Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to Beethoven’s third symphony, the Eroica (which I, as a youth, thought was called the Erotica – yes, you heard it here) in a lovely performance by Mr. Ormandy and the phenomenal Philadelphia Orchestra. And frankly, I find nothing erotic in this symphony. Perhaps I’ll write a symphony and call it the Erotica (acitore, spelled backwards). Meanwhile, we got another review, Splash Magazine – another lovely review it is. To wit:
“With book and lyrics by Ira Levin and music by Milton Schafer, DRAT THE CAT makes its West Coast debut – only 60 years after its initial Broadway run. A talented and renowned playwright with hits like Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil, and Deathtrap, Ira Levin decided to try his hand at a musical. The idea of a cat burglar and a detective struck him in 1957; and in 1961, he began to write the musical comedy. In 1965, DRAT THE CAT opened on Broadway starring Lesley Ann Warren, Elliot Gould, and Charles Durning – but played for only eight performances before it was closed. Of course, Ira’s brainchild was up against some Broadway blockbusters, including Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, and Funny Girl. Besides that, even if audiences seemed to enjoy the show, there was a newspaper strike at the time. And so this little spoof of turn-of-the-century melodrama faded away. Even after Stephen Sondheim wrote a note to Levin praising his lyrics and Bruce Kimmel (the show’s current director) produced a recording of the almost-lost musical, DRAT THE CAT was not fated to become one of Levin’s famed pieces. In 2025, the Group Rep proudly revives DRAT THE CAT for today’s audiences.
(This paragraph purposely omitted as it’s just a description of the plot.)
Skillfully directed by Bruce Kimmel, who actually knew and respected Ira Levin in the “good old days” of Broadway super hits, DRAT THE CAT gives a run for the money while earning the respect of contemporary audiences. He is aided in no small part by a talented cast who are clearly having a lot of fun bringing this show to life. Kudos to DeMaria, who has the voice of an angel, and to the huge ensemble cast. There is even a band with piano by Gerald Sternbach, bass by Tim Christensen, flute/clarinet by Paul Cotton, trumpet by Tom Marino, and percussion by Craig Pilo.
Kudos to the production team, including Audrey Szot (scenic design), Shon Le Blanc (costumes), Krys Fehervari (wigs), Echo Brejcha (lighting), John Harvey (sound), and all the others without whom the show would have floundered. The Group Rep pulls off another winner from the ghost of a flop. Ira Levin would have been proud. Congratulations, and keep up the good work.”
We had one other review – kind of middling – calling the show pleasant but entirely dismissive or the work itself, calling its songs forgettable. I don’t need to post a review like that because I find it pointless. More reviews forthcoming. Otherwise, yesterday was perfectly pleasant but the tunes were forgettable. Oh wait, I’m not reviewing yesterday. Yesterday was, in fact, a nice relaxing day, just what I needed. I had nine hours of good sleep, I had a chicken Caesar salad from Stanley’s for food – very good – then I watched some irritating YouTube videos, puttered around the house, and finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finally watched a motion picture, a recent release, entitled Presence, which is sold as a supernatural, psychological horror thriller, a haunted house thing, the previews of which try very hard to make it look very scary. In fact, they tout it as being the scariest movie you’ll see all year. This is a problem when there are virtually no thrills, no scares, and no horror. None. What you get is a family drama with little point or meat. The screenwriter is the very successful David Koepp. So, it’s surprising how awful the dialogue is and how pedestrian the entire thing is. Its “gimmick” is that it’s all shot from the point of view of the ghost/presence. Therefore, each scene is filmed in one take (no trickery or CGI here disguising edits) followed by a cut to black. And it’s all filmed inside a house until the very last shot. There is a “twist” but it’s really not much of one and at seventy-nine minutes sans end credits, it feels very lethargic. I’ve liked a few of Steven Soderbergh’s movies and this is certainly interesting from a style point of view. Of course, this is not the first point of view movie – we have Lady in the Lake and Dead Reckoning before it and I’m sure others. The acting is not so hot either. The best thing in the film is its spare score by a composer I’ve never heard of named Zack Ryan. It’s actually a real throwback to real movie scores, almost a cousin to Michael Small’s score to Audrey Rose. It was shot in eleven days and cost two million, but I’m sure it will never make a penny of profit.
And now, I’m listening to Beethoven’s fourth, which is okay but well done here. Just not my cuppa.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I may go out for food – perhaps to Gelson’s, perhaps somewhere to sit – I’ll definitely go to the mail place, but mostly it’ll be another ME day so I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I may be having an early dinner out, Friday we resume performances, and I’ll be there for all three, since I have friends coming on Friday and Saturday nights and we do our second talkback after the Sunday matinee.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, maybe go out for food, go to the mail place, and watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have reacquainted myself with Beethoven’s Erotica symphony – R-rated, you know.