Ancient Eastern Culture Meets Western Theater in A.R.T.’s ‘Endlings’

March 4, 2019March 5, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Emily Kuroda, Wai Ching Ho, and Jo Yang in A.R.T.’s ‘Endlings’

by Mike Hoban

Endlings – Written by Celine Song; Directed by Sammi Cannold; Scenic Design by Jason Sherwood; Costume Design by Linda Cho; Lighting Design by Bradley King; Sound Design by Elisheba Ittoop. Presented by the American Repertory Theater. At Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St. Cambridge through March 17.

On the surface, Endlings – now being given its world premiere at the A.R.T’s Loeb Center in Cambridge – is about three older women who have spent nearly their entire lives earning a meager existence by diving for seafood from a tiny island off the coast of South Korea. While the subject matter sounds like it would make for an intriguing enough premise on its own, Korean-Canadian playwright Celine Song has chosen to expand her darkly comic play to include themes of her own family’s migration to Canada (and eventually New York City) in search of “better real estate”, as well as a wildly comic philosophical discussion of how much one’s ethnic/racial identity should inform their work. Staged on an absolutely gorgeous and cleverly constructed set, the play also smashes the fourth wall to pieces throughout, creating an uneven but highly entertaining and biting comic pastiche.

BIRDY’s Winged Victory

March 1, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

(Spencer Hamp (Young Birdy) and Maxim Chumov (Young Al) in ‘Birdy’ – Photos by Evgenia Eliseeva)

By Beverly Creasey

‘Birdy’ – Adapted by Naomi Wallace from the novel by William Wharton; Directed by Steven Maler; Scenic & Costume Design by Clint Ramos; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Sound Design by J Hagenbuckle. Presented by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company at the Sorenson Center for the Arts, Babson College through March 17

Commonwealth Shakespeare (in residence at Babson College) has assembled an impressive team to animate William Wharton’s allegorical novel, BIRDY (playing through March 17^th). BIRDY has been adapted by playwright Naomi Wallace, whose brilliant ONE FLEA SPARE is fondly remembered by this reviewer. BIRDY is both the play’s title and the nickname of its central character. The touching, and at times humorously ironic, narrative soars alternately from past to present, illustrating the value of friendship and the devastating damage of war.

Is it really the ‘ENDLINGS’?

March 1, 2019March 16, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

By Sheila Barth

BOX INFO: World premiere of Celine Song’s 1-1/2 hour play at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), appearing through March 27, at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Tickets start at $25. americanrepertorytheater.org

While Celine Song’s new, two-act play is a fascinating foray into the world of little-known Korean women who spend most of their lives – and days – diving daily for seafood, the playwright needs to concentrate more on these women and less on her self-effacing fixation of writing about “white persons“ plays in Act II.

‘THE GAME’S AFOOT’ at Renaissance City Theatre

March 1, 2019March 31, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Welcome back to the 1930’s in Renaissance City Theatre Inc.’s opening show of their 19th season, “The Game’s Afoot” by Ken Ludwig. Ludwig sets this show at Christmas time in December 1936. The Broadway star William Gillette is playing Sherlock Holmes and is shot at during a performance. A couple of weeks later he invites his longtime friend, Felix, his wife Madge, newlyweds Simon and Aggie as well as his mother, Martha and an unwelcome guest gossip columnist, Daria. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the merriment begins when Gillette tries to find out who did the crime. Who did it? Are there more then one suspects? When an inspector shows up in Act 2, everyone soon becomes a suspect in the crimes. Vincent Lupino directs this whodunnit comic romp wonderfully with its clever twists and turns in this well written script. He obtains hilarious performances from one and all.

“OUR TOWN” (Burbage Theatre, Pawtucket, RI)

March 1, 2019March 16, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Let’s all head up to Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th Century for the fifth show of Burbage Theatre’s eighth season. The show is “Our Town”, Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize winning play. The show tells about life in Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire from 1901 to 1913. This version is intimate and timely. It features a stage manager who not only explains the action of the characters but also becomes part of the show. Through the use of flashbacks, dialogue, and direct monologues, the other characters reveal themselves to the audience and interact with them. Director Mark Peckham picks the best performers to play these roles and molds them into these town folk splendidly. His cast pantomimes the props and handles the transitions from scene to scene beautifully. Peckham makes the message of live each day to its fullest ring true for contemporary audiences in the 21st Century, too.

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE

March 1, 2019April 8, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The current show at the Edward King House in Newport is “Love, Loss and What I Wore” by Nora and Delia Ephran. It is based on the best selling book by Ilene Beckerman. The show consists of a series of 28 monologues with a 5 women cast. They are dressed in black and sit down with their scripts in front of them on stands. It covers a variety of topics about women including how mothers influenced their lives and various stages of what they wore when important events took place. Some of these include buying prom dresses, bras, boots and shoes and how the color black is a passion for them. It examines their relationships and is a time capsule as told through Gingy and four other women’s lives. Director Sharon Coleman gives each woman their chance to shine in this show including herself. She blends the comic and dramatic monologues together splendidly with this show that leaves you laughing and thinking thoughtfully at the same time.

Boston Playwrights’ Theatre has you Laughing in Spanish

February 27, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

(Ireon Roach, Jackie Davis, Adrian Abel Amador – Photograph credit: Kalman Zabarsky)

Review by James Wilkinson

‘Laughs in Spanish’ – Written by Alexis Scheer. Directed by Sara Katzoff. Scenic Design: Sean Perreira. Lighting Design: Hannah Solomon. Sound Design: Stephanie Lynn Yackovetsky. Costume Design: Chloe Chafet. Produced by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre 949 Commonwealth Ave. Boston through March 3

I’ve only visited Florida a handful of times and have never been to Miami. Each trip was to Orlando and if I had to venture a guess, true Floridians probably don’t view the world of Walt Disney as “real” Florida. I’ll have to take it on faith that the Miami invoked in Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s Laughs in Spanish is true to the real place, but given that playwright Alexis Scheer calls the city her home, I’m willing to make that leap. There’s an energy at play in Laughs in Spanish, a kind of beat that you start bobbing your head to as you enter the theater. You don’t realize how easily you’ve slipped into the world of the play. It’s a world of rhythm and color and once you’re on its wavelength, the production hooks you with its many charms and keeps you in a state of frothy fun.

Storm Still in MRT’s “The Heath”

February 25, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

(George Judy and Miranda Barnett. Photo by Meghan Moore.)

By Deanna Dement Myers

The Heath’ – Written by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Artistic Director Sean Daniels. Featuring Miranda Barnett and George Judy. The creative team includes Tanya Orellana, Scenic Designer; Miranda Kau Giurleo, Costume Designer; Maria Cristina Fusté, Lighting Designer; Danny Erdberg, Sound Designer; Seaghan McKay, Projection Designer; Maegan Conroy, Production Stage Manager. Playing at the Merrimack Repertory Theater February 13 to March 10.

“I fear I am not in my perfect mind.”

Guilt is a universal feeling, as is love, conflict, and the realization that some choices are hard to make. Lauren Gunderson’s newest play, The Heath, makes its world premiere at the Merrimack Repertory Theater. The characters are Gunderson herself, played beautifully by Miranda Barnett, and her Paw-Paw, KD, played by the formidable and likeable George Judy. The Lauren in the play is a Southern transplant musician and writer, who wrestles with the realization that her beloved grandfather is falling further and further into Alzheimer’s disease. As he loses more of his most recent memories, Lauren delves deeper into his personal history. She draws on everything from Shakespeare to Bluegrass to understand the man she thought she knew. She seeks to close the gap between what she needs him to be and who he has become.

ArtsEmerson’s ‘When Angels Fall’ Mesmerizes

February 23, 2019 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

‘When Angels Fall’ *(Photos by Sophian and Georges Ridel)*

By Mike Hoban

‘When Angels Fall’ – Direction and Choreography: Raphaëlle Boitel; Artistic Collaboration, Set Design, and Light Design: Tristan Baudoin; Original Soundtrack and Sound Design: Arthur Bison; Costumes: Lilou Hérin; Rigging, Machinery and Set Design: Nicolas Lourdelle; Artistic Assistant: Clara Henry. Presented by ArtsEmerson at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston through February 24

If you’re a frequent attendee of Boston theater (or a reviewer), you’ve got to love the break from ‘traditional’ theater that ArtsEmerson provides with their visiting programs. Whether it’s the aerial and acrobatic artistry of Montreal’s Seven Fingers, the weird and brilliant live cinematic shadow puppet shows of Chicago’s Manual Cinema, or the insanely imaginative building of an entire house onstage (Geoff Sobelle’s Home), ArtsEmerson’s presentations of contemporary world theatre gives us a much needed respite from the steady diet of productions of Twelfth Night and Fiddler on the Roof – even if, like me, you’re a fan of both.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace: Three Sisters in Faith Share Their Stories

February 22, 2019February 24, 2019 Theater Mirror1 Comment

*(Rohina Malik, Susan Stone, Kim Schultz)*

By Deanna Dement Myers

‘Keeping Faith: Sisters of Story’ – Written and performed by Rohina Malik, Kim Schultz, and Susan Stone. Music and vocals by Lucia Thomas. Presented at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham on February 22-24; New Repertory Theater in Watertown on February 25-26.

“The greatest thing in the world is to do somebody a favor.”

Three women grace the stage and tell moving stories of compassion, hope and understanding. These exceptional storytellers from different branches of the Abrahamic faith traditions, are joined by a wonderful musical artist, to weave a series of stories that celebrate their separate beliefs while cultivating the commonalities we all share.

Rohina Malik, a Muslim woman, collaborated with Kim Schultz, a Christian woman, and Susan Stone, a Jewish woman, to create an artistic response to the hate and intolerance currently plaguing our society. Lucia Thomas, a gifted and versatile musician, uses violin, oud, guitar, and a newly acquired banjo, to compliment the storytellers with songs that underscore the themes and emotions in the tales. The performance is enhanced by the layering of singing, instruments and storytelling. The effect is intimate and serves to draw the listeners in.

The four strong voices blend together messages of tolerance and wisdom. Each storyteller approached personal struggles by reaching deep into their individual religions to find strength, insight, and solace. While these religions are traditionally patriarchal, we follow the footsteps of important women in the separate faiths, and learn more about the singularity of the Divine Source central to them all.

The audience is invited to stay for a question and answer session after the performance. It is a chance to process the powerful messages crafted by these talented women, and a brief chance to add our own piece towards healing the world.

‘Keeping Faith’ tickets can be purchased at www.greaterbostonstage.org

or www.newrep.org/events/keeping-faith