![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/06_SP239.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo by Craig Schwartz, as is the big one at the top of this page.<\/p><\/div>\n
I really didn\u2019t know what to expect from the title\u00a0Soft Power<\/em>.\u00a0 I knew the cast was Asian, but, for some reason, I thought it had to do with utilities.\u00a0 (I know, I know–I have\u00a0got<\/em>\u00a0to start reading those press releases!)<\/p>\n But I was, of course, all wrong. And I loved going on this incredible journey with the talented cast, and being totally awed at every turn.<\/p>\n This show is stupendous!\u00a0 It\u2019s billed as \u201cA Play with a Musical,\u201d and\u2026that\u2019s exactly what it is! (But that designation, while creative and actually exactly spot-on, can ultimately work against them. If it goes to Broadway, which it should, and be nominated for Tonys, which it definitely<\/em> should, which category will it compete in\u2014Best Play or Best Musical??? I have the solution\u2014both<\/em>!)<\/p>\n It\u2019s taken me awhile to publish this review because there\u2019s no clear way to describe Soft Power, without telling the whole wacky story, which you know I never do. But even then<\/em> you might not get it. It\u2019s a wild ride, with clever surprise after clever surprise.<\/p>\n Conrad Ricamora and Francis Jue, the latter playing the role of the playwright, David Henry Hwang. Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s written by the brilliant David Henry Hwang, who, as he\u2019s done in the past with his other plays, puts himself into the show as a main character,\u00a0played admirably by Francis Jue. (David sat right across the aisle from me on opening night, so it was fun watching him enjoy his own creation along with the rest of us. I assume it\u2019s sort-of like when Mr. X used to watch my<\/em> former TV show with me, and he often asked, \u201cGetting a kick out of yourself, Kah?\u201d And…I was!) I had reviewed Hwang\u2019s play Yellow Face<\/em>, when it opened at the Mark Taper Forum over a decade ago, and loved it, so I was already a fan.<\/p>\n Soft Power<\/em>\u00a0turns-out to be an ultra-political comedy. It\u2019s mainly a\u00a0send-up of\u00a0China trying to gain a cultural influence over the world, (a move that\u2019s dubbed \u201cSoft Power,\u201d hence the title of the show,) and sort-of about Hillary not winning the election, and sort-of about what has happened to America under creepy Trump, although, thankfully, his name is never once uttered. And there are slight undertones of The King and I<\/em>. But that\u2019s all I can tell you about it. Trust me–you really need to see this uber-fun show for yourselves. And be prepared to be wildly entertained.<\/p>\n Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n Soft Power<\/em> is filled with one ingenious line after another. I hardly stopped laughing all night, which is quite the rarity. (One theatre PR person even once accused me of \u201cflat-lining\u201d during his what-he-thought-was-funny play!) There are so many facets to this show!\u00a0 It\u2019s hip and modern, and even makes mention of my beloved hometown, Brooklyn, which always makes me happy.\u00a0 It actually has everything<\/em>; there\u2019s even a bit of rapping.<\/p>\n The most amazing thing is that, since it\u2019s mainly based on the 2016 United States Presidential election, (with \u201cHillary Clinton\u201d being one of the three lead characters,) Mr. Hwang had to write most of it recently<\/em>. That makes\u00a0this show\u00a0extra<\/em> admirable because we aways hear how it takes people decades<\/em> to write a show like this!\u00a0 (And<\/em> get it produced, so thank you, Ahmanson, for bringing us the World Premiere so quickly!)<\/p>\n Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n To have the musical<\/em> be within the play<\/em> is very inventive because if the whole show were just a plain musical, reviewers might skewer it because it’s so campy, with no memorable songs. \u00a0(I<\/em> wouldn’t have, because I loved just about everything about this entire production; I’m talking of other<\/em> critics.) I feel that it would probably be successful as a specific musical unto itself, but it definitely works better in the framework of letting us know what\u2019s happening in the world that leads to Hwang\u2019s character\u2019s \u201cdream,\u201d which the musical part is. (I told<\/em> you it\u2019s hard to describe!)