Sparing No One From Sharp Tongue and Rapier Wit in Second Coming of 'It's Only a Play'

Rupert Grint, F. Murray Abraham, Stockard Channing and Nathan Lane in a scene from "It's Only a Play." Photos by Joan Marcus.

BY TAMARA BECK

INSIDERISH plays can be problematic for the theatergoer, who is, after all, outside the business. However, in our celebrity- and Social Media-centric culture so much is more relatable than ever.

"It's Only a Play," at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre through 4 Jan. 2015, has enough transparent references to be accessible to most. Helping us navigate the theatrical allusions, Terrence McNally has retuned his 1987 comedy to bring it up to date.

Assembling at producer Julia Budder’s (Megan Mullally) lavish home (sets by Scott Pask) are many off-stage A-listers breathlessly introduced by Gus P. Head (Micah Stock), the coat-check jockey.

Pacing nervously in Julia’s boudoir is James Wicker (Nathan Lane), a TV star on the verge of falling off his perch. James is in town to witness and support his best friend, Peter Austin (Matthew Broderick), on the opening night of his Broadway debut play. James’ sitcom, “Out On A Limb,” kept him from taking the lead in Peter’s production.

Virginia Noyes (Stockard Channing), a bad-girl former movie star, hopes Peter’s play will be her ticket to redemption. Rehab certainly hasn’t helped. Rounding out the cast is the whiz-kid English director, Sir Frank Finger (Rupert Grint), and the nasty critic, Ira Drew (F. Murray Abraham).

Everyone at the soiree is in glamorous gala dress (courtesy of “It's Only a Play” costume designer Ann Roth).

TMcN provides zippy lines that skewer anyone involved in showbiz – from actors, critics, hangers-on, to audiences. Even ushers are not entirely exempt. Jack O’Brien’s direction keeps the pace of the piece racing along.

Micah Stock, Megan Mullally, Rupert Grint and Nathan Lane are show business types in "It's Only a Play."

Among the standouts in this stellar “It's Only a Play” cast, in order of magnitude, is NL. He has no peer on this stage. Front and center for the entire play, he is just tops. FMA fulfills the promises of his small role. Julia, in MM's hands, is a completely lovely ditz. SC is superb as the naughty Virginia.

TMcN, who has enough Tonys to prove his devotion to his craft and the business in which he practices it, may well grab another award or two for “It's Only a Play.”

Visit http://www.itsonlyaplay.com/ to learn more about “It's Only a Play.”

Four Stars (and Counting) for 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

Mentor (Ralph Fiennes) and mentee (Tony Revolori) at work in swanky surroundings in "The Grand Budapest Hotel." Photos from Fox Searchlight Pictures.

IT is somehow fitting that so soon after the Academy Awards that the movie-going public should be treated to a really good film.

For the viewing pleasure is Wes Anderson's “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” The film opens today in the United Kingdom, as well as a handful of theaters in Los Angeles and New York. It opened yesterday in Germany. On 14 March, it rolls out in other major cities in the United States and Canada.

Sweeping in scope and scale, “The Grand Budapest Hotel" recounts the adventures of one M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), a concierge of the first order plying his trade at an Eastern European Hotel of the first order before the outbreak of Word War II. It was filmed in Germany and the UK. (See video below.)

In typical WA fashion, the story is multi-layered rather than convoluted. WA does not do convoluted, he only does multi-layered. The film opens in the present day with a young girl who has been reading a chapter in the memoir of a character only identified as The Author (Tim Wilkinson). The chapter recounts a visit he made to the Grand Budapest Hotel in the 60s. While there, he met the owner Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) who gave him an earful about his former august lodging house.

Here is where the action starts as Zero recalls how he met M. Gustave, his training as a lobby boy and how he assisted his mentor in clearing his name after the former is accused of murder. In the interim, there is a murder investigation, murder charge, murder trial, will-reading, cross-country chases, death threats, prison break, police pursuit and sundry other incidents, accidents and mishaps.

To bring these droll, madcap, thoroughly entertaining proceedings to pass, WA assembles a cast of the first order. In process, he also delivers a film that is more at home in the Golden Age of Hollywood than in this mad, modern digital age. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a wonderful patchwork that combines elements of WA's previous works – a staple of his – particularly “The Darjeeling Limited” and his best work to date, “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

It also has as kindred spirits the best of “The Great Race,” “The Three Stooges” and “Keystone Cops” films.

Half the fun of watching “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” which was the opening night film of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival last month and which won the festival's Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear award, is watching some of the finest actors in the business do their thing. WA smartly has them work within their range of comedy. To that end, for example, Harvey Keitel is not awkward as prison inmate Ludwig.

Indeed, another WA staple is assembling top talent. Perennials Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman are checked in, along with semi-regulars and newbies F. Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton.

M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his bevy of blondes holed up at “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” arguably boasts one of the best all-star comedy casts in filmdom. It ranks right up there with “The Pink Panther,” “Blazing Saddles” and “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” As for sheer star power, it ranks with another film – a drama – about a great hotel, “The Grand Hotel.”

Looking for a place to stay for an hour and a half or so? Then, check into “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is rated R for language, some sexual content and violence; visit http://www.grandbudapesthotel.com/ to learn more about the film.

Two Cats Clawing Their Way in 'Inside Llewyn Davis'

Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) and Jim Berkey (Justin Timberlake) make some beautiful music together in "Inside Llewyn Davis." Photo by Alison Rosa / Long Strange Trip LLC.

“I feel like I need a bath,” spat one scribe lucky enough to get a seat in super-packed Walter Reade Theater during the press screening of “Inside Llewyn Davis” ahead of its North American premiere at the 51st New York Film Festival (NYFF) in September.

“This guy just sits around on other people’s couches playing his guitar; he never washes,” scribe fairly sneered.

Fresh off of a “Best Feature” win Monday night at the 23rd Gotham Independent Film Awards (http://www.bit.ly/1967BTw), “Inside Llewyn Davis” chronicles a week in the life of the singer-songwriter (Oscar Isaac) of the title and a stray cat on New York’s folk music scene in 1961 – BD (Before Dylan. It opens in limited released today in New York and Los Angeles. (See trailer below).

The latest effort from writers, directors, co-producers Ethan and Joel Coen romanticizes this particular grittyistic New York of a bygone era. The acting is first-rate and Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography is celestial.

During the post-NYFF “Inside Llewyn Davis” screening, it was clear that the Coens’ enjoyed the experience of birthing the film. "We wanted to do something set in the scene before Dylan showed up specifically …, " said JC, the mouthpiece of the duo. "There were people writing songs and singing them before Bob Dylan … " (Benjamin Pike appears as a young Bob Dylan, before he owned the milieu, as it were).

The siblings re-uped with T Bone Burnett, ensuring the authenticity of the sound. Also starring is another frequent collaborator, John Goodman, along with Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and F. Murray Abraham.

A second scribe who also scored a seat before they were gone gave “Inside Llewyn Davis” a thumb’s up. “Good. I liked it,” was his pithy assessment.

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Oscar Isaacs and John Goodman face the media after the "51st New York Film Festival" press screening of "Inside LLewyn Davis." Photo by Brian Brooks / New York Film Festival.

Generally, critics and preview audiences concur with Scribe No. 2. It is unclear whether “Inside Llewyn Davis” left them feeling dirty.

“Inside Llewyn Davis” is rated R for language including some sexual references; visit http://www.insidellewyndavis.com/home to learn more about the film.