Friday May 25, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 21 |
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Saturday, Sep 06, 2008
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Bits & Bytes |
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| Zanies rule at lavish new Teatro ZinZanni, SSO readies 2007's Bridging 48th Parallel, SIFF launches 33rd International Film Fest | |
| by Milton W. Hamlin -
SGN A&E Writer Seattle's entertainment scene is easily compared to the Emerald City's schizophrenic weather this past week-bright and sunny one day (or one moment), dark and gloomy the next. Torrential rain showers followed by a perfect "spring is sprung" day. So it goes with in the city's entertainment world-bright and bubbly at Teatro Zinzanni, innovative and challenging at Seattle Symphony's upcoming Music of Central Europe Festival. And the Seattle International Film Festival hits every emotional peak with its 405 films screening in constant repertory through June 17. It's another great week for entertainment fans in Seattle-and that, of course, includes Bits&Bytes. Read on: TEATRO ZINZANNI SCORES WITH NEW AFFAIRE D'AMOUR The hot new edition of the long running Teatro ZinZanni is just a third of its way through its spring and summer run, and the word is clearly out-L'Affaire d'Amour is another out-and-out smash for the ZinZanni clan. With the tourist season already starting, there's no doubt that the new ZinZanni show will be the hot ticket of the season. It continues through Aug. 5 in its downtown Seattle location at 6th & Battery. Broadway star and French cabaret legend, Lilane Montevecchi, brings a touch of world class glitz and glamour to the role of Madame ZinZanni, the interchangeable leading character who drops in now and then to purr a sexy classic, heat up the scene with a rousing anthem of love, sip champagne (which the Parisian-born star always mispronounces as "shampoo") and guide the assorted circus/cabaret/vaudeville arts through the evening. "It's like the Ed Sullivan Show with a gourmet dinner," one wag at our table pronounced. And it is. But what a variety show, what a circus of jugglers, musicians, acrobats, clowns and singers. Auburn's Juliana Rambaldi, with an international career on her resume, takes the operatic arias and vocal honors. Montevecchi, decked out in Ziegfeld-like showstopping outfits takes the "living legend" spotlight as she dazzles with four decades of starring roles in her past. She won a Tony Award as the sexpot (what else?) in Broadway's Nine, the role the first brought her to Seattle in the national touring company (where Bits&Bytes fell madly in love with her from the sixth row at the 5th Avenue Theatre). (Montevecchi and Bits&Bytes will team for an exclusive SGN interview in mid-June. Watch for it!) Other highlights from the zanies at ZinZanni: - The incredible body of Russian Oleg Izossimov drew gasps from the packed house the night Bits&Bytes and friend attended. The "Russian Master Of Balance" combines dance, contortion and gymnastics into one memorable routine. The international press has deemed him the "absolute perfection of movement." When "friend" was not salivating over the gourmet dinner (designed by chef Tom Douglas), she was openly salivating over the musculature of the various men in the acrobatic sections of the show. If Izossimov had not been to further than 30 feet away, it would have seemed impossible to put so much talent and no much physical power into one person. - Duo Artemeiv, a Russian acrobatic team, do a terrific tango on a trapeze. Past performances include on-stage appearances with Liza Minnellli and for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. - Dressed as an Ionic Column from ancient Greece, audience favorite "chef" Frank Ferrante makes with the food jokes as he introduces each course. Updated variations on the old "Honeymoon Salad" of yore (that's "lettuce alone"-as in "let us alone"--if you have forgotten) tickle the audiences' combined funnybones. - The rest of the cast-and its amazing history of performances. Three French brothers, officially Les Castors, are the fifth generation of acrobats and circus artists. Wayne Doba, actor, dancer, comedian, old-time vaudeville headliner, is in his third decade. Montevecchi is in her fourth decade as an international headliner. - The ZinZanni structure itself. An historic, early Art Deco "spiegeltent" from Europe. These wooden-shell "tents" were all the rage in the first decades of the 20th Century. Quickly collapsible, the tents toured small and medium sized European cities until just before World War II. Now, restored, reworked and re-gilded, the structures are half of the success of the ZinZanni troupes in Seattle and San Francisco. The current tent, Seattle's second, will move from the Belltown/downtown location in the fall to make way for-what else?