\u00a0 Some of the music is excellent, (which I guess is to be expected since it\u2019s written by Tony award-winning Jeanine Tesori.)\u00a0 The non-jokey song,\u00a0Isn\u2019t This Love<\/em>,* is genuinely beautiful, and worthy of being in a romantic full-on<\/em> Broadway musical. [*At least I think<\/em> that\u2019s its name\u2014the program does not contain a list of the numbers.]<\/p>\n I cannot comment on the true<\/em> quality of the songs because I was taking it all as the comedy it is meant to be, rather than as a distinct musical. But I fully enjoyed it all. No number inspired me to jump up and cheer for it, but it far from bored me. I liked it all; I just didn\u2019t leave the theatre singing any of it. But I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the purpose of this music to begin with; I see it as purely to make us laugh.<\/p>\n Conrad Ricamora and Alyse Alan Louis. Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n And here\u2019s a miracle for a show I\u2019m reviewing\u2014no one in the cast annoyed me!\u00a0 At all! That might just be a first.<\/p>\n The star, Conrad Ricamora, really pleasantly surprised me; his performance in Soft Power<\/em> is so nothing like what he does on\u00a0How To Get Away With Murder<\/em>!\u00a0 Of course I know that no two characters in any<\/em> actor\u2019s career are the same, (unless you\u2019re John Wayne,) but he\u2019s such<\/em> a different person here. I had met him briefly about a year and a half ago, and I didn\u2019t even realize in person that he\u2019s so tall and manly. He easily commands the stage here. And I absolutely love his soothing speaking voice, which sounds nothing like it does on that TV show. His singing is lovely, as well.<\/p>\n Alyse Alan Louis and cast. Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n I do<\/em> applaud the performance of Alyse Alan Louis as Hillary Clinton, because it\u2019s a lot of work, and the opening night audience was very appreciative of her efforts. But she left me wanting so much more out of that star-turn role. \u00a0Her singing and dancing is good enough, but neither skill is better than par.\u00a0 The whole time I kept picturing what Sutton Foster would have done with that role. She would be perfect! (If the show goes to Broadway, which it definitely should<\/em>, maybe they can get her.) [Note: I feel bad saying that, but you know I always tell it like it is.]<\/p>\n David Zinn\u2019s set is perfect–simple in places, and adorably kitschy when warranted. And I adore how at least one scene ends, with the set closing to a small square and then disappearing, as I\u2019ve seen on some old TV shows and films. That effect thrilled me in person!<\/p>\n Photo by Craig Schwartz.<\/p><\/div>\n As dizzying as grasping every little nuance of Soft Power<\/em> is, the only thing that really<\/em> confused me was that the program says the \u201cmusical\u201d portion of the \u201cplay\u201d takes place in the 22nd century. But an ersatz panel discussion on it, which opens the second act, makes mention of that it\u2019s fifty years<\/em> after the 2016 election, which would make it 2066, which is still the 21st century, isn\u2019t it? I always have a problem with math being wrong, (mine as well as that of others,) and it would usually distract me for the rest of the show. But Soft Power<\/em> is so fascinating at every turn that, for perhaps the only time in my life, I let that discrepancy go! (Will wonders never cease?) [Note: Please feel free to correct me if my math is wrong. I mean it!]<\/p>\n So I suggest that every single one of you go see Soft Power<\/em>, either in LA or wherever it travels. (San Francisco is next, and I\u2019m hoping it makes it to Broadway after that. But then what\u2019s to become of Conrad? HTGAWM<\/em> shoots here in LA, so, unless they kill him off, which is always a possibility with that nutty show, I don\u2019t see how he can be on both coasts at the same time.) Just definitely see it before the next<\/em> election.<\/p>\n Soft Power<\/em>\u00a0running through June 10, 2018<\/strong> SOFT POWER The Ahmanson Theatre has another hit on its hands! It\u2019s at least the fourth wonderful presentation in a row, and that\u2019s coming from moi, the harshest critic. And trust me, you do not want to miss this one! I really didn\u2019t know what to expect from the title\u00a0Soft Power.\u00a0 I knew the cast<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Ahmanson Theatre \u00a0135 N. Grand Ave. \u00a0213-972-4400 \u00a0www.CenterTheatreGroup.org<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"