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REVIEW: War and Sacrifice in theatre KAPOW’s stunning ‘Iphanalis in Aulis’

Posted on 10 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

The war cannot end unless it begins.

A prophecy, an atrocious act and a man blinded by victory. Stakes and superstitions run high in the Great Trojan War on an exceptional beach…at an unfathomable cost.

Elemental is Theatre KAPOW’s current season’s theme. Their 19^th season returns to basics and explores the power of nature in four distinct productions.

With Matthew Cahoon’s perceptive direction and stunning scenic design as well as Lorraine Chapman’s captivating choreography, theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person on the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Trans adapted by Ann Washburn tying in classic and contemporary elements, this musically-inspired production ran approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.

The cast of theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

A luminous full moon and a rippling setting sun are just a couple of Cahoon’s striking projections intensified by Tavya Young’s innovative lighting illuminating Aulis’s sandy shores. Strategically-placed clothing is inventively transformed and shadows of the sea and sail come alive inside pristine parasols. Symbolic wooden posts scatter along this beach under a rich sky.

From halo braids to iridescent, flowing and draped Greek-inspired gowns and faithful panoply and sandals to symbolic and translucent veils to colorful and trendier styles, costumer Barbara Holbrook balances these classic and contemporary visuals flawlessly. Samantha Griffin as Iphigenia is a particular vision while Greek chorus Samantha Autumn, Tracy Hickey and Olivia Krick stylishly turn heads without seeming stilted or out of place.

Samantha Autumn, Alex Picard, Olivia Krick and Tracy Hickey in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

As peaceful as this setting may sound, Euripides’s classic is anything but peaceful as Peter Josephson as Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, wanders onto the beach. Josephson has a gift for bringing depth and sympathy to complex and polarizing characters and he makes it easy to sympathize with Agamemnon’s lament. The goddess Artemis demands Agamemnon sacrifice his favorite daughter to ensure victory in a war that has not yet started.

Alex Picard and Peter Josephson in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Barefoot, distressed and lost in thought, Josephson chooses his words carefully while expressing his inner turmoil. He turns to Alex Picard as Agamemnon’s brother and King of Sparta Menelaus for reassurance, but what Picard’s Menelaus returns is far different from what he is expecting.

Even if you know the story of Iphigenia in Aulis, this intense adaptation reveals new perspectives and much more.

Rachel Chapin Longo and Peter Josephson theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Led by Josephson, Iphigenia in Aulis boasts a skilled and discerning cast as some members take on multiple roles during the production. Picard and Josephson share gripping chemistry as palpable tension and sibling rivalry take hold, leveling each other in deep seated resentment. Trusting, warm, wise and practical, Rachael Chapin Longo holds her own with Josephson and delivers a courageous and powerful performance as Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae. However, Samantha Griffin shines as Agamemnon’s favorite daughter who is not to be underestimated.

Adding context, meaning and atmosphere to this production is a trio of acoustic Greek folk musicians who narrate, participate and articulate a number of perspectives and observations through stirring original music by composer Jake Hudgins. Along with guitar and harmonica tinged rhythms, they muse, “Let this not come to me or my children’s children” and “Water flowing…an excellent daughter…let the winds blow.”

Alex Picard, Tracy Hickey, Olivia Krick and Samatha Griffin as the Chorus in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Having never witnessed this classic Greek mythical tale, Iphigenia in Aulis explores a great deal in its tense 100 minute timeframe. It does share moments of dark and clever humor while tackling war, cowardice, sacrifice, jealousy, ambition, obsession, betrayal, honor, and loyalty in a profound exploration of family and country where truth and integrity are so difficult to find.

Samantha Griffin, Samantha Autumn, Olivia Krick, Alex Picard, Tracy Hickey and Rachael Chapin Longo in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Theatre KAPOW particularly excels at bringing something new to classic works and Anne Washburn’s final play Iphigenia in Aulis is an ideal work for Theatre KAPOW, delivering a unique and multilayered journey with a number of unpredictable twists and turns right down to its final shocking seconds.

Theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person at the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Click here for more information and for further details on Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.

REVIEW: Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt 2B’ a puzzling comedy

Posted on September 27, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Sherlock has always had its passing comical moments.

Though considered a mystery-crime drama, Sherlock Holmes has delved into quirky territory featuring an eccentric lead in Sherlock Homes and his various idiosyncrasies. Holmes is a deductive and egocentric genius who considers emotion irrelevant and crosses paths with Dr. Watson who is reasonable, but also carries emotional weight in various situations. They are both brilliant in their own way and together, a force to be reckoned with.

