Tristan & Yseult

As the audience files in, the "lovespotters" pounce. Roaming up and down the aisles as musicians on stage set a playful (yet somewhat sad) mood with renditions of popular songs of unrequited love, these chorus members, these "unloved," ask questions of those seated. "How long have you been married? Still smiling, so not too long." Dressed in drab jackets and hoods, they could be any wanderer on any street. These unloved permeate the classic tale of Tristan & Yseult, a Kneehigh production masterfully adapted by Emma Rice. 

Our narrator-of-sorts, Whitehands, introduces her band of unloved comrades and introduces us to the players in our tale, and with the aid of music and movement this ancient tale highlights every pained perspective of romantic love. Why do we love? Who do we love? Why are we unloved? Why are we loved? Why do we betray? Can we love two people at once? Does love die?

Love and romance can be funny and clumsy, of course, and there are elements of hilarity throughout.  There are giggles and guffaws to be had in between melancholy laments and the cast balances the joy and heartache of love perfectly, never losing the authenticity of either side of the pendulum swing. The entire production vibrates with energy, bolstered by grin-inducing elements of audience participation. This is a show that never slows down, never sinks.  Even the soberest moments have a strong pulse of passion, and some of the most powerful of those moments are provided by the band of unloved (whose ranks increase throughout the play, but I won't give any of that away), an astute comment on how brutal life is when staring at Love from the outside.

Alternating elevations on stage was a powerful and effective strategy for not only showing the change of time and location, but for creating a defined space for the lovers and the unloved.  The unloved are constantly outside the central circle most often occupied by our hero and heroine, only breaking into the space at moments of deception, heartache, and desperation.  Even when they're able to assert themselves within the bounds of that elite "club" (as noted by Whitehands, de facto queen of that band), they're quickly dismissed. "Do you love me?" is a question answered in the negative.  That stark line between those experiencing love and those forced to spectate on that experience is powerfully and beautifully drawn.

It has been awhile since I've seen a show that I immediately wanted to see again. And thankfully, with shows through March 23rd, there's time to indulge repeatedly. It's time to head to the Guthrie again, people.

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Mamma Mia

My experience of musicals has been a bit somber recently, thanks to Andrew Lloyd Weber's penchant for melancholy drama. At this point in the winter, however, I think everyone is aching for a bit of sunshine, musically and otherwise.  Enter, Mamma Mia, playing at the Orpheum through February 23rd. There's no melancholy to be had, no somber beauty, no tragic demise of our heroine. Nope. It's everything you expect of a musical based loosely on the songs of ABBA, it's all silly, joyful, head-bobbing happiness, complete with young love, middle-aged love, and the grins both induce. Just in time for our brief thaw (and the snow predicted for Thursday), Mamma Mia is a touch of warmth in the mid-winter doldrums. 

The performances are playful, the songs familiar, and if your audience is anything like mine, rousing enough to inspire a few hollers from the peanut gallery. For those that haven't seen the movie, the story sees young Sophie, daughter of former 70s-era singer, Donna, inviting her three potential dads to her wedding in Greece. Who's the daddy? Is it Donna's lost love, Sam, who ditched her for a fiancee twenty years ago? Or is it rebound love from study abroad in Paris, Harry? Or is it that wild child adventurer, Bill?  You'll have to check out the show to find out for yourself. 

The strongest performances come from Donna's ladies-in-waiting, Tonya and Rosie. Reliving their high-flying, exuberant past while cracking jokes about their middle-aged flirtations makes for a fun twist on some ABBA classics like Take a Chance on Me. 

If you're in need of some aural sunshine and/or there's a Dancing Queen in there itching to commune with your brethren, make your way to the Orpheum for Mamma Mia's brief run. It'll put a smile on your face, and with this winter, that's saying something.

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TC Valentine 5K

I don't sign up for a lot of 5Ks. I have a host of races I love to do every year and after registering for those and others that tempt me (fie upon you, cute swag!), I just don't have the budget to add a bunch of extra races to the mix. But I signed up for the Twin Cities Valentine's Day 5K for the best of reasons, to run with a dear friend who recently started running.

The organizers can't be faulted for the weather. The negative wind chills were unpleasant, but as Minnesotans we really should know better than to pay good money to play outside in early February.  Weather aside, I thought the race was wonderfully well-organized, a reasonable size, and most importantly, provided plenty of volunteer support to cheer on the crazies who signed up.  Keeping with the cheesy Valentine theme, everyone was encouraged to wear tags on their backs indicating their relationship status (single, taken, it's complicated, and a few unique write-your-owns). We didn't end up with dates but somebody winked at me (or had ice in his eye), so I'll call that a win.

5Ks are a great starter distance for new runners, so I feel like every 5K should recognize that.  Not everyone has done a million of these or understands how a sweats check works. But the TCM crew was helpful, happy (a large feat given the chill), and energized by the crowd.  The newbie runner, Molly, was already brainstorming her next race when we sat down later for brunch, and that's a big kudos to the TCM team for making her first experience so positive.

Hot chocolate and coffee were served at the start, hallelujah, and that took a bit of the edge off.  Molly was excited for her first starting line so we got to there a little earlier than necessary.  But enthusiasm is awesome and I won't tease her too much for my near frostbite. Importantly, the race started on time and despite the usual Lake Harriet parking nightmare, I didn't feel like the off-street parking was that arduous. We got there a bit early but I also think the not-huge size of the crowd helped, too. The shirt and pint glass were cute (still, sucker for the swag), and the post-race Valentine cookies were a sweet touch.

Cold or no, I'd recommend this race for anyone who wants to take a crack at their first 5K or run a pretty winter race that isn't overly crowded. I enjoy a lot of TCM's races, and I'd be happy to add this one to the yearly roster. Hopefully, next year we'll break into the double digits.

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