Watched the play-in-a-play “Ibsen in Chicago.” European working class immigrants with secrets try to make it in America and put on the play “Ghosts.” Prima Donna character was pretty funny.
Type: Musical
Recommendation: Worth seeing!
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 stars
Negatives: Not many setting changes. Everything occured in a fictional theatre hall.
Story, Script, and Lyrics: Play-in-a-play where European working-class immigrants with secrets try to make it in America and put on the play Ghosts.
Cast and Theater Company: Typical Seattle Repertory Theatre production. Loved the prima donna character Helga (played by Kirsten Potter).
Venue and Set: Single setting in a run down fictional theatre hall.
Music and Audio: True to Seattle Repertory Theatre, no microphones were used but the performers projected well.
Watched the musical stage adaptation of Jane Eyre. Very dry, dense, and lukewarm … like most English literature. Would it kill them to lighten up (and do a tap dance routine lol)? Glad to have Paul with me to explain things and make jokes.
Type: Musical
Recommendation: See this if there’s nothing else playing in the city or if you like dry, dense, lukewarm theatre.
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3 stars
Negatives: The script and music was boring. Would it kill them to lighten up … and possibly do a tap dance routine? Ha!
Story, Script, and Lyrics: Life deals a bad hand to an Englishwoman but she still manages to stay positive and to persevere.
Cast and Theater Company: University production. Female lead (Jane Eyre) was pretty decent. Unfortunately, it was hard to gauge the performers’ talent because the musical was so dull. Furthermore, cast was critically low on male performers. I suspect it’s because Seattle Pacific University is a Christian (Methodist) university and therefore cannot attract enough gay students to enroll. In the words of The Producers, “Keep it gay, keep it gay, keep it gay” … in theatre.
Venue and Set: Simple. Interesting angular stage.
Music and Audio: Microphones used (thank you!). Unfortunately, piano was the only accompaniment … so it basically sounded like rehearsal. As a piano player myself, props to the pianist for pressing on (no pun intended) throughout the entire score! His or her hands must have been bleeding. It’s a shame the cast didn’t acknowledge the pianist in the ovations.
Watched the musical “Vanishing Point,” which explored the disappearances of Agatha Christie, Amelia Earhart, & Aimee Semple McPherson. When will I ever learn to stay away from historical fiction plays/musicals? So very dry.
Type: Musical
Recommendation: Only see it if you like dry historical theatre.
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3 stars
Negatives: The script and music was boring. Plus, I’m not a huge history fiction buff. So, I left at intermission.
Story, Script, and Lyrics: Exploration on the events surrounding the disappearances of Agatha Christie, Amelia Earhart, & Aimee Semple McPherson. So very dry.
Cast and Theater Company: You could tell these were great actors but unfortunately they had a terrible piece to perform.
Venue and Set: Simple
Music and Audio: No microphones but the space is small enough and the performers project loud enough that you’re able to hear okay. Music consisted of bass (or cello?) and a piano.
Price: $ (Low-priced at $17-34)
Dates: January 25, 2018 – February 25, 2018
Seating: Assigned. Make sure you sit in the middle. The left and right arena seats suck.
Watched Ghost Quartet, a confusing musical concert for douchey hipsters complete with a shot of whiskey for the audience. Like watching Portlandia in concert. Very talented performers though. A mini act was in pitch black darkness!
Watched the play “Peerless” which was basically Heathers and Macbeth with ambitious Asian twins. Dialogue was a little difficult to follow but the play was good.
Type: Play
Recommendation: See it!
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4 Stars
Negatives: The dialogue was annoyingly vague. Very “millennial-speak.”
Story, Script, and Lyrics: Ambitious Asian twins will do anything to get into the college of their choice. Based on MacBeth with a little Heather’s mixed in.
