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Los Angeles: Two grand old ladies, legendary "muse of geniuses" Alma Mahler-Werfel (1878-1964) and the monolithic Los Angeles Theater, vie for attention at the U.S. preem of scripter Joshua Sobol’s ambitious biographical legiter "Alma." The venue wins. Calling his effort a "polydrama," Sobol has fractured the life of his heroine into 50 scenes, played out in 15 separate locales within the environs of this palatial downtown moviehouse, which opened in 1931 with the preem of Charlie Chaplin’s "City Lights." Helmer Paulus Manker adequately guides a hard-working, talented ensemble through the tempestuous episodes in Alma’s remarkably colorful history, but the awe-inspiring faded opulence of the architectural jewel that houses Alma’s journey is often more compelling than the storyline itself.
ALMA : Interview with Johua Sobol monsters. She was a monster in the sense that everything with her is bigger, bigger than life. And she made herself bigg...
