Shakespeare in Love at West Valley Arts

Last night I went to see the stage adaptation of the movie Shakespeare in Love at the West Valley Performing Arts Center and I absolutely loved it! William Shakespeare (Josh Egbert) has writer's block and the deadline for his new play, which he has promised to both Philip Henslow (Stephen Kerr) and Richard Burbage (Joseph Spear), is fast approaching. He desperately needs inspiration and he finds it when a wealthy merchant's daughter named Viola de Lesseps (Jillian Joy) disguises herself as Thomas Kent in order to fulfill her dream of performing on the stage, which is illegal for women in Elizabethan England, and wins the role of Romeo in his unfinished play. When Will discovers that his talented leading man is really the woman he wooed on a balcony with the help of fellow playwright Kit Marlowe (Colton Ward) and when Viola discovers that Will is really her favorite playwright, they begin a passionate affair which is complicated by the marriage her father has arranged with Lord Wessex (Tyler Roberts). Art imitates life as their doomed love inspires Romeo and Juliet. I think this story is incredibly witty and clever (even if it takes liberties with historical accuracy) and I loved all of the references to Romeo and Juliet and other Shakespeare plays as well as the antics surrounding multiple mistaken identities and the backstage shenanigans at competing theatre companies. Egbert and Joy are outstanding as the leads and have tremendous chemistry with each other. Their performance of the final scene in Romeo and Juliet is absolutely heartbreaking and I had a tear in my eye (especially since it has a double meaning because of their imminent separation). I also really enjoyed the hilarious ensemble cast who portray the actors in Shakespeare's theatre company, especially Eliyah Ghaeini as the over-the-top actor Ned Alleyn who plays Mercutio, Angel Martinez as the actor Nol who plays Benvolio and takes every opportunity to display his prowess for fight choreography, and Sofia Paredes-Kenrick as the actor John Webster who is jealous when Thomas Kent is cast as Romeo. Speaking of choreography, this production features an intricate dance sequence at Viola's ball that is very well done as well as some fast-paced and highly entertaining stage combat. The use of original music, performed by various cast members, adds a lot to the Elizabethan setting as do the elaborate period costumes, particularly Queen Elizabeth's (Sonia Inoa-Rosado Maughan) gown. Finally, I was really impressed with the set, which is comprised of an elevated wooden platform made to look like a theatre, and the lighting design, consisting of a large rose projected on the stage and the outline of Shakespeare's writing projected during key moments. I really loved every aspect of this production and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets). It runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through May 4.

La Chimera

After seeing all of the rave reviews for La Chimera I was really excited to see it at the Broadway last night.  It is incredibly thought provoking and, the more I think about it, the more I like it.  Arthur (Josh O'Connor) is a British archaeologist who has just been released from a stint in prison for grave robbing and is returning to a small town in Tuscany.  He visits Flora (Isabella Rossellini), the mother of a former girlfriend named Beniamina (Yile Yara Vianello) who has disappeared from his life but still haunts his dreams, and he befriends Flora's no nonsense music student and housekeeper Italia (Carol Duarte).  However, he soon finds himself back with an eccentric group of tomb raiders using his gift of divining, during which he goes into a fugue state, to locate ancient Etruscan antiquities to sell on the black market through an enigmatic broker named Spartaco (Alba Rohrwacher).  When he finds an untouched tomb full of treasure he must decide of he wants to live in the past or the present.  The story meanders very slowly and there are many shifts in tone (Arthur is a morose and melancholy character while his crew is wild and boisterous, there are images of a sun-dappled Tuscany juxtaposed with dark and gloomy underground tombs, and scenes depicting stark reality are interspersed with magical realism) and changes in format which are sometimes quite disorienting (by design).  Everything suddenly comes together in the end (and upon further reflection) but there were many times when I wondered what was going on and this kept me surprisingly engaged.  The haunting and beautiful final scene is worth all of the effort it takes to untangle the narrative (the allusions to Ariadne and Theseus are brilliant).  O'Connor's moody and otherworldly performance is perfect because Arthur is odds with everyone and everything around him (at one point I wondered if it was all just a dream) and I loved Rossellini's turn as an imperious aristocrat living in a crumbling mansion.  This movie defies description and categorization but I know I will be thinking about it for a long time to come!

