by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on February 28, 2011
Joe the Perfect Man featuring Rachelle Elie (Photo credit: Sandy Nicholson)
Why are so many people repulsed by (and fearful of) clowns? Could it be because the barbaric humor they deploy is played, in part, to mock the audience? Who, after all, but fools would be entertained by such crude gestures and antics? Or is it because those white, white faces, with broadly drawn features, are just plain scary? Rachelle Elie, in her one-woman show, Joe: The Perfect Man, at least spares us the white clown make-up, but everything else about her character’s grotesquely padded physique and appearance is from the classic costume rack: a hopelessly unconvincing grey, curly wig; wide-lens glasses; penciled-on goatee; black taped tooth gaps. Did I mention the loud plaid jacket and wide-striped pants? Yes, settle back folks, because this brand of entertainment will be, well, broad.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 27, 2011
JapJAP written and performed by Una Aya Osato (photo by Ari Issler)
When we first meet JapJAP (Una Aya Osato) she’s a green blob projected onto a screen – rolling around joyfully and joyously. Cleverly, her projected image rolls from the screen in two dimensional form onto the stage in glorious 3-D. This is a device that Osato will continue to use throughout the performance, and it serves her well; enabling her to be multi-dimensional as well as keep her characters separate.
On the stage JapJAP is a lovable creature – childlike, unblemished, a sweet creation of unknown origin who says nothing but “JapJAP”, not unlike a Pokemon says its own name over and over. Clumsily, dizzily, happily dancing about in an effervescent homage to the unrestrained happiness that is an existence free of names, labels, classifications, designations and even further breakdowns, JapJAP appears to be content as is. Soon enough, however, she is corralled by the Left and the Right – played by Osato’s Left Hand and her Right Hand – clad in Blue and Red satin gloves respectively (and appropriately).
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 27, 2011
By now we’ve all heard the tale of how that little statue came to be known as “Oscar” (“He looks just like my uncle Oscar!”) and whether it’s true or not it’s just yet another testament to the fact that we love to make comparisons.
Today, in honor of the 83rd Academy Awards we bring you Cindy Murphy’s Oscar Doppleganger Diptychs starting with the most nominated of the bunch . . .
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by Stephen Tortora-Lee on February 27, 2011
According to The Bitter Poet (real name, Kevin Draine) when the audience first meets him, he makes it clear that this is no “show”, and that he has no “narrative”. He has no pretenses, just poetry. He also has a ruffled red shirt as well as a beautiful and rich perspective and the “luck” to “live in interesting times”. He warmly invites us into his life for this hour to hear of everything from a purging of crazy self-help books to a quest to woo many unavailable women who just pulled his heart-strings the wrong way.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 26, 2011
We Might Be Experimenting On You featuring Kym Bernazky and Melanie Jones
I could say SO MUCH about We Might Be Experimenting On You - but I’ve been sworn to secrecy. Seriously. I have been. Doctors (and writers) Kym Bernazky and Melanie Jones are very clear about this. But I can tell you this much – We Might Be Experimenting On You was a delightful surprise and I’ll try to explain why while still being as cryptic as possible.
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by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on February 26, 2011
Denmo Ibrahim as Mohamed Hosni (Photo by Wesley Cabral)
Titling a show FUNNY A Trunk Show is perhaps somewhat daring, if not theatrical wishful thinking. Some people’s funny is other people’s camp. So it’s a good thing that Denmo Ibrahim’s one-woman show, just opened in the FRIGID New York Festival, knows what it is about, and blithely transcends its title.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 26, 2011
Welcome back to another installment of FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A! We’ll be running these throughout February, so be sure to check back to read all about the great shows that will be taking part in the festival. Also – don’t miss the winner-take-all game of Rock Paper Scissors! Today’s Q&A is with Olivia Lehrman, performer in Pretty-n-Papi.
The very last reality show to be made. Are Pretty-n-Papi the first ‘reality’ lesbian couple? The 1st immigrant couple? Poster children for love after sixty? Let this zany trio of women take you on an energetic and absurd ride to the future of reality television.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 26, 2011
Flora (Tali Custer) is so sweet when she shows up at the door of Willard (Jeffrey Coyne) selling White Sexy Face Toothpaste that it’s easy to see why he can’t resist her. Just look at her. So peppy. So bright. So nubile. Why, she’s the exact kind of 14 year old a man could find planted smack in the middle of a Dateline sting operation. But Willard didn’t even have to fall for that. No – Flora came to his door. With mmmmm – toothpaste. Bitchin’ Blueberry. A whole suitcase full. No cameras. No reporters. Just a gal with a desire to sell him the best gosh darn toothpaste there is, so that she can win the contest and go to the Virgin Islands. And of course Willard will help her. He is, after all, A Kind Kind Man.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 25, 2011
Welcome back to another installment of FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A! We’ll be running these throughout February, so be sure to check back to read all about the great shows that will be taking part in the festival. Also – don’t miss the winner-take-all game of Rock Paper Scissors! Today’s Q&A is with Jayson McDonald, Writer/Performer of Boat Load.
Gary is a brilliant actor who needs a thousand dollars to participate in a high-profile performer showcase. Also, his cat needs a thousand dollar operation, but that’s too much money to spend on a cat.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on February 25, 2011
Welcome back to another installment of FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A! We’ll be running these throughout February, so be sure to check back to read all about the great shows that will be taking part in the festival. Also – don’t miss the winner-take-all game of Rock Paper Scissors! Today’s Q&A is with The Bitter Poet himself who is the poet and performer of The Bitter Poet: Looking For Love In All The Wrong Black Box Performance Spaces
New York City’s comic performance artist, The Bitter Poet, performs his guitar-driven poems in this darkly humorous and satirical one-man show about searching for True Love and the contortionists you meet along the way… A high-energy, irreverent celebration of the crazy things we do for love.
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