As You Like It (or Not)

Last Wednesday I saw the Shakespeare Theatre Company production of As You Like It. I didn’t. The acting is good, the writing is Shakespeare, and the sets are appealing. The problem is with the director’s “madcap” concept.

The play starts with a clever and well-executed live recreation of a silent movie clip, setting the scene for the beginning of the action. The scene then shifts to a conventional theater stage, with décor and costumes implying puritan England. Things work well like this until the main characters all flee tyranny and end up in the forest of Arden, which has somehow been relocated to the East Coast of North America. The same stage magic that merged two continents also transformed time, placing the continuing action just prior to the American Revolution.

That transition was jarring and a little disorienting. But the tie in with a search for freedom made it somewhat palatable. Unfortunately it didn’t stop there. Suddenly years and sets began to change at a dizzying pace. The play skipped merrily through almost 200 years in two hours which seemed like an eternity.

But wait, there’s more: the movie theme resurfaced. With each scene change various camera crews, gaffers, etc., swarmed the stage, then faded into the wings.

I kept waiting for the director to tie it all together, but when the spectacle was over, I was merely confused and disappointed.

NOTE: Today's review was written by the man in the good seats, Eric H.

Holiday Films for Atypical Tastes

Film companies usually release their best films (or the films they consider most likely to get award nominations) during this time of the year, so it's surprising that there are relatively few really good movies playing right now. Still, if you're looking for a night out, I've recently seen three films (all playing in town) that I can recommend: Up in the Air, The Road, and Red Cliff. But be warned, none of these are traditional holiday feel good fare.

Up in the Air, the new film by Jason Reitman, director of Juno and Thank You for Smoking, is the best of the bunch with George Clooney playing Ryan Bingham, a professional corporate downsizer who's hired by companies to fire their employees. While this idea has the potential to be a first rate downer or a tear-jerker, it is neither. It's a funny, witty, complex film that looks at the value of connections between people - what we want, what we're willing to reveal, and the choices we make to protect ourselves. The scenes involving the layoffs are handled respectfully and never for laughs, giving us insight into the emotional armor that Bingham has built up over the years. All said, it's a very funny, moving film with one of Clooney's most emotionally charged performances.

On the surface, The Road, drawn from Cormac MacCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is one grim tale, but beneath this struggle of a father and his young son to survive a holocaust that destroyed all animals, plants, and most humans, is a beautiful look at the love between a father and his son. Viggo Mortensen gives an intense performance as "the man" trying to prepare his son for the world and teach him right from wrong in an environment riddled with cannibals, cold, hunger, and violence. And as can happen, it's the son that ends up teaching the father. The film asks us to consider the very nature of humanity and manages to find it in an unbelievable bleak environment.

Red Cliff, John Woo's film about the Battle of Red Cliffs (208 A.D.) toward the end of China’s Han Dynasty, is highest grossing film ever in China and some other Asian countries. The most expensive Asian-financed film ever made, Red Cliff  is a visual tour-de-force, featuring a cast of thousands, court intrigue, sweeping battle scenes, slo-mo fight scenes, and a detailed look at battlefield tactics and strategy. Beautiful in its scope and execution, particularly in the climatic naval battle, the movie is an old-style epic with new style CGI effects—two warriors battle, in part for the love of a woman, leaving thousands dead in their wake. The 148-minute version that's playing in the U.S. now was edited down by Woo from his original 2-part, 5 hour film released in China.

National Geographic Sale and Terra Cotta Warriors open this week

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (November 20 - 22), National Geographic is bringing truckloads of books, maps, globes, toys, clothing, luggage, travel accessories, DVDS and more to its warehouse sale at the Washington, DC armory. This almost-annual sale gives bargain hunters a chance to pick up some cool holiday gifts at up to 90% off. 


I try not to miss this sale. But be warned - the crowds can be huge during peak times (Saturday morning and afternoon), so plan ahead. And everything's pretty picked over by Sunday although there will still be plenty of books available.


Hours: Friday 10 -6; Saturday and Sunday 9 - 5

Metro: Stadium Armory on the Orange and Blue lines. Plenty of parking nearby.

Also, this Thursday, National Geographic's "Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor," a traveling exhibition featuring the largest number of terra cotta figures ever to travel to the United States, opens at the National Geographic Museum. The exhibition, which includes 15 terra cotta figures from the tomb of China's First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, who ruled from 221-210 B.C., will run through March 31, 2010. This is the final stop for the warriors, on a four-city U.S. tour.

If you've been to National Geo before, you know the exhibition space has been rather 'confined.' For this exhibit, they've enlarged the space to give the crowds and the warriors a little room to breathe (and move).

You will definitely need to buy advance tickets, which have been on sale since March. Ticket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12.

Hours: daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 9 p.m. Closed on Dec. 25. 

