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Jordan Wright
June 18, 2016
Photo credit: Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts
Indique Redux; Asia Nine Bar & Lounge – An Asian Oasis Endures and Thrives; Italy in the Box; Simit + Smith – A New Turkish Bakery and Café; Chickpea Mediterranean Grill; Q Barbecue’s Secret Corn Pudding Recipe
Indique Introduces New Dishes, New Décor
 Chef K. N. Vinod and Co-Owner Surfy Rahman Chef and Co-Owner K. N. Vinod along with Co-Owner Surfy Rahman recently re-launched their modern Indian cuisine restaurant with a totally revamped menu that included street food, family style dishes and classics with a modern twist, as well as gorgeous handcrafted Indian art and an updated décor.
 Orange Shreekandh made with orange, saffron, cardamom, Grand Marnier, pistachio and mint from Indique As a staple of the Cleveland Park community for over 12 years, the upscale Indique has always been at the forefront of Indian cuisine in DC and, Chef Vinod, one DC’s most most celebrated chefs is a well-known frequent guest at the Smithsonian Resident Associate Programs. His annual contributions to the prestigious Sunday Night Suppers series, hosted by Alice Waters, Joan Nathan and Jose Andres, cannot be understated.
 (l-r) Tellisherry Cocktail — Shrimp Puckka Shots For Rahman it’s a family affair. His sister-in-law sourced the new china, furniture and glassware; his daughter accompanied her father to India for fresh inspiration; and his two sons, Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman, who intend to follow in their father’s footsteps, are looking forward to a DC opening of their fast casual Indian concept called Rasa Indian Grill.
 Indique Rahman hired Carlie Steiner of Stir Bartending Co. to create a stylish cocktail menu for Indique which she based on Indian spices and herbs. Her delicately spice-infused drinks use house made tonics made with garam masala and another that incorporates a blend of Indian herbs and spices such as fresh curry leaf, coriander and fenugreek. Unique ingredients like toasted mustard seed and tamarind chutney contribute to an exotic and aromatic profile. Addictive bar snacks included.
In a few weeks Indique will add a Happy Hour menu and Saturday and Sunday brunch. Check the website for deets. www.Indique.com
Asia Nine – Penn Quarter Perennial
 Asia Nine As one of the longer lasting Asian-owned restaurants in Chinatown’s Penn Quarter, Asia Nine has rightfully basked in its reputation. It’s proximity to the downtown action – theatres, Verizon Center, museums and more – is yet another draw. But this cozy, hip spot doesn’t rest on its laurels. It continues to turn out an amazing variety of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Japanese dishes for the adventurous diner.
 Softshell Crab Sushi Start with a refreshing Hibiscus Mojito or Lychee Martini. No passport required. Want sushi? There’s maki sushi, nigiri sushi and vegetarian sushi. Honey roasted duck? Coming right up. Your dinner partner is craving Thai curries? There are three types – green, panang and lemongrass. Noodles, your thing? There’s everything from pho to udon. All made to order.
 Steamed buns Chef owners Natalie Tantivejakul and Rod Yomanee both immigrated individually to America from Thailand. Natalie is from Bangkok and Rod is from a small town in the south named, Na-Korn. The couple met and later married when Natalie hired Rod to be a chef at her first restaurant, Rice & Spice in Lorton, VA. With roots from both the North and South of Thailand, Natalie and Rod are able to create menus that reflect both cooking styles as well as their favorite dishes from all over Asia. In addition to two Asia Nine locations, they now have Rice & Spice Thai Cuisine restaurants in Alexandria and Fort Belvoir.
 Fried Shrimp and Pho with Udon Noodles This week Asia Nine announced a new Saturday brunch service from 11am to 3pm. The menu includes plenty of egg dishes, like kapow, bipimbap as well as the ubiquitous street food, pa thong ko, a deep-fried donut-style confection served with fresh fruit and sweetened condensed milk for dipping.
N.B. They’re especially welcoming to large groups with advance notice, the restaurant prides itself on getting everyone served and out in time for curtain up.
