Christmas 2011

December 24-25, 2011 — It wasn't a white Christmas, but you won't hear me complaining. Where I had to travel over 200 miles in two days to share the holidays with relatives in two states, I was delighted to find fair skies and landscapes untouched by snow everywhere I went.

My nephew's new baby boy was the main attraction at a Christmas Eve get-together with my sister and her extended family. Great food, gifts and a wild and crazy Yankee swap made for an entertaining evening.

On Christmas morning, I enjoyed breakfast at Kathy's, a Christmas morning family tradition, and then a delicious Christmas dinner and gift exchange with another nephew and his family at their home. You can see photos and videos of the holiday activities at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas11/

October Nor'easter

October 29-November 2, 2011 — It was a feeling of deja vu. In February 2010 a windstorm so devastated the city it took out power for 68 hours. That was the first time in my nearly 50 years in this city that power was lost for more than an hour or two. I thought the odds were against ever seeing a prolonged outage like that again. But lo and behold, it happened again this past week. A record foot and a half of heavy wet snow falling on trees with all their leaves took down limbs and wires and cut off power for 84 hours.

Unlike the February 2010 outage which occurred during an unseasonably warm spell, this most recent outage happened while temperatures were well below average for late October. It was going down in the 20s overnight and barely reaching 50 in the daytime. Temperature in the house was falling rapidly, making it unlivable by the end of the first day of the outage. I got a room at a local motel, but that solution was too expensive in case the power wasn't restored for days, and the electric company was warning customers full restoration could take a week or more. The next day I went to my sister's 90 miles to the south and stayed there for the next two nights.

On my third day at my sister's, the power was restored at home. I determined this by dialing my home phone. When my electrically-powered answering machine responded, I new the power had to be on. I packed  my things and headed home. It was good to be back. I'm grateful to my sister for putting me up for a couple of nights. Now I'm contemplating installing a generator. I'm getting too old to be driven out of my house by the increasingly destructive weather we've been experiencing in recent years.

"Barefoot in the Park"

September 30, 2011 — I thought the summer theatre season was over until the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company decided to stage Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire. So on a mild, summer-like evening on the last day of September I found myself in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains for a look at this popular Neil Simon play I had never seen before.

The play revolves around a couple of newlyweds, played by Liz Clark Golson and Grant Golson, real-life husband and wife, who also appeared recently in MWVTC's "A Chorus Line." All is lovey-dovey at the beginning, although the husband, just starting a career as a lawyer, can't help expressing dismay over his wife's choice of an apartment, one room on the fifth floor, unheated in February with a hole in the roof, still awaiting furniture delivery the first time he sees it after an exhausting climb up the five flights of stairs. Throw the bride's mother (Caroline Nesbitt) and an eccentric neighbor (Craig Nelson) into the mix and you have a recipe for hilarious disaster.

The newlyweds' affectionate relationship quickly disintegrates into argument, recrimination and ultimately demand for divorce, all this after only six days of marriage. Great Neil Simon dialog, perfect chemistry between the Golsons, and smart comic turns by Nesbitt and Nelson made for a very entertaining evening. Patrick Roberts as a telephone repairman and Melissa Holden as a delivery person filled out the cast. It was well worth the long drive to North Conway.

"A Chorus Line"

August 31, 2011 — A Marvin Hamlisch score, brilliant dance routines, pretty girls in skimpy costumes, what better way to close the 2011 summer theatre season. The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company staged "A Chorus Line" at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire. This popular musical which ran on Broadway over 6,000 times and was the longest running show in Broadway history up to that time, won nine Tony Awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The show is about a group of singer/dancers auditioning for a place in the chorus line of a Broadway musical. The cast of nineteen was talented and energetic. Over the course of the musical, each character relates his or her aspirations, dreams and fears in response to questioning by the director, played by Grant Golson. All were great, but I have to give special mention to Liz Clark Golson who turned in a dazzling song and dance number, with R-rated language, extolling the virtues of her physical attributes. The band, consisting of two pianists and a drummer, sounded just a bit tinny, but the acoustics of the Playhouse could be to blame for that rather than the musicians.

The finale was a triumph when the nineteen performers, after an unbelievably quick change, came out in matching gold costumes and performed a Rockettes-style high-kicking chorus line to wrap up the show.

