Lantern's "The Government Inspector'

Terror on the Steppe: When the Government Inspector Calls

Nikolai Gogol's 1836 farce, The Government Inspector, was the first satire of modern bureaucracy— a precursor of Kafka and Beckett. David O'Connor's edgy production, with a fine cast headed by a rather astonishing Luigi Sottile, keeps the laughter coming while chills tug at the spine too.

Robert Zaller

Dec 14, 2008 · Articles · 3 minute read

Theatre Exile's "dark play'

Fear and loathing on the Internet

Carlos Murillo’s dark play concerns the online manipulation of a fragile teenager. But the real abuses on the Internet are far more frightening than anything in Deborah Block’s tame production.

dark play, or stories for boys. By Carlos Murillo; directed by Deborah Block. Theatre Exile production through December 7, 20087 at Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, 2111 Sansom St. (215) 922-4462 or www.theatreexile.org.

Jim Rutter

Nov 23, 2008 · Articles · 5 minute read

A therapist in the theater

Is there a therapist in the house?

In all my years as a family therapist, I’ve never seen a psychiatric diagnosis that explained the life longings and direction of one of my clients as well as a good play or movie. To be sure, as a theatergoer I’ve also encountered many actors who I believe have misunderstood their characters. Can art and therapy coexist? I’m about to find out.

SaraKay Smullens

Nov 19, 2008 · Articles · 5 minute read

"The War Party' at InterAct Theatre

Change you can't believe in

After losing her re-election campaign because she refused to fight dirty, a Republican Senator and a loyal volunteer conduct a post-mortem and weigh her future options. Vincent Delaney’s script suggests she’s both an idealist and a carping bitch. No, I didn’t believe it, either.

The War Party. By Vincent Delaney; directed by Rebecca Wright. InterAct Theatre Co. production through November 23, 2008 at The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St. (215) 568-8079 or www.interacttheatre.org.

Jim Rutter

Nov 11, 2008 · Articles · 4 minute read

McNally's "Unusual Acts of Devotion' (2nd review)

Community of dunces

Did Terrence McNally deliberately set out to write a play about shallow people? Or did he just write a shallow play? Either way, Unusual Acts of Devotion provides ample food for thought, even for someone like me who found it annoying as hell to sit through.

Unusual Acts of Devotion. By Terrence McNally; directed by Leonard Foglia. Philadelphia Theatre Co. production through November 23, 2008 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St. (at Lombard). 215-985-0420 or www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org.

Dan Rottenberg

Nov 05, 2008 · Articles · 6 minute read

"Unusual Acts of Devotion' at PTC

McNally on the roof

Terrence McNally’s newest play about five residents of a Greenwich Village apartment building is often engrossing and moving but fails to meet McNally’s usual high standards. His characters' monologues and dialogues are spoken, too often, in the voice of McNally himself.

Unusual Acts of Devotion. By Terrence McNally; directed by Leonard Foglia. Philadelphia Theatre Co. production through November 23, 2008 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St. (at Lombard). 215-985-0420 or www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org.

Steve Cohen

Nov 03, 2008 · Articles · 3 minute read

'Psalms of a Questionable Nature' at Studio 5

What is it with women playwrights? Or,
When good productions happen to bad scripts

Psalms of a Questionable Nature provides a showcase for two remarkable actresses. But the disjointed script itself suggests a playwright who suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Psalms of a Questionable Nature. By Marisa Wegrzyn; directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh. Nice People Theatre Company production through November 9, 2008 at Walnut Street Theatre’s Studio 5, 825 Walnut St. (267) 909-3309 or www.nicepeopletheatre.org.

Jim Rutter

Oct 29, 2008 · Articles · 4 minute read

'This is the Week That is' by 1812

An overdose of political irony

This is the Week That Is hits its political targets often, but they’re such easy targets. Or do you still get your jollies from jokes about McCain’s age, Obama’s slickness or Palin’s vapidity?

This Is the Week That Is. Conceived and directed by Jennifer Childs. Presented by 1812 Productions through November 2, 2008 at Plays and Players Theatre, 1724 Delancey Pl. (215) 592-9560 or www.1812productions.org.

Dan Rottenberg

Oct 19, 2008 · Articles · 3 minute read

A too-modern "Medea' in an Athens restroom

The ultimate Medea:
The actress who really murdered her children

I've seen my share of disturbing theater in Philadelphia over the past five years. And goodness knows stage nudity is no longer a big deal in the City of Brotherly Love. But nothing that I've seen in Philadelphia could have prepared me for what I watched in Athens the other night. Who in Philadelphia would have the courage to stage it?

Waterfront Wasteland/ Medea Material/ Landscape with Argonauts. Triptych by Heiner Müller. Asipka Theater Company production in Athens, Greece.

Jim Rutter

Oct 15, 2008 · Articles · 5 minute read

Luna Theatre's "Monster' (2nd review)

What the critics missed:
Frankenstein and the humiliation of aging

Luna Theatre Company’s production of Neal Bell’s Monster has evoked conflicting reviews from the Inquirer’s Toby Zinman (who found it shallow) and Broad Street Review’s Lesley Valdes (who called it “art on a shoestring”). Our resident philosopher suggests both of them missed the big picture.

Monster. By Neal Bell; adapted from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; directed by Gregory Scott Campbell. Luna Theatre Co. production through November 2, 2008 at Independence Studio on Three, 825 Walnut St. (215) 704-0033 or www.lunatheater.org.

Jim Rutter

Oct 15, 2008 · Articles · 5 minute read