In Broadway Revival of ‘Once on This Island,’ a Modern Fable, Beautifully Told: REVIEW

A storm in the first minutes of Once on This Island brings the realities of its setting into sharp focus. Islands like the French Antilles, where this fable is set, are ruled by the elements and marked by extremes: wealth and poverty, leisure and toil, joy and sudden loss. The same holds true of director Michael Arden’s vivid and transporting revival of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s bittersweet musical one-act, which opened last night.

Broadway’s only theatre-in-the-round, Circle in the Square is already a kind of island, one scenic designer Dane Laffrey ingeniously transforms into an actual one. Sand fills a stage surrounded by seating on all sides (and water on one), the scent of burnt garlic wafts through the air, there’s even a live goat (!). That visceral quality suffuses every aspect of Arden’s production, reaching its height in an explosive Salome-inspired dance performed by the show’s breakout star Hailey Kilgore.

The show-stopping scene, vibrantly choreographed by Camille A. Brown, marks a moment of desperation for Ti Moune, played by Ms Kilgore. Based on a 1985 novel by Trinidad-born Rosa Guy, the musical mixes elements familiar from both fairy tales and Shakespeare: a girl, orphaned in a storm and saved by divine intervention, is taken in by a peasant couple (Phillip Boykin and Kenita R. Miller, both exceptional). She grows up fast and just as quickly falls for the French-descended and light-skinned Daniel (Isaac Powell), whom she saves from near death, beginning a fated (and fatal) love story across class and cultural lines.

It’s not a simple plot to stage, much less in 90 minutes. But Arden’s hyper-imaginative revival, the first since the musical’s premiere in 1990, engulfs audiences in Ahrens and Flaherty’s elemental fable, and makes a convincing case for the power of storytelling extolled by the score.

One source of that power here lies in the production’s casting of the deities, which include Lea Salonga (Tony winner for Miss Saigon) as Goddess of Love in an otherwise all-black ensemble, a regal turn from Glee’s Alex Newell as Mother of the Earth, and Merle Dandridge as Demon of Death, a role originally written for a man. (Quentin Earl Darrington rounds out the divine foursome as God of Water.)

The presumed moral of the story — about a woman whose entire reason for being is to love a man who, let’s be fair, turns out to be two-timing trash — may not stand up to close inspection. But how the story is told, and who’s doing the telling — in this case, a phenomenally talented cast of color, demonstrating in body and in voice the resilient spirit of a people whose stories are so often lost  — is something to be inspired by.

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Uma Thurman Opens in ‘The Parisian Woman,’ a Fiction That’s No Match for Reality: REVIEW
Amy Schumer Rains Down Laughs in Steve Martin’s Curious ‘Meteor Shower’: REVIEW
In Drew Droege’s ‘Bright Colors And Bold Patterns,’ a Hilarious Portrait of Living Out Loud: REVIEW
In New Musical ‘The Band’s Visit,’ an Exquisite Meditation on Hopes Won and Lost: REVIEW
Julie Taymor Directs Clive Owen in Stylish but Earthbound ‘M. Butterfly’ on Broadway: REVIEW
Transcendent ‘Torch Song’ Starring Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl Is Required Gay Viewing: REVIEW
‘A Clockwork Orange’ Shows Plenty of Skin, Skimps on Danger Off-Broadway: REVIEW

Follow Naveen Kumar on Twitter: @Mr_NaveenKumar
(photos: joan marcus)

The post In Broadway Revival of ‘Once on This Island,’ a Modern Fable, Beautifully Told: REVIEW appeared first on Towleroad.

In Broadway Revival of ‘Once on This Island,’ a Modern Fable, Beautifully Told: REVIEW

New Driving Test 2017: Everything You Need To Know About The Rules Coming Into Force Today
Learner drivers attempting to earn their licence will face a significantly different test from today as new rules come into force.

In a bid to cut the number of young people killed on Britain’s roads, the government has brought in a series of changes to the driving test – including the ruling that new drivers must be examined on their ability to follow a sat nav safely.

