Nearly six decades into his career, Ayckbourn maintains his sure touch on both the page and the stage, while his depictions of the long view of life continue to deepen. Brilliantly written and beautiful acted, his new time-shifting masterpiece engages both heart and mind.
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Theater Review (NYC Off-Broadway): ‘It Came from Beyond,’ a Smart Musical Homage to ’50s Kitsch Sci-Fi
With an excellent cast and sharp direction and choreography, this sci-fi homage is a happy marriage of clever nostalgia, shiny new music, and sheer fun for just about any age.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘Chess’ at the Gallery Players
Rather than rehashing what's wrong with 'Chess,' I'll describe why it's still possible to enjoy the Gallery Players' production. The music is perhaps the most advanced artistic evolution of glossy '80s pop. And while I'm sure there are some curmudgeons out there who weren't fans of ABBA's sunny sound, Andersson and Ulvaeus were brilliant songwriters, master craftsmen not only of shiny dance tunes but also of lovely songs of love and loss.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘The Seafarer’ Starring Matthew Broderick at the Irish Rep
Even one as horrific as the seafaring Devil may deserve a bit of sympathy. His job to separate mankind from God so the Christmas Child can bring them together is a bitter, noxious one. This and the play's other messages shine in the fullness of glory in this production.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC Off-Broadway): ‘The Edge of Our Bodies’ by Adam Rapp
A confusing play about teenage angst, with a twist that seemed to perplex many in the audience.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘The Dream of the Rood’
Western Europe's earliest known dream-vision poem, newly translated from the Anglo-Saxon and adapted for the stage.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC Off-Broadway): ‘Good for Otto’ by David Rabe, with Ed Harris, F. Murray Abraham
In this long but engrossing play set in a mental health clinic, Rabe outlines each character's distinctive battleground, where counselors defend and encourage them against their tendencies to self-harm.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): Phoebe Legere’s ‘Speed Queen: The Joe Carstairs Story’
Uneven pacing and lengthy diversions derail this loving musical tribute from the multitalented Legere to the cross-dressing lesbian oil heiress and speedboat champion.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC Off-Broadway): ‘Good for Otto’ by David Rabe
The play buffets us from patient to patient, crisis to crisis, and dream sequence to real-life therapy. Artifice this skillful glows with a heightened authenticity. The glittering cast including Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Rhea Perlman, Mark Linn-Baker, and F. Murray Abraham.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘Terminus’ by Gabriel Jason Dean
Frightened girl, earth mother, rusty old wreck, fallen angel, Dean's central character has lived a life larger than life, yet feels as real as cemetery dirt. Amidst a brilliant production, Deirdre O'Connell helps make 'Terminus' one of the best shows I've seen in a long time.
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