Tomfoolery — ACT II Playhouse
TOMFOOLERY, Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Avenue, in Ambler, Pa., through Sunday, April 2 — Tom Lehrer is the smartest, most devilish, most perceptive, and most funny of the … Continue reading
A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Arden Theatre
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Arden Theatre, 40 N. 2nd Street, in Philadelphia, through Sunday, April 9 — The lunatic, the lover, and the poet all seem to have in hand … Continue reading
Side Show — Media Theatre
SIDE SHOW, Media Theatre, 104 E. State Street, in Media, Pa., through Sunday, March 2 — Before going into details, I have to say this is a production that will … Continue reading
2016 Philadelphia Theater Critic’s Awards — The Recipients
The level of theatrical production in the Philadelphia area is so fine, choosing recipients for an annual award was a challenge in all but the Best Supporting Actress category, and … Continue reading
2016 Philadelphia Theater Critic’s Awards — The Nominees
Award time, and the choosing ain’t easy. Philadelphia actors have become world-class, and excellent, detailed, assured, individualized performances have become the rule. Some performers stun by expanding what looks like … Continue reading
2016 Philadelphia Theater Critic’s Awards — The Qualifiers
What an enriching year in Philadelphia theater! Choosing the alleged best among 176 productions proved an daunting task as companies are getting cannier about selecting plays that are good for … Continue reading
Christmas: in Story, in Panto, and in Wales; and Found
A line that sticks with me from vintage television echoes through my head today, “Chatsworth, you’re a lazy boy.” Well, not so much lazy and busy and tired while adjusting … Continue reading
The Legend of Georgia McBride — Arden Theatre (And Other Stuff)
Before making this current doomed-to-fail attempt to cover multiple productions in pithy quick takes, I need to say something about the superb acting local audiences have been treated to show … Continue reading
Guards at the Taj — Theatre Exile at Studio X
Jaunty, naturalistic acting, scattered bon mots, sporadic moments of amusement, occasional keen observations, and blatant instances of tense drama cannot save Rajiv Joseph’s “Guards at the Taj” from a typical … Continue reading
Capsules Galore — Birds, Disgraced, Mountaintop, Notes on a Native Son
The first two months of Philadelphia’s 2016-17 theater season have been extraordinary., Not only was much of quality presented, but variety and creativity have soared. Almost every night in the … Continue reading
