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Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Once on This Island
Charms; Muggles Muddle Potter
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND *** out of ****
POTTED POTTER * out of ****
CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT * out of ****
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND *** out of ****
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE
The Paper Mill Playhouse is on a serious tear. It has the smash hit Newsies on Broadway (and if they've
got a piece of it like I hope, that will help stabilize the venue the way A Chorus Line did for the Public for
years to come -- though since it began with Disney I must be crazy to imagine this). And now they can
boast a freshly minted version of Once On This Island, which has charm to spare thanks to a very
talented cast and solid production. It's my first time seeing this show so I have no idea what's beenrefined or changed. All I can say is that the 90 minute tale of thwarted romance (a sort of CaribbeanRomeo & Juliet with interfering gods thrown into the mix) is greater than the sum of its parts. The story
is quite familiar and many of the songs by Lynn Ahrens (who wrote the book and lyrics) and StephenFlaherty (music) blend together too quickly. But the scenic design by Donyale Werle has a wonderfulhome-made feel appropriate for this story and the lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by RandyHansen add to the fable-like aura. (I won't praise the fine costumes by jessica Jahn because surely a taleon the islands could have shown some more skin?) And the almost uniformly excellent cast delivered thesolid choreography by Bradley Rapier with ease and made the entire evening a pleasure.
Director Thomas Kail kept a sure hand on the rudder of this pleasure boat, which begins with a little girl
scared by a thunderstorm. She's distracted from her fears by being told the story of their island, which issplit into two sides -- the wealthy, light-skinned descendants of the French and the poor (but happy! Ididn't say it was original) dark-skinned peasants who descended from slaves. Lovely Ti Moune (SyeshaMercado -- who I admired a lot on season seven of American Idol ) is an orphan taken in by an elderly
couple.
One day the handsome Daniel (Adam Jacobs) gets in a car accident and Ti Moune rescues him. She
follows the young man back to the hotel/palace where he lives because she's convinced the gods want herto nurse him back to health. They fall in love, sort of, but he is already promised to another. This is afairy tale, but a real one. And in real fairy tales people die and bitterly sad endings often take place. SoMOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
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don't assume everything will turn out all right in the end.
The pleasure of this story is in the telling, which uses simple props like masks and bolts of cloth to
simulate the strangeness of the city or a rainstorm and so on. Opener "We Dance" is delivered strongly bythe entire cast, as are many of the tunes. But first among equals is Mercado, who really blossoms here.She captures the sweet naivete of an innocent girl on the cusp of womanhood very nicely and withoutoverdoing it. She looks lovely, has a voice that easily fills the Paper Mill's big space, dances well and hasexcellent stage presence. Mark her down as yet another Idol contestant who can and should establishherself on Broadway.
A high point in the songs is "The Sad Tale Of The Beauxhommes," which uses the entire cast, puppetry,
dance and more to put over this story song about the origins of the two separate classes of people on the
island. Other tunes don't always stick out, even when delivered with style, like Aurelia Williams doing her
best to turn the rather pat "Mama Will Provide" into a showstopper. (She darn near succeeds.)
Kenita R. Miller and Kevin R. Free are very good as Ti Moune's guardians. Alan Mingo Jr. has fun as
Papa Ge, the God of Death, adding a much needed sense of menace to the climax of the story. CourtneyReed is strikingly pretty and makes the most of her brief scenes as the intended of Daniel. Jacobs asDaniel, however, is the weak link. He's notably stiff in his brief bits of dialogue and we feel no realconnection between him and Ti Moune, so very little feels at stake. On the plus side, he sings his big solonumber "Some Girls" quite well in a classic Broadway ballad style. (It's also one of the show's best songs.)And he unquestionably looks the part of a Prince Charming.
But that lack of sexual charge between Daniel and Ti Moune highlights the show's squeaky clean
weakness. Clearly geared towards families, there's still no reason why the entire production should feel so
lacking in sensuality. A show set in a Haiti-like island could surely feel more sexy. We're told Daniel has a
notable scar on his chest but it's almost a surprise Ti Moune has seen it, the proceedings are sowholesome. When Ti Moune dances at the ball and raises her skirt -- just a little, mind you -- she seemsto be wearing leggings or stockings (or apparently knee pads -- see the comments below) of some sort, as
if even a glimpse of her legs would be too randy for us. That lack of passion, of earthiness, of sex -- and
sexual attraction should be at the heart of any romance -- keeps this nicely mounted production fromlifting off. Though nothing should stop Mercado from using this excellent showcase to further herBroadway ambitions. Daniel may have spurned her but I'm certain producers and directors and writerswho see her will fall in love with that talent.
POTTED POTTER * out of ****
LITTLE SCHUBERT THEATRE
This two-man show that promises to condense all seven Harry Potter books into a 70 minuteperformance/parody does everything you would expect and less. It follows in the tradition of the ReducedShakespeare Company's condensation of the Bard's plays into one (very long-running) bit of tomfoolery,which itself inspired all sorts of spin-offs.
This is the latest and actors/creators Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner seem like affable fellows. One
is a Potter fanatic; the other hasn't even bothered to read them all yet when the show begins. The stage isfilled with a silly looking choo-choo train, a bookcase with the Potter books lined up, a wardrobe (oops,that's Narnia!) and so on. They goof around, play with props, turn Quidditch into an excuse to have theaudience bat around a beach ball, joke about Voldemort and so on. You won't be surprised by pop culturereferences to Shrek, The Chronicles Of Narnia, The Lord Of the Rings, Star Wars, Lemony Snicket and
so on. You won't be surprised by much of anything here unless you're very very young.
