On Bear Ridge: Sometimes Captivating, Often Confusingby Randi / November 26, 2019It’s Theatre Thursday! Today’s show is Touching the Void, playing at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in London until February 29.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been terrified of outer space. Whenever I watch a movie like Gravity, my head is usually in my lap for most of the space parts and while I hyperventilate I’m like ‘please for the love of god never ever make me go into space.’ And now, making me climb a mountain where you need to use ice axes and where as soon as you take a break you get hypothermia sounds so much worse. Do not make me do this.
That I kept my shit together (well enough) during this stress-test-gone-insane of a play to realize how well they were telling this story is a testament to just how well they did it. I feel so lucky to be, I think, one of the very very few people in the audience and maybe in the world who had nooooo idea about this true story before I saw this play. There’s a really famous documentary about the real people who did this climb and what went wrong and I guess ‘everyone’ knows about it and I knew nnnnothing about it even though it won a BAFTA. (Both works are based on a book, and I don’t want to tell you who wrote the book because that’s a spoiler and I don’t futz with spoilers.) I can’t compare the play to the documentary, as a result, but I can say that if you don’t know the story, holy wow are you in for a wild ride. And given the rest of the audience’s reaction, I’m pretty sure it will be just as gripping and impressive if you do know the story. But I am so grateful that I got to experience this thrilling theatre as a blank slate.
In 1985, Joe Simpson (Josh Williams (those are like the same name)) and Simon Yates (Edward Hayter) set out to become the first climbers to reach the summit of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, a mountain climb so difficult that no one had done it and yet these two bros are like oh but we can do it and we should do the west face because it’s impossible and also we’ll climb the old fashioned way, just the two of us with no team to help us so like YEAH they’re GONNA die. The play begins with a wake post-tragedy, as Joe’s sister Sarah (Fiona Hampton) attempts to understand why her brother felt the need to do crazy bananas shit like this. I was unsure at the beginning of the ability to translate this story to the stage, because the wake start felt rough and struggled to get off on the right foot. (Also, I couldn’t help but feel anger at Joe for putting his sister through this, as well as the family we don’t see, but that’s a whole nother conversation about living your life I guess.) The super loud booming club music pounding through the theatre before showtime (and during the interval, PASS) didn’t help. That interval music is even odder considering the action that comes before it.
But rather quickly, once they started telling the story via flashback, so it seemed, and really once they started climbing (even Sarah’s climb on the chairs), it kicked off and became riveting. With Tom Miller’s direction and incredible physicality from the cast, doubts about this story’s stageworthiness dissipated. Somehow, watching them climb onstage made for truly gripping theatre, thanks to the brilliant set design and climbing choreography. You’d think that the biggest difference between the play and the movie, and where the movie wins out, is the ability to show the actual mountain and their actual climbing. But how they recreate it on an enormous dinosaur skeleton-made-out-of-printer-paper sort of thing is mind-blowing. And sure it’s probably incredible to see all this action on the real mountain in the movie, but what they accomplished onstage is super impressive.
Williams’ physical performance in Act II is even more impressive, and I completely bought that I was watching an injured man trying to move at all. I saw his pain and suffering and it felt real. The cast overall was good, and any weakness I thought I recognized in Hampton in the beginning was just my difficulty with the opening gambit, as in Act II she and everyone really shine, even Richard (Patrick McNamee), the annoying guitar-playing dork, hitting the right notes for needed comic relief.
How the story unfolds is shocking and emotional and exciting and a surefire way to raise your blood pressure, and if you have anxiety you’ll def need to prepare yourself. But I mean all that in the best way. I still can’t believe this is a true story. And I still can’t believe people would choose to do things like this on their own volition. Please do not make me.
INFORMATION
The show is about 2 hours 20 minutes, with the first act ending at our performance at 20:37.
At the Duke of Yorks, I recommend sitting in the circle, because that’s ground level. I forgot and was in the stalls and the whole being below ground thing is no fun when you try to leave. Also, the Ladies bathroom is right next to the house right door of the circle (the same one you climb the stairs to if you’re in the front stalls). For this show especially, you want to make sure you have a clear view all the way up – do not sit in the back of the stalls.
