The Black Phone

Horror movies are a hard sell for me but I was really intrigued by the trailer for The Black Phone so I decided to see it last night.  Despite a few decent jump scares and an unhinged performance from Ethan Hawke, this is not really a horror movie (as the marketing campaign implies) but more of a psychological thriller and I really enjoyed that aspect.  A serial killer known as The Grabber (Hawke) is responsible for the disappearance of five teenage boys in a suburb of Denver.  His next victim is Finney (Mason Thames), a shy thirteen year old who is often bullied at school and terrorized by his alcoholic father (Jeremy Davies).  After being kidnapped, he wakes up in a soundproof basement with an old fashioned  phone that suddenly begins ringing despite being disconnected.  All of the former victims of The Grabber begin communicating with Finney through the phone to help him escape their fate.  Meanwhile, Finney's sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has had unsettling dreams about all of the crimes and, when her brother is kidnapped, she also receives clues from the victims which she uses to help the police with their investigation.  All of the elaborate instructions given to him do not seem to work at first until, in a brilliant final act, Finney finally learns to stand up for himself.  I really loved the message about self-empowerment (it was much more emotionally satisfying than I was expecting) which is why the subplot involving Gwen's dreams didn't really work for me (I wonder if her character was expanded from the short story by Joe Hill for the movie).  Because Gwen rescues him from a bully in the first act, I think his character arc would have been a lot stronger if Finney had not had to rely on her once again to lead the police to him.  The sepia toned cinematography adds much to the sinister atmosphere and the 1970s period details are nostalgic in an unnerving sort of way.  Hawke, who wears a creepy mask most of the time, is absolutely terrifying because he creates volatile shifts in tone by using just his body language and voice.  Thames does a great job conveying so many different emotions as he discovers his inner strength and McGraw shines, especially in an incredibly powerful scene, even if her character feels superfluous to the story being told.  While this isn't as scary as expected, it is compelling and I would recommend it.

The Drowsy Chaperone at HCTO

Last night I saw another production of The Drowsy Chaperone (go here for my review of the Empress Theatre's production) at HCTO.  This show has become one of my favorites because, as a fan of musical theatre, I love the message about its power to transport you away from the real world and all of your problems to a place where happy endings are possible for a few hours.  Man in Chair (Daniel Fenton Anderson) is feeling a bit blue so he decides to listen to his cast recording of The Drowsy Chaperone, a popular musical from 1928 which features mix-ups, mayhem, and a gay wedding (which, he explains, had a different meaning back then).  As he listens to the record, the actors appear in his apartment and bring the show to life with frequent pauses, during which the actors freeze, for his wry commentaries on the musical theatre tropes found therein.  Mrs. Tottendale (Liz Whittaker) and her Underling (Dayne Joyner) are hosting the wedding of wealthy oil tycoon Robert Martin (Preston Taylor) and Broadway star Janet Van De Graff (Brittany Sanders) who is giving up her glamorous career to marry a man she barely knows.  Robert is leaving the wedding details to George (Josh Valdez), his best friend and best man, while Janet's Chaperone (Amelia Rose Moore), who gets drowsy when she drinks champagne, is charged with keeping the couple apart to prevent bad luck.  Broadway producer Feldzieg (Benjamin J. Henderson) is unhappy about losing his biggest star and sets out to stop the wedding by convincing a Latin lover named Aldolpho (Jacob Thomason) to seduce the bride.  An investor in the Feldzieg Follies is also worried about losing its biggest star and hires two gangsters (Preston Harmon and Ethan Freestone), disguised as pastry chefs, to stop the wedding but a ditzy chorus girl named Kitty (Amanda Baugh) is hoping to take Janet's place.  Mayhem ensues but a happy ending comes when Trix the Aviatrix (Aria Love Jackson) marries four couples on her plane while flying to Rio.  Man in Chair puts the wrong record on at the beginning of Act 2, because the woman who cleans for him puts his records back in the wrong sleeve, and the cast, as completely different characters, perform "Message From a Nightingale" from a different musical until he realizes his mistake.  This production is extremely well done and I laughed and laughed through the whole thing.  The cast is incredibly strong but my favorites were Moore and Thomason because they are completely over the top in "As We Stumble Along" and "Aldolpho," respectively.  I also really enjoyed Anderson because he interacts with the cast more than I have ever seen before and I especially loved it when he does a soft shoe routine along with the tap dancing Taylor and Valdez during "Cold Feets" and when he steadies the blindfolded and rollerskating Taylor during "Accident Waiting to Happen."  The choreography is fantastic (I am always so impressed with how effectively the small space is utilized at HCTO) and I particularly enjoyed "Show Off" (the quick wardrobe changes are a lot of fun), "Toledo Surprise" (I loved it when the record gets a scratch and the cast performs the same steps over and over), and "Bride's Lament" (the monkeys!).  The 1920s costumes are fabulous (I especially loved all of the feathers used on the Chaperone's costumes) and the set of Man in Chair's apartment is very effective because the cast enters through a large armoire.  This show makes me so happy (for a few hours, at least) and I loved what HCTO did with it!  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Singin' in the Rain at HCT

