Arts & Entertainment

Adored: Diary of a Porn Star
Corsaro Productions/Wolfe Video
 
Adored: Diary of a Porn Star is the tragic-comedy recounting of the life of fictional Italian gay porn star, Riki Kandinsky (Marco Filiberti). With his curly flaxen locks and perfectly shaped eyebrows, Riki seems to be the porn star embodiment of Cupid/Eros from classical Greek mythos, complete with the soul of a Romantic-era literary hero. Much of Riki's story is centered on his evolving relationship with his brother, Fredericko (Urbano Barberini), whom he reconnects with when their semi-estranged aristocratic father suddenly dies. Riki confesses his career to his brother, who although initially horrified, quickly comes around to loving and respecting his brother (and his brother's work). Riki represents an optimism and love of life that Federicko, crushed by his bourgeois life, does not possess. Riki's saintly status is sealed when there is the young boy that Riki rescues after the boy's mother is suddenly killed in a car crash. The boy awakens genuine, and previously unexpected, paternal feelings in the famed porn star. Alas, that's not how the boy's relatives see it, and an ugly custody battle ensues. The message of this film is the achievement of redemption, and with it, a sense of immortality. One of the final scenes of the movie is Riki receiving a standing ovation at the Gay Olympics while his loved ones watch from TV screens with pride, representing recognition and social acceptance.

TONY Winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson Directs August Wilson's "Seven "Guitars"

By Leslie (Hoban) Blake
The legacy of the late August Wilson is so much more than merely the sum of his ten-play cycle dating from 1900 to 2000. Just ask Ruben Santiago-Hudson, currently directing the Signature Theatre (555 W. 42nd St., (212) 244-7529) revival of Seven Guitars through September 23rd. In 1996, Hudson won a TONY for his portrayal of Canewell in the Broadway premiere of “Seven Guitars,” directed by famed Wilson collaborator, Lloyd Richards, who passed away on June 29 of this year.

CD REVIEWS

PATRICIA BARBER
Mythologies
Blue Note
9/10
Singer-pianist-songwriter Patricia Barber’s latest CD, Mythologies, is an 11-song cycle based on Ovid’s “Metamorphoses.” The musical accompaniment is supplied by Barber’s piano plus her usual quartet members: guitarist Neal Alger, bassist Michael Arnopol and drummer Eric Montzka, supplemented by a guest saxophonist, vocal soloists, a gospel chorus and a children’s hip-hop choir. Barber takes liberties with the Greek myths. For example, Icarus doesn’t crash in this version. In fact, the song is dedicated to Nina Simone and refers to her appearance at a nightclub outside of Philadelphia. “Hunger” glamorizes anorexia (“I’m gorgeous and grateful it’s ‘in’ to be thin”) and “Narcissus” is a sort of gay wedding song. "Whiteworld/Oedipus" has a contemporary political message. Playful, poetic, and profound, Mythologies belongs on jazz’s Mount Olympus.—Barry Bassis

By Susan Lee

Eli Lagarreta, 20, felt a little territorial about the music he had been listening to for 10 years, music no one around him had ever heard.
After all, he started listening to reggaeton—the genre that fuses dancehall, techno and hip-hop—when he visited his extended family in Puerto Rico, where the music first emerged. Starting at age 10, Lagarreta had to convince his grandmother, who lived on the island, to send him the latest reggaeton CDs.

I Get Morningwood Daily
Capitol Records
10/10

As though they've crammed all of the Big Apple's energy into their pants, Morningwood may be one of the only real bands of new rock stars on the planet. Where the Yeah Yeah Yeahs wore down, Morningwood picks up with their self-titled debut album. Their lead singer, the lusty Chantal, doesn't just rock on vocals, but percolates to the beat. With songs like "Jetsetter," “Take Off Your Clothes,” and “Nu Rock,” Chantal gives hope to wild women across the globe that the Jessica Simpson porn-star-thing is nothing compared to a willful, balls-out rock goddess. The best thing about Morningwood – who's accurately self-described as "a monster truck having sex with a Bond girl" – is that their blow-to-the-soul energy is portable with the power to make its listener throw off doldrums and dance like a maniac anytime, anyplace.—Angela Lovell

CIRQUE DE SEAPORT
Just around the bend, at the end of Pier 17, awaits an intensely stimulating and peculiar audio-visual affair. Absinthe: Les Artistes de la Clique commemorates the sensual, dangerous, excessive pleasures of a true cabaret circus. Characters include the wandering, sword-swallowing host Miss Behave and David O’Mer, the aerial tumbler who splashes the front row after rising to the air from a bathtub. The daily 8 p.m. performances Tuesday through Sunday (including an extra show at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday), however, still scarcely exceed demand, as tickets, at $20-68 a piece, are extremely limited. Call Ticket Central at (212)279-4200 or visit the nearby Box Office ahead of time.

Artists Barter Performances For Healthcare

By Renee DeFranco
Move over, Amateur Night at the Apollo – now New York’s undiscovered performers are making their debut in a New York City public hospital. And they’re being paid with something that’s worth more than cash at this point.

By John Koblin
A trip to a museum or an art gallery is supposed to be a moment of heady contemplation. But imagine that reflective stroll at a much faster clip; one in which you don’t have time to consider complex works of art but only take notice of what instantly catches your eye.

Fall Theater Includes Eccentrics, Revolutionaries
By Barry Bassis
One sure bet for the fall season is Grey Gardens, with a script by playwright Doug Wright and songs by composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie. The musical is based on the Maysles Brothers' documentary film of the same name. The story focuses on the eccentric Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter, "Little" Edie. They became press sensations when it was discovered that the pair, who were living in a filthy and dilapidated 28-room mansion in East Hampton, were the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

CD Reviews

Bumblefoot Asks, “What Is Normal Anyway?” 
Bald Freak Records 
10/10 

Before playing guitar for Guns N Roses’ European tour this summer, New Jersey artist, Bumblefoot, released his seventh album, Normal, in which he illuminates his own experience with anti-depressants. An extraordinarily talented guitarist, Bumblefoot also excels on vocals, making you wonder why he isn’t looped continuously on MTV by now. With a sound and lyrics combo that overwhelms, it will take you at least a dozen listens to fully absorb Normal. The album plays out his personal journey from corny ‘n clever with “Rockstar For A Day” to the positively paired “Awake”. Bumblefoot gives his all. Even when playful with its title track and anti-love songs, Normal goes strong in its angst and conviction, making it one of the best albums you’ll hear this year.—Angela Lovell