Southern Bookman

"Hamilton" close up

We found ourselves by good fortune watching "Hamilton" streaming on the Disney + channel on Independence Day.

The "Hamilton" film shows the orignal cast in an edited version of three live performances of the musical recorded in June 2016. We'd seen the production at New York's Richard Rodgers Theater at about that time, so it was thrilling to see close-up stage views of what we'd witnessed from distant seats.

For the first time, we saw the show's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda playing Alexander Hamilton; he'd been ably replaced by understudy Jon Rua for our performance, with the rest of the cast present.

While Miranda's acting is superb, his singing falls short of the other cast members. But the emotional depths he reaches overcomes the deficiencies of his voice.

Miranda's music is amazing, especially his ability to translate complex historical material into jaunty song lyrics. I'd forgotten that the play's narrative is almost totally conveyed by songs. The frequent rap numbers take the place of spoken dialogue, but many of the pop-oriented songs also progress the story, reminiscent of Rodgers' own "Oklahoma."

As New Yorker writer Lauren Michele Jackson pointed out, "Hamilton" succeeds as a musical, with even politically oriented songs like "In the Room Where It Happened" and "It Must Be Nice to Have Washington on Your Side" as infectious as pop romantic ballads.

The love song "Helpless" recalls the confections of 1960s girl groups, and Jonathan Goff's "You'll Be Back" sounds like a 1950s hit from Dion or Neil Sedaka.

Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography blends with the show, with an admirable absence of ostentation.

Seeing the faces of  the dynamic performers Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Christopher Jackson, Phillip Soo, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan was overpowering.

The closeup camera revealed the inner workings of stagecraft, yet the theatrical magic remained.

 

 

 

Discovering "Law and Order"

I never watched the old "Law and Order" show when it ran for 20 years on network TV.

But now I'm hooked on the police/trial procedural, whose episodes run in a continuous loop Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays on the We TV channel, which offers vintage crime serials and trashy pop-culture productions.

"Law and Order," like "Naked City" before it, is known for actors who appear in unexpected roles before they gained fame.

Recently, I've seen a selection of eventual "Sopranos" cast members: Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, John Ventimiglia, Vincent Pastore, Edie Falco and Burt Young. I've been hoping for James Gandolfini to show up, but he never appeared on "Law and Order." Nor did Tony Sirico, who played "Paulie Walnuts."

Eventual "Gilmore Girls" star Lauren Graham appeared in fetching mini-skirt suits during a three-episode saga in which she played a striving Hollywood insider smitten with detective Ray Curtis, played by Benjamin Bratt. A young Ron Cephas Jones, memorable as Randall Pearson's biological father in "This Is Us," has played roles in several episodes.

Already well-known stars also appear. I was so excited to see Elaine Stritch as a defense attorney that I had to watch the midnight episode rather than going to bed.

The rotating cast of cops and district attorneys allows fans to divide the show into different eras. Before the long reign of Sam Waterson as the driven prosecutor Jack McCoy, Michael Moriarty held the chair as Benjamin Stone. Chris Noth stood out as detective Mike Logan, but Jesse Green and Bratt also deliver strong performances. S. Epatha Merkerson gives subtle personality shadings to her role as police supervisor Anita Van Buren.

Following Steven Hill's years as the cryptic D.A. Adam Schiff, Diane Wiest comes in, raising one of the show's many cross-references. Waterson and Wiest portrayed an ill-fated couple in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters."

And then there are  the savvy and beautiful young assistant district attorneys:. Jill Hennessey, Amy Harmon, Carey Lowell, Alana de La Graza. Their professional competence always comes with a dark side.

As with Gandolfini in "The Sopranos," the show's biggest draw is Jerry Orbach as Lenny Briscoe, the street-hardened detective with a heart of gold. Orbach's cynical wisecracks contrast with his compassion for crime victims, devotion to his different partners and worldly wisdom. A Broadway star who originated the show-stopping  number "Try to Remember" in "The Fantasticks," Orbach brings an enigmatic dimension to the role.

