THE HANGOVER REPORT – In Philip Ridley’s relentless THE POLTERGEIST, Joseph Potter dazzlingly animates an inner life under duress

Over the last decade or so, Philip Ridley has honed his playwriting skills to become an expert animator of inner lives under duress, as exemplified by emotionally taxing solo shows … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Andy Einhorn and company give a heartfelt salute to Jerry Herman in YOU I LIKE

Last night, glass of wine in hand, I had the pleasure of sitting back and enjoying You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman, Pasadena Playhouse’s entertaining and balanced … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Signature Theatre’s aptly titled SIMPLY SONDHEIM lets the master’s songs speak for themselves

Last night, I capped off my evening curling up with Simply Sondheim, Signature Theatre’s wonderfully performed revue of Stephen Sondheim songs. The virtual production launches Signature’s 5-show digital season, which … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Regional theaters march on with their digital seasons: Woolly Mammoth and Steppenwolf stream HI, ARE YOU SINGLE? and RED FOLDER, respectively

As we enter 2021, the theater industry continues to reel from the inability to physically stage shows in front of live audiences. Given this harsh ongoing reality, it’s heartening to … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – WalkUpArts’ phone-based BABY JESSICA’S WELL-MADE PLAY is sprawling, unconventional, and fundamentally interactive

In 1987, “Baby Jessica” (i.e., Jessica McClure Morales) inadvertently became a celebrity when at 18 months old she fell into a well. There she remained pinned and stranded for nearly … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Duncan MacMillan’s LUNGS stealthily mulls over humanity’s environmental endgame vis-à-vis a mundane romance

Somehow, Lungs by Duncan MacMillan (1984; People, Places and Things; The Effect) managed to elude my theatergoing over the last decade. When the play premiered in 2011, it unfortunately flew … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Powerful digital revivals of Brian Friel’s FAITH HEALER and MOLLY SWEENEY reveal a master at work

I recently had the opportunity to stream a pair of exceptionally acted Brian Friel plays, Faith Healer and Molly Sweeney. Experiencing these ravishing – albeit slow-burning – shows back-to-back revealed … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mark O’Rowe’s expertly-acted THE APPROACH, heavily informed by Pinter, is one of the many Irish plays currently on view

It seems we’re awash in Irish drama these days, the result of a welcome congruence in virtual programming. In my opinion, few pleasures are more satisfying on a winter’s day … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A roundup of the Public Theater’s digital 2021 UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL

This time last year, I was furiously hopping from show to show as I immersed myself in the city’s various “experimental” (for a lack of a better term) performing arts … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The spirit of the Broadway musical persists in RATATOUILLE: THE TIKTOK MUSICAL and JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

Although live/in-person theater is becoming an increasingly distant memory, the irrepressible spirit of the Broadway musical persists in other mediums. Here are my thoughts on two of these hybrid endeavors. … Continue Reading →