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I took Adrian to a fantastic production of Sondheim's Assassins this weekend, in a 99-seat theatre with us in the front row and the assassins two feet away at times. Gorgeously disturbing at such close range, with the music apparently one guy backstage with a keyboard but excellent singing and clever staging. Also very funny.
The Proprietor was particularly creepy, laughing in unnerving delight as yet another assassin took his or her shot. The Balladeer, a woman in a slightly hippie-ish embroidered dress, gave the role an unusual and effective malicious edge. The other Balladeers I've seen embodied naivete and foolish optimism. This one played it as if she knew exactly what sort of corrosive effect her promises and lies were having on the poor losers she sang them to. The two of them, plus an intense Zangara and a barking mad, eye-bulging Squeaky Fromme, were my favorite actors.
Generally the cast was excellent, though I think John Wilkes Booth could have used a little more gravitas, perhaps by casting someone a bit older than he historically was.
The Proprietor turns into Lee Harvey Oswald by handing his fairground barker hat and coat over to a young boy. The boy puts on the hat, and with it the Proprietor's characteristic broad grin: the dark side of the American dream has been passed down another generation.
Czolgocz turned out to be the guy sitting next to Adrian! So when a woman came in at intermission, kicked him in the knee (not hard), and swore at him, he at first thought she was also an actress. Nope, just a random crazy audience member. I completely missed this, having been in the bathroom, but he told me later. He loved the show; I knew he would if it was at all decent, and it was excellent.
The Proprietor was particularly creepy, laughing in unnerving delight as yet another assassin took his or her shot. The Balladeer, a woman in a slightly hippie-ish embroidered dress, gave the role an unusual and effective malicious edge. The other Balladeers I've seen embodied naivete and foolish optimism. This one played it as if she knew exactly what sort of corrosive effect her promises and lies were having on the poor losers she sang them to. The two of them, plus an intense Zangara and a barking mad, eye-bulging Squeaky Fromme, were my favorite actors.
Generally the cast was excellent, though I think John Wilkes Booth could have used a little more gravitas, perhaps by casting someone a bit older than he historically was.
The Proprietor turns into Lee Harvey Oswald by handing his fairground barker hat and coat over to a young boy. The boy puts on the hat, and with it the Proprietor's characteristic broad grin: the dark side of the American dream has been passed down another generation.
Czolgocz turned out to be the guy sitting next to Adrian! So when a woman came in at intermission, kicked him in the knee (not hard), and swore at him, he at first thought she was also an actress. Nope, just a random crazy audience member. I completely missed this, having been in the bathroom, but he told me later. He loved the show; I knew he would if it was at all decent, and it was excellent.
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The theatre groups at my college were on a serious Sondheim kick for years; alas that they put on Into the Woods the year before I started.
And Assassins the year after I graduated.
(We ended up doing Funny Thing)
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oooohhh...
i'm a huge fan - worked on into the woods, company, and an award winning production of passion while in grad school (for pro theatres in dc); saw sunday in the park w/ george and sweeney todd on broadway
i haven't seen assassins live yet, and this sounds like a really good production (plus i love sondheim in smaller spaces)
thanks much
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Re: oooohhh...