Briscoe's like King Lear turned New York City detective, a poignance heightened by the realization that Orbach battled prostate cancer for years doing the show.

I wish show creator Dick Wolf could have found a way for Stritch and Orbach to do a musical duet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

456 years after birth, William Shakespeare still our most vital writer

William Shakespeare still excites audience's rapture and stirs political passions, 456 years after his reputed birth on this day in 1564.

Cities from New York to Montgomery, Ala., support prosperous companies that perform his works. Noted Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro in his recent "Shakespeare in a Divided America" recounts the heated political and social controversies Shakespeare's plays have generated in this country from the nation's founding until today.

Wall Street Journal polemicist Barton Swaim in a review Thursday skewered Shapiro for his account of the Shakespeare in the Park production of "Julius Caesar" in which the Roman emperor appeared in a Trumpian wig and suit and tie. In a heavy handed gesture, Caesar's followers wore "Make Rome Great Again" caps.

In a well-argued but tendentious review, Swaim faults Shapiro for accepting without question the production's implication that Trump like Caesar seeks dictatorial power. In Swaim's placid view, Trump is more of a Falstaffian entertainer, whose danger is overstated.

Showing conservative bias, Swaim also claims that Shapiro insufficiently questions liberal assumptions in analyzing other recent Shakespearian controversies.

Swaim praises Shapiro's historical look at Shakespeare's influence in America in the 19th and 20th centuries. He cites Shapiro's examination of a late 19th century production in New York City that touched off a riot between anti-British Tammany Hall thugs and Anglophile fans of the playwright.

Shakespeare's London theaters were at times shut down because of the plague, and now theaters across America are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. New York's Shakespeare in the Park recently announced the cancellation of its summer schedule. Sidelined companies like Nashville's Shakespeare Festival are marking his birthday with live-streaming events.

The playwright also reportedly died on this date in 1616, at the dawn of the modern world he did so much to shape. Mystery surrounds his life, with a few tantalizing glimpses and much that's unknown.

After more than 400 years, his plays seem new.

Alan Bennett in annual diary remembers Jonathan Miller

Noted British playwright Alan Bennett in his latest diary in the London Review of Books pays homage to fellow "Beyond the Fringe" member Jonathan Miller.

For years, Bennett has brightened the new year with his annual chronicle of the previous 12 months, published in the LRB. Bennett's record of his life in 2019 runs in the LRB's Jan. 2 issue.

The polymath Miller, who died Nov. 27, excelled in medicine, the theater and television. He was especially known for his opera productions, and hosting the TV documentary "The Body in Question."

Rising from their college days at Oxford and Cambridge, Miller and Bennett joined Dudley Moore and Peter Cook in the satirical revue "Beyond the Fringe," which eventually played on Broadway.

Along with serene depictions of the London literary world and unhurried life in suburban Yorkshire, Bennett can be cutting in his views. An entry in his 2019 diary gives a chilly assessment of Miller.

"Ours was a not unrivalrous relationship, with neither particularly generous about the other's work," Bennett says. He confesses to never seeing one of Miller's operas, and suspects Miller never watched one of his plays.

Bennett ends on a warmer, regretful note. "Now that he's gone I feel remorse as well as sorrow. But, jokes apart, it was a question of survival. I needed to write. Jonathan needed one to listen."

The diaries increasingly chronicle Bennett's aging. This year's entries often reference Bennett lying on his couch or in bed, suffering from severe arthritis. He also gives an alarming account of a fall on his bicycle, from which he suffered bruises but no broken bones or head injuries.

A disturbing sign of Bennett's looming mortality is that the diary is much shorter this year; he missed several months during the spring and summer because of open-heart surgery.