Gloucester Stage Company’s production of Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B, by playwright Kate Hamill in Gloucester, MA. The production is directed by Rebecca Bradshaw, and stars Erin O’Sullivan and Ms. Sherlock Holmes; Breezy Leigh as Dr. Joan Watson; Stephen Shore as Inspector Lestrade, Elliot Monk, and Others; and Grace Experience as Irene Adler, Mrs. Hudson, and Others. © 2025 Shawn G. Henry • 978-590-4869 GSC-250903-Holmes+Watson_351

Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw, Gloucester Stage Company continues Kate Hamill’s comedic murder mystery spoof Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt 2b live and in person at Gloucester Stage Company in Gloucester, Massachusetts through Saturday, September 27. This wild production features adult humor and is a lengthy two hours and 15 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Based on numerous stories and four novels by Sir Author Conan Doyle, the legend of Sherlock Holmes has been adapted many times which includes satire and parodies, but this classic tale tends to be at its best through its thrilling, haunting and suspenseful moments as the mystery unfolds. That is when I think Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt 2B is also at its best.

Set in London in the spring of 2021, Stephen Shore performs multiple roles including a chilling Narrator. As Shore’s face illuminates in an eerie glow while Shore’s charismatic and elegant vocals start to reveal the tale, I was excited for what was in store. Shore is a talented and charismatic presence standing out in this production.

However, even with its scattered suspenseful moments, this production is mostly a quirky pop cultured peppered comedy where freelance detective Sherlock meets Dr. Watson in the contemporary world to solve a mystery.

Kristin Loeffler’s sliding set boasts that classic Sherlock fireplace with twin bookcases, skeleton and wooden doors illuminated by Deb Sullivan’s evocative and ghastly red lighting as well as Julian Crocamo’s ticking and classical sound design.

I appreciated the dynamic between Breezy Leigh as excitable and frank New Yorker Ms. Watson who seems firmly planted in the contemporary world while aside from new age meditation and vaping, Eryn O’Sullivan’s Sherlock seems in every other way from the past rebuffing technology and relying solely on the mind and the written word for everything. O’Sullivan brings an over the top cryptically calm detachment, frequent disdain and pretension while Dr. Watson is so excitable and squeamish, it became difficult to believe that Ms. Watson was ever a level headed doctor.

The production delivers major characters from the classic Sherlock novels featuring some enviable costume selections by Chelsea Kerl, especially displayed in Grace Experience’s red velvet suit and fabulous bejeweled shoes. Portraying multiple roles, Grace Experience zings from a peculiar cockney-accented housekeeper to a bold and clever seductress while having a great time in each swift transformation.

However, I still longed for more thrills and less clutter. Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson Apt. 2b feature a murder mystery, but comedy is king in this production and among so many comedic distractions, it became difficult to get invested in the mystery. While it has some self aware humor and creative silliness in a certain train scene, it seems to meander too often without striking a real balance between humor and suspense. As a fan of Kate Hamill’s great work most recently in The Odyssey and Austen’s Emma, I was just longing for something more.

Gloucester Stage Company continues Kate Hamill’s comedic murder mystery Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt 2b live and in person at Gloucester Stage Company in Gloucester, Massachusetts through Saturday, September 27. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Actors’ Shakespeare Project envisions a wildly mischievous ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Posted on April 28, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

It may not be the lusty month of May yet, but Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s contemporary A Midsummer Night’s Dream has it covered by the time it arrives. This is one wild ride.

It is not difficult to see why A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most performed and beloved plays. It is everything but tragic and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. It features magic, mischief, romantic comedy, action, and it was a perfect way to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday on April 23.

Eliza Fichter and Dan Garcia in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

With bold direction by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues A Midsummer Night’s Dream live and in person through Sunday, May 4 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts. The show’s action is not limited to the stage with two platforms immersed in the audience and runs 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Discounted tickets are available. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The Cast of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has multiple story lines, but the cast translates Shakespeare’s work with a lively affinity for the text with some improvisation and pop culture references along the way. Part play within a play, part fantasy, and part comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream essentially explores love in all of its forms from unrequited to desire to true love to romantic comedy gone awry due to some mystical love potions. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is also the source of some of Shakespeare’s most famous reflections on love such as ‘True love does not see with the eyes, but the mind’ and ‘The course of true love never did run smooth.’ Shakespeare’s witty dialogue is an intriguing reminder that his classic story lines can translate seamlessly into a wide variety of contemporary scenarios.

