The Milwaukee Post

By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — Ryan Albrechtson, an alumnus of Carroll University in Waukesha, started his own theater in 2014, and since then has managed to keep it alive with some very good productions. His company performs in various venues. This is their first use of In Tandem Theatre's space with its present quite- ambitious offering. "Bare: A Pop Opera" by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabratolo is a fairly new musical. It deals with teenagers confronting issues of sexuality, drug use and peer pressure, often in conflict with the moral teachings with which they have been instilled. The setting is a Catholic school with a priest and a nun represent- ing the theology which the students have been taught. The main character, Peter, nicely represented by Ryan Albrechtson, is conflicted by his sexual feelings. He is attracted to Jason (Clayton Irwin), a very popular boy. The attraction is mutual, though their opinions on how to deal with it differ dramatically. Peter wants to acknowledge it openly, and Jason is too frightened of the consequences. To complicate matters further, Ivy (Ava Bush), a very pretty, sexually active, popular girl, is trying to seduce Jason. Jason's sis- ter Nadia (Francesca Steitz) is very envious of Ivy because of her beauty, which Nadia does not share. The only other char- acters in a cast of 15 that are given much attention individually are the priest (Connor O'Hara) and Sister Chantelle (Margaret Teshner). The priest is pretty stereotypical, but the nun has a little flair, and turns out to be one of the few people who is sym- pathetic toward Peter's plight. Musically, the ensemble numbers are well executed. The piano accompaniment, however, was often too loud for solo numbers, and the lyrics were often hard to understand. Since lyrics tell the story in an opera, it is important that volume is sufficient and diction is precise. The best soloists in the cast are Albrechtson, Teshner as mentioned above, Francesca Steitz in her rendition of "Plain Girl" and Claire, Peter's mother, whose "See Me" is heartrending when she was made aware of Peter's ori- entation. The solo between mother and son is done well. The anguish of being judged and demeaned is well rendered by both Peter and Jason. The pain of being diminished for your looks in a society which often focuses on the super- ficial is exceedingly well conveyed by Nadia. In fact, I thought Steitz was the strongest member of the cast. Her acting and singing abilities are both impressive. The general non-accept- ance of homosexuality was prevalent during that time, but more tolerant attitudes today are still far from uni- versal acceptance. Of course, there will probably always be those who believe that the world is only 6,000 years old, evolu- tion is heretical and cli- mate change is a conspira- cy. Maybe they all belong to the same rigid club. In this work, at least Sister Chantelle and Peter's mother are struggling to understand the reality of sexual variations and real- ize that no one has all the answers. Support Ryan's brave undertaking, but I hope they quiet the piano a bit. By TOM JOZWIK Post Film Critic "The Beguiled" failed to beguile me. A redo of a 46-year-old, similarly titled Clint Eastwood flick (which I've never seen), the 2017 version has Colin Farrell in the Eastwood role, playing oppo- site Nicole Kidman. The new "Beguiled" was helmed by Sofia Coppola, and her direc- tion won kudos at the presti- gious Cannes Film Festival. So is the movie — about a gravely wounded Civil War Union soldier (who certainly doesn't appear to be at death's door) nursed back to health by a bevy of Confederate school denizens — "'sensationally fun,'" as a quote on one of its display ads boasts? War isn't fun. Losing a limb isn't fun. Death and dying aren't fun. There's a rather pervasive sense of foreboding, in fact, created through music and chiaroscuro. And, while "The Beguiled" is not a bad picture, it is hardly sensa- tional. As for the director, the daughter of the man who helmed "The Godfather" tril- ogy elicited very capable per- formances from the pair mentioned above, as well as from Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning and a couple of obscure preteen players. Farrell portrays the soldier, McBurney, while Kidman is Martha, headmistress at the girls' boarding school. Dunst's Edwina, a sewing instructor, is endearingly kind to the point of selfless- ness; Fanning's Alicia is the most, well, mature of the school's pupils. It should probably be pointed out that Farrell's rendition of some unwilling army draftee's paid substi- tute not long off the boat from Ireland would've been better had Farrell been capa- ble of an Irish brogue. Regarding his character McBurney (and Kidman's Martha, for that matter), the film doesn't give me as clear an insight as I would've liked. McBurney seems a sham, ultimately. Having empathized with him for most of the movie, this view- er wishes that weren't true. For perhaps 65 of "The Beguiled's" 93 minutes the audience is shown a credi- ble, poignant, even intrigu- ing tale of welcome, if unex- pected, understanding and largesse. Then, however, McBurney is caught in a compromising position and, as if in immediate retribu- tion, sent fatefully tumbling down a spiral staircase. At this point the promising drama itself spirals down- ward to become just another example of the so often schlocky horror genre. The movie depicts the school community praying before meals and at bedtime and the term "Christian charity" comes up whenever the morality of Southerners' aiding a Northerner does. The schoolgirls and their superiors are pretty good about following the first four and last four of the Ten Commandments but less scrupulous about adhering to the two in the middle, which concern killing and concupiscence. "The Beguiled" has been rated R for "some sexuality," to which a literal bodice-rip- ping scene is a contributor. July 7, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 ENTERTAINMENT Clayton Irwin (as Jason), left, and Ryan Albrechtson (as Peter) in "Bare: A Pop Opera" by Outskirts Theatre. Submitted photo Kirsten Dunst and Colin Farrell portray a teacher, Edwina, and a soldier, McBurney, in "The Beguiled." Focus Features Outskirt Theatre's production of 'Bare' lays bare issues facing teens "Bequiled" ★★1/2 Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning Director-writer: Sofia Coppola MPAA rating: R Running time: 93 minutes Showings: www.marcusthe- atres.com ; www.amcthe- atres.com ; www.landmark- theatres.com At a glance 'Beguiled' less than beguiling

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