Journalist Dorothy Thompson Back in the limelight

Cassandra Speaks -While famous in her day, Dorothy Thompson is hardly a household name these days, especially for young people. Thus Cassandra Speaks is a fine opportunity to become acquainted with this pioneering journalist. . . Read More

A Fine New Fiddler in the berkshires

Fiddler on the Roof - What a way for Barrington Stange to launch its 2012 Main Stage season! Broadway veteran Brad Oscar as a brilliantly nuanced Teyve, with more than two dozen performers to play his wife, five daughters, their suitors and other Anatevkians. And "miracle of miracles" — each one a standout, as is Jerome Robbins original choreography as vividly reproduced by director-choroeographer Gary John LaRosa. Barrington Stage has a history of beautifully staged classic musicals, this season's Fiddler On the Roof, is the best ever, as close to perfection as you can get . . . Read More

A "New" VAnya for Londoners

Uncle Vanya - What a pleasure it is to return to London’s new fringe theatre, The Print Room. to see a great classic given a fresh and exciting production! Lucy Bailey has directed Uncle Vanya with such clarity that the message about the state of the Russian nation comes over as prominently as the despair of the individual characters. . . .


Chekhov's  bored  Russians  are  having a  high old time -- last week New Yorkers   rushed  downtown  to  see  Annie Baker's  new translation and Sam Gold's  "living room"   staging at the tiny SoHo rep-- and exhiirating  but physically  uncomfortable  experience.   Now Londoners  get an exciting new look at the play.

My first Berkshire 2012 review

Summer 2012 Reviews
Parasite Drag - The title of Mark Roberts' tragi-comedy now in its East Coast premiere at Shakespeare & Co's second stage symbolizes the traumas that have haunted two brothers and their sister. Roberts, has used his experience as a TV sitcom writer (Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly) to have his take on the ever popular dysfunctional drama to his Midwestern House of Atreus story function as much as a comic soap opera as a Greek tragedy . . . Read More

A Glorious Night In Central Park

As You Like It The Public Theater is celebrating its 50th anniversary season at the Delacorte Theater (in Central Park) with Daniel Sullivan’s terrific new staging of As You Like It. Starring Lily Rabe as the resourceful Rosalind, Shakespeare’s comic masterpiece is lucidly re-imagined in the American South circa1840 . . . Read More

New at Curtainup Off-Broadway &London

3C - You’ll immediately recognize the set of David Adjmi’s 3C as a dead ringer — down to the ubiquitous house plants and rounded wooden door— for the set of the 1970s-1980s television show Three’s Company. . . . Read More

London

Gatz - The remarkable American production of Gatz from the Elevator Repair Service comes to London as a part of LIFT 2012 the international theatre festival. Recreating F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, The Great Gatsby word for word, it runs at just under eight hours including three intervals, one of 90 minutes and long enough for a meal break . . . Read More

Maltby/Shire's Closer Than Ever=Better Than Ever

Closer Than Ever - It has been over 20 years since Closer Than Ever first reached out to touch 40-plus urbanites with Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire's perceptive songs. Since 1989, the economy has flip-flopped, with several wars, an ongoing debt crisis, technology—we know it all too well. The York Theater's revival of this solid musical revue with four Broadway actors/singers, one pianist and a bass player still proves that less embroidery can reveal more detail. . . . Read More

Ridley Still a hit with Londoners

Tender Napalm -Although it may seem that London has reached Ridley saturation point this year, with four professional productions having already been mounted, the return of Tender Napalm to Southwark Playhouse following its acclaimed run last year and a successful national tour is certainly cause for celebration. . . . Read More

A RARE SO-SO FROM tHE MINT THEATER

The Mint Theater's   efforts to give  neglected plays  their due are  honorable  and  often  wonderful-- but some plays just aren't worth resucitating

Love Goes to Press -Martha Gellhorn and Virginia Cowles were both serious, highly respected and prolific journalists. However, they co-authored their fledgling (and only) play, Love Goes to Press, as a light-hearted romantic spoof about two glamorous reporters for whom any war zone was an opportunity to scoop their male colleagues. Annabel Jones and Jane Mason, the two female reporters central to the farcical plot, were created to be strictly for laughs stand-ins for the authors. . . . Read More

Jim Parsons lowers Roundabout audience age

Harvey - It's great to see Jim Parsons bringing more young people to the theater. If smart casting like this can help to make all Roundabout shows and not just their worthy $20 black box productions destination events for those too young to qualify for AARP membership, it will be a bit like pulling a human-sized rabbit out of a hat.

A rare chance to see The Most Happy Fella

The Most Happy Fella - DiCapo Opera's four-week run of Frank Loesser's classic musical is a rare chance to hear it sung unplugged

Harvey Fierstein's 2st Big Hit Still Resonates

Torch Song Trilogy - After starring in Harvey Fierstein’s musical La Cage Aux Folles at the Menier and on Broadway, Douglas Hodge is in the director’s chair for Fierstein’s earlier play . The magnificent David Bedella takes the lead role as Arnold, lover, drag queen, son and foster parent. .

In the living room with Chekhov's Malcontents

Uncle Vanya - According to the preface to Annie Baker's version of Chekhov's play, whether it's a translation or adaptation depends on how the viewer defines the terms adaptation and translation. Actually, the Uncle Vanya that's now playing at SoHo Rep is both.. .