915 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20004 or their newest location at 254 Crown Park Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20878 www.AsiaNine.com
Simit + Smith
Turkish Bakery and Café Opens in the Heart of Georgetown
Cary Pollak with Jordan Wright
Simit + Smith is a two-story Turkish-inspired eatery housed in a charming historic townhouse. Arriving on the ever-burgeoning bread and baked goods scene, the Istanbul-based company surprises the adventurous eater with authentic Turkish savory breads and rolls. The star of the show is simit, a baked, not boiled, ring-shaped bread eaten throughout the day in both Balkan and Mediterranean countries. Its texture is moist and light on the inside. The dough is briefly dipped in a grape molasses and water mixture which helps the two types of coatings, sesame seeds or multigrain, stick to the bread, giving it a delectably crunchy crust. Simit is the Turkish name, but it is also known by different names and comes in many varieties in Greece, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Lebanon and Israel.
 Turkish breads from Simit + Smith You’ll find three varieties of simits here – original, whole wheat and multigrain. To prepare these delightful puffs of bread for the oven, the first two varieties are the ones that are coated with sesame seeds. The third is dipped in a multigrain mix that includes sesame, rolled oats, flax, poppy and sunflower seeds, and millet. On a recent visit to the new Georgetown branch, both company President Zulfikar Bekar and Business Development official Dina Careccio pointed out that the simit is lighter on the inside and crunchier on the outside than its cousin, the bagel. All are handmade and preservative-free.
The company’s name is the result of an effort by the Turkish-based parent company to portray “a synthesis of Turkish/Mediterranean food culture and American food culture.” They felt that the simit is something very familiar in Turkey, as is the name Smith in the U.S., so they chose a name that is blends East meets West.
 Street cart in Turkey While the simit gets top billing, there are other Turkish breads to explore. Acma (pronounced ACH-mah) also is in the form of a bagel, but is more akin to the light, eggy dough of brioche. The un-holey pogaca is baked with different fillings, the most interesting of which is black olives and tangy,Turkish kasseri cheese. Lamahcan is their version of pizza that’s topped with marinated minced meat with spices, sumac, onion, parsley with a wedge of lemon on the side.
 A light fare salad from Simit + Smith The DC menu differs from the one in the New York area largely in that more “simitwiches” are available in the Big Apple, though the DC outlet has a variety of homemade sourdough bread sandwiches including a roasted chicken sandwich with cheddar cheese, sundried tomatoes, mixed greens and honey mustard sauce, and a Doner (sirloin) Kebap sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and Café de Paris sauce, a butter-based sauce commonly paired with beef. A vegan sandwich also is on the menu. Choose from an array of salads – Aegean Feta, Chicken Orange, Quinoa Salmon or Caesar served with the doner kabap. (Hopefully the menu will widen to include some of the spreads like baba ganoush, Nutella and hummus which they serve in their three New York and two New Jersey restaurants.) Be sure to try their real Turkish coffee and Turkish chai tea, too.
Last year the simit was listed in Zagat’s “9 Snack Foods You Need to Try in 2015” (albeit with an inaccurate claim that boiling is part of the preparation process). The article predicted that this tasty treat will soon be seen around country and lucky for us, they chose Washington, D.C. as their first outpost beyond their U.S. home area!
Simit + Smith, 1077 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007 www.SimitandSmith.com
Italy in the Box
What says amore more than a surprise box filled to the brim with Italian gourmet delicacies and landing on your doorstep? Arriving without a card or return address, I had no one to thank, or share it with, before racing to the kitchen to prepare what it had in store for me. All I had to do was boil water, toss the jar of Ligurian pesto from Niasca Portofino onto the artisanal basil tagliatelle from Pastificio Camp’Oro, then shave bits of aged pecorino from Famiglia Busti on the whole divine mess of pasta al dente.
 The resulting homemade supper from Italy N The Box The nifty brown box also included truffled potato chips from Tartuflanghe, which will wind up crumbled over roasted lemony green beans, and a delightfully fragrant Prunotto Mariangela Moscato wine jelly, which will find itself married to vanilla yogurt. I wasn’t going to mention the three different flavors of chocolate Camardo truffles – rum, coffee and hazelnut – since I left no evidence of their existence. But now that you know, I recommend you get your own, because I have no intention of sharing something that should not be made public anyway. Check out www.Italynthebox.com for all their other products.
