A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder at CPT

Last night I finally had the chance to see A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder at CPT (I had to change my usual ticket with my sisters because of Sundance) and I think it might be my favorite production of this hilarious show! After the death of his mother, Monty Navarro (Christian Johnston) learns that she was a member of the illustrious D'Ysquith family but was disinherited for marrying his father. He is really Montague D'Ysquith Navarro and is in line to inherit an earldom. The catch is that there eight family members in line ahead of him! When his vain and heartless girlfriend Sibela (Claire Glaittli) marries the rich and handsome Lionel Holland, he decides to murder all eight family members ahead of him in the succession to become the Earl of Highhurst and win her back. Standing in his way are the Reverend Lord Ezekiel D'Ysquith (who has an unfortunate fall from the bell tower of his cathedral), Asquith D'Ysquith, Jr. (who has a bizarre ice skating accident), Henry D'Ysquith (who is stung by the bees in his own hive), Lady Hyacinth D'Ysquith (who falls in a volcano on an uninhabited island in the South Pacific and is presumed dead), Major Lord Bartholomew D'Ysquith (who is decapitated while lifting weights), Lady Salome D'Ysquith (who is killed when a prop gun is mistakenly loaded with real bullets during her stage debut), Lord Asquith D'Ysquith, Sr. (who suffers a heart attack from his grief over the deaths in his family), and, finally, Lord Adalbert D'Ysquith, the Earl of Highhurst, (who is mysteriously poisoned). Along the way, Monty marries Phoebe D'Ysquith (Emma Austin) which makes Sibela jealous but, after he becomes the Earl of Highhurst, he is arrested for the murder of Lord Adalbert (the only D'Ysquith death for which he is actually not responsible). The charges are eventually dismissed when Phoebe and Sibela each give proof that the other committed the murder but Monty might not live happily ever after because Chauncey D'Ysquith, the next in line to the earldom, is lurking! I've seen this show many times (it is very popular with Utah audiences) but this is my favorite production because Monty is played by my former student Christian Johnston (my original ticket was for the MWF show and he is in the THS cast so it was exciting to be able to see him) and he gives a fantastic performance showcasing his comedic timing and his amazing voice, especially in the song "Sibela." I also really enjoyed Andrew Bringhurst's performance as every member of the D'Ysquith family. He gives each character a distinct personality with hilarious facial expressions and physicality (and some quick costume changes!). I always anticipate the appearance of every family member but my favorites in this production are the outrageously flamboyant Henry who thinks everything is "Better with a Man" and the over-the-top Lady Hyacinth who just wants to do some good in "Lady Hyacinth Abroad." Glaittli and Austin have beautiful voices, particularly when they harmonize together in "That Horrible Woman," and Brighton Sloan almost steals the show as Countess Eugenia D'Ysquith! The set, featuring an elaborate stage in an old time music hall with footlights and a red velvet curtain, is one of the best I've seen at CPT and I loved all of the projections, especially when Monty and the Reverend Lord Ezekiel climb the tower in the cathedral and when Henry is chased by his bees. The staging of Asquith Jr.'s skating accident is really clever as is the scene where Phoebe visits Monty's flat when he is having an assignation with Sibela. The period costumes are gorgeous and I liked how Monty's suits get more elaborate as the show goes on and I loved all of the gowns worn by Phoebe and Sibela. I enjoyed this production so much (I don't think I stopped laughing the whole time) and I highly recommend it. It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through February 17 and tickets may be purchased here.

Argylle

I finally had the chance to see Argylle last night and I really enjoyed it until it was completely derailed by the third act.  Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the anxiety-ridden author of a series of books based on a spy named Argylle (Henry Cavill).  In her latest novel, Agent Argylle is searching for a computer drive that implicates a secret agency known as the Directorate but she is suffering from writer's block and can't finish the final chapter. She decides to visit her mother Ruth (Catherine O'Hara) with her cat Alfie but she encounters a real spy named Aidan Wilde (Sam Rockwell) on the train.  He saves her from a group of assassins and then informs her that her novel is eerily similar to his current mission to expose the secret agency known as the Division run by Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston) and that he needs her to finish the final chapter to help him find the computer drive before Ritter does.  This premise is initially very intriguing and the big twist about Agent Argylle's real identity actually worked for me (I somehow avoided all spoilers).  Rockwell and Howard are a great comedy duo with lots of chemistry as opposites who are thrown together by circumstances.  The action sequences on the train and in a flat in London are a lot of fun, especially the scenes from Elly's POV that show Aidan and Argylle fighting interchangeably.  However, there are so many twists and turns in the third act that the narrative becomes overly convoluted and it is hard to keep track of (or even care about) who is double-crossing whom and Rockwell and Howard's performances become less compelling (and even cringe-worthy) as their characters' motivations change.  In addition, the action sequences in the final act are laughably bombastic and look terrible (I think I groaned out loud at one point) with lots of messy slow-motion choreography and obvious CGI.  It is especially ridiculous when Aidan and Elly recreate the opening sequence performed by Argylle and a femme fatale named LaGrange (Dua Lipa).  I found this to be incredibly disappointing because it started out so well and I definitely recommend giving it a miss.