Location: 17th & M Streets NW, Washington, DC 20036

For more information, visit www.warriorsdc.org.

Dr. Parnassus previews at AFI, November 14

As part of this year's EU Film Festival, the American Film Institute has a real treat for filmgoers – a surprise premiere of Terry Gilliam's latest flight of fantasy, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus." There will be one showing at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 15. 

The film's gotten a lot of press over the past year for being the last film starring Heath Ledger. The production had just taken a break after filming the real world scenes in London when Ledger returned home to New York for the last time. Director Gilliam, known as much for his oft-troubled productions as for his brilliant imagination and his work with Monty Python, then enlisted Johnny Depp to fill in for Ledger in the fantasy sequences. When Depp's schedule wouldn't allow him the time to complete the project, Gilliam asked Colin Farrell and Jude Law to help out. Tom Waits plays Mr. Nick, the devil, with Christopher Plummer as Dr. Parnassus. The reviews from Europe have been mixed, but I can't imagine this screening won't sell out - get your tickets now or plan to wait until Christmas when it opens nationally.

Dr. Parnassus at AFI

"Before the Frost," a trip through America with the Black Crowes

"Man, this is a great rock and roll album!"


Now that's not something you hear people say much these days. But the latest Black Crowes CD, Before the Frost, is one of the best rock and roll albums I've heard in a while, which means it has lots of guitars, good melodies, and driving rhythms. 


The band recorded this album of new material in front of a live audience in Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, New York. That they were recording where Helm, former drummer and singer for The Band, lives and works, may have influenced the Crowes. When they first appeared in the early 1990s, they were considered a modern version of the Faces. But lately, the band's sound has moved closer to some great American bands like The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival. On the opener, "Good Morning Captain," I swear I hear Helm singing along. 


To me, this is their best album since the early 1990s and definitely better than anything they've put out since 2000. The band is maturing, mixing in elements of bluegrass and country with their more traditional blues rock sound. Now it's fiddles and mandolins along with slide guitars and blues harp. And for the most part, they're keeping their songs tight—they've managed to reign in their desire to "jam til you drop" during these live shows. I don't care how long Chris Robinson grows his beard and how ratty his blue jeans get, this ain't 1975 and songs don't need to be eight minutes long. 


When you buy Before the Frost, it comes with a passcode that will allow you to download another new album, Until the Freeze, something of a more a traditional American roots album. But it's roots music in the way the Stones played country — with a lot of respect for the traditions of the music but a good dose of rock 'n' roll energy and a bit of bluster.


So let's see—that's about $12.00 for a two-hour trip through americana with the Black Crowes. Sounds like a no-brainer.

A Wop Bop a Loo Bop - Little Richard at the Birchmere Monday

Yes, Little Richard, one of 'the' original founders of rock 'n' roll will be playing the Birchmere in Alexandria tonight, Monday, October 19. There aren't many left from those golden early days of rock 'n' roll: Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, and Little Richard are about it. And it's getting harder and harder to catch a glimpse of these remaining rock pioneers - soon they will have all disappeared. At 76-years-old, Little Richard may not give you too many more chances to catch him in concert, but for now he stills plays a number of shows a year and, based on the reviews I've read recently, he's still giving the audience a great show.


Fifty-four years after he first started recording, it's hard to understand just how original and outrageous Richard was in 1955. With his hair piled high and his makeup, Little Richard gave kids a peek into a crazy, flamboyant world that wouldn't reach its peak until the glam years in the 1970s. His world was so crazy, that after just a few years of hit singles, incessant touring, and wild parties, in 1957, at the top of his fame, he announced he was retiring from rock 'n' roll and enrolled in a Bible college. That phase didn't last too long and he eventually returned to the stage, playing shows in England with young bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as his openers. But that's all ancient history now - Little Richard lives on through his music and his wonderfully over-the-top interviews and performances in films. Check him out in the "Jimi Hendrix" documentary to see him at his most flamboyant! 


Birchmere Schedule Here

Stone's Keyboardist Chuck Leavell at O Street Mansion

Chuck Leavell, keyboardist with the Rolling Stones since 1982 and former member of the Allman Brothers band, will be featured at a benefit tonight, October 15, for the American Forest Foundation (AFF) at the Mansion on O Street, 2020 O Street, NW, Washington, DC. 


Billed as "an intimate evening of music and stories," the event will raise money for the AFF, an organization that works to ensure the sustainability of America’s family forests for present and future generations. Leavell has been a well-known, long-time environmental advocate and has written three books about conservation. Along with Leavell's performance, the benefit will include a silent auction and an award ceremony to honor several members of Congress who are leading the fight against climate change.


One of the great things about this event is that the Mansion only holds about 100 people plus staff, so if you're there, you'll be able to ask Chuck the one question about the Rolling Stones you've always wanted to know. I'm working on mine right now!


