Theater/Film Reviews
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Small Craft Warnings – and more
Small Craft Warnings does not tell a tale with a tidy story arc. Tennessee Williams’ 1972 play was expanded from an earlier, shorter work of his called Confessional. That title may be more relevant than the newer one. In a real dive bar, not the kind populated with hipsters, somewhere along the Southern California coast,
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Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis?
For those in search of something they certainly have not seen before, Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis? runs this weekend as part of the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. It’s at the Stockton House, the venue for last year’s very successful The St. Louis Rooming House Plays. Mr. Merriwether hasn’t been done anywhere in
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Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis: The Food
As the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis goes on in high gear, there are a couple of ways to participate that involve food. Both occur on Sunday. There are still tables available at the jazz brunch The Dark Room at the Grandel is doing. If you’re going on to a matinee and show your tickets,
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twelfth period or not another twelfth night
I’ve finally decided that Shakespeare is like George Gershwin. You can do all kinds of riffs and jamming on his work and the results are still distinctively Of The Artist, as well as always interesting and nearly always worthwhile. Proof of that can be found at the Centene Center, where ERA, Equally Represented Arts, is
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38 Eats
It's getting into high season for St. Louis entertainment. Lots of great things are coming up, and this weekend is Shake 38, the marathon celebration of Shakespeare and his works, an operation of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis. They must be particularly wise folks because this year they're including food in the festival. Lots of participating
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August: Osage County
Probably no one worries about whether a play is a comedy or a drama except critics and people who teach theatre. For the average person, the question is, is it funny or not? Having not so long ago gone through the St. Louis Theatre Clrcle Awards annual process of nominating and voting, wherein we –
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Dancing at Lughnasa
Dancing at Lughnasa is a memory play, much like St. Louis’ own The Glass Menagerie. Mustard Seed Theatre has put together an ensemble for Brian Friel’s 1990 play that enlivens an already sparkling script. It’s a family drama, seen in the rear view mirror of Michael Evans (Jim Butz), relating the story of his mother
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Sweeney Todd
This has turned out to be a surprisingly lovely spring, at least right now, trees starting to green as the sunlight slants through them, redbud and dogwood blooming simultaneously, which doesn’t always happen. Then, for contrast, there’s what’s inside Tower Grove Abbey these days. Sweeney Todd, brought to us by Stray Dog Theatre, is a
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Ignite! The Disappearing Man
This is very short notice for you, the reader, I know. For the first time, the Rep’s Ignite! Series is repeating a show. This series of play readings is mostly for people who are dedicated theatre buffs, because it’s no sets, no lights, just actors, chairs, and scripts. The first show of the three in
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Motown the Musical
It may not be the Summer of Love, but this certainly has become the Spring of Nostalgia for St. Louisans of a certain age. The latest chapter is Motown the Musical, which opened at the Fox Theatre Tuesday night. It’s the story of Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, as presented by and written