"Love Loss, and What I Wore" and "The Screwtape Letters" June 21st.
On one floor you have female empowerment, sexual freedom, third wave feminism, and fabulous fashion. On the other you have the deepest darkest dankest office in Hell, complete with a demon secretary called Toadpipe. So really, there's not a lot of variety here, but oh well! We'll just press on with the reviews: =)
West Side Theatre, 43rd between 9th and 10th Ave is not only my night job, it's my source of Friday night entertainment. If you get there early, you can walk uptown and visit countless hip bars, sidewalk cafes, fashion boutiques, and all for the cost of a taxi that it would have taken if you wanted A/C. Be advised, cab drivers sometimes like to find streets they know have tons of traffic. If you are close to Times Square, do not even bother. You'll get there faster if you walk and take in the very pretty Italian busboys.
The West Side Theater, like many in the area, used to be a church, with two spacious floors and two miniature lobbies. You might want to get your tickets sooner than later and then wait outside until the house opens. Unless you like crowds and people watching. If you want to bask in Vagina Monologue-esque hilarity, stay downstairs and watch "Love Loss, and What I Wore". Written by Nora Ephron and featuring talents such as Diane Neal (Law and Order, very talented comedic actress), Cobie Smulders (How I Met your Mother, they love her in NY), Rachel Harris (who is funnier in real life than any of her VH1 appearances. Really really pretty too) and my favorite so far, Sherrie Shepherd. You can catch her on The View or 30 Rock and she is truly an underrated actress.
If, like me, you enjoy something a little more "robust" you may want to take an upstairs trip to "The Screwtape Letters" written by the man himself, C.S. Lewis.. For those interested in simple words and who don't like to think too hard, this show is not for you.
"Screwtape" expertly (not figuratively, he originated the role in NY, DC, etc) played by Max Mclean is the best Anti Church sermon I've ever been to. It actually makes me want to fully convert to Christianity afterwords if I didn't loathe organized religion so much. The idea is simple: "Screwtape" a well seasoned veteran of soul collecting, is instructing a recent Graduate from the Tempters Training College via letters to and from Earth and Hell.
Mclean is the 2009 recipient of Chicago’s Jeff Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and it shows. DO NOT MISS HIM because you weren't up for it. It's worth it.
My favorite lines included "When he gets to his pew he looks around at his neighbors, that will be the ideal time to influence him if you can. If any of them wear old clothes, or sing out of tune, or have double chins, your patient, thanks to Our Father Below, is a fool and will believe their religion is ridiculous compared to his!"
Touche, Carroll.
Each show is short, sweet and succulent. "Love Loss" is 90 minutes and "Screwtape" is less, so you can enjoy a nice glass of something good before heading home and basking in the city that doesn't sleep.
LOVE LOSS FINAL GRADE: A- SCREWTAPE LETTERS: A++
~Rose Russo.
(Like what you read? Tell me! I eat compliments like candy and I always say thank you)
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