Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

I recently read Nick Hornby's new book, Juliet, Naked.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  Maybe because I wasn't expecting much...? But, no, I think it's actually a good book.  The last thing I ready by Hornby was not so great (A Long Way Down) and I was supremely bummed that I had wasted my time reading it, so I wasn't sure what I would get with Juliet, Naked.  Well, I got some very enjoyable reading!

Perhaps it's because my better half is so into music, or perhaps it's because in this inter-connected age we can all be famous to a certain niche market of people, but this book felt extremely relevant and had a great perspective.  I loved the points of view, the characters, the back-drop, and the implausible turns of events that are written in a way that seem totally plausible in Hornby's world.

Hornby has created characters that are irresistibly strange, but in reality are just like the guy we went to college with, or the pensive neighbor, or even the person you share your bed with.  I loved the lives of these characters; I loved their quirks, their ticks, and their odd obsessions.  You will love them, too.  You'll love how weird they are, and how the most ridiculous thing that could possibly happen will happen, but will seem perfectly normal.  This is a fun, interesting book that actually says something poignant about our current society without being heavy-handed.  You'll like it. 

Next Fall

I see a lot of shows.  A lot. And most of them are Broadway shows.  So, needless to say, I see a lot of good theater.  Even theater that has its issues (how many plays or productions are perfect?  Very few, if any) I try to give the benefit of the doubt until the curtain comes down.  I do not walk out on theater and I reserve final judgment until the end.  So though I try to look at everything with a critical eye, I still enjoy myself immensely.  I even had a great time at Bye Bye Birdie - I challenge anyone to not have smiled when those multi-colored phone booths came out with a bunch of actual teenagers dressed in pink, orange, yellow, green & blue.  Adorable.

Anyhoo, all that to say, I think I may finally have seen a BAD show.  Just bad.  All around, nothing redeeming about it, bad show on Broadway.  That show, in case you're wondering, is Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts.  I saw it in previews, so for the first act I was thinking, "hmmm...maybe it just needs to work out its kinks & work on its pacing" but then I realized that no amount of rehearsal time would make this play any better.  It played Off-Broadway last year and had, like, 3 extensions or something, and I cannot fathom WHY.  The script is tired, annoying, and melodramatic.  The direction is blind, the acting is painful, and the set is embarrassing.  I think in general I was embarrassed for all of them.  To be on the big stage like that, in a horribly written, shabbily produced show, and to have to pretend that what they're doing matters...?  Cringe.

In case you're wondering about the script, the story is basically about a guy who is in the hospital and all of his friends & family gather round to wait & see if he gets better.  Something about being hit by a taxi cab (seriously?).  As they are talking in the hospital about their times together, they "re-live" those moments onstage...in which case poorly constructed set pieces come out on very shoddy, obvious tracks and we're transported back "in time" to when said taxi-cab-target was alive 'n kickin'. 

Oh, did I mention that his boyfriend is there in the waiting room, as are his divorced parents who don't know he's gay?  And, of course, his single female coworker who knows everything and tries to be the voice of reason.  Don't worry, the father character is plenty Republican & homophobic & intolerant.  It wouldn't be a play about not-coming-out-of-the-closet without a stereotyped Christian baby boomer from the south.  Oh, wait, don't forget the gay guy in hospital is also Christian & his atheist boyfriend doesn't understand his beliefs, so half the play consists of older, liberal gay boyfriend arguing about how silly Christianity is and young, dufus-y, Christian, soon-to-be-dead-gay-guy from the South proselytizing...albeit poorly.

Anyhoo, this play was really annoying.  Haven't we already had this conversation?  Don't we all already know these stereotypes?  And don't we know the danger of fostering these stereotypes?  

If you want to see a play that actually deals with real issues that pertain to the world we live in today in regard to homosexuality, see The Pride at MCC.  That play brings up issues that maybe we haven't thought about before, deals with them in a delicate, beautiful way, and has characters with depth, nuance, and subtlety.

The Pride

 

It feels like forever ago now, but a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to see The Pride at MCC.  I didn't know much about it and didn't know what to expect, but it's good.  Really good.  The script is great, the production is impeccable, the directing is smart, and the actors are unbelievably talented.  Don't be alarmed by the man rape.  It happens. 

