“The Rehearsal” Is Lovely, But Not Lovely Love Story

A Noise Within’s “The Rehearsal” is a beautiful production, without a false note. The sets are gorgeous and each performance well cast and well-acted. This is a love story, but it doesn’t have a happy ending.

Jean Anouihl’s 1950 “The Rehearsal” is entitled in French: “La répétition ou l’amour puni,” meaning “The Rehearsal or Love Punished.” Obviously, things will not go well for the lovers. Yet instead of being an indictment against love, this play is about the traps of convention and idleness amongst the aristocracy.

This production is well worth seeing, but might not make the best date. More later on the Examiner.com.

Go See “Ghosts” in Glendale

A Noise Within has just opened a haunting production of Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts.”

Using the director Michael Murray’s adaptation, Deborah Strang gives a strong performance as a woman who has lived a lie and that lie comes back to haunt her. The truth will set you free, but what about your children?

For my review on Examiner.com, try this link.

Pay What You Can: Not Free But Pretty Close

A Noise Within, the critically acclaimed classical repertory theatre
company, announces three “Pay What You Can” dates for its 2008-09
spring season productions, GHOSTS by Henrik Ibsen, Shakespeare’s THE
TAMING OF THE SHREW, and THE REHEARSAL by Jean Anouilh.

“Pay What You Can” dates, which allow patrons to purchase tickets for
what they can afford, are Thursday, March 19 for GHOSTS; Thursday,
March 26 for THE TAMING OF THE SHREW; and Thursday, April 16 for THE
REHEARSAL. All three performances begin at 8 p.m.

“Pay What You Can” tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served
basis based on availability, with a limit of two per person. Tickets
must be purchased in person at the box office (234 South Brand
Boulevard), after 2 p.m. on the day of the performance with cash only.
($10 minimum suggested).

Shakespeare’s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, a rough and raucous ride on the
road to romance and one of the Bard?s most beloved comedies opened
March 7 to rave reviews and closes May 17. GHOSTS by Henrik Ibsen, a
haunting tale of unrequited passion, revelation and horror, opens
March 21 and closes May 9 (previews begin March 14). In THE
REHEARSAL, which opens April 18 and closes May 24 (previews begin
April 1), celebrated French playwright Jean Anouilh creates a world of
both brave affirmation and bitter protest, a world crackling with
sharp wit and icy romanticism.

A NOISE WITHIN is located at 234 South Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA
91204. To purchase tickets or for a full season brochure, call
818-240-0910 x1 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.

A Sentimentally 1950s “Taming of the Shrew” Enjoyable at Glendale’s A Noise Within

This isn’t an easy play to stage in a feminist world, but Geoff Elliott sets his production in Padua, Italy 1950s. We get to hear songs like “That’s Amore,” “Mambo Italiano” and “I Got You Under My Skin” as a pants suit clad Kate (Allegra Fulton) battles a double-breasted suited Petruchio (Steve Weingartner) while various beaus line up to woo the blonde, pretty-in-pastel peach, Bianca (Jane Noseworthy), Kate’s younger sister. You might leave arguing whether it’s the sun or the moon and not about the continuing battle of the sexes. After all, wasn’t the June Cleaver image what feminists were all fighting against?