The plan was set…Venue selected…Invitations distributed…Food and drink handled…The only thing remaining? Hoping that we’d have a strong turn-out for the big day.  Would people show?  Well…over 70 people made an appearance, check!  Would it really be a big surprise?  Well…My dad was shocked beyond belief (trust me), check!  Would the entire event go off without a hitch?   Well…All appeared to have a great time and everything ran smoothly, so I’d give that a big check too!

I always knew the party had the potential to be something really special for my dad.  At a minimum, it had the foundations of a great party…Food, family and drink.  However, when the prospect of including former soccer players that my dad had coached back in the day was considered, I was both intrigued and inspired.  Combine that with a heart-felt speech and an amazing gift…Boom!  Forget special, we might even be able to enter the realm of spectacular. 

The emotional, yet prideful, look on my father’s face well after the event said it all.  He didn’t have to say anything as I knew what he was thinking:  Spectacular it was…

For those who might be interested in reading the speech (I’ve received several requests from friends / family members asking for it) I wrote for my dad, here it goes along with an accompanying video:

First off, I’d like to thank everyone for taking time from their busy lives in order to celebrate this special milestone in my father’s honor.  60 years young!  I think most would agree that the older you get, the more difficult it is to make the time.  I’m guilty of that myself.  I’m very happy that so many were able to make the time to attend this special occasion today.

Secondly, I’d like to thank all those that helped pull this event together.  My mother (check out her dessert handiwork in the back of the room), my sister (I’m sure you’ve noticed her special touches by now…the invitations, table pictures, cake, etc) and Rui, who was instrumental in ensuring a very special group of guys were able to make it today.  I’ll elaborate more on that in just a moment.   

Finally, I’d like to thank my father…I’d like to that him for being the man he is.  His compassion, discipline and unyielding support have been vital in helping our family remain unified over the years.  His influence, in conjunction with my mother, has guided both my sister and I to become the people we are today.  It’s something we’ll always be eternally grateful for.  For that, we thank you.  Ladies and gentleman, please help me in offering up a warm round of applause?

I’d like to also point out that my father has had a positive impact on others outside of our immediate family as well.  You see, while growing up, soccer was very much engrained in my life; my sister’s life as well for that matter.  I vividly remember the days when I was running wind sprints in my back yard when I was 9 or 10 years old…and having my dad yelling at me every step of the way:  “You’re not working hard enough”  he would scream, “move those legs!”   What do you expect?  We’re Portuguese, right?  You gotta get them started young! 

My father was my coach as far back as I can remember.  For the longest time, I used to think that the only reason he ever bothered coaching was because of me and me alone.  Maybe that’s how it started, but…to my surprise, when I left for Shelton High School and a new coach in 1994, he quickly accepted a coaching position at Kolbe Cathedral High School.  I was both shocked and tremendously confused.  When I selfishly asked him:  “why are you doing this, why are you coaching kids that aren’t me”?, he said the following words.  Words that’ll I’ll never forget and he probably doesn’t even remember saying :  “These kids need my support just as much as you do…Not all of them have a chance to be great soccer players, but all of them have a chance to become great men”.  Wow…I didn’t completely understand it at the time, but I later realized that my father had forged a special bond and commitment to the very same guys I grew up playing soccer with; the very same guys sitting at those tables right there.  Their presence here today is a gift in and of itself.  Thank you guys!

Video montage that I think captures the essence of the party pretty well: 

 The following are photos taken from the event with my camera.  Special shout out to my boy Manny for lending a hand with taking some excellent shots.  If there are others folks that would like to share the photos they took, please send them my way so I can add them to this post for all to see. 

Washington DC is just a fun place to visit, no question about it.  Museums (which I love) are of the highest caliber in the world and all within close proximity of one another.  Oh yeah, did I mentioned that they’re all free?  Great for the budget traveler.  Food is about what you might expect…It’s fantastic.  Ambiance?  The feeling of historical significance hits you like a 2×4 when you walk the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or any other memorial for that matter.  It always get me when I take a moment to stand in very spot that Martin Luther King delivered his “I have a dream” speech.  Just incredible.  The balance of architecture and open space is quite impressive throughout the district.  Quite frankly, it’s visually stunning.  

I’ve experienced DC a number of times in the past, but my fiancé (Kathleen) has not.  It was really important to me that she felt what the political mecca of the world was all about.  As I’ve been working in DC for the past few months, it was just a matter of convincing Kathleen to make the trip – it didn’t take long.  I also invited her friend Tara to partake in the weekend’s festivities.  They both braved the long drive and we started our excursions on a Friday.  

