Not Worth the Silver: ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
The gripping true story of Fred Hampton’s final days gets a dull adaptation that does the story no justice.
Bore-antine Streamin’: ‘Radioactive’ / ‘Chemical Hearts’ / ‘Let Him Go’ / ‘Come Away’
Pandemic lockdown has forced first-run films online. Here are four I probably would have skipped anyway.
The Sexy Salad Days: ‘Cabaret’ at SF Playhouse
The SF Playhouse’s great new revival is a reminder good times never last, no matter how good they are.
The Forest for the Trees: ‘The Jungle’ at The Curran
Before The Curran becomes Hogwarts, it hosts an excellent production of another hit British show.
Making it Happen: ‘On Your Feet!’ at the SHN Golden Gate Theatre
An energetic all-Latinx cast bring life to this paint-by-numbers bio of Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
Little People on Big Adventures: ‘Judy Moody’ and ‘Inside Out & Back Again’ at BACT
Bay Area Children’s Theatre scores two wins in its current adaptations: one a goofy comedy, the other a gripping drama.
Ladies’ Nights: ‘Revolt. She said…’ at Crowded Fire and ‘Kursk’ at Theatre Lunatico
A feminist manifesto play and a gender-swapped submarine drama make for two bold (if uneven) evenings of female-driven theatre.
Of ‘Rags’ and Richies: ‘Ragtime’ at Berkeley Playhouse
Though the script is over-packed with characters, the combination of great direction, performances, and tech make this another winner for Berkeley Playhouse.
Baldur’s #GamerGate: ‘Non-Player Character’ world premiere by SF Playhouse
Toxic masculinity is taken to task in this SF Playhouse world premiere dramatizing the #GamerGate controversy.
X-mas Day Quadruple-Feature: ‘The Last Jedi’; ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’; ‘The Shape of Water’; ‘The Disaster Artist’
Jedis, jungles, fish-man junk, & James Franco.
All but the last made for a great day at the multiplex.
The Thinking Man's Idiot 