge of your seat, grabbing the person next to you, and asking, simply, “How?”

Wintuk’s amazing stunts and tricks are further complemented by the show’s fun live music and dynamic stage. The whimsical set is vibrant and consists of skate and bike ramps, a long tumble track trampoline, and a variety of moving pieces that bring the stage to life and allow the actors to showcase their talents. Enormous puppets and extravagant costumes, including a quartet of “dogs” that comically jump and roll around the stage, add to the unique experience. The actors perform with energy and ease, leaving you laughing, gasping, and staring in wonder.

By the end of Wintuk, audience members of all ages are left smiling and wanting more. Throughout the 90-minute show, the audience is engulfed in a fantastic Wintuk wonderland where the seemingly impossible happens all the time. Seeing, or rather experiencing, Wintuk is a great way to jump excitedly into the winter season. The action-packed, beautifully produced Wintuk is an outstanding, fun show that will please all. Ultimately, as one of the show’s closing songs explains, in Wintuk, “nothing’s missing.”

Photos: Richard Termine

Wintuk runs through January 3, 2010.

Guys And Dolls – Nederlander Theatre, New York

Guys and Dolls
Based on a story by Damon Runyon
Music & Lyrics: Frank Loesser
Book: Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows
Director: Des McNuff
Choreographer: Sergio Trujillo
Reviewer: John Roberts

There is still something very magical about entering a theatre that you have never been in before, you are placed in unfamiliar surroundings and your senses go on overload absorbing the atmosphere of the building and the people who temporarily inhabit that space. My recent trip to the Nederlander Theatre sent shivers down my spine for several reasons the first being that Guys & Dolls has a special place in my heart being one of the first theatrical performances I appeared in, I also love theatres that have a feeling of Intimacy, and that is just what you get here!

There have been many productions of Guys and Doll’s over the years both on Broadway and in the UK but there is something magical in this production that takes the show to new heights and I lay all my bets down that this is the best of them yet!

Based on Damon Runyon’s short stories set during the prohibition years, the musical follows the life of Nathan Detroit (Oliver Platt) fixer of New York’s infamous crap games and his relationship with his long serving Fiancée and Hot Box Girl Adelaide (Lauren Graham) along the way Detroit lays down a bet with High Flying Sky Masterson (Craig Bierko) that he can’t take Sergeant Sarah Brown (Kate Jennings Grant) of the Salvation Army on a date what pursues is one of the most satisfying stories in Musical Theatre.

At the directing helm of this superb revival is Des McNuff, whose magical touch helped him and his production of Jersey Boys sweep away with many of the awards at the Tony’s and Olivier awards, critical to his staging is the simplicity in getting the story across, there are no huge fancy sets that distract from the action, there is attention to even the smallest bit of detail when the whole company are performing and it is with this attention, that puts Guys & Dolls head and shoulders above most of the shows on Broadway.

McNuff is helped in his quest for musical perfection by the fantastic Choreography by Sergio Trujillo, the Runyon Land sequence at the top of the show and the crap shooters ballet are just two of the dancing highlights of his energetic and jaw droppingly perfected routines.

Robert Brill also brings an inventive use of video to this production by using a video wall as the ever changing backdrop to all the locations which are cleverly designed by Dustin O’Neill to provide seamless changes in location without having to wait for cumbersome set changes which many shows rely. Paul Tazewell also provides welcome 30’s glamour to his costume designs throughout the production.

But the strength of any production always lies in its weakest cast member and it is not often a reviewer can leave the theatre with a smile on their face and say that every single member of the ensemble put one hundred percent into everything they did, but this is one such cast!

Oliver Platt provides a suitably stuffy and on edge Nathan Detroit which is in complete contrast to Lauren Grahams more assured portrayal of Adelaide, one if I am honest took a little getting used to but brought a freshness to the role that I had never encountered before, but it is the pairing of Craig Bierko as Sky and Kate Jennings Grant as Sarah Brown that steals the on stage chemistry award, Bierko oozes a charm and sophistication in his portrayal of Sky that if given the chance every woman in the audience would want a slice of that man. Jennings Grant is joyously sweet and really comes into her own during her fantastic rendition of ‘If I Were A Bell.’

