Mark Cofta’s theater picks: Adaptations and up-to-the-moment politics

Philadelphia-area theaters take no break after the bigger-than-ever Fringe Festival, plunging into a typically busy season.

Some of October’s most anticipated productions are adaptations of classic work. Curio Theatre Company’s The Birds (October 5-29) returns to the source material with Irish playwright Conor McPherson’s adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s short story, which was also the source for Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal film. Elizabeth Carlson-Guerin’s production features another atmospheric, space-changing set by resident wizard Paul Kuhn.

Another Irish playwright, Enda Walsh, adapted Dostoyevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov, calling his play Delirium (October 26-November 13). EgoPo Classic Theater launches their “Russian Masters” series with Walsh’s experimental script, which was developed with Theatre O, and is directed by Brenna Geffers, no stranger herself to bold experimentation on stage. (See my review of her Fringe hit Shadow House.)

At Quintessence Theatre Group in Germantown, the incomparable Janis Dardaris plays the title role in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children (October 12-November 6), translated by British playwright David Hare, with original music by Michael Friedman. Artistic director Alexander Burns stages this epic retelling of the Thirty Years’ War, told from the perspective of a wily canteen operator, in the Quintessence ensemble’s seventh season opener.

Political fun

It’s not a classic yet, but Bruce Graham’s Rizzo (through October 23, already extended a week past the announced run), based on Sal Paolantonio’s best-selling biography of the late Philadelphia mayor, Rizzo: Last Big Man in Big City America, certainly has earned local status. The Philadelphia Theatre Company hosts Theatre Exile’s production from a year ago, which again stars Scott Greer in the title role. This year, of course, comparisons to a certain presidential candidate will be inevitable.

Rizzo’s political themes are nicely complemented by 1812’s This Is the Week That Is: The Election Special, (September 29-November 7), directed by Greer’s spouse, Jennifer Childs. The twelfth iteration of the hit sketch-and-song satire spectacular features veterans Alex Bechtel, Dave Jadico, Justin Jain, Sean Close, and Childs — whose South Philly pundit Patsie has become a local institution, and whose Chris Christie will be a classic if his career lasts much longer. This year, they face the huge challenge of keeping up with a particularly wild campaign, since they update the show every day.

Another sketch comedy show skewering national politics, Act II Playhouse’s Electile Dysfunction, continues through October 9 at the Ambler theater, directed by and starring Tony Braithwaite (according to Act II, even the extension is now sold out).

Plan for the spontaneous

I was very happy to catch the sold-out finale of Tongue & Groove’s Fringe Festival run of Before I Die, the latest of fourteen formats developed by Bobbi Block’s unique troupe, which specializes in realistic, character-based theater created anew in each performance. Before I Die asked the audience to finish the title’s thought: “Before I die, I want to....” From these anonymous suggestions, the actors create domestic, workplace, and social media scenes that featured genuine characters and believable, often overlapping conversations, as well as a hilarious yet touching string of quick funeral scenes. As always, I was impressed by their ability to mine situations for their deeper truths, and their talent for knowing when and how to end scenes before they stall or peter out.

Tongue & Groove resumes its regular residency at the Playground at the Adrienne, performing the second Friday of every month starting October 14.