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    All comments by A. Ransdell

    People are Talking: UMS presents John Malkovich in The Infernal Comedy at Hill Auditorium [plus AUDIO]:

  • Ryan, I agree. I’m glad they took a “chance”, but using high profile actors isn’t really taking a true chance, since they at least knew the name would draw people. He did a decent job, overall, but it was a bit boring to me. I thought the music/sub titles were distracting, thus, I didn’t feel the music/arias fit the rest of the composition of the piece. But yes, I agree..I think it’s nice for people to feel uncomfortable once in a while..it makes you THINK…which is something NOT everyone wants to do…

    Nice review! Well said.

    In response to:
    "

    I’m tired of these subscribers who want to be satisfied with “safe” fare. Gimme a break. You want traditional, then go to the DSO. I’ve had enough of the traditional in the Detroit area, and have given up on hoping that the DSO pushes into any new territory. I for one am very glad UMS is taking some real chances this season with bold programming like they used to. You keep up the “traditional,” and you are not pushing the envelope, experimenting, evolving and building new bridges, as art should. Thought it was gross? Do you not research or read about what you are going to see? What do you expect a chamber drama/black comedy about a womanizing serial killer to be? It shouldn’t be polite. It shouldn’t be refined. It should implicate an audience by making it uneasy. I for one, thought it was very refreshing. In this age and time, I’m not looking to be mollified by tradition. The three act structure was great: charm the audience, then shock the audience, then implicate the audience. I will agree that the staging was clumsy– whoever was on the lighting, performed terribly. The subtitles were problematic as well. The use of stage space was clumsy. Otherwise, the fine balance of funny/not funny, was more than appropriate. I heard more than a few blue-haired types in the audience grumbling from not being able to digest their pre-concert meals during this one. Good!

    "
    by Ryan Standfest
  • People are Talking: UMS presents John Malkovich in The Infernal Comedy at Hill Auditorium [plus AUDIO]:

  • I didn’t like it. I didn’t have high expectations going in, to be quite honest. It seemed like a train wreck from the get-go. I was happy that I had bought the $10 seats because it made it easier to leave midway thru. I know I am not the only one, as my counterpart left to go to the bathroom, yet never returned. They did eventually come back to get me, and we had a coney dog at the place around the corner…and we were all the wiser. The fries were more memorable (in a GOOD way) than the show. Disappointed, yet what do you get for an ill-conceived concept with a popular name attached to it.

PERFORMANCES & EVENTS