Every now and then, I like to see theatre that will amuse me. Pure and simple. Bad Habit Productions, a My Theatre Award winning Boston company, delivers solid production after production. Their latest show is an original adaptation of one of the Bard’s finest comedies. Their William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing . . . […]
Song cycles are tough. With isolated songs and vignettes, the audience glimpses briefly into the lives of the people in Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World. These people are faced with that moment of decision-making, where they stand on the brink of choice and change. I find the concept really electric and intriguing. […]
Timing is everything. The Boston University College of Fine Arts showcased some astounding talent in their recent production of Assassins by musical genius Stephen Sondheim. Concluding their year-long “Keyword: Violence” festival, the CFA program explores America’s famous (and not so famous) assassins through their stories and motives, but, more importantly, the show offers a compelling […]
Michel Tremblay has mommy issues. The more of his work that I see, the more I recognize the loving but fraught tension that drives young writers to write about their mothers. In the beautiful, hopeful and inventive For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, Tremblay recreates his mother in exuberant, true, and positive detail. In […]
If you were to do a search of the most commonly used phrases on this website, one of the top hits would undoubtedly be “mixed bag”. I use the term constantly, mostly because I insist that a review include at least one criticism and one compliment for every production. But, really, most things lean to […]
I’m very fond of Encore Entertainment. Their heartfelt production of The Laramie Project was sweetly affecting, and their theatrical concert Song in the Key of Stephen was chock full of fantastic performers, clever song choice and thoughtful production. Their latest effort, the comic two hander Wrong for Each Other, however, was a far cry from […]
One of the most notable things about Soulpepper is the incredible bench depth the company has going for it. The effect is that almost every Soulpepper show feels like it has an all-star cast. This phenomenon was in full force on opening night of the 20th century American comedy You Can’t Take It With You. […]
When I was a kid, I was completely obsessed with Riverdance and its far more linear counterpart Lord of the Dance. Obsessed. I would listen to the soundtrack in the car, make up fake Celtic words to the songs, invite my friends over to dance along with Michael Flatley on the old VHS. When my […]