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The disappointment is that the lads didn't really put any effort into this, other than stocking up on Silly
String and bad puns. When they get to the third book, the fellow who has pretended not to have read
them decides he can predict what will happen in it based on what happened in the first two. Hey, this
might actually have a little substance to it, I thought, since the first three books all followed a formula
which author JK Rowling finally abandoned in book four. Kids might get an amusing tweak of Rowling's
world by being reminded how lock-step those first three books were by beginning with Harry being
whisked to Hogwarts, facing a challenge and then Gryffindor winning top prize at the end of term (rather
annoyingly, I thought at the time)> No such luck. They don't break down the formula or even try to
"predict" what might happen in book three by playing off other familiar works lie LOTR. They just list afew plot points and move on.
Similarly at the finale they begin by letting Professor Snape (the most complex and conflicted character
in the books) sing a song based around the melody of "I Will Survive." Well if anyone deserves their ownnumber, it's Snape. But that's quickly abandoned after a line or two and suddenly Voldemort and othersare singing in a meaningless little number that doesn't comment on or amusingly toy with the charactersand stories Rowling created. It's just a lazy, disco-ball finale with no more thought put into it than anyother gag in this show that runs a rather long 70 minutes. The very little kids in the audience certainlyweren't bored and had plenty of chances to shout out comments or thwack at a ball. Given the full houseat the quite nice Little Schubert, I can see parents being tempted into an easy time-killer. But kids whohave seen very little theater deserve better.
CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT * out of ****
ATLANTIC STAGE 2
The awkward, would-be wacky title of Fernanda Coppel's comic drama is the first hint that this would be
a poorly conceived evening. Two families are thrown into chaos by the emotional meltdown of Sonia(Zabryna Guevara), who has left her husband and daughter after a suicide attempt to try and pull herselftogether. Easily the most accomplished actor here and an appealing stage presence, this isolation meansthat for most of the show Guevara is alone, delivering tepid monologues directly to the audience, andalmost never gets to interact with anyone else.
That leaves the rest of the show to her sports-loving husband Ricardo (Teddy Canez) and their daughter
Jackie (Carmen Zilles) to carry on as best they can with the help of their neighbors Alejandro (Alfredo
Narciso) and his daughter Penelope (Xochitl Romero). The teenage girls are bickering best friends, with
jackie worried that coming out to her mom is what drove Sonia way while Penelope is doing it with a
drug-dealing loser who may have knocked her up. Penelope's dad is stereotypically gay (he even worries
about drinks leaving a water stain on an outdoor wooden table that must surely get rained on) though it's
not clear that he is openly gay. What is clear is that he and Ricardo are having a torrid affair.
None of this is interesting. The teenagers fight and make up every two minutes and call each other "dude"
so relentlessly you want to scream. As mentioned, Alejandro is comically gay and yet even by the end ofthe play I wasn't quite certain if he was out or not. If there was any explanation of what happened to hiswife and Penelope's mother, I missed it. (Dead? Divorced? Run off like Sonia?) Stupidities are endless --Jackie texts her mom and says she's pregnant to try and get her to come home. When her dad finds thisout, instead of simply telling the truth, she and Penelope start divulging their darkest secrets. Later, thetwo girls are forbidden to speak to each other ever again. Why? I haven't the foggiest.
The gay affair is utterly unconvincing. I hate to criticize any actors in a play this weak (which is why I
won't comment on the anonymous sets, costumes or direction). But it's a sad truth that if you want to be
a male actor in the theater you're simply going to have to play a gay role and probably kiss a guy at some
point. (Hey, women have had to play whores for a hundred years on movies and tv, so don't complain.)These two actors are painfully awkward in their brief, romantic moments. But I don't blame them. In a
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Checkshow that gets its biggest laugh from an actress farting when she appears on stage, I'd feel uncomfortable
too.
THE THEATER SEASON 2012-2013 (on a four star scale)
Chimichangas And Zoloft *
Cock ** 1/2
Once On This Island ***
Potted Potter *
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
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03:19 PM on 06/05/2012
Those were not leggings that Syesha was wearing. Those were knee pads.
05:00 PM on 06/08/2012
Thanks. I wasn't sure what was going on and took my best shot. I've seen a lot of musicals
and never seen an actor wearing knee pads. Maybe she has some medical issues? Her
performance was very good, as I said and she looked great.
10:16 AM on 06/05/2012
I'd love to see Once on This Island come into New York. I think it'd do better today than when it first
opened back in 1990. (It was only a marginal hit, if I recall, might've even lost money). I always
thought it was a case of the right show in the right place at the wrong time.
In those days, Broadway was still in the grip of the Lloyd Weber/Mackintosh invasion, which for all
its razzle-dazzle offered rather dull, predictable music -- bland operetta meets bland Euro-pop. It just
wasn't a good time to ask audiences and critics to embrace a unpretentious, childlike show featuring
steel drums and calypso rhythms. It was the era of the BIG MUSICAL.
The intervening 20 or so years have loosened things up -- we're hearing a wider variety of musical
styles on and off B'way than ever before. Audiences have become accustomed to more modestlyscaled shows that employ dance and lighting and puppetry, rather than chandeliers and helicopters,to achieve their big moments. And in these dark times, this sunshiny trifle might be just the thingaudiences are looking for. It isn't a milestone in musical theater history, but I do recall enjoying itimmensely and leaving the theater wishing it a long run.
But yeah, for a Broadway musical, a little more skin is never a bad thing.