Civil War

I have heard lots of different takes about the movie Civil War so I was very excited to have a chance to see it at the Broadway last night so that I could make up my own mind.  It is intense and often difficult to watch but I found it to be incredibly thought provoking with a message about war that really resonated with me.  In a dystopian future, the U.S. has descended into a civil war with Loyalist States led by a dictatorial third-term president (Nick Offerman) fighting against various factions, including the Western Forces (Texas and California), the Florida Alliance, and the New People's Army.  Two journalists, Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and Joel (Wagner Moura), covering the conflict in New York decide to head to Washington, D.C. to try and interview the heavily guarded president before the Western Forces make a final push to capture the capitol.  Their colleague Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) asks to join them as far as the front lines in Charlottesville, Virginia and, despite the fact that he is old and infirm, they allow him to come.  Joel also allows Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young and aspiring photographer who idolizes Lee, to join them despite Lee's objections.  They document the ongoing conflict as they make the increasingly dangerous journey through civilian populations, who are doing whatever they need to in order to survive, which culminates in a dramatic assault on the White House.  This movie uses the lens of journalistic objectivity to focus more on what is happening rather than why it is happening.  It portrays urban warfare very realistically and it is incredibly shocking and violent with a discomfiting sound design that adds to the tension.  The fact that it does not espouse an ideological viewpoint (which has been problematic for many) and that it is difficult to watch (which has also been problematic for others) is actually the point because the message, in my opinion, is that war (and the subsequent collapse of societal norms) is catastrophic no matter the cause.  What I found most riveting is the juxtaposition between Lee, the hardened veteran of many foreign conflicts, and Jessie, the inexperienced newcomer who reacts emotionally to everything she sees, because they slowly trade personas as the narrative progresses.  The performances, especially by Dunst and Spaeny as well as a menacing cameo by Jesse Plemons that made me jump twice, are also very compelling.  I would rate this as one of my favorites this year but the choice to have characters of color on the receiving end of most of the violence made me extremely uncomfortable.  Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend it.

Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA

Last night the Utah Symphony was joined by Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA, an incredible ABBA tribute group, and to say that I had fun at this concert would be an understatement!  I don't think I have ever seen such a boisterous crowd at Abravanel Hall because people were enthusiastically singing and dancing to every song!  This group looks and sounds just like ABBA with costumes (I loved the cat mini dresses with white go-go boots), choreography, and vocal performances that are incredibly authentic.  They introduced themselves at Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid and they stayed in character all night with lots of amusing interactions with the crowd (especially a group from Sweden).  The first set included "Mamma Mia," "Super Trouper," "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (my favorite ABBA song), "When All Is Said and Done," "Ring Ring" (which was sung in Swedish), "S.O.S.," "Fernando" (which sounded amazing with the orchestra), "The Name of the Game," "Money, Money, Money," and "Waterloo" (with video footage from when ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974).  After the intermission, they performed "Voulez-Vous" and then passionate renditions of "I Have a Dream" and "The Winner Takes It All."  They continued with "Chiquitita," "Take a Chance On Me," "Does Your Mother Know," and then ended this set with a rocking version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."  For the encore, they performed "Thank You for the Music" and ended the evening with "Dancing Queen" complete with a disco ball.  I love the music of ABBA and I have so many memories of listening to it when I was a child (it was part of my family's road trip playlist) so this whole concert was incredibly nostalgic for me (it always amazes me when I can immediately remember lyrics from song I haven't heard in a long time) and I loved every minute.  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for tonight's concert but act quickly because it was almost sold out last night!