Chickpea – A New Mediterranean-Style Fast Food Spot
 Bright red umbrellas punctuate the patio seating From the team who brought you DRP Pizza (in Del Ray and Belle Haven) and Stomping Ground the bakery/coffee shop/Southern menu eatery along Mount Vernon Avenue beside the farmers’ market, we now have Chickpea. This new spot, as cute as its name, is beside the playing fields along Route 1 near Crystal City. You can’t miss it for the bright red umbrellas on the large patio. Open only a few months, its already catching on with those on the go. Because sometimes you just WANT IT NOW! No waiting, no table service, no tipping. Okay, a contribution to the small glass jar by the register would be the kind thing to do. Grab a tray and get in line.
 The hardest part is choosing from the tons of options at Chickpea It took me awhile to figure out the system and make my choices, but the dish I concocted was very tasty. You begin by selecting a base from among brown or parsley rice, toasted quinoa, a giant oven-baked pita, spinach, arugula, mixed greens or romaine. I was feeling healthy just reading the menu. I mixed arugula with romaine. Next is protein – lemony chicken cooked with wine, fresh herbs and garlic; spicy chicken with yogurt, peppers and herbs; chargrilled beef kofta; pulled lamb shank, which they slow roast; or falafel, crunchy little chickpea balls flavored with garlic and cilantro. I had the lamb shank and it reflected the long, slow-cooked flavors you’d expect.
 Slow roasted lamb shank with toppings served on vintage enamel trays at Chickpea – baba ganoush and hummus sit to the side at Chickpea Toppings are next and there are tons to choose from. You can add whatever you like from among lettuce, tomatoes, feta, olives, sumac onions, cukes, fresh mint, tabbouleh, grilled veggies and more. Stay focused because your fourth decision will be spreads and here come the classics – tzatziki, baba ganoush, harissa, green chili chutney, two kinds of hummus or a creamy roasted garlic sauce. All made in-house. Not wanting to overwhelm the dish with too many flavors, I asked for mine served on the side so I could enjoy it separately with a side order of pita chips.
 Freshly made lemonade , pomegranate ice tea and a refreshing infusion of mint, lemon and cucumber water are some of the delicious drink selections at Chickpea Lastly you’ll opt for one of three vinaigrette dressings for your very large bowl of deliciousness – lemon-oregano, Greek or red wine.
I have tried one other Mediterranean fast food spot that couldn’t hold a candle to Chickpea. Try it. You’ll love it. It’s just outside Old Town, a few blocks from downtown Del Ray and thankfully there’s plenty of parking.
529 East Howell Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 www.MyChickpeaGrill.com
Tuffy Stone’s Q Barbeque Secret Corn Pudding Recipe
If you can’t get to one of Q Barbecue’s four locations in the Richmond area, here’s some inspiration just in time for summer grilling. We asked pitmaster Tuffy Stone for this fan favorite side dish and he willingly obliged. It’s the perfect accompaniment to your chargrilled protein, or just on its own with a salad of summer tomatoes, cukes and garden greens. Tip of the Day: Be sure to use the same, or similar, high quality ingredients in this classic Southern tribute to the king of summer vegetables – corn.
 Head shot of Tuffy Stone aka “The Professor” Tuffy, aka ‘The Professor’, is a barbecue ninja. Oh, and I should mention he’s also a classically trained French chef. Working with his team “Cool Smoke”, the Lynchburg native and über pitmeister has won countless awards for his smoked meats.
 Q Barbeque’s Ribs He has appeared on the TV show BBQ Pitmasters and was a judge on Season Three. Last October he dazzled the barbecue world with a win at the 2015 Jack Daniel’s Invitational BBQ competition in Lynchburg, TN.
 Q Barbeque’s Famous Corn Pudding
To give his corn pudding authenticity, Tuffy uses freshly shucked corn and Patrick Henry Yellow Cornmeal, milled by Ashland Milling Company of Virginia. If you’re serving a crowd, just double or triple the recipe. www.QBarbeque.com
Q Barbeque’ s Corn Pudding
Yield: 5 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
- 4 ½ tablespoons diced onions
- 4 ½ tablespoons corn, cut off the cob
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 rounded tablespoon of yellow cornmeal
- 1 extra-large egg, beaten
- ½ egg yolk, beaten
- ¾ creamed corn or ½ (14.5 ounce) can creamed corn
- 1 rounded tablespoon sour cream
- 2/3 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
- ¼ cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and 8-x-8-x-2-inch glass baking dish with butter and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and corn. Cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cornmeal, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add creamed corn and sour cream, beating for 1 minute on lowest speed.