For more information, visit Chuck Leavell at the Mansion on O Street.

Jackman and Craig in "A Steady Rain"

Last weekend in New York I saw "A Steady Rain," starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. The show is hottest ticket in New York right now despite the recession and ticket prices hovering  around $100.00, and the run has been sold out. So there's really not a lot of reasons to write about this play since if you don't already have a ticket, you probably won't get one. But I wanted to weigh in on the negative reviews the play's been getting, mostly from critics who seem angry that audiences will actually pay money to see two stars at work in an average vehicle (as if we've never paid money to see a summer Hollywood movie).


The play itself is not great. In it, Craig and Jackman's characters spend 90 minutes onstage relating increasingly sordid and violent events that occurred over the course of one summer. There are some humorous and moving passages, but the writing also veers into sentimental pap, mostly concerning a boy and his puppy. Generally, I steer clear of shows that feature puppies or babies in critical plot points (and plays/movies that use the words "hijinks" or "heartfelt" in their advertising), but author Keith Huff sneaks this one in on us. It's not necessary and comes across as contrived.


Jackman and Craig both do credible jobs as Chicago cops and the production, two chairs on an otherwise empty stage enhanced by an occasional backdrop, works well for this material. It's an intense, increasingly morbid descent into hell for one of the characters, which might not be what James Bond and Wolverine fans had in mind when they bought their tickets. Neither man is a super hero — far from it. Both struggle with moral or immoral decisions, their self-deluding recollections, and the realization of who they are and what they want. Despite a few flaws in the material, I found it a compelling hour and a half. 

Arabian Sights Film Festival

The 14th annual Arabian Sights Film Festival opens in Washington on Friday, October 9 and runs until the 18th. Thirteen films from Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Yemen, Syria and other countries will be screened at these two locations, both located near metro stops.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

555 11th Street, NW (Metro Center)

National Geographic Society 


Grosvenor Auditorium


1600 M Street, NW (Farragut North)

Two years ago, I saw a very good film from Morocco at this festival, which helped to prepare me for my visit to the country that December.

This year there are a number of comedies on the schedule including "Hassan & Morcos" from Egypt, starring Omar Sharif, "Number One" from Morocco, which looks at changing gender roles, and "Laila's Birthday," set in the occupied territories.

For information, Click Here.

Asian Pacific American Film Festival Opens

The 10th Annual Asian American Film Festival 
opened in town on Thursday and continues until Saturday, October 10. Over those 10 days, DCAPA will be showing 50 features, documentaries and shorts at the Freer Gallery, E Street Cinema, Goethe Institute, and other venues. Children of Invention will be the closing night film for this year's festival. An Official Selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the film has won several Grand Jury awards across the U.S. and will make its Washington, D.C. premier on October 10th, closing the festival. Director and Writer Tze Chun’s previous short film Windowbreaker was an official selection at the 2007 DCAPA Film Festival. Here's the info Asian Pacific American film festival.

U2 at Fedex Field, 9 29 09

Last night was U2's latest stop in DC - this time to do a little musical lobbying in support of their new CD, No Line on the Horizon.

After a Rolling Stones concert a few years ago, I swore I'd never go to another show at Fedex Field - too big, poorly set up, pain to get there, etc. But when I heard I could get in to see U2 for $30.00 (plus a mere $20.00 in additional fees and charges), I decided to take a chance.

We took the metro to the show and then walked the mile to the actual stadium. But it was a nice evening and a pleasant walk, and we were inside within 45 minutes of leaving the house. The opener, Muse, went on at 7:30 and played about 40 minutes. Couldn't tell you what they played since it was a big sonic mess of rhythm and pounding bass notes - the usual stadium sound disaster. But they looked good on huge video screens that wrapped the stage.

Our seats were in the upper deck but the stage was so enormous it made us feel like we were much closer than we actually were. U2 came onstage around 9:00 and played for about 2 hours or so altogether. I can 't believe I hadn't seen these guys since 1983 when "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was just taking off and they weren't even headlining big shows yet. I've always thought they were a great band even if I didn't like some of their mid-1990s material. There's a grandeur and power to their music that you rarely find - even in 1983 I knew this band was really special. I got swept away by that same feeling last night when they launched into "Where the Streets Have No Name." What a great moment!

Unfortunately for me, I'm not that familiar with the new album and, honestly, I don't think it's as good as their previous two. But like the Stones and Bowie and Springsteen, who all have amazing back catalogs, they played a number of songs from the new CD since that's what they are promoting on this tour. If anything, the show just made me wish I had seen them more in the late 1980s and early 2000s after they had released Joshua Tree or Atomic Bomb or Rattle and Hum.