Bitter Lemon at Plan-B Theatre

I loved Melissa Leilani Larson's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice so I was very excited to see her take on a minor character from Macbeth (one of my favorite Shakespeare plays) in Plan-B Theatre's production of Bitter Lemon last night. It is absolutely brilliant and I loved it just as much as the earlier play. Lady Helen Macduff (Yolanda Stange) has been alone for an indeterminate amount of time in a liminal space between life and the afterlife longing to be reunited with her children. She is suddenly joined by Finlay Macbeth (Bobby Cody), the man she holds responsible for her death and the death of her children, and she is justifiably angry. At first he doesn't remember her or the circumstances of his death but, when his memories do return, they are of their romantic relationship from long ago. As more memories return, they engage in a tense back and forth as they try to figure out why they have both been left in purgatory together and what they can do to escape. As Helen lashes out at Finlay, he blames her for turning him into who he became by deserting him and pushing him into the arms of the ambitious Marion and then he blames her husband Andrew Macduff (I love that all of the characters now have first names) for betraying him before he finally takes responsibility for his actions and begs her to forgive him. It is very intriguing when marginalized characters from literature are reimagined and given some agency and this play presents Lady Macduff as not just a strong character but one that is integral to the whole narrative. Stange is outstanding at portraying her righteous anger and her grief but I also enjoyed seeing her eventually come to the realization that she must forgive her enemy for her own sake (the final moment is so dramatic). Cody plays Macbeth as a charismatic leader who was justified in doing what he did because he believed that would be a better king and it is fascinating to see that facade break down bit by bit as the play progresses. The moment he asks for forgiveness is so affecting. The minimal set, featuring a series of neutral panels as a backdrop and randomly placed stone blocks which are used as seating, makes the subtle changes in the lighting even more dramatic and the sound design, which reminded me of white noise, is quite unsettling. I wish that the costumes were period rather than contemporary but this did not detract from my enjoyment in the least. This is an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking piece about the nature of forgiveness and I highly recommend getting a ticket. It runs in the Studio Theatre at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts through April 28 with Thursday and Friday evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinee performances (go here).

Wicked Little Letters

I have been looking forward to seeing Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley together in Wicked Little Letters ever since I saw the trailer and I finally had the chance last night at the Broadway.  I loved this charming British period piece and I laughed out loud more times than I can count (as did the entire audience).  Edith Swan (Colman), a devout spinster who lives with her controlling and misogynistic father Edward (Timothy Spall) and her sympathetic mother Victoria (Gemma Jones) in Littlehampton, England during the 1920s, has been receiving anonymous letters that are deeply disturbing to her because they contain vulgar insults and profanity.  She suspects that her neighbor Rose Gooding (Buckley), a wild and foul-mouthed single mother from Ireland, is responsible for these letters and has the dim-witted Constable Papperwick (Hugh Skinner) arrest her.  Rose denies writing them and a female police officer named Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) believes her because there is no credible evidence against her.  However, Chief Constable Spedding (Paul Chahidi), who is under pressure from Parliament to solve the case, dismisses her concerns so she enlists several eccentric women from the village (Joanna Scanlan, Lolly Adefope, and Eileen Atkins) to help her find the proof to clear Rose.  Colman is absolutely hilarious as a seemingly pious woman who is secretly delighted by all of the attention she is receiving from this scandal and I wanted to cheer when she finally confronts her father.  Buckley is always a lot of fun when she plays a brash young woman but she is very affecting as a mother who wants a better life for her daughter.  I also really enjoyed Vasan's performance as a woman undaunted by discrimination she faces in the police department and the rest of the cast is delightful.  I figured out the mystery, based on a true story, early on but it didn't matter because the characters are all so engaging.  This is a crowd-pleaser that I recommend to fans of British comedies with the proviso that it obviously includes a lot of profanity (albeit with very charming accents).

Jazz vs. Nuggets

Last night I went to my final Utah Jazz game of the season with my friend Angela and it was against a team that I love to hate!  Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets are really good (they are battling for the number 1 seed in the Western Conference) and the Jazz have been struggling lately without Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, and Walker Kessler.  The shorthanded Jazz did play with a lot of heart all night and, whenever it looked like Denver would break the game wide open, the Jazz would find a way to stop them and, while the Nuggets had the lead for the entire game, Utah got within six multiple times and within three late in the third quarter (which got the Delta Center cheering as if it was a playoff game).  Horton-Tucker is one of the biggest reasons why the Jazz were able to stay in the game and ended the night with 24 points including the electrifying three-pointer to get the team within three.  Yurtseven also had a good night with 20 points and I thought he did a good job matching up with Jokic who is so good (at one point he had such an amazing three-pointer that even I had to admire it).  Semanic ended with 15 (including the first double-double of his career) and George (I really like him) and Sensabaugh each had 10 points but it wasn't enough and the Jazz ended up losing their 13 straight game 111-95.  I am usually a good luck charm for the Jazz but clearly not this season because I only saw them win once!  At least I have had a lot of fun watching the games with Angela!

