Sample Review: Muse Returns to the U.S. in Style

The Anaheim Honda Center arena was packed with flashing iPhones and fans screaming and shouting, ready for a riotous, talent-packed performance. As the lights dimmed and the first chords of “Resistance” began to play, the noise level exploded as Southern California fans welcomed in the U.K. band Muse. It’s hard to believe the world-famous trio first started playing in small venues like the Viper Room and The Roxy. They have come a long way since then. Standing in front of thousands of fans, it seems that lead singer Matt Bellamy and his band mates have been music royalty for a lifetime.

There is nothing quite like an expectant audience, one who has listened to a band’s albums countless times and is eager to now hear it all live. You could practically taste the anticipation in the air. You could certainly hear it.

Performing on an elaborately built stage of three tall, platforms thoroughly covered in plasma-screen visuals and an equally bright and colorful lighting program to boot, it was hard to focus on the music at first. Muse has the money to make a show a spectacle and that’s what they did.

They played a well-planned set list, mixing singles from their most recent albums “Resistance” and “Black Holes and Revelations” with their older albums, especially “Absolution.” Bellamy altered between playing his electric guitar and releasing beautiful improvisations on a grand piano, singing in his distinct, high-tenor tone. The band’s cover of “Feeling Good” and “United States of Eurasia” highlighted his talents to their peak, especially on the piano.

Guitarist Christopher Wolstenhome, not to be outdone, busted out solos that would satisfy any rocker’s soul. “Hysteria” is a song known for its’ power chords and electric guitar riffs. Wolstenhome capitalized on this as he slid across the stage on his knees and the audience screamed with wild applause and euphoric delight.

Each band member did a good job of interacting with the crowd, letting them take the reigns in hit songs like “Starlight” and “Time Is Running Out,” with Bellamy holding the mic out toward the crowd as they shouted the band’s lyrics back at them.
It’s easy to immerse yourself into a concert with so many die-hard and adoring fans. Even were the talent lacking, the mood is infectious. With every chord progression, with every extended solo whether it be from the guitar, the drums or the piano, Muse gave a show to truly remember.

Although the strobe lights and flashing platforms enhanced the concert, it was obvious that it was the band’s pure talent, unique songs and high performance stamina is what made the show a success. After two hours of pure rock, the audience was still clamoring for more.

Photograph by Heather Tanji

Whittier Community Theatre Presents "A Nice Family Gathering"

The cast of WTC's "A Nice Family Gathering"

Decent acting and bad writing are the main components of the play “A Nice Family Gathering.”

Nov. 4 marked the opening date of Whittier Community Theater’s version of the play. I am still puzzled as to why they chose this particular work but my best guess is someone was attempting to make the theme applicable with Thanksgiving.

Middle son Carl (played by Justin P. Murphy) is being haunted by his dead father (Jerry Marble). Dad only wants to tell his wife he loves her, and Carl just wants Dad to leave him alone. Things get tangled when Mom (Andrea Townsend) brings home a “friend” for dinner. It seems the perfect recipe for a fun, snarky holiday mishap. What unfolds is unresolved and surprisingly dark family conflict—competition between brothers, lesbian daughter is pregnant, daughter-in-law can’t get pregnant, the oldest son is deeply in debt and Mom has Alzheimer’s. Most of the first act is spent discussing the issues of each family member while the second act drags out painfully slow resolutions.

The set design was impressive. There was plenty of detail on the stage, from the family portraits to stockings over the fireplace, making the painted wood and décor appear to be the living room of Carl’s family. Unfortunately, this is the most impressive aspect of the entire show.

Meghan Duran, who played Stacy, stood out for her believability as the sulky little sister of the family. Townsend too, deserves accolades for her believability as Mom. Unfortunately, not all of the actors met this standard. Laura MacDowell (Jill) had trouble making both dialogue and blocking seem natural. Playing a woman supposedly running on an overdose of hormones, she did very little in making her character the comical mess she was supposed to be.

No matter how talented the cast might be, even the best of actors would have a difficult time with the script. There is no getting around the cheesy, poorly written lines. The actors did their best to make the script interesting and tried to bring it to life but most of the show focused on each self-absorbed character wallowing in their own problems. Although the directing, blocking and acting weren’t horrible, there isn’t any way to get around the dull storyline or the badly written dialogue.

Whittier Community Theater has the ability to produce high-quality shows. Great set design, relatively talented actors and a great venue. There is no need to settle for mediocre, poorly written plays. It is a play with no point, a story with no plot. As the house lights go up and the curtain closes, the only question to ask is, “why?”

“A Nice Family Gathering” continues through Nov 19 at The Center Theater, 7630 Washington Ave. Whittier. More information available at (562) 696-0600 or www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org

Photograph taken from Frances Baum Nicholson, Stage Struck Review

The Mockingbird Still Sings

Atticus reluctantly demonstrates his showmanship in front of the town.

It can’t be easy for a Southern California college student to play Scout Finch, a child living in the racial turmoil of Alabama in the 1930s, yet freshman Julie Ploehn succeeds with flying colors. In fact, the entirety of the cast was able to create believable characters with Southern twangs, not a hint of the collegiate vibe to be found.

Biola University’s To Kill A Mockingbird, directed by associate theater professor Forrest Robinson is an intense drama performed with passion and well-timed flow. The actors truly made the play enjoyable. The three main characters—Scout (Phlehn), Dill (Atticus Shires) and Jem (Cris Cockrell)—are young children and the college freshmen created childlike personas with seeming ease. They were not childish, but rather captured the heart of a child in their facial expressions, the way they moved around the stage and the way in which their dialogue was spoken, all while using very believable Southern accents. “I tell my students the technique of developing the characters… I like them to discover [the characters] on their own,” Robinson said. “I’m trying to lead them where I would like them to go.”

The entire play takes place on one set: three houses, a tire swing and a fence. In a small black box setting, it was easier to focus on the storyline and the actors without being distracted by stagehands moving sets back and forth. It also made the flow of the play move with near perfection. With the exception of intermission there were no breaks in between scenes. Each segment flowed right into the next as naturally as if one was reading the book, demanding the viewer’s attention with every line. Robinson did an excellent job of appropriately mixing comical relief in with an otherwise extremely intense show.

Jem and Scout speculate on a mysterious neighbor.

The entire play was carried out with professional ease. Sound effects, acting, lighting and set design created a world the audience was drawn into. Watching Atticus Finch fight for the right of a condemned black man in the courthouse left palpable suspense in the air. The chemistry of the lead characters sparked interchangeably with tension and loyalty. However, the performance was not without flaws. Some of the scenes had an awkward effect on the audience; lines that weren’t meant to be funny had the audience tittering. A couple of the minor characters stumbled over lines, but equally noticeable is the fact that the leads remained in character the entire time.

“To Kill A Mockingbird” is a literary classic, required reading in high school and made into several film adaptations. Watching the plot play out on stage made the book come to life again, thanks to believable acting under the leadership of Robinson.

To Kill A Mockingbird is playing at Biola University’s Theater 21 from Oct 27-Nov 12.

Photographs by Heather Tanji