How 'A Widow Of No Importance' Got Her Groove Back

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to see the premiere of 'A Widow Of No Importance' at East West Players. I have to admit, the title of the play didn't exactly draw me in at first glance. Widow? No importance? Look, if I wanted to hear a story about someone sad with self-esteem issues I'd just record one of my talks I have with myself in the mirror.

But I was wrong. 'A Widow Of No Importance' is funny. Really funny. With a great cast, snappy writing and filled with laugh-out-loud moments. A cougar love story, but not in a creepy way – more of a seize-life-by-the-arms-and-shake-it kind of way. You'll love Lina Patel as the repressed widow Deepa who finds love and gets her groove back with her much-younger neighbor Vinod (Sunil Malhotra.) Bonus: He's easy on the eyes. Bonus-Bonus: Bollywood music and dance scenes! Here's the official synopsis:

Deepa has been a widow for two years. Her only desire now is to see her daughter married so that she can die in peace. But when her recently divorced neighbor, also her son's best friend, professes his love for her, her inner-cougar emerges to break tradition and start living again. A smart and sexy comedy about carving new paths and leaping for the stars.

Absolutely, positively go and see 'A Widow Of No Importance.' You'll find she's anything but.

Playing through October 9 so get over there!

8pm Wednesdays thru Saturdays, 2pm. Sundays. Click here for more info and to purchase tickets.

David Henry Hwang Theater
at the Union Center for the Arts
(Little Tokyo, downtown L.A.)
120 Judge John Aiso Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Cirque du Soleil's Iris: See It NOW! (Ten Years Will Just Fly By)

A couple of months ago I was invited to preview Iris, the new Cirque du Soleil show that premiered last night and will be taking up permanent residence at the beautiful Kodak Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland complex. I've written before about my love for Cirque du Soleil, and the fact that it will be in one place for an extended period of time (I hear the lease is for ten years) is good news for someone like me, who usually decides to order tickets just as a show is ending its run (I'm shaking my fist at you, Rock Of Ages.)

This latest installment of the successful Cirque franchise is being billed as 'A Journey Through The World Of Cinema.'

From the Iris website:

This new production from Cirque du Soleil is a lyrical, fanciful, kinetic foray into the seventh art. Bringing together dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation, the show takes spectators on a fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, taking them into the heart of the movie-making process. From illustration to animation, black and white to colour, silent films to talkies, fixed shots to swooping camera movements, spectators witness the poetic construction/deconstruction of this art as an object and as a way of transcending reality.

The portions of the show we were treated to were amazing and reminded me of my very favorite Cirque du Soleil production – the Beatles' LOVE show in Las Vegas. They use every inch of the stage and the I especially loved the rooftops sequence that's included in this clip –  it takes place in an old Hollywood neighborhood and cleverly utilizes hidden trampolines. No smartass remarks, please, about them leaving out the hookers and panhandlers:



For anyone who's seen a Cirque Du Soleil performance before I don't think you'll need any convincing to see Iris – you already know what unique, breathtaking experience all of their shows are. But for you Cirque virgins out there, I highly recommend going to see Iris during its run at the Kodak – you'll be glad you did. Plus, you have plenty of time to order tickets – don't tell me you can't carve out a few hours away from your computer in the next ten years.


Buy tickets at the Kodak Theatre box office, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Located at Hollywood & Highland Complex on the 1st floor. or click here to order tickets online.

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