"The 39 Steps"

August 24, 2011 — For the final play of their 81st season, The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire is presenting "The 39 Steps," their 600th production at the Tamworth theater. Adapted from a novel by John Buchan and the 1935 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written for the stage by Patrick Barlow, this production turns Hitchcock's dark, suspenseful tale into a madcap, free-wheeling comedy, which I didn't expect, but having seen it I'm convinced that was exactly the right thing to do.

Blair Hundertmark is superb as the suave, handsome hero, Richard Hannay, on the lam as a falsely suspected murderer and caught up in a web of intrigue and espionage. Madeleine Maby deftly handles three diverse roles. a femme fatale, a shy inn-keeper's wife, and a strong-willed but innocent bystander caught up in Hannay's predicament. Scott H. Severance and Doug Shapiro, two of the funniest men in New Hampshire summer theater, play a dizzying number of characters, all hilarious. The portly Severance is especially gifted at character-switching, playing both male and frumpy female parts, as he has done in other Barnstormers plays. Scenery and costume changes come fast and furious as the actors play multiple characters from London to Scotland and other locations in the British Isles. The entire chaotic production is a brilliant achievement in direction, acting and stagecraft.

At the end of the play, when the four actors come out for their curtain call, you're tempted to ask, "Where are the rest of them?" It's hard to believe what you just witnessed was performed by only four people. This was a terrific ending to The Barnstormers' season, and I'll remember it as the funniest play I saw this summer.

"Dr. Knock"

August 23, 2011 — "Dr. Knock," a 1923 French play by Jules Romains, was translated and directed by Gus Kaikkonen, artistic director of the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Kraig Swartz, one of the Players' best comic actors, had the lead role. He is taking over the practice of a small town's departing doctor, and has his own ideas for making medicine hugely profitable. With his smooth manner and cherubic smile, he convinces healthy townspeople they have life-threatening diseases and need regular visits, sometimes spread over years, to ensure their survival. In collusion with the local pharmacist, he makes sure his patients have a steady supply of expensive drugs to sustain them. Sound familiar? Would this 1923 play's premise be too far-fetched today?

Several actors deftly juggled multiple roles. Dale Hodges deserves special mention for her three portrayals, the best a flustered, pretentious upper-class lady which, although brief, almost stole the show. Michael Dell'Orto was excellent as always as the poor departing doctor whose life's work is discredited by Kraig Swartz's unscrupulous young doctor. Ryan Farley, Tom Frey and Bridget Beirne also play multiple roles. Casey Jordan rounds out the cast.

There were some flat spots in the play, some uncomfortable pauses at times, but overall this was an entertaining evening well-spent. For me, one of the stars of the show was the ancient automobile in Act One. There should be a special award for whoever conceived and built this sputtering, smoking jalopy.

"Bedroom Farce"

August 18, 2011 — A bit slow-paced for the first half of Act 1, but the pace quickened and the hilarity increased as the play progressed. For its seventh and next-to-last production of this season, The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire presented Alan Aykbourn's "Bedroom Farce."

This was a very funny play once it got rolling. With three partitionless bedrooms and most of the actors on stage at the same time, separation was achieved by focusing lighting on one bedroom at a time as each couple played their parts. Very English, some of the dialog and action was reminiscent of Monty Python. For the most part, the actors' British accents were convincing, with Tom Patterson doing the best one. Shelly Bolman sometimes allowed his normal American accent to come through, but his portrayel of the injured, bedridden Nick was one of the show's funniest. Dale Place, a Barnstormers regular, was superb as always as a fussy, uptight older Brit, and Penny Purcell was perfectly cast as his very proper British wife. Angela Smith was great as the neurotic, unstable Susannah. Amy Prothro, Paul Melendy and Kelly Rypkema filled out the cast. All were excellent.

"Murder on the Nile"

August 11, 2011 — The Agatha Christie mysteries are ingenious, well-written and unpredictable. Most have totally unexpected endings. They're also so popular and well-known that in any given audience, many will have seen the play or movie or read the story before. This doesn't necessarily spoil the fun. Seeing Christie's well-developed characters portrayed by good actors is always fascinating, even if you already know "who dunnit." However, if like me you're seeing a production such as "Murder on the Nile" for the first time, it can be an exciting, suspenseful, often funny treat.