Kody Grassett, Doug Lockwood, and Bobbie Steinbach in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Scenic designer Ben Lieberson’s multilevel and industrial scaffolding not only provides a club atmosphere, but a somewhat blank canvas for lighting designer Brian Lilienthal’s multicolored illumination as a glimmering disco ball hangs overhead. Seth Bodie’s distinctive costumes feature a wide array of 90s and turn of the century looks from refined to over the top in splashy, glimmering, feathered and suggestive club wear to edgy street attire in fringe, pleather and denim to lavish upscale suits. Sound designer MacKenzie Adamick also sets a 90s and 2000s vibe with a mix of original and popular club beats for both comic relief and setting the scene.

ia Giatrelis, Eliza Fichter, Evan Taylor, Doug Lockwood, and Kody Grassett in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Coy, bold, and chock full of passion, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream establishes a world of status and fantasy featuring a cast of powerful and absorbing characters determined to fight for what they want and aren’t shy about absurdity demonstrated by Doug Lockwood as the enthusiastic and bombastic Nick Bottom along with Bobbie Steinbach as resourceful Quince and a group of madcap and dedicated mechanicals offer more than silly humor before the final curtain.

Bobbie Steinbach and The Mechanicals in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

These mature characters are tougher and have experienced life’s hardships which is a valuable attribute for love is fickle. Michael Broadhurst as Lysander may seem sweet and adoring sharing an endearing chemistry with Thomika Marie Bridwell as Hermia, but Broadhurst also has a chance to explore another side of this character. Athletic Alan Kuang is remarkable as wild, mischievous, and break dancing Puck and his conspiring moments with Dan Garcia as Oberon make for street savvy and cunning pair.

Thomika Marie Bridwell and De’Lon Grant in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The women in this production are strong, beautiful, and fierce. Eliza Fichter takes on dual roles as powerful Hippolyta as well as glamorous and seductive Titania. Thomika Marie Bridwell is wonderful as headstrong, comically tough and fearless Hermia while Deb Martin is a scene stealer and redefines crazy in love wild eyed Helena. Martin’s physical comedic prowess and the arduous lengths she goes through to get what she wants would be inspiring if she was not so unhinged and she shares some madcap moments with De’Lon Grant as impulsive Demetrius. However, one intense scene between Martin and Bridwell going head to head becomes so hilarious and well executed that it stands as my favorite scene in this production.

De’Lon Grant and Deb Martin in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

One of the liveliest adaptations I’ve ever seen, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues A Midsummer Night’s Dream live and in person through Sunday, May 4 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Far from home in American Repertory Theater’s innovative world premiere of ‘The Odyssey’

Posted on March 6, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Ten years have passed and Penelope holds onto hope her King will return while life marches on.

Actress and playwright Kate Hamill has offered new perspectives to various works including Jane Austen’s beloved novels Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Hamill darkly re-imagines Homer’s epic Greek mythology poem and plays an exciting role in American Repertory Theatre’s world premiere of The Odyssey which is as innovative as it is thought provoking.

Directed imaginatively by Shana Cooper, American Repertory Theater continues its world premiere of Kate Hamill’s The Odyssey live and in person at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 16. This epic production has adult themes, violence and runs three hours including two intermissions. Click here for more information and tickets.

Members of the cast in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

I’m not a big fan of mythology, but who could forget the treacherous and conflicted journey of war-addled Odysseus as he perilously embarks on his journey home consumed by nightmares and at one point, even forgetting himself.

Three hours may sound like a lengthy stretch of time, but this gripping tale picks up immediately into Odysseus’s perilous and monumental journey. It is a good idea to get a refresher on the tale before attending the production. Homer’s The Odyssey is considered one of the most influential and most read mythological works of all time and Hamill’s reimagining mixes classic with the contemporary that delivers not only occasional moments of relatable humor but enhances the poem’s universal moral focus.

Members of the cast face Polyphemus in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

The Odyssey unfolds with Sibyl Wichersheimer’s dual level, Grecian and ship-inspired set featuring beige textured walls, hanging buoys, colorful and stylistically embroidered artwork, wicker and wood set pieces, and pristine tensile structured sails scattered throughout the stage. Lighting and projection designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew with puppeteer Abigail Baird take inspiration from Greek illustrations for luminous shadow projections who are often larger than life and transforming the set from a ship teetering in a storm to Hades itself or skillfully navigating shadows to augment a powerful giant and its threatening eye.