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Yo, Adrian: “Rocky” the Musical is Actually Ya Know Great
Yes this is in a Broadway theatre
Yo, Adrian, I dunno why but I had so much fun ya know like so much at “Rocky” on Broadway. It gets shaky reviews from highbrow critics (not like me tee-hee) and people who fancy themselves theatre aficionados (well that is me), but the audiences, and seemingly everyone on Twitter, love it like it’s the city of brotherly love. For shows I don’t like, I’m the first person to discount audience adoration (THOSE IGNORANT PLEBEIANS) but for shows I enjoy, like this one, come on look the audience loves it! That means it’s worth seeing!
But truly it is worth seeing. The music isn’t consistent (I found myself thinking, “Wait this is Flaherty & Aherns? The geniuses who wrote “Anastasia”???), yet even with several weak songs, the show proved that it deserved the musical treatment. It’s the only show now on Broadway that takes actual risks, many of them, and makes it pay off with a tremendously enjoyable experience. With Broadway moving towards complete takeover by jukebox musicals, revues, and over-the-top spectacles, risky and innovative musicals like this should be celebrated.
So about the actual show. Everyone knows the story, right? About the lovable down-on-his-luck boxer living in South Philadelphia (heyooo) who gets a chance at fighting in the biggest fight there is and loves a girl named Adrian? If you don’t you should go watch the movie. There’s a movie. Actually several.
My perception may have been colored because I had the best seat I’ve ever had for a show (thanks lottery! And the gods of fortune that day!). I won the cheap ticket lottery a few months ago (the show has since switched to a general rush policy with worse seats, which I think means it’s doing well) and got the seat right next to the conductor, front row center. Being that close to anything may help (but then again I had front row at “Bullets Over Broadway” and that’s not getting away with anything). The front rows are also part of the ridiculously fun Golden Circle, which we’ll get to later. Regardless, the entire audience at my performance seemed to love it, and I barely stopped smiling.
This is due mostly to Andy Karl, who plays Rocky Balboa and was deservedly nominated for a Tony Award. He is spectacular. He’s understated, super charming, funny and he works his ass off. He also drinks 3 raw eggs every performance, which is disgusting and awful but like that is commitment. Karl has a great singing voice but for this role his speaking voice was even more effective, though his (and everyone’s) accent veers more towards Brooklyn than Philly. It happens. But every time he says “Yo Adrian” – which is basically every time he opens his mouth – somehow it’s perfect and adorable and made me laugh, in the best way. Thankfully, his solo numbers were among the best songs of the show, as it should be. He has some rousing I-believe-in-me-oh-yes-you-just-watch songs, some nice ones about or with Adrian, and one really silly one to open with (“My Nose Ain’t Broken”) that establishes his character and his charm despite some cringeworthy lyrics. Also he has pet turtles. I don’t know if they are real, but he’s adorable with them. As all people are when they treat animals nicely.
Speaking of Adrian, she is a revelation. Margo Seibert’s acting is subtle and natural, and she hides this lovely voice that she expertly wields at the right moments. At several moments I had the urge to give her a hug, which was dangerous because I was close enough to actually do that. She has the most beautiful song in the show, “Raining”, which will likely become a staple performance piece of college girls trying to major in theatre. She also wears the famous red hat and white coat at the end, so nice job all around.
The lackluster songs come when other characters, like Apollo Creed, random scantily clad women, and Headmaster Charleston, were given songs that didn’t do anything to drive the plot forward. This show had enough happening; side characters didn’t need songs just to reinforce that this was a musical. They didn’t further develop the characters, but they bored the audience.
But yes so Headmaster Charleston (Dakin Matthews) is in this, playing Rocky’s coach. When I first saw him onstage I got real scared that he was going to yell at me for breaking into the school at midnight to ring a bell. Thankfully, he didn’t. He’s well cast, but he should not have a song, especially one that is lame and at the top of Act II. The beginning of Act II in any musical needs to be energetic and interesting, because a) you have to bring the audience back into the story and b) second acts are notoriously worse than first acts so why not try to fight that? This ill-planned song about how the coach used to fight or something was like RoadRunner falling off a cliff like beeeyoooahhhhhhhhhbummmmmm (#soundeffects). Filler and dead filler at best. That’s the director’s fault.
After that, the first half of the second act is pretty much training montages set to “Eye of the Tiger”, and damn if they aren’t incredibly fun. That’s how the act should have begun. I’m pretty sure Karl works out like 18 hours a day, but the workout he gets in this show would be enough for a normal person. He jogs back and forth across the stage as digital backgrounds show parts of Philly (that no sane person would run through without a vest), he does push-ups and pull-ups, he drinks the raw eggs (ew), he punches the sides of beef hanging in his friend’s meat locker (ahhhh), and yes he runs up the Art Museum steps (woooo!). I was exhausted just watching it. Hell I’m exhausted just writing about it.
