I'm still trying to tie my feelings about the the recent Civilians production of "Rimbaud in New York," written and directed by Steve Cosson, at the BAM Fisher in with their most excellent, brave and exciting production of "Paris Commune" of a few years ago. " Paris Commune" was a brilliantly conceived and beautiful experimental theatrical experience whereas "Rimbaud," aside from Rimbaud's poems, is a hodgepodge of thoughts, poems and songs about Rimbaud by actors representing the 60's East Village artists his work had a profound effect on, Eileen Myles, Patty Smith, John Ashbery and Richard Hell to name a few. Some of the the original songs are good as are the translations of Rimbaud by John Ashbery but I am so tired of plays ending with garbage being thrown around the stage (in this case yellow balloons) because the director/writer can't seem to think of any other way to wrap up. There are solid performances, especially from Rebecca Hart and Adam Cochran, and Joseph Keckler has a most unusual and beautiful voice. I did quite like the set design by Andromache Chalfant with it's back wall of interconnecting cubes but the the play was runny liked an uncooked egg.
I don't usually write about film but I was just so moved by Guillaume Nicioux's "Valley of Love" at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema last week that I have to say a few words about it. "Valley of Love" reunites Isabelle Huppert with Gerard Depardieu who last appeared together in Pialat's "LouLou" in 1980. Huppert and Depardieu are actors who had a child together over 30 years before but have since gone on to other marriages, children, lives. It was the wish of the their son who has committed suicide for them to spend a week together in Death Valley where he will appear to them on the the final day. They both feel, especially Huppert, that they have failed their son so they make good on his wishes. Huppert is desperate to see her son again, improbable though it may be. The connection between Huppert and Depardieu is palpable and the way that the film addresses their feelings of failure and lost opportunities to connect with their child are profound. Plus the landscapes are stunning!