Wayne T. Carr, Kate Hamill, Alejandra Escalante, and Nike Imoru in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

Led by Wayne T Carr, who is impressive as traumatized, tormented and yet resourceful commander King Odysseus of Ithaca, sacrifices, betrayals, and illusions are just a tip of the iceberg in Odysseus’s treacherous journey to find his way home as the Moirai, portrayed by Alejandra Escalante, Kate Hamill, and Kristian Espiritu, visit Odysseus’s dreams, nightmares and eat away at his conscience. The Moirai have great chemistry and share a few darkly comical moments while they advise, taunt, discern and engage the audience while guiding Odysseus in his next step depending on his prideful wrongdoings. The trio takes on several roles throughout the production ranging from pivotal characters to adorable wild animals.

Alejandra Escalante, Kate Hamill, Nike Imoru, and Wayne T. Carr in The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

Overwhelmed and weighed down by his past, Carr illustrates Odysseus’s harrowing conflict through tragedy and despair after fighting in the Trojan war while agonizing over seeming impossible choices and yet, it is difficult not to root for him even as he follows the wrong path. Jason O’Connell portrays a number of roles including Odysseus’s right hand man, Pilates and they share an intense and notable moment about prayer, miracles and blessings in Odysseus’s struggle as Odysseus looks on helplessly. Carr manages to keep Odysseus’s plight sympathetic throughout his journey which quite literally includes the stuff of Hades.

Kate Hamill and Wayne T. Carr in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

Kate Hamill relishes her role as legendary trickster and temptress sea witch Cerce and is one of the most fascinating characters in the production. Candid and condescending, Hamill brings to life Cerce’s provocative nature and possesses sharp and darkly comic timing as she tows the line between deceit, truth and cruelty while pushing others to the brink.

Keshav Moodliar, Chris Thorn, Wayne T. Carr, and Nike Imoru in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

Army vests, cargo pants, boots, fatigues, furs, sunglasses, embroidered capes, detailed gowns and majestic shawls are just a portion of An-Lin Dauber’s edgy and dynamic wardrobe. Chris Thorn, Benjamin Benenfant and Kesev Moodliar portray a trio of raunchy, rugged and power hungry reveler suitors who relentlessly pursue Andrus Nichols as Penelope as they think the king is dead. However, Moodliar as Amphinomus is kind to conflicted Penelope, as she raises Carlo Albán as her son Telemachus to become a warrior, despite his misgivings. Nichols depicts a raw strength, shrewdness and fortitude as Penelope and she holds onto hope for her King’s return.

Andrus Nichols and Wayne T. Carr in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of The Odyssey. Credit: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall.

American Repertory Theater continues its world premiere of Kate Hamill’s The Odyssey live and in person at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 16. This epic production has adult themes and runs three hours including two intermissions. Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: American Repertory Theater brings new dimensions to Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Posted on September 15, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Nowhere else but Fair Verona is love and hate so swift and immediate than in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

American Repertory Theater reveals love, rage, loyalty, and passion in an ominous production that integrates a number of Shakespeare’s signature elements. Director Diane Paulus remarkably illustrates ‘what could have been’ in a haunting sequence of the best laid plans and Emilia Suárez as Juliet is not only beautiful, naïve and headstrong, but depicted in a heightened and more thought provoking manner while adding new dimensions to this classic star crossed love story.

Directed meaningfully by Diane Paulus and captivating choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with raw and memorable fight choreography by Thomas Schall, American Repertory Theater kicks off its 45^th season with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet continuing live and in person at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through October 6. The production is two hours and 45 minutes including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet delves into the war between feuding families the Montagues and Capulets. However, when Rudy Pankow as Romeo Montague sets his eyes on Emilia Suárez as Juliet Capulet, their worlds are forever changed.

Emilia Suárez (Juliet) and Rudy Pankow (Romeo) in A.R.T.’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

The war between the Capulet and the Montague families take center stage from the production’s first scene and the hate proves as instantaneous as Romeo and Juliet falling in love at first sight – unreasonable, unbridled, and unyielding. Tensions rise and escalate quickly as both clans face off over a gesture on the street. Amy Rubin’s grand wooden and transformative set pieces which includes a tower that billows smoke, reflects the weighty love and rage contained in these characters who occasionally labor to shift these symbolic set pieces during the production.

Jen Schriever’s dynamic lighting fuels a beautifully contemporary Capulet masquerade with luminous orbs, hazy spotlights and special effects alongside Daniel Lundberg’s mix of foreboding, ethereal and pulsing sound design, but truly shines later in a harrowing display of chilling shadows.

Rudy Pankow (Romeo) and Terrence Mann (Friar Laurence) in A.R.T.’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

Romeo and Juliet features a strong and compelling cast highlighted by Terrence Mann as herbalist Friar Laurence. In tattoos and pulled back hair, Terrence Mann boasts a meaty and enhanced role including part narrator and providing some musical accompaniment on a ukulele. With sharp dramatic and comic timing, Mann as Friar is stoic, sensible and is humorous in his understandable exasperation and weariness reflecting some the audience’s thoughts as he aspires to advise impulsive Romeo and Juliet.

