Sunday, March 17, 2024

National Theatre Live: Vanya

The main focus of my BA in English was British literature but if I were to do it all over again I would definitely study Russian literature because I love it.  I don't know what this says about me but I really relate to the dark themes in the works of Dostoevsky (my favorite author), Tolstoy, Pushkin, and Chekhov.  So I was really excited to have the chance see Vanya, a bold retelling of the play Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov starring Andrew Scott, which was filmed live on stage by National Theatre Live during its sold out run at the Duke of York's Theatre in London.  I saw this screening, presented by the Tanner Humanities Center and the Salt Lake Film Society, yesterday and it is absolutely brilliant.  The original setting has been changed to a potato farm in Ireland, the names have been anglicized, the dialogue has been modernized, and Scott portrays all of the characters with a very minimal set but the impact is just as powerful as the source material.  Alexander, an elderly filmmaker who hasn't had a hit in years, visits the vast estate he inherited from his late wife Anna with his much younger second wife Helena.  Anna's brother Ivan and Anna and Alexander's daughter Sonia have been running the estate for years and are bitter and angry at the disruption.  Ivan is in love with Helena and cannot understand why she is wasting her life with such a worthless old man like Alexander.  Sonia is secretly in love with her father's doctor Michael and calls him repeatedly to see to his aches and pains but he keeps returning because he is also in love with Helena.  These repressed passions and resentments eventually lead to a dramatic confrontation when Alexander announces that he plans to sell the estate.  Sonia reassures Ivan that, even though they have no joy in their lives, they will eventually receive their reward.  Scott brings each of these characters, and several others who provide comic relief, to life with very specific accents, body language, and props and it is absolutely mesmerizing (I loved it whenever Helena would play with her necklace and when Maureen, the housekeeper, would chain smoke).  It is easy to distinguish between the characters, even when they are interacting with each other, and Scott portrays their boredom, frustration, and unhappiness with so much passion.  It is a remarkable performance!  The nearly empty stage is filled with mismatched pieces, such as what one might see during rehearsals, and a large mirror gives the impression of more than one character on the stage.  Scott is dressed simply so as not to detract from his performance and this is very effective.  I was blown away by this production and I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than by seeing a Russian play about the meaninglessness of life!

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Arthur the King

Mark Wahlberg is hit or miss with me but I love dogs so I decided to see Arthur the King last night and, for the second night in a row, I needed tissues for another inspirational true story.  Michael Light (Wahlberg) is an adventure racer desperate for what might be his last chance to win after failing to complete his last race.  He assembles a team for the world championships in the Dominican Republic including Chik (Ali Suliman), who was dropped by his former team after a knee injury, Olivia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who is fighting her own demons, and Leo (Simu Liu), a former teammate stipulated by a sponsor because of his large social media following.  As they begin the grueling race, which consists of trekking through dense vegetation, mountain climbing, biking through treacherous terrain, and kayaking, Michael notices an injured stray dog at a transition station and feeds him.  The dog, who they name Arthur, begins following them and, at a crucial moment, he saves their lives.  Michael bonds with him as he becomes a sort of mascot for the team and this friendship becomes more important than winning.  I really enjoyed this movie because it features exciting action, including an incredibly tense scene involving a zip-line, a compelling character seeking redemption for past failures, and an emotional story about a man and a dog who end up saving each other.  Wahlberg actually does a great job portraying the bond between his character and Arthur and has undeniable chemistry with Ukai (the dog who plays Arthur), especially in a scene where he has to coax Arthur into a crate.  I was very invested in their friendship and I was definitely crying during several emotional moments (I was not the only one).  This is not very deep or groundbreaking but it is a feel-good movie that dog lovers are sure to enjoy!