This is the type of play The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire usually does extremely well. However, "Murder on the Nile" fills up most of the first two acts of the three-act play introducing characters, explaining relationships and providing background essential to understanding the plot. This became a bit tedious because the Barnstormers cast just wasn't passionate enough to bring out the characters' personalities and liven up the action. An exception was the very talented Scott Severance who stole the show, as he does most plays he's in, as a bombastic clergyman.

This wasn't a bad production. I'd just like to have seen a little more energy in the first two-thirds. The final act, as the circle tightens around the murderer (or murderers), was a tour de force, and the ending left most of the audience gasping.

"Hamlet"

August 10, 2011 — I hadn't been in the upper Connecticut Valley in many years and had forgotten much about it. When I decided to attend a play at Alumni Hall in Haverhill, New Hampshire, a two-hour drive, I figured I'd arrive in time to have a leisurely meal in a nice restaurant before going to the play. Restaurant? In Haverhill? Unknown! This is rolling farm country, pastoral but with few amenities. I couldn't even find a store where I could at least buy a loaf of bread and some sliced ham. I'm a skinny guy and I don't carry much in reserve, so I need to eat regularly. I finally found a restaurant across the river in Bradford, Vermont. Fortified, I returned to Haverhill.

Theatre Under the Stars, whose excellent productions I've been enjoying for years, staged their moveable show at Alumni Hall this evening, a spare, spacious but pleasant town hall-style theater, possibly one of the better indoor venues Under the Stars has had in recent years. They prefer to hold their performances outdoors, weather permitting. On this night, threatening clouds and a forecast for thunderstorms made indoors seem a more prudent decision. They were right. Just as the show started, there was a roar of thunder and rain began, somehow appropriate for Hamlet.

Played on a large, bare stage with a small wooden bench the only furnishing, this play tested the skills of director and actors who had to work with virtually no props, and they were more than up to the challenge. Fiery, impassioned, with beautifully choreographed sword fights, the play was a real audience-pleaser.

I'm not a professional critic — some may say I have no business criticizing at all — but I know what I like, and I liked every aspect of this production. I wish someone would tell me in what way was the great Laurence Olivier's studied Hamlet in the 1948 movie better than Under the Stars' Adam Hadas's intense, passionate Hamlet. Especially when you consider that in the movie, Olivier got to re-shoot a scene over and over until he got it right. I won't even mention Hadas in the same breath with Mel Gibson in the 1990 movie. That would be an insult to Hadas.

Founder and artistic director Donna Devlin was wonderful as always in the role of Gertrude. Executive Manager Will Hammond was satisfyingly villainous as Claudius, and doubled as Hamlet's father's ghost. All actors were superb, some playing multiple roles. With a surplus of female performers and a shortage of males this season, several roles had to be feminized, such as Horatio (Horatia), Laertes (Laerta) and Polonius (were they calling her Polonia? I didn't catch that). Even Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were girls. But it worked. Many Shakespeare characters are interchangeable gender-wise. I'm waiting for a female Hamlet some day. Donna is just the sort of risk-taker who might attempt this. "Hamlette," anyone?

Check out Theatre Under the Stars' entertaining website at this link:

http://www.shakespeareinthevalley.com/

"Arms and the Man"

August 4, 2011 — I really want to give this play a good review. The sets were beautiful. Two intermissions were required to facilitate the extensive scenery changes. The 19th Century Eastern European costumes, from society women's gowns to peasant dress to military uniforms, were no less than stunning. Add to all that the fact it was George Bernard Shaw's best-known and most popular play.

The play was staged at Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and featured Players regulars Karen Peakes in the female lead role as Raina, Dale Hodges, Sevanne Martin and Kraig Swartz. The play is set during the Serbo-Bulgarian conflict, a two-week war that took place in 1885. It's a comedy and a satire, containing Shaw's biting commentary on love and war.

In spite of all its good intentions, and the fact that I've rarely been disappointed by a Peterborough Players production, I must say this was not among the best I've seen this summer, and I can't put my finger on just what it was that disappointed me. I think it could have been played with more energy. The comic aspect of the play just wasn't being delivered effectively.

Besides the aforementioned actors, also appearing were Tom Frey in the male lead role as Swiss soldier Bluntschli, Richard Rosenthal and Ryan Farley. Michael Dell'Orso was outstanding as Major Petkoff, a perpetually confused army major.