But sitting up there at the top of Fedex Field I couldn't help but marvel at those four guys who've had a brilliant 30 year career without jerking from trend to trend or dragging backup players along with them on the road. Just four guys playing rock and roll - which is sometimes way more than enough.

Here's the set list:

Breathe

Magnificent

Get on Your Boots

Mysterious Ways

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Elevation

Your Blue Room

Beautiful Day

New Year's Day

Stuck In A Moment

Unforgettable Fire

City of Blinding Lights

Vertigo

I'll Go Crazy - Remix

Sunday Bloody Sunday

MLK

Walk On

One

Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet

With or Without You

Moment of Surrender

Fall Film Festivals, part 1

At a quick glance, it seems like Washington, D.C. has more and more film festivals every year. But what's really happened is that any time a theater or interest group strings together three films from the same region or about the same subject, they label it a "festival" and market it that way. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. "Festival" has merely joined "exclusive," "sale," and "VIP" on the list of misused and overused English words.

That said, we still have quite a few exciting and worthwhile film festivals to choose from in and around the District. For the next few posts, I'm going to highlight a few festivals that I've attended and recommend.

Right now, AFI in Silver Spring is hosting their annual Latin American Film Festival, which runs until October 12. This year, they're showing 30 films from Latin American countries, Spain, and Portugal, and they're doing something new – they're taking a few films on the road to Baltimore, Frederick, and Easton. Pretty cool idea. A lot of these films have won awards and are definitely worth your time, so check out the program guide online to find something that suits your interests.

AFI offers festival passes and combo discounts if you plan to see 6 or more films. And every Thursday and Friday evening during the festival, they're having a Happy Hour with complimentary snacks courtesy of local restaurants, Latin American drink specials, and music from 5:30 to 7:00.

30 films! Now that's a festival.

http://www.afi.com/silver/new/nowplaying/2009/v6i4/latin09.aspx

Fall is here, Batter up!

Ahhh . . . fall has arrived and all is well with the world. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but things sure seem a lot better when the air is crisp, the sky is blue, and town is buzzing with art and music and occasional teabag protester. Around the city, theaters have kicked off their new seasons, movie companies are beginning to release their best films, musicians of all sorts are coming to town, football season has begun (for those of you into that), and baseball . . . well this year baseball has not been so very good to us in the District. But we have something coming our way to remedy that.

On October 2 and 3, the Library of Congress will be hosting a two-day symposium, "Baseball Americana," featuring Hall of Fame player Ernie Banks, all-star pitcher, broadcaster, and manager Larry Dierker, baseball language expert Paul Dickson, and Negro Leagues pitcher Mamie "Peanut" Johnson. The event is sponsored by the American Folklife Center and coordinated with the publication of the Library’s new book, "Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress." 

On Friday, Oct. 2, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. "Baseball Americana" will begin with an exhibition of the Library’s baseball treasures. Library of Congress curators will display and discuss items from the collections, including rare and historically significant baseball cards, photographs, and sheet music. Baseball expert and professional appraiser Frank Ceresi will give a presentation on baseball memorabilia and evaluate memorabilia brought in by audience members. This will be held in room LJ 119, first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street , S.E, Washington, D.C. 

At 7 p.m. they will have a screening of memorable baseball clips from the Library’s film and television collections. The screening will be held in the Mumford Room, sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m., a series of presentations will examine baseball from a number of perspectives. Speakers will include former players, others who make their living through the game (including a stadium organist and a head groundskeeper), and experts on baseball cuisine, the language of baseball and baseball memorabilia. The last session of the symposium will be an extended interview with Ernie Banks, a two-time National League MVP and 11-time All Star, got his start in the Negro Leagues and was the first African American player hired by the Chicago Cubs. 

Admission to all of these events is free, but advance registration is required. To register, go to www.loc.gov/folklife/Symposia/Baseball/registration.php.  For more information, go to http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2009/09-168.html.

Rockin' at the 9:30 Club

Robert Gordon, original member of 1970s New York punk band Tuff Darts and well-regarded rockabilly singer is playing the 9:30 Club this Friday, August 14, with a punk/rockabilly all-star band of sorts. On guitar is Chris Spedding. Who's he played with . . . oh, Tom Waits, John Cale, Roxy Music, Johnny Thunders, Pretenders, and Paul McCartney, to name a few. Also in the band is former Stray Cat drummer Slim Jim Phantom and original Sex Pistols' bassist Glen Matlock. A powerful combination. As an added plus, New York garage rockers The Fleshtones are opening the show.

The music starts at 8:00 and costs a mere $20.00. What else would you want to do on a hot August night?

Devon Sproule at Jammin Java, July 21

Today's tip was sent in by Kris:

Musician Devon Sproule will be playing at Jammin Java next Tuesday, July 21.

