Reckless

Reckless by Craig Lucas is a play that is part farce, part social criticism, and part personal memoir. Also it is a seasonal play because the plot advances through a series of Christmases.

The memoir is that Craig's life influences parts of the story. He interjects his life into the story of the children that the lead character, Rachel.

The farce is the personality of Rachel. She is a hyperactive bubbly personality that hits life at full speed. Just trying to keep up with is funny. The play starts with her husband telling her that he had taken a contract on her life forcing her to flee into the winter night.

Finally, the social criticism is of the television staples: Game shows and Talk shows. They both are presented as being superficial and exploitative. Also NGO's (Non-governmental Organizations) are presented as money hungry groups, that really have no idea of their financial situation.

The play was a fairly nice evening. The actors all were good in their parts. However, the play itself was unfocused. If it had take on only one or two of the threads in the plot, it would have been better.

House of the Spirits

This is a hard play to write about. I saw the play over a month ago, but I now just getting to the review of the play. The House of the Spirits is a play based on a novel by Isabel Allende, a second cousin of Salvador Allende Gossens, the socialist leader of Chile in the 1970's.

The story follows the Trueba family in an unnamed Latin America country (probably Chile) from the 1920's through the 1970's though the memories of Alba. The family started out poor, but were able to acquire some land, which moves them into the upper class.

Esteban, the patriarch of the family, develops into an ultra-conservative land owner, who supports the status quo, and abuses the peasants around him. He is a sexual predator to many of the women.

The son of Esteban's overseer, on the other hand, is working for socialism. He challenges the way things are in the country.

Then the military comes to power with its brutal power. Not only do they destroy the opposition through murder and rape, but they also push aside the old order. Things have changed.

The problem I have with the play is not the play itself, but with the way one actor presents his character. John Hutton played Esteban. He did not develop the character into the predator he was. For that a good play was only a fair event.

Dracula

Dracula at the Denver Center Theater Company is a fairly good presentation of Bram Stoker's Story. It follows the plot of the original story well, but a lot of the suspense of the story has been lost in the telling. A lot of effort was given to the special effects, such as flashes, blood squids, etc. However, the suspense that should be a part of the play was minimal.

Over all the actors were good in their parts. Anthony Marble was good as Count Dracula, but he needed to be more menacing.

Over all it was a fairly good evening, but it could have been far more of a scare.

Caitlin's

Caitlin's

4379 E. Mississippi Ave.

Glendale, CO 80246

303-798-6600

http://www.caitlinsrestaurant.com/home.html

Catilin's is an inexpensive, good place to have breakfast and lunch. They have the basics. The green chili has a nice heat to it. Also the country gravy is well peppered. Good food.

The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps is based on a book by John Buchan, which was turned into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. The movie is considered Hitchcock's masterpieces, full of suspense and action. So when Patrick Barlow started to adapt the movie to the stage, he needed to figure out the style the play would take, and he choose farce as the best way to translate the movie.

The story of The 39 Steps follows Richard Hannay, a 37 year old (-ish) Englishman, who had a murder in his London apartment. He fled to Scotland trying to track down a clue left by the victim before she died. There he finds himself in a German spy ring trying to get some important information out of England.

The presentation of the play is an wonderful combination of live action and black and white film clips. Also the four actors played 50 different parts, which adds to the action.

Sam Gregory is very good as Richard Hannay. He plays the suave, urban, 37 (-ish) Englishman with wonderful reserve; he is the straight man, and lets the other actors do their parts to the fullest.

Victoria Mack plays the three major female parts. She handles the three major female characters well.

The two last actors played all the rest of the characters. Larry Paulsen, with his rubber face, and Rob Nagle are hilarious as the two clown with their frequent character changes---many on stage. This is where the play gets its action.

The play at 1:45 was short, but it very funny. There were the required references to other Hitchcock movies sprinkled through out the play. It was a fun evening.

