Mar. 25, 2010: Center Stage: Entertaining Mr. Sloane and Adding Machine: A Musical

JARED BOWEN LOOKS AT THE
OFF-BEAT COMEDY ENTERTAINING
MR. SLOANE AND THE NEW DARK
MUSICAL ADDING MACHINE.
>> 16, 17, 29,.
>> IN SPEAK EASY STAGE
COMPANY'S HIGHLY STYLIZED
ADDING MACHINE, A MUSICAL
MR. ZERO IS A HAPLESS
NUMBERS MAN IN THE 1920s.
HIS LIFE IS HIS WORK WHILE
HIS WIFE IS HIS DEBT IMENT.
>> THEY GO DOWNTOWN, ALL THE
TIME.
JUST LIKE US.
>> ZERO'S LIFE COLLAPSES
WHEN AFTER 25 YEARS WITH HIS
COMPANY, HE IS ABRUPTLY
REPLACED BY A MECHANICAL
ADDING MACHINE.
>> IT CAN DO THE WORK IN
HALF THE TIME AND A HIGH
SCHOOL GIRL CAN OPERATE
THEM.
NOW, OF COURSE I'M SORRY TO
LOSE AN OLD AND FAITHFUL
EMPLOYEE.
>> EXCUSE ME, BOSS.
>> ZERO THEN MURDERS HIS
BOSS IN THIS UNUSUAL AND
MOST ORIGINAL WORK.
WITH THE BEST OF BOSTON CAST
THE SHOW ADDS UP TO A
FANTASTIC SUM OF TALENT AS
WE ARE LEFT TO PONDER WHY
INDUSTRY HAS LEFT ZERO
UNHINGED ß WHY ALL THESE
FIGURES ß
ß INSIDE MY HEAD ß
ß.
>> COUNT ON BEING MOVED SO
THE ADDING MACHINE A MUSICAL
PLAYING AT THE CALDERWOOD
PAVILION.
ALSO DARK BUT HILARIOUSLY SO
IS THE PUBLIC THEATRES
ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE IN
WHICH A YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE
BORDER ARRIVES TO THE
DELIGHT OF LONELY AND
DELUSIONAL LAND LADY CATH.
>> AS ONE OF THE FAMILY.
>> I HAVE NO FAMILY OF MY
OWN.
>> I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A
ORPHANAGE.
>> YOU HAVE THE AIR OF LOST
WEALTH.
>> THE CLASSIC 1964 BRITISH
COMEDY DELICIOUSLY SPINS US
ROUNDnd ROUND IS SLOANE
REALLY AN ORPHANED INNOCENT
OR HE IS A CON.
THE IS CATH TRULY DOTTY OR A
CON IVING SEDUCER.
THE ANSWERS ONLY GET MURKIER
AND THE PLOT ONLY GETS
SAUCEIER.
>> A REAL MOTHERLY TASTE.
YOU'LL FIND ME VERY
SENTIMENTAL.
>> THE ALL BRITISH CAST
MAKES THIS A MUST-SEE, SO
DEFINITELY CATCH
ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE PLAY
TEG BOSTON CENTER FOR THE
ARTS THROUGH APRIL 3rd.
>> AND JARED BOWSEN HERE
ALONG WITH THEATRE CRITIC
TERRY -- TERRY BYRNE.
I WAS SO KIRUOUS ABOUT THE
WRITER OF THAT PLAY, JOE
ORTON, I GOOGLED HIM, LOOKED
HIM UP.
I MEAN HIS LIFE IS CRAZY AS
THAT PLAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> HE WAS AN OUT GAY
PLAYWRIGHT IN LONDON WHO
WROTE THIS PLAY RIGHT AFTER
HOMOSEXUALITY BECAME
LEGALIZED SO IT HAS ALL OF
THESE ILLUSIONS.
>> ALL THESE CRAZY THINGS,
STEALING LIBRARY BOOKS AND
GOT PUT IN JAIL AND THEN HIS
LOVER MURDERS HIM IT IS
RIGHT OUT OF THE --
>> YOU DIDN'T GET TO FINISH
IT.
>> SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE
TO MAKE IT UP.
>> IT COMES 20 YEARS AFTER
THE END OF WORLD WAR II AND
BRITAIN IS EMERGING AS A
POWER AGAIN.
AND ALL OF THIS YOUTH THAT
HAD NO PLACE TO GO, THERE
WERE NO JOBS.
