GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES CUTS TO THE CORE by Pamela Powell

Rasaka Theatre Company presented Gruesome Playground Injuries which played to a near sold-out crowd in the vintage and intimate theater so representational of Chicago, The Chopin Theatre.  Rasaka Theatre Company is based in Chicago and is proud to state that they are the first South Asian American theater ensemble. Utilizing South Asian artists and telling their stories in order to enrich the theatrical community is one of their goals.  From what I saw this evening, Chicago's theatrical environment was absolutely enriched because of this company.

The cast of Gruesome Playground Injuries was small; Mouzam Makkar played "Kayleen" opposite to Tim Martin's "Doug."  The two actors easily carried this huge task of entertaining an audience for 90 straight minutes with not even a wardrobe change behind the scenes.  All scene changes occurred on stage and by the two actors, before your eyes with the wonderful interlude of well-chosen music.  The simple set design quickly morphed from a hospital to an apartment to a nurses office. The actors redressed, put on prosthetic devices such as chipped or missing teeth, bandages, and wounds along with make up to look like bruises and mud.  This had to have been a daunting task, but as I stated previously, these two actors did it with ease.  The story revolved around the initial meeting of Kayleen and Doug at the age of 8 in the school's nurses office.  It was apparent from the beginning that Doug is a bit accident prone due to his "bravery!"  The acting was so spot-on along with the deft writing that I could easily see these two adults transform into 8 year olds who called each other stupid and retarded.  As the time slipped away, the two became adults in their 20's and then time rewound back to high school.  As we saw glimpses of the future, it also explained some of the past.  The two characters formed a bond that only few of us can ever have with someone of the opposite sex.  They are best friends.  They know the good, the bad and the ugly about each other and still have a strong love and bond no matter what.  Doug and Kayleen were extreme opposites in many ways.  One of the most significant and consequential ways was that Doug showed his injuries on the outside and Kayleen had the more devastating injuries psychologically.  As I grew to know these two characters, they pulled at my heart.  I cared about them as I could see how much they cared about each other.

Chicago is so lucky to have such talented actors and small venues to perform.  Gruesome Playground Injuries entertains and shows us the importance of friendships and how we need to be there for each other to heal both visible and invisible injuries.  This is a heartfelt play that is reminiscent of 500 Days of Summer with its style of story-telling, but it goes much further as it addresses a friendship and love from childhood days.  We also see both sides of the story.  Well done!

Gruesome Playground Injuries, by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Lavina Jadhwani plays through August 5 at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 West Division.  For tickets, visit www.rasakatheatre.org.  The venue is vintage as you feel like you are in a club from the 20's while you wait to be seated.  The theater is intimate so there's not a bad seat in the house.  And dining is great nearby, especially if you like Sushi!  Usagi Ya is right around the corner!  Take advantage of what we have in our own backyard!  It's a great playground!

'SAVAGES' A PERFECT TITLE by Pamela Powell

The definition of "savages" and who fits that definition is a relative thing.  It all depends upon your perspective as is shown in the just released movie directed by Oliver Stone, SAVAGES.  Aaron Johnson (Ben) and Taylor Kitsch (Chon) play a young botonist and "enforcer," respectively.  Aaron's scientific knowledge puts them on the cutting edge of the best cannibus in the world which of course, is used primarily for medicinal purposes.  Why the need for the "enforcer" you ask?  It's for the other fraction of their business that's not medicinal and is lucrative.  When the Mexican drug cartel wants to take these two entrepreneur's business over on their terms only, that's when all hell breaks loose.

What a cast!  Blake Lively (O which is short for Ophelia) plays the beautiful girlfriend of both Ben and Chon (I think she's on to something there!).  They willingly share her as O states both of them equal an entire man.  (Again, I think she's on to something!)  The downfall is that they both love her and when the Mexican drug cartel kidnap her, both Ben and Chon will stop at nothing to get her back.  OK.  Yes, this is a familiar storyline, but the acting, directing, and cast make it good.  Benicio Del Toro, of course, is the embodiment of evil.  His eyes show no soul.  John Travolta is the DEA agent walking the fine line between corruption and lawfulness.  Demian Bichir who I loved in A BETTER LIFE, was fascinating to watch on the screen as he can go from WEEDS to an endearing father in A BETTER LIFE and back again to an even more intimidating character than in WEEDS although the subject matter appears to be the same!  That leaves Salma Hayek as the head honcho of the drug cartel who is convincingly ruthless and apparently heartless.  The story line is peeled away layer by layer, sometimes skipping back in time to update the audience.  The narration and story is seen from the perspective of O which keeps you on track.  This was a wonderful integration of narration, visual story-telling and acting.