09:39 AM on 06/05/2012
Broadway surely beckons for former Idol star Syesha Mercado
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CHIMPANZEE ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney) -- The political documentary 2016: Obama's America
is a huge hit for a film in its genre. But it's crazy to say it's the top documentary film of the year... except
for nature documentaries. That's the caveat news outlets must make, which is kind of like saying a movieis the top family film of the year... except for animated films. Or the top drama of the year... except forones with vampires. In fact, the top documentary of the year so far is Chimpanzee , the latest in what is
proving an annual event. Every year around Earth Day, Disney releases a new documentary about ourworld. This latest was directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, both of whom can be found onthe credits of some of the best documentaries in history, namely the Blue Planet and Planet Earth TV
shows and their theatrical spinoffs. This one isn't quite up to the level of those, but it's an engaging lookat the life of a little chimpanzee from birth through traumatic events and the possibility of a happyfuture. Parents beware: nature throws our hero Oscar a few Bambi -like curves. It's presented as gently as
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moments, but the rest will discover a real-life adventure tale told with acute observation. I could have
done without narrator Tim Allen's jokey asides, but they're modest and brief. Those who have seen the
startling beauty of those other films won't be surprised when I say many of the shots -- especially the
opening scene setters -- are so striking I half wondered if they were special effects. James Cameronwould be jealous of the imagery on display. Overall, it is superior family entertainment and deservedlyshould be lauded as the biggest hit documentary film of the year, no matter what political party you'reregistered in.
THE HUNGER GAMES ($39.99 Bluray combo; Lionsgate) -- OK, now fans breathlessly waiting for the
second film installment in the series can watch and rewatch The Hunger Games . Some truths will
emerge. The pageant towards the beginning where the contestants are on display is an embarrassment --Katniss is supposed to be clothed in an outfit that bursts into simulated flames and the special effect is solame (even for a somewhat low budget film tackling such a big tale) that it's literally cringe-inducing. Itlooks like an effect a kid would produce for their home-made YouTube video. It's not a throw-away scenebut a key moment in the "selling" of Katniss to a TV audience that will ultimately have a hand in decidingher fate. It never, ever should have made it to screen in its present form. As a commercial decision, I
would have stuck with director Gary Ross who delivered a massive worldwide hit on a relative dime and
did a great job of finding his stars alongside casting director Debra Zane. However, Ross is much better
at the earlier dramatic scenes. So on an artistic level, the action portion of the film might improve
mightily. Finally, as if there were any question, Team Peeta, all the way.
A SEPARATION ($35.99 BluRay; Sony Pictures Classics) -- This sensational drama was my
introduction to the talents of director Asghar Farhadi. Rightful winner of the Academy Award for BestForeign Film (when will they change the name to Best International Film, by the way?) it's a penetrating,utterly involving drama of life in contemporary Iran. A wife who decides she wants a separation from herhusband begins a cascade of events that include hiring a woman to watch after her husband's elderlyfather and soon one action leads to another and the consequences become more and more dire. It'ssuperlative drama of the highest order and now that I've been able to see two more of Farhadi's films, Iknow it's not a fluke either. He's a world class director. Anyone interested in drama, cinema or just agood family drama should watch this immediately.
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THE ARISTOCATS ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney)
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THE TIGGER MOVIE ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney) -- The Rescuers and The Aristocats were made
during the dark days of Disney animation. They are cheaply produced, with flat, static backdrops and the
modest stories are geared strictly at tykes. It's depressing to see movies with the Disney name that haveanimation more appropriate for a cheap Saturday morning cartoon. But that's no excuse for the paucityof imagination on display, especially with fine voice actors like Bob Newhart and the inspired choice ofEva Gabor on tap. Even the Sherman Brothers can't rescue The Aristocats , despite a few decent songs.
Pocahontas is an overshadowed entry from Disney's second golden period (before they were outclassed
by Pixar). It's awfully politically correct but gorgeously animated and proudly embraces a rare downbeatending. It's puzzling and annoying that Disney doesn't allow fans the option to watch the movie with the
duet reinstated for the 10th Anniversary DVD. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz always wanted it in
and they did it the last time around but now it's relegated to an extra. The movie doesn't become a classic
but it's certainly better without it. Like The Rescuers set, it includes an inferior sequel. Finally there's The
Tigger Movie , a glorified straight to DVD release that ended up being released theatrically and doing
quite well. It falls somewhere in the middle here, not a cheap sad tale but a good proving ground foryoung Disney talent, albeit not so good that it makes you forget how good Disney can truly be. Still, it
was the Sherman Brothers again to the rescue, with some superior songs.
LOS LOBOS KIKO LIVE ($16.98 DVD; Shout)
LOS LOBOS -- KIKO 20TH ANNIVERSARY ($9.99 CD; Shout) -- Los Lobos is a great roots rock
band that threw everyone for a loop with their sonic masterpiece Kiko . Fans and critics still haven't quite
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deserves. Let's face it, you wouldn't have expected a psychedelic masterpiece from Creedence ClearwaterRevival and you didn't expect this left-field beauty from the ferociously rocking band behind "Will TheWolf Survive?" But, boy is it a great album. It's been 20 years and people need to take a deep breath,listen to this album with fresh ears and realize what a landmark it is, every bit the equal of Wilco'sYankee Hotel Foxtrot, Radiohead's Kid A and other oddball classics. It's lyrical, shimmering, strange,
lovely and haunting. You can rock out to the CD (headphones preferred, thank you very much) or youcan buy the DVD and enjoy a live performance with the album played in its entirety. The band is at the
peak of their powers (though I'd love to see them again today -- they're touring on their own and with
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, which is a terrific double bill). The live DVD isn't edited crazily like so many
concert films and gets the job done. You can watch just the concert or a fuller version along withinterviews and other extras wrapped around the performance. In any format, you'll appreciate anew a
great American band and their greatest album.
HOUSE SEASON EIGHT ($74.98 BluRay; Universal)
THE CLOSER SEVENTH SEASON ($59.98 DVD; Warner Bros.)
GLEE THIRD SEASON ($59.98 DVD; FOX)
MIKE & MOLLY SEASON TWO ($44.98 DVD: Warner Bros.)