With all of his suffering, the diary is again a treat of refined thinking, with references to obscure films, actors and British writers. The diaries reflect his cultured life in suburban Yorkshire, where he enjoys gardening, old houses and reading. Bennett's at times fussy writing reveals a disgust with conservative politics, an enjoyment of small town life and an appreciation for small pleasures.

His diaries mirror my own aging, giving me encouragement and comfort. I hope to read Bennett's annual missives for years to come.

Wyatt Prunty made Sewanee Writers Conference special

Sewanee Writers Conference founding director Wyatt Prunty is stepping aside after 30 years running the "summer camp for adults" with uncommon grace and professionalism.

Tributes to Wyatt in the Sewanee Review's current issue brought memories of my participation in the first two conferences, funded by a legacy from Tennessee Williams. A noted poet, critic and Sewanee professor, Wyatt made the conference a success from the start.

He was a genial, quiet presence at the conference's many social events. A generous host who kept the conference running smoothly, Wyatt rarely interjected himself into the mingling of poets, novelists, playwrights, agents and publishers. When he did, such as suddenly playing harmonica at a sing-along around the piano, or enlivening a conversation for a sunlit moment with an astute comment or observation before moving on to the next group, participants felt blessed. Those brief interactions made us feel as if he knew and cared about each of us.

The two-week midsummer stay at Sewanee's secluded mountain campus inspired a deep commitment to writing and literature. Sharing breakfast and dinner with luminaries like John Hollander, Howard Nemerov, Tim O'Brien, David Justice, Mona Van Duyn and Robert Stone made us feel part of a literary community. The workshops, individual tutorials and readings raised us to a higher artistic level.

I'll never forget Peter Taylor's courageous reading. Mr. Taylor, still recovering from a stroke, read from one of his marvelous stories. He at times got stuck on a word, but pressed on to the end. I'm honored to say that Mr. Taylor took a liking to me, inviting me to his house in Sewanee for a reception for writing conference faculty members. Talking with him and his wife and wonderful poet, Eleanor Ross Taylor, and intermingling with writers like Ernest Gaines, I thought i had gone to heaven without dying.

The writing conference co-existed with a gathering of high-school musicians. Walking to a workshop or lecture along one of the school's Gothic archways, a writer would come upon a young flutist or violinist practicing. Those brief interludes of music lifted our hearts with the joy and beauty of art.

Before saying farewell to Sewanee, we gathered in the school's magnificent chapel for the young musicians' final concert. They played on each side of us, their Bach and Mozart enveloping us. Such a gift from them as we returned to the world.

Linda Ronstadt documentary traces singer's meteoric career, heart-breaking loss of voice

Linda Ronstadt possessed the greatest range and versatility of any American singer.

The documentary "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice" traces the singer's spectacular career and the heart-breaking loss of her glorious instrument because of Parkinson's Disease.

Former boyfriend J.D. Souther and fellow pop stars Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dolly Parton and others praise Ronstadt for her supple voice and daring career. We hear from record magnate David Geffen, and former manager Peter Asher. They recall a woman who overcame a lack of confidence in her early days to forge a career that moved far beyond the boundaries of pop music.

Video clips show Ronstadt's performances as a beautiful, mesmerizing young woman. She often starts a song quietly, then stuns the audience with the full force of her voice. Like Aretha Franklin, Ronstadt displays unlimited reserves of power.

The most poignant tribute comes from Kevin Kline, Ronstadt's co-star in the Broadway revival of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance." Kline remembers being moved to tears by hearing Ronstadt's flawless bel-canto voice at the musical's first rehearsal. Scenes of her operetta performance will make musical lovers wish she'd starred in more theatrical productions.

Unlike singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Ronstadt was a throwback to an earlier era when artists such as Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee interpreted songs written by others.

Ronstadt's voice, larger than other rock stars', pushed songs like "Blue Bayou" and "When Will I Be Loved" to new heights. Reviving American-songbook standards in an album arranged by Nelson Riddle, Ronstadt found her true calling. Later, Ronstadt honored her heritage by recording classic Mexican songs.