- Add milk and cream, beating for 1 minute.
- Add melted butter, salt, pepper, and corn mixture, beating for 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
- Place a shallow pan on the lower oven rack and place baking dish inside. Fill larger pan with enough water to come up halfway on sides of baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then turn pan ¼ and back for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Samantha Lee, Guest Contributor
June 9, 2016
 Suma Restaurant + Bar Suma Restaurant + Bar is an New American style restaurant located near Bethesda Row. Suma translates to “born in the summer”. Boasting an outdoor 20-seat patio with sectional sofa and basket-woven chairs, the indoor dining room comfortably seats up to 57 people. The large windows give off an airy feel to restaurant, while French doors bring in more natural light.
 Suma Patio Chef Gene Sohn has been in the DC hospitality industry all his life. Eschewing a path to business school, he chose to become a chef. Moving up in rank and responsibility from dishwasher to Chef de Cuisine, he worked for the Robert Wiedmaier Restaurant Group including the prestigious Marcel’s and the ever-popular Mussel Bar in Bethesda for almost 8 years. Eventually he teamed up with Jay Evans, the former General Manager of Mussel Bar – Bethesda, and Jennifer Day to open Suma. Sohn aims at mastering simple, classical dishes with a modern twist.
 Suma Restaurant Interior
 Suma Art Decor The restaurant is modern with an art deco vintage theme. Some of the quirky artifacts include a Japanese Pagoda, green pear-shaped candles in a lantern, decorative lamps with spiral-patterned shades, metal sculptures, and a golden glass bowl. In one of the corners of the restaurant a Vermouth Bianco poster oversees the room. Booths sport a honey brown pattern and lighting comes via vintage lightbulbs. Six bar stools create an intimate feel to the small spot.
 Vermouth Bianco  Suma Bar The menu reflects the chef’s seasonal approach. In lieu of bread service, expect a plate of homemade pickled vegetables – spicy cucumbers, onion and cauliflower.
 Pickled Platter For my appetizer I chose Maryland Crab Dip – a slightly creamy, mix of fresh lump crabmeat with butter and Old Bay and topped with panko bread crumbles. It arrived in a cast iron skillet on a wooden plank with slices of warm baguette. I found it to be light and savory with no discernible filler.
 Maryland Crab Dip Of particular pleasure are the Deviled Eggs garnished with goat cheese, bacon bits, and chives and served over chipotle aioli.
 Deviled Eggs Close Up On the day I visited the specials featured Lobster Bisque, Salmon Burger, and Seared Tuna, all of which sounded delicious but I had my eye set on the Pan Seared Halibut, an entree of line-caught halibut fillet lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and dressed with a buttery tomato and caper sauce. Light in texture, it was accompanied by lemon-accented whipped Yukon potatoes and asparagus. The dish was perfectly prepared and delicately seasoned.
 Pan Seared Halibut Desserts were luscious sounding – Vanilla Creme Brulee, Banana Nut Bread Pudding, Chocolate Chip Brownie, Mango Sorbet and Pistachio Parfait – and it was difficult to decide. I opted for warm Vanilla Creme Brûlée made with freshly scraped vanilla bean pods and topped with a scoop of creme fraiche – a shareable portion that was light and not too sweet.
 Creme Brulee Suma Restaurant + Bar, 4921 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814. 301 718-6378. For information and reservations visit sumabethesda.com. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily (except Monday’s). Happy hour is from 4-7 pm and brunch on the weekends is from 11 am-4 pm. Happy Hour specials include $2 off drafts, wine by the glass, all products from Maryland, and $1 oysters. The restaurant is three blocks south from the Bethesda Metro station. There is not a private lot but there are multiple public parking garages within a 0.5 mile radius.
Photo credit ~ Samantha Lee
June 13, 2016
Jordan Wright
 The grounds of Wentworth Mansion Last Friday the magnificent Wentworth Mansion served as backdrop for Southern Living magazine’s 50th anniversary celebration in Charleston, South Carolina. The iconic shelter magazine, rated as the largest regional lifestyle publication in the nation, paid tribute to its past by acknowledging its history of recipes and tradition with “A Taste of the Decades”. Southern Living Editor-in-Chief Sid Evans presided over the festivities greeting guests who strolled the grounds during the cocktail reception before sitting down to a lavish five-course dinner. Wine pairings were provided by Moet Hennessy.