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS SEASON 1 VOLUME 1 ($19.93 DVD; Shout)
REVENGE FIRST SEASON ($45.99 DVD: ABC)
DOCTOR WHO: THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY /DOCTOR WHO: SPEARHEAD
FROM SPACE ($24.98 each on DVD; BBC) -- It's hard to know when to say goodbye. House clearly got
it wrong; one season earlier and I think fans and critics would have mourned the show more. As it was,
eight seasons was clearly more than enough, though that doesn't dim Hugh Laurie's fun in creating oneof TV's most indelible pains in the ass. The Closer , however, got it just right, with the show leaving at the
top of its game ratings-wise and Kyra Sedgwick brandishing that crazy Southern accent to great effectright up to the end. Glee can't say goodbye because it has something to prove after a creatively disastrous
season two and a not much better season three. Like clingy parents, they refuse to let go of key charactersafter they graduate and that does not bode well for season four. But here's hoping they get back on track.
(Start by insisting the songs actually have something to do with the scenes at hand, guys!) Mike & Molly
moved a bit beyond the incessant fat jokes to allow Melissa McCarthy to blossom even more as a full-
bodied woman in love. Fans of Power Rangers are ga-ga for the 20th anniversary reunion that's going to
bring together every surviving Power Ranger that they can for the ultimate showdown. Until then, thehardcore fans can begin again where it all started with this economical first half of season one. It
contains 30 episodes and no frills but who needs frills when you've got the MMPRs? The guilty pleasure
of last season deserves a wider audience and this DVD release of Season One of Revenge leaves you no
excuse. Dive in. Finally, I continue to plead for complete boxed sets for each Doctor, but fans will enjoy
these single releases of prior Doctor Who adventures with entire tales and loads (I do mean loads) ofextras. What better way to prep for the new season starting Saturday on BBC America?
GOOD WILL HUNTING ($14.99 BluRay; Miramax/Lionsgate) -- This is a corny sentimental film. But
if it makes you cry, who am I to spoil your pleasure? And it made Oscar-winning stars out of MattDamon and Ben Affleck, both of whom have acquitted themselves very nicely as actors and in Affleck'scase especially as a director. On the other hand, it gave the very talented director Gus Van Sant a dualtrack of intriguing indies and bland studio pictures. But since he uses his Hollywood juice to make flickslike Elephant , at least he's used his power for good. And I still quote the "How do you like them apples?"
line.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE NY GIANTS ($26.97 DVD; NFL/Vivendi) -- This is a rerelease
of the 2004 documentary about the Giants, modestly updated to fill in the last eight years. Strictly forfans, though NFL Films always has great footage you've never seen before in their releases. You used tohave to wait for a weekend TV broadcast; now fans can enjoy their access any time.
THE DICTATOR ($39.99 BluRay combo; Paramount)
SPACEBALLS ($19.99 BluRay; MGM)
POST MORTEM ($$29.95 DVD: Kino Lorber) -- What's a comedy? Here are three pretty radically
different responses. Sacha Baron Cohen likes to mix the forms of reality TV when mining his cultural
collisions between Western society and the "foreign," in this case a brutal dictator who is deposed andmust go to work in a health food store. I'm sure he and Mel Brooks would get along mightily, but Brooksis doing a very different sort of comedy with Spaceballs , his spoof of Star Wars and Alien and Indiana
Jones and anything else that comes to mind. He'd rather trade in one top drawer joke for ten cheap onesbecause a laugh is a laugh, right? Young Frankenstein it ain't but time has actually helped this one not
seem so out of step because when it first came out Star Wars seemed to be pretty passe as a target.
Finally, the very (very) different comedy Post Mortem is the second in a trilogy of films looking at Chilethrough a mordant, unexpected lens. It focuses on a man who takes notes during autopsies but is oftendaydreaming about his leftist neighbor. When the government is overthrown, the bodies of hercompatriots begin to dominate his job and the man can't keep political reality at bay any longer. No one,
I think, would like all three of these films. But hearing who likes which two and why would be
fascinating.
MY SON JOHN ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount)
CAPTAIN CAREY U.S.A. ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount)
PRIVATE HELL 36 ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount) -- Another batch of catalog titles from
Paramount rescued and brought to life by Olive Films. My Son John is a relic of the Cold War, with
parents Helen Hayes and Dean Jagger petrified that their eldest is a dirty commie. it's especially notable
for being the final film of Robert Walker, who died during production at the age of 32 years old, onereason at least the film is unsatisfying. Alan Ladd is very satisfying in Captain Carey, in which a WW II
operative returns to his stomping ground in Italy and discovers there are still wrongs to be righted anddeaths to be avenged. Finally, there's the trim noir Private Hell 36 in which two cops keep a stash of
money from a crime and are ridden with guilt. Ida Lupino co-wrote and stars; the more I see of herfascinating career, the more I like her.
*****
Most titles listed here will be available in multiple formats and in multiple combinations, includingDVD, Blu-ray, digital download, video on demand, streaming and the like. The format listed is theformat provided for review, not all the formats available. It is often the most expensive version with themost extras. Do check individual titles for availability in all their various guises and price points.