                            The intensity of every scene kept me on the edge of my seat.  It was, at times, horrifically brutal and graphically violent.  Some scenes were, to me, so disturbing that I watched the reflection of the movie in the floor in front of me as I couldn't have those images imprinted on my brain.  In contrast, I must say that the two main characters were wonderful to watch (so much better than Magic Mike!) and the sex scenes were pretty steamy.  Now those I didn't watch in the floor's reflection!  (Remember, this is from a female's perspective here!)  This is not a typical movie I would have chosen to see, but I did enjoy it even though it was much more violent than I can usually handle.

This 2 hour and 10 minute movie, however, was 10 minutes too long.  Yes, I do seem to be a bit AADD (Adult onset Attention Deficit Disorder), but if you see this movie, you will be able to guess which part I would cut.  Without giving anything away as it drives me nuts when reviewers describe the ENTIRE movie (why bother seeing it?), the ending was disappointing.  I would cut 10 minutes of that.

7 REELS

THE LOVER by Pamela Powell

I'm so sorry you missed last night's performance of THE LOVER, written in 1962 by Harold Pinter and currently a production of Soul Theatre.  But you can still catch it as it's playing through July 15 at A Red Orchid Theatre in Old Town Chicago.  The Lover is about a married couple trying to keep things new and fresh and the lengths they go to do so.  It's about creativity and trust in a relationship and what happens when the agreed upon fantasy world crashes into reality.

This provocative production targeted one of our most basic needs:  sex.  But in a relationship, sex is much more complicated than just the action.  In THE LOVER, the couples' relationship was about fidelity and love fighting with boredom and the need for newness.  Keeping things fresh hit home as the normal course of any relationship is to take things for granted. We don't "see" that person in front of us anymore.  Sarah, played by Ravi Batista and Richard/Max played by Mick Weber, had developed a "game" to play to keep each other interested and intrigued.  They talked with each other about their affairs or lovers.  The scenes continually changed as did their roles with each other smoothly transforming into another person and back again.  It sounds confusing, but it wasn't.  It was crystal clear.  They needed this role playing to keep things fresh.  But what happens when words hit too close to home and the line of fantasy and reality collide.  What was truly happening and how did they really feel about each other?

This honest depiction of relationships was wonderfully presented with this small ensemble.  Sarah and Richard could be any of us.  Their use of a fantasy relationship within reality was what set them apart.  Will it be their demise?  This isn't a new concept.  Infidelity is rampant and divorce is a common occurrence.  The just released feature TAKE THIS WALTZ addresses the same issue.  What initially is new eventually becomes old.  The use of a fantasy world within the scope of reality in a relationship was also reminiscent of Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf.  Both look at how helpful or harmful can it be in the long run?  THE LOVER took what I am sure has been a problem of centuries and brought it to the forefront to truly see and hopefully discuss with our partners.  To deny the need for newness and the base need of sex is to deny who we are as people.

InfuseLife.net

Watching this relatively short, one act wonderful, entertaining and thought-provoking play wasn't the end of the evening.  There was so much more!  After every performance, the producer has arranged presenters that relate to the play's theme.  Tonight's post-show event was Sex, Chocolate and Yoga.  I was in heaven!  The presenter, Andrea Klunder, was a Yoga and meditation instructor from InfuseLife.net.  The audience stayed to learn a few basics about Yoga, how it relates to being in touch with yourself, and seeing your partner in a new light with continued "mindfulness."  Then there was the chocolate.  You can't go wrong with chocolate, especially when they are turtles from The Fudge Pot!  But the instructor, Andrea, didn't want the chocolate to be just a good experience, she wanted it to be a phenomenal experience.  We then implemented the mindfulness technique to be completely aware of every sensation that we could have when eating this treat:  feeling, smelling, tasting without devouring.  Although, one of the cast members, who shall remain nameless, devoured his before the instruction so he had to be given a second one!  I think that was pretty smart on his part!  This play was a unique and relevant look at relationships along with an extraordinary post show presentation.  Truly one of the most fun plays I have had the pleasure of seeing and reviewing!

Take a look at the Facebook site to see the upcoming post-show events and discussions at www.facebook.com/SoulTheatre.  For tickets, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/251297.  For more information about Yoga and meditation go to InfuseLife.net.

TED TANKS by Pamela Powell

Mark Wahlberg had the midas touch.  I used the word "had" very intentionally.  He lost it!  Did he owe a favor to someone which forced him to participate in such garbage?  That's my hope because I love Mark Wahlberg as an actor and producer.  Mila Kunis was also a star in this movie, who is absolutely gorgeous, but I don't think putting this movie on her resume will build her any serious star-power.  I'm really not going to spend much more of my time reviewing this movie because I will never get back my 106 minutes flushed down the toilet that I spent watching it.  That is an interesting reference because "potty humor" was the level that this movie functioned.