Executive Chef Marc Collins, of the adjacent fine dining restaurant, Circa 1886, designed the five-course Lowcountry menu to reflect each decade of the magazine’s classic recipes. Collins a major player in the founding of Charleston Wine + Food, clearly was inspired by the culinary challenge.
Southern Living’s 50th Anniversary Dinner “A Taste of the Decades”
 “Spam” disguised as Quiche Lorraine Hors d’Oeuvres
Charleston Press Club Meat Balls ‘93
Shrimp-In-A-Pickle ‘86
Fried Green Tomatillos, Jalapeno Jelly ‘97
Paired with Domaine Chandon Étoile Brut
Napa Valley, California (Founded in 1973)
 Heirloom Tomato Aspic with Blue Crab The 60’s
Heirloom Tomato Aspic
Blue Crab, Lemon Mayonnaise, Roasted Garlic Purée, Baby Basil,
Smoked Cheddar Croutons
Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon 2015
Cape Mentelle, Margaret River, Australia (Founded in 1970)
 Chicken with Cashews Salad The 70’s
Chicken with Cashews Salad
Bibb Lettuce, Pepper Relish, Chicken Confit, Carolina Gold Rice Polpette, Cashew Butter, Sherry n’ Soy Vinaigrette
Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay 2013
Spring Mountain, California (Founded in 1977)
 Seared Foie Gras with a side of Green Bean Casserole and Beech Mushroom and Parsley Salad The 80’s
Green Bean “Casserole”
Seared Foie Gras, Crispy Onion Rings, Lemon Gelée,
Beech Mushroom & Parsley Salad
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013
Marlborough, New Zealand (Founded in 1985)
 A surprise dish served in a TV dinner tray of Edna Lewis’ Collard Greens, Blackened Catfish and Corn Pudding The 90’s
Elegant Beef Blue
Rosewood Farms Wagyu Shoulder Tender, Blue Cheese Crust, Asparagus, Chardonnay Pan Sauce
Bodega Numanthia, Numanthia 2009 served from a magnum
Toro, Spain (Founded in 1998)
 A Trio of Cakes ready to go out The Y2k’s
A Trio of Southern Cakes – Hummingbird, Red Velvet and Coconut
What a night! What a heavenly fête! Don’t you just wish you were there.
Photo credit: Marc Collins
Jordan Wright
June 14, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Brent Barrett (Georges) with Sam Brackley, Jay Westin, Isaiah Young, Ethan Kasnett, Darius Delk, Phil Young. Photo by Christopher Mueller. A marabou boa-filled extravaganza blew into town with Matthew Gardiner’s La Cage Aux Folles. As glitzy as Vegas, as chi-chi as its French Riviera setting, and as campy and flamboyant as Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein intended, this six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy hits all the right notes. Director Gardiner doing double duty as choreographer, takes on the story of two gay men with a nightclub in Saint-Tropez, where, as we all know, anything goes. At least that’s what Cole Porter taught us.
Georges, the straight-looking one (Is there an app for that?) and the club’s emcee, is played by Brent Barrett, who looks and sings like a young Robert Goulet. His paramour and right-hand man/gal is Albin, stage name Zaza, whom actor Bobby Smith portrays like the metamorphic stages of a caterpillar to a butterfly and the killer instincts of a shark.
 DJ Petrosino (Jacob) and Paul Scanlan (Jean-Michel). Photo by Christopher Mueller. Georges has a son, Jean-Michel (Paul Scanlan), the result of a quickie with a showgirl in a one-night-only heterosexual fling. The problem is the dear boy wants to introduce his dewy-eyed fiancée, Anne (Jessica Lauren Ball) and her ultra-conservative parents to his father and jet-setting mother. What ensues is a sort of gay version of Meet the Parents, with Georges, Albin and their snippy maid Jacob (DJ Petrosino). “I thought I hired a butler!” quips Georges. Keep your eyes on the hilarious Petrosino who is a first class scene stealer.
 Bobby Smith (Albin). Photo by Christopher Mueller. It takes place within the confines of their first floor nightclub and second floor home, with an occasional stroll along the shore to reminisce. Scenic Designer Lee Savage has upped the wow factor by giving us an insider’s view of the drag club’s green room. Two dressing rooms bracket the stage and we become voyeurs to the cross-dressing performers, primping and preening in various stages of undress.