Countering record company executives' demands that she stick with hit-proven pop songs, Ronstadt's American Songbook and Mexican albums were best-sellers.

In moving beyond rock and folk, Ronstadt brought her audience to a new musical sophistication and appreciation for jazz, country, Broadway musicals and ethnic music.

The film ends with a heart-breaking scene of Ronstadt struggling with her depleted voice to sing along with her nephew on a Mexican folk song.

Now, the voice that once soared to the highest musical registers can barely rise above a whisper. Ronstadt accepts the loss without regret or bitterness, grateful for the time she was touched by God.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

It's time to give thanks for our blessings.

This year has dealt me highs and lows. Here are a few snapshots from my 2019 album.

Eight days in the hospital. I'm thankful for the doctors and nurses who helped me feel better again.

A trip to New York City to see Jeff Daniels' masterful performance as Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin's theater adaptation of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird."

The Miro show at the MOMA, before the museum closed to receive a new look. Miro's stance against Fascism in the 1930s gives us courage to resist Trump and the GOP's assaults on truth and human dignity. I was overwhelmed by Picasso's "Guernica" when I first visited MOMA nearly 50 years ago. I'm looking forward to visiting yet another new MOMA.

Trips to Portugal and Amelia Island, Fla., two places where rivers join the Atlantic Ocean. Both are threatened by rising sea levels and the crush of tourism. Like distant cousins, they are battling to preserve their proud cultures.

The Braves' rush to the pennant. Joe Burrow and the Tigers. Anne-Marie and I getting together with our children Sara, Luke and Ruthie in Nashville, Tenn. Learning to play Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" on the piano.

We'll soon turn the calendar to another year, which looms as one of history's crossroads. The personal decisions of millions will determine whether the nation follows the course of freedom or an American totalitarianism.

No matter what happens, truth and beauty eventually will prevail.

 

Wendell Pierce receives accolades for Willy Loman performance in London production of "Death of a Salesman"

Wendell Pierce says playing Willy Loman is like scaling a mountain each night.

The New Orleans native is receiving accolades for his portrayal of Loman in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" at Piccadilly Theater in London's West End. The production originated at the Old Vic.

In an interview in Sunday's New York Times, Pierce called the role America's Hamlet, acknowledging the notable group of American actors who've played the part.

Pierce, known for performances in HBO's "The Wire" and "Treme," the hit TV show "Suits" and numerous movies, is an accomplished theatrical actor. During his career, he's appeared in plays by August Wilson, Shakespeare and Chekhov. Pierce hopes to add Othello and King Lear to his Loman role, he told the Times.

An all-black cast plays Loman's family in the West End production, which brings new dimensions to Miller's play, Pierce said. A black family struggling with middle-class aspirations has parallels to Loman's Jewish family.

After Hurricane Katrina destroyed Pierce's childhood home in New Orleans' Ponchartrain Park neighborhood, Pierce launched efforts to rebuild the community. He also received praise for his production of "Waiting for Godot," which brought healing to the city after Katrina's devastation.

Pierce's triumphant performance as Willy Loman brings him to the top tier of American actors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farewell, Harold Bloom

Harold Bloom cashed in on middle-class Americans' hunger for literary culture.

The Yale professor and prolific author of best-selling books on Shakespeare and other great Western writers died Monday at age 89 in a New Haven hospital, according to a New York Times front-page obituary.

Like Clifton Fadiman, Mortimer Adler and the Harvard "Great Books" collection, Bloom sought to impart literary knowledge to average readers. While previous workers in the trade published great-book editions for home libraries, Bloom attracted those who wanted literary wisdom without reading the books. Dwight MacDonald called the earnest desire for self-improvement "middle brow."

With his wild hair, hound-dog eyes and portly figure, Bloom was a living academic charicature. Reveling in his resemblance to the comic actor Zero Mostel, Bloom was known for his florid lectures, among Yale's most popular.