Friday, March 15, 2024

One Life

Last night I went to see a Thursday preview of One Life, the true story of how an ordinary man did something extraordinary to save hundreds of children on the eve of World War II, and I am glad I brought tissues because I definitely needed them!  In 1988, Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins) is retired and living in Maidenhead, England with his wife Grete (Lena Olin).  She is exasperated by all of the clutter that he has held on to over the years so, while she is out of town, he attempts to organize it and finds a scrapbook from his time helping refugees in Czechoslovakia.  As he thinks about what to do with the scrapbook, the narrative shifts to 1938 when twenty-nine year old Nicholas Winton (Johnny Flynn) visits Czechoslovakia after the Munich Agreement gives Hitler control of the Sudetenland.  He is horrified by the appalling conditions in which many of the refugees, but especially the children, pouring into Prague are forced to live and requests that Doreen Warriner (Romola Garai), the head of the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia, help them but she tells him that she must prioritize the political figures facing arrest.  He decides to evacuate the children himself with the help of his mother Babi (Helena Bonham Carter), herself a former refugee.  Nicholas and his mother overcome tremendous obstacles to acquire visas, raise funds, and find foster homes in England for 669 children, most of whom are Jewish, before the border is closed after the German invasion of Poland.  The narrative then shifts back to 1988 after Winton's scrapbook ends up with the producers of the That's Life! TV show.  He is invited to a taping of the show but is surprised to discover that many of the children he saved are in the audience (I loved that the descendants of the children saved by Winton were used as extras in this scene) and has an emotional reunion with them.  This movie is a very conventional British period piece in terms of execution (luckily I happen to love these) but it is elevated by an incredibly compelling and moving story and by wonderful performances.  I loved learning more about this unlikely hero who acts simply because of a sense of altruism and there are several poignant scenes that had me (and most of the audience) crying, especially one where Winton is finally able to express his feelings after repressing his guilt at not being able to save all of the children for so long and multiple scenes where parents say heart wrenching goodbyes to the children they will most likely never see again as they board the trains to England.  I also really liked a scene where the young Winton gives his reasons why a rabbi should trust him with a list of children's names.  Hopkins is brilliant, particularly in the silences, but I really love the way in which Flynn, in one of his best performances, adopts all of his mannerisms and the two of them really do seem like an older and younger version of the same person.  Bonham Carter is also a standout, especially when Babi imperiously tells a bureaucrat to sit down and listen to her and, even though Doreen is not a very well-developed character, Garai portrays her frustration in a very visceral way.  The message that one man can make a difference in the world is a powerful one and I highly recommend this inspiring movie (just bring lots of tissues).

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Utah Opera's The Marriage of Figaro

I generally prefer the tragic operas where everyone dies at the end but there are a few comedic ones that I really love and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is definitely one of them!  I had the chance to see Utah Opera's current production of this hilarious tale about a licentious nobleman and his scheming servants last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  Figaro (Adam Lau) and Susanna (Madison Leonard) are soon to be married but she is concerned because their employer, Count Almaviva (Michael Adams), wants to revive the feudal custom of bedding a servant on her wedding night.  The two of them devise a plan to get back at the Count by making him jealous of a fake dalliance between the love-sick page boy Cherubino (Mary Beth Nelson) and the Countess (Katherine Whyte).  Chaos ensues when the characters continue to plot and scheme, impersonate each other, and hide (often in plain sight!) in order to eavesdrop on conversations until there is a powerful and emotional moment of love and reconciliation at the end.  This opera features a lot of physical comedy, which had the audience laughing out loud, and I especially loved all of the over the top choreography as Cherubino tries to evade almost every character (a scene where he tries to hide in a chair is so funny).  The four leads are outstanding and, while this opera is definitely a farce filled with many recitatives, it does feature some lovely arias such as "Grant, love, some comfort" and "Where are they, the beautiful moments" sung very poignantly by Whyte and an emotional rendition of "Countess, forgive me" by Adams (a nice contrast to his caddish portrayal in earlier acts).  I also really enjoyed Lau's amusing version of "If you want to dance, Sir Count" as he vows to outwit Almaviva as well as the hilarious duet "After you, brilliant madam" between Leonard and Nina Yoshida Nelsen (as Marcelina, the Count's housekeeper who has designs on Figaro).  The costumes have a Downton Abbey feel to them (which makes sense for a libretto about class divisions in society) and the simple set featuring mirrored panels that rotate is very effective (although it was sometimes distracting when the stage lights are caught in the reflection).  Former Utah Symphony Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington is making his Utah Opera debut with this production and his light touch with the orchestra is perfect for Mozart's instantly recognizable music.  Even though this opera is over three hours long, it is a lot of fun to watch so the time flies by and I think it is one that most audiences will enjoy.  There are two more performances and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Jazz vs. Celtics

It is always a lot of fun going to Utah Jazz games with my friend Angela even when it is not a very good game!  Last night the Jazz played the Boston Celtics and I think there were more Celtics fans at the Delta Center than Jazz fans (it definitely sounded like it).  The Jazz were without their leading scorer Lauri Markannen but they started the first quarter strong.  Then they relinquished their early lead at the 9:00 minute mark and never gained it back for the rest of the game.  They ended the first half down 72-57 but they rallied in the third quarter (and I started paying attention again) with some pretty three-pointers from Sexton, Collins, and Samanic.  Clarkson got them within two (and got the crowd back in the game) after trailing by double digits for most of the game and they ended the third quarter 98-91.  Then the Jazz had a disastrous fourth quarter and let the Celtics go on a 20-0 run which got the Celtics fans in the crowd (at least the ones around us) up and screaming at the top of their lungs.  It is pretty embarrassing when your team doesn't even score a basket for most of the fourth quarter!  George, who ended the night with 26 points, and Clarkson, who had 21, did what they could with a few nice jump shots in the final minutes but the Jazz had no answer for Jayson Tatum, who scored 38 points, and Derrick White, who scored 24.  They ended up losing 123-107 but I still enjoyed the game because it gave me a chance to catch up with Angela!
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