It’s a hoot! An absolute hoot!! The blend of Shakespeare, science fiction and rock-and-roll that make up "Return to the Forbidden Planet" is the most delightful musical to hit St. Louis in many years. The New Line Theatre production, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, once known as CBC High School, runs through May 23, and if St. Louis audiences reward excellence, they will demand an extension.
Scott Miller’s just-right direction and Bob Carlton’s English-born script combine to spoof – but always with loving attention – a plot from Shakespeare’s "The Tempest," lines from his entire canon, memories of "Star Trek," music from the last century and some dazzling performances.
Michael Amoroso is the handsome, thick-headed captain of our ship, with a terrific Nikki Glenn as Gloria, the science officer. Scott Tripp sparkles as a roller-skating robot and Tara Lawson is cute and sexy as Miranda. Zachary Allen Farmer is a delight as Dr. Prospero, who is related to some of these people and who invents things.
While part of the audience is laughing at the easy-to-recognize Shakespeare word plays, another part will be humming to such musical numbers as "Great Balls of Fire," "The Shoop Shoop Song," "Gloria," in honor of the science officer, "Good Vibrations" and, of course, "Shake, Rattle and Roll." Something for everyone along the way.
Betsy Krausnick’s costumes are fun, as is the set, designed by David Carr and Jeffrey Breckel. And overall is Miller, who selected the show, directed it and discovered many deeper meanings for his program notes. A wondrous evening of musical theater, "Return to the Forbidden Planet," by New Line, through May 23,
And some new movies as well — "Sugar" is a baseball story with a different twist, thanks to the intelligent writing and direction of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Brooklyn-born married filmmakers, who were responsible for "Half Nelson," a few years ago. Here they avoid the cliche of ending a sports movie with a game, but show how difficult it is for a young pitcher from the Dominican Republic to succeed in Iowa. Albert Pujols was lucky.
Algenis Perez Soto plays the title character, nicknamed "Azucar" for his sweet skills. His first steps at spring training are excellent. Times get tougher when Sugar, who speaks no English, is sent to play for a minor league team in Iowa and to live with an elderly couple who are fine baseball fans but as ignorant culturally as Sugar is linguistically.
And then, Boden and Fleck throw everyone a curve with a major shift. Sugar yields to pressure he doesn’t understand before beginning to find his way again. A fine and interesting film.
"Is Anybody There?" is a different kettle of fish. Sir Michael Caine, making movies since 1956 and a star since "Alfie" 10 years later, portrays a retired traveling magician, old and slightly doddering, and he lives in a nursing home with others of similar age, but he still can do magic tricks and he still carries a torch for his late ex-wife. In a May-December relationship like "Harold and Maude" and many other films, he befriends a 10-year-old boy, son of the couple that run the home, and they have many adventures, all of which add up to very little except a chance to enjoy Caine and to watch old people acting like fools, which is a real cheap shot at some fine actors.
-Joe