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Video , Potted Potter , Chimichangas And Zoloft , Once On This Island , Entertainment
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Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Once on This Island
Charms; Muggles Muddle Potter
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND *** out of ****
POTTED POTTER * out of ****
CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT * out of ****
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND *** out of ****
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE
The Paper Mill Playhouse is on a serious tear. It has the smash hit Newsies on Broadway (and if they've
got a piece of it like I hope, that will help stabilize the venue the way A Chorus Line did for the Public for
years to come -- though since it began with Disney I must be crazy to imagine this). And now they can
boast a freshly minted version of Once On This Island, which has charm to spare thanks to a very
talented cast and solid production. It's my first time seeing this show so I have no idea what's beenrefined or changed. All I can say is that the 90 minute tale of thwarted romance (a sort of CaribbeanRomeo & Juliet with interfering gods thrown into the mix) is greater than the sum of its parts. The story
is quite familiar and many of the songs by Lynn Ahrens (who wrote the book and lyrics) and StephenFlaherty (music) blend together too quickly. But the scenic design by Donyale Werle has a wonderfulhome-made feel appropriate for this story and the lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by RandyHansen add to the fable-like aura. (I won't praise the fine costumes by jessica Jahn because surely a taleon the islands could have shown some more skin?) And the almost uniformly excellent cast delivered thesolid choreography by Bradley Rapier with ease and made the entire evening a pleasure.
Director Thomas Kail kept a sure hand on the rudder of this pleasure boat, which begins with a little girl
scared by a thunderstorm. She's distracted from her fears by being told the story of their island, which issplit into two sides -- the wealthy, light-skinned descendants of the French and the poor (but happy! Ididn't say it was original) dark-skinned peasants who descended from slaves. Lovely Ti Moune (SyeshaMercado -- who I admired a lot on season seven of American Idol ) is an orphan taken in by an elderly
couple.
One day the handsome Daniel (Adam Jacobs) gets in a car accident and Ti Moune rescues him. She
follows the young man back to the hotel/palace where he lives because she's convinced the gods want herto nurse him back to health. They fall in love, sort of, but he is already promised to another. This is afairy tale, but a real one. And in real fairy tales people die and bitterly sad endings often take place. SoMOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
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don't assume everything will turn out all right in the end.
The pleasure of this story is in the telling, which uses simple props like masks and bolts of cloth to
simulate the strangeness of the city or a rainstorm and so on. Opener "We Dance" is delivered strongly bythe entire cast, as are many of the tunes. But first among equals is Mercado, who really blossoms here.She captures the sweet naivete of an innocent girl on the cusp of womanhood very nicely and withoutoverdoing it. She looks lovely, has a voice that easily fills the Paper Mill's big space, dances well and hasexcellent stage presence. Mark her down as yet another Idol contestant who can and should establishherself on Broadway.
A high point in the songs is "The Sad Tale Of The Beauxhommes," which uses the entire cast, puppetry,
dance and more to put over this story song about the origins of the two separate classes of people on the
island. Other tunes don't always stick out, even when delivered with style, like Aurelia Williams doing her
best to turn the rather pat "Mama Will Provide" into a showstopper. (She darn near succeeds.)
Kenita R. Miller and Kevin R. Free are very good as Ti Moune's guardians. Alan Mingo Jr. has fun as
Papa Ge, the God of Death, adding a much needed sense of menace to the climax of the story. CourtneyReed is strikingly pretty and makes the most of her brief scenes as the intended of Daniel. Jacobs asDaniel, however, is the weak link. He's notably stiff in his brief bits of dialogue and we feel no realconnection between him and Ti Moune, so very little feels at stake. On the plus side, he sings his big solonumber "Some Girls" quite well in a classic Broadway ballad style. (It's also one of the show's best songs.)And he unquestionably looks the part of a Prince Charming.
But that lack of sexual charge between Daniel and Ti Moune highlights the show's squeaky clean
weakness. Clearly geared towards families, there's still no reason why the entire production should feel so
lacking in sensuality. A show set in a Haiti-like island could surely feel more sexy. We're told Daniel has a
notable scar on his chest but it's almost a surprise Ti Moune has seen it, the proceedings are sowholesome. When Ti Moune dances at the ball and raises her skirt -- just a little, mind you -- she seemsto be wearing leggings or stockings (or apparently knee pads -- see the comments below) of some sort, as
if even a glimpse of her legs would be too randy for us. That lack of passion, of earthiness, of sex -- and
sexual attraction should be at the heart of any romance -- keeps this nicely mounted production fromlifting off. Though nothing should stop Mercado from using this excellent showcase to further herBroadway ambitions. Daniel may have spurned her but I'm certain producers and directors and writerswho see her will fall in love with that talent.
POTTED POTTER * out of ****
LITTLE SCHUBERT THEATRE
This two-man show that promises to condense all seven Harry Potter books into a 70 minuteperformance/parody does everything you would expect and less. It follows in the tradition of the ReducedShakespeare Company's condensation of the Bard's plays into one (very long-running) bit of tomfoolery,which itself inspired all sorts of spin-offs.
This is the latest and actors/creators Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner seem like affable fellows. One
is a Potter fanatic; the other hasn't even bothered to read them all yet when the show begins. The stage isfilled with a silly looking choo-choo train, a bookcase with the Potter books lined up, a wardrobe (oops,that's Narnia!) and so on. They goof around, play with props, turn Quidditch into an excuse to have theaudience bat around a beach ball, joke about Voldemort and so on. You won't be surprised by pop culturereferences to Shrek, The Chronicles Of Narnia, The Lord Of the Rings, Star Wars, Lemony Snicket and
so on. You won't be surprised by much of anything here unless you're very very young.
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The disappointment is that the lads didn't really put any effort into this, other than stocking up on Silly
String and bad puns. When they get to the third book, the fellow who has pretended not to have read
them decides he can predict what will happen in it based on what happened in the first two. Hey, this
might actually have a little substance to it, I thought, since the first three books all followed a formula
which author JK Rowling finally abandoned in book four. Kids might get an amusing tweak of Rowling's
world by being reminded how lock-step those first three books were by beginning with Harry being
whisked to Hogwarts, facing a challenge and then Gryffindor winning top prize at the end of term (rather
annoyingly, I thought at the time)> No such luck. They don't break down the formula or even try to
"predict" what might happen in book three by playing off other familiar works lie LOTR. They just list afew plot points and move on.