SO IT COMES AT A CERTAIN
TIME AND PLACE.
>> WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS,
OF DARK OR BLACK COMEDY.
WHAT-- WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED
TO GET OUT OF THAT.
>> WELL, IT SAY VERY BRITISH
HUMOR AND I THINK THE POINT
HAS BEEN MADE THAT I DON'T
THINK THIS REALLY COULD BE
DONE NECESSARILY BY AN
AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHT OR EVEN
BY AMERICAN ACTORS REALLY
WELL.
BECAUSE THERE IS SORT OF A
PACING AND A SENSIBILITY
HERE, BECAUSE IT TWISTS AND
IT TURNS SO QUICKLY AND YOU
ARE SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH
ABOUT WHO IS REALLY DOING
WHAT.
BUT IN THE LINES ARE SO
SHARP, AND SO CLEVER.
AND SANDRA SHIPLEY WHO PLAYS
CATH THIS WOMAN WHO ARE YOU
NOT REALLY SURE IF HE IS
JUST THE DOTY LAND WOMAN OR
THE SEDUCER IS FANTASTIC.
BECAUSE SHE, LIKE THAT SCENE
YOU SAW, IT WAS SO
UNCOMFORTABLE, SQUIRMING.
>> I WAS READING THE SCRIPT
AND WATCHING, I DIDN'T
REALIZE SHE WAS GOING TO BE
AN OLDER WOMAN.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ONE OF
THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE --
>> SHE ACTS WITH EVERY INCH
OF HER BODY.
AND HER VOICE.
SHE CHANGES HER VOCAL
REGISTER DEPENDING ON WHAT
KIND OF ATTITUDE HER
CHARACTER HAS.
IT'S AMAZING TO WATCH.
>> THE OTHER ONE IS ADDING
MACHINE.
THAT ONE ALSO HAS STRANGE.
>> WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS
IS THE THEATRE IS SO
DIFFERENT H THIS THESE
CERTIFICATE SO DIFFERENT AND
IT IS SO NICE TO BE IN THIS
TOWN AND BE ABLE TO HAVE
THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE
SOMETHING MAINSTREAM LIKE
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST
NIGHT AND THEN SOMETHING SO
STYLISTIC AND SO SORT OF
DEALTED AND UNUSUAL AS
ADDING MACHINE.
WHERE THE MUTS SICA CROSS
THE BOARD BETWEEN SORT OF
OPPER ATTIC ALL THE WAY TO
GOSPEL AND THIS BEAUTIFUL
SET AND THE STRANGE STORY
LINE ABOUT THIS MAN WHO GOES
ON A RAMPAGE BECAUSE HE HAS
LOST HIS JOB AS A NUMBERS
GUY.
>> THE GREAT THING ABOUT
THESE CERTIFICATE THAT IT'S
NOT JUST THE SCRIPT THERE, A
DIRECTOR GETS INVOLVED.
THERE IS A DESIGNER THERE
ARE THESE INCREDIBLE
PERFORMANCES.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE I HAVE
SEEN IN A LOT OF OTHER
PRODUCTIONS, THEY WERE
PHENOMENAL.
AND IT'S A VERY DARK, DARK
STORY.
BUT WHEN IT'S SET IN THIS
UNBELIEVABLE BEAUTIFUL
SETING WITH THE AMAZING
PERFORMANCE, HOLY COW, I
COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF MY
HEAD.
>> REALLY.
>> AND IT WORKS AS A
MUSICAL.
>> YES AND NO.
I MEAN SOME OF THE MUSS SICK
VERY DISCORDANT BUT IT FITS
WITH THE STORY.
IT A VERY DARK STORY ABOUT
WHAT IS THE POINT.
>> THAT'S FUNNY THAT THESE
TWO WERE HERE AT THE SAME
TIME.
THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT
HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT, JARED BOWEN.
TERRY BYRNE, THANKS A LOT
FOR COMING.
GREAT.
>> THAT IS IT FOR GREATER
BOSTON.
TOMORROW NIGHT IT IS BEAT
THE PRESS.
THE GLOBE AND THE TIMES TURN
THE CAMERAS ON THEMSELVES.
THAT AND MORE TOMORROW ANT
70 CLOCK.
NOW STAY TUNED FOR A LIVE
EDITION OF BASIC BLACK.
I'M EMILY ROONEY.
GOOD NIGHT.