Mica Blackwell — Theater Critic

If there’s one word to describe this Death Note, it’s ambitious. Stephen Whitson’s direction treats the Faustian and often ludicrous material with Shakespearean levels of drama and camp that only a stage as large as the Barbican’s could fill. However, it occasionally feels ambitious to a fault. Ivan Menchell’s book carries fascinating ideas surrounding the moral ambiguity of vigilantism and mortality, but adapting a 12-volume manga into a two-and-a-half hour show leaves them feeling underexplored.

art parody, part straight up retelling, what makes Scissorhandz fall apart story-wise is its lack of identity. Unlike the similar screen to stage musical parody Titanique that treats the James Cameron film like a drunken watch party with friends throughout its run time, Bredeweg's book wants its audience to laugh at campy caricatures and self-referential jokes one minute and treat scenes with utmost seriousness the next. This isn't to say they work on their own, but together it feels disconnected.

art parody, part straight up retelling, what makes Scissorhandz fall apart story-wise is its lack of identity. Unlike the similar screen to stage musical parody Titanique that treats the James Cameron film like a drunken watch party with friends throughout its run time, Bredeweg's book wants its audience to laugh at campy caricatures and self-referential jokes one minute and treat scenes with utmost seriousness the next. This isn't to say they work on their own, but together it feels disconnected.

Beyond its simple gimmick, White Rabbit Red Rabbit remains a refreshingly authentic piece of theatre in a time when even the most improvised works have an element of rehearsal. Taking basic concepts of human nature and flipping them on our heads, I was on the edge of my seat for this press performance.

A charming production that finds sweetness in its bitter themes of infidelity and forgiveness, The Baker’s Wife’s' message remains timeless. A gentler offering from Stephen Schwartz’s catalogue, this immersive show whisks you away to a time long past with a phenomenal ensemble who find the heart and soul in their characters. Perhaps the mistake made 50 years ago was attempting to bring The Baker’s Wife to a larger space. In the Menier’s intimate space, it makes for a real treat.