War Horse: U.S. touring company play review

National Theatre of Great Britain present 

War Horse

Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo

Adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford in association with the Handspring Puppet Company

U.S. tour directed by Bijan Sheibani

Music by Adrian Sutton

Songs by John Tams

With Andrew Veenstra, Angela Reed, Brian Keane, Todd Cerveris, Andrew May, John Milosich, Nathan Koci, and Joey the horse (as an adult, Jon Riddleberger, Patrick Osteen, and Jessica Krueger, puppeteers)

2 hours 40 minutes (including 15 minute intermission)

 

 In a recently aired interview with CBS News' Scott Pelley, Nobel Prize-winning author Elie Wiesel stated "War is ugly.  Only peace can be noble.  Heroism is usually associated with war . . .I believe in simple heroism."  War Horse presents symbols of nobility and simple heroism--Joey the horse and his devoted owner Albert Narracott (Andrew Veenstra).

The first act is set in pre-World War I Devon, as brothers Arthur (Brian Keane) and Ted (Todd Cerveris) Narracott continue a sibling rivalry, beginning an ego-fueled auction bidding over Joey, a foal that is more suited for riding and racing than plow horse work.  Ted wins with a county record-setting bid, and son Albert and wife Rose (Angela Reed) have to actually care for the animal and try to find a place for it on their small farm, if not prepare Joey for sale.

But Joey proves to be a versatile animal under the loving training of Albert, and eventually serves as riding horse, plow horse, cavalry officer steed, cart horse, and mover of heavy artillery.  He also becomes the embodiment of a father's betrayal of trust to his son, and eventually an eyewitness and victim of the ignoble horrors of war.

The play, based on the award-winning children's novel by Michael Morpurgo, won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Play.  Although the dialogue generally does not mine much memorable lines of profundity, the basic story and stage craft are riveting.  The five puppet horses (Joey as a foal and adult, and Tophorn, Coco, and Heine) are dazzling achievements in horse mimicry, from gallops and bucking to subtle movements such as ear twitches and even breathing.  Puppeteering also plays a prominent role in the depiction of birds, from benign songbirds to carrion eaters, and with military machines, including a shock appearance by a massive tank.  English folk music frames and flavors the action, with hearty narrative singing by John Milosich and a swelling yet not overbearing score by Adrian Sutton.  Minimalist stage design includes a backdrop screen which appears like a page torn out of a sketch book, with appropriate animated backdrops for the action onstage.

Effective performances include Angela Reed as the long-suffering and resourceful farm wife Rose, Andrew Veenstra as Albert, a boy who matures into a man while caring and searching for his horse, and Andrew May as German officer Captain Frederich Muller, who finds new purpose as he encounters Joey and his cavalry horse companion Tophorn on a barbwire-fragmented battlefield. 

Muller perhaps makes the most profound observation in War Horse, sharing how he thought war could make him heroic, but instead has made him "half a man."  In protecting Joey, a noble steed and the essence of duty and honor, he and Albert practice acts of true, simple heroism.  Though not the most quotable play, the ideas and images will linger long in the playgoer's imagination.

Overall rating:  ***1/2 out of ****

Playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago, through January 5, 2013, and continuing its run in London, New York, and Toronto.

 

 

A brief explanation of my blog absence, or hooray, no apocalypse

As regular readers may have noticed, I have been noticeably absent from my blog for the past two months.  Though the demands of returning to teaching with new course material played a small part, family concerns were the principal reasons.

In late September, my mother started experiencing symptoms of congestive heart failure which she hadn't had since her second heart bypass surgery in the early 90s.  She would sleep for hours after moderate activities, her coughing increased, and her coloration was turning paler by the day.  Armed with two cardiologists' opinions (one from the University of Chicago Center for Advanced Medicine), she underwent a third bypass surgery in late October. 

During the month of November, my mom had to strictly curtail her activities and had a visiting nurse check in on her and track her medical progress.  My wife and I assisted my dad, who has recovered well from a minor stroke in 2011, with household activities, chores, and pet care.  Fortunately, mom's strength is building and her coloring has improved, and she began her formal therapy sessions last week.  Most importantly for her, the driving restriction was lifted at the most recent follow-up appointment.