My close friend, Joe, would essentially be our tour guide for the weekend.  Not only does he have a heart of gold, he also has an ultra-convenient SUV that easily transported us around the city.  What a blast!  It might not seem like we experienced alot but I can assure you, we squeezed a lot into our trip. 

Also, be sure to turn up the volume to hear the video I put together.  I think it really captures the essence of our weekend.  I’m also quite confident that Joe’s little son, Kameel, will absolutely love the songs I chose.  He’s a huge Alicia Keys fan. 

Highlights of the weekend:
1. Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum…Just a fun place.  I personally love the Wright Brother’s exhibit the best!
2. The Supreme Court…Sitting in the courtroom really was a special experience and a first for me.
3. The Capitol…Now that the visitor center is complete, the tour is so much better.
4. National Museum of American Indian…The cafe was recommended by a buddy of mine, which might seem odd to recommended a random cafeteria in a museum.  Tell you what…It was pretty great.
5. Botanic Gardens…Very relaxing place.
6. Lovely dinner at Joe & Linda’s home in Fairfax, Virginia…My god can Linda cook. 
7. Lincoln Memorial…Inspiring.
8.  Library of Congress…First time for me.  The interior architecture was gorgeous. 
9.  Smithsonian Museum of Natural History…Spent a lot of time there before, so it wasn’t very exciting for me.  Kathleen and Tara were blown away by the Hope Diamond and each requested a 45 carat diamond of their own.
10. Korean, Vietnam and World War II Memorial…Haunting.  Especially the Korean memorial in the evening.
11. White House and Washington Monument…Looking forward to one day actually going inside the white house.  My buddy is working on it for me.  Apparently it requires 60 day notice. 
12. Walking the Pier on K Street…Fun time walking the pier at night.
13.  Teaching Kameel how to fist-bump on command…I believe this bit of education has made Kameel instantly cooler.
14.  The Caucus Room…Great restaurant.  It used to exclusively cater to the political elite some 10+ years ago, and still pulls in some interesting characters from time to time.  Would you believe me if I told you that Buzz Aldrin was 10 feet from our table enjoying a nice cut of beef?  Indeed he was.  How did we know?  Well, we waited until after he left the restaurant before we asked a waiter who he was.  Doh!  Talk about missing an amazing photo op! 
15.  Watching the World Cup finals at Joe’s house…Great game and company.  I was rooting for the Dutch to pull off the upset, but the Spanish were just too strong. 

Washington DC from Richard Vinhais on Vimeo.

 The following are some photos taken over the weekend:

Does anyone else out there find it exceeding difficult to find a TV show that both you and your significant other can enjoy together?  Well, it’s a regular challenge that both Kathleen and I deal with on a regular basis.  She’s obsessed with her morbid crime documentaries or dry Egyptology shows, where as I enjoy silly shows like House or So you think you can dance.  We all have our vices…But every once in a while there’s a show that really works for both of us.  The Cake Boss is one such show.

The show is about Buddy Valastro, who  is one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the United States.  He’s the master baker of Carlo’s City Hall Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey.  He’s the BOSS, hence the name.  He basically supervises a team that includes his mother, four older sisters and three brothers-in-law.  The show blends the artistry of cake-making and the drama associated with running a family business.  There are a bunch of characters on the show, which bring us endless entertainment. 

While watching a recent episode, Kathleen and I thought it would be a cool idea to visit the actual bakery in Hoboken.  We joked around about a few times, but I didn’t actually think we’d ever end up going.  I mean, it’s not like it’s just down the street.  We’re talking about a 2 hr drive.  Well, as you might have guessed by now, we chose a date and stuck to it.  We’d be accompanied by our close friend Tara and Kathleen’s brother, Joey.  We chatted and laughed the entire way there.  It was great! 

We left early Sunday morning and arrived around 10:30 am.  After waiting in a line that wrapped around the block for a good hour or so, we were given a number and entered the historic Carlo’s Bakery.  What a mad house!  Organized chaos is the best way I could describe it.  Every customer was essentially assigned an employee who would then handle your order.  There had to be at least 30 order takers!  Insane.   Unfortunately Buddy wasn’t there, but we did meet a few of his sisters, who have strangely enough become celebrities in their own right.  Although we didn’t get a chance to see Buddy, it was totally worth it.   We gathered our nearly $100 worth of baked goods and mentally prepared for an onslaught of delectable goodness.  But first, we’d have lunch at a local Johnny Rockets for some burgers and fries.  Yeah, eating healthy was low on our list of priorities that day.  It was all about glutinous satisfaction. 