-a new condo project. The ZinZanni troupe returns to its original Seattle Center location for the upcoming fall edition. The Dinner: The five-course dinner, included in the pre-set price, starts with a delightful appetizer plate, highlighted this visit by a Olive & Fig Tapenade. A creamy Spring Leek & Potato Soup followed-after an assortment of ZinZanni acts. (The cast doubles as the wait staff and you never know if you're server will strip and turn into a high wire specialist or a tap dancing comedian.) A "Parisian Salad," combining Chilled Spring Asparagus, Bibb Lettuce and Pear Tomatoes, was next. - The entrée course offered three choices-Coq Au Vin, Baked Alaskan Halibut or Mushrooms Avignon, the vegetarian choice of the evening (and, from raves at our table of six, one of the best choices). As has happened before at ZinZanni, the earlier courses are so incredible that the entrees seem redundant-normal people just do not eat that way in this era. Not that a bit was left on any plate&. Dessert delivered a plate of Cream-Filled Golden Profiteroles topped with a Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce. These mini-cream puffs were the perfect finale to a perfect evening. Complete details on Teatro ZinZanni outings are available at 802-0015. CHIHULY DESIGNED BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE HIGHLIGHTS SSO FEST As the Seattle Symphony Orchestra readies its May 31-June 9 Bridging The 48th Parallel: Music Of Central Europe Festival, two musical rarities highlight the program. The Festival opens next Thursday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. with one of two concert performances of Bela Bartok's only opera, Bluebeard's Castle. With direction by Sharon Ott, past artistic director of the Seattle Repertory Theatre, and exciting new stage designs from celebrated Northwest glass artist Dale Chihuly, Bluebeard's Castle looks like the perfect opening for the ambitious Festival. Chihuly plans seven major glass installations, seven "chambers," for each of Bluebeard's locked rooms-at press time the plans were still to use real glass for each of the chambers. Musically, the two concerts should be a highlight of the Festival. Artistically, ditto. The concert opera repeats on Saturday, June 2 at 8 p.m.. The Festival's other rarity is a collaboration with the Seattle International Film Festival as SSO and SIFF join together to present Ferenc Erkel's opera, Bank Ban, filmed by Hungary's Casaba Kael. The 2002 film captures the historic 1213 setting. It has been rarely screened in the U.S. and should be a musical highlight of both SSO and SIFF's Festivals. The two hour film screens at 11 a.m. on June 3 at Pacific Place. Other highlights of the SSO Festival include Janacek's Glagolitic Mass on June 7 and 9. The huge, imposing work is rarely staged, and-thus-a perfect title for the ambitious SSO Festival. The 10-day Festival is literally crammed with concerts from SSO and a number of community groups. A Free Community Celebration offers events June 2, 3 and 8. Check with the SSO box office staff at 215-4747 for complete details. 33rd SIFF OPENS WITH SON OF RAMBOW, GAY-LA HIGHLIGHTS GLBT TITLES, CHOICES The 2007 edition of the Seattle International Film Festival opened last night at McCaw Hall with a festive screening of Son Of Rambow, a new British film that will not open in the U..S. until early 2008. While SGN's film fans eagerly await SIFF's Spotlight flyer on GLBT titles-one of several dozen the Festival publishes as handouts-one special event is already a "must see." A "funny, Gay disco ghost story," Poltergay, screens June 7 as the focus of the GayLa Extravaganza at the Egyptian. The comic horror send-up will be followed by an optional post-screening reception-ages 21 and over only for the reception. The French "guilty pleasure" (billed as Saturday Night Fever meets Poltergeist) repeats at 2 p.m.. on June 9. Mark your calendars now. A quick survey of the more than 225 feature length films at the Festival this year suggests that the standard "one in 10" percentage rule will apply to this year's GLBT titles, giving the 2007 Fest about 25 or 30 films with specific appeal to the GLBT community. As always, some distributors and some films seek Gay and Lesbian audiences, but many shy away for stereotyping a new film. For example, The Pervert's Guide To Cinema, screening June 8 and 9, includes no specific reference to GLBT titles or content, but it is unimaginable that the new British documentary will have no GLBT material. Watch SGN and Bits&Bytes for news on the upcoming GLBT Spotlight suggestions. Pick up a copy of the Festival Official Program Guide and read between the lines-big stars in a major release, like Evening, concerns "the secrets we share." The June 16 single screening at the Neptune is sure to be a sell out-for audiences of every description-in the Festival's final weekend. |
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