Lantern Theater's "New Jerusalem' (1st review)

Monster, saint, or both? Baruch Spinoza on trial

How much freedom is too much? For the great Baruch Spinoza, there could be no limit; but for the community that judged him, there had to be. The Lantern Theater's production does full justice to David Ives's challenging play of ideas.

Robert Zaller

Oct 15, 2011 · Articles · 7 minute read

George Clooney's "Ides of March' (1st review)

Better you should watch re-runs of ‘The West Wing'

Power corrupts? Politicians must compromise? Interns put out? What else is new? George Clooney's purportedly very serious film about an American presidential election is in fact clueless about how politics really work.

Jake Blumgart

Oct 15, 2011 · Articles · 5 minute read

"The Big Bang' at Kimmel's Innovation Studio

Polonius had the right idea

This endearing musical about two theatrical producers in search of investors is original, funny, blissfully brief and blessed with the comic genius of two quick-change artists, Ben Dibble and Tony Braithwaite.

Jane Biberman

Oct 15, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Rembrandt and Jesus' at the Art Museum (3rd review)

The Jewishness of Jesus

In attempting to humanize the image of Jesus while at the same time conveying the Christian sense of a divine presence in his features, Rembrandt tried to square the ultimate representational circle. At the same time, he acknowledged the Jewishness of Jesus, something no previous artist had done. The results represent the ultimate triumph of his own deep humanism.

Robert Zaller

Oct 11, 2011 · Articles · 6 minute read

1807 & Friends: Forgotten woman composer

Rescued from obscurity

1807 & Friends opened its 31st season with a rare work by an 18th-Century woman composer, a masterpiece for the oboe, and one of the best loved works in the string quartet repertoire.

Tom Purdom

Oct 11, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Threepenny Opera' at Brooklyn Academy of Music

Is this what Brecht had in mind?

Robert Wilson's gorgeous and ghoulish innovative production of Brecht's Threepenny Opera generated standing ovations but left me chilled and puzzled as to what I was supposed to think or feel, beyond being numbed by the production's brute force.

Carol Rocamora

Oct 11, 2011 · Articles · 4 minute read

Thirdbird's "Seen & Heard'

Things are tough all over

In “Seen & Heard,” choreographers revealed their disequilibrium with the chaos of the world, exposed the conventions of human relationships and uncovered the life of a dancer who's compelled to connect with his audience.

Jonathan M. Stein

Oct 11, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Ruth Bernard and David Brewster at Gross McCleaf

A pair of live wires

Ruth Bernard's houses and trees tug at the canvas as if desperate to escape. David Brewster's visual fantasies aspire to the state of music.

Andrew Mangravite

Oct 11, 2011 · Articles · 2 minute read

Handel and Davies operas at Curtis

Hokey but effective

Curtis paired two short operas that deal with unrequited love but otherwise have little in common, aside from their ingenious staging by Chas Rader-Shieber. Soprano Anna Davidson's bravura turn as a jilted bride was well worth watching and hearing, notwithstanding the painful atonal score she was dealt.

Steve Cohen

Oct 09, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

"August: Osage County' at the Arden

The real deal about Osage County

Unlike its earlier productions, here the harsh words of August: Osage County derive less from anger than desperation; the worst of the characters come across as victims, not monsters. The Arden's thrust stage brings the cast closer to the audience, again increasing our involvement and consequently our compassion.

Steve Cohen

Oct 09, 2011 · Articles · 4 minute read