Out of Darkness

I was very intrigued when I saw a trailer for Out of Darkness so I decided to see it last night.  I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story of survival set 45,000 years in the past.  A group of prehistoric humans, including the leader Adem (Chuku Modu), his mate Ave (Iola Evans), his son Heron (Luna Mwezi), his younger brother Geirr (Kit Young), a wise elder named Odal (Arno Luening), and a "spare" named Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green), leave their home and tribe to escape a famine and travel across the sea to a new land.  However, the landscape is barren and inhospitable so they become weaker and weaker from lack of food and shelter, especially Ave who is pregnant.  They begin to suspect that there is something demonic stalking them in the darkness and their fears are confirmed when Heron is taken in the middle of the night.  Soon everyone is in danger from the mysterious threat but the greatest danger comes from their growing distrust of each other.  The dialogue is in the completely invented language of Tola, which is really cool and adds to the authenticity, and the characters, based on archetypes, are very compelling with committed performances from the relatively unknown cast.  The action, once it gets going, is tense with some incredibly unnerving moments enhanced by immersive cinematography, eerie lighting, menacing sound design (the sound of footsteps during a particularly fraught moment is almost unbearable), and a pulse-pounding score.  I was genuinely scared several times but it was more for what I didn't see than for what I did so, once the monster is revealed, it is a bit anticlimactic even if the message about the origin of hatred for others who are different is powerful and thought-provoking.  I would highly recommend this atmoshpheric thriller, especially on the big screen.

Casablanca in Concert

Getting to see Casablanca on the big screen is always very special (it is one of my favorite movies of all time) but, when you add the score by Max Steiner played live by the Utah Symphony, it is an epic experience!  This film in concert happened at Abravanel Hall last night and I loved it!  Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is a hard-drinking club owner in Casablanca who sticks his neck out for nobody even though the city is filled with desperate refugees looking for exit visas to escape the Nazis during World War II.  He successfully navigates the world of black marketeers, corrupt officials, and German officers until Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) walks into his club with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a hero of the resistance who is in need of safe passage.  Ilsa was once Rick's lover in Paris but she abandoned him without explanation and, even though he has letters of transit that will ensure their safety, he is bitter and refuses to help.  Ilsa eventually confides to Rick that she still loves him but she also admires and respects Victor and will do anything to ensure that his work with the resistance continues, even sacrifice her own happiness, but will Rick sacrifice his happiness to save them?  When an orchestra plays the score live it is such an immersive experience and it really brings the action to life.  I particularly enjoyed the dramatic use of percussion during the opening scene displaying a map of Africa, the poignant use of strings whenever the plight of the refugees is described, and the menacing use of the brass when the Nazis occupy Paris.  I also loved how elements from the song "As Time Goes By" by Herman Hupfeld are incorporated as a leitmotif for Rick and Ilsa's doomed relationship and how elements from the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise" (which is sung during my favorite moment in the movie to drown out the singing of a German drinking song), are used as another leitmotif for all of the political intrigue.  This didn't have the same audience participation as some of the other films in this series but it was so much fun!  The final film for the 2023-2024 season is How to Train Your Dragon (go here for tickets).

National Theatre: Romeo and Juliet

I am not a big fan of Romeo and Juliet but I couldn't resist seeing Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley on stage in the title roles as part of National Theatre Live.  It is a completely reimagined version of Shakespeare's tale of woe about Juliet and her Romeo and, to my surprise, I absolutely loved it.  Unlike other performances presented by National Theatre Live, this was filmed in an empty theatre during the pandemic which allowed the action to take place on the stage and in other areas backstage (my favorite was the use of the loading dock in the scene where Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio sneak into the Capulet's ball and the scene when Romeo leaves Verona when he is banished).  Minimal props are used, the action begins and ends as if it is a rehearsal, and the resulting film is more cinematic than theatrical with very dynamic camera work, dramatic lighting, and editing which allows for scenes that foreshadow the tragic ending to be interspersed throughout.  The setting is modern day, which I usually do not like, but I loved the use of electronic music during the Capulet's ball and I really loved the modern take on Lady Capulet (she pushes for the marriage to Paris and speaks many of Lord Capulet's lines from the original text).  The chance to see O'Connor and Buckley was my motivation for getting a ticket and they certainly didn't disappoint because I was captivated by their performances.  Buckley's Juliet is strong and rebellious and her soliloquy before she drinks the poison gave me goosebumps (this scene is staged brilliantly with every character seated around her as ghosts).  I also loved her interaction with Lady Capulet (Tamsin Greig) when she learns she must marry Paris because it is really intense.  O'Connor's portrayal of Romeo is one of the best I've seen (I think Romeo is a very problematic character) because he is passionate rather than petulant.  This is especially evident in the fight with Tybalt (David Judge), because it is deliberate (and a bit shocking) rather than impulsive, and in the scene with Friar Lawrence (Lucien Msamati) after he is banished, because he is resigned rather than hysterical.  He has tremendous chemistry with Buckley and the night they spend together is quite steamy!  Greig is also outstanding as Lady Capulet because her portrayal is very cold and calculating and I also really liked Fisayo Akinade's interpretation of Mercutio because it is a very bold choice.  I am glad that I decided to see this because it is so good.  If you have the opportunity to see it on the big screen I would highly recommend doing so but I believe it will be available on PBS on April 23.

Ballet West's Swan Lake

Last night I was thrilled to be able to attend opening night for Ballet West's production of Swan Lake.  It is my favorite ballet and the performance definitely did not disappoint because it is beautiful!  Prince Siegfried (Adrian Fry) goes into the woods to hunt but, when he aims his bow at a swan, it becomes a beautiful woman named Odette (Emily Adams).  She explains that she is a swan by day and a woman at night because she is under the spell of an evil sorcerer, the Baron von Rothbardt (Tyler Gum).  Only true love can break the spell but, as the sun comes up, Odette reverts back to a swan and Siegfried returns home to celebrate his birthday with a grand ball.  Many princesses vie for his attention because he must marry to inherit the throne but he ignores them all, thinking only of Odette.  Suddenly, Rothbardt enters the ballroom with his daughter Odile (Emily Adams), who looks exactly like Odette.  Thinking that she is Odette, Siegfried declares his love to Odile.  When Rothbardt reveals his treachery, Siegfried rushes to Odette to beg forgiveness which she grants.  They eventually find a way to defeat Rothbardt which ends the spell very dramatically.  Tchaikovsky's score is magnificent and there are moments when the music is so heart-wrenching that it brings tears to my eyes (the themes played by the harp and solo violin are a highlight).  The choreography is beautiful, especially the pas de deux between Siegfried and Odette because it is filled with so much longing as they fall in love (I especially loved it when Odette leans back into Siegfried's arms).  Fry and Adams dance with an emotion that is palpable and I was particularly impressed with Adams (I always want to see Katlyn Addison in the lead role but Adams is becoming a favorite) because she is demure as Odette and provocative as Odile and I loved all of the swan-like mannerisms that she incorporates into her performance.  I also loved the performances of the Swan Maidens, because they are incredibly synchronized with elaborate formations (I always get goosebumps when they emerge from the fog because it is so magical), and the Hungarian dancers at Siegfried's ball, because they are so athletic.  The costumes are gorgeous (Rothbardt's iridescent cape), the sets are spectacular (the chandeliers in the ballroom), and the special effects are are dramatic (Rothbardt's disappearance).  I loved everything about this production and, judging from the thunderous applause, so did the capacity crowd at Capitol Theatre!  I highly recommend getting a ticket to one the nine remaining performances (go here).

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.