the american stage

being semi-retired, i rarely see theatre these days unless it's free. it's a shame because for the first time in a very long while there really are alot of plays i want to see. i think in the last month i've seen two productions. of the two, sybil kempson's crime or emergency was a stand-out (it was also free). if you ever have a chance to see ms. kempson's work you should. it was like watching an off-meds, bi-polar judy garland show channeling bruce springsteen thru a one person buzby berkley musical greek tragedy, with more wit and energy than you can shake a stick at. and she's totally hot.
but now the not-so-hot. i went to see crimes of the heart last night at the roundabout, directed by kathleen turner. maybe because i've done the play it was hard for me to judge objectively. but it was just dreary. the performances were lackluster and no one was listening to each other. i couldn't tell what story they were trying to tell. it just felt limp and bloated, much like the directrix who was seated in front of us.
now this was a preview performance, and directors are supposed to watch and take notes...in the BACK of the house, so no one can see them and so they don't draw attention from audience members. sister brought her roundhouse right up to the front, getting up and down during the performance. it was like, "where's my close-up?"
i have to say tho, she was more entertaining.