Airport Inn

Airport Inn

Airport Hill

Miles City, MT 59301

406-234-9977

http://custer.visitmt.com/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordID=10496&siteid=129

This is not a Denver Restaurant, so sue me. In Miles City the Airport Inn is an institution, and has been for many years. It was a place that you went to for pizza back when I was in High School.

It is located half way up Airport Hill on Highway 59, north of Miles City. This lends it one of its other attractions: the view of the town below.

Pizza is one of the Inn's main stays. It is not great pizza with subtle uses of basil and other herbs. It is hearty pizza that goes with a group of friends and a cold beer. It is enjoyable and unpretentious.

The other food that people return for is the finger steaks. They thin slices of beef dipped in batter and fried. They are served with fries, onion rings, and veggie sticks. This can be heaven. The shrimp is also good, but the chicken is bought prepared, and does not live up to the beef.

This is my past, but it is also the past of several generations of people from Miles City. It is good.

Denver Biscuit Company

Denver Biscuit Company

(Inside Atomic Cowboy)

3237 E. Colfax Ave.

Denver, CO 80206

303-377-7900

http://www.denbisco.com/

The Denver Biscuit Company is a wonderful place to have a southern Breakfast. They have wonderful biscuit sandwiches. The Franklin is a sandwich with fried chicken, bacon, and cheese smothered in sausage gravy. All of the ingredients are very good, and together they make a filling breakfast. The price of the sandwich is also only $7.00; however, the coffee was $3.00, so that might be something that might be a avoided if possible.

Mariela in the Desert

Mariela in the Desert is a wonderful play.

Jose Salvatierre is dying. He has diabetes, and the doctors have given him only a few weeks to live. His wife, Mariela has sent a telegram to their daughter, Blanca, to try to get the young women to return home before he is dead.

Jose and Mariela were Mexican painters. They were friends of the other famous painters of the Mexican Renaissance: Kahlo, Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros, and Tamayo. They worked and partied with these people. Jose wanted to start an artist commune in the desert; he moved his family to the desert, but the others had not followed. Mariela gave up her painting to take care of the family. While Blanca was bright and talented, her brother, Carlos, was developmentally disable; he frequently had emotional episodes that required all of Mariela's time and attention.

Blanca returns home with Alan, who is older than her. He is a art history professor, who is doing a book about the painters. He wants to do a chapter about Jose.

Jose career has had one high point; one of his pictures had been chosen the bast painting in a exhibition of the painters. The problem was the painting that won the prize was not his painting. When he had failed in producing the required number of paintings for the contest, Mariela painted the last one, and it was the winner. When he returned to the desert, he was depressed, and expressed his mood by burning down his studio. However, Carlos had been hiding in the studio, and was killed in the fire.

This is the situation Alan discovers. The prized painting is in the house shrouded by a heavy dark cloth. Jose in his decline has defaced it, but it is still a presents.

Yetta Gottesman is a strong presents as Mariela. She does not over do the part. Vivia Fant as Blanca is spunky presents, showing the strength of Mariela, while rejecting the situation that has entrapped her.

Again it is wonderful play.

Noodles and Company

Noodles and Company

1502 S. Colorado Blvd.

Denver,CO 80222

http://www.noodles.com/

Noodles and Company is another fast food place that lets you build your order from a variety of items. Strangely for me I do not have a usual thing that I seem to always order here. They let you choose the pasta, sauce, and meat. You can order any combination of things, there just are somethings that seem to go together better, and there are some very tasty combinations.

Tokyo Joe's

Tokyo Joe's

1001 16th St.

Denver, CO 80265

303-825-1437

http://tokyojoes.com/index.html

Tokyo Joe's is another fast food place. Its main claim to fame is its rice bowls. When ordering you get to select the type of rice or noodles, meat, veggies, and sauce. I usually have the brown rice, beef, veggie mix, and teriyaki sauce. MMMM

They also have made to order sushi. There are also salads and their own special bowls.