Jazz vs. Thunder

Last night I went to another Utah Jazz game with my friend Angela (she has a season ticket package and she very graciously allows me to pick several games to attend with her) and it was so much fun because it was such a great game!  The Jazz played the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of the best teams in the league, and they got a hard-fought win!  They stayed with the Thunder through the first quarter but then Oklahoma City built a double digit lead with lots of three-point shots (8 for 15).  Kris Dunn and Walker Kessler really stepped up the defense to keep the Jazz in the game but the Thunder were up 89-77 with five minutes left in the third when the offense exploded.  Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George (I really like him) hit some really impressive shots and the energy in the Delta Center was absolutely electric!  It was so much fun to be in the crowd!  The Jazz ended up going on a 19-3 run to close out the third quarter 96-92!  The fourth quarter was a battle because the Thunder did not give up (their big three, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, combined for 76 points during the game) and got within one but it was not enough because Dunn and Kessler eventually shut them down while Markkanen and George traded shots to lead the Jazz to a big 124-117 win.  I love it when the Jazz beat a really good team in front of a loud and enthusiastic crowd and it it was so much fun to catch up with Angela!

The Promised Land

Last night I went to the Broadway to see the epic historical drama The Promised Land and, since that is one of my favorite genres, I absolutely loved it!  Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen), the illegitimate son of a Danish nobleman and a maid, spends twenty-five years working his way to the rank of captain in the German army and, when he is discharged, he petitions the King of Denmark for permission to build a settlement on the barren moors of the Jutland peninsula.  The only compensation he requests for successfully cultivating the land is a noble title.  However, the local landowner and magistrate, Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), claims that the land belongs to him and initially tries to bargain with Kahlen for control but, when he refuses, he lures his workforce away.  Tensions escalate when Kahlen hires two of Schinkel's indentured servants, Johannes and Ann Barbara Eriksen (Morten Hee Andersen and Amanda Collin, respectively), who have broken their contract and run away and when he begins a relationship with Edel Helene (Kristine Kujath Thorp), Schinkel's cousin and betrothed.  Even though he overcomes numerous challenges and a harsh winter through sheer determination, Kahlen must eventually face Schinkel in an epic confrontation with stakes that might be too high to bear.  The story, which is a fictionalized version of real events, is incredibly compelling and I was very invested in the fate of Kahlen and all of the people who become a surrogate family for him (especially a young orphan girl played by Melina Hagberg) because the characters are so well developed and the performances are outstanding.  I even had to stop myself from cheering out loud during one dramatic scene because Bannenbjerg does such a good job of making the audience hate Schinkel!  The closeups on Mikkelsen's face show every emotion he is feeling and it is a highly nuanced, yet powerful, performance.  The cinematography is gorgeous and, while I was impressed by the sweeping shots of the desolate landscape, I was just as blown away by a closeup shot of a budding potato plant.  The costumes and production design are very effective at immersing the audience in 18th century Denmark and my attention never wavered during the two hour runtime.  This is one of the best historical dramas I've seen in a long time and I highly recommend it!

Pride and Prejudice at Parker Theatre

Last night I went to see the first of two productions of Pride and Prejudice that I have scheduled this year at Parker Theatre. As a huge fan of the novel by Jane Austen, I absolutely loved this particular adaptation! When Mr. Bingley (Tom Hohl), a single man in possession of a good fortune, lets Netherfield Hall, Mrs. Bennett (Eden Benson) immediately sets her sights on him as a possible husband for one of her five daughters. Bingley falls in love with the beautiful Jane Bennett (Jasmine Hohl) but her sister Elizabeth (Maryn Tueller) takes an immediate dislike to his friend Mr. Darcy (Spencer Hohl) because he is so aloof and disdainful. Elizabeth must overcome her prejudice and Mr. Darcy must overcome his pride for them to realize that they belong together. No adaptation can include everything but this one comes very close and I was really impressed with its faithfulness to the novel. I sat in the audience with great anticipation for all of my favorite quotes ("You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.") and I was not disappointed. One of the things I love most about the novel is that the characters are so well delineated and every member of the cast is perfect for their role, especially Tueller as Elizabeth because she is incredibly quick-witted and does a great job sparring with Darcy, Benson as Mrs. Bennett because she is hilariously overwrought when she insists that Elizabeth marry Mr. Collins and when she faints after learning of Lydia's elopement, Spencer Holl as Darcy because he is arrogant but also displays some vulnerability when he proposes to Elizabeth, and Tom Hohl as Bingley because he is so awkward when he dances with Jane. However, both Megan Heaps, as Caroline Bingley, and Tyler Hanson, as Mr. Collins, steal the show! I loved it every time Caroline tries to get Darcy's attention and I laughed out loud watching Mr. Collins dance at the Netherfield Ball. The set, featuring panels of board and batten walls, arches, and windows that slide on and off stage along with the addition of various Regency furniture pieces, is incredibly effective and I particularly liked how the panels are quickly used to create the different rooms in Pemberley during Elizabeth's tour. I also really liked the staging of scenes involving letters because they include voice-overs as they are written and read while the events described are acted out on stage. The period costumes are gorgeous (I love Empire waists), especially Elizabeth's gown at the Netherfield Ball and Lady Catherine De Bourgh's gown. I enjoyed this production so much and I highly recommend it to fans of the novel. It runs on Fridays and Saturdays through March 9 (go here for tickets).