"Gold in the Hills"

July 28, 2011 — A murder mystery, a beautiful young woman lured away by a dark, mustachioed, black-suited villain, an aging farmer being tricked out of his property, an innocent man framed for murder, undiscovered oil and gold hidden beneath the land. Sound like 1920s melodrama? That's exactly what it is.

The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, staged an old-fashioned story of good and evil with no shades of gray in between. A farmer with two beautiful daughters, an evil villain you love to hate, a noble young man forced on the run when falsely accused of murder, overblown dialog, deliberate over-acting that only good actors could get away with, a sequence set in the Bowery in New York with song and dance. This was a wildly entertaining show. The audience really got into it, loudly booing the villain, applauding and cheering the good guys, sometimes drowning out some of the dialog.

Featuring 22 performers, this was one of the largest casts I've seen in a summer theater production. All 22 were on stage at once in the raucous scene in a Bowery bar in the second act. Two intermissions were necessary, not because of the length of the show, but to facilitate the extensive set changes.

I'll probably remember this show as the most fun I had at a New Hampshire summer theater this season.

"Shipwrecked!"

July 26, 2011 — The full title of this play is a mouthful: Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as told by himself). Written by Donald Margulies, the play at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire is done in a music hall style popular in de Rougemont's lifetime in the 19th Century. Richard Brundage as de Rougemont addresses the audience directly as he tells his fantastic story of searching for pearls, becoming lost at sea, riding the backs of turtles, living among aborigines for 30 years, and burying a fortune in pearls in Australia before returning to England. He briefly enjoys celebrity status after publishing his exploits in a London periodical, until he's exposed as a fraud, eventually dying penniless.

Sasha Castroverde and Dan Lendzian assist Brundage as he narrates his story, effectively using minimal props and costumes as they hilariously portray many characters over the course of the 90-minute comedy. One of several uncoventional plays I've seen this season, this one was a real audience-pleaser. The stage was primitive and the actors did all their costume changes within sight of the audience, giving the play an intimate feel within the confines of the small theater. This was definitely an evening well-spent.

"Almost, Maine"

July 22, 2011 — A program note states the play takes place "on a cold, moonless, slightly surreal night in the middle of the deepest part of a northern Maine winter." That was a concept difficult to imagine in the sweltering heat of the temporary theater set up in the Governor's Lodge at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire for the North Country Center for the Arts. Directly under the roof of the pavilion, five large overhead fans were totally ineffective in overcoming the heat that had built up over the course of a day in the 90s. It must have been torture for the actors, dressed in parkas, knitted caps, gloves and heavy boots. In one hilarious scene, two actors proceed to peel off about five layers of heavy clothing. (They stopped at one final set of longjohns.)

"Almost, Maine," playing concurrently at Lincoln and the New London Barn Playhouse, was not on my list to see this season. But after a second day with temperatures at or slightly over 100 degrees, I needed to escape the heat of the city. A long drive in the air conditioned car seemed particularly appealing. I knew the Governor's Lodge in Lincoln wasn't air conditioned and the New London theater was, but I trusted the Governor's Lodge, farther north and high on the slope of Loon Mountain, would be at least tolerable. It was, but just barely. During intermission, after the sun went down, we stepped outside. The temperature was then about 80. It's amazing what a relief 80 can be after being exposed to 100 for two days.

This was a sweet, quirky play about relationships in a northern rural community, played out in a series of short vignettes. The actors showed not a hint of the discomfort they must have felt in the hot, humid theater in their heavy, multi-layered costumes. The New London Barn put up a video on their website showing excerpts from their version of the play. The New London actors were older and their delivery harsher, in contrast to the softer touch of the Lincoln players. In my opinion, the New London cast lacked the warmth and likeability of the Lincoln cast. I'm convinced I made the right choice in going to Lincoln.

"A Life in the Theatre"

July 21, 2011 — It was by sheer coincidence that I scheduled two David Mamet plays in a row. A couple of nights ago, it was "Race" at the Weathervane, tonight it was "A Life in the Theatre" at The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire.

This is an unusual play, short with no intermission, with two male actors. In contrast to the intense drama of "Race," this one is mainly a comedy. It follows an older actor who has spent his life in the theatre and a young actor through a series of frequent scene changes as they engage in dressing room conversation, rehearsals and performances. The costume and scene changes come rapidly, some lasting less than a minute. The older actor has a delicate ego and a need for praise and the young actor is usually careful in their conversations not to bruise that ego. However, their relationship becomes more acrimonious as the play progresses.

