Two Gents In the Park

Last night Trav took me to see Two Gentlemen of Verona, playing at the Delacorte, in Central Park. He was reviewing the play, so we didn’t have to stand in line. Whoo-hoo! It was hilarious – I made my way to the theatre, strolling through the lush crowded paths of Central Park – and as I came up the hill towards the Delacorte, I saw “the line”. It just made me laugh, remembering my own experiences. The line for this play was nowhere near as long as my line – but then again, Two Gents is just opening … so perhaps by the end of August, we’ll see some real growth there.

It was a perfect night for an outdoor theatre experience. Mild, cool, clear, not too windy … the sunset glow, the black silhouetted trees, the lit-up tops of buildings on the edges of Central Park … and crowds and crowds of people gathering in the middle of the park to see some Shakespeare. I love New York. I love New Yorkers.

The play was a laugh-riot. They’ve turned it into a musical – The guy who did the music for Hair (his name escapes me) – wrote the songs – and awesome playwright John Guare wrote the lyrics, as well as did the adaptation of the play. I can’t even tell you how amusing some of these songs were – the styles were a full range – reggae, disco, pop, earnest folky songs …. The play, of course, is very silly – a romantic comedy with dark weird undertones – and women dress up as men, and there’s a princess trapped in a tower, etc. etc. The ensemble was absolutely hilarious. The chick playing Silvia was my favorite. She was phenomenal – looks like Diane Ross – or, at least was made to look like Diana Ross. She had a huge afro, and was wearing a long slinky dress, a la Diana Ross in the 70s at Studio 54. She was hiLARious. Amazing voice as well.

Rosario Dawson, making her theatrical debut as Julia, is even more incredible looking in person than on the screen. Her beauty is not just made for the movies, where everything only works in tight close-up. The second she walked on, her breathtaking face gleamed up off the stage. It is truly a remarkably beautiful face. he can’t really sing … but somehow that was okay, too. Her songs were simple, written for her range obviously – and she did a fine job. I loved when she broke out into Spanish at certain high emotional moments!

It’ll be interesting to see what the critics say. I wonder. It’s certainly not perfect. There were a couple of songs that could have been cut. A couple of “reprises” that could have been cut. A couple of performances which fell kind of flat for me. But all in all, it was really really fun. If you make me laugh, spontaneously (and I laughed spontaneously throughout the play last night) – then I can forgive the little flaws. But if you don’t make me laugh? I will be highly relentless with criticism. So it’ll be interesting to see what the critics say. It is not a production that takes itself seriously. at all. If you are stuffy and precious about Shakespeare, then perhaps you would scoff at this rendition of the play. With its random disco dance numbers, and goofy folk ballads. It’s a GOOFY production – and completely makes fun of the fact that it is a PLAY, and not really happening. But to me, the material kind of warrants that. There were some very funny choices. Many of the characters wore parodies of Shakespeare costumes, with flowing capes, and puffy sleeves and tight trousers … You laughed when you saw them come on.

But on another level – I wouldn’t even have cared (all that much) if the production was a piece of garbage – because it is just so pleasurable to sit in the park, at night, in this little enclave of an amphitheatre, surrounded by a crowd of watching listening people, the black trees above, the sounds of the city fading away, the night falling around us, the colored spotlights beaming onto the stage … It’s like time stands still. It’s like you are transported. It is what theatre should be, and has been – from the beginning of time. That’s what it feels like, going to shows there. There’s something primal in it, something eternal. It has to do with community. People coming together. And having the whole thing be outside, at night, just adds to the magical feeling.

Every time I go see a play there … every. single. time, I’m not kidding … I take a second to glance up at the sky and think to myself, “Thank you, Joe Papp. Thank you, wherever you are.”