Review: OUT OF CHARACTER at Berkeley Repertory TheatreJune 29, 2023What did our critic think of OUT OF CHARACTER at Berkeley Repertory Theatre? And the winner is [long pause], Ari’el Satchel for The Band’s Visit. The crowd goes wild, agents, fans and friends congratulate him, but Ari’el can’t savor the moment- he’s hiding in the bathroom, a victim of debilitating anxiety and panic. Thus, begins the world premiere of Out of Character, Satchel’s emotionally raw, oft humorous recounting of his battle with OCD.
Review: THE ROAD TO MECCA at Z BelowJune 15, 2023What did our critic think of THE ROAD TO MECCA at Z Below? They say there’s a thin line between madness and genius. Aging widow Helen finds herself caught in a battle between her artistic freedom and conservative moralism. The battle plays out in an attempt to move her from her eccentric, fantasy-filled home to an old-age home supposedly for her safety. Athol Fugard’s award-winning play comes to life with three of the finest acting performances in recent memory.
Review: CHINGLISH at SF PlayhouseMay 12, 2023What did our critic think of CHINGLISH at SF Playhouse? SF Playhouse is all in with their take on Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist David Henry Hwang's Chinglish: stylish set and lighting, excellent direction, and a strong ensemble cast. While there's plenty of comic moments in Hwang's sardonic commentary on language barriers and the effects of those miscommunications, there's also thoughtful observations on fidelity, corporate and judicial corruption, and even nationalism.
Review: POOR YELLA REDNECKS, VIETGONE 2 at A.C.T. StrandApril 14, 2023What did our critic think of POOR YELLA REDNECKS, VIETGONE 2 at A.C.T. Strand? Oh boy! The second installment of Qui Nguyen's autobiographical Vietgone trilogy is just as exciting, creative, and rewarding as the original produced by A.C.T five years ago. Returning director Jaime Castañeda and composer Shammy Dee return to helm the production and realize Nguyen's vision of his family life in 1970's Midwest USA after leaving war-torn Saigon. Full of rap beats, slo-mo martial arts, sarcasm and romance, Poor Yella Rednecks is a sure-fire hit.
Review: COME FROM AWAY at Golden Gate TheatreApril 13, 2023What did our critic think of COME FROM AWAY at Golden Gate Theatre? War, mass shootings, transphobia, book banning, persistent antisemitism. We're bombarded by daily horrors, desensitizing us to brutality and injustices. Thankfully, we have a brief but joyous respite in the touring production of Irene Sankoff and David Hein's Come From Away, a bright shining declaration of generosity, compassion, self-sacrifice, and hope. Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the story of the town of Gandar Newfoundland and how it treated 7,000 stranded world travelers is nothing short of inspiring, reigniting out faith in humanity.
Review: SWEAT at Center RepApril 10, 2023What did our critic think of SWEAT at Center Rep? In 2008, two recent parolees dread meeting each other on the outside. Jason is white Aryan tattooed and full of shame, Chris, repentant and newly religious. They share a crime that will slowly be revealed through flashbacks of their friendship as co-workers at a working class mill in Philadelphia. The slow destruction of that factory through layoffs, long picket lines and economic collapse tests their relationships, morals and resilience in Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning drama.