Gone with the Wind

Last night I got to see Gone with the Wind on the big screen in honor of its 85th anniversary and it was an amazing experience to see this epic movie presented as it was meant to be seen!  On the eve of the Civil War, the spoiled and petulant Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) thinks only of attending genteel parties at neighboring plantations and of catching the eye of the soft-spoken Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard).  Her life is forever changed when war is declared and when Ashley marries Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland).  Through sheer determination and force of will she does whatever it takes to survive the horrors of the war and keep Tara, her family's plantation, during the turbulent days of Reconstruction all while continuing to pine for Ashley.  However, she meets her match in the rakish blockade runner Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and she eventually marries him despite the fact that she doesn't love him.  It takes a tragedy for Scarlett to realize that her love for Ashley was an illusion, just like life in the South before the war, and that Rhett is the one she truly loves.  She begs him for a reconciliation but he tells her that it is too late which prompts her to return to Tara which is the source of her strength.  While this movie is very problematic, especially how it romanticizes the Antebellum South as a time of chivalry with knights and their ladies fair and the portrayal of slaves as docile and content to be owned by their benevolent masters, I really love the underlying story about perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds (especially by a woman), the iconic performances of both Leigh and Gable, and the stunning cinematography (the wide shot of Scarlett walking among the Confederate dead and wounded and the silhouettes against the burning of Atlanta are breathtaking).  It was so much fun to see this with a crowd because there were cheers during all of the familiar quotes and applause at the end.  There is one more chance to see this as part of the Fathom's Big Screen Classics series (go here for information and tickets) and I highly recommend it.

Of Mice and Men at Parker Theatre

Last night I went to a stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at the Parker Theatre and I loved seeing this American classic come to life in the very capable hands of this theatre (I have yet to see a performance here that I haven't enjoyed). George Milton (Lucas Charon) and Lennie Small (Brinton M. Wilkins) are migrant workers trying to save money for their own piece of land with a cow, pigs, chickens, and, most importantly, rabbits which George has promised Lennie he can tend. However, Lennie, who is very big and strong but mentally challenged, keeps getting into trouble because of his naive love of everything small and soft. After being run out of their last job, they find work on another ranch near the Salinas River in California and soon discover that many of the inhabitants, including and old-timer named Candy (Brook Robertson) who is forced to part with his dog, Curley's wife (Ashley Slater) who is unhappy in her marriage, and Crooks (Kiirt Banks) who is segregated from the other workers because he is Black, are suffering from a crushing loneliness. Even though George laments the fact that his life would be so much easier without Lennie, he knows that it is this friendship and their dream that keeps him from the same loneliness. Events eventually conspire against them when Lennie is once more tempted by something soft and George loses both his friend and his dream. It is an incredibly tragic story because it is a realistic portrayal of the plight faced by many during the Great Depression and I always find it to be very thought-provoking because the American Dream is still often unattainable for those who are marginalized. This production provides a very sensitive and moving portrayal of these dark themes. Wilkins gives a brilliant performance as Lennie because he is always believable as the character with many subtle bits of business that allude to his diminished capacity, such as looking off in the distance, never making eye contact, and stimming with his fingers. His interactions with Charon are also believable and incredibly touching (I had tears in my eyes during the final scene). I was also very impressed with Robertson, because his response to the death of his dog (which foreshadows future events) is another poignant moment which brought tears to my eyes, and with Slater, because her characterization as Curley's wife is much more sympathetic than I have seen before (she is usually portrayed more coquettishly). I also have to give a shoutout to Apollo, making his stage debut as Candy's dog, because he is very well-behaved and so adorable. I loved the use of Aaron Copland's music, because it is very beautiful and evocative, and I also loved the use of corrugated tin and wood in the sets for the bunkhouse and the barn, because it feels so authentic to the time and place. The entire production is outstanding and I highly recommend taking advantage of this rare opportunity to see one of the great novels of American literature performed on stage. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays through April 27 (go here for tickets).