So about the actual show. Everyone knows the story, right? About the lovable down-on-his-luck boxer living in South Philadelphia (heyooo) who gets a chance at fighting in the biggest fight there is and loves a girl named Adrian? If you don’t you should go watch the movie. There’s a movie. Actually several.
My perception may have been colored because I had the best seat I’ve ever had for a show (thanks lottery! And the gods of fortune that day!). I won the cheap ticket lottery a few months ago (the show has since switched to a general rush policy with worse seats, which I think means it’s doing well) and got the seat right next to the conductor, front row center. Being that close to anything may help (but then again I had front row at “Bullets Over Broadway” and that’s not getting away with anything). The front rows are also part of the ridiculously fun Golden Circle, which we’ll get to later. Regardless, the entire audience at my performance seemed to love it, and I barely stopped smiling.
This is due mostly to Andy Karl, who plays Rocky Balboa and was deservedly nominated for a Tony Award. He is spectacular. He’s understated, super charming, funny and he works his ass off. He also drinks 3 raw eggs every performance, which is disgusting and awful but like that is commitment. Karl has a great singing voice but for this role his speaking voice was even more effective, though his (and everyone’s) accent veers more towards Brooklyn than Philly. It happens. But every time he says “Yo Adrian” – which is basically every time he opens his mouth – somehow it’s perfect and adorable and made me laugh, in the best way. Thankfully, his solo numbers were among the best songs of the show, as it should be. He has some rousing I-believe-in-me-oh-yes-you-just-watch songs, some nice ones about or with Adrian, and one really silly one to open with (“My Nose Ain’t Broken”) that establishes his character and his charm despite some cringeworthy lyrics. Also he has pet turtles. I don’t know if they are real, but he’s adorable with them. As all people are when they treat animals nicely.
Speaking of Adrian, she is a revelation. Margo Seibert’s acting is subtle and natural, and she hides this lovely voice that she expertly wields at the right moments. At several moments I had the urge to give her a hug, which was dangerous because I was close enough to actually do that. She has the most beautiful song in the show, “Raining”, which will likely become a staple performance piece of college girls trying to major in theatre. She also wears the famous red hat and white coat at the end, so nice job all around.
The lackluster songs come when other characters, like Apollo Creed, random scantily clad women, and Headmaster Charleston, were given songs that didn’t do anything to drive the plot forward. This show had enough happening; side characters didn’t need songs just to reinforce that this was a musical. They didn’t further develop the characters, but they bored the audience.
But yes so Headmaster Charleston (Dakin Matthews) is in this, playing Rocky’s coach. When I first saw him onstage I got real scared that he was going to yell at me for breaking into the school at midnight to ring a bell. Thankfully, he didn’t. He’s well cast, but he should not have a song, especially one that is lame and at the top of Act II. The beginning of Act II in any musical needs to be energetic and interesting, because a) you have to bring the audience back into the story and b) second acts are notoriously worse than first acts so why not try to fight that? This ill-planned song about how the coach used to fight or something was like RoadRunner falling off a cliff like beeeyoooahhhhhhhhhbummmmmm (#soundeffects). Filler and dead filler at best. That’s the director’s fault.
After that, the first half of the second act is pretty much training montages set to “Eye of the Tiger”, and damn if they aren’t incredibly fun. That’s how the act should have begun. I’m pretty sure Karl works out like 18 hours a day, but the workout he gets in this show would be enough for a normal person. He jogs back and forth across the stage as digital backgrounds show parts of Philly (that no sane person would run through without a vest), he does push-ups and pull-ups, he drinks the raw eggs (ew), he punches the sides of beef hanging in his friend’s meat locker (ahhhh), and yes he runs up the Art Museum steps (woooo!). I was exhausted just watching it. Hell I’m exhausted just writing about it.
