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Sensational Sense and Sensibility!

Last night I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend Bedlam’s Sense and Sensibility at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, MA. This adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel has been brought to the stage by writer Kate Hamill, with Staging and direction by Eric Tucker. The entire cast and creative team really brought their A-Game to this production, it was an incredible evening!

Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, and I wouldn’t hesitate to say that Ang Lee’s 1995 film Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite movies of all time. I went into the theater last night with high expectations, and the production did not disappoint!

From the fresh and clever staging and choreography, to the spot-on acting, this show brought new life to a timeless story. I was surprised at how much I laughed throughout the evening! The actors knew just when to emphasize the humorous moments, yet they were equally accomplished at making the poignant, serious moments play out quite effectively.

Bedlam’s Sense and Sensibility runs through this Sunday, January 14th. There are still a limited number of tickets available for both the Saturday and Sunday 2:00pm shows. Head to the American Repertory Theater’s website RIGHT AWAY if you want to scoop up tickets for yourself!

https://americanrepertorytheater.org/events/show/bedlams-sense-sensibility

I drove to Alewife for my visit, using the Redline to go to the Harvard MBTA stop. The Loeb Drama center is just a short walk up Church Street to Brattle Street. Easy-peasy! There is a parking lot close-by the theater on Church Street, and a handful of other parking lot choices within walking distance for those that would rather drive in to the city.

Go see Sense and Sensibility. Get lost in early 19th century England with Austen’s iconic characters, as they are skillfully, artfully,  and playfully brought to life by this energetic, fantastic team!

(All photos are from the American Repertory Theater website; photo credit: Ashley Garrett)

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Don’t Lose Your Chance to See Toulouse!

The Currier Museum of Art’s Exhibit, “The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters From the Museum of Modern Art” is nearing its final days. This is the exclusive New England engagement for this exhibit, and it will only be on view through Sunday January 7th.  It’s definitely worth a visit Manchester, NH to see this special exhibition of Toulouse-Lautrec’s work.

I think many people can conjure up an idea of the colorful, graphic prints and posters that are iconic images of Toulouse-Lautrec. There are plenty wonderful examples of these types of prints on display, and they are both delightful and impressive. I also really enjoyed seeing the many monochromatic lithographs in the collection; to me, they have both a modern and timeless feel. The exhibit has video clips of Moulin Rouge dancers to enhance the experience, as well as interactive digital displays that allow you to browse some of the books with illustrations by Toulouse-Lautrec.

The exhibit also includes a last room full of prints from American contemporaries of Toulouse-Lautrec who were inspired by his style. Don’t write off this room because it isn’t T-L’s work; the pieces in this final gallery are exquisite examples of American advertising at its late-19th-century best. My favorites were lithographs by Edward Penfield and Will H. Bradley.

The Currier Museum of Art will be open the following hours this weekend:
Friday January 5th: 11am – 5pm
Saturday January 6th: 10am – 5pm
Sunday January 7th: 11am – 5pm

There is one remaining guided Focus Tour of the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit on Sunday, January 7th at 11:30am. Photography is allowed in the exhibit, and the museum has a beautiful catalog of the show available in their gift shop if you decide you’d like to bring the entire collection home.

Admission to the Currier Museum of Art is as follows:
Adult $15
Senior (65+) $13
Student $10
Youth (13-17) $5
Members and children younger than 13 are always free.

*There is a $5 special exhibition fee to view The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters From The Museum of Modern Art in addition to the general admission.

New Hampshire folks, check with your local library to see if they have museum passes to the Currier Museum of Art! You will still need to pay the $5 fee for the exhibit, but you can save up to $15 per person if a pass is available.

If you get hungry while you’re there, the Currier has a lovely, light-filled eatery in the museum’s center called The Winter Garden Cafe. It’s a perfect spot for a delicious lunch where you can enjoy salads, seasonal soups, sandwiches and pastries. The Winter Garden Cafe is open 11am – 3:30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Currier has a parking lot on their property which is accessible off both Prospect and Ash streets; on street parking is also available if the lot is full.

Check out the Currier’s website for more information:
http://currier.org/