The First Omen

The second movie in my double feature last night was The First Omen, a prequel to The Omen, and it has such an atmosphere of escalating dread that I was genuinely scared at times (which doesn't happen that often for me).  In 1971 Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), a young American novitiate with a troubled past, travels to Rome at the invitation of her mentor Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) to work at an orphanage before taking her vows.  Margaret immediately bonds with Carlita (Nicole Sorace), an older orphan who has hallucinations that are similar to those she experienced as a child, and she is troubled by how the nuns, especially Sister Silvia (Sonia Braga), respond to her.  Her unease eventually turns to terror when Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) warns her that Carlita may be part of a sinister plot to bring about the birth of the Antichrist.  I really enjoyed the story and not just because of how well it leads to the events of the earlier movie but also because of how it incorporates the social and political turmoil of the 1970s as well as the lack of bodily autonomy faced by women (it has themes similar to Immaculate).  I found it very unsettling because of the atmospheric lighting, graphic visuals (that are quite provocative), immersive sound design (I got goosebumps every time I heard whispered prayers), ominous score (which pays homage to the original movie), and body horror that had people in my audience gasping out loud (the birth scene is intense).  The 1970s period verisimilitude is amazing because this looks like it was produced at the same time as The Omen (which I watched again as soon as I got home).  Finally, Nell Tiger Free gives an incredibly compelling performance and there is one scene in particular that is worth the price of admission alone.  This is honestly so much better than I was expecting (it is definitely my favorite horror movie so far this year) and I recommend it to fans of the genre.

Monkey Man

Last night I had a really fun double feature which began with Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man.  I am a huge fan of Patel so I was very excited to see this and I was definitely not disappointed!  Inspired by the legend of Hanuman (a powerful deity in the shape of a monkey) which was told to him as a child by his mother, an anonymous man (Patel) earns a living wearing a monkey mask while losing to more popular fighters in an illegal ring run by Tiger (Sharlto Copley).  Motivated by revenge, he also takes a job working at an exclusive club frequented by Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), the chief of police who beat his mother to death while evacuating their village at the behest of a supposed holy man Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) who wanted the land for a commune.  However, his attempt to assassinate Rana is unsuccessful and, even though he is severely wounded, he manages to elude Rana and his men as well as escape from police custody (in some exhilarating sequences).  He is taken in by a hijra, or transgender woman, named Alpha (Vipin Sharma) who helps him recuperate and train by reminding him of who he is and what he is really fighting for.  Inspired once more by Hanuman and aided by Alpha and her group, an epic battle with Rana and Baba ensues.  I loved so many things about this movie!  The action is both incredibly stylish and shockingly violent and the frenetic way in which it was filmed makes it so exciting to watch.  It is an absolute adrenaline rush from beginning to end, especially a training sequence accompanied by drums and the final battle at the club.  Patel is definitely an entertaining action star (he has been my choice to play James Bond ever since I saw him in The Wedding Guest) but I was also impressed by the way his eyes express everything his character is feeling.  It is more than just a revenge action thriller because it is also features a scathing indictment of the corruption and hypocrisy that affects the marginalized people of India (I particularly loved the treatment of the hijras) as well as a moving exploration of Hindu mythology.  It is obvious that this is Patel's passion project (he broke his hand while filming the first scene) so I am really glad that it received a theatrical release.  Go see it on the big screen if you are a fan of the genre!