Finally, a note needs to be added about their staff. They seem to find a lot of the young goth people in this town. They are very nice and helpful. Just different.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill

745 Colorado Blvd.

Denver, CO 80206

303-333-2121

http://www.chipotle.com/#/land

Chipolte is a fast food place. You get to build your own burrito (at least you get to tell the person taking your order what you want on the thing). You get to start with rice, and a choice of beans (I like the black beans). You then have a choice of meat (beef, pork, chicken, veggie). Then comes the salsa (I always have the medium corn). Then there are a couple of other things that you need to decide. It is then rolled and wrapped in foil. It is not as cheap as McD's, but then it has better flavor, and might be better for you.

Smiling Moose Deli

Smiling Moose Deli

727 Colorado Blvd.

Denver, CO 80206

303-333-3354

http://www.smilingmoosedeli.com/

The Smiling Moose Deli is mainly a sandwich place. In this neighborhood there are 6 sandwich places,and since the CU Med Center has moved, there is really not that big of demand for them (actually two others have closed). The Moose is the bast of the remaining. First, they have a couple of sandwiches that are a little different from the run of mill. There are two hot sandwiches that are good: 1) The Mighty Mo is a grinder cheese burger. It is ground beef, melted cheese, banana peppers, etc. and 2) The Parisian is a chicken breast with Brie, avocado, sun dried tomato, and pesto mayo.

You can construct your own sandwiches with a variety of breads, meats, cheese, and veggies. Finally there are a variety of breakfast sandwiches to start the day (is there an oxymoron in there?).

They are a cut above.

Mama Hated Diesels

The Denver Center Theater Company frequently primers musicals, which are not traditional dramatic musicals. They are pieces that are developed around an idea or a group, and feature the music associated with it. One musical that recently came to mind with the Massey coal mine explosion was Fire on the Mountain about West Virginia coal miners and their families.

Mama Hated Diesels is in that genre. It is about long haul truck drivers. Through the stories told by the actors the experiences and problems of long haul drivers are presented. Such pressure as families,drugs, lifestyles,and company practices are all presented. These are presented with pieces of country western music.

I loved this small piece. I have some small contact with drivers through my job, and this play has captured many of their stories. It might be a little sentimental, but many of the issues presented are real to these men and women.

Also the music was very good. I must admit that I am a fan of jazz and classical music, but I have a spot in my heart for country western music. Jazz and classical music are musics of the mind, while good country western music is of the heart. The music here hits the heart strongly.

Finally, included with the music and stories were a collection of wonderful photographs. Many of them are of roads in lonely place; the high plains were well represented. I grew upon the high plains,and love their solitude. I loved the photographs.

This was a wonderful piece about a group of people who are disappearing. Nice evening.

Zaidy's Deli

Zaidy's Deli

121 Adams St.

Denver, CO 80206

303-333-5336

http://www.zaidysdeli.com/

Zaidy's Deli is a great place to have a great cheap breakfast or lunch. Their latkes are good when used instead of bread in a sandwich with their pastrami. The Labels Special is special: latkes, eggs, lox, cream cheese, onions and tomatoes with a side of slaw---a real breakfast. This is non-kosher Jewish deli---all the good Jewish food plus ham. What can I say. it is good

Othello

I have a problem with Shakespeare. It is that while I love the stories of the plays, but I do not really care for the language which is used in the plays. I think the language is beautiful, but it interferes with the audience understanding of the story.

With that said, Othello is about relationships between races. This idea maybe more of an issue in the current age than it was in Shakespeare's time.

Othello is a Moor, who is a general in the Army of Venice. He has secretly married Dedemona, a daughter of a Venetian Senator. He has a strong enemy is the person of Iago, who has been passed over for promotion.

This performance was particularly good. Othello was played by Robert Jason Jackson. He brought a strong, but controlled dignity to the character. He did not over play the character.

Iago was played by John Hutton. In the past I have frequently not been a fan of John's depiction of various villainous characters. However, his performance here was believable. He brought an understated evil to the character that added force character.

Over all this was one of the better Shakespeare performances I have attended at the DCTC.

