Theater

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Dave Jadico and Brian Anthony Wilson play 'The Price is Right': Are we having fun yet? (Photo: Mark Garvin.)

"This Is the Week That Is' by 1812 Productions (1st review)

Shooting fish in a barrel

Why does a sophisticated comedy troupe like 1812 Productions persist in sophomoric political satire like This Is the Week That Is?
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 3 minute read
Gulsvig: Happiness in Harvard Yard.

"Legally Blonde' in Wilmington

Do blondes have more fun? Affirmative

Legally Blonde”“ the Musical doesn't aim to be serious or exploratory, so sophisticated theatergoers might pass it by. If you do, it's your loss.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 2 minute read
Harold with circus horses: Big heads make a difference.

"Harold and the Purple Crayon' at the Prince

Imagination triumphs again

Crockett Johnson's 50-year-old paean to the childish imagination is well served here. Every kid's attention was focused raptly on the stage, thanks to a remarkable non-stop combination of music, dance, animation and puppetry.
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 3 minute read
Umoh: Audra's equal.

"Ragtime' revived in New York (1st review)

A second chance for Ragtime

The new budget-minded revival of Ragtime is apt and, in some scenes, provides more clarity than the 1998 original. But one particular economy disturbs me.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 4 minute read
Giddings: Why not a one-woman show?

"boom' by Flashpoint Theatre

The end of the world (and a better idea)

Biology nerd meets nihilist, comet meets planet, and there's a middle-aged woman pulling the levers. Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's boom is often very funny, but the credit belongs to the actors, not his pretentious script.
Julius Ferraro

Julius Ferraro

Articles 4 minute read
Breslin: The best choice?

Who should play Helen Keller?

Blind actors and blind alleys: Who should portray Helen Keller?

Inclusivity advocates are up in arms because a sighted, hearing celebrity actress has been hired to portray the blind and deaf Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker. They say they're concerned about creating better art, but their logic suggests otherwise.
Jim Rutter

Jim Rutter

Articles 5 minute read
Out of the darkness, seven flashes of clarity.

Jude Law as "Hamlet' on Broadway

Our latest Hamlet: What a piece of work is Jude Law

Jude Law, the latest in a seemingly endless line of Hamlets, is a deeply emotional Hamlet who wears his heart on his sleeve, holding nothing back. In the process he brings out all the colors and complexities of what it means to be a man today, or any day.

Carol Rocamora

Articles 5 minute read
Edelen, Bashor: A daughter's story, or a mother's? (Photo: Mark Garvin.)

"Light in the Piazza' by PTC (2nd review)

An emotional Renaissance

This first-rate adaptation of Elizabeth Spencer's novella combines elements that are more original, sensitive, personal, even courageous than we're accustomed to find in musical theater. But The Light in the Piazza suffers from two serious flaws.
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 4 minute read
Scott, Bashor: Love conquers doubt? (Photo: Mark Garvin.)

"Light in the Piazza' by PTC (1st review)

Hope vs. fear in Florence

The Philadelphia Theatre Company's version of The Light in the Piazza is a unique accomplishment, adapting the look of New York's spacious Lincoln Center production to a smaller stage. It's a great re-interpretation of a gentle musical about fragile people.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 4 minute read
Gregory Smith as Oliver (left), Brendan O'Rourke as Artful Dodger: Is everybody happy?

"Oliver' at the Walnut

Oliver and Broadway's underdog ennoblement schtick

What is it that attracts Broadway musicals to urban poverty? Great performances can cover a multitude of sins. But with merely competent performances, like those in this production of Oliver, you begin to notice cracks in the show's underlying structure.
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 5 minute read