Originally my goal was a minimum of two posts per month to the General Blog on a variety of topics, and I'll return to that production level in 2013.  Happy Holidays and hope you enjoy my future blog ranting.  Oh, and hooray, no Mayan Apocalypse. 

Brief overview of the fall television season part I

 

Despite my fondest wishes to be a Buddha of television couch potatoness, I have not waded too much into the Fall television schedule.  But I do want to give a few mini-reviews to the programs I have viewed so far, with each related posting in order of least to best.

Elementary:  This CBS update of the Sherlock Holmes/Watson pairing features Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Dr. Jane Watson, with Aidan Quinn as the American cop stand-in for Lestrade, Captain Tobias Gregson.  Miller and Quinn are the strengths of the show, with Miller being the equal of the most recent and excellent British t.v. Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the reliable Quinn giving the proper world-weary cop flavor to his character.  In the pilot and second episode, the weak link is Lucy Liu, due to writing, not performance.  Hopefully, creator and early episode writer Robert Doherty (of Medium and Star Trek:  Voyager, shows of spotty quality) and staff will give their Watson more of a feisty personality than the disgraced surgeon turned reluctant drug rehab counselor/babysitter for Holmes currently has.  Hey, Liu was O-Ren Ishii!  Otherwise, this series may turn into a prime example of stunt casting for a role that could be played by anyone of any sex, and just another detective/police case-of-the-week procedural.  Rating:  **1/2 out of ****.

Doctor Who:  On Saturday, September 29, the final episode aired of Amy and Rory (Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill), one of the Doctor's longest running set of companions.  Not a moment too soon.  The time lord's sidekicks have been run through every plot permutation imaginable by multiple writers (including head writer Steven Moffat and even Neil Gaiman) and the latest season has them repeating themselves and getting to be a bit of plot baggage.  It was revealing that this season's best episode for the Doctor's pals was when they were written off the show.  The series should be fine without them.  Matt Smith is still an amiable and amusing Doctor.  The villains have been fabulous, from the Harry Potter series' David Bradley as a sadistic mercenary and collector of living beings to a hulking cyber gunman terrorizing a Old West town.  And of course, there are the Weeping Angels.  We liked thee, Amy and Rory, but Weeping Angels, you did that voodoo that you do so well.  Rating:  *** out of ****.

Fringe:  This is the fifth and final season for the speculative fiction drama, which hinges just as much on character development as it does its crazy plot arc.  So far the show is concluding in fine fashion, with Olivia (Anna Torv) being reunited with the old Fringe division team, including her lover, Peter (Joshua Jackson), after they extract her from an amber suspended-animation tomb in the year 2036.   Peter and Olivia also meet their grown daughter Etta (Georgina Haig) in the process.  Their offspring has been hardened by the absence of her parents and her rebel fight against the current world government.  Walter (John Noble) is also back, still not getting former FBI Agent Astrid's (Jasika Nicole) name right and ever the mad scientist.  However, this time he has been captured by the current less-than-benevolent rulers of Earth, the Observers, humans who are angel- or god-like since they have the accumulated knowledge of time travel and are from the far, far future.  The invaders can interrogate people both orally and with psychic mind-reading ability.  And inside Walter's head could be the plan to overthrow the Observers.  Combining imaginative science fiction, poignant family and friends moments, and true peril, this season so far epitomizes the strengths of the program.  If you haven't watched Fringe, pick up on it now and catch up later.  For those who have been faithful viewers, the farewell has been must-see television.  Rating:  **** out of ****.

The NFL: Adrian Peterson, Return of an Artist

With previous NFL rushing leaders Maurice Jones-Drew and Chris Johnson making fools of themselves, it's a pleasure to see someone who could be one of the all-time great running backs make a needed return.

Jones-Drew has been one of the only bright spots for the Jacksonville Jaguars for the past three seasons, and it culminated last year with his NFL-leading 1,606 yards rushing.  But then came one of the more foolish sports business decisions in a long time--holding out the entire preseason without successfully negotiating a new contract while being heavily fined, and with Johnson, ruining many if not all future holdout attempts at new deals.