Pretty Woman at the Eccles

I am not a fan of turning movies into musicals so, when Broadway at the Eccles announced the 2023-2024 season, Pretty Woman was the show that I was the least interested in.  I saw it last night and, while it will never be one of my favorites, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Edward Lewis (Chase Wolfe) is in Los Angeles for a week on business when he gets lost on Hollywood Boulevard.  Vivian Ward (Ellie Baker), a young woman down on her luck and working as a prostitute, offers to help him for a price and eventually spends the night with him at the Beverley Wilshire Hotel.  Since he has a number of social obligations while in L.A., he suggests that she be his escort for the week and they negotiate a price.  As they spend time together, they have a positive effect on each other because Edward decides to become a partner in the company he was going to dismantle and Vivian sees that she is worth more than a life of prostitution but will they realize that they love each other?  All of the iconic scenes from the movie are recreated on stage, such as Vivian's shopping trip on Rodeo Drive and when Edward snaps the lid of the jewelry case on her fingers, and they are fun (the subdued audience was the most engaged during these moments).  One of the reasons why I dislike turning movies into musicals is because most of the time the music feels very contrived and is instantly forgettable and, unfortunately, that is the case with this show.  The one exception for me was "You and I" when Edward and Vivian attend the opera.  Who knew that a mash-up of a power ballad by Bryan Adams and an aria from Verdi's La Traviata could work so well?  It gave me goosebumps.  Wolfe and Baker have beautiful voices but their performances are a bit bland, especially their dancing.  However, Adam du Plessis (as the narrator and the manager of the hotel) and Connor Kabat (as a bellhop) are unbelievably entertaining and steal the show, particularly in their interactions together.  Kabat is by far the best dancer in the company and appears in almost every dance sequence (whether a bellhop is needed or not).  The sets are serviceable (they are recognizable as Hollywood Blvd., Rodeo Dr., and the Beverly Wilshire Hotel because there are large signs proclaiming them as such) but I was a little disappointed in the costumes because they pale in comparison to the iconic originals from the movie, especially Vivian's red opera dress.  I never need to see this again but I definitely didn't hate it and I suspect that fans of the movie will love it.  There are five more performances through April 7 with lots of available tickets (go here).

The Lehman Trilogy at PTC

Last night I went to the new Meldrum Theatre (a really cool venue) for its inaugural production of The Lehman Trilogy and it was an incredible experience, both being in the intimate new space and watching this epic story. In 1844 Henry Lehman (Jeff Talbot) arrives in New York City from Bavaria with the hope of living the American dream. He ends up opening a small fabric and clothing shop in Montgomery, Alabama and is soon joined by his brothers Emanuel (William Connell) and Mayer (Seth Andrew Bridges). From these humble beginnings a vast financial institution known as the Lehman Brothers is established. The narrative spans 164 years and three generations of the Lehman family while chronicling the vicissitudes of capitalism in three acts. In Act I, the first generation of brothers eventually consolidate their shop into a go-between for cotton growers in the South and factory owners in the North until their business is derailed by the Civil War. In Act II, the next generation reinvents the business as an investment banking and commodities trading firm until it is almost destroyed by the stock market crash of 1929. In Act III, the third generation achieves spectacular successes but also devastating losses through speculation until they are forced to declare bankruptcy. What I loved most about this play is that the history of 19th and 20th century America is told through the filter of one family and, even though it sounds like it might be tough to sit through (it is over three hours long with two intermissions), it is fast-paced and exciting. I was never bored! In addition to the three Lehman brothers who emigrate to America, Talbot, Connell, and Bridges also portray their progeny and all of the other characters with whom they interact and the performances are absolutely remarkable (just the stamina involved alone is very impressive because the characters are constantly moving). The actors provide both dialogue and narrative descriptions and I really enjoyed this technique because it seemed like I was watching a book about the Lehmans being brought to life right in front of me. The actors also move the minimal props (suitcases, tables, chairs, bales of cotton, ledgers, etc.) around the stage themselves and I especially liked the evolution of their sign over the years. The costumes change to reflect the prevailing fashion of the time depicted in each act but they also include fun additions for the minor characters (my favorite was the fan used to portray Emanuel's wife). Finally, the intimate theatre, which features a thrust stage, is perfect for this production because it gives the audience a chance to get up close and personal with these characters who had such an impact on history (my seat was on the second row and there were moments when I could have touched the actors). I don't think I have ever seen anything like this on stage before and I cannot recommend it enough! In runs in the new Meldrum Theatre through April 13 (go here for tickets and here for more information about the theatre).

Note:  PTC recently announced the 2024-2025 season (Jersey Boys, Prayer for the French Republic, Souvenir, Dial M for Murder, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, A Case for the Existence of God, and Waitress) and I couldn't be more excited! Go here for more information.

