Monday, October 28, 2013

Broadway Review: Rafe Spall incredible in "Betrayal"

We checked out the much-hyped production of "Betrayal" on Broadway, and the play is even better than advertised.  Daniel Craig, who plays the lead as Robert, is simply one of the best actors of our time and sadly, few would have known it if he hadn't appeared on the big screen as 007.  His wife in real life, Rachael Weisz, was spectacular in her Broadway debut.  Her performance as Emma was full of emotion that still left you wondering where her character was really going or what was in her mind at the end of the play.  In entertainment, that is gold.

But we were blown away by Rafe Spall's performance as Jerry.  You could sense tension in the entire theater as his role playing the quintessential "man in the middle" had everyone personally feel the conflict between relentless desire and overwhelming guilt.  Born in London,  Spall is the son of Timothy Spall, who played the rat in the "Harry Potter" film series.  Rafe has followed in his father's footsteps. Named after the protagonist in "The Knight of the Burning Pestle", both Rafe and Timothy have played this role.

However, Rafe Spall's most notable performance prior to "Betrayal" was as Ian in the movie "One Day".  This movie and Spall's performance in particular have been known to make grown men cry, so you can imagine how good he is on stage.

Shackman Associates New York provides corporate meeting, association convention and destination incentive groups with unique Broadway experiences that have included backstage tours and interaction with key performers.


Ellis Island Re-opens Today

One year after Hurricane Sandy left Ellis Island with major damage, the iconic landmark will re-open today.  Shackman Associates New York has been closely following the repairs and can quickly add a customized trip to Ellis Island to your New York corporate meeting.

We have run multiple events and gala that have incorporated the historic elements into events at Liberty State Park, which connects Ellis Island to the mainland New Jersey.  These events have included period actors who greet meeting attendees when our chartered ferry lands.