I really liked this play, but I got the impression the audience just wasn't getting it. There was only scattered laughter at scenes I thought were hilarious. When the lights went down on the final scene, I overheard someone behind me say, "I hope this is the end." There was polite but not very enthusiastic applause at the curtain call. I guess you could say the play is not for everyone.

Buddy Haardt was very good as the young actor, and I thought George Piehl's portrayal of the older actor was the best summer theater performance I've seen so far this season.

"Race"

July 19, 2011 — "Race" by David Mamet was staged by the Weathervane Theatre in Whitefield, New Hampshire. This complicated play, about a law firm preparing to defend a wealthy white man charged with the rape of a black woman is well-acted and convincing for the most part. Race and sexism boil to the surface as the defendant, the two lawyers (one white, one black) and a black female legal assistant can't manage to completely put their prejudices aside.

In typical Mamet style, the language is blistering. This is definitely for adult audiences. Scott McGowan as the defendant is a bit stiff at the beginning, reciting his lines with little feeling or emotion. Robert H. Fowler is compelling as the black lawyer. He turned in a stellar performance as Coalhouse Walker in last year's production of "Ragtime." Chad Jennings is very good as the white lawyer. Shinnerrie Jackson is terrific as the defiant legal assistant forced to defend her employment in the firm.

"Man of La Mancha"

July 12, 2011 — It had been several years since I attended a play in the Inter-Lakes High School auditorium, home of the Lakes Region Summer Theater which ceased operations several years ago. A new theatre company, Interlakes Summer Theatre, has now taken up residence in the same auditorium, located in picturesque Meredith, New Hampshire, on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. I attended many performances of the old Lakes Region theatre with my mother, who shared my love of live theatre, and returning brought back pleasant memories.

Tonight's presentation was "Man of La Mancha," a well-known play to many, but it was the first time I had seen it, and I was favorably impressed with the production. A talented cast, led by Scott Sowinski as Cervantes/Don Quixote and Sheira Feuerstein as Aldonza. Sowinski, tall and rangy, was a perfect choice for his role as the prisoner Cervantes, forced to act out the wildly improbable exploits of Don Quixote. His serviceable baritone voice was pleasing, but sometimes slightly forced. Feuerstein was excellent as the fiery Aldonza. She was the better singer, with a fine soprano voice. Short, chubby Cody Strand was a hilarious Sancho.

Stagecraft and production values were top-notch. I look forward to returning regularly. I was pleased to see the new company retained the previous company's custom of having all the actors line up to greet the audience as they depart at the end of the play. A very nice touch.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"

July 7, 2011 — Since the Papermill Theatre's former location in one of the old mill buildings in Lincoln, New Hampshire, was torn down two years ago, the North Country Center for the Arts has been staging its performances in space provided for a stage and seating in the Governor's Lodge at the nearby Loon Mountain ski area. This arrangement will continue until the new Jean's Playhouse is completed, hopefully in time for next season. With no air conditioning on a very warm night, it took a sparkling performance to get the audience to ignore their discomfort, and that's exactly what six talented young performers did tonight.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" is about the absurdity of relationships from dating to marriage to child-rearing to the senior years, told mostly in hilarious song lyrics in a series of brief skits. The actors went through many costume changes and just as many changes in character without a hitch in this first-night performance. Filled with sexual references and innuendo, and some profanity, this was an adult show, but there were a number of youngsters present. I'm just glad I'm not a parent who has to answer some of the questions the show is bound to provoke from the young.

During the intermission, drinks were served on the upper level of the lodge, and we could step outside and briefly enjoy the cool mountain air under a half moon, surrounded by the Loon Mountain ski slopes. Overall, a most enjoyable evening.

"Last Train to Nibroc"

June 28, 2011 — A soldier and a girl meet in 1940 on a train from Los Angeles. She's returning home after being jilted by her fiance, he's been discharged from the army on the eve of World War II because he suffers from "fits." Coincidentally, they learn they're both from neighboring towns in Kentucky.

This simple play, written by Arlene Hutton and based loosely on her parents' meeting, is being presented by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Allison McLemore and Joel Ripka are the only actors in the 90-minute, three-act play with no intermission. Each act finds the couple meeting under different circumstances over a three-year period, their lives taking directions they never anticipated, but one thing remains constant: their attraction to each other. She's often in denial of it, but he refuses to give up.

