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REVIEW: Multi-talented Hugh Jackman wows at the TD Garden

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Is multi-talented Hugh Jackman better on film or onstage?

Is it worth seeing him when he comes back to Boston?  Is he the Greatest Showman?

One thing is certain – Hugh Jackman is the genuine article.

Some actors who decide to go on tour put on self-indulgent shows of their history in show business and share their general musings about life to promote their next album or film.  They might even sing a song or two.  However, outside the studio, they can’t really sing or dance.   People cheer, even if the show isn’t what they were expecting, but they remember that guy in that film or show who was so great in those roles, and that is enough.

Hugh is one talented guy.  He is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy award-winner as well as a Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominee.  He has also been on the other side of acting as host of the Academy and Tony Awards.  For his 50th birthday, he wished to go on a world-wide tour.

Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Man. The Music.  The Show’ will continue through October 20, 2019. Click here for show dates.  He’ll also return to Boston’s TD Garden for one more performance on Tuesday, October 1.

Hugh Jackman the Tour

Photo credit to Hugh Jackman The Show

The morning of Hugh’s appearance on Thursday, June 27 at the TD Garden, Hugh Jackman made a surprise appearance serving coffee from a coffee truck in Boston to promote his charity work with ‘The Laughing Man Cafe and Foundation.’  A loyal Bruins fan, he called performing in Boston one of his big dreams.

As superhero Wolverine (in which he demonstrated an onstage pose or two), he showed his dynamic range.  Decked out at first in a white tux, he ran the gamut of styles from flashy costumes to more casual attire with no ringleader costume in sight.  Though he reminisced about his career with a realistic look at his dogged pursuit to find success as an actor, he seemed like a humble, funny, and approachable guy.

A family friendly show, he kept the crowd moving with a broad range of music.  From reaching into an old school vibe with selections such as I’ve Got Rhythm and Mac the Knife to tap dancing to AC/DC to performing a vast selection of musical theatre including lighting up the stage with selections from ‘The Greatest Showman,’ the show had a universal appeal though especially tailored for the theatre buff.  He joined Kaley McKnight onstage to perform a stunning, powerful rendition of This is Me and a sweeping ‘Les Miserables‘ medley.  He also joined members of the Boston Children’s Chorus for a stirring rendition of You Will Be Found from the hit musical, ‘Dear Evan Hansen.’

Hugh Jackman stage

Hugh Jackman at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts Photo courtesy of Jeanne Denizard

The second half of the show did not outdo the first, but he demonstrated his range further in the second.  It actually became a bit trippy during his ode to his Australian idol, Peter Allen in which Hugh won a Tony Award for his portrayal as Peter in ‘The Boy From Oz.’  Peter was not only known for songs such as Don’t Cry Out Loud and Arthur’s Theme, but for his over-the-top stage performances.  He also welcomed the audience into his native Australia by recreating the outback, claiming it as one of his most out-of-this-world experiences he has ever had.

So, to answer those questions, I prefer Hugh in his epic films, but he is undeniably a wonderful performer.  The very best is a lot to ask, but his dynamic range is truly great and worth watching on tour or when he returns to Boston in October.  You will no doubt recognize the sheer talent that he has developed over decades of being a singer, a dancer, theater actor, movie star, and a hero.

REVIEW: Unpredictable, humorous, and insightful, Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Roommate’ not your average odd couple

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Don’t underestimate Lyric Stage Company’s The Roommate as a frothy chick lit piece about middle aged women.  The innocent splash of coffee on the promotional poster does not begin to describe this thrilling drama.  With unexpected twists and two exceptional leads, Jen Silverman’s The Roommate is so much more than that.  The Lyric Stage took the audience from an Argentinean prison in Kiss of the Spider Woman in September to the welcoming setting of a rural kitchen in Iowa for The Roommate, but both settings have their share of dark secrets.  The Roommate features an odd coupling of one woman who is overwhelmed by life and the other who wants to change hers completely.

The Roommate poster

The Lyric Stage presents ‘The Roommate’ Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

Directed by Spiro Veloudos and laden with funny, relatable moments, Jen Silverman’s The Roommate, a one act, 90 minute drama with no intermission, continues at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts through November 18.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Surrounded by a little too cheerful, inviting Iowa kitchen decorated in mismatched floral décor and what looks like a working island stove, the setting, cleverly designed by Jenna McFarland Lord, could be an extension of Paula Plum as frenzied, relentlessly upbeat Sharon.  Having never had a roommate before and in her mid 50s, it is easy to relate to her nervous twittering and chatter as she waits for her roommate to arrive.

The Roommate Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn as Paula Plum as Sharon at the table

Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn and Paula Plum as Sharon Photo courtesy of the Lyric Stage Company

Dressed in a floral blouse and apron, Sharon is the picture of country living, her hands always busy with an occasional nervous laugh masking melancholy and loneliness.  Paula Plum steps seamlessly into the role of this complicated woman enhanced by her gasps, her excited utterances of glee, and her flicker of self awareness that brings Sharon to exuberant life.

When collected, quiet, and artistic Robyn arrives, Sharon considers how different their worlds are.  The Roommate contains as many humorous moments as it does dark ones and a particularly amusing highlight surrounds the two women’s backgrounds.  Sharon brows rise when Robyn describes her Bronx background while Robyn becomes startled over potential Iowa tornadoes while Sharon brushes them off.  Their quirky, malleable chemistry has a life of its own and it evolves and transforms throughout the play.

The Roommate Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn smoking

Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

Dressed in dark colors and Doc Martins which match her black hair styled in a bob, Adrianne Krstansky portrays Robyn close to the chest, a mysterious, stealthy woman mature beyond her years where every personal detail is a painful revelation.  Krstansky gives an understated performance which simmers as the play progresses.  Each one of Krstansky and Plum’s conversations is a palpable tug of war, and one can’t help but hope that traditional, sheltered Sharon will somehow win.   However guarded Sharon and Robyn are, both are longing to relate to one another and the end result reveals more about themselves than they could have possibly imagined.

The Roommate Paula Plum standing as Sharon and Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn

Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn Courtesy of the Lyric Stage Company

The Lyric Stage Company proudly presents The Roommate continuing through Sunday, November 18 at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts.  Click here for tickets and more information.  Subscriptions and dinner packages are also available.  Follow The Lyric Stage on Twitter and Facebook for their upcoming productions and more.