Johnson had a remarkable first three years in the league in the Tennessee Titans uniform, with 2009 being his greatest with over 2,000 yards rushing.  But a messy 2011 holdout seemed to take away the edge from this former Pro Bowl running back.  He did win the financial battle, but he lost the athletic war by lack of training camp time.  Once one of the most explosive backs in football, Johnson barely averaged four yards per carry last season, and is still in the doldrums this year, with only 21 yards rushing on 19 carries during the Titans' first two games.  He even wagged a blaming finger at his offensive line this week.

In the meantime, Adrian Peterson is lucky to be running at all.

Last December, Peterson, the current face of the Minnesota Vikings franchise, suffered a knee injury that in previous decades would have virtually spelled the end of his football career.  Gale Sayers, one of the most dominant runners ever in the sport, had his career cut tragically short by catastrophic knee injuries.  Terrell Davis, the Denver Bronco back to whom John Elway owes eternal gratitude for two Super Bowl wins, was never the same after a season-ending knee injury.

During NFL training camp, footage of Peterson in a knee brace making hard cuts and quick bursts in training drills were remarkable to me, who had to have major knee surgery in high school and was basically sidelined from competitive sports thereafter.  Yes, I have at least a small personal interest in this comeback attempt.

But could the Viking running back make the transition to a full contact regular season game?  Ask the Jacksonville Jaguars.  In his first real game after the injury, Peterson cut outside with regularity, turning negative plays into positive gains, and scored two touchdowns with a signature blend of power and grace.  On his first score, he pushed would-be tacklers into the end zone with him.  On the second, he dove over the top of them.

Though both Johnson and Jones-Drew have had their share of highlight moments (and Jones-Drew, like Sayers, has some great kick returning credentials on his resume as well), anyone who is a Bear fan or fan of any other NFC North team can attest to the artistry of Peterson. 

Chicago fans still have nightmares of Peterson racking up 200+ yard rushing games in their first encounters, seeing his combination of brutality and speed bankshotting and outrunning Bear defenders.  I swear that sometimes his Vikings helmet looked suspiciously like devil horns on some of his spectacular runs to pay dirt. 

Even if you are not a Viking fan, he can be a dazzling player to watch.  Hopefully, with the aid of some remarkable medical technology and his own determination (and by keeping him out of Texas nightclubs, which is another story), AP can join the likes of other divisional running back heroes such as Payton and Sanders in the line of great runners and athletic artists.

Note:  During the NFL season, there will be another blog entry on great running backs as artists.  I hope you will stay tuned.

A Happy Labor Day poem

The following poem was inspired by seeing the Gary steel mills at night as the Great Recession started easing up.  Happy Labor Day and raise a glass to the contributions of union labor in America.

U.S. Steel at night

Plumes of flame

illumine the night

in volcanic majesty

children of Vulcan

toiling for their wages

Furnaces stoked by

fortunate laborers

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

happy to survive

their daily trials

Highways and lake shores

flickering in the

orange glow

of pillars of fire

workplace signs and wonders

Pride of a country beamed

through the fiery froth

of billowing smoke

and the molten heat

of activity

In my age

of inertia

a passing comet

to celebrate

in the darkness

Angels of the furnace

watch our family

of steelworkers

walk home

in the dark

Gordon Stamper Jr.

August 25, 2010 (revised August 26, 2010)

Revised welcome to the Gordon Stamper, Jr. General Blog

Back when blogging wasn't too cool and wasn't something to brag about when listing your publishing credits, I had The Mad Artist Blog at heyregion.com.  I reviewed movies and music, covered local (as in Da Region, Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois) art show openings, and once in a while editorialized to agitate the masses--at least my three to five readers--against the man.

Now that blogging is considered oh-so-awesome and not having a blog makes people wonder if you're really a writer, I' m back to foist my random musings and opinions on anyone willing to read them.  If you the reader are lucky enough to find some profundity here, I'm happy for you.  You didn't even need to risk walking in the woods and risking wild dog attacks, strolling on the beach and being bitten by sand flies, or getting food poisoning for your epiphany.

