Reviews

1111 results
Page 1
Saunders, with short gray hair and brown overalls, speaks to Lamm, wearing turquoise, who does Inie-Richards’ bouffant updo.

People’s Light presents Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias

A welcome return to Truvy’s
Programming Steel Magnolias could be a risky choice, but a new production at People’s Light never becomes syrupy. Emily Schilling reviews.
Emily Schilling

Emily Schilling

Reviews 3 minute read
Van Horn sits at left by a faux stage campfire; Smith stands proudly in a blue plaid suit and brown plaid greatcoat.

The Walnut presents Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective, adapted by Bill Van Horn

A worthy homage to the world’s most famous sleuth
Bill Van Horn adapts two classic Sherlock Holmes stories with a warmth and passion worthy of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original vision, along with plenty of laughs. C.M. Crockford reviews.
C.M. Crockford

C.M. Crockford

Reviews 4 minute read
Ahmed, a Southeast Asian person seen in profile wearing a leather jacket, dumps something out of a small black bag.

Hedgerow Theatre Company presents Mashuq Mushtaq Deen’s Draw the Circle

Celebrating trans immigrant artists’ fight to be seen
Trans playwright Mashuq Mushtaq Deen’s Draw the Circle gets its regional premiere at Hedgerow, starring local actor Joseph Ahmed. It’s an ode to the persistence and power of love in a frightening time. Krista Mar reviews.
Krista Mar

Krista Mar

Reviews 3 minute read
Kidwell, in leopard-print leggings & fur coat, sits by Kazen-Maddox, in bloomers & corset, gesturing for an audience response

FringeArts presents Jenn Kidwell’s we come to collect: a flirtation, with capitalism

Paying the price for attention
Jenn Kidwell brought her latest show, we come to collect, spoken and performed in ASL in partnership with Brandon Kazen-Maddox, to FringeArts. Josh Herren reviews.
Josh Herren

Josh Herren

Reviews 4 minute read
Ressler, a white person in a blonde wig & pink-striped shirt, sings into a mic with three musicians in the background.

Pig Iron Theatre Company and the Wilma Theater present Poor Judge

Multitudes of Aimees
Amid adversity, Pig Iron Theatre Company and the Wilma Theater deliver a brilliant revival of Poor Judge, their hit Aimee Mann musical. Cameron Kelsall reviews.
Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall

Reviews 3 minute read

Sign up for our newsletter

All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.

Hernandez, in sneakers, a black tee, and patterned leggings, stands in front of a projection of a Cherry Blossom Festival.

Philadelphia Theatre Company presents Paige Hernandez’s Havana Hop

Self-esteem as shared discovery
Havana Hop, a touring show by Baltimore-based multidisciplinary solo artist Paige Hernandez, is a bold celebration of identity, confidence, and self-discovery during childhood. A. Lewis reviews.

A. Lewis

Reviews 3 minute read
Vintage black & white photo of a young Eastman, a Black man with a beard and glasses, listening with a blissful expression.

The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Julius Eastman, John Williams, and Mendelssohn with Dalia Stasevska

A celebration of dramatic contrasts
Guest conductor Dalia Stasevska gave the Philly premiere of Curtis alum Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2, plus sparkling scores by John Williams and Felix Mendelssohn. Peter Burwasser reviews.

Peter Burwasser

Reviews 3 minute read
Alexander and Quinn embrace, blurry in the foreground, while Valdez watches them longingly through a window.

The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective presents Susan Glaspell’s Inheritors

This land is whose land?
Philadelphia Artists’ Collective mounts a new production of Susan Glaspell’s 105-year-old play, Inheritors, at the Community College of Philadelphia. It feels unnervingly relevant to today’s political and social climate. Jill Ivey reviews.
Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Reviews 4 minute read
Stasevska, a white woman with brown hair, conducts with one arm extended. She wears a patterned kimono-like shirt

The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, with conductor Dalia Stasevska

Celestial harmonies and a train-whistlin’ fiddle
Dalia Stasevska, one of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s most popular guest conductors, returns for several concerts in January as part of the orchestra’s 125th anniversary celebration. Linda Holt reviews.
Linda Holt

Linda Holt

Reviews 3 minute read
Seven dancers pose in carnival-like costumes, with a ballerina en pointe in a blue taffeta tutu at center, one leg extended

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and BalletX present Petrushka, featuring ensemble132

A mixed perspective on Petrushka
PCMS teamed up with BalletX and ensemble132 for a unique performance featuring onstage chamber music with a program including Bartók and Mozart, and a reimagined performance of the 1911 ballet Petrushka. Camille Bacon-Smith reviews.
Camille Bacon-Smith

Camille Bacon-Smith

Reviews 4 minute read