First, I want to say that I am a bad reviewer of The Tempest because I have very definite ideas about how it should be performed, particularly how Caliban should be portrayed. Second, I want to say that I genuinely believe in the project of the Rustic Mechanicals, which is to bring Shakespeare’s works to …
Continue reading The Tempest, by William Shakespeare–20 Apr. 2016
Brian Friel is one of Ireland’s greatest contemporary dramatists. I’ve read several of his plays, and seen a production of Faith Healer a few years ago. So when M.T. Pockets Theatre announced they were producing Dancing at Lughnasa, I was keen on the prospect. Friel, like many other contemporary Irish playwrights, challenges stereotypes and idealizations …
Continue reading Dancing at Lughnasa, by Brian Friel–3 Apr. 2016
The MAC production of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit—directed by Nicki Davis—was the third production of Sartre’s masterpiece I’ve seen. While there were a few hiccups, it was overall a strong production with very good performances. No Exit is perhaps the most iconic existential play. Set in hell, the play tells the story of three people …
was fortunate to see Donald Fidler’s Hijacked Lives in its premier performance, directed by David Beach. Although billed as part of a two-show evening of Existential Theatre, I wouldn’t have called this an existentialist play. Whether it is existential or not, however, the show is intriguing, engaging, witty, and fun. The story begins with a …
Continue reading Hijacked Lives, by Donald Fidler–31 Jan. 2016
WVU Lab Theatre presented Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, directed by Brittany McGonegal, which stages an imagined trial in Purgatory to remit Judas Iscariot’s eternal damnation and allow him forgiveness for betraying Jesus. For me, it is a play of two halves. The first half was a theological comedy, which …
Continue reading The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, by Stephen Adly Guirgis–5 Dec. 2015
As someone who studies adaptation, I was excited to see a production of Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird, which reworks Chekhov’s The Seagull. Posner’s play regularly draws attention to itself as an adaptation, specifically in the Russian dramatic tradition, and attempts to metatheatrically engage spectators in issues of narrative construction, expectations, and generic norms. In …
Continue reading Stupid Fucking Bird, by Aaron Posner–5 Dec. 2015
have really enjoyed all of the Sarah Ruhl plays I’ve seen, read, and taught, but this was my first encounter with her play The Clean House. I wasn’t much sold on the first act, but after the interval the show really picked up and I saw the kind of dramaturgical skill that has always impressed …
The play, 'A Steady Rain', directed by David Beach, received high praise for its remarkable performances, specifically from Sean Marko (Denny) and Travis Teffner (Joey), who mesmerizingly portrayed two Chicago police officers. Marko and Teffner brilliantly navigated complex narratives, transitioning between modes whilst their characters battled internal struggles. The minimalistic setting and effective lighting accentuated the actors' performances, solidifying the production's success.
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is a theatre play that goes beyond glorifying Steve Jobs and delves into the impact of technology on our daily lives and its human consequence in manufacturing industries, reflecting on poor working conditions at Chinese factories. The nine-actor rendition at the MT Pockets Theatre portrayed these themes effectively using monologues. Standout performances from Travis Teffner and Shenendoah Thompson highlighted the intensity of the subject matter.
The Rustic Mechanicals' production of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" was average overall, lacking standout excitement. The setting, post-WWI wine country, suited the park venue. Noteworthy performances were Doug Seckman's Borachio and Steve McElroy's Claudio, both embodying their roles convincingly. Aaron Harris' portrayal of Dogberry, initially jarring, grew more appealing with time.
Phillip Zapkin 