After our long ride back home, we quickly dove into our stash of goodies, which was comprised of:  Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gourmet Cupcakes, Crumb Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Covered Strawberries and a number of other deadly treats.  Wow, here it is a week later and I’m still feeling the effects of that ridiculous sugar binge.  Never again…Eh, on second thought.  Give me a few months to recuperate and I should be good to go again. 

Below are some photos from our journey:

Ahhh, nothing beats a home-cooked meal.  I take great comfort in a nice meal prepared by myself or Kathleen while relaxing at home.  We don’t cook often, but when we do it’s always enjoyable.  Part of the reason we don’t cook very often is because I’m usually away from home four nights a week while traveling for work.  This means I’m essentially forced to eat out just about every night.  Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy eating out just as much as the next guy.  I really do!  But…as you might imagine, it’s not always the healthiest option.  Especially when you’re consistently hitting nice restaurants.  I don’t know about you, but I almost feel obligated to try the most popular dish when I visit a new place.  Most popular doesn’t always equate to the healthiest.  And of course…My meal is usually accompanied by banter with colleagues and a few drinks.  It can be good times, but it can also get old really quickly.  Not the company, but the rich food!

So when my old buddy Joe said his wife Linda wanted me over to dinner, and she’d be cooking, I was thrilled.  She’s an amazing cook and I view them both as family, so I knew I would have a great time.  I even got to spend some time with their beautiful little boy, Kameel, whom I bonded with over potato chips prior to dinner.  What a cute kid!  I decided to document this evening as it’s a rare instance where I was actually treated to a home-cooked meal on the road.  And in my book, that’s a pretty special occasion.  Thank you both for the great night!

Oh yeah, another reason the evening was so memorable was how it actually came to a close.  Joe was giving me a ride back to my hotel pretty late at night, so there was virtually no traffic.  He zipped his way down the highway without a care in the world.  At one point, he blew past a car and muttered the following  words under his breath: “hmm, I wonder if that was a……oh well, guess not”.  He then proceded to pull away from the car.  2 minutes later, then sirens were flashing and my buddy Joe was pulled over and read the riot act.  The police officer was extremely chatty!  I mean, I can’t express how painful it was listening to him lecture not only about the infraction, but about his department, life story and god knows what else he was ranting about.  It reached a point where I almost wanted to ask him to just ticket us already.  But what will always stand out in my mind’s eye about that night were the first words Joe uttered to the police officer when he came to his window. 

Police Officer:  You know you saw me, so why did you continue to accelerate???

Joe:  Ohhhh, I thought that was a cop.  hehe

Priceless….

Below are a few photos from our special evening:

In my humble opinion, New Orleans is a “must visit” location for all walks of life.  It’s not only reserved for intoxicated frat boys looking to consume as many hurricanes as they can whilst stumbling down Bourbon Street.  Oh, no…It’s so much more.  My time in New Orleans, over Memorial Day weekend, was eye-opening to say the least.  I was blown away by the diverse demographic of people both visiting and living there.  Young, old, black, white, men, women, children, etc.  It’s a delicious jambalaya melting pot of cultural goodness. 

People are exceeding kind there, not to mention extremely laid back.  I could not have thought up a better slogan for the city then the one they already have:  “The Big Easy”.  Absolutely spot on!  And what about the live performers on just about every other street corner?  Incredible.  The music-filled air in the French Quarter placed me into a state of enchantment.  Especially for those truly gifted musicians.  As I walked down Royal Street, I recall being mezmorized by a petite Asian women who was playing the violin in such a way that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.  It was sublime, and felt like it was being played just for me.  Architecture you ask?  Well, I adore the Creole townhouses that line the Quarter.  They’re notable for their large courtyards and intricate iron balconies.  Stunning. 