A few of Bloom's female students. including author Naomi Wolf, accused him of sexual impropriety, which he denied. Wolf said he placed a hand on her thigh.

From his perch at Yale, Bloom defended the white-male-dominated Western canon, mostly British and American. He issued thunderclaps against ethnic and women writers, whom he disparaged as the "school of resentment."

In one of his controversial books, he found that a woman at King Solomon's court had written the Jewish bible. He also claimed that Shakespeare had "invented the human," or formed the modern consciousness.

Bloom possessed a photographic memory and could recite all of Shakespeare, Romantic poetry, "Paradise Lost" and "The Fairie Queen,"according to the Times. That seems more insane than laudatory.

A literary factory, Bloom also edited a number of critical books on American and British authors, handy tools for English teachers and students.

As a critic, he ruined several writers' reputations, including Robert Lowell's. The poet's standing has rebounded in recent years.

Many who picked up Bloom's books seeking a guide to literature were left mystified. His Yale colleague, the poet John Hollander, criticized Bloom for his unclear writing, according to the Times. Bloom was notorious for using obscure literary terms.

Bloom made his mark with "The Anxiety of Influence," a ground-breaking book that asserted that young writers seek to overthrow their literary forebears through misreading their works. That was a blow against the prevailing New Criticism, which focused on texts without examining their historical and biographical contexts.

Some considered Bloom a charlatan. His unmistakable Bloomian style of bombast and encyclopedic knowledge intimidated many readers who bought his missives. Many undoubtedly were inspired to go on and read the books, using him as a guide. He began a mini-boom in Shakespeare studies issued by other academics, which continues unabated.

He championed the traditional Western book culture as elite schools like Yale instituted programs in gender studies, film, TV and even cartoons. His pronouncements were the dying cries of a a long-established literary hegemony. That his literary elitism produced so many best-sellers is amazing. In the age of Twitter-short attention spans, such success is unlikely to be duplicated.

 

 

 

 

 

How dark "Oklahoma" revival gave country flavor to "People Will Say We're in Love"

The "Oklahoma" revival now on Broadway gives a darker, stripped down interpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical.

New York Times theater critic Jesse Green in Sunday's Times analyzes how the new production changed "People Will Say We're in Love" from an operatta confection to sultry country-influenced love song.

In the new show, Curly strums a guitar as he serenades Laurie, shifting from the light-opera style made famous through the years by such stars as Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones and Hugh Jackman and Josefina Gabrielle.

Portraying Curly, Damon Daunno at one haunting moment in the new rendering breaks into a Hank Williams-reminiscent yodel. As Laurie, Rebecca Naomi Jones shimmers close to Daunno in a sultry, seductive dance, a radical shift from the coy and mocking performances of  Jones and Gabrielle.

Without bogging down in technicalities, Green analyzes how the revival directed by Daniel Fish changed the song's flavor. Music director Nathan Koci replaced the traditional theater pit orchestra with an on-stage ensemble that plays country string instruments.

In a treat for those with some understanding of musical theory, Green analyzes how Koci changed the song's key and voice styling. With all of the changes, one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most beautiful songs keeps its essence.

The Broadway revival has resulted in a new cast recording. A separate Times article traces the history of "Oklahoma" cast recordings. The first was Decca Records' pioneering effort in 1943, recorded on multiple 78s.

I'm looking forward to hearing the revival cast's new interpretations of standards like "Surrey With the Fringe on The Top" and the sweeping theme "Oklahoma."

After years as one of those Rodgers and Hart acolytes, I gained new appreciation for Hammerstein's collaboration with Rodgers by hearing Blossom Dearie's jazzy and seductive recording of "Surrey With the Fringe on the Top."

Koci's new arrangements of "Oklahoma" songs will open the music to new artistic interpretations. A country or pop duo will surely follow Koci's path and record "People Will Say We're in Love."