Saturday, April 5, 2014

Off-Broadway Review: Tales from Red Vienna

Tales from Red Vienna

By David Grimm
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
Costumes by Anita Yavich
Presented by Manhattan Theatre Club

By Lauren Yarger
It has three acts, two intermissions, great sets, lots of sex and a stellar cast, but the world premiere of David Grimm’s new play, Tales from Red Vienna, about life in post World War I Vienna, doesn’t have a lot to say.

Nina Arianda turns in a powerful performance – as always – as widowed Helena Altman, forced into prostitution to pay the bills after her husband, Stefan, is killed in the war. Her maid and friend, Edda Schmidt (Kathleen Chalfant), knows what her mistress is doing, but keeps quiet while repairing torn dresses or tidying up evidence of the sexual encounters. She also runs interference for Helena with young Rudy Zuckermaier (Michael Goldsmith), the son of their grocer, who has fallen head over heals in love with the widow.

Helena’s impoverished state isn’t easy to hide from childhood friend Mutzi von Fessendorf (Tina Benko), however, She stops by for a visit -- the first in 18 months -- and discovers that her friend has fallen from the prosperity they both once shared as society matrons. Mutzi, still has her dignitary husband, even if she has a lustful eye on someone else: socialist journalist Bela Hoyos (Michael Esper), She decides to be magnanimous and introduce the eligible bachelor to Helena under the guise of finding her a suitor, but really, she just wants an excuse to be able to spend time with Bela in public as a "chaperone." 

The meeting has unexpected results, however, and Mutzi turns her attentions to introducing another man, Karl Hupka (Lucas Hall), to Helena instead.

What are the Highlights?
  • Director Kate Whoriskey brings out top-notch performances from all of the performers. Helena is full of depth, Edda and Mutzi are funny, and Bela is a mix of charming and repulsive.
  • The set, designed by John Lee Beatty is a work of art. A blue curtain hides the architecture of Vienna -- as well as some of Helena's sexual encounters -- behind it like a veil. A cemetery is multi-dimensional and intricately detailed. And it rains. all on a very tiny stage.
  • There's a plot twist at the end of the second act that causes the audience to audibly gasp.
What are the LowLights?
  • Three acts and two intermissions later, the plot doesn't take us anywhere satisfying. A man in the audience behind me said at each intermission and after the final curtain," I keep expecting it to go deeper..."
  • Very few plays need to be three acts.... 
  • The character of Rudy could be completely cut from the mix. His devotion to Helena doesn't add anything to the story.
Other Information:
Tales from Red Vienna plays at NY City Center Stage I, 1321 West 55th St., NYC. http://talesfromredvienna.com/

Christians might like to know:
-- Very explicit sexual scenes
-- God's name taken in vain
-- Language
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Gracewell Prodiuctions

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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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