And now for that unfortunately necessary disclaimer—the contents of and views expressed in the Gordon Stamper, Jr. General Blog reflect only my opinions and not the opinions, policies, or viewpoints of my employer(s).

Thanks for reading and hope my writing here merits your time and attention.

Gordon Stamper, Jr.
Writer and Provocateur

Welcome back to school--my return to college teaching

My blogging activity was slowed last week by my new yet old pursuits:  attending staff meetings, creating Blackboard Vista class sites, and getting a syllabus ready for my three sections of English 101 Composition this fall at Purdue University North Central (PNC).

As I prepared the course schedule, I started wondering, "Why did you get back into this?"  I considered the hours of planning, the scaffolding of learning in the classroom, the promise of essay grading ahead, and, of course, the lure of that big part-time college instructor paycheck.  Oh $38/hr. OT on my legal proofreading job, how I miss thee!   Previously teaching for 17 years, I knew what I was in for, so no more whining.

It isn't just brown-nosing to state that my new PNC colleagues have made me feel welcome.  I've already been invited to attend department Tech Writing committee meetings and be in a select group of instructors piloting the e-book version of the freshman comp. textbook Engaging Questions, including its assessment tools and exercises.  But enough of the blabby shop talk.

At least the butterflies were still there on the first morning of the semester.  This isn't a bad thing.  It made me realize I wasn't taking this new opportunity for granted.  Besides, I missed being able to make a direct impact on students' lives.  Writing is a necessary skill to practice, especially to keep up in our hypertextual online world. Not all of us are going to be novelists, but as a writing instructor, I could help people discover another important means of expression.  Find their voice.  Here I was, with another chance, and it was exciting.

Today my classes discussed the importance of critical thinking.  Students brought up real life issues from their own varied experiences, and were already making connections from their lives to the rhetorical principles in the academic world.  Though some looked like they needed more caffeine, most seemed engaged and interested in the discussion.  Afterwards, I walked into the blazing hot afternoon, and thought this is doing something that actually makes a difference.

Proofing a legal prospectus--as lucrative as that can be--doesn't bring such personal satisfaction.

The Blue Room Cafe's Seventh Annual Tribute to the Beatles--brief opinion and recap

Nomad Planets at the Tribute to the Beatles 2012, Hammond, IN (photo by Gordon Stamper, Jr.).

In Northwest Indiana, annual festivals of note include Whiting's Pierogi Fest and Valparaiso's Popcorn Festival.  The Blue Room Cafe's Tribute to the Beatles in downtown Hammond has grown so incrementally in size and stature over its seven years that it will be at least in the regional festival discussion.  And with fame and size comes mixed blessings.

Past Beatles tributes produced by the Vezmar brothers brought crowds in the hundreds to downtown Hammond.  Many were there not only to share their Beatles fandom, but also hear inventive recreations of the Fab Four's music, not just note-for-note covers.  Several regional music artists were in that spirit at this year's event as well.

Joshua McCormack opened, a Tribute regular, doing his usual deconstruction of Beatles music with theatrical flair.  Nomad Planets satisfied through a set list filled with excellent song choices from the Beatles solo project catalog, including a John Carpenter-led (the regional music producer and Nomad Planets guitarist) version of George Harrison's "Beware of Darkness."  Bunkertown, with Chicago and Hammond roots, were a bit more traditional with song choices, including Abbey Road's "Golden Slumbers" medley, but still put a garage-rock spin on the music.

Although the event has steadily grown with such a musical approach, the attendance swelled into four digits, beyond the parking lot and into the surrounding park area for gated general admission in 2012, mainly thanks to the addition of nationally known Beatles cover band American English as the closers.  They duplicate Beatles songs note-for-note and dress to resemble John, Paul, George, and Ringo as much as possible.  Their sets are entertaining and fun, but no artistic stretch.

One result of American English's presence were a large number of newcomers who were not too knowledgeable about the Beatles catalog.  After early sets featured album tracks from Sgt. Pepper's . . . and the White Album, one "fan" turned to me and asked, "Are they playing Beatles music" with utmost sincerity. 

