SITE GUIDE
SEARCH
REVIEWS
REVIEW ARCHIVES
ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP
FEATURES
NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings
LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway
NYC Restaurants
BOOKS and CDs
OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Elsewhere
QUOTES
TKTS
PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FILM
LINKS
MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Something Intangible
By Marge Murray
|
Why don't you ever tell the truth?— Dale Because my version is better.—tony |
Ian Merrill Peakes and Walter Charles
|
Despite the overworked device of revealing problems to a psychoanalys Bruce Graham's Tinseltown in the forties story is funny, entertaining and at times moving. The struggle between two brothers is told with nimble dialogue, a great deal of physicality, and enough name dropping (Greta Garbo to Rin Tin Tin and everyone in between) to satisfy even Walter Winchell in his heyday. Tony (Ian Merrill Peakes), the Walt Disney inspired character is a morally ambiguous genius. Brother Dale (Scott Greer) is a family-oriented dollars-and-sense accountant, the Roy of the duo who holds it all together. This balancing act, of volatile genius versus responsible manager is energetically directed by Terrence J. Nolen.
While Disney provides the narrative force, Something Intangible is actually about creating art, something hard to define on stage and that has been done better by others in both movies and theater. Still, Graham obviously knows his Hollywood and has created many high spots and much sparkling dialogue. Director Nolen teases the nuances of the play's characters, and the actors play off each other beautifully — one staid and somber, always in a business suit even on a Sunday; the other impetuous, and flamboyant, the contrast between visionary. James Kronze's realistic set helps to evoke the ambiance of old-world Hollywood. Mitch Dana artful lights the moves between Tony's office (which he virtually lives in) and that of the psychoanalyst to whom Dale tries to explain his brother to himself if not to her. The role of Sally Mercer, the psychoanalyst, is the weakest in the play, both structurally and as a character. Dr. Feld dman is almost tangential to the plot.
Th how one makes art theme is illustrated best at one point when Dale asks Tony why he makes things up, even recreating his problematic relationship with the brothers' father as more meaningful than it was. Tony tells him that he does it because he wants a better story — and therein we have the play's raison d'ëtre: how people recreate themselves.
Scott Greer portrays Dale with compassion, never giving up on trying to explain his brother's bossy ways and his many hates which include an aversion to" pansies, " Jews and anyone, not like him. (He even hates his most famous creation, Petey Pup). It falls to Ian Merrill Peakes' to give an animated performances and the unsympathetic but driven Tony. That drive focuses on his determination to create a feature-length animated film set to classical music, which he believes will establish his lasting legacy as more than a cartoonist it's left to Dale to figure out how to bring his dreams to fruition.
The very versatile Walter Charles, who breathes real theater into the play whenever he is on stage, plays both the flamboyant Gustav Von Meyerhoff, the great maestro, being used to orchestrate the new musical, and the banker who doles out the money. He almost steals the show from the two brothers. Dough Hara plays Leo Baxter, the man who ultimately brings Disney's ambitious work to life./
Despite its disappointing flaws, Something Intangible entertainingly brings home issues that people struggle with: how can I create a more richly textured life? And delves into family dynamics while asking the question, what does it mean to be creative— as both an artist and a person?
|
Something Intangible Play by Bruce Graham Directed by Terrence J. Nolen Cast (alphabetical order):Scott Greer (Dale Wiston); Sally Mercer (Sonia Feldman); Ian Merrill Peakes (Tony Wiston); Walter Charles (Doc Bartelli/Gustav Von Meyerhoff); Doug Hara (Leo Baxter) Set Design: James Kronzer Costume Design: Rosemarie McKelvey Lighting designer: Mitch Dana Sound Designer: Jorge Cousineau Stage Manager: Stephanie Cook Assistant Director: Matt Rosenbaum Dramaturg: Michele Volansky Running time: 2 hours, with one intermission. Arden Theatre Company, Arcadia Stage, 40 N. Second Street, Old City, Philadelphia 215-922-1122 or www.ardentheatre.org April 9 through June 7. Tickets: $29-$48 Reviewed by Marge Murray based on April 23 performance. |
|
REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V): Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review. You can also contact us at Curtainup at Facebook or Curtainup at Twitter |
Try onlineseats.com for great seats to
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide