I see my fair share of theater, ranging from way Off-Off Broadway experiments to big money productions on the Great White Way. And while I don't always come away with universally positive reactions, I have never quite encountered the complete sense of bafflement that Richard Foreman's "Idiot Savant," currently at the Public Theater, inspired in me.

This is not to say that I did not enjoy the play. Watching Willem Dafoe on stage in an intimate space for 80 minutes is pretty much a win-win situation. Add in a talented supporting cast, fantastical set design and an enthusiastic audience, and the ante only rises.

With the recent spate of documentaries, designers young and old have been getting plenty of face time these days. But as much as these behind-the-scenes, no-holds-barred portraits can prove revealing — and entertaining — they can often be more about the director's perspective than their subjects' voices. So I was especially excited to hear from them at the Friends of the Costume Institute's season opening event "Young Americans: Designers in Conversation."

As a reporter covering events, I often spend a lot of time simply waiting for celebrities to arrive.

Last night's Versace-sponsored Whitney Studio Party was no exception. After the likes of Alexa Chung, Chanel Iman and Nicole Trunfio had done their step and repeat due diligence, a packed cluster of photographers and press waited and waited and waited some more for Lindsay Lohan. As the time ticked by, I watched the press pit on the red carpet slowly empty out as reporters either gave up hope or moved around to stretch their legs. When Lohan finally showed up, around 10:40 p.m. for a 9 p.m. start time, the currently blonde-tressed actress cum fashion creative director was unusually loquacious.

WWD: Who are some of your favorite artists?

Working on a cultural beat, I receive a rather broad assortment of baffling and, at times, worrying items: endless books on eating and sexual disorders; an embroidered tissue box cover, and even a duct tape DIY tiara kit. The most recent object to land on my desk was a rust-colored Velcro strap-on fur tie. Finally, an answer to my daily sartorial dilemma.

When I settled into my seat at the Broadhurst Theatre for a recent preview of the Donmar Warehouse's "Hamlet," I expected to be enthralled by Jude Law's performance. And his sinewy, intelligent and often humorous turn as the Prince of Denmark did not disappoint.


Less expected, though, was my fascination with the production's set. When my eyes weren't focused on Law's mournful soliloquies (and to be honest, his undeniable comeliness), I was mesmerized by the gray tones and wintry air that permeates the walls surrounding him. A dismal, death-ridden castle has never looked so appealing.

As Jude Law begins previews for his 12-week run as Hamlet on Broadway, audiences can take in an equally dramatic version of the actor next week when Sally Potter's film "Rage" is released simultaneously on DVD, and on mobile devices and online, via Babelgum. Shot interview-style on a blue screen, "Rage" tells the behind-the-scenes story of a fashion show gone very wrong, with actors like Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard and Dianne Wiest playing, respectively, a fashion critic, a fashion house financier and a fashion house manager. An almost unrecognizable Law stars as Minx, a celebrity supermodel whose look comes courtesy of makeup artist Morag Ross.

A trained artist from the Glasgow School of Art, Ross got her maquillage start with BBC London. Her first film was Derek Jarman's "Caravaggio," and she has spent the past 20 years working on multiple movie sets with the likes of Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton. Ross spoke with WWD about transforming Law into a gender-bending mannequin.

When it comes to the party scene, perhaps no player has quite as insider a vantage point as the caterer. From the absurd requests (vegan guests, anyone?) to budget cuts (wondering where all the caviar went?), the culinary spread can be a barometer for a host of social phenomena. Mary Giuliani has been feeding fashion folks and charity-goers since 2005 with her namesake catering business. This summer alone, she has overseen 30 events including
Jessica Seinfeld's Baby Buggy dinner in Amagansett and Alyssa Milano's wedding this past Saturday. With more than 15 gigs lined up for New York Fashion Week (including nine on Fashion's Night Out), Giuliani quite literally has a full plate. She chatted with WWD about Pilgrim costumes, magical dining and foregoing the fois gras.

 
WWD: Have you seen a direct economic impact on the events you cater?
Mary Giuliani: Yes, I think we were popular this summer because our food has always been fun and approachable. People wanted food that reflected low key, comfortable entertaining --food and drinks that made people want to take off their shoes and stay awhile.

WWD: Pigs in a blanket, mini burgers and mini grilled cheese have become ubiquitous at parties this year. Do you think that's a product of the economy?
M.G.: I think everyone loves these items and used the economy as a great excuse to not have to serve or eat caviar, foie gras or smoked salmon.
 

New York's unseasonably cool summer has finally thrown down a week of humid, makeup-melting days. That didn't stop Rose Byrne from test-driving one of fall's much-noted looks, the bold shoulder, Tuesday night at a Brooks Brothers-sponsored Cinema Society screening of her new film "Adam." While fellow attendees like Eva Amurri and Charlotte Ronson went the sleeveless route, the slim Aussie worked a baltic blue lace, mock turtleneck dress by Christian Cota with a structured shoulder, accessorized with Brian Atwood patent leather heels and Bottega Veneta fine jewelry and clutch. "I find Rose to be captivating: she always gets me emotionally involved with her characters," says Cota of Byrne. "She has that special combination of delicate beauty and strength."

And, apparently, a taste for resourceful style: the frock is from the archives of Cota's fall 2008 collection. Which proves that shopping your wardrobe and staying on trend is possible -- though it helps if that closet belongs to a fashion designer.

Models aren't generally the most loquacious bunch. In fact, talking seems to be generally discouraged among their numbers: they are meant to be visual entities, whose mystique is only heightened by the lack of verbal insight they give. As such, it is usually assumed they don't have very much to say.

Fortunately, Sixties mannequin Dorothy A. McGowan was perfectly at ease last Friday evening when the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Harold Koda and historian Kohle Yohannan chatted with her before a screening of William Klein's "Qui êtes-vous Polly Maggoo?" in which she stars. (It was part of a film series in conjunction with the current "The Model as Muse" exhibit at the Met's Costume Institute. This Wednesday, Isaac Mizrahi will speak about his documentary "Unzipped.")

Fans of Sfoglia's critically lauded Italian cuisine, but not its month-long reservation wait or locale on Manhattan's Upper East Side have a new boite to frequent.