Shanley’s ‘Outside Mullingar,’ by PTC (1st review)

Humanity and nature on an Irish farm

The four characters in John Patrick Shanley’s Outside Mullingar offer an engaging opportunity to channel the inner Irish that lurks within many of us.

Dan Rottenberg

Dec 04, 2014 · Articles · 4 minute read

‘QED’ revived at Lantern Theater (second review)

Richard Feynman: Rock star of the science world

The first challenge in a one-person show is finding the right subject; the second is finding the right performer. The Lantern Theater Company succeeds on both counts.

Gary L. Day

Dec 02, 2014 · Articles · 2 minute read

‘The River’ and ‘The Real Thing’ on Broadway

Love, actually?

Two plays and a movie look at the search for love; oddly, the one based on a true story is the most optimistic.

Carol Rocamora

Dec 02, 2014 · Articles · 5 minute read

'Big Love' and 'Rapture, Blister, Burn'

Two feminist takes on marriage

Big Love at Villanova and Rapture, Blister, Burn at the Wilma have similar subjects: Both focus on choices for women, especially on conflicting views about marriage.

Steve Cohen

Nov 29, 2014 · Articles · 4 minute read

'King Arthur': People's Light's annual panto

Kidding a legend

In its annual panto, People's Light takes the Arthurian legend and slapsticks it up for kids, with corny jokes, wildly mugging actors, a large man dressed as a woman, songs, puppets, and lots and lots of audience participation.

Bill Murphy

Nov 29, 2014 · Articles · 2 minute read

'QED' revived at Lantern Theater

The limits of science

Science can do many things, but it cannot forever stave off individual suffering. Faced with prolonging a life of pain, or giving up, how does a theoretical physicist decide what to do?

Naomi Orwin

Nov 25, 2014 · Articles · 4 minute read

'Tamburlaine, Parts I and II' at Theatre for a New Audience

Blood will have blood

Be prepared to multitask for three hours, with one eye on the program notes and the other on the stage, so you won’t fall behind. Believe me, it’s hard not to, with 19 actors playing roughly 60 roles. But you won’t want to miss a beat.

Carol Rocamora

Nov 25, 2014 · Articles · 5 minute read

‘Rest in Pieces’ in Wilmington

Second chances

If our late parents came back to life, would we treat them better? Would they treat us better? Would they treat each other better? Steve Bluestein’s play explores the line between comedy and tragedy, with uneven results.

Steve Cohen

Nov 22, 2014 · Articles · 3 minute read

'Mary Poppins' at the Walnut Street Theatre

The dark side of our favorite nanny

Mary Poppins makes a bad nanny but a fun family musical.

Naomi Orwin

Nov 18, 2014 · Articles · 3 minute read

'Father Comes Home from the Wars' and 'The Oldest Boy'

Myths that define us

Father Comes Home from the Wars and The Oldest Boy are each steeped in mythology, and each has a compelling tale that changes the way we view the world.

Carol Rocamora

Nov 18, 2014 · Articles · 4 minute read