MONDAY, APRIL 08, 2019 THEATER: LESS IS MORE AT "MRS.</p><p> MURRAY'S MENAGERIE" MRS.</p><p> MURRAY'S MENAGERIE *** 1/2 out of **** ARS NOVA I love the epic.</p><p> The Inheritance just won the Olivier for Best Play and I can't wait for that six hour AIDS drama to come to New York.</p><p> I admire the manic.</p><p> A stream of new shows are as influenced by In Living Color and Monty Python as Oscar Wilde, with Ain't No Mo' at the Public the latest, thrilling example.</p><p> But let's hear it for restraint, for not goingoverboard, for stopping far short of the kitchen sink and being all the more powerful for it.</p><p> That's my reaction to the subtle, funny, absorbing and spot-on new play Mrs.</p><p> Murray's Menagerie.</p><p> Directed and acted to quiet perfection, it's a pitch perfect execution of a simple idea.</p><p> The setting is the 1970s and we watch as six varied adults take part in a focus group.</p><p> They're all parents and all fans of the children's TV show Mrs.</p><p> Murray's Menagerie.</p><p> That beloved series combines live actors with puppets a la Mr.</p><p> Roger's Neighborhood and after a long run, it's coming to an end.</p><p> The adults sit around a table and are led in a discussion of the showthey love and two potential spin-offs.</p><p> Mrs.</p><p> Murray is played by a blackwoman and the focus group is notably diverse, featuring three menand three women that amount to a nifty microcosm of society.</p><p> Race, needless to say, rears its head.</p><p> So does gender and class and child rearing and a dozen other ideas, all of them embedded in the story sosimply and naturally you never really feel they're being raised at all.</p><p> They're just...there, as in life.</p><p> Created by The Mad Ones and the ensemble with Ars Nova, the show is directed by Lila Neugebauer so invisibly that you half believe theaudience is sitting behind a one-way mirror and watching an actual focus group.</p><p> Without histrionics, without a big explosion, without tossed-back chairs or collapsing walls, Mrs.</p><p> Murray's MenagerieMICHAEL GILTZ AT WORK Michael Giltz is a freelance writer based in NYC and can be reached atmgiltz@pipeline.com FAVORITE LINKS Americablog Five O'Clock Lightning baseball blogDeep Pop -- Lori Lakin's Blog The Back Page -- Jason Page on ESPN Radio Cine-Blog -- George Robinson's Blog Documents On Art & Cinema - Daryl Chin's Blog Brucie G's Wondrous Blog Of Adventure and Mystery -- Bruce Greenspan's Blog BLOG ARCHIVE ▼ 2019 (58) ► September (9) ► August (9) ► July (7)creates a tension and believability and empathy far noisier shows will never know.</p><p> Photo copyright by Ben Arons Like a play set in a jury or hospital waiting room or stalled elevator,throwing a disparate group of people together to see what happens is a time-proven dramatic device.</p><p> Nonetheless, watching these particular people debate the finer points of a kid's show and the behavior ofvarious puppets is fascinating.</p><p> We come to know them without anyonerevealing much of anything about themselves.</p><p> Typically, I'd go down the cast list and describe the actors and characters.</p><p> While it seems silly to discuss spoilers in a show where very little happens, much of the pleasure comes from discovering whothese people are and making up your own mind about them, ratherthan me tipping you off that this person is kind of a jerk or that person has low self-esteem. (Mind you, I do have very strong opinions now on Mrs.</p><p> Murray's Menagerie.</p><p> Why the heck isn't the spin-off being built around the human librarian everyone loves?) Just trust me that this is an ensemble in every sense of the word and each actor is doing exceptional work.</p><p> Director Neugebauer works with them and a terrific creative team to create one of the most finely tunedproductions I've seen in ages.</p><p> My guest referenced Clybourne Parkand I thought of the Bobby Steggert drama Boy -- not because they have so much in common, but simply because they are all shows that succeeded so well on every level.</p><p> Of course, we're trained to expect High Drama.</p><p> Even though I admired the restraint, I instinctively wondered if -- as good as it is -- the plotmight have pushed itself just a little bit further, increased the confrontation that little bit more? No, they hit it right.</p><p> A hand on aknee creates an uncomfortable moment...but not the #MeToo callingout you want, which you know almost never happens.</p><p> Answers toquestions from the moderator become passive aggressive taunts, butother than a sidelong glance, no one says anything.</p><p> At the end, the adults go their own way and each goodbye feels weighted with► June (3) ► May (9) ▼ April (10) THEATER: "INK" STAINED WRETCHES GET THEIR DUE THEATER: "TOOTSIE" IS A DRAG THEATER: "ALL MY SONS" LACKS A FAMILY THEATER: 'HADESTOWN" FINDS HEAVEN ONBROADWAY THEATER: "BURN THIS" BARELY SMOLDERS THEATER: THE PAIN OF "THE PAIN OF MYBELLIGERENCE"...</p><p> THEATER: QUESTIONING "SOCRATES" THEATER: "OKLAHOMA!" IS OK THE SECOND TIMEAROUND!...</p><p> THEATER: LESS IS MORE AT "MRS.</p><p> MURRAY'SMENAGERIE"...</p><p> THEATER: "THE CRADLE WILL ROCK" PUTS YOU TOSLEEP ► March (5) ► February (1) ► January (5) ► 2018 (38) ► 2017 (6) ► 2016 (2) ► 2015 (20) ► 2014 (2) ► 2013 (5) ► 2012 (17) ► 2011 (15) ► 2010 (10) ► 2009 (43) ► 2008 (86) ► 2007 (781) meaning.</p><p> One departure is hilarious, another just as jerk-ish as you'd expect, and a few are heartfelt -- the goodbyes of people who sort ofmade a connection but know they'll never see each other again.</p><p> Justlike life.</p><p> This is miles away in tone from Underground Railroad Game, the Ars Nova hit which returns to NYC for about two weeks from May 30- June 15.</p><p> But just like that success, this will surely be remembered as one of the best plays of the year.</p><p> THEATER OF 2019 Frankenstein: Under The Radar Fest at the Public ** 1/2 Minor Character: Under The Radar Festival at the Public *** Ink: Under The Radar Festival at the Public ** 1/2 Choir Boy ** 1/2 White Noise ** 1/2 Kiss Me, Kate *** Ain't No Mo' *** 1/2 Ain't Too Proud ** The Cradle Will Rock * 1/2 Mrs.</p><p> Murray's Menagerie *** 1/2 Thanks for reading.</p><p> Michael Giltz is the creator of BookFilter, a book lover’s best friend.</p><p> It’s a website that lets you browse for books online the way you do in a physical bookstore, provides comprehensive info on new releases every week in every category and offers passionate personal recommendations every step of the way.</p><p> He’s also the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day with top journalists and opinion makers as guests.</p><p> It’s available for free on iTunes.</p><p> Visit Michael Giltz at his website.</p><p> Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes.</p><p> POSTED BY MICHAEL GILTZ AT 9:54 PM NO COMMENTS: Post a Comment Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)Newer Post Older Post Home► 2006 (2412) ► 2005 (5)