I was accompanied on my journey by my close friend and “best man”, Mike Pinto.  The trip exceeded his expectations as well, and he’s a pretty harsh critic of just about everything.  Here’s a list of most of the “must dos” and hotspots we fit into our visit: 

The French Quarter, Jackson Square, The French Market, The Garden District, Bourbon Street (we hit many, many clubs on that strip…good for people watching as well), The Mississippi River Boardwalk, The Riverwalk, World War II Museum, Oak Alley Plantation Tour (1 hour drive to get there, located in Vacherie – Awesome), St. Louis Cemetery #1 (Marie Laveu’s tomb is there) & #3, Lower 9th Ward to understand where the levees broke, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Treme, Fulton Street Mall, Harrah’s Casino, Early Beignets at Café du Monde (a must), strolled down Royal and Chartres streets and window shopped the arts, antiques and boutiques (it was during their food and wine festival), St. Charles Streetcar, smoked freshly made cigars, met Anderson Cooper while he was interviewing James Carville, Oceana’s Restaurant (we hit many places to eat, but this was out favorite), did I mentioned we ate alot?

Below is a video montage I created to capture the essence of our trip.  I think it came out pretty well.  The reason I know this?  Because after I watch it, it makes me want to go back.  Enjoy!

Photos we took on our trip:

As I prepare to move onto my next project in Washington DC, I recently took a moment to reflect back on my long term project that has now concluded in New York City.  It was challenging to be sure, but the experience and relationships I forged during that period were incredible. 

I’ve always made a point to document my significant travel experiences, both good and bad, so I never forget.  To be honest, that’s the “true” reason behind why I blog about my travels.  So I don’t forget!  Haven’t you ever gone on an amazing vacation, when after some time passes, you forgot some of the key details that you recalled being your favorite in the first place?  Me too!  Although my time spent in New York was the furthest thing from a vacation, I definitely had some memorable moments — moments that I will never forget. 

With that said, I felt compelled just the same, to document some of the unique nuances that I’ll undoubtedly miss.  Now, I’ve made a number of NYC posts over the past year, but the following video montage brings together some highlights that will always help me remember the little things.  It’s fairly brief, so don’t be afraid of the length.  Also, I could not have chosen a better audio track to compliment the video, so be sure to turn up those speakers.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and the fifth largest city in the world with a population of 12.8 million.  Istanbul is a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey.  The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province.  It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country.  It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents.  Now, let’s move on to some additional perspective of the personal variety.   

Let me come right out and say it:  I loved Istanbul!  The city’s charms instantly captured my heart – even the irritating ones, like the overzealous street vendors and the psychotic drivers who weave their way through tourists and locals alike.  The historical relevance of the country, as you might expect is, extraordinary.  Take, for instance, the fact that this, in its incarnation as Constantinople, is where the “Roman Empire” persisted after the fall of Rome in the Fourth Century for nearly a millennium as the Byzantine Empire.  Oh, and welcome to Ottoman rule for the next 600 plus years. 

How about the architecture, you ask?  Well, the best way I can think to describe the city is that it’s a cultural melting pot of epic proportions.  It’s not everywhere you see a Muslim mosque that evolved from one of the greatest basilicas in Christendom.  Crazy, right?  Hagia Sophia is nothing short of spectacular.  After spending two minutes in that ginormous spectacle of architectural brilliance, I was struck with one profound thought:  It must have taken a megalomaniac of the highest caliber to bring that sanctimonious wet dream to fruition.  Thanks, Justinian!  We marvel at your pomposity even to this day.  In a good way, of course. 

And how about that Blue Mosque, huh?  Both Kathleen and I offered up a collective sigh of awe as we viewed the iconic minaret skyline from our oh-so touristy Bosphorus cruise.  I can only imagine what passengers felt seeing it for the first time as they entered the Golden Horn back in the early 1600s.  I’m sure those who didn’t believe in Allah prior to their visit quickly reconsidered the matter after experiencing an edifice that was built for the sole creator of the universe Himself.  Wouldn’t you? 

And how about those Turks and their engineering prowess?  The Basilica Cistern is a cathedral-sized underground chamber that was used to store Istanbul’s water supply in the city center.  Pretty creative for the 6th century, if you ask me.  I imagine the cistern was nothing special to gawk at back in its day.  But it’s a very different story today.  Supporting columns are lit up with sexy mood lights to demonstrate its depth and scale—not to mention offer tourists a very unique viewing experience. 

Our gastronomical exposure was limited, but there’s nothing new there—we’re not foodies.  With that said, we did try a few delectable torpedoes of love…aka:  Kebabs neatly packaged in a wrap of cornflower goodness.  But…what stole the show for me was the Lahmacun or Turkish pizza.  Totally different from traditional pizza, yet delivers an eerily similar end result—happiness. 