Transport minister Andrew Jones said: “Our roads are among the safest in the world. However, road collisions are the biggest killer of young people.

“These changes will help us to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads and equip new drivers with the skill they need to use our roads safely.” 

But the changes have sparked controversy among driving examiners, who are set to stage a 48-hour strike from Monday.

Up to 2,000 workers are expected to down tools, affecting around 14,500 driving tests, court cases and roadside checks.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have demanded a pause in the roll out of the new test amid safety fears.

“Our union has called for the new test to be suspended pending a full safety review after incidents occurred on driving lessons which have been conducted to the new testing arrangements,” a PCS spokesperson said in a statement.

A ballot held last month revealed that 84% of members supported strike action over the issue.

DVSA chief executive Gareth Llewellyn dismissed the claims, saying the union was “trying to undermine the launch of the new test”.

But what do the updated rules mean for learner drivers?

Here’s HuffPost UK’s guide to the new driving test:

What changes are being made?

There are four key changes coming into force: 

1. Following directions from a sat nav

Under the new rules, 80% of candidates will now be asked to follow directions from a sat nav to reflect the “new vehicle technology” available to Britain’s drivers.

During the test, the examiner will provide the sat nav and will set the route – learner drivers will not be allowed to use their own device.

According to the DVLA, test candidates will not lose marks if they go the wrong way while following the sat nav – only if they make a fault while doing so.

One in five drivers will be asked to follow traffic signs instead.

2. Independent driving

The independent driving part of the test has been doubled in length, from 10 to 20 minutes.

Learners will now spend around half of the test driving without instruction from the driving examiner, instead following a sat nav or traffic signs.

3. Reversing manoeuvres

Under the new rules, learners will no long be asked to prove they can reverse around a corner or perform a three-point turn in the road.

Instead, they could be asked to parallel park at the side of the road, park in a bay or pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic.

4. Vehicle safety questions

Learners will now be asked two vehicle safety questions during their test.

They will be asked to explain how they would carry out a safety task at the start of their test, plus a ‘show me’ question while driving.

This could be an action such as showing how to wash the windscreen using car controls.

Who will be affected by the changes?

Anyone taking their driving test from December 4 will be affected by the changes.

This includes learners who have previously failed a test and are taking it again. Candidates who have their test cancelled or moved to December 4 or after are also subject to the new rules.

What is staying the same?

The cost and length of the test will remain the same, despite other changes to the rules. 

The pass mark of the driving test is also unaffected – learners will still pass their test as long as they do not make more than 15 driving faults and make no serious or dangerous mistakes.

Why are the changes being made?

The new rules have been made in an attempt to improve safety on Britain’s roads – traffic collisions are the biggest killer of young people, accounting for over a quarter of all deaths of teens aged 15 to 19.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “Making sure the driving test better assesses a driver’s ability to drive safely and independently is part of our strategy to help you stay safe on Britain’s roads.

“It’s vital that the driving test keeps up to date with new vehicle technology and the areas where new drivers face the greatest risk once they’ve passed their test.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/new-driving-test-2017_uk_5a211a9fe4b03350e0b5b31a

Met Opera Investigates Conductor After Man Accuses Him of Sexual Abuse

A man claims James Levine began abusing him when he was a teenager three decades ago.

www.advocate.com/crime/2017/12/03/met-opera-investigates-composer-after-man-accuses-him-sexual-abuse

700,000 More Children And Pensioners Are Living In Poverty, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Reveals
Hundreds of thousands more children and pensioners are living in poverty as rates have begun rising for the first time in two decades, a new report has revealed.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says progress on tackling hardship is at risk of unravelling, with 400,000 more youngsters and 300,000 more elderly people now living in poverty than in 2012/13.

The charity says since that year there has been continued increases in poverty across both age groups and very little progress made in reducing poverty among working-age adults.