Probably the act that suffered the most from the influx of wrote Beatles cover fans was Rhythm Scholar, a DJ from Chicago who inventively remixed Fab Four records, including a chill-out room "Because."  Many in the new VIP section seemed puzzled and generally ignored his work.  Rhythm Scholar's logistical setup and placement in the lineup for two sets between main stage headliners didn't help him either.  The rooftop presence across from the parking lot venue was novel, but turned into an isolative disadvantage for any close appreciation of his work as the night progressed.  At least it was good beer garden line music, and he had the DJ set later at the Aquavor night club to present the music in a more dance and listener-friendly setting.

As for the new VIP and corporate booth sections, as a regional music fan, I'm happy to see profit and success for local music promoters and venues.  However, much of the feeling of community from past years was zapped by the partitioning of sections and the size of the crowd.  In the past, running into a neighbor or Beatle buddy was a regular occurrence, but if concertgoers did this time, it was by accident and chance.  Ironically, part of the VIP concept collapsed when American English took the stage and dozens of non-VIP fans rushed easily to the front.  I'm not expecting symphony etiquette at a rock-and-roll show and I don't want it, but if the promoters insist on price levels . . . oh well.  I guess at least VIPers (of which I was one) had a nifty Yellow Submarine laminated lanyard to show for their status.

Much of the Tribute to the Beatles was well-organized, including the beer, food, and refreshments concessions, but with its massive increase in size, the experience has changed over the seven-year run.  As a Region resident, I'm happy for the Vezmars' success, but I hope they realize that with business sponsorship, corporate booths, and priced sections, the fan experience and the festival itself drastically changed.  It's still an entertaining experience, but it's a more corporate and coldly distant one.

Life Lesson Learned at Muskegon State Park

Yours truly in hiking mode at Muskegon (MI) State Park (photo by Heather Stamper).

During a July vacation excursion to Michigan, my wife and I began a thought-provoking conversation.  One early morning in our hotel room, we discussed how people generally didn't give much consideration for their fellow humans anymore.  Our conversation ranged from competitive road rage behavior and people having an unrelated conversation on their mobile phones at the front of a busy line to economic policies shaping up to exclude large swaths of the populace.

Of course, this isn't the type of talk you want to dwell on for long during a vacation.  Stuff like that is a big reason you need a break.  We dropped the dorm room talk and headed for some self-serve continental breakfast.

Breakfast brought back the issue.  A man of large girth and his family lined up at the waffle maker, putting their gourmet touches on the batter heading for the hot griddle, in the meantime cutting half the diners off from being able to choose the healthier whole grain cereal and yogurt options nearby.  Many were even blocked from being able to sit down.  The bleak outlook of man talk returned, compliments of a big, fat rude dude.

The talk shifted to class warfare and survival of the species.  I discussed the increased inequity of wealth and drop in charitable donations during and after the Great Recession.  I worried about shrinking state and federal programs reducing the amount of aid for infirm people, and unglamorous infrastructure projects which could lead to long-term job growth, just two examples of problems only a government has enough scope to tackle.  Heather referred to Jesus' call to cast your bread on the waters, something that holds up whether you are a Christian or a Social Darwinist--sharing some wealth and giving of yourself, even if the motivations are really long-term personal fulfillment and species survival.

Sensing it was time for a mind-clearing beach walk, we headed for nearby Muskegon State Park, a peaceful place with clean white sand and clear Lake Michigan water lapping on the shore.  But we didn't get there for a while.

While thinking I had found an entrance for parking with some sand blow-over, I nose dived our Nissan Cube into a big drift.  Fortunately, two wheels were still on the paved road, but the front-wheel drive vehicle was hopelessly stuck in several feet of sand.  We passed the ranger station about a mile before the beach and we were readying ourselves for the long walk and a call to AAA for a tow.

Heather saw a family gathering at a nearby park beach house.  She approached them and two vehicles soon approached the Cube, one a group of young adults in a Jeep Liberty with Michigan plates, and grandparent-aged visitors from New York driving an Audi Quattro SUV.  With double-tied ropes secured under the Cube's rear bumper, the latter vehicle pulled us from the sand.  Our car was fully operational and there was no damage.