Washington Park Grill

Washington Park Grille

1096 S. Gaylord St.

Denver, CO 80209

303-777-0707

http://washparkgrille.com/

It is Restaurant Week in Denver. It is a slow time for them, so they have created a week where they offer multi-course meals for a fixed price. Some places create special dishes for the event, while others offer a combination of items off their regular menu. Washington Park offers items off their menu.

Washington Park Grill describes itself as an "Italian Restraint with a Twist". When I look at the menu, I see many items with Italian influences, but there are some items where that influence is not obvious.

The first courses that we tried were Baked Brie, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip and BLT Slider. The baked Brie is a creamy mixer of cheese, and veg tables; it has a savory earthy mixture. (It is one of their signature snacks.) However, the BLT slider was more enjoyable; it was made with pork belly meat (not cured like bacon would be), tomato, lettuce, and a plum ginger sauce. The sauce added a bright spicy flavor to the sandwich. I would love 3 of them for a nice lunch.

The second course was a pork chop (we both chose the same item) with a Peach Chutney, smoked Gouda potatoes, and carrots and beans. The vegtables were tender and flavorful. The potatoes were a little heavy (I like my mash potatoes light. I think it would have been nice if they were shaped into patties and lightly browned.)

The pork chops with the peach chutney was very tasty. The chops in themselves were nice, but the chutney added a very complex sweet/sour/spicy flavor to them. I can not remember eating a chutney before; I was aware of the relishes , who have their origins in India, but I am more aware of the mid-west US canning concoctions that are used to pickle excess fruit and vegetables and in the end add a little flavor to some bland cooking. The peach chutney here added a wonderful spicy/sweet flavor of the pork chops.

The final course was a a shared Raspberry Creme Brulee. it was a wonderful combination of sweet smooth custard with sour raspberry puree, and caramelized sugar crust. It was a nice finish to a very good meal.

When Tang Met Laika

Laika was a little dog the Soviets sent into space in Sputnik 2 November 1957; she was the first living thing in space from Earth. Tang was the American orange flavored powder that Astronauts drank in space.

The play follows the development of American-Soviet (Russian) relationships through their cooperation in space. It follows three people: Patrick, the first American Astronaut to visit Mir, Elena, a Cosmonaut on Mir, and Samantha, Patrick's wife. Patrick and Elena relationship grows from this, which also destroys Patrick's and Samantha's marriage.

Patrick is on the Space Station as nears completion, and the Columbia disintegration happened, which strands him on the Station. As a result his marriage to Samantha comes to an end and his relationship with Elena develops. Samantha is not able to understand what draws Patrick to space flight as well as Elena.

The play also examines the relationship of the two counties during this time. Two of the characters of the play are Young Communist (retired) and Young Capitalist (retired). They are trying to live with each other in a retirement community. They find that they do not like each other very much, but they need each other; one would be nothing without the other there.

This play is very different for last weeks Eventide. The progress of the story is not as important as the issues that are being examined. The relationship of the two countries, and the meaning of space exploration are more important than what the characters are doing.

The actors are good. Several of them had to play multiple characters, and did so well.

Eventide

Eventide is a continuation of Plainsong, a play the DCTC presented a few years ago. Both plays are adaptions of the stories of Kent Haruf about Holt County on the Great Plains of Colorado.

The play is composed of the three stories. The first being the continuation of the story of the McPheron brothers, Harold and Raymond. They are bachelor ranchers, who take in Victoria, a young unwed mother. Victoria has grown up and is off to college with her young daughter. However, Harold is killed in a ranching accident leaving Raymond alone. Victoria comes back from college to help out, but she has grown while away at school; she has met a young man, Del, who proves himself in Raymond eyes. Raymond insist that she return to school with her young man.

Out of this Raymond starts to date for the first time in his life. After a false start, friends help him meet Rose Tyler, a social worker, and their relationship starts to bloom.