Chief executive Campbell Robb said: “These worrying figures suggest that we are at a turning point in our fight against poverty. Political choices, wage stagnation and economic uncertainty mean that hundreds of thousands more people are now struggling to make ends meet. This is a very real warning sign that our hard-fought progress is in peril.

“Action to tackle child and pensioner poverty has provided millions of families with better living standards and financial security. However record employment is not leading to lower poverty, changes to benefits and tax credits are reducing incomes and crippling costs are squeezing budgets to breaking point.”

Robb said Philip Hammond’s 2017 budget offered little to ease the strain and put low income households’ finances on a firmer footing.

“As we prepare to leave the EU, we have to make sure that our country and our economy works for everyone and doesn’t leave even more people behind,” he added.

The foundation said new threats are emerging to people in the poorest fifth of households, including becoming trapped in ’in work poverty – where at least one person in the household is employed, struggling to be able to afford a home, rising living costs and being unable to afford bills or save for retirement.

It has urged the government to end the four-year freeze on working-age benefits and tax credits, which it says is the single biggest driver of poverty.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams said the increase in rates is “totally unacceptable”.

“The last seven years of flat-lining wages and austerity cuts, now combined with sharply rising costs of household essentials is a truly terrifying prospect for millions trying to make ends meet,” she added.

“The cuts to Universal Credit, which were not addressed in the recent budget and mean that ‘work does not always pay’, will push even more children and working age adults into poverty.

“Even the government’s own social mobility commission has resigned over their failure to act.”

Former Labour minister Alan Milburn, who headed up the commission, said he decided to step down because Theresa May’s weak leadership meant there was little prospect of turning “good words” on social justice into action.

JRF’s report shows 20 years ago a third of children lived in poverty, which fell to 27% in 2011/12.

In 1994/95, 28% of pensioners lived in poverty, falling to 13% in 2011/12.

The charity said the falls were achieved by higher employment rates, more generous support for families through tax credits and extra help for poorer pensioners and rates remained stable despite the 2007 financial crash.

But it added changes to welfare policy – especially since the 2015 budget – have reduced families’ financial breathing space, with wage growth at the bottom end of the labour market failing to make up the difference.

Lib Dem leader Vince Cable said: “This report sounds the death knell for Theresa May’s claim to be building a country that works for everyone.

“Instead of tackling social injustice, the government’s policies are worsening inequality and hitting the poorest in society hardest.

“The significant progress made recently in reducing child and pensioner poverty is now going into reverse, due to a growing squeeze on living standards combined with harsh welfare cuts.”

Oxfam said it was “deeply concerned” that securing a job was no longer enough to escape poverty in modern society.

Rachael Orr, head of the charity’s UK programme, added: “It’s not just working adults who are affected, but their children too, and it’s a real worry to see progress on child poverty going into reverse.

“The government needs to make sure that work pays, so hard working families are not falling below the poverty line. Their Industrial Strategy, published last week, would have been a good place to start, but sadly was a missed opportunity.”

Ryan Shorthouse, director of liberal Conservative think tank Bright Blue, said the government was right to prioritise cutting the deficit, but that the axe had fallen “disproportionately and unnecessarily” on working-aged benefits since 2010.

“Although there has been some real progress in reducing material poverty among certain social groups in recent decades, poverty is now rising again, especially among families with children, which will thwart life chances and cost society billions,” he added.

“The government needs to focus tax cuts on those on the lowest incomes and restore, at least in part, the work allowances in Universal Credit. Its vision for welfare should not be cost cutting, but to build a contributory-based system.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/joseph-rowntree-foundation-children_uk_5a24929be4b03c44072e636c

Theresa May’s Robotic Style Is Now Being Mocked In America On ‘Saturday Night Live’
Hopes Theresa May had of shedding her “Maybot” reputation seem to have been dashed after her mechanical style was mocked on US comedy show, Saturday Night Live.

The British prime minister, who was ridiculed during the election campaign for her robotic answers to questions, was lampooned following her Twitter spat with Donald Trump.

