FEARSOME FOURSOME....FANTASTIC FOUR....FOURPLAY......FOUR PLAYS WHATTAYA SAY!

YES BOYS AND GIRLS ITS REVIEW TIME! WHAT? DID YA'LL THINK THAT THE "CULTURE" BLOGS WERE ONCE A YEAR? WAY BACK IN MARCH WE REVIEWED THREE BUT FOR THIS IPHONE FRIDAY WE GOT FOAH(4) TO GO THRU. EVEN BETTER WE HAD SOME GOOD EATING JOINTS.

FIRST UP IS:

HORIZON

WE SAW THIS PLAY THIS PAST WEDS NIGHT (JUNE 27) AT ONE OF OUR FAVE LITTLE THEATERS NYTW - NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP. HORIZON IS CREATED, WRITTEN, COMPOSED AND FEATURES RINDE ECKERT MOVING AROUND! I DID KINDA OF LIKE WHEN THE TWO SIDEKICKS MORPHED INTO THE SCOTTISH/IRISH MASONS . WHEN I SAW MR ECKERT ON STAGE PRIOR TO THE SHOWS START, I REMARKED TO THE MRS THAT THE BALD GUY LOOKS LIKE A SCREAMER (SOME ONE WHO YELLS ALOT ON STAGE). TURNS OUT I WAS PARTIALLY CORRECT (THREE SCREAMERS!!!). THIS PLAY IS ABOUT A TEACHER PREACHER IN THE MIDWEST WHO (SEEMS TO ME IS ON AN ACID TRIP) WHO IS GOING THRU A "SPIRITUAL" NIGHT WITH VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS BROTHER, FATHER WIFE AND OTHER ASSORTED DEMONS. I MUST ADMIT THE TRIO'S ACTING IS OUTSTANDING. MANY CRITICS APPLAUD THE SHOW BUT FOR ME THIS PLAY HAD NO INTEREST. THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR TOO LONG. THE ONLY REASON I STAYED AWAKE WAS BECAUSE OF THE BARITONE SINGING AND MOVING OF CINDER BLOCKS. FOR A FULL REVIEW OF THIS AND THE NEXT 3 SHOWS CHECK OUT THEATERMANIA. NOW ON TO THE BEST PART OF THE EVENING...THE DINING!!!

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION: WE WENT NORTH TO EAT .......... NORTH AFRICAN FRENCH CUISINE TO BE EXACT AT NOMAD (SEE WEB SITE FOR PICS) RESTAURANT. A PLACE FIRST DISCOVERED AND ENJOYED WITH MY FAVORITE YOUNGEST BROWN EYED DAUGHTER. WHAT A NIFTY, SPARKLY LITTLE PLACE IN THE EAST VILLAGE. THEY HAVE THE BEST LOOKIN RED RESTROOM YOU WILL EVER SEE! THE NY TIMES EVEN GIVES IT A "TOP PICK" RATING AND RAVES ABOUT THE COOKIE PLATTER. OTHER THAN THE COOKIES WE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY REVIEWED. WE STARTED & ENJOYED THE "FOOUL" - SLOW COOKED FAVA BEANS WITH CUMIN & LEMON ALONG WITH THE "OCTOPUS SALAD" - WITH FRESH SHAVED FENNEL, ORANGE & MINT. WE THEN MOVED ON TO THE "MOROCCAN MUSSELS" - COOKED WITH TOMATO SAUCE, CILANTRO, GARLIC & GREEN OLIVES AND THE "SAFFRON GRILLED SHRIMP" - WITH TASTY CHICKPEA PUREE & CILANTRO. SO NOW WE WERE DONE WITH THE APPETIZERS SO WE SHARED THE DAILY SPECIAL WHICH WAS A "STRIPED BASS TANGINE" - A WONDERFUL FISH STEW WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, POTATOES AND SPICES. OK BY NOW THE WINE WAS GONE AND SINCE WE HAD A 15% DISCOUNT COUPON WE WENT FOR THE SUPER DELICIOUS DAMN TASTY "COOKIE PLATTER" (READ THE TIMES REVIEW AS THEY FALL ALL OVER THEMSELVES ABOUT THE COOKIES). THIS PLACE WAS SO GOOD AND THE PEOPLE WERE SO NICE WE ATE THERE TWICE (SEE 3RD SHOW BELOW)! SECOND UP

IN A DARK DARK HOUSE

SECOND UP WAS ON JUNE 2ND. THIS WAS MCC'S PRODUCTION OF NEIL LABUTE'S IN A DARK DARK HOUSE. LET ME JUST SAY RIGHT HERE AND NOW THAT THIS WAS A MOST DISTURBING PLAY. THIS WAS THIRD & FINAL MCC PRODUCTION AT THE LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE FOR THIS YEAR. THE STORY WAS ABOUT TWO VERY DIFFERENT BROTHERS. THEY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER AT A MENTAL HEALTH (NUT HOUSE) FACILITY TO FACE & CONFRONT THEIR HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, ABUSIVE CHILDHOOD PAST. STRONG PERFORMANCES BY RON LIVINGSTON & FREDERICK WELLER COULD NOT SAVE THE DAY FOR ME. IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE TO WATCH & SIT THRU TO SAY THE LEAST. THIS PERHAPS WHAT THE PLAYWRIGHT HAD IN MIND. SPEAKING OF THE PLAYWRIGHT, SOMEONE SHOULD CHECK MR LABUTE'S BACKYARD AND OR BASEMENT . AT LEAST THE FOOD AFTERWARDS WAS GOOD.






RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION: PINTO, THAI NOUVEAU CUISINE WHICH IS STEPS AWAY FROM THE THEATER. THAI NOUVEAU CUISINE YOU SAY? YES, WE KNOW THAT USUALLY MEANS REALLY BIG PLATES WITH LITTLE BITES TO EAT AT REALLY HIGH PRICES IN A SHINY, SLEEK PLACE! WELL THIS PLACE FITS THE STEREOTYPE, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE FOOD WAS VERY DELICIOUS AND VERY, VERY FRESH. WE STARTED OUT WITH THE "CRISPY ROLLS" - LIGHT CRISPY DELIGHTS FILLED WITH LOTUS ROOT & MUSHROOMS WITH JUST THE RIGHT CHILI SAUCE. "GREEN PAPAYA" - SALAD WAS TASTY FRESH WITH CHERRY TOMATOES, GRILLED SHRIMP AND A TANGY GARLICKY-CHILI DRESSING. "SCOTTISH SALMON SASHIMI" - JUST MELTED IN YOUR MOUTH GOOD. WE FINISHED WITH THE "SEARED RED SNAPPER" - WITH RUBY TOM YAM & DASHI BROTH ALONG WITH SOME JASMINE RICE. ALL IN ALL A QUITE DELICIOUS MEAL. STILL DON'T GET THE NAME THOUGH, PINTO IS A HORSE OR AN ITALIAN SOMETHING? ANYWAYS ON TO PLAY NO. 3!

ALL THE WRONG REASONS

THIRD, ON MAY 2ND WE GO BACK TO NYTW FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS: "A TRUES STORY OF NEO-NAZIS, DRUG SMUGGLING AND UNDYING LOVE". ALL THE WRONG REASONS IS A ONE MAN SHOW STARRING JOHN FUGELSANG. MR FUGELSANG TELL AN ANIMATED AMUSING STORY ABOUT BEING THE SON OF A FORMER PRIEST AND FORMER NUN ON A TRIP TO TELL HIS FOLKS HE IS GETTING MARRIED. ALONG THE WAY HE COVERS SEX, POLITICS, NEO NAZIS, KKK, DRUGS, STEMS CELLS, LOVE ETC WITH MUCH WIT AND CLEVER HUMOR. A BIT LEFT WINGISH BUT PRETTY HYSTERICALLY FUNNY AT TIMES. A JOLLY GOOD FUN SHOW!

OH AND BY THE WAY WE DINED AT NOMAD ( SEE RECOMMENDATION ABOVE). SO, ON TO PLAY NO. 4

EXITS AND ENTRANCES

FOURTH & FINALLY WAY BACK ON APRIL 29TH AT THE 59E59 THEATER, WE ATTENDED PRIMARY STAGES FINAL PRODUCTION OF THE 2007 SEASON, ATHOL FUGARD'S EXITS AND ENTRANCES. AN AMUSING AND SAD TALE OF AN AGING, DECLINING "LAWRENCE OLIVIER" TYPE ACTOR IN PRE & POST APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. THIS SHOW WAS WELL ACTED AS WELL AS FUNNY, SENTIMENTAL AND SAD. THE DIALOGUE WAS WELL WRITTEN AND INTERESTING. WE BOTH ENJOYED THIS PLAY. WE BOTH ALSO REALLY ENJOYED SUNDAY BRUNCH BEFORE THE SHOW

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION: SUNDAY BRUNCH AT PADDY MCGEES FISH HOUSE & BAR IS A LOVELY WAY TO GORGE YOURSELF. THEY HAVE THE ABSOLUTE BEST BAKED BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST ANYWHERE. THIS DISH CARRIES THE JIMITHEGREEK'S MONEYBACK GUARANTEE. IT IS A DARN TOOTING TASTY TREAT IN A CHAFING DISH! THERE ARE ALL THE OTHER USUAL BRUNCH SUSPECTS INCLUDING FRESH CUSTOM MADE OMELETS, WAFFLES, BACON, SAUSAGES, QUICHES, LASAGNA, LONDON BROIL CARVING STATION, SALADS, BREADS ETC. OH AND A VERY CREAMY RICE PUDDING ALONG WITH ALL THE BLOODY MARYS YOU CAN IMBIBE. YOU CAN EAT TILL YOU BURST WHILE ENJOYING A GREAT WATERFRONT VIEW.