Other notable performances are given by Jim Ortlieb as Arvide Abernathy and his rendition of ‘More I Cannot Wish You’ managed to bring a tear to my eye, in a way that the song has never been able to in the past, but the show stealer of the century award must be handed to Tituss Burgess as not only does he rock the boat in his Gospel flavoured rendition of ‘Sit Down’ but he has the whole theatre rocking along as well.

If ever there was a time to revive a classic of the genre then it is these tough recession times is just perfect, this show has everything you could hope for in a production, laughter, catchy songs, energetic choreography (something Mary Poppins just around the block could learn a lesson from.) This is what Musical theatre should be all about pure unadulterated family fun, and I would without a doubt put a bet down that you would be hard pushed to find a better show on broadway at the moment!

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Shrek The Musical - The Broadway Theatre, New York

Shrek The Musical

Based on the book by William Steig
Book & Lyrics: David Lyndsay-Abaire
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Director: Jason Moore
Choreographer: Josh Prince
Reviewer: John Roberts

Turning films into theatre seems to be the status-quo at the moment in theatre land, but why? Is it because it is a tried and tested vehicle? Is it an easy bet during the cloudy recession that hangs over us all? Or is it just simply because the best Ideas have already been used? Well whatever the answer is you can be sure that Shrek ticks all the right boxes and makes you leave after being entertained for two and a half hours knowing that theatre land is a much bigger, brighter and beautiful place because of it!

Originally adapted by Dreamworks as a family animated feature of William Steig’s children’s story that rocked the house of mouse at the box office are now going head to head again with this musical stage adaptation.
Avenue Q’s director Jason Moore has been brought in to take the helm on this project and his unique stamp of anarchic mayhem and fun that was very much instilled in Ave Q also finds a comfortable home here (and yes there’s puppets here too!.) Moore’s direction is tight and he makes sure the narrative stays focused and pacey, after all with fifty percent of the audience being under fourteen you had better make sure that you keep them engaged throughout.

The world of Shrek is brought vividly to live by Tim Hatleys set and costume designs, which are bold and bright and at times simply breathtaking, but staying very true to the animated world that we have come to love through the films.

Brain D’Arcey James is the man behind the green mask, and brings a performance of Shrek that is both warm and endearing, although maybe a bit too much – after all he is a terrible ogre with lots of built up rage, but I also understand that this is a family production and there is a very fine line between scary the living daylights out of a child and keeping them on the quiet and happy side!

Shrek’s noble stead Donkey (Daniel Breaker) Is played with great panache, Breaker is a powerhouse of energy and has the ability to draw your attention even when he is not doing anything, also providing us with most of the laughs of the evening is Christopher Seiber (who was last seen in London in the Original London Cast of Spamalot.) as Lord Farquarrd, his portrayal is much camper than the film and this only makes it even more enjoyable, especially when teamed up with the fantastic choreography that is given to him from Josh Prince that makes his costume come to life, how does he do it 8 times a week?

Normally Sutton Foster plays the role of Shrek’s love interest Princess Fiona but at the performance I attended this role was played by Sara J Everman – I am guessing as second understudy to Fiona, she hasn’t had much opportunity to perform the role, which did come across in the first few scenes, but once she had gotten into her stride her performance was fantastic .

This show isn’t the 24 carrat diamond in the pack of shows that litter the streets of Broadway, yes there are segments of the show that miss the mark – The dragon is a huge disappointment and doesn’t quite look like a finished article, however with a book that guarantees you are laughing throughout, which isexpertly delivered by a talent ensemble and music numbers that you will hum for hours after, I still have “I Know It’s Today” running through my head, what more could you ask from a night at the theatre?

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