Touch

I already had a ticket for Touch at the Broadway last night but, when a friend highly recommended it to me, I was even more excited to see it.  I absolutely loved this tender ode to love, loss, and memory.  Kristofer (Palmi Kormakur) is a student from Iceland at the London School of Economics.  When he becomes disillusioned with his studies he impulsively takes a job as a dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant when he sees the proprietor's daughter Miko (Koki).  He immerses himself in the culture and language of Japan and eventually falls in love with Miko.  Takahashi (Masahiro Motoki) holds Kristofer in high regard and even teaches him to cook traditional Japanese dishes but he disapproves of his relationship with his daughter and separates them.  Fifty years later, Kristofer (Egill Olafsson) is a widower who runs a restaurant in Iceland.  After he receives some news he travels to London, then Tokyo, then Hiroshima to find Miko (Yoko Narahashi).  On the surface this is about a man searching for his lost love with a timeline that alternates between 1969, when he and Miko fall in love, and 2020, when they are reunited.  However, as it progresses, more and more layers are uncovered to reveal a story that is even more captivating and poignant than I was expecting.  I loved the character of Kristofer, in both timelines, because he is such a kind, gentle, and understanding soul and both Kormakur and Olafsson portray him so beautifully (the actors do not necessarily look alike but they have such similar characteristics and mannerisms that you just accept that they are the same person).  I also loved the warm glow of the cinematography in 1969 juxtaposed with the cool tones used in 2020 because memories are often idealized and I enjoyed all of the scenes involving the preparation of food, particularly the meal that Kristofer prepares for Miko.  This is beautiful and meditative (my favorite kind of movie) and I highly recommend it.

Longlegs

I was so excited to see Longlegs at the Broadway last night after all of the hype surrounding its release and the huge crowd only increased my anticipation (I don't think there was an empty seat in the theater).  Unfortunately, I think I would have liked this more if I hadn't had such impossibly high expectations.  FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is assigned by her superior (Blair Underwood) to a cold case involving a serial killer known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage) after she is shown to possess a heightened sense of intuition on another case.  Over the course of several decades a series of men have suddenly snapped and killed their families before killing themselves and every crime scene features a Satanic message in code from Longlegs even though there is no evidence that anyone else was there.  As Harker investigates, she discovers that there is a connection between the daughters in each family and that she also shares this connection and may have interacted with Longlegs as a child.  There is a very palpable sense of dread that is enhanced by unnerving sound design, atmospheric lighting, and a brilliant performance from Monroe (I was genuinely afraid for her character on multiple occasions because of her ability to portray the terror Harker is experiencing).  Cage is also very committed but I found his performance to be more disturbing than scary and his bloated and clown-like appearance (with some wild prosthetics) is, in my opinion, at odds with the Satanic character he is portraying so it is hard to take that threat seriously.  My biggest disappointment, however, is that the unbearable tension so painstakingly crafted in the first two acts is undone as the mystery is revealed.  It is such a letdown after what was incipiently promised.  Director Osgood Perkins definitely delivers on the style but not the substance and I was expecting both after all of the buildup.

Hootie & The Blowfish at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

I have been a huge fan of Hootie & The Blowfish ever since their debut album Cracked Rear View was released because I love Darius Rucker's voice.  The first time I saw them in concert I was with both of my sisters and what I remember most is that Rucker kept breaking his guitar strings and a tech would bring him a new guitar every time it happened (even in the middle of songs).  I got to see them again last night at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre with one of my sisters and I am happy to report that Rucker didn't break any guitar strings!  They began the show with my very favorite song by the band, "I Go Blind," and then proceeded to play all of their hits.  I especially loved "Time," "Let Her Cry," "Hold My Hand," and "Old Man & Me" (which was a cool mashup with "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Big Poppa").  They did a really cool acoustic set featuring "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?/ Desert Mountain Showdown" and a cover of "I Hope I Don't Fall in Love With You" by Tom Waits.  These songs had a bluegrass sound that I really liked and I especially enjoyed the mandolin.  They performed quite a few covers and my favorite was "Hey, Hey What Can I Do" by Led Zeppelin (I've heard this live before and it is so good).  Other covers included "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots (I loved this), "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M., and a rousing rendition of "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show.  They brought Edwin McCain, who opened for them, back to the stage to perform McCain's song "Solitude" with them (I didn't recognize McCain's name when the tour was announced but I knew all of the songs in his set, especially "I Could Not Ask for More" and "I'll Be").  I also really enjoyed their performance of "Alright" which is one of Rucker's songs from his country solo career.  The night ended with an epic performance of "Only Wanna Be With You" and I was honestly sad for this concert to end because I enjoyed it so much.  I was so happy to be with my sister because she loves the band as much as I do and we sang all of our favorites!  We kept talking about how good Rucker's voice sounded (we think he might be getting better with age) and how tight all of the musicians were.  It was incredibly hot but it cooled down once Hootie took the stage so it was a perfect summer night listening to music that I love!