Emilia Suárez as young and love struck Juliet is riveting from her first meeting with passionate and insistent Romeo and later as she agonizes over the excruciating decisions in front of her, almost losing herself in what feels like an Ophelia-like moment during a scene with Sharon Catherine Brown as Juliet’s compassionate and supportive Nurse. It is chilling, brilliant and adds another dimension to this complex character.

Sharon Catherine Brown (Nurse) and Emilia Suárez (Juliet) in A.R.T.’s Romeo and Juliet Photo by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

Emilio Sosa’s detailed costume design varies from fishnets, ripped jeans and leather to stately and glittering formalwear. Brown has an enviable wardrobe in floral multicolor dresses and jackets right down to her fabulous boots. With a glowing smile, Brown shares a protective and sweet rapport with Juliet and while the Nurse is sometimes depicted with a more maternal instinct than Juliet’s mother, it is not necessarily the case here. Glamorous Nicole Villamil as Lady Capulet may be preoccupied by social matters at times and aware of her limited power as a wife, but has a heartfelt affection for Juliet and wants what is best for her. Mann and Brown also share a memorably amusing scene together, demonstrating they may be the only rational characters in this tale.

Terence Archie is dignified and confident as Lord Capulet, even during a moment where he knocks on a wooden set piece. Archie’s clever turn of Shakespeare’s lines feel contemporary and relatable as Juliet’s father especially in a powerful scene with Juliet later in the production.

Clay Singer (Mercutio), Rudy Pankow (Romeo), and Brandon Dial (Benvolio) in A.R.T.’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

From a Hawaiian shirt and sneakers to a multicolored cardigan, Clay Singer’s Mercutio is a teasing, raunchy and saucy presence and may keep you guessing whether Singer is flirting or fighting with the other characters. Singer plays the darker undertones and unpredictability of this pivotal character with playful yet protective gallantry and shares some mischievous antics with Brandon Dial as warm hearted and earnest Benvolio. In a black fishnet shirt and leather, Alex Ross as tumultuous Tybalt is a disquieting and menacing force onstage escalating in a gripping scene with Singer, Pankow, and Dial.

Though the production is a bit lengthy, American Repertory Theater delivers an enhanced tale that adds new dimensions to these classic characters which culminate in a unique and insightful epilogue demonstrating that hope rises even in the bleakest of times.

Rudy Pankow (Romeo) and Emilia Suárez (Juliet) in A.R.T.’s Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

American Repertory Theater presents Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet live and in person at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through October 6. The production is two hours and 45 minutes including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Actors’ Shakespeare Project lights up an inspired ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Posted on May 30, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Rage, passion, betrayal, desperation and what might have been. Such is the language of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s faithful yet contemporary take on Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet and it is all the better for it.

With visionary direction by Marianna Bassham, Actors’ Shakespeare Project is concluding its current season with Romeo and Juliet live and in person through Sunday, June 2 at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts. This lively production runs 2 hours and 20 minutes including a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Evan Taylor as Romeo and Chloe McFarlane as Juliet in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Courtesy of Maggie Hall Photography

Set in Verona, scenic designer Saskia Martinez’s eye-popping set layered in textured bursting fuchsia with Deb Sullivan’s vibrant and symbolic lighting and a suspenseful, foreboding and electronic-infused score create a unique and edgy vibe as the beige hooded Capulets and black hooded Montagues roam the stage. Heart shaped sunglasses, sneakers, and combat boots are just a few of the highlights of Lisa Coleman’s modern costume design.

Nothing less is appropriate for this expressive and engaging cast that is more than well versed in the material. Having seen Shakespeare done in various capacities, this particular cast brings an elevated meaning to Shakespeare’s work and one does not have to be a Shakespeare fan or know Shakespeare to comprehend this production’s brilliant interpretation. This show reveals no weapons and it is certainly not necessary for the clarity presented onstage. The well paced production depicts the playful camaraderie within the Montague clan as well as the turmoil, tension, and sheer rage between houses led by Capulet leader Sandra Seone-Seri as threatening and tempestuous Tybalt.

Christopher V. Edwards and Esme Allen in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

This is also no contemporary reboot of this classic production though a self glow ring light is humorously used by Esme Allen who portrays Juliet’s delightfully materialistic cool mom Lady Capulet. Christopher V. Edwards delivers a commanding performance as Juliet’s father Lord Capulet especially in a pivotal scene later in the production. In black nail polish, Michael Broadhurst as Mercutio is a life of the party wild card. Broadhurst is teasing and playful with dark undertones as Romeo’s best friend and shares some mischievous antics with Nicolas Zuluaga as handsome and earnest Benvolio.

