Charlatan
Tony Tanner is a consummate actor. He has a facile, responsive body, a voice capable of infinite variety, and a brilliant, energetic imagination. He also wrote Charlatan, and if you are an aficionado of ballet, knowledgeable about The Ballet Ruse (which introduced to the world Falkin, Balanchine, Bakst, Matisse, Stravinsky, and the immortal Nijinsky), then you will find this play to be a fascinating and moving piece of theatre.
It is important to note that I saw this show in preview, before opening night. Although Tanner enchanted me, I hope that with a few more performances, he will relax on a deeper level, slow down, lose some of his accent, modify his too casual rattling off of ideas and information, (intelligibility was painfully difficult, impossible some of the time). By deepening his internal concentration he may find it easier to discover real feeling, rather than rely in indication, flashy though it may appear. A good director could have done wonders with the show.
The ending is not fully written. Where are the tears and heart break at losing all that he loved; at being less than he hoped? Perhaps he might not only have left the window open in hopes, but thrown down a rose as he, Diaghilev, took his final perch, reminiscent of the young dancer in Specter of the Rose; a more feeling and poignant climax was expected.
I enjoyed Charlatan very much and recommend it.
Sidewalk Studio Theatre
4159 Riverside Dr.
Toluca Lake, Ca. 91505
(818) 563-2400
info@sstproductions.org
www.sstproductions.org