Sproule is more fun to watch than listen to while dancing around a kitchen or driving down the road, which is saying a lot. Her facial expression, full body playing, and fervent energy for her music and life infuse the space with blues-y and bluegrass-y charm. Her original songwriting is upbeat and serious, reflective and joyfully present. While the show will be a trek from DC-center, Devon's a musician and performer well worth the jaunt. (And her last name rhymes with troll.)

A native of Canada, Sproule grew up in Virginia and now lives in Charlottesville. ¡Don't Hurry For Heaven! is her fourth CD (her first was released when she was 16).

The show starts at 7:00 p.m. The Waybacks are also on the bill. $15.00

http://www.devonsproule.com/

http://www.jamminjava.com/home/events/the-waybacks-devon-sproule

Capital Fringe Festival, July 9 - 26

The Capital Fringe Festival kicks off this week with performances in nontraditional venues in the Penn Quarter (Verizon Center area) and Mount Vernon Square neighborhoods. Now in its fourth year, the DC Fringe Festival brings hundreds of actors, musicians, comedians, and dancers to the city to perform in more than 125 unconventional works, produced by the artists themselves.

Individual tickets are a mere $15.00, yet multi-performance discounts are also available. And wearing your $5 fringe button gets you discounts in restaurants, stores, bars, theaters, and museums in the festival area.

Since 2006, the DC version of the fringe festival (the movement started in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947) has grown each year. Over 20,000 tickets were sold to last year's festival.

http://capfringe.org/

Happy 4th of July!

This is THE big day here in Washington, with tens of thousands of people heading to the National Mall to watch the fireworks over the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, or the Capitol building (depending on where you're sitting).

In a way, it's odd that D.C. would be the epicenter for July 4th celebrations since it wasn't emer in John Adams' mind when the Continental Congress gathven a glimered in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776 to debate whether to declare independence from Great Britain. Considering the history, Philly should have the most spectacular firework show in the county. Oh well, the real history so often gets lost when it comes to holidays and commemorations. Labor Day, anyone?

So if you're at a BBQ this weekend and the talk turns from sports and television to American history (as it often does), here is a little July 4th trivia you can use to impress your friends:

1) Thomas Jefferson was only 33 years old when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. (Actually he wrote a draft of the Declaration, it was edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, and Congress made a number of other changes. But the poetry in the document was pure Jefferson.)

2) On July 2, 1776, twelve of the thirteen states voted for independence. The outlier? New York. The state had not approved the measure so the delegates to the Continental Congress abstained from the vote on July 2. They finally came around on July 15.

3) So why don't we celebrate July 2 rather than July 4? Good question.

John Adams once wrote: "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

He was off by two days. July 4th was the day the Declaration of Independence was actually approved and that's what stuck in minds of Americans.

4) So when did the 4th of July become a holiday? In 1870 it became an unpaid holiday for Federal employees. It wasn't until 1938 that it became a paid Federal holiday, increasing its popularity among many Americans.

Huzzah!

A Look at Lear

Today guest writer Eric has sent in his review of the current production of "King Lear" at the Shakespeare Theater:

I’ve been going to the Shakespeare Theatre regularly for several years now, and lately I’ve come to realize that I prefer their non-Shakespeare plays. Although Shakespeare’s work is filled with beautiful language (and sometimes you can even understand it), the purported universality of his stories rarely pertains to my life: I’ve never plotted against the king, nor disguised myself to win a lover’s heart. Despite these challenges, once in a while the Shakespeare Theatre hits a home run with one of Willie’s plays. The current production of “King Lear” is definitely a home run.

The play is written as if set in England during some unidentified era. This production didn’t change that in the dialog, but the costumes and props put the action in some contemporary despotic Slavic country. Usually, when Shakespeare is reset in different eras, the audience is left wondering why. In this production of “King Lear,” it worked beautifully. The violence in the play was presented with imagery familiar to all of us from movies about organized crime and drugs. War’s destruction was depicted by body bags and rubble. Even wealth and poverty were tied to the audience’s life experiences.

Stacy Keach does a convincing job both as a dictatorial king and an unbalanced old man. The rest of the cast is strong enough to keep their parts from being overshadowed. All of their characters are intriguing and well-played.

Several of my normal criticisms of Shakespeare Theater productions were thwarted by this play: 1) The king’s manipulative daughters are not merely passive love interests, but are provided with strong roles that move the plot and the action and 2) There was nudity, but for a change it did not seem like an affected attempt to shock the audience.

The set and the props were on par with everything else about the play. They were visually interesting without being so overblown as to distract. The opening set has you staring at a set of men’s room urinals, complete with rust stains and an old lady collecting tips. (For any of you who have not experienced a public rest room in Eastern Europe, this is what you’ve missed.) There were several subtle things that I particularly enjoyed. In the sound track during an evening scene, there were crickets quietly chirping in the background. Also, the storm was very realistic. I briefly wondered whether it was a real drizzle falling on the stage. The music, not so subtle, was interesting and catchy enough I wanted to hear more.