I was able to come up with 4 funny lines from the entire movie.  That leaves approximately 104 minutes of non-funny time.  I guess if you enjoy jokes referring to ethnic slurs, euphemisms for sex and female or male anatomy, or any other words having to do with bodily functions, then you're in luck.  This would be the movie for you.  The premise is ridiculous, but there are many ridiculous premises that have succeeded!  I actually liked the series Wilfred.  Similar concept, but in that case, written with a quick wit, not a dim wit.

That's it.  That's all the time I can put into this movie.  If you go, don't say I didn't warn you.  You need to be male, under the age of 25, and still find fart jokes to be the center of your world.  I'm going to give this one reel because someone had the good taste to put in a small clip of Nora Jones singing.

(This just in from my 19 year old son, "Just saw Ted.  Super funny."  I rest my case.)

1 Reel

THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN CAUGHT ME! by Pamela Powell

I will be the first to admit this:  I am not a superhero or comic book kind of person.  I'm going to go out on a limb here, risk being sexist and say that this stuff is primarily geared toward males.  Having said that, I am going to say that I really liked this movie; especially for being a comic book based superhero movie!  Well-done on Mark Webb's (is that just a coincidence?) and the screenwriters' part for making this a story that appeals to both men and women, boys and girls with no swearing and no sex!  How ever did they do that?  One other thing that I must admit is that I really don't remember much of the other three Spider-Man movies.  I guess they didn't make much of an impact on me!  This one did.  I was afraid that it was going to be a continuation of whatever the other Spider-Man movies did, but in fact it was a re-do of the entire story from childhood to current day.  This was again, a good choice!

The Amazing Spider-Man starred Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.  Garfield, known in my mind for The Social Network, was perfectly cast as the high school loner and nerd counter to Emma Stone's classically independent and self-assured personality.  (Why couldn't I have been like that in high school?  Ok, maybe even in college.  Ok, how about NOW?)  I remember reading an article in "Entertainment Weekly", possibly a year ago, that interviewed Andrew Garfield.  It turns out that he was quite the Spider-Man fan as a child and his dress-up childhood photo is something that possibly played a role in landing the part.  Thank goodness it did because Garfield seemed to become Peter Parker without question.   The rest of the cast was complete with talented actors which, I think, gave this movie the credibility it needed.  Martin Sheen and Sallie Field played Parker's aunt and uncle and Rhys Ifans played The Lizard/Dr. Curt Connors.  For playing characters out of a comic book, these actors made them come to life.  It was as believable as a comic book could possibly be.  In addition, 3D was the viewing of choice only because of timing constraints, but this time, I'm really glad I did!  It was one of the first movies in over a year that I have seen that made it pleasant and not bothersome to see in 3D!

The movie starts out with Peter Parker as a little guy, about 4 or 5, who flees his home with his parents due to an apparent break-in.  He is left with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben.  Max Charles plays the younger version of Peter Parker and is an adorable actor to watch.  We then see Peter, now played by Andrew Garfield, who has grown up into a high schooler still living at his aunt and uncles' home.  The first half of the movie was really a story which gave wonderful depth to who Peter Parker is and what he has gone through.   There was great story development until the point of meeting his new nemisis Dr. Curt Conners.  At this point, the movie's pace picks up with the addition of special effects and stunts.  The 3D aspect also kicks in to a higher gear, but not in a visually irritating way.  The stunts were great as were the special effects.  The main story line continued to weave a tangled web of regret and love between Parker and various important people in his life.

The familiar stories of bullying and retaliation in high school,  love interests, meeting parents, and struggling with identity were all aspects addressed in this movie.  Oh, yeah, and then the whole good vs. evil thing.  This was a story.  Even though it was a superhero comic book story, I really enjoyed it!  This movie is going to entertain and appeal to both male and female and every age-group.

7.5 REELS

MAGIC MIKE MISSES THE MARK by Pamela Powell

Magic Mike left me dissatisfied and unfulfilled.  With all the hype I was anticipating a fun-filled and upbeat movie.  Instead, my friends and I left the theater wanting to just go home and go to bed...alone!  Magic Mike starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey and directed by Steven Soderberg, fell victim to the over-hype villain.  It seems that the more a movie is marketed, the more disappointing it is.  Magic Mike fell into this category.

Magic Mike is about a 30 year old stripper, Magic Mike (Tatum) who befriends a 19 year old lost soul and wrangles him into the lifestyle of stripping.  Magic Mike has other interests and considers himself an entrepreneur with the goal of devoting his assets (pun intended!) to building his furniture making business.  The cast, for the most part, is gorgeous with not only  Tatum and McConaughey, but also Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello.  The story revolves primarily around Dallas (McConaughey), a somewhat sleezy and aging strip club owner and his control over Magic Mike and his new recruit, Adam. 