Manti Temple Open House

One of the main reasons we chose to stay at Palisade State Park is so that we would be close to the Manti Temple.  It has been undergoing refurbishments and now that they are complete the temple is open for the public to tour (anyone can go in) before it is dedicated again.  My sisters and I (and our aunt Mary who lives in Manti) were able to go through it on Saturday.  The Salt Lake Temple is iconic but my favorite has always been Manti because my maternal grandparents lived in Sanpete County so I spent a lot of time there.  My grandfather did sealings in this temple and we always attended the pageant on the grounds in the summer.  This temple was built by the pioneers who settled in the Sanpete Valley and it opened in 1888.  I was most impressed with all of the 19th century furniture, art work, and chandeliers (which looked like they might have originally featured gas with hand blown glass shades).  The interior is very beautiful and is definitely worth seeing.

Note:  The open house was very disorganized.  We had reservations and we still had to wait close to two hours outside in the rain (the ushers informed us that our wait was nothing compared to other days).

Spring Camping Trip at Palisade State Park

Both of my sisters and I went on a quick camping trip last weekend (along with everyone else on spring break) at Palisade State Park.  We have stayed here before in my sister's trailer but this time we stayed in a cabin which was really nice.  It included sleeping for eight, a nice bathroom with a shower, a kitchen with a fridge and a microwave (no stove), and a seating area.  We had so much fun!  We got there Friday afternoon and found a great diner near us with the best burgers and fries for dinner.  We made a fire for s'mores (even though it was a bit cold) and we watched lots of movies late into the night.  We had plans on Saturday (including dinner with our aunt) and then made another fire and watched more movies.  We slept in late Sunday morning and then packed up to come home in the afternoon.  We liked staying in the cabin so much we are planning to come back this summer!

I am so happy that my sisters and I are close and that we enjoy spending time with each other!

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Last night I went to a Thursday preview of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and, as is the case with the other movies in the MonsterVerse (Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong), the monsters are compelling and so much fun to watch and the humans exist only to provide convoluted exposition.  Kong has taken up residence in Hollow Earth but, because he is lonely, he ventures deeper and deeper into uncharted territory looking for other apes.  He finds a tribe, including a young ape named Suko and their brutal leader Skar King who controls the powerful ice titan Shimo.  The scientists working at a Monarch outpost, including Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), pick up an unexplained signal which is especially distressing to Jia (Kaylee Hottle) and triggers Godzilla to go on the move.  Andrews, Jia, a daredevil veterinarian named Trapper (Dan Stevens), and the conspiracy theory podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) travel to Hollow Earth and discover that the last remaining members of the Iwi tribe, from which Jia is descended, sent the signal requesting help against Shimo.  Kong fights Skar King and Shimo but is outmatched and wounded (prompting Trapper to give him a mechanized arm) so Jia awakens Mothra who convinces Godzilla to join forces with Kong.  An epic battle ensues.  The first two acts are kind of a slog to get through with a few fun moments, such as Henry providing comic relief and the touching relationship between Kong and his mini-me Suko, but the third act is amazing with exhilarating battle sequences both inside Hollow Earth and on Earth (the Iwi have technology that controls gravity because of course they do).  All of the visuals are absolutely incredible, especially the Iwi's civilization in Hollow Earth, Godzilla's dorsal plates when they light up, and Mothra's wings.  This is probably the most ridiculous and least interesting installment in the MonsterVerse but I would by lying if I said I didn't enjoy it!  I recommend it to fans of the franchise.

