ON CT & NY THEATRE

By Marlene S. Gaylinn CT Critics Circle / ctcritics.org HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS REVIEW: WHITE CHRISTMAS Westchester Broadway Theatre, Elmsford, NY Without the singing of Irving Berlins White Christmas, an established tradition would be missing from any New England-style Christmas celebration. The original, Academy Award winning song first appeared in the Bing Crosby 1942 film, Holiday Inn. In 1954, another film called White Christmas, featured Danny Kaye. This later film was made into a Broadway musical in 2008, with choreography by Randy Skinner. Its this production that is being revived at Westchester Broadway Theatre (WBT) with the same choreographer. Folks may recall that Skinner won a Tony Award for the choreography of 42nd St. He also directed two productions of it at WBT. White Christmas is set shortly after World War II. Two discharged buddies become a successful song and dance team. The guys decide to follow a couple of singing sisters who are headed for a Christmas engagement at a skilodge in Vermont. It turns out that the lodgeowner is the ex GIs retired, army commander and his business is failing due to lack of snow. The sister act is unexpectedly cancelled which gives the buddies an excuse to spring into action. They devise a scheme to attract vacationers and thereby help their former general. Along the way they manage to romance the two attractive girls. In the meantime guess what it snows! Entertaining us all the way are Sean Montgomery and Jeremy Benton who play the lively army buddies Bob and Phil. Folks may remember Benton as an outstanding tap-dancer December/2013 in WBTs Singin In the Rain. The two performing sisters are Kelly Sheehan and Lindsie Van Winkle. The girls sing and dance their hearts out as Judy and Betty -- especially in the cutesy number called, Sisters. Jamie Ross deserves a salute as General Waverly. Karen Murphy is exceptionally amusing as his outspoken receptionist, and Nicole Kolitsas plays his spunky child, Susan. Some everlasting musical numbers: Happy Holiday, Snow, Count Your Blessings, Blue Skies, I Love a Piano, How Deep is the Ocean, and, Ive Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. With director/choreographer Randy Skinner at the helm, the snappy tap numbers are definitely showstoppers. Broadway has certainly come to Elmsford in this full-scale, dinner theatre show. Thru Jan. 5th - Followed by Titanic Jan. 16 PREVIEWS: FENCES Thru Dec. 22 Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT August Wilsons Fences is directed by Phylicia Rashad, who gained fame in the sitcom The Cosby Show. The story is about the frustrated ambitions of a struggling garbage man who was once a baseball player in the Negro Leagues. ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST Yale Repertory Theatre Thru Dec. 21 By including The Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo, one of the worlds most controversial playwrights of our time, James Bundy of Yale Repertory Theatre in conjunction

with Berkley Repertory Theatre, has produced one of the best comedies of this season. Dario Fo (even the name sounds clownish) received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997. He joined the Italian resistance during WWII and is a political activist. While Fo claims that he has never been a Communist, he criticizes the exploitation of workers and other oppressed groups throughout the world. The man is now 87 yrs. old and still kicking. According to Fo, A theatre, a literature, an artistic expression that does not speak for its own time has no relevance. The playwright also feels that no subject or institution is so sacred or so powerful that it cannot be made fun of. And, like Moliere, a satirist who also troubled clergy and king, Fos works (often compared to Saturday Night Live) became so offensive to the Roman Catholic Church and other powerful entities that they were banned from Italian media outlets for many years. In addition, in a country where freedom of speech is cherished, few Americans are aware that Fo and his wife (an actress) were banned entry to tour the United States in the 1980s to the chagrin of our own famous artists and intellectuals, yet, Yale produced two of his plays that year. It is also ironic that Accidental Death a play that focuses on the ineptitude of government bureaucracy and the influence of political power, is more recognized internationally than it is here. Fos plays are presented in a modernized version of the Medieval, commedia dell art form -- which features stock clowns. Therefore, Accidental Death has its own clowns. We immediately notice that the actors are clowns because all the mens pants are ridiculously short enough to reveal their white socks. Since clowns are stereotypes of various personalities, the central character of this play is called The Maniac. He represents the innocent Fool who tells the truth because he doesnt know any better. This designation dates back to Kings Jesters. Jesters were clowns who could get away with insulting jokes because they were either physically deformed or mentally deficient. The association of genius with insanity comes to mind as well. One could

easily infer that The Maniac in this play might represent its creator, Fo. Accidental Death is based on an actual event in 1969. A suspected anarchist was accused of a bombing a bank in Milan. During his interrogation at the police station, the subject fell four stories to his death. Was it an accident? Was he pushed? Was it a suicide? The investigation of the circumstances were so bungled by police and influenced by political powers that to this day, no one knows exactly what happened. Due to protests and the plays popularity, the case was re-opened and eventually it was suspected that fascist adversaries falsely accused the leftist suspect. In the end, no one was punished. Possibly, it was more convenient to get rid of the suspect than dig at the truth -- remind you of the JFK assassination? The plays setting is the police station where a portrait of the Pope hangs near the office doorway. A known Maniac, magnificently played by rubber-faced, limber-limbed clown, Steven Epp, is brought in. Hes about to be arrested once again for being a public nuisance (Think: shades of political activism?). He deliberately slaps the Popes picture when making his entrance and proceeds to drive the police administrators crazy with other, outlandish antics. When the dizzy official is called away, the Maniac answers the administrators phone and learns that an investigation about the bombing suspects death, may soon take place. A warning is issued to prepare for the inquiring judge. The Maniac is forgotten as everyone in the department scurries about trying to compile excuses for their negligence. Meantime, Maniac/Epp disguises himself as the expected judge. It turns out that the Maniac is a genius at impersonations and enjoys toying with the cops (Think: Fo?). His rapid-fire double talk -- about everything that apparently comes to his mind at once (witty, real life truisms) creates such confusion that the clown/cops (Liam Craig, Allen Gilmore, Eugene Ma, and Jesse Perez) agree to whatever tactics the Maniac slyly hints at, in an attempt to cover up their mistakes. A nifty, no nonsense, newspaper reporter (Molly Bernard) appears on

the scene and becomes entangled in the mess (symbolically handcuffed to the others. Think: The press becomes constrained?). Like the unsolved, real case the audience is given a choice of two endings while the Maniac tinkers with a mechanical moonrise. Luna, or moon is the root of the word lunatic. The play ends as it began, with the cast singing, Our Homeland is the Whole World This 1970s play is deftly directed by Christopher Bayes and was adapted by Gavin Richards from a translation by Gillian Hanna. Since this is a translation and impromptu improvisations are encouraged, its difficult to tell where Fo left off. In any case, its rightly assumed that he would approve of the updated material. Those with quick intake will catch Epps amusing Marlin Brando (I could have been a contender), John Wayne (Hi, pilgrim), Benito Mussolini (speech),The Sound of Music(Excerpts), clever comments about current wars, bank and corporation scandals, the 99% vs. the greedy 1%, troubles downloading health insurance vs. NSAs ease on spying on our personal information etc. etc. etc. Many comedies contain meaningless slapstick. However, if you enjoy funny antics spiced with stimulating satire, presented by an outstanding cast, dont miss this fine production! Plays to Dec. 21 Tickets: 203-432-1234