I really had no knowledge of the story-line as I entered the theater.  Like I said, I went for sheer entertainment and fun.  The story started off slow, but I was ok with that as maybe, just maybe, there might be some depth to this movie along with just watching some gorgeous bodies dance.  The story, however, floundered.  The characters attempted to be developed but you can't do much with cardboard.  Tatum played the usual gorgeous guy that's sweet and not afraid to cry (yes, tears welled up in his eyes at one point) and McConaughey played the fast talking southern charmer.  Cody Horn (Adam's sister, Brooke) played a slight love interest of Magic Mike, but with her constant sneer I really couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling.  The dance numbers that the strippers performed ranged anywhere from embarrassment for the actors to mild entertainment.  Granted, I've not been to a lot of male strip clubs, but I'm not sure why the actors were cast the way they were;  they just didn't fit the bill in anything other than body.  The story line stretched out to try and cover many different angles while never really completing one of them to a satisfactory conclusion.  In addition, the cinematography was visually unappealing and at times bothersome.  The filming in sepia tones and odd angles made me notice that more than the movie as a whole.  Cinematography should never take away from a movie, but compliment it.

While the actors playing strippers were gorgeous to look at, the lack of fun dancing and a good story made this movie a snoozer after a while.  I am sorry that millions of women wasted their money seeing this in the theater.  This is definitely a wait for the DVD, if at all, kind of movie!  In hindsight, my friends and I should have pulled out of that movie early and headed out on the town!

2 REELS

DRALION Cirque Du Soleil by Pamela Powell

I had the pleasure of attending my second Cirque Du Soleil show last night at the United Center.  My first one was "O" in Las Vegas many years ago.  That show made an lasting impression and this show was just as spectacular.  As I entered Section 105, which is my friend's season Hawk's seat section, I saw the United Center transformed into a Circus!  The capabilities to accommodate such diversity in performances has always boggled my mind about the United Center.  We walked into a vaudeville type of performance taking place on and off the stage and throughout the audience.  Three "clowns," not your typical clowns, were entertaining every person in the audience and the show hadn't even truly started.  This was the warm-up.  It was a cute, old-fashioned kind of fun as they dragged audience members (yes, literally!) up onto the stage to help them with their gig.  I was laughing out loud from the very beginning!

Dralion's inspiration comes from Eastern philosophy of the complementary existence between nature and humans.  The costuming represented the elements of nature such as water and air, and fire and earth.  Dralion literally is the blending of East and West:  the dragon and the lion.  The lights dimmed and the scenery began to appear with performers appearing to be "stuck" onto a three story wall.  Beautiful, graceful dancers in brightly colored unique outfits filled the stage.  Throughout the first "act," I have never been so visually captivated and auditorily transfixed as I was during this performance.  There was so much going on that I don't think I blinked more than once!  I didn't want to miss a thing!  Between each segment, the "clowns" came out to entertain the audience.  Although I couldn't understand the language they were speaking (was it Italian? French? Maybe a combination of both? Or perhaps it was truly just jibberish!), it didn't matter; it just added to the hilarity!  The physical comedy was spectacular.  From the Juggling act to the Trampoline act, I was left with my jaw dropped and "wow's" involuntarily being emitted from my mouth.  These performers were spectacularly talented and strong!  They were gymnasts and dancers of Olympic calibre.  Their bodies were perfectly balanced.  Amazing, truly amazing!

My favorite performers were the Trampoline Artists.  Spiderman could learn a thing or two from them! Flipping from side to side (picture the right side of the hockey rink to the left side!) and up to a ledge in unison or complementary to the other 4 jumping and flipping and "sticking" to the wall at the same time was mind-boggling!  The precision timing in all of the performances was astonishing and so important!  One wrong move, one second off, and there could have been disastrous results.  Although my favorite was the Trampoline Artists, the rope jumpers were incredible as well.  Picture Triple Dutch doing acrobatics! And the juggler!  And the Crossed Wheel!  Oh, then there was the Aerial artists!  Honestly, and this is Reel Honest Reviews, there wasn't a dull moment!

If you can catch this here in Chicago, please do!  You won't be disappointed!  This was a jaw-dropping and mind-blowing experience!  It's here in Chicago just through Sunday, July 1 at the United Center.  This performance will entertain any and all age groups, both male and female.  In fact, I "interviewed" a few kids after the show who were 7 years old.  They all said they loved it and their favorite part was the "clowns!"  Their parents said they were captivated the entire show...as was I!

For tickets, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com/dralion.