I know it's not at all shocking that I would put a play starring Daniel Craig first on my list, but it really does deserve to be here. Betrayal has a canny way of conveying the wealth of emotion bubbling just under its minimalist facade. Mr. Craig is a wonderful stage actor, which I already knew from seeing him in A Steady Rain a few years ago. Whereas in that play Craig portrayed an American cop, in Betrayal he is oh so very British through and through. Rafe Spall also turns in a fine performance, and the scenes between him and Craig are the best in the production. Rachel Weisz's performance is a bit too "stagey" for my taste, but it didn't get in the way of my enjoyment of the play. The sets were very well done, as was the music by James Murphy. Every element of the production had clearly been given a lot of thought, creating a seamless flow for the reverse chronological structure in which the story unfolds.
There were so many productions of Macbeth to choose from this year! I wasn't able to get a ticket to the James McAvoy post-apocalyptic version when I was in London, so I thought I might as well give the Alan Cumming insane asylum interpretation a go. As with much that Cumming does, this production pushes boundaries; it looks at a familiar cultural touchstone from completely new angles. Cumming gives an intensely strong performance in what is, for all intents and purposes, a one-man show. The sterility of the set serves to intensify Cumming's performance, and the unusual use of video equipment adds an eeriness befitting the undercurrents of both the play and the setting of this production.
This was a spectacular show, and I was glad that I had a mezzanine seat so that I could fully appreciate all the circus antics and acrobatics that usurped the dance numbers of a typical musical. Patina Miller was excellent as the Leading Player, and Andrea Martin - as Pippin's grandmother, Berthe - brought the house down with her astounding number. The Fosse inspired choreography was wonderful, as were the costumes and make-up. While the ending underwhelmed me, the show as a whole is quite memorable and everything that a big Broadway musical should be. I still get "Magic To Do" stuck in my head from time to time.
What's not to like about a show that features British people, drag queens, and sparkly boots? Billy Porter gives a truly stunning performance as Lola -- such a great singing voice and spot-on line delivery. This is a feel-good musical that delivers on that moniker in spades. A wonderfully fun and entertaining evening at the theatre.
5. The Old Friends, Signature Theatre, 6 September
Betty Buckley steals this show with her powerhouse performance. The whole play is a very "Texas-in-the-60s" number, but Buckley's performance especially captures what I understand to be a certain type of woman from that era. The Old Friends reminded me greatly of Giant, but on a much smaller, more intimate scale in every way.
Special Mention:
Joan Rivers, Laurie Beechman Theatre, 20 August
After I saw the documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work a few years back, I knew that this was a woman I should pay more attention to because she is more relevant now than ever. I follow her on Twitter and love her tweets, so I jumped at the chance to see her live in an intimate cabaret setting. Joan's jokes are so off-color and un-PC, but that is what makes them fabulous! We are all lucky that this legend doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. She is a live wire and a national treasure.
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