Similarly at the finale they begin by letting Professor Snape (the most complex and conflicted character
in the books) sing a song based around the melody of "I Will Survive." Well if anyone deserves their ownnumber, it's Snape. But that's quickly abandoned after a line or two and suddenly Voldemort and othersare singing in a meaningless little number that doesn't comment on or amusingly toy with the charactersand stories Rowling created. It's just a lazy, disco-ball finale with no more thought put into it than anyother gag in this show that runs a rather long 70 minutes. The very little kids in the audience certainlyweren't bored and had plenty of chances to shout out comments or thwack at a ball. Given the full houseat the quite nice Little Schubert, I can see parents being tempted into an easy time-killer. But kids whohave seen very little theater deserve better.
CHIMICHANGAS AND ZOLOFT * out of ****
ATLANTIC STAGE 2
The awkward, would-be wacky title of Fernanda Coppel's comic drama is the first hint that this would be
a poorly conceived evening. Two families are thrown into chaos by the emotional meltdown of Sonia(Zabryna Guevara), who has left her husband and daughter after a suicide attempt to try and pull herselftogether. Easily the most accomplished actor here and an appealing stage presence, this isolation meansthat for most of the show Guevara is alone, delivering tepid monologues directly to the audience, andalmost never gets to interact with anyone else.
That leaves the rest of the show to her sports-loving husband Ricardo (Teddy Canez) and their daughter
Jackie (Carmen Zilles) to carry on as best they can with the help of their neighbors Alejandro (Alfredo
Narciso) and his daughter Penelope (Xochitl Romero). The teenage girls are bickering best friends, with
jackie worried that coming out to her mom is what drove Sonia way while Penelope is doing it with a
drug-dealing loser who may have knocked her up. Penelope's dad is stereotypically gay (he even worries
about drinks leaving a water stain on an outdoor wooden table that must surely get rained on) though it's
not clear that he is openly gay. What is clear is that he and Ricardo are having a torrid affair.
None of this is interesting. The teenagers fight and make up every two minutes and call each other "dude"
so relentlessly you want to scream. As mentioned, Alejandro is comically gay and yet even by the end ofthe play I wasn't quite certain if he was out or not. If there was any explanation of what happened to hiswife and Penelope's mother, I missed it. (Dead? Divorced? Run off like Sonia?) Stupidities are endless --Jackie texts her mom and says she's pregnant to try and get her to come home. When her dad finds thisout, instead of simply telling the truth, she and Penelope start divulging their darkest secrets. Later, thetwo girls are forbidden to speak to each other ever again. Why? I haven't the foggiest.
The gay affair is utterly unconvincing. I hate to criticize any actors in a play this weak (which is why I
won't comment on the anonymous sets, costumes or direction). But it's a sad truth that if you want to be
a male actor in the theater you're simply going to have to play a gay role and probably kiss a guy at some
point. (Hey, women have had to play whores for a hundred years on movies and tv, so don't complain.)These two actors are painfully awkward in their brief, romantic moments. But I don't blame them. In a
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Checkshow that gets its biggest laugh from an actress farting when she appears on stage, I'd feel uncomfortable
too.
THE THEATER SEASON 2012-2013 (on a four star scale)
Chimichangas And Zoloft *
Cock ** 1/2
Once On This Island ***
Potted Potter *
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz is provided with free tickets to shows with the understanding that he will be
writing a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
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Fern Siegel: Stage Door: Potted Potter
The "Harry Potter" books were a cultural phenomenon, spawning fanatic loyalty. They are also ripe forparody -- as Potted Potter at The Little Shubert on Theater Row makes clear.
Dan Persons: Cinefantastique Spotlight Podcast: 'Snow White and the Huntsman'
Well, forgetting to put the term "entertaining" into the precis for Snow White and the Huntsman mayhave been the first problem.
Lightsey Darst: The Poorest Art: Dance And Money (II)
A recent NPR Marketplace Money report cited $60,000 as a starting salary for ballet dancers. Wherethis number came from, I can't fathom.
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1 Fans
03:19 PM on 06/05/2012
Those were not leggings that Syesha was wearing. Those were knee pads.
05:00 PM on 06/08/2012
Thanks. I wasn't sure what was going on and took my best shot. I've seen a lot of musicals
and never seen an actor wearing knee pads. Maybe she has some medical issues? Her
performance was very good, as I said and she looked great.
10:16 AM on 06/05/2012
I'd love to see Once on This Island come into New York. I think it'd do better today than when it first
opened back in 1990. (It was only a marginal hit, if I recall, might've even lost money). I always
thought it was a case of the right show in the right place at the wrong time.
In those days, Broadway was still in the grip of the Lloyd Weber/Mackintosh invasion, which for all
its razzle-dazzle offered rather dull, predictable music -- bland operetta meets bland Euro-pop. It just
wasn't a good time to ask audiences and critics to embrace a unpretentious, childlike show featuring
steel drums and calypso rhythms. It was the era of the BIG MUSICAL.
The intervening 20 or so years have loosened things up -- we're hearing a wider variety of musical
styles on and off B'way than ever before. Audiences have become accustomed to more modestlyscaled shows that employ dance and lighting and puppetry, rather than chandeliers and helicopters,to achieve their big moments. And in these dark times, this sunshiny trifle might be just the thingaudiences are looking for. It isn't a milestone in musical theater history, but I do recall enjoying itimmensely and leaving the theater wishing it a long run.
But yeah, for a Broadway musical, a little more skin is never a bad thing.
09:39 AM on 06/05/2012
Broadway surely beckons for former Idol star Syesha Mercado
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Los Lobos , Matt Damon , The Hunger Games , Animation , Disney , Documentaries , Dvds
, Entertainment NewsReact
Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyDVDs: Chimps Rule!