Michael Broadhurst, Evan Taylor, and Nicolas Zuluaga in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Jesse Hinson performs double duty as the Apothecary seamlessly while delivering an epic and foreboding sound design in real time onstage using a sound board and a lone reverberating electric guitar.

However, what this production does best at is love in every form including naïve, unscathed, willful, endless and true love delivered by Chloe McFarlane as Juliet and Evan Taylor as Romeo.

Partially narrated by Jules Talbot who takes on a number or roles during the production, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet focuses on two clans at war between the Capulets and the Montagues. When Evan Taylor as Romeo Montague sets his eyes on Chloe McFarlane as Juliet Capulet, it is love at first sight. Then things get complicated.

Fernando Barbosa and Chloe McFarlane in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

The electricity between McFarlane and Taylor only intensifies as the production progresses. Passionate Romeo and virtuous Juliet not only share some tender love scenes, but genuine humor in their mutual admiration. Paula Plum delivers a wondrous and compassionate performance as Nurse who shares such a lovely rapport with McFarlane as Juliet. Plum’s Nurse is protective and more maternal than Juliet’s own mother and it is moving to witness her unwavering belief that Romeo and Julie’s love goes far beyond names. It is a belief that could prevent a lot of suffering onstage and off.

Chloe McFarlane and Paula Plum in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Parting is such sweet sorrow so see Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s Romeo and Juliet live and in person through Sunday, June 2 at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts. This compelling production runs 2 hours and 15 minutes including a 20 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Boston Ballet’s ‘Winter Experience’ anticipates the bloom of spring

Posted on March 2, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Warm up with the beauty of Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience.

Boasting two world premiere performances, the Boston Ballet masters two bright, thrilling, and contemporary performances with an enchanting classic ballet in four scenes. These performances provide much needed thrilling warmth as the world anticipates the bloom of spring.

As part of its 60^th season, The Boston Ballet presents Winter Experience including the world premiere of To Be One, the return of Petal, and the world premiere of Mikko Nissenen’s Hungarian ballet Raymonda live and in person at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3. The production is two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

2B One Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

The world premiere of To Be One and the return of Petal are bold and unfold with finesse. To Be One boasts Helen Pickett’s sharp and vigorous choreography with Brandon Stirling Baker’s pristine lighting to brilliantly capture each dancer’s sheer athleticism to the urgent and anticipatory dance rhythms by Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson.

Sara Marhamo Kirk’s shimmering and translucent garments add a modern lucidity bathed in luminous shifting color backdrops. Lauren Herfindahl, Sage Humphries, Kyra Muttilainen, Chisako Oga, Alainah Grace Reidy, Graham Johns, Ángel García Molinero, Yue Shi, Gearoid Solan, Schuyler Wijsen, and Patrick Yocum perform to piano and violin-infused rhythms with at times short, pithy and lithe movements. The energy became so intense that at one point, the collective dancers seem like they are competing with each other in a lively circle.

Boston Ballet in Helen Pickett’s Petal, photo by Liza Voll, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Steeped in Brandon Stirling Baker’s vibrant colors and a sonic, violin-tinged score which evokes a soothing, building joy, Helen Pickett’s flourishing choreography make Petal an elegant and radiant journey. Amid consistent and warm colors, the agile and jovial cast leaps and spins breezily to form into intriguing pairs. Pickett’s scenic colors transform from brilliant yellow to a warm orange to a bold pink while allowing Nete Joseph’s pastel costumes to remain distinctive on each landscape. Kaitlyn Casey, Lauren Herfindahl, Abigail Merlis, and Chisako Oga seem to thrive with the athletic support of Henry Griffin, Graham Johns, Ángel García Molinero, and Lawrence Rines Munro. Lifting them up and guiding them to the chiming and urgent rhythms of Phillip Glass, John Cocteau, Susan Marshall and Thomas Montgomery Newman’s Elizabeth Chooses a Career, each pair learns how to support each other in order to grow. They float, tumble, sway, and spin as each female learns to soar.

María Álvarez and Boston Ballet in Helen Pickett’s Petal, photo by Liza Voll, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Mikko Nissenen reimagines Marius Petipa’s original choreography for the world premiere of the classic Raymonda: A Ballet in four scenes. Set in medieval times, Raymonda is a magnificent and royal affair featuring a large cast and Robert Perdziola’s exquisite and meticulously detailed costume design ranging from guards in chain link silver armor and black boots to blue, gold, and black feathered costumes to white and gold garments with refined floral sleeves. My’Kal Stromile stands out with large black petal sleeves and a red sash as Master of Ceremonies.

