The Exorcist: Believer

Last night I went to see The Exorcist: Believer and it isn't quite as bad as I was led to believe by all of the negative reviews but, after seeing the original last week, I was very underwhelmed.  Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and his pregnant wife Sorenne (Tracey Graves) are vacationing in Haiti when she becomes trapped during an earthquake.  The baby ultimately survives but Sorenne dies of her injuries despite a voodoo blessing.  Thirteen years later, Victor's daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum) go off into the woods to conduct a ritual to contact her mother's spirit and then they disappear for three days.  When they return, they don't remember where they have been but, other than burns on their feet, they seem fine.  However, they soon begin exhibiting troubling behavior and Victor seeks a medical answer while Katherine's parents Miranda (Jennifer Nettles) and Tony (Norbert Leo Butz), who are very religious, suspect that the girls went to Hell for three days and brought back a demon. Victor's neighbor Ann (Ann Dowd), a former Catholic nun, sees similarities with another famous case of possession and, even though he no longer believes in God, Victor decides to contact Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) in his desperation.  She tells him about her research into the exorcisms found in different cultures which leads him to assemble a Catholic priest (E.J. Bonilla), a rootwork healer (Okwui Okpokwasili), Katherine's family's Baptist pastor (Raphael Sbarge), and a Pentecostal preacher (Danny McCarthy) to conduct an exorcism but, ultimately, he must be the one to save his daughter.  I was impressed with Odom's nuanced performance because he is able to convey so much with very little dialogue.  Jewett and Marcum are also very compelling but Burstyn's return feels more like a gimmick than an essential part of the narrative which is disappointing (her screen time is much shorter than I was expecting).  I really enjoyed the first act because it slowly builds tension in a very unsettling way (although there are some strange editing choices) and Victor's loss of faith as a theme calls back to the original but then it completely loses focus during the exorcism with too many characters and very muddled ideas (I'm not even sure what the movie is trying to say).  I think this had a lot of potential but, unfortunately, it becomes too convoluted and chaotic in its execution so you can probably give it a miss.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Parker Theatre

Last night I saw the absolutely hilarious musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Parker Theatre and I had so much fun! I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud so much! This show features a play-within-a-play as a Victorian acting troupe performs The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens at the Music Hall Royale. Will Cartwright (Tyler Oliphant) is the Chairman, who acts as a narrator and master of ceremonies for the show, but he is also called upon to perform the role of Mayor Sapsea in the middle of the show with a script in hand. Leading man Clive Padget (Spencer Hohl) is John Jasper, ingenue Deidre Peregrine (Lisa Zimmerman) is Rosa Bud, London's most famous male impersonator Alice Nutting (Jasmine Hohl) is guest starring as Edwin Drood, the grand dame of the theatre Angela Prysock (Mary Parker Williams) is Princess Puffer, character actors Victor Grinstead (Brandan Ngo) and Janet Conover (Janzell Tutor) are Neville and Helena Landless, respectively, veteran Cedric Moncrieffe (Curt Jensen) is the Rev. Crisparkle, vaudeville duo Nick Cricker, Sr. (John-Tyrus Williams) and Nick Cricker, Jr. (Caleb Ceran) are Durdles and his Deputy, respectively, and bit player Phillip Bax (Jonathan McBride) is Bazzard (although he yearns for a bigger part and is eventually allowed to sing his original song "Never the Luck" as consolation). With lots of amusing commentary to the audience (some of which is ad-libbed), the Chairman introduces the characters as they appear and the narrative establishes that Jasper, Edwin, and Neville are all rivals for Rosa's affections, that Rosa is dismayed by Jasper's advances, that Helena will do whatever it takes to protect her brother, that the Princess Puffer has an unknown connection to one of the characters, and that the Rev. Crisparkle was once in love with Rosa's mother. After Edwin Drood disappears by the river, the Chairman reveals that Charles Dickens died when he got to this point in his novel and, since no one knows the resolution to the story, it is up to the audience to decide who the murderer is by voting. The show ends when the chosen murderer confesses to the crime! I really enjoyed the melodramatic element to the show, as if the audience is really watching a musical revue during the Victorian era, and I especially loved Spencer Hohl's over the top performance as an opium addicted Jekyll-and-Hyde like character (his facial expressions and exaggerated tics are hilarious) and Tyler Oliphant's perfectly delivered wisecracks and double entendres. I was also really impressed with Williams (the director of the show) because she had to step into the role of Princess Puffer at the last minute after the original actress broke her wrist and she hams it up spectacularly! The songs have a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta feel to them and my favorites are "Both Sides of the Coin" by Sapsea and Jasper, because it is performed faster and faster with energetic choreography, "A Man Could Go Quite Mad" by Jasper, because the physicality of this number is incredibly entertaining, and "Moonfall" by Rosa with accompaniment by Jasper, because it is a beautiful song with the added comedy of Jasper's love-struck responses to it. The set resembles an old fashioned music hall with floodlights and stylized backdrops and the costumes are beautiful. What makes this show so much fun is all of the audience participation beginning before the show even begins with the actors of the Music Hall Royale mingling with the audience and lobbying for their character to be chosen as the murderer. The audience is also encouraged to respond to certain elements of the show, such as the waving of hands when the name Edwin Drood is spoken, and, of course, the audience votes for the murderer as the characters stand on stage holding numbers. My audience voted for Rosa Bud but this is not a spoiler because every performance will be different (which makes me want to see it again!). I cannot recommend this show enough! It runs at Parker Theatre on Fridays and Saturdays through October 28 (go here for tickets).

Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts

Last night I saw the musical Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts and, on the whole, I enjoyed this retelling of the classic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. In the isolated village of Sleepy Hollow the townspeople, including a wealthy farmer named Balthus Van Tassel (Bryan Johnson) and his daughter Katrina (Emma Roberts), Van Tassel's farmhand Zander DeGroot (James Duncan), the carpenter Abraham "Brom" Van Bron (Jordan LeBaron), siblings Faas and Rosalie Brinkerhoff (Joseph Branca and Morgan Fenner, respectively), the widow Gusta Tenbrook (Emily Duncan) and her children Dorine (Mersedez Clifford), Willem (Soren Ray), and Anika (Cora Duncan), the stable master Hans Van Ripper (Taylor Smith), his wife Arabella (Caroline Anderson), and children Dirk (Luke Elzey) and Mina (Sofia Paredes-Kenrick), and the town spinster Sabine Vedder (Lauren Slagowski), seem to be living under a supernatural curse. No one is allowed to leave and everyone has suffered unexplained personal tragedies, the worst of which is a bride whose groom was killed and now roams the village headless.  A pompous and arrogant schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane (Ricky Parkinson) comes to the village and is cruel to his students, is a rival to Brom for Katrina's affections, and is openly disdainful of the town's legends and superstitions which causes the townspeople to turn against him. He disappears after he is chased by Brom and then the Headless Horseman (Lio River). Soon after, the tragedies endured by the townspeople seem to be repeating but is it the curse or is it Ichabod Crane exacting revenge? I loved the story, especially how Ichabod Crane is recast as the villain, but it is very convoluted at times and I didn't find the songs to be particularly memorable because they feature so much exposition (my favorites are "Never Spare the Rod," "A Conundrum," "Your Heart with Mine," and "Vanished"). The stage is simple but effective and features paths leading to a bridge that retracts and set pieces for the village green, the schoolhouse (I loved the old-fashioned desks), the church, the Van Tassel estate, the stables, and the woods (I loved the large hollow tree) that are brought on and off stage through the wings. The period costumes are also very well done (the velvet cloaks are gorgeous). There are way too many scenes featuring the townspeople just sitting and standing around but I did really like the choreography for the dances at the Halloween party and the wedding and I loved the way the chase with the Headless Horseman and the final transformation are staged because these scenes are so dramatic. I also found the portrayal of the horses to be a lot of fun. Finally, the best part of this production is the talented cast! They all have beautiful voices (I was especially impressed with Roberts, Duncan, and LeBaron) and Parkinson had me laughing out loud with his characterization of such an unlikable prig. Despite my few criticisms, I think this a great show to see during the spooky month of October and recommend it as a fun night out. It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center through October 30 and tickets may be purchased here.