So what about the weak points? There were a few. There were places where the dialog was hard to follow. I recommend giving yourself a few minutes before the curtain to read the plot synopsis twice. Also, the king’s decent into madness was a little abrupt, and interrupted by a brief dance that seemed to come from and go nowhere. But these are minor flaws when taken as part of the whole experience.

Here is one historical note that helps explains the play’s conflict. During the days of European feudalism, the king would travel from one lord’s house to the next, so that he could inspect his lands and handle local administrative duties. Of course he traveled with an entourage, and whichever lord he was visiting was expected to feed them all in an appropriate manner. Thus, the king’s visits were expensive, burdensome, and not always appreciated.

"King Lear" runs until July 26 at the Sidney Harman Hall, http://www.shakespearetheatre.org.

Folklife Festival Opens Wednesday

This year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival opens on Wednesday and, as usual, focuses on three regions or traditions. This year we have

• Giving Voice - the Power of Words in African American Culture

• Las Americas - Music in Latino Culture

• Wales

I enjoy travel and learning about other countries, so my favorite part of the festival has always been learning about the traditions, listening to the music, and talking to people from Bhutan, Mali, Oman, or some other places I may never get to visit. Oddly, Latino music now pops up almost every year at Folklife (actually it's been featured in 4 of the past 6 festivals; 5 if you count some of the music from Texas last year.) I love Latino music, but I'd also like to hear a bit more music from Asia, Eastern Europe, or the Middle East. Still, no matter what the subject matter, Folklife always offers an interesting afternoon, at the very least.

Tip: if you work downtown and can take a long lunch, or if you can take a day off, try to get to the festival on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon. It's an entirely different experience from what you'll find on a hot, packed Saturday or Sunday. The weekdays have a fraction of the crowds, allowing you time to talk casually with some of the musicians, artists, and presenters. I've learned more in two hours on a Wednesday than an entire Saturday afternoon.

This year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival runs from Wednesday, June 24 to Sunday, July 5 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). It's open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with some evening events. http://www.festival.si.edu/#

Silverdocs at AFI

By now, anyone with a newspaper in this city (apparently a disappearing demographic) knows that the annual Silverdoc Festival is happening right now at the American Film Institute in Silver Spring. So why mention it? Because it's one of the film festivals in town that actually gets and deserves international attention. With over 100 films from 60 countries, this film festival is huge. Screenings start around 11:00 a.m. each day and run until midnight so this is perfect for film nuts, people on vacation, or anyone taking a break from job-hunting.

I'm glad to see that documentaries are finally getting the publicity they deserve. Whether that's thanks to Michael Moore's films, Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," or a greater desire for an honest look at the world around us, doesn't really matter. More and more people are seeing documentaries and more of them are playing in our theaters.

Last night I saw a wonderful film called "Old Partner" at Silverdocs. This Korean film looked at the relationship between an elderly farmer, his wife, and the ox the family has used for the past 40 years to work the family farm. I know . . . on the surface this sounds corny and I was braced for a little schmaltz. But I was surprised - the film gave us a glimpse into the disappearing way of life of farmers who use work animals to support their families. As they say in the film, thanks to the ox, the farmer was able to raise his nine children and put them through college. The film also movingly showed how the aging and aching farmer (age 79), his complaining wife (age 76), and the dying ox continued to work each and every day together, as always. Just watching the farmer and his wife crawling, planting, and harvesting in the rice fields also reminded me how hard some people in this world work. Maybe that is a bit corny, but it's something I'll think about as I get up and groan after a hard day at the keyboard.

Silverdocs runs through next Monday, June 22. If you're thinking about going, order tickets in advance. Most shows sell out. http://silverdocs.com/

'Cause I Sez So!

New York Dolls return to Washington this Friday night, June 19, for a show at the 9:30 Club. Along with their old classics, they'll be playing songs from their new album "Cause I Sez So," produced by Todd Rundgren, who also produced their first LP way back in 1973.

If you had asked me five years ago if the New York Dolls would ever get back together, I would have said "no chance." Two original members had died and the other three didn't like each other all that much. Plus singer David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter of "Hot Hot Hot" fame) seemed to be doing just fine on his own, thank you very much. But the surviving members were lured back together by long-time fan Morrissey in 2004 and, wonder of wonders, here they still are.

Much like the return of The Stooges in 2003, and Patti Smith's almost annual trips to town, the New York Dolls reunion has given long-time fans like me a chance to hear songs we grew up listening with. And it gives younger folks a chance to hear some authentic protopunks who can still rock without embarrassing themselves.

Opening the show will be Austin's Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. Check 'em out!