Note:  The other opening act was Collective Soul.  Other than a stirring rendition of "The World I Know," I was a bit underwhelmed with their set (especially when they played "Shine" twice in a row).  I really wanted to hear "Tremble for My Beloved."

Schubert's Symphony No. 6 at St. Mary's Church

Last night I drove up to Park City for a Utah Symphony concert at St. Mary's Church as part of the Deer Valley Music Festival.  St. Mary's is such a cool venue for a concert because it is a beautiful church with a large wall of windows through which you can see amazing views of mountains and pine trees and I look forward to seeing at least one concert here every summer.  Last night's concert began with Symphony No. 61 by Franz Joseph Haydn and it was really fun.  Guest conductor Chelsea Gallo talked about all of the humorous elements and throughout the piece she turned to the audience to let us know when to laugh (she was very charming).  I especially loved the whimsical themes played by the oboe, bassoon, and flute in the second movement.  Next came Romance No. 1 for Violin by Ludwig van Beethoven with Associate Concertmaster Kathryn Eberle as soloist.  Not much is known about why Beethoven wrote this shorter piece (along with Romance No. 2) but it is very beautiful and I loved the themes played by the violin (an exquisite performance by Eberle) which were then echoed by the orchestra.  Eberle joined the orchestra once again as soloist for Havanaise by Camille Saint-Saens.  This is based on a dance that originated in Cuba in the mid-nineteenth century and then became popular in Spain.  It has a distinctive repeating rhythm that begins with the cellos and is heard throughout.  The solo violin is quiet and reflective at times and then has some fiery virtuoso passages (featuring another brilliant performance by Eberle) and I loved it!  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 6 by Franz Schubert.  This piece was written when Schubert was only twenty years old but it wasn't performed until after his death.  I really enjoyed it, especially the melody played by the clarinet and the bassoon and then the response from the oboe and flute in the first movement.  It was a lovely evening listening to the Utah Symphony in a beautiful setting and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the remaining concerts at St. Mary's Church (or one of the concerts at Deer Valley).  Go here for tickets and information.

Crazy for You at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

When the summer shows at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre were announced, I was most excited for Crazy for You because it is so fun with lots of fantastic singing and dancing. I had a wonderful time watching this delightful production under the stars last night. Bobby Child (Cam Bronson) wants to be a dancer in the Zangler Follies but his fiance Irene Roth (Lauren Billings) is eager to get married after waiting five years and his mother Lottie (Tina Fontana) wants him to work at the family bank. He is sent by the bank to Deadrock, Nevada to foreclose on a theatre owned by Everett Baker (Quin Swallow) but he falls in love with Everett's daughter Polly (Aubrey Jackson) and decides to save the theatre instead. Polly doesn't want anything to do with him so he impersonates Bela Zangler and brings his friends from the Zangler Follies to Deadrock for a show to raise the money to pay the mortgage. Chaos ensues when both Irene and the real Bela Zangler (Evan Meigs) come to town! The plot is a bit thin but it matters not because the best part of this show is all of the classic songs by George and Ira Gershwin, including "Shall We Dance," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Embraceable You," "I Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "But Not For Me." The choreography is spectacular and I especially enjoyed watching the dancing from the talented and enthusiastic ensemble in "I Can't Be Bothered Now," "Slap That Bass" (the use of rope as lassos and strings on a bass is so fun), "Stiff Upper Lip," and "Nice Work If You Can Get It." I also loved all of the physical comedy in "What Causes That" (the kids sitting around me laughed out loud through the whole number). Jackson has a lovely voice and her versions of "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Embraceable You," and "But Not For Me" are incredibly poignant and show a vulnerable side to the indomitable Polly. Bronson is very charismatic and has some impressive tap dancing skills (I love to see tap dancing in a show which is why I was so excited to see this). Another standout from the cast is Billings. She only has one big number, "Naughty Baby," but she makes it count by vamping it up in a thrilling performance. This set might be my favorite that I've seen at the SCERA Shell! Very detailed set pieces rotate to become the Zangler Follies Theatre, the buildings on Main Street in Deadrock, and backstage at the Gaiety Theatre in Deadrock and the backdrops, featuring the New York skyline and the red rocks of the desert, are visually stunning. All of the period costumes are great but I really liked the glitzy showgirl costumes and the colorful cowboy shirts. I highly recommend getting a ticket to this entertaining song and dance extravaganza during its run at the SCERA Shell (go here) because it is the perfect way to spend a summer evening (especially if you are an old-school musical theatre fan). Who could ask for anything more?