Wickedly Good

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Wicked for the first time at the beautiful Orpheum theater last night. I went in with mixed expectations given Clement's rave reviews and a more modulated response from several other friends. The show began in SF, but went through re-writes and recastings before it became a huge hit in NYC. And, as one friend keeps harping, lost the big Tony award to another favorite Avenue Q. The leads were fantastic. Kristin Chenoweth originated Glinda, but Kendra Kassebaum rocked the role last night. Her rendition of "Popular" was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Teal Wicks was scheduled to play Alphaba, but her understudy stepped in last night and impressed the crowd with her vocal range. I didn't even realize it wasn't Ms. Wicks until the intermission.

Oscar winner Patty Duke was having fun playing Madame Morrible, and former Married with Children cast member David Garrison played the Wizard. The standout songs for me were Popular, What is this Feeling? (how can you not like a song with "unadultered loathing" as a catch phrase), Defying Gravity and I'm not that Girl.

The mixing of the "Wizard of Oz" story from Gregory Macquire's novel was fairly inventive, though the third act felt a bit rushed. I heard the original script was tediously overlong so I can understand the cuts that must have been made. The allegory to minority rights was certainly topical given our recent Prop 8 debacle.

Now how can I get "Pop-u-lar" out of my head??

Sugar *****

One of the things I love about films is it's inherent ability to transport you to another world. Sometimes it can be a fantasy world like Lord of the Rings or The Fall, but sometimes it's only a few hundred miles away in Iowa or NYC. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's new film Sugar did just that: it transported me to 3 places, seeing through the eyes of a young optimistic baseball player Miguel Santos aka "Sugar" (played by soulful newcomer Algenis Pérez Soto ). Not being much of a sports fan, I wasn't as excited about seeing the follow-up to one of my favorite films "Half Nelson" as I should be. Well, I won't underestimate the talents of Boden and Fleck again. They prove again that simple but humane story telling can illuminate any background, whether it be minor league baseball or inner city schools.

Like Half Nelson, which veered off the typical inspiring teacher in an inner city school plot, this is not just another young sports star biography. We get to see the world of young baseball hopefuls in the Dominican Republic, being "groomed" for the US Major Leagues as young horses are raised for the Kentucky Derby. Sugar is one of the better players, but it's not until he learns to master the hook-curve ball, that he gets picked to join the elite few at Spring training in AZ. The directors capture the quiet moments so well here, like when the players get drunk saying goodbye to a fellow peer, who may have been kicked out due to steroids?(foreshadowing). Or the empathic waitress in the AZ diner that gives Sugar a plate of eggs because he doesn't know what "scrambled" or "over easy" means. Or the last phone call to mom, where the banter rings so true to so many of my own calls home. I was never sure where this film was going with Sugar, but I found each step surprisingly logical. The supporting actors are all strong and convincing, but none stand out especially. It's a true ensemble piece.

In the end, Sugar isn't so much about a baseball player's rise and fall. It's about the new immigrant's experience: the departure from home and family, the adjustment to a new world and culture, and the modulation of one's expectations and dreams to reality. It's not as pretty as you would imagine, but there's enough generosity and kindness that it gives you hope.

More good eats in SF

Mel is in SF for a few days, so that means more eating out in delicious SF! I took him to that other great Ramen House Katana-ya and enjoyed the over-abundant special Katana-ya ramen, filled with dumplings, fried chicken, bamboo shoots and more. I love the miso broth as well. The tiny restaurant is always packed, but we got to enjoy the spectacle of two European Don Juans hitting on the waifish waitress/hostess.

We also enjoyed brunch at Grand Cafe in the Hotel Monaco last weekend. I think it's my new favorite. Great food, minimal-to-no wait on Sundays and moderate prices. I had been there for first time last year with Gaby, when we skipped the never moving line of Dottie's, and was surprised by how reasonable it was for a nice hotel. The food is definitely fresh, and you won't see Duck Confit at Sear's. I really enjoyed my omelette with a huge dose of bay shrimps. Yum. Of course, you can't beat the ambience of that huge art deco dining room.

William Kentridge @ SFMOMA

I made a second visit to the William Kentridge: 5 Themes show at SFMOMA yesterday, because I was so impressed with the opening. Kentridge is a South African artist that came into prominence in the 1990's based on his political works on apartheid and colonialism, and best known for his animated stop motion films . I had been a fan of his SFMOMA video installation "Tide table", but never knew much about him until recently. Some of his animated charcoal films are almost hypnotic, showing pieces of his working process in reverse and filled with humor. Kentridge places himself in alot of his work and it didn't surprise me to read that he worked as an actor as well. The centerpiece for me is Black Box, a miniature theater extravaganza of music, animation, puppetry and lighting. The 15 minute program is worth the price of admission. I may be back for a third visit soon.