Cast of Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

There is a fanciful spark to this intriguing love story filled with beauty and grace to the whimsical and sophisticated harp infused score by Alexander Glazunov. The elegant cast performs a captivating waltz surrounded by Nicholas Kostner’s whimsical marble set pieces.

Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

Viktorina Kapitonova, who has depicted the title role in Boston Ballet’s Cinderella, is the perfect fit for delicate, fair, and confident Raymonda. Her rhythmic entrance is a balance of grace and boldness intensified by a spicy Hungarian clap. The Vision scene is a particular highlight. Maria Rubin as La Dame Blanche rises from the misty haze in an intricately detailed white gown. Kapitonova has endearing chemistry with Lasha Khozashvili as fiancé Jean De Brienne and Brandon Stirling Baker’s atmospheric lighting creates a silhouette in orange as they entwine into a tender embrace.

Viktorina Kapitonova as Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

The full company is a triumphant celebration in gold crowns, though Raymonda does run a little long in presentation. A quick paced array of mostly variations demonstrates the refined cast’s joy with sweeping sparkle. Some of the highlights include Daniel Durrett, Sun Woo Lee, Ángel García Molinero and Gearoid Solan in a technically impressive performance, Lia Cirio takes the stage in a complex and exuberant performance, Kapitonova as Raymonda performs a display of jubilance and elegance in playful leaps, and Lasha Khozashvili ‘s variation is highlighted by extraordinary leaps.

As part of its 60^th season, The Boston Ballet presents Winter Experience including the world premiere of To Be One, the return of Petal, and the world premiere of Mikko Nissenen’s Hungarian ballet Raymonda live and in person at the Boston Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3. The production is two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Imaginary Beasts conjures a boisterous ‘The Spider and the Fly’

Posted on October 29, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

With a collection of zany characters such as a Moth, a Praying Mantis, a Gossamer Fairy, Figment, a Land Octopus, and a sleepy constable named Bluebottle, it is clear that The Spider and the Fly has no shortage of zealous imagination.

With so many productions that rely on the zip and zing of digital effects, CGI, and AI, it is exhilarating to see director Matthew Woods solely rely on homespun creativity and audience interaction to bring to life a vivid and unpredictable gothic children’s tale.

Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’ cast Photo by Matthew Woods

Directed artfully by Matthew Woods, Imaginary Beasts presents live and in person Kiki Samko and Matthew Woods’s The Spider and the Fly or the Tangled Web (a gothic pantomime) through October 29 live and in person at Chelsea Theatre Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The show is one hour and 40 minutes with a 10 minute intermission and is recommended for children 5 and up. Click here for more information and for tickets that are quickly selling out.

Blending vintage with the contemporary, The Spider and the Fly is quite the inquisitive adventure with lots of high jinks, scheming, plotting, sleuthing, and memorable and poetic dialogue that delivers a meaningful message about inspiration, friendship, and doing what is right. A panto is a form of wintertime family entertainment in the UK that weaves in puns, wordplay, jokes, and more. The Spider and the Fly is somewhat a panto within a panto as the cast embarks on an ardent journey to inspire a writer inside the writer’s own head.

Brooks Reeves as King Cumbercrown in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’ Photo by Matthew Woods

Brooks Reeves relishes in the part of King Cumbercrown who will stop at nothing to stop the Panto from happening, even if it means corrupting everyone in his path. Reeves is up to no good and his scheming and crafty behavior is such fun to watch as Reeves’s blue face scowls and sneers at the any sign of happiness and joy behind hypno spiral goggles.

The black and purple painted set design by Jason Taschereau has a vintage and mesmerizing quality while Cotton-Talbot-Minkin’s captivating and colorful costumes exude a gothic, fanciful and vintage edge with a dash of steam punk. As the look is inspired by silent films, outrageous patterns combine with bow ties, top hats, sparkling converse sneakers, lace, corduroy, pearls, flowered shoes and boots. Though it is gothic, it is not scary, but creative, inviting, and imaginative.

Laura Detwiler as the Great Author and Brooks Reeves as King Cumbercrown in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and The Fly’ Photo by Matthew Woods

The continual audience engagement fuels this wild tale that does meander and veer off course occasionally, but it is difficult to notice with such a lively cast of characters that weave in some random contemporary pop and winking adult references. The Wednesday dance challenge, Rhianna, and random television show references are just a few examples.