A Behanding in Spokane by Martin McDonagh

I saw the new Martin McDonagh play the other night, A Behanding in Spokane - which, by the way, is the best title of a play ever - and it may be one of the most entertaining evenings of theater I have ever experienced.  I laughed so hard I worried I'd bug the other patrons around me, but it was okay, because they were laughing harder than I was.  This play is brilliant & awesome; Walken is hilarious & creepy; Rockwell is perfectly awkward and the whole thing was executed superbly.  I can't imagine any two actors doing these roles other than Walken & Rockwell, and they do them beautifully.  The subject matter is ridiculous, but not too far out there to be silly, and the script is perfect for them.  I also really liked Mackie & Kazan, don't get me wrong, but the other two roles are really specific.  In fact, I just saw The Hurt Locker starring Mackie, and he was terrific in that, too.

Anyhoo, A Behanding in Spokane is going to be the hot ticket on Broadway for the next 16 weeks, so you should seriously buy your tickets now while you can.  I, for one, am going again next week.  This will be my FIRST repeat viewing of a play ever (besides shows I've worked on); does that tell you anything about how much I loved it??? 

Cafe Steinhof in Brooklyn

My better half and I ended up at Cafe Steinhof for Valentine's Day.  This was actually are 2nd time eating here, and everything we've had has been good & both experiences have been fantastic, so I figured it was time to go ahead and share some love for the Steinhof.

As you can probably gather from the name, this restaurant is Austrian; and it's very good.  The ambiance is great; it's low-key, dimly lit & slightly romantic, without trying too hard or being too "couplesy".  There's a great bar on one half of the room and they have a robust selection of Austrian beers.  For a New York restaurant, it's actually a decent size.

Anyhoo, we got the steamed mussels to start, which may have been one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Ever.  They were unbelievable.  Last time I was there, I got the red cabbage and it, too, was terrific.  Our meals both times have been outstanding, but this time we got dessert and it was fan-freakin'-tastic.  We went with the chocolate crepes and they were warm, chocolatey, and perfect.  And their whipped cream topping is to die for.  In fact, I could just hang out at the bar and have their crepes for dinner.  Yum.

So, yeah, Carfe Steinhof = yummy.  Give it a try.

Two plays by Sam Shepard

If you live in New York, you probably know that there are currently two successful Sam Shepard plays running Off-Broadway; the oldie (but goodie), A Lie of the Mind, and a brand spankin' new play, Ages of the Moon.  Well I had the good fortune of seeing both this past week and, I have to say, if you only have time for one, go see Ages of the Moon.

Ages of the Moon takes place on a front porch in the wee hours of the morning as two older men wait for an eclipse of the moon... while ruminating on their lives, love, and loss.  It's no surprise that an older dude (Shepard) would feel the need to write a play like this.  In fact, I can almost see my husband & his best friend as those two men on that porch 30 or 40 years from now.   There is a lot of angst, alcohol, fighting, and reminiscing packed into this 80 minute play, and it has some of the most charged moments I've ever seen on stage, even if the first 15 minutes or so feel a little absurd and self-indulgent.  It had me jumping out of my seat & laughing out loud - that's a pretty good play. It was well-directed, and the acting was great.

But, really, the main reason to see this play is for Stephen Rea's performance. It's probably one of the best performances I've seen since living in New York - possibly ever.  It was absolutely astonishing.  He is a genius and if you miss this performance, you will be sorry.  So don't.

I also saw A Lie of the Mind, and going into it, I knew nothing about it. I kinda like going into a show completely blind because often times I'm pleasantly surprised. (a la Circle Mirror Transformation)  In this case, I wouldn't really call it a "pleasant surprise."  It wasn't terrible and I'm not going to bash it because there were some great moments, but it's not something I would go out of my way to recommend.  Granted, I liked the play; I think Sam Shepard is a good playwright and nobody can take away some of the great moments that are a result of his text.  However, I do not think the production is very good nor do I find Ethan Hawke to be a great director (or even a good director, actually) and he did not do this play justice.  The second act was especially tedious, and it's hard to blame it on anyone other than Hawke.

The finer parts of the production include the understated, hilarious, and heartbreaking performance by Laurie Metcalf and the sheer accomplishment of Marin Ireland's portrayal of a woman who has severe brain damage.  So, if you love Sam Shepard, go ahead & see this one, too, but know that you're in for a long night.  Metcalf was a great choice, though.  So maybe Hawke did make some good directorial decisions, after all.

