by Charles Kruger In their publicity material promoting their wonderful and deeply moving production of the opera, “Billy Budd,” SF Opera provides this summary: “Meet Billy. He’s handsome, honest and good. He’s also doomed.” That is accurate and it brings to mind the obvious question: why should such a wonderful young man be doomed? What […]
by Charles Kruger Considering the emotional and intellectual impact of “Knives In Hens,” it is irresistible to remark that playwright David Harrower is very aptly named. “Harrow,” of course, means to cause distress, so a playwright named Harrower might indeed write distressing or disturbing plays. (I am not the first reviewer to make this observation.) […]
by Charles Kruger Lila Coogan (Anya), Stephen Brower (Dmitry) and the company of the National Tour of ANASTASIA (Photo Credit: SHN) The national touring company of the Broadway hit “Anastasia” is a light-weight delight, a bon-bon encased in a setting as exquisite as an animated Faberge egg. It should delight fans of the 1956 film […]
by Charles Kruger There is no playwright working today quite like Annie Baker. She makes unusual demands on any theatre company that dares to take her on. It is a testament to the astonishing vitality of her work that so many producers find the challenge irresistible. And, in the case of Shotgun Players’ decision to […]
by Charles Kruger When Lamplighters’ “HMS Pinafore” sets sail this weekend in Livermore for its final voyages of the season, you don’t want to be left ashore. This rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s great masterpiece is as polished as the handle of a big brass door. Indeed, they’ve polished up this chestnut so carefully, that […]
by Charles Kruger The magic show is an art form as ancient as theatre itself. In some of its oldest (and not so old) iterations, it is not so much “entertainment” as seduction, and may even border on the religious. When Harry Houdini was at the height of his fame, many people believed he had […]
by Charles Kruger Nobody in their right mind expects a stage adaptation of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” to make much sense, or achieve Shakespearean depths of meaning and emotion, but anybody who plunks down the cost of a ticket has a right to expect to laugh a lot at Lancelot and the rest […]