Witnessing the occasional corporate entities such as Starbucks or Burger King really turned me off a few times, as it just felt too familiar, too much like home, and exactly what I wasn’t looking for in our journey.  But I was quickly reminded by the beautiful calls to prayer five times a day, the wonderful aroma of the spice market, and the aggressive haggling by vendors in the Grand Bazaar that I really was in another world, one comprised of amazingly kind people, individuals who are devout in their beliefs, yet tolerant and moderate in their views.  Turkey is a remarkably special place.  If you’re asking yourself whether you should add it to your bucket list or not, you’re asking the wrong question.  The real question you should be asking yourself is why haven’t you gone there yet. 

Our Top 10 favorites in Istanbul:

1.  Hagia Sophia
2.  Blue Mosque
3.  Spice Market
4.  Grand Bazaar
5.  Istanbul Archeological Museum – Insanely impressive
6.  New District – Istiklal Street
7.  Bosphorus Cruise
8.  Galata Bridge
9.  Topkapi Palace
10. Hippodrome

Our Top 10 favorites on our two day voyage outside of Istanbul:

1.  Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) – My favorite part of our trip.  Easily the most unique location I’ve ever seen.
2.  Ancient City of Ephesus – Easily Kathleen’s favorite part of the trip after Hagia Sophia. 
3.  Our amazing tour guide:  Mustafa Kemal Topcu.  Thank you for all the great perspective!  Hope you enjoyed our company over the two days we spent together as much as we did. 
4.  Ancient City of Hierapolis
5.  Kusadasi
6.  House of the Virgin Mary
7.  St. John’s Basilica
8.  Archaeology Museum
9.  Turkish Coffee & Baklava
10.  Beautiful stray cats everywhere you look – easily Kathleen’s second favorite part of the trip, after Ephesus and Hagia Sophia.

For the first time ever, I attempted to create a video montage of our vacation.  I think it captured the essence of our vacation pretty well.  Turn up the volume when you watch it!

 Also, our complete photogallery from our trip:

We hope you’ll joins us to celebrate Liz’s 30th Birthday for a Casino Night theme party at the Waucoma Yacht Club. Feel free to dress like James Bond or in your favorite cocktail dress. There will be professional craps and blackjack dealers, a Texas Hold’em table and Roulette wheel. Everyone will receive $1,000 in play money at the door redeemable for prizes at the end of the night. There will also be a DJ for everyone’s dancing entertainment and an open bar. Gifts and presents are discouraged (although Liz always welcomes a good bottle of Champagne…!)…Looking forward to your presence Saturday evening at the Waucoma for Liz’s 30th. We’ve been receiving calls about what to wear and cocktail dresses and tuxedos are encouraged if you’d like to dress up. Otherwise make yourself comfortable but be aware their may be a few James Bonds in attendance (bonus play money if you’d like to dress up as one of the Bad guys or a “Bond Girl”.

How cool does that sound?  I’d like to start off by saying that Kathleen would not allow me to purchase a tux for the event.  She droned on and on about how I wasn’t even wearing one to our wedding and how it would be weird if I bought one for the party.  Hmmm, I guess she had a point, and after some pathetic pouting I conceded by throwing on my trusty pinstripe suit and was ready to roll.  Kathleen got herself nice and dolled up as well!

The party was great!  Food, alchohol and a friendly crowd really made for a fantastic atmosphere.  What was the highlight of my evening, you ask?  Roulette baby!  I had never played before and it seemed to be the least intimidating (aka confusing) table at the event.  I blew through my first $500 worth of monopoly money in approximately 5 minutes.  I was instantly hooked.  I must confess that I then starting using Kathleen’s chips for a while until I blew through almost half of them as she went off to grab a drink.  Yeah, she put a stop to that nonsense rather quickly.  I have to say, she too got into the festivities by testing her luck.  However, she kept complaining about not knowing what she was doing, but none of us did so it was all good!  Overall, we were doing OK (held steady with the original amounts we were given at the door) for about 45 minutes or so, then the dealers took a 15 minutes break for cake and beverage. 