This is Where I Leave you by Jonathan Tropper

I recently read This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper and I am on a mission to get everybody I know to read it.  It's one of the best works of fiction I've read in awhile; I wouldn't necessarily call it a would-be classic, but it's a heartfelt, engaging book that you won't be able to put down.  Literally.  I read it in two days.  Granted, it helps that I have a subway commute - and on one of those particular days I rode that commute twice (had to let the dogs out) - so I've definitely got a leg up in the finding-time-for-reading department.

Anyhoo, it's about a family whose patriarch dies, and his last dying wish is for the family to sit Shiva -  which is a week-long mourning period that forces a  family into togetherness.  So imagine being stuck in your mother's house with all your family (and in-laws) for a week.  Good times and great arguments will ensue.  It's a fun book, and I highly recommend it.  If you're looking for a good piece of fiction for your male counterpart, I believe this one will do the trick.  It's the kind of book that would appeal to anyone.

So if you feel like you haven't read a good work of fiction in awhile, and haven't recently had that feeling when putting down a book of  "wow, that was good and I'm gonna miss those characters", well here ya go. 

Tim Burton Exhibit at MOMA

Yesterday I finally ventured uptown to MOMA to see the Tim Burton exhibit. I actually didn't know what to expect because I can't claim to be a huge Tim Burton fan, nor can I claim to be a connoisseur of modern art. I'm just a normal person who can appreciate a well-done exhibit and the mind of a creative genius, which is exactly what you're going to get at this exhibit.

The exhibit itself is in a small-ish wing on the 3rd floor, but it is JAM PACKED with Burton sketches, art, notebooks, storyboards, models, etc. The walls are lined with his work. It's interesting and funny, and you can actually see the progression in his work, from bored kid in the suburbs, to CalArts, to Disney, to busting out on his own and getting some major backing. It's an incredibly well put-together exhibit and Tim Burton's work is so different and so curious, you can't help but be sucked in. It's really embarrassing how few of his movies I've seen, but it didn't affect my enjoyment at all. My better half has seen all of his work, including obscure animated cartoons, and he really really enjoyed this exhibit. So, go see it! Whether you grew up with Tim Burton and felt the pulse of his influence starting at an early age (my better half) or just enjoy peering into the mind of a creative anomaly (me), you'll get something out of this. And you'll probably laugh a little, too, because Burton has a cooky sense of humor.

A few logistics: Go during the week; we went in the middle of the day on a workday and it was still packed. Buy your ticket in advance online (there are no added fees) and choose print your tickets at home. You'll skip all the lines and be able to head straight for the entrance. The ticket is $20, but allows you access to all of MOMA. However, a ticket to MOMA doesn't necessarily mean entrance to Tim Burton as they limit the number of people in there at a time. So, just to be sure, buy your tickets for Tim Burton specifically. Coat check is free, so dump your giant poofy coat; the museum room is small. Don't bring giant bags, either.

There is a small collection of his Polaroids in the basement, but the real exhibit is up on the 3rd floor. Take some time to pause in the entrance hallway to watch episodes of Stainboy.
When you're done with Tim Burton, you'll exit out into a photography exhibit which is pretty cool. Take a moment to enjoy the photography, then continue to the architecture wing (all on the 3rd floor) If you're feeling a little worn out by now, suck it up a little bit longer and stop by the Orozco and Monet exhibits on the 2nd floor. Not to be missed!!! Seriously. The Orozco exhibit has some seriously cool photo ops (you'll see what I mean) and the work of Monet they have on display will take your breath away. And don't forget to do a little shopping at the MOMA store. They have the coolest stuff!!

If you're a native, you have a week to apply the $20 entrance ticket toward a MOMA membership, which is $75. Not a bad deal, at all. Think about it.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

This is what I'm reading now. It's about a spinster concierge at a Paris condo who is actually a cultured, intelligent woman who likes fine music and art house films but can't let anybody suspect that she's anything more than a servant. At the same time, we meet a 13 year old girl who has already figured out that life is meaningless and that everything adults teach you about life and living is pointless, and so she is planning her own suicide to look like an accidental death.

To say this book is odd is an understatement. Yet I keep reading. Wouldn't you?

Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun

This book is so so so SO good. I know I haven't posted in awhile, but I've still been reading a lot. When I thought back on all the books I've read in the past month since I last posted, this is one of two or three that stuck out. It's very good. It's bleak, startling, and intense. It's the type of novel that wraps you up into its world so completely that you don't think, wonder, or try to predict what will happen next. You don't question the characters, you don't analyze the behavior. You just go with it. I highly recommend it.