These two small-town southerners with 1940s values are sometimes combative, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes sarcastic, but always immensely likable, thanks to the skillful actors. The play is humorous, heart-warming and in the end satisfying. You can sense when an audience is pleased, and tonight's audience certainly was. I drove home with a good feeling.

"Butterflies Are Free"

June 23, 2011 — Whenever I go to a play at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse (the "Winni") in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, I make an afternoon out of it and stop first in nearby Meredith and stroll around the picturesque bayside community, admiring the very expensive boats along the dock, and taking in the beauty of Lake Winnipesaukee on a warm summer day. After supper at Hart's Turkey Farm, I drive over to Weirs Beach and stroll along the boardwalk, and if the timing is right, see the M.V. Mount Washington, Lake Winnipesaukee's huge, popular excursion boat, arrive at the Weirs dock. But on this third day of summer, the temperature was a very unsummer-like 60 degrees and a cold rain was falling. That pretty much ruled out my afternoon strolling, so I had supper at home and drove directly to the Winni.

On this evening, the Winni was staging "Butterflies Are Free." I didn't see the 1972 movie, so this perfectly charming little play was all new to me. It's about a young man who, after a sheltered life, strikes out on his own and gets an apartment in New York City, escaping his domineering mother. The young man has a handicap I won't disclose in case you have a chance to see the play, although it's revealed fairly early on. A lackadaisical young woman with little sense of moral propriety in the adjacent apartment intrudes into his well-ordered life, quickly seduces him, and he just as quickly falls head over heels for her. When his mother shows up unannounced and finds the couple in their underwear, some very peppery dialogue ensues.

The play is a delight. Perky, cute Rebecca A. K. Turner is perfectly cast in the role of the free-spirited girl. Her performance is easily the best of the talented cast. Mostly humorous and lighthearted, with smart dialogue, the play has lessons on how emotional handicaps can often be more threatening to quality of life than physical disabilities.

The drive home was rather unpleasant over dark New Hampshire roads as the relentless rain continued. That was yesterday. This afternoon, as I write this, it's 58 degrees and still raining. Summer, where are you? Did we say something to offend you?

"This Verse Business"

June 18, 2011 — The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company in North Conway, New Hampshire, presented "This Verse Business" by A. M. Dolan, a one-man show starring Gordon Clapp as poet Robert Frost. Clapp, a New Hampshire native, is probably best known for his portrayal of detective Greg Medavoy on the TV show "NYPD Blue," for which he won an Emmy in 1998. He was also nominated for a Tony award for his part in the Broadway revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross." He appeared in Clint Eastwood's World War II drama, "Flags of Our Fathers," and many TV shows.

Ticket holders were invited to show up at 7 p.m. for a buffet, drinks and entertainment outside the theatre an hour before the main performance. It was a comfortably warm evening, but the hour seemed overly long to me. With only ten chairs provided for over 100 people, most of us remained standing. Gordon Clapp, friendly and unpretentious, joined us for awhile, mixed with the crowd and posed for pictures. Several excellent vocalists sang Broadway show tunes. Finally, at 8, we were all admitted inside the theatre, but waited another half hour for the show to start.

Those unfortunate timing problems aside, Clapp's performance was superb. He was totally immersed in his characterization of Frost. Dressed in a rumpled, ill-fitting suit, wearing a shaggy white wig, speaking in folksy witticisms and puns, he was a believable Frost. The one-hour performance was often funny, sometimes poignant. He recited several of Frost's poems and talked about his (Frost's) rationale for writing them. He received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the performance.

"Straw Hat Revue"

June 9, 2011 — The day was sweltering, mid-90s with storm clouds building, when I left for New London, New Hampshire. Violent storms were roaming about the state and power was out in many areas. Radio bulletins were advising people to seek shelter and keep away from windows. I was wondering if this trip was foolhardy, but I had a reservation for the 54th Annual Red Hat Revue at the New London Barn Playhouse, and after the second day in a row of temperatures in the 90s, I just wanted to get away for a few hours.