Immaculate

I was very excited to see Immaculate after all of the positive reviews from SXSW but, after seeing it last night, I was still surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) is a devout young woman searching for God's will after being saved from a near death experience as a child and this search eventually brings her to a remote convent in the Italian countryside.  She takes her vows and attempts to integrate with life in the convent but begins noticing strange goings-on in the middle of the night.  Strangest of all is when she discovers that she is pregnant despite the fact that she is a virgin.  Cardinal Franco Merola (Giorgio Colangeli) and Father Tedeschi (Alvaro Morte) proclaim it to be a miracle and, while most of the nuns venerate her as a saint, one attempts to kill her which leads her to suspect that something more sinister is going on.  The first two acts are unsettling and slowly build a sense of dread with a gloomy location (lots of long corridors), atmospheric lighting (lots of glimmering candles), ominous sound design, and eerie religious chanting.  Then the final act becomes a suspenseful survival thriller with impressive amounts of gore and an ending that is incredibly bold (it won't be for everyone but I liked the focus on the evils of man rather than the supernatural).  Sweeney gives one of her best performances because her escalating fear and desperation are palpable, especially in a long tracking shot through catacombs and in a haunting final shot.  Character development is very surface level and there are some inconsistencies that are never fully resolved but the narrative is an interesting twist on religious horror and I appreciated the tension and the mood.  I really dug this and recommend it to fans of the genre.

Late Night with the Devil

The next movie in my double feature at the Broadway last night was Late Night with the Devil and it was fun seeing this with a large late-night crowd!  This begins like a documentary investigating a disturbing incident that happened during a live broadcast of a late night talk show called Night Owls with Jack Delroy on October 31, 1977.  We learn details about Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), including his career trajectory and competition with Johnny Carson, his mysterious connection to an exclusive men's club, the death of his wife Madeleine (Georgina Haig) which has caused his show to suffer a steady decline, and his decision, against the objections of his sidekick Gus McConnell (Rhys Auteri), to do an occult-themed show on Halloween in order to boost ratings.  Then it shifts to the "found footage" from the episode featuring Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a medium, Carmichael the Conjurer (Ian Bliss), a former magician turned skeptic, Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon), a parapsychologist, and her subject Lilly D'Abo (Ingrid Torelli), a survivor of a Satanic cult who seems to be possessed by a demon.  During the course of the broadcast, Jack and his producer Leo Fiske (Josh Quong Tart) convince June to summon the demon with terrifying results.  I found the premise to be very interesting but I was a bit disappointed with the ending because the message about the high cost of success is a bit jumbled.  However, I really loved Dastmalchian's performance because he nails the smarmy persona of the late night talk show hosts of the era (more about that) and he portrays Delroy's uncertainty about what is happening so well that the audience begins to question it as well.  The rest of the cast commits fully to the bit but Torelli is especially unnerving!  The 1970s vibe is absolutely brilliant and I loved the retro design of the brown and orange set, the cheesy theme music, the period costumes and hairstyles, the aspect ratio, and the grainy film aesthetic.  This is more unsettling than scary (although there are some suitably gory sequences) but it is really entertaining, especially with a crowd, and I recommend it.

Problemista

Last night I had another double feature at the Broadway starting with Problemista.  I saw a preview for this last fall and it really piqued my interest but it got delayed so I've been waiting a long time to see it.  It was worth the wait because I loved this imaginative and whimsical take on the American dream.  Alejandro (Julio Torres) is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who keeps getting rejected from a development training program at Hasbro.  In the meantime, he works at a cryogenics facility and is tasked with monitoring the frozen body of an artist named Bobby (RZA) but an incident with the power generator gets him fired which puts his work visa in jeopardy.  On his way out he meets Bobby's eccentric wife Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), an art critic who has alienated everyone in the art world with her outrageous and deranged behavior.  She decides to hire Alejandro, after he lies about knowing FileMaker Pro (a hilarious running joke), to help her curate a show of Bobby's paintings.  She promises him that she will sponsor him on his visa application if the show is a success but she is almost impossible to please and seems to create obstacle after obstacle.  However, he ends up being the one person who understands her and she ends up giving him the confidence to go after his dream.  As someone who has had dealings with the immigration system in the U.S., I found the surrealistic portrayal of the bureaucracy involved to be both hilarious and poignant, especially when Alejandro must climb through an endless maze that gets him nowhere as the sands in an hourglass fall faster and faster.  I also loved the personification of Craigslist (Larry Owens) as a genie, who Alejandro uses to find jobs that pay under the table, to be really clever.  Torres gives a subdued performance as Alejandro shuffles through (literally) all of the outlandish situations in which he finds himself and this is highly effective in juxtaposition to Swinton's over the top portrayal of entitlement on steroids.  This is definitely a social satire about inequality but it is one with a highly original vision that mostly succeeds and I couldn't stop laughing!