Second Hand theatre Lighting
What type of combat was primarily used during World War II?
I was wondering what the primary style of fighting during the second world war was, especially in the European and North African theaters. The reason I ask is that, in movie/television etc. depictions, urban style combat is often shown, but I find it highly unlikely that, considering how relatively light urban combat casualties are, that literally millions could have died in battle in a war fought like that, but on the other hand, judging by the speed that troops moved at, it's also very unlikely that trench style warfare was used, and I know that the old-style, mass-organized style like in the Napoleonic era was not very commonly used, if at all.
A wide variety of fighting styles was used, though urban combat was extremely common. You must remember how densely populated Europe is and was. You also must remember that this was total war, so artillery and air strikes were common within towns which increased casualties (as compared to more limited urban warfare that is used today). If you still don't believe that many people could die in urban combat all you need to do is look at the Battle of Stalingrad, which was fought almost entirely in an urban setting. Also trench-style warfare was used, though rather then complete trenches foxholes were used, and while battle lines were far more fluid, a similar trench-style environment could be found in the Battle of the Bulge during the days when the allies could not get air support. Hope this helps.
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Specwork Theatre
Broadway Review: reasons to be pretty
Neil LaBute's reasons to be pretty (intentionally left all lower-case by the author) is the best new play on Broadway since last season's August: Osage County. It opens with Steph, played bitterly and sarcastically by Marin Ireland yelling at her boyfriend Greg, played by Thomas Sadoski in a tirade that would peal paint. The cause of this fracas is the fact that Greg, in a moment of male bonding at work with his best friend since childhood, has referred to Steph's face as "regular." Certainly sounds innocuous. Unfortunately, another co-worker who just happens to be the wife of Greg's friend and a friend of Steph's overhears this. She has made it her job to let her friend know what her boyfriend has said.
My last experience with Mr. LaBute's work was his 1997 film "In the Company of Men," a film I found unbelievably distasteful due to the misogynistic characters. Not long into reasons to be pretty I thought to myself, oh no, here we go again. But that sense of dread left me during the second act. There was something to these characters. As the lights came up at intermission I turned to a friend and wondered aloud what Mr. LaBute's relationship with his mother must be like.
Greg's friend Kent, played by Steven Pasquale is an atypically macho Neil LaBute character. He is married to Carly, a security officer in the warehouse where the two men work humping pallets of groceries. Kent is a distasteful character who is cheating on his wife (who we later learn is pregnant) and asking his best friend Greg to cover for him. This ultimately comes to a head with a fight between the two men in the second act. Carly is played by Piper Perabo in a performance both stoic and emotionally revealing.
These are such well written characters and their dialogue, though mundane in the fact that these people are leading hum-drum lives is absolutely compelling. In reasons, Mr. LaBute has written a work that is easily accessible by anyone. We all know these people in real life and in fact, they may even be ourselves. The universality of relationships is profound evident in this play to anyone who has ever been in a relationship.
You could see from watching Mr. Sadoski's face as he was screaming back at Steph that this man had completely inhabited this role. He makes this character his own. You actually learn that Greg, though perhaps a bit lost in life, is the kind of guy you would want as a friend. The entire cast is brilliant.
The play is directed by Terry Kinney with a brisk pace. Unfortunately, the fight scene in the second act staged by Manny Siverio seems far from realistic. Granted, sitting in the fourth row of the orchestra you are bound to see the minor flaws in what really is the equivalent of theatrical slight-of-hand. The set by David Gallo recreates the interior of a Costco or BJs around the perimeter of the stage. This portion of the set never moves or changes and is a constant reminder that these are men trapped by their career and life choices.
This is the kind of show that could get lost in the shuffle of a spring season that is seeing a record-breaking number of new openings, particularly plays. Don't let that happen. This is a compelling evening of theatre and I suggest you don't miss it.
See detailed show credits from IBDB.com
Read more Broadway reviews at TheAndyGram.com
About the Author
Andrew C. McGibbon publishes a blog of Broadway reviews at TheAndyGram.com. He has been actively involved in the theatre industry for 25+ years as a general manager, stage manager, producer and pioneer in the area of bringing the internet to Broadway as a marketing tool. He was one of the original creators of Playbill Online and has been the website manager for the Tony Awards since 2001. He is also the website manager for Jazz at Lincoln Center.
