A COMEDY OF TENORS (Renaissance City Theatre, Westerly, RI)

June 30, 2017June 30, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Renaissance City Theatre, the producing entity of the Granite Theatre’s current show is “A Comedy of Tenors” by Ken Ludwig. The characters that he has in this one are a trio of temperamental tenors, one wife, one lover and a few significant others have been assembled to cause mayhem. This show takes place two years after the events in “Lend Me a Tenor.” The events in this show concern the frustrations that beset world class tenor, Tito Merelli as he arrives in Paris once again with his tempestuous wife, Maria to sing at a gala concert. He is contracted to sing with two other tenors, Max and Carlo for what has been billed as the biggest concert in the history of Paris by high-anxiety producer, Saunders. Unknown to Tito is that his daughter, Mimi is having an affair with Carlo of whom Tito not only disapproves but mistakenly believes is having an affair with Maria. Add a singing hotel porter, Beppo who is the spitting image of Tito and a sexy Russian soprano, who unbeknownst to Maria, once had a torrid affair with Tito. Max who was Saunders assistant is now his son-in-law who is waiting for his wife to give birth to their baby. Director Lee Rush guides her talented cast to steal many scenes along the way in this naughty and bawdy farce.

‘Fish Food’ Delivers A Hilarious Take On the Luxury Hotel Biz

June 27, 2017July 18, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Mike Hoban

‘Fish Food’ – Written and Directed by Michael O’ Halloran; Presented by Avenue Stage, and performed by Geoffrey Pingree, Desmond O’Halloran, Eunice Simmons, Jennifer Jones, Molly O’Halloran, and Miss Mary Mac. At the Boston Playwrights Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, July 20-23.

Fish Food, a coming of age tale which premiered at the Dot 2 Dot Café in Dorchester before the company heads to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August, is a charming little comedy loosely based on playwright Michael O’Halloran’s experiences as a young adult in the hotel industry. Set around 1990, the play gives us O’Halloran’s fictional stand-in, Joe Bacon (portrayed by O’Halloran’s lookalike son Desmond in an appealingly innocent turn), who just turned 21 and is seeking a job at a swank downtown hotel (the ostentatiously named Grand Plaza Court). Owned by shady financier Avery Grand, whose modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to that of the current POTUS (right down to his book, “The Deal is Everything”), the play sends up the boozy, amoral world of luxury hospitality.

MARY POPPINS (Marblehead Little Theatre)

June 25, 2017June 25, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Welcome to the World of Walt Disney at Marblehead Little Theatre’s summer show, “Mary Poppins.” The show is based on the books by P.L. Travers and the 1964 movie starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It shows anything can and will happen at #17 Cherry Hill Lane. The Broadway version opened on November 16, 2006, closed March 3, 2013 and ran for 2619 performances. The show was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. It is now a full Broadway musical with 44 major awards worldwide.

In Gloucester Stage’s “The Effect”, Love is the Drug

June 22, 2017June 23, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

by Mike Hoban

‘The Effect’ – Written by Lucy Prebble; Directed by Sam Weisman; Set & Projection Design by J. Michael Griggs; Costume Design by Miranda Kau Giurleo; Lighting Design by Russ Swift; Sound Design by David Remedios; Composer, Claudio Ragazzi; Choreography by Maurice Emmanuel Parent. Presented by the Gloucester Stage Company through July 8

Oh Oh, catch that buzz
Love is the drug I’m thinking of
Oh Oh, can’t you see
Love is the drug for me

“Love is the Drug” – 1975 single by Roxy Music

Is true love something that can be prescribed?

The Effect, now making its New England premiere at Gloucester Stage, asks that question, as Big Pharma guy Dr. Toby Sealey of Rauschen Pharmaceuticals hopes to create “a Viagra for the heart” as clinical trials for the experimental antidepressant with the unsexy name of RLU37 get underway. But as we soon find out, results are not always predictable whenever there’s a human element in the experiment, even in a sterile clinical setting.

“The Music Man” at Theatre by the Sea

June 21, 2017July 5, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Richard Pacheco

“The Music Man” is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey and is currently playing at Theatre by the Sea in a spirited, energetic and fun production. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys’ band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to the naive Iowa townsfolk, promising to train the members of the new band. Harold is no musician, however, and plans to skip town without giving any music lessons. Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother overcome his lisp and social awkwardness, Marian begins to fall in love. Harold risks being caught to win her.

“BAGGAGE” (Newport Playhouse,)

June 21, 2017July 13, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

“BAGGAGE”
Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The current show at the Newport Playhouse is the romantic comedy “Baggage” by Sam Bobrick. Two difficult and single people, Bradley and Phyllis, both trying to heal from their respective disappointing relationships, get their luggage mixed up at the airport. After a very disagreeable first encounter, the two decide to help each other get over their heartaches by forcing a friendship that eventually leads to the two discovering that while they may be too difficult for everyone else in the world, but they are perfect for each other. Throw in an analyst who speaks directly to the audience as well as to Bradley and Phyllis and a kooky female friend of Phyllis and you have the ingredients for this very funny comedy.

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS (Contemporary Theater Company, Wakefield, RI)

June 21, 2017July 21, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

“ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Contemporary Theater’s second comedy of their summer season is “One Man, Two Guvnors” by Richard Bean, an English adaptation of “Servant of Two Masters”, a 1743 Commedia dell’arte style comedy play by the Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni. The play changes the Italian locale to 1963 Brighton. Francis finds himself picking up a second job to just scrape together enough money to buy himself a pint. But he soon finds out that keeping his two bosses, rivals in the mob scene from finding out about each other is more trouble than he bargained for.

“CALENDAR GIRLS” Renaissance City Theatre Inc, (Westerly, RI)

June 20, 2017July 1, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Renaissance City Theatre Inc., the producing entity of the Granite Theatre’s fourth show of their 17th season is Tim Firth’s delightful comedy “Calendar Girls” which is the true and “revealing story” of a women’s group in England who decided to drop everything and raise money for a new settee for the hospital waiting room in honor of one’s husband who died of leukemia. It is based on Firth’s “Calendar Girls” movie from 2003.The news of the “alternative calendar” charitable venture spread like wildfire and ultimately raised over a million dollars.

Delicious Storytelling Dished Up in “I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti”

June 20, 2017June 20, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Michele Markarian

“I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti.” Adapted by Jacques LaMarre from the memoir by Giulia Melucci. Directed by Ilyse Robbins . Presented by Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, through June 25.

“I can count on my breasts the number of times I’ve missed a meal”, Giulia (Kerri Jill Garbis) tells us. For Giulia, food is love, as she demonstrates by actually cooking dinner for eight guests onstage while telling us unfortunate stories from her love life. If you have an interest in food and a colorful romantic past, this is the show for you.

WEST SIDE STORY (Ivoryton Playhouse, CT)

June 20, 2017July 21, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

“WEST SIDE STORY”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Ivoryton Playhouse’s summer musical is “West Side Story”, the classic 1957 musical hit. Based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, the story is as fresh and new to contemporary audiences as it was back in 1591 for the original play as it was in the 1950’s for the musical version. Hatred and violence don’t solve problems, they create new ones. Love and understanding of each other are the solutions to these problems not only in these shows but in real life. The well known story of Tony and Maria takes place in New York City. The outside forces of friends, enemies, gang members and adults keep them from fulfilling their dreams of everlasting happiness due to hatred and bigotry. This talented cast under the direction of Todd Underwood, delivers the goods in a powerful and poignant presentation with outstanding acting, singing and dancing which propels the audience to their feet at curtain call. Who could ask for anything more in this gut wrenching magnificent production at this historic theatre.