About five minutes from home, the weather caught up with me. The wind picked up, lightning flashed and thunder roared and the rain was coming down almost horizontally. The temperature dropped from the mid-90s to mid-60s in minutes. I eventually rode the storm out, and by the time I got to New London, the rain had stopped, clouds had thinned and it was refreshingly cool. I had time to kill, so I strolled around the picturesque college town for awhile. I had dinner at my favorite New London restaurant, Peter Christian's Tavern.

The Barn's "Red Hat Revue," an admission-free performance that launches their summer show season each year, was excellent. It featured songs and dance numbers from Disney, Broadway shows and Gershwin, performed by a very talented young cast of twelve. The orchestra was also excellent, better than average for summer stock theatre, but a little overpowering at times. Overall, a great evening's entertainment, and the price was certainly right. A bonus: the New London Barn is air conditioned for the first time this year.

Evening in Southwest Harbor

May 31, 2011 - I'm comfortably ensconced in my room at the Seawall Motel in Southwest Harbor, part of the Bar Harbor area in Maine. I just had supper at Scotty's Dockside down the road a piece. I came here to check out the Seal Cove Auto Museum, almost a five-hour drive. It was well worth the trip. The museum, inconspicuous on a rural road, houses some of the most beautifully preserved and restored brass-era cars in America. You can view my photos of these stunning automobiles at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/sealcove/

Tomorrow, I'll start wending my way home after spending a little time exploring Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island; that is, if predicted thunderstorms don't interrupt my sightseeing.

Memorial Day Weekend

May 30, 2011 — I'm enjoying a quiet, albeit hot and humid, Memorial Day at home. I made a reservation at a motel in Bar Harbor, Maine for tomorrow night. I'll be heading there tomorrow morning to visit the Seal Cove Auto Museum. There will be a full report on that in my next post.

Yesterday, as has been our tradition, my sister and niece and I met and visited cemeteries, placing flowers on the graves of the parents and all the grandparents. Following that, we had dinner at Joe Fish, a favorite restaurant in the area. My haddock Florentine was absolutely delicious.

" 'night, Mother"

May 13, 2011 — For its last show of the season, Theatre Kapow presented Marsha Norman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, " 'night, Mother," at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. This is not an uplifting play. In fact, it's fairly devastating. After spending some time carefully laying things out in her aging mother's house, making arrangements for grocery delivery and other things she'll need when she's left alone, the daughter matter-of-factly informs her mother she's going to kill herself. There's some humorous dialog up to this point between the two rural southern women, before the mother accepts the fact her daughter is serious.

Carey Cahoon as the daughter and Donna Goldfarb as the mother give masterful performances as the mood of the play turns from lighthearted banter in the early going to denial, recrimination, anger and grief as the mother realizes her daughter is on an irreversible course. Tonight was the first of three performances of the play. I usually avoid a first-time performance, not wanting to witness first-night jitters, but I needn't have worried. The performances by the two actresses were emotionally shattering and the direction by Matthew Cahoon perfect.

Following the play, the actresses joined representatives from the Center for Life Management, NAMI-NH, the Connect Project and the Support Group for Survivors of Suicide Loss for a question-and-answer session about suicide prevention with the audience.

"The Pillowman"

March 13, 2011 — The Players' Ring is near the waterfront, on the edge of historic Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Housed in an unpretentious brick building, seating only 70, it provides an intimate theater experience. There is no stage as such. The seats surround three sides of the small, square performance area which is at floor level.

I'm having trouble finding a way to describe "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh. It breaks many taboos, making the blackest of black humor out of mental retardation, child abuse and murder, religious tradition and ethnicity. With its profanity-laced dialog, subject matter and violence, it's strictly for mature audiences.

A writer is being held for questioning in some unnamed dictatorship. No Miranda rights or lawyers here — he's completely at the mercy of two sadistic interrogators, one a detective with a penchant for playing cruel mind games, the other a thuggish police officer prone to violent outbursts. At first, it's not clear what he's being held for, but it's gradually revealed that a series of child murders have occurred which bear stark resemblance to stories he has written. He vehemently denies any connection, but when his retarded brother arrives on the scene, everything changes.

The performances by four male actors are excellent, as are the direction and production values, remarkable considering how little there is to work with in the Ring's limited space. A couple of slideshows illustrate parts of the story. The audience was spellbound throughout by the alternately shocking, violent, humorous presentation. If you're into black humor and the trashing of social values, you'll love it. If you have a more sensitive nature, you might want to avoid it.

