Anna is in New York to visit Morgan and attend the official opening night of her off-off-Broadway play "Designer Genes". Jarred, Morgan's live-in boyfriend, managed to get back from his out-of-the-country for three days renew-your-visitor-visa trip to London (yes, a lovely Hugh Grant type Englishman) and they went together to the theater last night.
The three-person play is a semi-autobiographical comedy written by one of the cast. Although very humorous, he did not cast himself well and he is a poor actor. The cast includes an older successful painter (the author), a young art critic (Morgan), and the painter's son. Morgan falls in love with the painter as he Pygmalions her into a successful woman over the course of their relationship and there are the resulting emotional upheavals when she grows into the woman he has made her.
The only real glitch is that the story is based on the writer's real life when he was 50, not 75 (and looks it) especially when Morgan, while 35, looks late twenties. And the additional misfortune is that the writer reminds us a whole lot more of Woody Allen than Sean Connery!
That all said, Morgan did as much with the part as possible, the son played a somewhat miscast part valiantly (no one would really believe this 30 something who allows his father to call him a "putz" is a $300/hr lawyer). She was able to go from tight-assed art critic writer to let your hair down newscaster with her own TV show beautfully over the 2 hour production.
There was a full house of friends, family and a couple of agents, a reviewer or two, and a lovely little cast party afterwards for the families and friends. Then off to a wine bar to dissect the performance and assist in providing more adequate direction for those areas where Morgan felt the dialog or movement was strained.
The director, being inept, has often put her in unfortunate blocking, or required ridiculous emotional states. Jarred is also an actor, trained at Strasbourg and suggested she tell the director to "bugger off" and do what feels more natural to her. What's the worse that could happen, the writer would forget even more of his lines? Or give her even less to work with?
Ok - I don't want to suggest the play is impossible. I suspect the general public will like it and its worth seeing as it is funny as heck. The story is a bit of a stretch but if you suspend imagination a bit and narrow your eyes and remember that the story is autobiographical - you will enjoy it. If you live in New York, its "Designer Genes" at the Pelican on 8th, betwen 46th and 47th and runs through June 4.
Oh, yeah. Benjamin called on Tuesday as well. A lovely light phone conversation which included Anna telling him she was very disappointed that he did not consider her friend enough to call when he was feeling depressed about work. After a moment he agreed...she was exactly who he should have called. Someone to give a "rah rah" you're still great, you're still loved and you're important. Someone to mull over how to get the next job and keep working steadily.
Then he asked if it was too late to come to Florida in June to be with her during her visit to Bobbi *thrill, excitement, anticipation* But upon reflection, Anna learned that Marcus (his son) was coming in for their family reunion that weekend and unless he visited just two days it would never fit *sigh, disappointment* She suggested, they forego the trip and she would come see him for a romantic camping trip together in June along the Missouri rivers.
Was the mind change about the trip just a way to assuage his guilt in disappointing her for his absence the last two weeks? Or did he really look forward to any time together? Or did he just want to relive the old times where Bobbi was part of the crowd when they were together and it would make him feel better.
Oh BOLLUX. Anna is going to go eat crepes with Morgan and Jarred at a lovely New York sidewalk cafe and buy some more clothes.
 |
| Get Your Own Map | View Larger Map |