Sweeney Todd at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Grand Theatre and I think it is the best production I've seen there!  Sweeney Todd (Dallyn Vail Bayles) is a Victorian-era barber who has just returned to London after 15 years of exile in Australia.  When he learns the tragic fate of his wife and daughter, he immediately wants to get revenge on Judge Turpin (Patrick Kintz), the man who ruined his life by bringing false charges against him.  He returns to his former rooms above the pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett (Tamara Howell) and, when he discovers that she has kept all of his barbering tools, he decides to set up shop and lure the judge in for a shave so he can slit his throat.  However, the judge eludes him and he vows to take vengeance on the whole human race.  He begins to kill all of his customers and Mrs. Lovett uses the bodies in her meat pies!  Eventually, his quest for revenge turns to madness.  As with all Stephen Sondheim musicals, the music is absolutely brilliant and I love the operatic quality of the songs in this show (even if they are really dark).  Bayles and Howell have beautiful voices and really bring these despicable characters to life in a way that is both comedic and tragic.  Their rendition of "A Little Priest" is a highlight and had me laughing out loud while Howell's version of "By the Sea" is incredibly poignant.  Brock Dalgleish, as Anthony Hope, gave me goosebumps when he sang "Johanna" (my favorite song in the show) as did Samantha Paredes, as Johanna, during "Green Finch and Linnet Bird."  I also really enjoyed "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and its many reprises sung by the ensemble because it functions as a Greek chorus with a group of Londoners recounting the legend of Sweeney Todd.  The period costumes and elaborate multi-level set vividly bring Victorian London to life and the dramatic red lighting emphasizes the horror of what is happening.  The staging of the murders is clever with Sweeney's barber chair over a trap door with a slide that sends the victims to the bake house.  I love this show and this production is so good!  It runs at the Grand Theatre through October 28 (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it!

Note:  It was a lot of fun for me to see my former student Christian Johnston as Pirelli (he is really good).

The Exorcist

I had never seen The Exorcist so, because it is back in theaters for its 50th Anniversary, I took the opportunity last night just in time for the release of the new sequel next weekend.  I found it to be incredibly unsettling (more than scary) and I may or may not have looked away from the screen at one point because I was so unnerved!  Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living in Washington, D.C. with her twelve year old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) while filming a movie at Georgetown University.  Regan begins exhibiting troubling behavior so Chris seeks help from both doctors and psychiatrists but nothing helps so someone suggests an exorcism which she rejects.  However, when she suspects that Regan might be responsible for the death of her director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran), she seeks out Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a psychiatrist at Georgetown University who is tormented by his mother's recent death for which he feels responsible.  Father Karras is skeptical but eventually comes to believe that Regan is possessed by a demon and requests permission to perform an exorcism from the Catholic Church which they grant on the condition that Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), an experienced but world-weary exorcist, conduct it with his assistance.  During the ensuing exorcism both priests must battle the devil and their own weaknesses.  There are some intense and disturbing scenes, both within the realm of science as Regan undergoes some truly invasive medical procedures and within the realm of the unknown as she swivels her head 360 degrees and projectile vomits, and I honestly don't know which were more upsetting to me.  I was also struck by the brilliant character development, which I was not expecting in a horror movie, because it builds and builds very slowly through incremental events until it is clear that all three main characters are broken (the iconic scene where Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil house by the light of an upstairs window is incredibly effective at conveying everything he is feeling without any dialogue) and this is very compelling.  All of the performances are excellent (I was especially impressed with Blair because the role is so grueling), the score is atmospheric, and the practical effects are convincing (I think they hold up well even after 50 years).  This has long been considered to be one of the best horror movies of all time and I can definitely understand why now that I've seen it!  It is a masterpiece (although I never want to see it again).

Note:  While I was reading the novel by William Peter Blatty, which I was assigned for a class on popular culture in college, the door to my bedroom slammed shut.  I'm pretty sure it was the devil.