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..11111161111111.101111011MINImp.
Torch Song Trilogy'
I
n its three acts, Torch Song Jewish Ensemble Theatre has giv-
Trilogy is guilty of overachiev- en it a raucous, well-de-
her son's pigheadedness. The
bruising scenes of con-
ing. Its author, Harvey Fier- served production.
frontation between
stein, has made Act I a campy
Arnold Beckoff is gay
Arnold and Mrs. Beck-
spectacle fit for Charles Ludlam's and proud, Jewish and
off are stirring and pas-
Ridiculous Theatrical Company; guilty, and loud and
sionate. Henrietta
Act II a brittle comedy of manners abrasive. In the course of
Hermelin Weinberg is
— Company without music; and 3 1/2 hours, he breaks up
perfect in the role.
Act III a soap-opera Jewish-guilt with a lover, loses one to
Elsewhere, good per-
slugfest. It's a lovely, enthralling, gay bashing and adopts
formances carry the day:
MICH AEL H.
hi-your-face combination, and the a son.
Richard Marlatt as the
MAR GOLIN
In the tumul-
on-again, off-again bi-
SPECIA L TO THE
tuous lead role,
JEWIS H NEWS
sexual/closet gay is com-
and featured on
pelling in his anguish
stage 99 percent
over sexual preference
of the time, John Michael and his loyalty; Brian Hoyt as
Manfredi has a nice blend Alan the boy model and victim of
of bitchiness and valor. His gay-bashing is artfully callow; as
insistence on driving David, the canny street kid
everyone around him to Arnold adopts, David DeAngelis
distraction with his de- is funny as a cute, snotty kid; and
mands for communication Maureen Dorrington (last seen
is one of his most and least as Mrs. Frank in The Diary of
endearing characteristics. Anne Frank) sings torch songs in
When we meet
Act I with flair, and as
Mrs. Beckoff in Act
Laurel is just as dish-
THEATER
III, we know where
water as she should be.
he got it; he was mold-
Under Nicholas Calan-
ed in the cast-iron skillet ni's direction, the play survives
of Jewish character build- intact with its humor and its
ing and latke frying by a pathos and its damned fine pride.
Jewish mother of formi- Bravo to JET for making this play
dable talent. She discov- available. This one they could
ered the secret that the take on the road.
As a Jewish mother, Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg
alchemists
sought: she
grapples with her gay son's (John Michael
can
turn
anything
into
cO
ot.
Manfredi) lifestyle and decisions in JET's Torch
1/2
tJ
guilt. But she also pegs
Song Trilogy
'BIG'
L
ike its film predecessor, Big, and well-performed, do not a show their previous collaborations.
the Broadway-bound show make.
The music for Susan (Crista
that opened officially last Fri-
What was up-close and per- Moore), who as the adult lover of
day evening at the Fisher, sonal in the film is still not fully teen-age Josh undergoes the most
tells the story ofJosh Baskin, who realized in a song or dance
profound change, is in-
asks Zoltar, an electronic carnival equivalent on stage. For one,
ert. It sounds hashed
THEATER
machine with a crystal ball, to be the score, music by David
and rehashed — writ-
big. And his wish is granted. Some Shire and lyrics by Richard
ten nicely for her agile so-
of the sentiment and drama of a Maltby Jr., is not strong enough. prano — but with little warmth.
13-year old boy thrust into the "Black Coffee" and "The Real When the star's mother has more
sawtooth adult world of toy man- Thing," with its mock-Sondheim attractive music, there's trouble
ufacturing is depicted on stage.
quality, are musically clever with- in River City.
In fact, two of the show's high- out becoming memorable. Malt-
The cast is able and, generally,
lights are in Act II: when Mrs. by and Shire work in any number good. Jenkins has a nice gawky
Baskin (Barbara WaLsh) sings the of styles, adroitly, but rarely does boy-man quality and a pratfall
plaintive "Stop, Time" about her anything sound spontaneous or style; he sings well. As Josh's best
missing (the now-big) son, and surprising— as it does in some of buddy Billy, 13-year-old Brett
when the big Josh is on
Left to right, Jon
the brink of an adult
sexual relationship and Cypher as MacMillan
and Daniel Jenkins
the young Josh (Patrick
Levis) appears and sings as Josh trip the lights
"I Want to Know." Ear- — literally — fantas-
tic on set designer
lier, at the Port Author-
ity Bus Terminal, when Robin Wagner's 36-
the newly emancipated foot-long piano key-
Josh-as-an-adult board — surrounded
by a magical toy-
(Daniel Jenkins) sings
store setting.
of his loneliness in "I
Want to Go Home," the
poignancy quotient is
high.
But these several
moments, successful