[NEohioPAL]Berko reviews: Verb Ballets, Machomer, previews

[Roy Berko]

VERB BALLETS SHINES,‘ Machomer’ DELIGHTS,  PREVIEW OF
THINGS TO COME

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


VERB BALLET SHINES

Verb Ballets, since it has come under the watchful
guidance of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez and
Executive Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson, has
blossomed into one of the finest local dance
companies.  It has built a solid fan base as was
illustrated by its SRO Playhouse Square performance
last year and its continued solid audience numbers in
their various other venus, such as Cain Park.  Their
recent residence at Cleveland Public Theatre was no
exception.  A Thursday night opening, usually  a weak
evening for attendance, was nearly sold out.

The audience’s desire for excellent dancing, polished
performances and creative illusion were well met.

Cortez’s world premiere piece, “Backlash,” was
stunning.  Dancing before mylar streamers, the
dancers, clothed in similar material, sparkled and
shimmered.  The non linear dance mirrored the music by
Eric Ziolek.  “Verbtuosity,” in its world premiere,
was played superbly by saxophonist John Perrine and
peercussionist Benjamin Winters.   (Perrine also
entertained before and after the piece with a solid
jazz performance.)  Trad Burns’ lighting effectively
highlighted the dancers as they moved in and out of
shadows, creating abstract images by angular and
discordant moves.  Marcela Alvarez, Danielle Brickman,
Erin Conway, Glynn Owens, Mark Tomasic and Tracy Vogt
worked in perfect sync.  This is a winning addition to
the Verb Ballets’ repertoire.

Mark Tomasic is one of, if not “the” premiere local
male dancer.  His dance talent, excellent physical
control, powerful gym-toned body and good looks, puts
him well above his peers.   Not satisfied with his
reputation as a dancer, Tomasic has decided to branch
out and establish himself as a choreographer.  So far
his choreography hasn’t reached the same level as his
dancing.   His “Before the Time After” is a case in
point.  Danced to the music of J. S. Bach, the dancers
spent much of the piece removing sand from pails
upstage, carrying handfuls downstage, sprinkling the
sand on the apron of the stage and writing messages
into the granules.  As the man sitting next to me
whispered, “I don’t know what’s going on.”  I readily
agreed.   The dancers were well disciplined, confident
in their movements, but failed to create a coherent
impression.

Choreographer Troy McCarty’s world premiere ‘TANGO NON
GENDER’ was excellent.  Both sensual and disciplined,
the light piece was danced to three tango rhythms with
classical ballet movements in a tango environment. 
McCarty threw stereotypical partnering to the winds as
men danced with men, women danced with women, women
performed as leads and men performed as followers. 
The result was gender bending effective.

Cortez’s ‘LIKE BEING AWAKE SLEEPING AND HEARING
SEEING”made for a long but enjoyable sit.  Called a
surrealist manifesto, any attempt to figure out a
story, to gain a message, is an exercise in futility. 


Danced to the music of Sasha and John Digweed,  the
quick movements fit the rapid music and rather than
creating a unified piece it was a series of disjointed
movements.  The over-all effect is like walking
through an art gallery, glancing at images after
images, that have not been arranged by theme.  Each
composition stands alone as does each of the
performances and performers in this creation.   

It is not surprising that Cortez credits his
inspiration for the work to Max Ernst and Meret
Oppenheim, two of the world greatest surrealistic
artists.  Ernst is credited with developing the medium
of collage.  Oppenheim, is noted for the use of
unusual materials to create art.  One of her most
famous pieces, for example was a teacup and saucer
created of fur.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Verb Ballets continues to excite
and excel!  Those who have not taken advantage of
seeing this company, which is quickly becoming the
major force in local dance, should attend upcoming
performances.  January 20-22 Verb will be in residence
at Beck Center (216-521-2540),  March 24-25 at the
Ohio Theatre in Playhouse Square (216-240-6000) and
May 18-19 at the Cleveland Play House as part of
FusionFest (216-795-7000).


‘MACHOMER’ DELIGHTS AT HANNA


Before the action starts, the voice of Rick Miller,
the creator and sole performer of ‘MACHOMER,’ now in a
short run at the Hanna Theatre asks, “How many of you
have seen the Simpsons TV show within the last month?”
 The majority of the audience screamed a positive
response.  He then asked, “How many of you have read
Shakespeare’s ‘MACBETH’ in the last month?  A few
feeble voices, including mine, responded in the
affirmative.  In actuality, I lied.  I haven’t picked
up a copy of ‘MACBETH’ in many a year, but I did read
it in high school and probed it deeply in two
Shakespearean theatre classes in college and have seen
at least a dozen productions of one of the Bard’s
greatest tragedies.   Someone needed to stand up for
the Bard!

What did Miller’s questions have to do with the show? 
‘MACHOMER’ is a hyper-meld of Shakespeare and 50
Simpsons voices.  And, yes, you guessed it, Homer is
Macbeth, well, is Machomer.

The show actually follows most of the original script,
though it is abbreviated.   But as pronounced and
phrased by Bart, Ned Flanders, Troy McClurem, Barney
Gumble and Marge, the words take on altered meaning. 
Add some classic Simpson’s characteristic lines, and
you have an idea of what the evening is like.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  This little-over-an-hour
intermissionless production is not for Shakespearean
purists.  It is for Simpson followers.  Those of us
who aren’t “Simpsonites” greatly appreciated the
tremendous talent of Miller and the creative use of
the cartoon power point presentation that accompanied
Miller’s voices and antics, but weren’t swept up in
the gales of laughter which surrounded us.


UPCOMING EVENTS


ACTORS’ SUMMIT:  November 3-20.  ‘CLARENCE DARROW’...a
review of much of the legal history of America told
with humor, gusto and human relish.  330-342-0800.

OHIO BALLET:  October 28 (8 PM), October 29 (2 and 8
PM) in the Ohio Theatre.  “FALLFEST”--”TURNING OF THE
SCREW (a new ballet based on Henry James’ classic
story) and ‘FAITH” (Jeffrey Graham Hughes world
premiere piece danced to Jean Sibelius’ “5th
Symphony.”  216-240-6000.

CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE:  November 4-27.  ‘I AM MY OWN
WIFE.’  a true and remarkable story of an art
collector who survives both the Nazis and the
Communist dictatorship of East Germany.   A Tony Award
and Pulitzer Prize winner.  216-795-7000, ext. 4.

THE BEBE MILLER DANCE COMPANY:  November 5 in the Ohio
Theatre.  Performance of “Landing/Place” Miller’s
first company work since her 2001 Bessie award winning
“Verge.”  216-240-6000.




Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


		
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