CHIMPANZEE ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney) -- The political documentary 2016: Obama's America
is a huge hit for a film in its genre. But it's crazy to say it's the top documentary film of the year... except
for nature documentaries. That's the caveat news outlets must make, which is kind of like saying a movieis the top family film of the year... except for animated films. Or the top drama of the year... except forones with vampires. In fact, the top documentary of the year so far is Chimpanzee , the latest in what is
proving an annual event. Every year around Earth Day, Disney releases a new documentary about ourworld. This latest was directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, both of whom can be found onthe credits of some of the best documentaries in history, namely the Blue Planet and Planet Earth TV
shows and their theatrical spinoffs. This one isn't quite up to the level of those, but it's an engaging lookat the life of a little chimpanzee from birth through traumatic events and the possibility of a happyfuture. Parents beware: nature throws our hero Oscar a few Bambi -like curves. It's presented as gently as
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moments, but the rest will discover a real-life adventure tale told with acute observation. I could have
done without narrator Tim Allen's jokey asides, but they're modest and brief. Those who have seen the
startling beauty of those other films won't be surprised when I say many of the shots -- especially the
opening scene setters -- are so striking I half wondered if they were special effects. James Cameronwould be jealous of the imagery on display. Overall, it is superior family entertainment and deservedlyshould be lauded as the biggest hit documentary film of the year, no matter what political party you'reregistered in.
THE HUNGER GAMES ($39.99 Bluray combo; Lionsgate) -- OK, now fans breathlessly waiting for the
second film installment in the series can watch and rewatch The Hunger Games . Some truths will
emerge. The pageant towards the beginning where the contestants are on display is an embarrassment --Katniss is supposed to be clothed in an outfit that bursts into simulated flames and the special effect is solame (even for a somewhat low budget film tackling such a big tale) that it's literally cringe-inducing. Itlooks like an effect a kid would produce for their home-made YouTube video. It's not a throw-away scenebut a key moment in the "selling" of Katniss to a TV audience that will ultimately have a hand in decidingher fate. It never, ever should have made it to screen in its present form. As a commercial decision, I
would have stuck with director Gary Ross who delivered a massive worldwide hit on a relative dime and
did a great job of finding his stars alongside casting director Debra Zane. However, Ross is much better
at the earlier dramatic scenes. So on an artistic level, the action portion of the film might improve
mightily. Finally, as if there were any question, Team Peeta, all the way.
A SEPARATION ($35.99 BluRay; Sony Pictures Classics) -- This sensational drama was my
introduction to the talents of director Asghar Farhadi. Rightful winner of the Academy Award for BestForeign Film (when will they change the name to Best International Film, by the way?) it's a penetrating,utterly involving drama of life in contemporary Iran. A wife who decides she wants a separation from herhusband begins a cascade of events that include hiring a woman to watch after her husband's elderlyfather and soon one action leads to another and the consequences become more and more dire. It'ssuperlative drama of the highest order and now that I've been able to see two more of Farhadi's films, Iknow it's not a fluke either. He's a world class director. Anyone interested in drama, cinema or just agood family drama should watch this immediately.
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THE RESCUERS/THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney)
THE ARISTOCATS ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney)
POCAHONTAS/POCAHONTAS II ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney)
THE TIGGER MOVIE ($39.99 BluRay combo; Disney) -- The Rescuers and The Aristocats were made
during the dark days of Disney animation. They are cheaply produced, with flat, static backdrops and the
modest stories are geared strictly at tykes. It's depressing to see movies with the Disney name that haveanimation more appropriate for a cheap Saturday morning cartoon. But that's no excuse for the paucityof imagination on display, especially with fine voice actors like Bob Newhart and the inspired choice ofEva Gabor on tap. Even the Sherman Brothers can't rescue The Aristocats , despite a few decent songs.
Pocahontas is an overshadowed entry from Disney's second golden period (before they were outclassed
by Pixar). It's awfully politically correct but gorgeously animated and proudly embraces a rare downbeatending. It's puzzling and annoying that Disney doesn't allow fans the option to watch the movie with the
duet reinstated for the 10th Anniversary DVD. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz always wanted it in
and they did it the last time around but now it's relegated to an extra. The movie doesn't become a classic
but it's certainly better without it. Like The Rescuers set, it includes an inferior sequel. Finally there's The
Tigger Movie , a glorified straight to DVD release that ended up being released theatrically and doing
quite well. It falls somewhere in the middle here, not a cheap sad tale but a good proving ground foryoung Disney talent, albeit not so good that it makes you forget how good Disney can truly be. Still, it
was the Sherman Brothers again to the rescue, with some superior songs.
LOS LOBOS KIKO LIVE ($16.98 DVD; Shout)
LOS LOBOS -- KIKO 20TH ANNIVERSARY ($9.99 CD; Shout) -- Los Lobos is a great roots rock
band that threw everyone for a loop with their sonic masterpiece Kiko . Fans and critics still haven't quite
recovered, and though it's a favorite of the cognoscenti, Kiko still hasn't entered the pantheon the way it
deserves. Let's face it, you wouldn't have expected a psychedelic masterpiece from Creedence ClearwaterRevival and you didn't expect this left-field beauty from the ferociously rocking band behind "Will TheWolf Survive?" But, boy is it a great album. It's been 20 years and people need to take a deep breath,listen to this album with fresh ears and realize what a landmark it is, every bit the equal of Wilco'sYankee Hotel Foxtrot, Radiohead's Kid A and other oddball classics. It's lyrical, shimmering, strange,
lovely and haunting. You can rock out to the CD (headphones preferred, thank you very much) or youcan buy the DVD and enjoy a live performance with the album played in its entirety. The band is at the
peak of their powers (though I'd love to see them again today -- they're touring on their own and with
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, which is a terrific double bill). The live DVD isn't edited crazily like so many
concert films and gets the job done. You can watch just the concert or a fuller version along withinterviews and other extras wrapped around the performance. In any format, you'll appreciate anew a
great American band and their greatest album.