 Ethan Kasnett (Chantal). Photo by Christopher Mueller. But this show is not all show. There are no lip-synching Diana Ross lookalikes in this line up of gender-bending chorines. This is the real deal. Hey, even Jesus makes an appearance, but I’ll keep the surprise. No one here is, to borrow a phrase, ‘resting on pretty’. Gardiner has cast some extraordinary performers with pipes that can go from alto to soprano in a New York minute, fantastic dance skills (Did he really? OMG to the full splits and high kicks) and GQ-worthy bodies too. Big applause to the supporting cast of Les Cagelles: Sam Brackley, Darius R. Delk, Ethan Kasnett, Jay Westin, Isaiah W. Young and Phil Young. How they transform themselves into glam divas is alone worth the price of admission! Extra ‘chicken cutlets’ (gel inserts) all around. And an additional hats off to Frank Labovitz’s over-the-top, ab fab, feathered and sequined costumes, and Anne Nesmith’s endless assortment of towering wigs.
But there’s a plot here too and notwithstanding the lights (kudos to Jason Lyons) and sound (hats off to Lane Elms) we are treated to one of the year-to-date’s best performances by Bobby Smith, in a tour de force portrayal of Albin, the headlining drag performer whose boundless love and sacrifice teaches us the ultimate truth of what “family” really means.
Highly recommended for its tender love story and comic relief in the midst of our turbulent times.
Through July 10th at Signature Theatre (Shirlington Village), 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call 703 820-9771 or visit www.sigtheatre.org.
Jordan Wright
June 12, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Shylock (Matthew Boston) looks on disapprovingly as Lorenzo (William Vaughan) tries to steal a kind word with Jessica (Dani Stoller) – Photo by Teresa Wood Resident Dramaturg, Michele Osherow, lays out the historical landscape behind playwright Aaron Posner’s architecture of his world premiere, District Merchants – a re-imagining of The Merchant of Venice. Commissioned by Folger Theatre as part of its 2016 celebration of 400 years of Shakespeare, this rendition becomes an exploration of class and difference among Blacks and Jews in the post-Civil War era.
To circumscribe the tumultuous times that defined the 1870’s when Blacks had won their freedom and the country was struggling to get its footing, Osherow reminds us that “the England into which Shakespeare was born had barred Jews for centuries.” And further, “that members of the Jewish race were believed to have murderous impulses”. In fact, she explains, in many instances violence against Jewish creditors were committed to avoid paying back debts. She faults “the hypocrisy of a world obsessed with cash and credit.” And it is within this context that we can better comprehend Posner’s intent to humanize Shylock.
 Shylock (Matthew Boston, right) works out the terms of his loan with Antoine (Craig Wallace) in Aaron Posner’s ~ Photo by Teresa Wood. Set amid the reconstruction era in Washington, DC, we find Shylock (Matthew Boston) and Antoine (Craig Wallace as the character better known as Antonio), two rapacious opportunists looking to make their fortunes in a dramatically altered nation. For Shylock it is money lending, aka loan sharking. For Antoine, a free Black man, it is any scheme that he can put his mind to. “You can think of me as an opportunistic philanthropist or a philanthropic opportunist, or you can just think of me as an American,” he boasts, neatly absolving himself of both guilt and responsibility.
 Nessa (Celeste Jones, left) is stunned to hear of Portia’s (Maren Bush) inspired plan to disguise herself as a male lawyer ~ Photo by Teresa Wood. In Posner’s version the beautiful heiress Portia (Maren Bush) struggles to assuage her White guilt with her Black maid Nessa (Celeste Jones), while at the same time, she is clueless that her adored suitor, Benjamin Bassanio (Seth Rue), is a penniless mulatto. Concurrently the pious Jewess Jessica (Dani Stoller), daughter to Shylock, is falling for Lorenzo (William Vaughan) a Wasp with little education but mad skills in wooing. For her, he’s a way out of her father’s oppressive household. For him, she is a ticket to a new and prosperous life. Vaughan plays up the ‘aw shucks’ outlier to an endearing hilt – cagey meets naïve is a tricky balance – and he nails it. Meanwhile Lancelot (Akeem Davis), Shylock’s servant, bobs and weaves his way into Nessa’s heart. Davis makes the most of this secondary role through charm alone.