"The White Liars" and "Black Comedy"

February 27, 2011 — The weather cooperated nicely for a change. Friday, we were blitzed by an all-day mixed snow and freezing rain. The weather cleared Saturday so I had no trouble getting to the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, where I had a reservation for an afternoon performance. Today, Sunday, it's snowing heavily again in one of those late winter storms New Hampshire seems to delight in clobbering us with just when we think winter is over.

Saturday, Theatre Kapow presented two short plays by Peter Shaffer at the Stockbridge, "The White Liars" and "Black Comedy." The gentleman who introduced the plays said a common theme joins the two plays. It being a college, he jokingly told the audience their assignment was to figure out what it was. My take on it is that deception and pretension are the common threads that run through both plays.

"The White Liars" concerns a fortune teller with grand pretensions who conspires with a young man to deceive his friend who he believes is stealing his girl. The scheme backfires in many ways, and everyone involved is exposed as being less than truthful, about themselves as well as others. Gail Angellis is excellent as the fortune teller. The play was a little too slow-paced for my taste, and seemed longer than its actual time of less than an hour, but for the most part I enjoyed it.

"Black Comedy," in sharp contrast to the first play, was fast-paced and riotously funny. Lighting played a major part in the presentation. The players' light was the audience's darkness and vice versa. (Don't ask. You have to see it.) Suffice it to say, the play was a triumph of timing, stagecraft and stunts. Stumbling actors, furniture-moving and mistaken identities prevailed. The multi-talented Carey Cahoon appeared. I saw her last year as Hedda in "Hedda Gabler." Her comic turn in "Black Comedy" was quite a departure from Ibsen's tragic heroine. Carey is also a director and costume and set designer.

Theatre Kapow is a small company with impressive talent all around. Their next production will be " 'night Mother" in May. I plan to be there.

February Following January's Example

February 2, 2011 — The first two days of February promise more of the same that January threw at us. An all-day snowfall yesterday left about 5 inches, not really excessive, but it was added to the mountains of snow already on the ground, not to mention adding to our winter fatigue. Today, a more intense storm accumulated to about 8 inches. During today's storm, much of the precipitation was in the form of ice pellets. All precipitation ceased around 3 p.m.

There's an icicle the size of a small tree trunk reaching from the roof to the ground on the back corner of my house. I tried to break it up by whacking it with my snow shovel, but the shovel just bounced off it.

More snow predicted Saturday. And on and on it goes.

A Brutal January

January 24, 2011 — This month of January has been brutal. After three good-sized snowstorms in eight days, the temperature dropped to 17 below last night. It was 4 below when I left for my dentist appointment at 11, but with no wind and a bright sun, it didn't feel all that bad, as long as you didn't stay out in it too long. The city is buried in mountains of snow. Where it's been so cold, the snow has remained pristine and white.

I was hoping for a few days rest before the next storm, predicted for two days from now, but I had to go out and shovel a path to my natural gas unit on the side of the house this afternoon after the gas company notified me they'd come by tomorrow morning to install a ground which should have been done when they first installed the unit a year ago. The temperature was about 8 above while I was shoveling.

It's now 10:30 in the evening, and the temperature is 3 below 0. They predict higher temperatures tomorrow, in the 20s. That's not exactly balmy, but at least you won't be risking hypothermia if you stay out more than 10 minutes.

Nor'easter Hits the Region

January 13, 2011 — Yesterday's storm was predicted, and they said it was going to be a blockbuster, so I wasn't surprised when I got up in the morning to find it snowing heavily and about a foot already on the ground. Shortly after I got up, my dentist's office called to reschedule the appointment I had for that morning. I was wondering if my appointment for car service this morning would also be postponed.

I waited until early afternoon before I started shoveling out, slowly with frequent breaks. Later on, a kind neighbor came over and helped me shovel through the snow bank thrown up by the street plow in front of my driveway. It continued to snow lightly after we finished, so I was resigned to the fact I'd have to go out one more time to clean up a few more inches. Later in the evening, I cleared about an additional two inches. The final official total accumulation for the city was 18.5 inches. It looked like I'd have no problem getting to the dealer for my car service.

This morning I dropped the car off at the the dealer's and picked up a loaner car. The sun was shining, the snow was beautiful, but I was amazed at the huge snow banks left by plows, snowblowers and shovelers, piles that would take three or four storms to reach these heights in an average winter.