Last week, May said the US president was “wrong” to retweet video propaganda produced by the UK’s far-right fringe ‘Britain First’ group – criticism of an ally that was unprecedented by May, but language noted by some for its timidity.

It prompted an online rebuke from Trump, who told his counterpart to “focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place” within the UK.

On the long-running late-night comedy show, May was portrayed by actor Kate McKinnon as dead-eyed and near motionless, the joke being her insentient mannerisms contrasted with the fierce put-downs that are apparently the hallmark of Twitter.

McKinnon’s May reveals she was “not afraid of a little social media fisticuffs” and has “never felt more alive” – despite appearing to be the very opposite.

“I saw Trump’s offensive retweets and put that man on blast. “Look at this epic takedown: ‘It is wrong for the president to have done this’.  “Savage. Flaming emoji. I am practically a troll now.”
‘May’ also notes how the “bitch tagged the wrong Theresa May” – a reference Trump initially linking to a different Twitter user, instead of May’s actual handle.

At least May seems to have cracked America, something not many British comedians can claim.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-saturday-night-live_uk_5a246c41e4b03c44072e543d

Must-See LGBTQ TV: Don’t miss the ‘Will & Grace’ and ‘Superstore’ holiday episodes!

www.glaad.org/blog/must-see-lgbtq-tv-dont-miss-will-grace-and-superstore-holiday-episodes

Tony Blair Says He’s Working To Reverse Brexit: ‘It’s Not Done Until It’s Done’
Tony Blair is attempting to reverse Brexit and thinks voters being misled over an extra £350m per week for the NHS justifies a fresh vote, the ex-Prime Minister has said.

Blair, a long-term opponent of quitting the EU, cited the controversial NHS pledge when arguing “people can change their mind if the circumstances change”.

He suggested on BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend that the Brexit deal being negotiated by Theresa May would, at best, mirror existing relationships, which would prompt many voters to think: “What’s the point?” Blair said:

“It’s reversible. It’s not done until it’s done.”
 Asked if wanted to to reverse the vote, Blair replied:

“Yes, exactly so.  “My belief is that, in the end, when the country sees the choice of this new relationship, it will realise that it’s either going to be something that does profound damage to the country, or alternatively, having left the European Union, left the single market, we will try and by some means recreate the benefit of that in some new relationship, in which case I think many people will think, ‘What’s the point?’”

“The will of the people is not something immutable. People can change their mind if the circumstances change.

“Just take the situation of the health service. The health service is a huge problem for people today, and the truth is it’s crumbling. And it’s a national tragedy, in a sense. A lot of people will have voted for Brexit on the basis that if you get out of Europe, all this money is going to come back and we can spend it on the health service.

“That was a very specific promise by the Brexiteers – it is now very clear, I think, one, there is no extra money for the health service, and, secondly, we’re going to be paying less money to the health service, not more, because growth is down and the huge bill for the European Union.”

The Government is facing up to the prospect of a £50 billion Brexit ‘divorce’ bill, while senior Brexiteers have been rowing back from the £350m per week NHS pledge.

Blair also warned of a renewed threat to peace in Ireland under the terms of any deal as the border becomes the biggest barrier to Brexit talks.

He said: “The Good Friday agreement is not under threat in the sense that everyone says they want to keep it, but it is at risk because of Brexit because the Republic of Ireland and the UK have always in history been in the same relationship to the EU.

“We were out of it then we joined it at exactly the same time. For the first time we’re going to be in a different relationship. The UK will be outside of Europe, the Republic of Ireland will be inside Europe.

“That necessarily means that that border between north and south will become the border between the UK and the European Union. The difficulties of this are self-evident.” 

Blair’s new policy institute, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, is developing policy ideas to address his concerns – but the ex-Labour leader dismissed rumours that he was backing the creation of a new party,.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tony-blair-brexit_uk_5a244600e4b0a02abe91e4ca