Our Good Samaritans wanted nothing in return, except some information on our unique-looking car, and never said how stupid we were, and never passed any judgements in general.  They even reassured us that they've seen similar incidents at the same park.  There was no class warfare here, no people ignoring someone in need.

This is just one event and one set of lives.  No cataclysmic situation would've happened in the long run, but one day of vacation for us, if not all of it, was saved by the kindness of others.

You could argue the inherent good nature of man.  I would argue as a believer isn't it just like God to address almost every major point of our earlier conversation into the microcosm of this small event.  But I think we can all agree:  isn't it an amazing and useful thing when we try to help one another.

My picks for Lollapalooza 2012 (annual unofficial guide)

 

Another weekend of sweltering heat, humidity, and rain--must be Lollapalooza time!  As a six-time veteran of the Grant Park event and two-time member of the music press there, I advise you the potential attendee to limit the booze, and maximize the water, iced tea, and sunscreen if you want to have any staying power to enjoy yourself and the potentially great music out there.

And oh by the way, if you don't have a weekend pass or single-day ticket at this point, forget about it.  I don't mean in The Sopranos way; really, forget about it!  All legit passes and tickets are gone, scalper stuff is likely counterfeit, and it's got to be the actual buyer who walks through the gates.

For those lucky enough to be going to the weekend music endurance fest (to answer a probable question, I'm not), here are some lineup tips for each day, with a realistic shot of seeing most if not all of each recommended acts' sets the main goal.  Being Lollapalooza 2012's best day, Sunday is particularly tricky and cruel with schedule conflicts, so I devised a Strategy A and Strategy B line of recommended act attack for you, each focusing on one side of the park.  You're welcome and here we go.

Friday, August 3:  Sharon Van Etten, 3 p.m., PlayStation Stage (Petrillo Music Shell); Metric, 4 p.m., Bud Light (Millennium Park side main stage); The Head and the Heart, 5:15 p.m., Sony Stage; The Shins, 6:15 p.m., Red Bull Soundstage (museum side main stage); M83, 7:30 p.m., Sony; The Black Keys, 8:30 p.m.

Toughest Friday choices--The Shins vs. Passion Pit, 6 p.m., Bud Light; and M83 vs. Dawes, 7:15 p.m., PlayStation.  If you absolutely have to see Black Sabbath (8:05-10 p.m., Bud Light), which is now more of a curiosity show than a music act, over The Black Keys, who are playing on the opposite side of Grant Park, it's surprising you're reading my blog.  Good for you!

Saturday, August 4:  If you get there early, catch J.C. Brooks & The Uptown Sound, noon, Sony.  Otherwise, Delta Spirit, 2:15 p.m., Bud Light; Alabama Shakes, 4:15 p.m., Bud Light; Franz Ferdinand, 6:15 p.m., Bud Light; Red Hot Chili Peppers, 8 p.m., Red Bull.

Toughest Saturday choices--Alabama Shakes vs. tUne-yArDs, 5 p.m., Sony; and Franz Ferdinand vs. Bloc Party, 7 p.m., Sony.

Sunday, August 5:  Strategy A--Oberhofer, 1 p.m., Bud Light; White Rabbits, 2:30 p.m., Bud Light; Dum Dum Girls, 3:30 p.m., Google Play Stage; The Gaslight Anthem, 4:45 p.m., Google Play; Florence and the Machine, 6:15 p.m., Bud Light; Justice, 8:30 p.m., Bud Light.

Strategy B--Bombay Bicycle Club, 12:45 p.m., Red Bull; The Walkmen, 3 p.m., Sony; Sigur Ros, 4 p.m., Red Bull; At The Drive-In, 6 p.m., Red Bull; Miike Snow, 7:15 p.m., Sony; Jack White, 8:15 p.m., Red Bull.

Criminally scheduled--it's a raw deal for the delightful Icelandic collective Of Monsters and Men, 6 p.m., Google Play, scheduled opposite Florence and the Machine and the reunited At The Drive-In.  At least they have a sold out House of Blues after show.