 Lancelot (Akeem Davis) receives a most important letter from Nessa (Celeste Jones) ~ Photo by Teresa Wood. Director Michael John Garces skillfully directs Posner’s timely re-interpretation with an engagingly intense cast whose characters are carefully crafted to allow us to be drawn in by their passions and nonetheless disgusted by their hostilities and intolerance. Boston’s Shylock remains chillingly coldhearted. But Posner reveals a shaft of explanation in the moneylender’s second act soliloquy when he demands that we, the audience, feel his pain, his outcast status, the loss of his daughter. Stoller, as his daughter, is wonderful – exceptionally expressive and nuanced. Maren Bush proves to be utterly engaging as the gender-switching Harvard law grad, holding the audience captive in a wait-for-it, wait-for-it moment of cringe-worthy indecision as to whether or not to marry Bassanio. “I’m stuck,” she finally blurts out, “I wish I could say ‘yes’, that the world was different. But I’m not big enough inside.” Craig Wallace as the swaggering Antoine, the antithesis of of a compliant Black man, gives a commanding and indelible performance.
Themes of financial scandal, racial injustice and religious conflict keep the story relevant. Modern colloquialisms keep it alive.
Highly recommended.
Through July 3rd at the Folger Theatre at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. For tickets and information call 202 544-7077 or visit www.Folger.edu/theatre.
Jordan Wright
May 25, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Maulik Pancholy as Katherina and Peter Gadiot as Petruchio. Photo by Scott Suchman. A curious production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is currently showing at Sidney Harman Hall. I say curious, because it doesn’t have a real identity – unless you want to call this classic play a gender-bending musical with anti-feminist leanings. In another words, it’s all over the place in terms of direction and cast.
 Oliver Thornton as Bianca and Maulik Pancholy as Katherina. Photo by Scott Suchman. Tapping into Shakespeare’s use of an all-male cast, Director Ed Sylvanus Iskander has instead given us an ersatz drag show (I’ve seen far better) performed by an oddly uneven cast. The only thing worth holding your breath for is Tony Award-winning Jason Sherwood’s heart-stopping, gold gilded, rotating set, Seth Reiser’s intricate lighting design and Duncan Sheik’s rock music with a catchy backbeat. But, trust me, you will never hear a cast recording of Sheik’s terrific music, since the all-male voices were either gravelly or garbled and, far too often, off-key.
 Matthew Russell as Tranio and Telly Leung as Lucentio. Photo by Scott Suchman. Before I enumerate the plethora of disasters this dismal interpretation holds in store for lovers of the Bard of Avon, I must give credit to the two performers who, despite all discombobulations, kept this three-hour snoozefest from becoming even more intolerable. Peter Gadiot as Petruchio is a marvel of timing, delivery and believability. Blessedly he became the glue that held the plot, as it were, together. And the hilarious stage antics of André De Shields who exudes the classical training and timing of a true actor’s actor, most especially in a hilarious death scene.
Modern day renditions of this comedy are more likely to have the tongue firmly planted in the cheek when it comes to interpreting Petruchio’s male dominance and Kate’s subservience. Nowadays the misogynistic elements are firmly tamped down and contemporary stagings present it as a light-hearted romp with Kate’s willfulness interpreted as her independent feminist spirit. But here Iskander offers up Kate as a victim of the Stockholm Syndrome, subjugating herself and willing the other “ladies” of her acquaintance to follow her lead, which results in them genuflecting side by side in the finale with palms upraised to God, giving themselves over to the demands of the men to be good, obedient wives. I felt as though I’d been hurtled backwards into a time warp before women had the vote.
Under Eskander’s direction Loren Shaw’s costumes veer wildly from classical robes to modern street wear – dressing Bianca in a pink 50’s chiffon frock, the “obvious” males in exaggerated codpieces and Hortensio sporting silver sequined high heels after a make out session with one of the women’s suitors. What’s the point? Ask the paparazzi that appear on stage to snap photos of Bianca acting like Madonna. Maybe they can explain. And I won’t dignify the bondage scene either. So let’s just move on, shall we? Unless you need an explanation for Lucentio in 1970’s pimp’s fur coat and fedora, or a reason for Petruchio’s antlers. Hardly worth the ink.
 The cast of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. Photo by Scott Suchman. At the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall through June 26th 2016 at 610 F St., NW Washington, DC 20004. For tickets and information call 202 547-1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org.
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