Upon their return I was ready to go.  I had to make quick work as Kathleen was very tired and needed to get home to bed.  This inspired me to place larger wagers.  So, as people we’re placing $25 chip bets, I started throwing down $100 and $500 gambles.  The dealer instantly started shooting me looks, as if to say “wow, you won’t be here very long at this rate”.  I played all “outside bets”, which were either Red or Black, or Columns.  My momentum was building after I doubled down on $2,500 worth of chips.  Boom!  I won.  Again and again.  Before I knew it, I had a little under $25,000 in chips.  Oh yes, the dealer was stunned! 

I walked over to Kathleen to show her my chips and all she could do was laugh.  At this point, I just wanted to give my chips away so I went all in on black and the middle column.  Keep in mind that by this point, I don’t think there was any one individual who had yet surpassed $5,000 in chips.  What happened next?  Boom!  I hit black and the column, which would catapult my winnings over $75K.  The dealer was visible irritated by now as I had used up all her “high-value” chips, and now had to dull out monopoly money.  Kathleen laughed hysterically, but insisted it was time to go.  So I then did what any respectable young chap would do with all that dinero.  I threw it all into the air and screamed at the top of my lungs: “I’m making it rain bitches!  How you like me now?”  Woman and men quite literally took a collective gasp, then leapt onto the table to collect what they could, causing a frenzy of epic proportions.  It was surreal.  Ok, ok…that didn’t happen at all.  In reality, I calmly dispersed cash to all the people that were at the table and donated all my chips to Joe Hoover (went to high school together), who was my lucky charm that evening and didn’t even realize it. 

Oh the excitement of it all!  Not only will I rent dealers and tables for a future party of my own one day, I now think I’m going to give roulette a shot in Vegas next October.  I’m sure it will only take 2 minutes to loose it all, but what better game to test your luck?

Thanks for the great evening Alexis & Liz!  Below is a video and some photos from the evening:

I caught David Mamet’s RACE recently as I was instantly drawn to seeing James Spader’s name as a cast member.  I loved him on Boston Legal, so after a little research, I learned that he basically takes a darker version of Allan Shore (Boston Legal) character to this rather controversial theatrical drama.  That was all the insight I needed!  So I recruited a friend and hit the show. 

James Spader was exactly as I expected…Incredible and so natural on stage.  I had low expectations for David Alan Grier, but he too was very impressive — this really surprised me to be honest.  I thought Kerry Washington was OK and didn’t really care much for Richard Thomas.  With all that said, the play was wonderful and totally worth the price of admission. 

RACE in itself can at times be a tricky subject to discuss openly.  Stating that this piece confronts the gray areas of racism would be an absolute understatement.  Rest assured, it does not tip-toe around any racial sensitivities.  So be prepared to be taken out of your safe zone.  In fact, more then once I found myself thinking:  ”That is so messed up he said that…I can’t believe it made me chuckle”.  Granted, the humor was by design, but the underlying  message is such a powerful one that it stuck with me for days afterwards.  Go watch it!  You’ll see what I mean.   

I dug up a the following review for the show, which I thought was pretty fitting:

By John Simon of Bloomberg:

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) — David Mamet’s “Race,” which opened last night on Broadway, takes place in a law office where a white man, accused of raping a black woman, seeks legal representation.

Mamet, who also directs, has assembled four talented actors — James Spader, David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington, Richard Thomas — and a top-notch design team. We get a high-voltage melodrama that is unafraid to raise painful questions while dispensing prickly ideas and provocative dialogue amid steady suspense.

Just as in “Oleanna,” Mamet latches on to a controversial issue, in this case the problem of race as it has affected American politics, jurisprudence, sexual relations and life in general. He has boldly asserted that our 230-year national experience has been a dialogue about race and that the theme of his new play is “race and the lies we tell each other on the subject.”

Charles Strickland (Thomas), a socially prominent white married billionaire, is accused of having raped a young black woman in a hotel room. She has gone to court, and he has come to a law firm consisting of white Jack Lawson (Spader), black Henry Brown (Grier) as well as their recent hire (Washington), a young black lawyer, Susan, who is given no last name (could that be some form of discrimination, too?).

Tricky Plot

Charles has, under murky circumstances, parted company with his Jewish lawyer, presumably so as to be represented by a mixed-race firm which might prove to his advantage in the eyes of a jury. He insists on his innocence and wants justice, which he calls truth, to be based on the facts of the case.

But, as cynical Jack informs him, “There are no ‘facts of the case.’ There are two fictions, which the opposing teams seek to impress upon the jury.” Also, “Neither side wants the truth. Each wants to prevail. Does society ‘deserve’ the truth?”