HOUSE SEASON EIGHT ($74.98 BluRay; Universal)
THE CLOSER SEVENTH SEASON ($59.98 DVD; Warner Bros.)
GLEE THIRD SEASON ($59.98 DVD; FOX)
MIKE & MOLLY SEASON TWO ($44.98 DVD: Warner Bros.)
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS SEASON 1 VOLUME 1 ($19.93 DVD; Shout)
REVENGE FIRST SEASON ($45.99 DVD: ABC)
DOCTOR WHO: THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY /DOCTOR WHO: SPEARHEAD
FROM SPACE ($24.98 each on DVD; BBC) -- It's hard to know when to say goodbye. House clearly got
it wrong; one season earlier and I think fans and critics would have mourned the show more. As it was,
eight seasons was clearly more than enough, though that doesn't dim Hugh Laurie's fun in creating oneof TV's most indelible pains in the ass. The Closer , however, got it just right, with the show leaving at the
top of its game ratings-wise and Kyra Sedgwick brandishing that crazy Southern accent to great effectright up to the end. Glee can't say goodbye because it has something to prove after a creatively disastrous
season two and a not much better season three. Like clingy parents, they refuse to let go of key charactersafter they graduate and that does not bode well for season four. But here's hoping they get back on track.
(Start by insisting the songs actually have something to do with the scenes at hand, guys!) Mike & Molly
moved a bit beyond the incessant fat jokes to allow Melissa McCarthy to blossom even more as a full-
bodied woman in love. Fans of Power Rangers are ga-ga for the 20th anniversary reunion that's going to
bring together every surviving Power Ranger that they can for the ultimate showdown. Until then, thehardcore fans can begin again where it all started with this economical first half of season one. It
contains 30 episodes and no frills but who needs frills when you've got the MMPRs? The guilty pleasure
of last season deserves a wider audience and this DVD release of Season One of Revenge leaves you no
excuse. Dive in. Finally, I continue to plead for complete boxed sets for each Doctor, but fans will enjoy
these single releases of prior Doctor Who adventures with entire tales and loads (I do mean loads) ofextras. What better way to prep for the new season starting Saturday on BBC America?
GOOD WILL HUNTING ($14.99 BluRay; Miramax/Lionsgate) -- This is a corny sentimental film. But
if it makes you cry, who am I to spoil your pleasure? And it made Oscar-winning stars out of MattDamon and Ben Affleck, both of whom have acquitted themselves very nicely as actors and in Affleck'scase especially as a director. On the other hand, it gave the very talented director Gus Van Sant a dualtrack of intriguing indies and bland studio pictures. But since he uses his Hollywood juice to make flickslike Elephant , at least he's used his power for good. And I still quote the "How do you like them apples?"
line.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE NY GIANTS ($26.97 DVD; NFL/Vivendi) -- This is a rerelease
of the 2004 documentary about the Giants, modestly updated to fill in the last eight years. Strictly forfans, though NFL Films always has great footage you've never seen before in their releases. You used tohave to wait for a weekend TV broadcast; now fans can enjoy their access any time.
THE DICTATOR ($39.99 BluRay combo; Paramount)
SPACEBALLS ($19.99 BluRay; MGM)
POST MORTEM ($$29.95 DVD: Kino Lorber) -- What's a comedy? Here are three pretty radically
different responses. Sacha Baron Cohen likes to mix the forms of reality TV when mining his cultural
collisions between Western society and the "foreign," in this case a brutal dictator who is deposed andmust go to work in a health food store. I'm sure he and Mel Brooks would get along mightily, but Brooksis doing a very different sort of comedy with Spaceballs , his spoof of Star Wars and Alien and Indiana
Jones and anything else that comes to mind. He'd rather trade in one top drawer joke for ten cheap onesbecause a laugh is a laugh, right? Young Frankenstein it ain't but time has actually helped this one not
seem so out of step because when it first came out Star Wars seemed to be pretty passe as a target.
Finally, the very (very) different comedy Post Mortem is the second in a trilogy of films looking at Chilethrough a mordant, unexpected lens. It focuses on a man who takes notes during autopsies but is oftendaydreaming about his leftist neighbor. When the government is overthrown, the bodies of hercompatriots begin to dominate his job and the man can't keep political reality at bay any longer. No one,
I think, would like all three of these films. But hearing who likes which two and why would be
fascinating.
MY SON JOHN ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount)
CAPTAIN CAREY U.S.A. ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount)
PRIVATE HELL 36 ($29.95 BluRay; Olive/Paramount) -- Another batch of catalog titles from
Paramount rescued and brought to life by Olive Films. My Son John is a relic of the Cold War, with
parents Helen Hayes and Dean Jagger petrified that their eldest is a dirty commie. it's especially notable
for being the final film of Robert Walker, who died during production at the age of 32 years old, onereason at least the film is unsatisfying. Alan Ladd is very satisfying in Captain Carey, in which a WW II
operative returns to his stomping ground in Italy and discovers there are still wrongs to be righted anddeaths to be avenged. Finally, there's the trim noir Private Hell 36 in which two cops keep a stash of
money from a crime and are ridden with guilt. Ida Lupino co-wrote and stars; the more I see of herfascinating career, the more I like her.
*****
Most titles listed here will be available in multiple formats and in multiple combinations, includingDVD, Blu-ray, digital download, video on demand, streaming and the like. The format listed is theformat provided for review, not all the formats available. It is often the most expensive version with themost extras. Do check individual titles for availability in all their various guises and price points.
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Brenda Chapman,
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David...Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog .
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and alsoavailable for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
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