Two chances for Stoppard

Hello again. Well, it's been a while since I've posted. The reason? Oh, something about work and not having enough time. The usual story. But after spending a few months in the 1940s with Josef Stalin (www.pbs.org/ behindcloseddoors) and writing about punks in America (book to be published later this year), I'm happy to write a little about the great things going on in D.C. 

In the past two months, Washington has had two top theater companies produce plays by the great Tom Stoppard. The Folger Theater (201 East Capitol Street, SE) has put on a wonderful version of Stoppard's "Arcadia" while the Studio Theater (501 14th Street, NW ) has been running his more recent "Rock 'n' Roll," the first local production of this play.

I was able to see both shows recently and strongly recommend them to anyone with a sense of humor and a decent dose of intellectual curiosity. No, you don't need to know much about English landscape gardening, Newtonian determinism, Prague Spring, British Communism, or The Plastic People of the Universe, subjects that Stoppard's characters discuss and debate. It's the questions behind these issues that draw us in: What attracts us to study and learn? How do people survive when they can't freely choose their own paths? What happens when people realize they've spent their whole lives believing something that isn't true?  Stoppard looks deeply at these questions while weaving together story lines so tight that even mathematics becomes compelling. Or rather, the study of mathematics becomes compelling. 

His plays generally draw a good crowd in Washington, and both of these plays have been extended. "Arcadia" ends next Sunday, June 21, while "Rock 'n' Roll," which opened in mid-April has been extended until Sunday, June 28.

Great fun at the Lansburgh

The Shakespeare Theater's current offering, "The Dog in the Manger," may be the funniest play you've never seen by a playwright you've never heard of. Written by Spanish playwright Lope de Vega (1562-1635), who claims to have written 1500 plays (hmmm, really?), "Dog" looks at the role honor played in society, particularly when it came to love between people from different social classes. In this story Diana, the Countess of Belflor, finds herself drawn to  her secretary, Teodoro, whenever she discovers Teodoro romancing her lady-in-waiting, Marcela. Compared to the two wealthy aristocratic fools wooing her, Teodoro is indeed a catch. But Diana can't let herself fall for a commoner . . . or can she? The acting is wonderful all around, but I have to mention David Turner as Tristan, Teodoro's servant. Built like Dana Carvey, and with similar gifts of mimickry, Turner shines every time his misguided but clever Tristan is onstage. It was one of the funniest performances I've seen on stage in several years. As directed by Jonathan Munby of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the action clips along, especially in the second act when Tristan's scheming pays off. Enjoy it now. At the Lansburgh Theatre until March 29. (Tip - check Ticketplace for discount tickets - they had them for this week.)

Prices for the times

Today, a few words about deals, discounts, reduced fares, cheap seats. As someone who enjoys a wide range of cultural activities, I feel lucky to live in Washington where I have so many choices available. To fit my relatively modest budget, I’ve had to find creative, inexpensive ways to enjoy the arts and still pay my bills. Here are a three options I’ve found (I'll write about others in a later post):

Ticketplace (407 7th Street, NW) – sometimes mistakenly called the ‘half-price ticket booth,’ like the famous discount ticket booth in Times Square, Ticketplace sells discount tickets the day of the performance for a wide range of theaters, National Geographic, Goethe-Institut, and other venues that feature speakeror film programs. They also sell discounted seats to some advance performances - you can  even purchase some on-line at http://www.ticketplace.org. The tickets here are discounted to usually a little more than half the regular price plus a 12% service charge. The downside: you have to get there to order a lot of the tickets and you need to move quickly for the popular shows. Open Tuesday - Friday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Sundays.  http://www.ticketplace.org/tx_venue.asp?id=61&tgs=2157542:17958649&cart_id=

Goldstar.com – sign up for this site and you’ll get a weekly e-mail summary of discounted tickets available in the city you select. You then order the tickets through their site, which also provides reviews of various events and tips about the venue, parking, and restaurants nearby. Goldstar offers tickets to theater, sporting events, classical concerts, jazz shows, workshops, walking tours, dinner cruises, and book and poetry readings. A recent example: $75.00 tickets to Les Miserables at the Signature Theater were offered for $37.50 plus a $7.50 service fee. $48.00 tickets for a Washington Wizards game were offered for $20.00 plus a $7.00 fee. The downside: the seats are usually assigned at the venue, so you won’t know exactly where you’re sitting until you get there. And these tickets can move quickly. http://www.goldstar.com/home

Entertainment book – an old favorite, these books with discount coupons to many restaurants, movies, flowers, bowling, drycleaners, you name it, have been sold for years to benefit all types of charities. Use one buy-one-get-one-free ticket to the Shakespeare or Studio Theater, or have a nice dinner out, and you’ve paid for the entire book. The 2009 Washington DC/Maryland and Washington DC/Virginia books, regularly $30.00, are now on sale for $19.95. The downside: many discounts have some restrictions but this discount is so deep it might be worth seeing that play on Thursday rather than Saturday. http://www.entertainment.com/

Actress Lynn Redgrave at the Folger Theater

Have you seen a performance at the Folger Theater? Housed in the Folger Library at 201 East Capitol Street, SE, about three blocks from the Capitol South metro station, the Elizabethan theater offers an intimate theater experience with top-notch performances. The Great Hall in the building is used for special exhibitions on early medicine, early newspapers, and other early this and thats related to Elizabethan times.

