Some Americans Abroad, a play by Richard Nelson at the Second Stage Theatre starring Tom Cavanagh, Anthony Rapp, Emily Bergl and Enid Graham, directed by Gordon Edelstein.

The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang at the Laura Pels Theatre starring Victoria Clark and Julie Haggerty, directed by Walter Bobbie.

On a hot and sultry day, we went in for a double theater dip, going to a matinee of "Some Americans Abroad" and "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" in the evening. Both plays are in previews, but each already has an enviable track record: "Some Americans Abroad" was produced in the UK and at Lincoln Center in 1990 to critical acclaim and award nominations, while "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" announced a singular talent in Christopher Durang when it was produced in 1985 with a remarkable cast headed by Joan Allen. We had figured that we would enjoy "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" the most since we had loved Durang's recent "Miss Witherspoon". Instead it was "Some Americans Abroad" that really connected with us.
In only its 3rd preview, the cast, led by a terrific Tom Cavanagh, who twitches and winces as the not so admirable Department Chair, Joe Taylor, has their academic characters nailed in "Some Americans Abroad", a very entertaining play showing supposedly smart Americans acting very badly in England. The direction by Gordon Edelstein is superb, every scene change leads to the props of the previous scene deposited in the back of the stage, gathering up like shameful detritus. The play is a moral tale and even a bit of a mystery. The talk back with the director was highly enjoyable and insightful. 30% of the audience that stayed for the talk didn't get "Some Americans Abroad", but the happy majority, including us, was enthusiastic. "Some Americans Abroad" can only improve as the cast settles in, but if it opened tomorrow, we are confident it would be a big hit with the summer theater crowd.
"The Marriage of Bette and Boo" was a huge disappointment for us. It's a play that must have been considered daringly original and quirky in 1985, but having seen so much better absurdest plays in the interim, including the brilliant work of Sarah Ruhl and even Durang's far superior "Miss Witherspoon", we found "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" tedious, boring, and insultingly stupid. The various references to great and classic literature by the wry stand in for Durang "Matt" (Charles Socrarides) sounded like the student work it originally was. We fled at the intermission. Some Americans Abroad B+ The Marriage of Bette and Boo. F

Reasons to Be Pretty, a play by Neil LaBute at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Starring Alison Pill, Piper Perabo, Pablo Schreiber and Thomas Sadoski, directed by Terry Kinney. The third play in a trilogy that began with "The Shape of Things" and "Fat Pig," "Reasons to Be Pretty" is a superb meditation on what it means to be beautiful, to be faithful, to love, and above all, to grow and mature. Crackling with vintage LaBute dialog and pacing, "Reasons to Be Pretty" is tremendous entertainment, and is brilliantly played by a quartet led by the versatile young dynamo Pablo Schreiber (whose range is once again demonstrated); the fearless Alison Pill whose coiled fury unwinds with moving tenderness and warmth in perhaps her most complete performance; beautiful Piper Perabo in a spectacular stage debut; and Thomas Sadoski as the moving protagonist who painfully grows up at last. This is one of the finest works of perhaps the most facile scribe in the business. Despite the miserable weather outside, and a grueling and never ending commute, we were thrilled by "Reasons to be Pretty." A

Big Apple Barbeque Block Party. Madison Square Park. Several of the most famous pitmasters in the United States brought their cookers to Madison Square Park, there was Country Western Music and bright skies. The day should have been perfect. But it wasn't. The problem this year, the fourth Big Apple Barbeque Block Party, is that there were too many people and it was just too darn hot. The event is a victim of its own success. And the pitmasters and security and the lines were just not able to handle the crowds. Some food came out piping hot, but too much of it was not, even Ed Mitchell's great pulled pork (the finest delicacy of the whole event) was luke warm. There was good 'que from Alabama and Mississippi and of course the incomparable Salt Lick Barbeque, but the line for the legendary Texas grub was so humongous we couldn't get it. We enjoyed this event tremendously last year, but this time around, it wasn't worth our commute. C+