A second story is of DJ and Walter Kephart. DJ is 11 year old boy, whose only living family is his grandfather. The grandfather's only real pleasure anymore is his monthly night out at the local tavern, when his monthly check arrives. After a particularly bad incident at the tavern, DJ meets up with Raymond, who hires him to help on the ranch on the weekends.

The last story is of the Wallace family. The parents, Luther and Betty Jean, are mental challenged, and they are very depended on their social worker, Rose. They love their children, but are unable to protect them when Betty Jean's uncle moves into their home and physically abuses them. They lose their children to a foster home.

These are people I know. I grew up in a similar town in Montana. Their values are basic American values. Raymond accepted Del, because he was willing to try to help, while totally forgiving his inexperience. Also Walter insists that DJ understand that he needs to earn any money Raymond gives him.

The acting was very even, and well done. Phillips Pleasant and Mike Hartman as the McPheron Brothers were particularly outstanding. They both had a wonderful sparkle in their eyes.

Over all the play is a wonderful bittersweet look at life on the American Great Plains. The outcome to the situations are not always satisfactory, in fact they are not always finished. It was a good experience.

Tremors

Tremors
Universal Studio (1990)
Starring Keven Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, and Reba McEntire
Director Ron Underwood

Val (Bacon) and Earl (Ward) are a pair of drifter working odd jobs in Perfection, Nevada. The bright lights of the big city caught their eyes, and they are planning to leave. However, on their way out of town they come across a series of strange events that cause them to turn around.

There seems to be a group of underground man-eating worms that are surrounding the town, the pair need to led the town inhabitants to safety. They have the help of a graduate student (Carter) and a savoriest couple (Gross and McEntire) from across the valley (with their guns and explosives).

This movie is another of my guilty pleasures. It is corny, but there is fair amount of humor and action to the story.

Steuben's

Steuben's
523 E. 17th St.
Denver, CO 80203
303-830-1001
http://www.steubens.com

Steuben's is a quirky place. The decor is retro 50's. There are large dome shaped lamps over some of the tables, ans the chairs are bent tubing. While the wait staff are all dressed in black with tattoos showing. However, they are some of the friendliest in the neighborhood.

Now the food is pure comfort food. The two items that I have sampled are the fried chicken and the macaroni and cheese. The fried chicken is plentiful. It is crisp, and nicely seasoned. The potatoes and gravy that come with it would make a pleasant meal by themselves.

The macaroni and cheese is a wonderful concoction of past and a creamy sauce is nicely creamy with a subtle cheese flavor. It was wonderful on a cold winter night.

Steuben's does have a weekend brunch, but that has yet to sampled. The prices are a little higher that the other places that I have talked about here, but they are worth it.

Cozy Cottage

Cozy Cottage
2423 S. Downing St.
Denver, CO
303-733-0219

To say that The Cozy Cottage is small would be totally accurate. However, I must point out that the Denver magazine was totally incorrect in its reporting that the place has six tables; it has seven not counting the two outside, which I don't because it is winter.

The place is operated by Jeanette Mueller and her son, Michael. They serve breakfast and lunch. There were the usual breakfast items, plus a wonderful assortment of pancakes.

The blue cheese and bacon omelet was very good; it was an interesting combination with just the right anount of blue to have a sharp tang, but not too much to be over powering. Also each plate in addition to the usual the toast, and potaoes/grits also had a spoon of peas.

The price was also enjoyable at just a little over $10. We shall be returning.

Toast

Toast
222Columbine St.
Denver, CO 80206
303-322-3493
http://www.toastygoodness.com

This is the second locating for this restaurant. It moved into this location on the cheap...since the previous occupant was the Village Inn, that was hard to do. The decor is very similar to VI, in fact it is the same.

The food on the other hand it quit good. The pancakes are the center piece of the menu. They range from apple, blueberry-granola to egg and gravy, which has a fried egg and sausage gravy. There is also a variety of other items including a good breakfast burrito.

The prices are good. The pancakes are all under $10.

The one thing that is interesting is the similarity of Toast and Snooze, not only do they have a similar menu, but the pancake sampler are both called "Flight". Go figure.