This April, Lynn Redgrave will be coming to the Folger Theater with a new show, Rachel and Juliet. Redgrave stars in the one-woman show, which pays tribute to her mother, actress Rachel Kempson, whose love affair with the role of Juliet and search for her own Romeo lasted her whole life. Redgrave weaves Ms. Kempson's own words and passages from Shakespeare to create a companion piece to her Tony Award-nominated Shakespeare for My Father. (At least that's what the Folger's Web site says.)

Tickets on sale now. Folger member price: $40-$50. General public: $50-$60.

http://www.folger.edu/woSummary.cfm?wotypeid=2&season=c&woid=495

Academy Award nominees to be screened

Once again this year, National Geographic will be screening all five Academy Award nominees for the best foreign language film. The films will be shown from February 13 - 15 -there is a complimentary reception between each screening. 

Tickets go on sale today, January 26, $8.00 each or $35.00 for the series. (Last year they sold out.) Call the number below for the least expensive way to buy tickets.

National Geographic
1600 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

202-857-7700

http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/event-series/global-glimpses-series/?source=email_nglivedc_20090123&email=nglivedc

This year's nominees are

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) (Germany, 150 min)

The Class (Entre les murs) (France, 128 min)

Departures (Okuribito) (Japan, 131 min)

Revanche (Austria, 121 min)

Waltz With Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) (Israel, 90 min)

O happy day!

On inauguration day, this fellow (above) was, by far, the toughest and perhaps the craziest guy we saw on the national mall. (Photos on today's blog sent in by L.A. Hernandez).

At 7:00 a.m. on January 20th, five friends and I were up and starting pile on our layers of clothing. With temps in the twenties, and a wind chill near single digits, we knew the proper clothing would be the key to surviving the inauguration experience. At 8:00 we assembled outside my house on Capitol Hill and began our trek toward the Capitol and the national mall.

Things went well until we reached 1st Street, SE where we were forced to turn left – two blocks later we were surrounded by the thousands of ticketholders waiting to get into one of the security gates. By linking hands and arms we threaded our way through the crowd and walked down an offramp of highway 395, which was closed for the day. From there we crossed the road (past the infamous 3rd Street tunnel of despair) and scrambled up the embankment on the other side. Our trip was only beginning – we walked another overcrowded, cramped, squeezed 13 blocks before the throngs of security would let us move north toward the mall.

At 9:30 we reached the Washington Monument and found a spot on an embankment where we could (sorta) see a jumbotron and (semi-sorta) hear the not-so-loudspeakers. For the next two hours we took photos of the crowd, wandered around a bit, chatted, and tried to keep warm. The crowd was joyous. Though many people looked troubled by the cold, there was a great feeling of anticipation and excitement.

By 11:30 the warm up bands had finished and the program began. Shots of Bush or Cheney on the big screens drew scattered ‘boos’ and the ‘na na na na, hey hey, goodbye’ chants. As Rick Warren gave the invocation, the people around us bowed their heads and stood quietly, some praying along. Joe Biden received polite applause as he was sworn in – this obviously wasn't his crowd. Folks around us started to get antsy during the classical piece performed by Yo Yo Ma and Itzak Perlman, and I heard a few shouts of ‘wrap it up’ and ‘let’s go.' But considering the intermittent sound and the cold, I have to assume these people weren't as rude as they seemed to be.

When the moment came for Obama’s swearing in, our screen and sound sync was so off, we could see him finish a sentence before we heard the first words. I doubt anyone watching on our side of the Washington Monument had any idea that John Roberts mixed up the words to the oath of office – we couldn't tell who was saying what. But we sure knew when the oath was over and Obama was officially the President. The crowd screamed, hugged each other, and jumped up and down. It was sheer joy. We stayed for the inaugural address, though by that time we were all talking about buying the DVD or catching what he said on-line at home. Too many sentences were lost to the struggling acoustics. 

After the address, we quickly collected ourselves and zipped off the mall to avoid some of the 1.8 million other people. We later found out we missed poet Elizabeth Alexander and Reverend Lowery, but I believe John Stewart summed them up quite well for us.  http://www.hulu.com/watch/53921/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-tue-jan-20-2009

It was a wonderful day, a historic day, a very, very cold day. We were all so happy we went.