I have been looking forward to HCT's production of Singin' in the Rain ever since the 2022 season was announced because I just knew it would be amazing. I had the chance to see it last night and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations because I had a smile on my face from beginning to end! Don Lockwood (David Paul Smith) is a silent film star in the 1920s along with his bubble-headed partner Lina Lamont (Erin Carlson). When the studio decides to transition to "talkies," Lina's obnoxious voice and terrible acting threatens to ruin the picture. Don decides to dub Lina's voice with that of Kathy Seldon (Debra Weed Hahn), an aspiring actress with whom he has fallen in love, and chaos ensues when Lina finds out! This production is very much informed by the wonderful 1952 movie of the same name and all of the big song and dance numbers are just as spectacular. I really enjoyed the choreography in "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Mornin'," and "Broadway Melody" because they feature fantastic tapping (which always impresses me) and the use of set pieces and props which are integrated into the dancing. However, I was especially enchanted by "You Were Meant for Me" because it takes place on an empty soundstage with a lot of different lighting effects and other special effects. I think I gasped out loud at an effect featuring Kathy and a backdrop of shooting stars. It is simply magical! The highlight of the show is definitely the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because Don dances around the lamppost as rain actually falls around him! It was absolutely thrilling to watch this sequence, especially since I was sitting on the first row in the splash zone! The young girl sitting next to me squealed with excitement every time we were splashed and I think this caused Smith to be a bit more exuberant whenever he was kicking puddles in our section! The set is quite simple with elements brought in from the wings and coming down from the rafters but I was impressed by the attention to detail. The marquees above each entrance to the theater feature the logo for Monumental Pictures, the stage is outlined with plexiglass in the shape of a filmstrip, and the LED screens look like the red velvet curtains you would find in Art Deco movie theaters. Large screens come down from the rafters to show the movie Don and Lina are filming and I loved it whenever we would see Lina's version and then the version dubbed with Kathy's voice because the sound design is quite impressive in these scenes. The 1920s costumes are dazzling with flapper dresses and headdresses that feature more sequins than you can count! Hahn and Smith are great singers and dancers and have a lot of chemistry, especially when they are fighting, and Carlson (who is one of my favorite actresses at HCT) is an absolute hoot, but Alex King, as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown, steals the show with his comedic timing and physicality! I loved everything about this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) but you need to act quickly because many shows are already sold out (with good reason).

Note:  Even the bows are entertaining because the entire cast returns to the stage wearing rain coats, hats, and boots while the rain falls once again!

Matilda at Murray Park Amphitheater

For the second time in less than a week I was in the audience for a musical adaptation of one of Roald Dahl's beloved children's books last night!  This time it was Matilda at the Murray Park Amphitheater.  When I saw the Broadway touring production of this show I didn't especially like it but, now that I have seen it a few times, it is starting to grow on me and I enjoyed this production very much!  Matilda Wormwood (Maevah Hiatt) is a precocious five year old with a penchant for reading, telling stories, and being just a little bit naughty.  She is ignored by her mother (Alina Mower), an amateur Latin ballroom dancer, and father (Adam Wilkins), an unscrupulous used car salesman, and is terrorized by Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Brinton Wilkins), the former Olympic champion in hammer throwing who is now the headmistress of her school.  With the help of a sympathetic teacher named Miss Honey (Hailee Christensen) and a story about an Escapologist (Mark Williams) and an Acrobat (Sylia Seitz), Matilda triumphs over the neglectful adults in her life!  One of the elements that I always enjoy in this show is the use of typography and I liked the innovative way that large alphabet blocks are used in multiple scenes, particularly in the number "School Song."  I was also impressed by how projections are used as an interactive chalk board.  My favorite song in this show is "When I Grow Up" and I loved the choreography involving all of the kids on swings (I always get a tear in my eye during this song because it is so poignant).  I also enjoyed the choreography in "The Smell of Rebellion" (the tumbling got a lot of applause) and "Revolting Children."  Other crowd favorites were "Loud," because Mrs. Wormwood and her dance partner Rudolpho (Eric Lash) are completely over the top, and "Chokey Chant," because there is a fun effect involving a child being thrown into the chokey.  Hiatt is absolutely adorable as Matilda and I enjoyed her renditions of "Naughty" and "Quiet."  Christensen has a lovely voice as Miss Honey and her scenes with Hiatt are so endearing.  All of the kids in the ensemble do a wonderful job but I especially liked Gwenyth Nielsen as Lavender and Zander Weir as Bruce because their antics are so much fun to watch.  Miss Trunchbull often steals the show and Wilkins was definitely the highlight of this production for me!  I laughed out loud during "The Hammer" and "The Smell of Rebellion" because of his facial expressions and gestures.  This show is a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed myself because last night was perfect for an outdoor performance (it was cool but not too cold).  I highly recommend bringing the whole family to one of the two remaining productions (go here for tickets).

Brian and Charles

Another favorite from Sundance that is now playing at the Broadway is Brian and Charles and it was the second film in my double feature last night.  This is a mockumentary about Brian (David Earl), a lonely and eccentric handyman in a small village in Wales, who has a penchant for inventing unusual items which sometimes work but mostly do not.  One day he finds a head from a mannequin in a pile of rubbish on the side of the road and decides to make a robot by attaching it to an old washing machine and using other sundry parts found in his cowshed.  The resulting robot, named Charles Petrescu (Chris Hayward), comes to life during a thunderstorm and he and Brian become the best of friends.  Trouble arises when Charles wants to explore (he is especially keen to see Honolulu after watching a travel program on the telly) but Brian wants him to stay at home to keep him safe from the harsh world.  Charles ultimately plays matchmaker between Brian and a lonely woman (Louise Brealey) who lives with her mother, helps Brian find the courage to stand up to a bully (Jamie Michie) who has been terrorizing the village, and convinces Brian to let him live his dream of traveling the world.  This might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love British humor and I think it is hilarious.  It reminds me of all of the old British comedies that I used to watch on PBS when I was a teenager and I laughed out loud through the whole thing.  I am so glad that I decided to see this on the big screen (Sundance was completely virtual this year) because it was definitely a lot more fun watching it with a crowd that was laughing as much as I was!  It is as heartwarming as it is funny and I highly recommend it!

Note:  Stay through the credits to hear Charles Petrescu rapping!