All of this leads to the crux of the show, and the #1 reason to see it: The Fight. Everyone who assumed that this epic battle between Rocky and Apollo Creed could not be performed well on a stage is proved wrong. So…everyone. This is when it pays to pay more for good seats up front, because the first 8 or so rows of the center orchestra, called the “Golden Circle”, are taken up on stage ON A BROADWAY STAGE OMG to act as the arena’s audience to the fight. The big boxing ring comes front and center on the stage, and the lucky audience members sit behind this on bleachers, looking out onto the rest of the audience (chumps). Then, the entire set – the bleachers holding these audience members and the ring – moves out into the orchestra, where people had just been sitting! So the people sitting in the side orchestra seats are now sitting along the sides of the ring. It’s all pretty awesome, and then the fighting begins and it’s ridiculous. I don’t know how they do it other than assuming that they are actually beating the shit out of each other for like 20 minutes. Punches fly and, as far as I could tell, land. Sweat and blood drip off their faces, and in the light you can see whatever other substance flies off boxers when they get hit. It’s insane, and intense. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING? Seriously? I met Andy Karl after the show and he looked pretty and not dead, so it’s pure stage magic happening up there. It’s one of the coolest sequences to occur on a Broadway stage, and how great that it relies solely on two actors and not on crazy technology. In this way, the show is kind of old-fashioned, yet the show as a whole – in my view the first to handle sports successfully – is modern, risky, and a must-see.
65th Primetime Emmy Award Predictions!
Are you going to win again, Alec?
Tomorrow night, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards will air and no doubt fill me with rage, incredulity, and of course awe (when watching host Neil Patrick Harris).
It’s no secret that I believe the Emmys to be the most ludicrously political and meaningless of the major awards. More than the Oscars, the Tonys, the Globes, and the SAGs, the Primetime Emmy award nominations are notoriously nonsensical. They usually correlate more to popular audience opinion (e.g., The Big Bang Theory over Community) and not critical thought. You might be one of the many who believe that popular opinion should drive such awards, but I’m an entertainment snob and I want the critical darlings to win (at least the ones that I like).
Despite the rage, I can’t not watch, I can’t not have opinions and keep fueling my anger about the nominations and, soon, the winners. Here are my thoughts about what should happen tomorrow, and what should have happened months ago.
It’s no secret that I believe the Emmys to be the most ludicrously political and meaningless of the major awards. More than the Oscars, the Tonys, the Globes, and the SAGs, the Primetime Emmy award nominations are notoriously nonsensical. They usually correlate more to popular audience opinion (e.g., The Big Bang Theory over Community) and not critical thought. You might be one of the many who believe that popular opinion should drive such awards, but I’m an entertainment snob and I want the critical darlings to win (at least the ones that I like).
Despite the rage, I can’t not watch, I can’t not have opinions and keep fueling my anger about the nominations and, soon, the winners. Here are my thoughts about what should happen tomorrow, and what should have happened months ago.
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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey Damian Lewis, Homeland Kevin Spacey, House of Cards Jon Hamm, Mad Men Jeff Daniels, Newsroom |
FIRST OF ALL, there should be 5 nominees in each category. These expanded acting categories are not doing anyone any favors. It should mean something to be nominated.
I’m usually not a fan of someone winning multiple times; I’m very socialist in my awards desires. But Bryan Cranston is deserving, in this last season of ‘Breaking Bad’. He has made Walter one of the most important characters in dramatic television, and should be rewarded. Possible spoiler: Spacey, because he’s Spacey, and this Netflix revolution in quality programming is something special that they may honor in some way here. |
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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey Claire Danes, Homeland Robin Wright, House of Cards Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men Connie Britton, Nashville Kerry Washington, Scandal |
First, note that there are SEVEN nominees. As stated above, when categories are expanded like this, it means less and less. A nomination should not be a consolation for great work – every employed actor should be doing great work. These slots should reflect more than that, pure excellence. Instead, it’s just a way to get in everyone who is good at their job. Or in the case of Connie Britton, someone who isn’t great in her current role, but whom the voters liked in her last role, and in real life. Obviously, I do not think she belongs here. Same for Michelle Dockery, who, while serviceable, is not deserving of a nod.
My vote is for Kerry Washington, in the most exciting show I’ve seen lately. There’s no season premiere I’m looking forward to more than ‘Scandal’. She carries a strong ensemble and I’m completely on board with her no matter how cray cray it gets. I mean, Olivia motherf-ing Pope, amiright. Spoiler definitely Danes, who is the least spoily spoiler ever and is probably most people’s first choice. Actual spoiler could be Moss, who is always deserving for a show that has never won an acting Emmy. |
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Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory Matt LeBlanc, Episodes Don Cheadle, House of Lies Louis C.K., Louie Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock |
Really, as long as Jim Parsons doesn’t win, I’ll be happy. When he won the first time, it was magical. It was deserved. When he won the second time, over Steve Carell in his last season of ‘The Office’, it was pretty terrible. If he wins a third time?? Nope. Not ok. He is very funny as Sheldon, but not 3 Emmys funny. I would be happy for Alec to win again for the ‘30 Rock’ last season, but Louie will probably win, deservedly, because once the Emmy voters think they are doing something hip, they stick with it. (See, e.g., Parsons.) I’d be happy with Cheadler or Bateman as well.