It is a tricky plot, revolving initially around whether the firm can take on a case where, even should they win and reveal the black plaintiff as, at best, a vindictive consensual sex partner, at worst a whore, end up being viewed as having used white power and prestige to destroy a black woman — ergo, as racists.

There is intrigue within intrigue, showing how personal prejudice and individual missteps govern the course of things, and how, where some blacks are concerned, no white can do things right, and may thus elicit retaliation in punitive reverse racism.

Wry Jokes

Mamet adroitly mixes comic darts with tragic arrows, but my telling you any more plot would deprive you of the element of surprise, mandatory, he says, for a legal team to spring on the jury, and no less mandatory, for a critic to allow an author to spring on the public.

I can tell you, however, that the play is full of wry jokes, epigrammatic jolts, and acrid, even cheeky provocations, which, depending on the extent of your guilt feelings, can be taken as deserved flagellation or perfervid overstatement.

All four actors perform compellingly; Santo Loquasto’s decor, Tom Broecker’s costuming, and Brian MacDevitt’s lighting could not be better. You can relish “Race” quite independently of whether you consider it bravura or bravado.

Cool trailer for the show followed by a few photos I snagged off the web:

I caught a play called “A Behanding in Spokane” last night and it was incredible.  It was as though the twisted play was made to match Christopher Walken’s equally creepy persona.  This dark comedy was easily the most entertaining theater going experience I’ve ever had.   

I stumbled upon a great review by Sarah Crompton on http://www.telegraph.co.uk.  I think it captures the essence of the play.  Could not have written it better myself, so I figured I’d quote her directly:

Martin McDonagh is the master of the bloody and the bizarre. In a series of grand guignol dramas, he has filled stages and screens with dead cats, mad assassins and horrific scenes of torture – and then made audiences laugh at the resulting mayhem.

A Behanding in Spokane is his first play set in America, yet it inhabits familiar territory. In a run-down hotel room, a one-handed man opens a wardrobe and shoots at the man banging furiously on the door. The shot triggers an extraordinary series of events, played at 90 minutes without interval, which involve the gunman’s search for his missing hand viciously hacked off by hillbillies in Spokane some 47 years before. 

He is called Carmichael, and is played by Christopher Walken, with long hair and a rare kind of grace. As he seeks to wreak vengeance on the young couple who are trying to trick him by selling him a hand that is not his, he commands the stage, filling it with long pauses, deliberate, slow gestures and strange swooping landings on odd syllables of words. It is mannered, but it works brilliantly as he draws a picture of a man whose life has been warped by his obsession to have returned to him what is his.

The strength of the production at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway, however, is that all four characters on stage are equally strong. As Mervyn, a cussed hotel receptionist who never does quite what you expect, Sam Rockwell creates a wonderful image of a man whom life has disappointed and who longs to be the hero of his own story; Zoe Kazan is funnily feisty as a blonde called Marilyn (the moment when she shins up a pipe in the face of one of the play’s shocking revelations is an absolute joy); and Anthony Mackie is by turns querulous and cringing as her boyfriend Toby.

McDonagh gives them all plenty to say, streams of wild, whirring dialogue that is as unexpected as it is funny. Toby is black and – predictably in a McDonagh play – he is abused by Carmichael in the most politically incorrect of racial epithets, and then castigated by Marilyn for not caring; Mervyn reveals his loneliness and an unexpected passion for monkeys in a monologue before the curtain of Scott Pask’s deliberately old-fashioned looking stage.
Director John Crowley keeps everything moving with the relentlessness of a clock and the power of a freight train. It is almost impossible not to be swept up in the madness.

True, it is all quite heartless, brittle and smart as it weaves its tall tale, in the same moment making the audience both believe and doubt what they see and hear. In a strange way, it is rather like a 21st-century version of a farce – strip away the various brutalities, and you are left with a precisely constructed drama of mistake and misapprehension.

In the past, I’ve found McDonagh’s tendency to treat his characters as cogs in a machine upsetting: I felt he made them suffer too much for me to be able to laugh. But Spokane is in a lighter vein. It is not exactly compassionate, but it has a new lightness of touch. I found it irresistible.

The following are some photos I snagged from The New York Times online: 

I found this teaser clip on You Tube.  It’s the only video snippet I was able to find from the actual play.  Who knows, they may eventually pull it, but in the meantime…Enjoy Mr. Walken doing his thing: