The Pain Ends with Death: ‘The Children’ West Coast premiere at the Aurora
Top-notch acting and direction opens Aurora’s 2020 with a well-written play that doesn’t stick the landing.
‘Birds of Prey’ is the ‘Deadpool 2’ Redux we Didn’t Need but Still Love
Margot Robbie gets a great second chance at playing Harley, though the plot may seem a bit familiar.
Comfortably Numb: ‘Ways to Leave a Body’ world premiere at Cutting Ball
Cutting Ball starts off the new decade with two one-act dreams about women whose bodies aren’t theirs.
Sleaze Company: ‘PolySHAMory’ at The Marsh – SF
Kate Robards’ latest is a show about marriage and sex that – wouldn’tcha know it? – finishes too soon.
Not the Worst Witch: ‘Becky Nurse of Salem’ World Premiere at the Berkeley Rep
The second Witch Trial play I’ve seen in a week is an imperfect misfire for Sarah Ruhl and the Rep.
Virtual Insanity: ‘An Invitation Out’ West Coast Premiere by Quantum Dragon
An overlong, clichéd script is saved by great direction, a super cast, and eye-popping creative choices.
The Witch is Back: ‘Vinegar Tom’ West Coast Premiere at Shotgun
Ariel Craft is at the helm of Shotgun’s nearly-perfect remount of the Feminist take on ‘The Crucible’.
Freezing Our Balls Off: ‘Snowed In’ by Killing My Lobster
An impossible SF snowstorm provides the setting for KML’s latest holiday sketch set.
Better off Broken: ‘Bull in a China Shop’ Bay Area Premiere at Aurora Theatre
Aurora’s final 2019 is a winning dramatic-comedy set during the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
Christmas Movie Round-Up 2019
A Christmas screen-hop features Black Power, White romance, and Sci-Fi. Guess which one I loved?