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Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Laura Dern, Enlightened Lena Dunham, Girls Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation Tina Fey, 30 Rock Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep |
She’s not going to win, but she should. Poehler’s Leslie Knope is one of the most lovable characters in television, leading an excellent ensemble and ensuring that each episode is funny, ridiculous, and heartwarming all at once. I’d be voting for her. Since the first three nominees should be in drama categories, watch for yet another win for Fey or Julia L-D, for their great work. |
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Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory Girls Louie Modern Family 30 Rock Veep |
Veep’s second season was even stronger than its first, and out of these nominees it should be honored. I would have loved for 30 Rock to win in its final season, but the past year was badly tarnished by the awful character of Hazel. It really ruined things. Modern Family and BBT are funny but stale and unexciting, and Girls is a drama.
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Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad Downton Abbey Game Of Thrones Homeland House Of Cards Mad Men |
Homeland is sick levels of awesome. It really is, and should be honored. But it’s Breaking Bad’s final season, and it’s also a sickly awesome show that will probably get the win. Aside from Downton, which is getting increasingly boring, and Mad Men, which had a very weak season, all of the other nominees would be quality winners.
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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad Jim Carter, Downton Abbey Peter Dinklage, Game Of Thrones Mandy Patinkin, Homeland |
Ohhh how I want Mandy to win! His Saul is fantastic, as is everything he does. But Paul will win again for his final season, not undeservedly. I love that my boy Bobby Cannavale is nominated, too. Dinklage won before and his accent is getting worse. Oh I want Mandy to win!
 Win, Mandy! |
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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Emilia Clarke, Game Of Thrones Christine Baranski, The Good Wife Morena Baccarin, Homeland Christina Hendricks, Mad Men |
How random is this category? Jessica Brody? Daenarys? The most hated character in cable TV, Anna Gunn? If I were voting, I’d actually vote for Emilia, but only because I feel bad that her Broadway debut was an utter failure and I want to make her happier. I think Anna Gunn would be the most deserving winner. If Maggie Smith wins, it would be the epitome of the Emmys – voting for someone they like with absolutely no thought given to the actual role. She has one line per episode! Yes, it’s usually the best part, but c’mon. C’MON!
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Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Adam Driver, Girls Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family Ed O’Neill, Modern Family Ty Burrell, Modern Family Bill Hader, SNL Tony Hale, Veep |
Honestly, I’d be happy with anyone but the Modern Family guys. I’m so sick of this being the Modern Family category. I’m hoping they will cancel each other out and let the wildly deserving Hader sneak in. He won’t, I’m not saying that will happen, but I’d love it. I’d actually love if Hale or Driver won as well. Aside from the Modern Family monotony, this is actually a really fun bunch of nominations.
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Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory Jane Lynch, Glee Anna Chlumsky, Veep Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie Sofia Vergara, Modern Family Julie Bowen, Modern Family |
Actually, if I could make one award happen tomorrow, it would be for Jane to win. As Jenna Maroney, she has concocted one of the most insane, amazing characters ever. It’s a crime that she has not won already. I’d be happy with Chlumsky, because she is the best (she’s ‘My Girl’!) and is great on Veep. But Jane must win!!
If Bowen, Lynch, or Vergara win, I mean…no, please. |
Lastly, I must say that it is a crime that Shaiman & Wittman didn’t win at the Creatives for their work writing the music on ‘Smash’. ‘Smash’ was vilified as a show, but the music was superb. SUPERB. It could have won a Tony for Best Score in any season, and it should have won here. Ironic that it lost to the opening number from the Tonys, which was funny but nowhere near as fantastic as the ‘Smash’ songs. The loss might have been guaranteed when the two songs nominated, ‘Hang the Moon’ and ‘I Heard Your Voice In A Dream’, were announced, because they weren’t the strongest. But still, I’m pissed that Shaiman & Wittman didn’t add an Emmy to their award collection. They are too good for the Emmys.
Who do you guys want to win?
Who do you guys want to win?
