|
Watch out, parents: With his intelligent historical play, Kelly Groves is
making Allen Ginsberg appealing and accessible to yet another generation. It
would have been simple to fail at a project like this- include too much
confusing poetry, excessively fawn over Ginsberg's playful mind, cast more
aloof guys in black turtlenecks than you could shake a bong at. But Groves
perfectly balances history lesson and poetry slam. He brings you smack in
the middle of Ginsberg's psyche with personal journal entries, letters from
his mother, and excerpts from his poetry and other never-before-published
writings. While it's set in 1957, at the time of the "Howl" obscenity
trials, the play takes us from the courtroom to the bedroom to the loony
bin, from the past to the present, without getting us lost. The
seven-person, all-male ensemble, led by Dan Pintauro (formerly the little
kid on Who's the Boss?) as Ginsberg, portrays everyone from fellow beatnik
Jack Kerouac to Allen's mother, Naomi. Andrew Cruse and Glenn Peters are
standouts; Todd Kovner lacks vivacity and emotion. It's the direction that
sets this show apart from other Fringe productions, though: Groves's
beautiful, visual pictures speak as strongly as Ginsberg's own work.
-- ELLEN CARPENTER
Jug o' Wine Productions and S.D. Wagner
Written and directed by Kelly
Groves.
Where:
The Culture Project, 45 Bleecker St.
When:
8/16 at 8:45 and 8/17 at 4.
|