Jamie Semel as Young Woodby and Evan Turissini as Madame Bijou in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’

Some of the cast depicts more than one role. Evan Turissini is all drama and also relishes in the part of lovelorn, flirty, and attention-seeking Madame Bijou, especially while vying for the attention of Bluebottle, portrayed with British flair by Colin McIntire. Sophia Yael Koevary as Daisy Mae and Jamie Semel as Young Woodby share some sweet scenes. With choreographer Laura Detwiler’s dynamic choreography, Camille Charlier as the Gossamer Fairy and Lindsay Eagle as The Ghost of Mary Whosie-Whatsit perform a harmonious rendition of Mills Brothers’ The Glow Worm. Another memorable tune comes straight from the audience as the cast invites the crowd to believe in a spark, depicted by Erin FM and navigated by Beth Owens.

For a show about inspiration, The Spider and the Fly doesn’t need much coaching as it delves into this exciting production with a quick pace with lots of heart.

Imaginary Beasts presents live and in person Kiki Samko and Matthew Woods’s The Spider and the Fly or the Tangled Web (a gothic pantomime) through October 29 at Chelsea Theatre Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The show is one hour and 40 minutes with a 10 minute intermission and is recommended for children 5 and up. Click here for more information and for tickets that are quickly selling out.

REVIEW: Central Square Theater brings Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Chinese Lady’ to light

Posted on November 26, 2022 by The Sleepless Critic

Afung Moy is majestic, idealistic, and beautiful. In 1834, she has set foot on American soil from China at just 14 years of age to share her background, culture, and experiences. However, the details behind her arrival as well as her time and purpose in the United States is where the real story lies.

Directed impressively by Sarah Shin and in partnership with the Chuang Stage, Central Square Theater reveals a little known yet impactful figure in Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 11. This semi-interactive production is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Sophorl Ngin as Afung in ‘The Chinese Lady’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios.

The Chinese Lady is gripping from the start and much of that is due to its two powerful leads that at first share amiable banter, humor, and building tension. With bright and expressive eyes, Sophorl Ngin depicts Afung Moy with compelling curiosity as she gradually discovers the life that has been set out in front of her. Ngin’s sweet and understated ingenuity beams adorned in exquisitely-detailed gold embroidered lavender and lilac attire crowned with a colorful guan by costume designer Sandra Zhihan Jia.

Scenic designer Qinan Zhang has a meticulous eye for detail and each piece of furniture and prop provides a significant purpose. Nothing in this vast room is just for show. Translucent curtains blanket the room and add a mysterious quality to the space. Steel structures hang above a Chinese floral blossoms arrangement and the matching end tables and chair quickly become essential to this historical account.

Jae Woo as Atung and Sophorl Ngin as Afung Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

From China’s history of inventing tea to the gruesome details of foot binding, Ngin delivers her lines pragmatically and with a cheery glow, treating her time onstage at first an adventure with delusions of grandeur. With a wide eyed countenance, Ngin brilliantly depicts Afung from her imaginative humor and naivete to the subtle evolution in her ripened demeanor, weary walk, and her conflicted style of speaking as years gradually progress. The Chinese Lady is confronted with the ugly side of humanity and lays it bare as her time slowly fades into a land she has little choice but to adapt to it.

Ngin as Afung and Jae Woo as her older translator and guide Atung illustrate their absorbing camaraderie as they embody their complex characters, particularly exemplified in a chilling scene with the President. This intense and carefully executed scene is riveting and difficult to witness, but punctuates the sheer marvel of these two together onstage. Jae Woo portrays Atung as mysterious, subdued, polite, and unassuming as he keeps himself as minimal as the furniture. He is kind, protective, and squarely knows his place, but hints at a painfully buried intensity. Woo handles this complicated and austere character with tight lipped finesse in spite of or more hauntingly, because of all he has been through.

Sophorl Ngin as Afung and Jae Woo as Atung Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

The Chinese Lady is best experienced without revealing the true nature of the story. Afung’s endearing personality provides a temporary distraction of what is actually happening onstage. Director Sarah Shin and author Lloyd Suh’s clever unfolding of historical and contemporary events and the actors’ subtle navigation in their performances on issues that are anything but subtle are weaved into a striking and message driven historical work that peels away that subtlety piece by piece and by the final act, leaves everything astonishingly and unsettling bare.

Central Square Theater reveals a little known yet impactful historical figure in Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 11. This semi-interactive performance is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: Boston Ballet’s elegant and edgy ‘DREAMstate’ a fascinating departure from reality

Posted on March 26, 2022 by The Sleepless Critic

From classically fanciful to electrifying to distinctive, unconventional artistry, the Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate is an astute exploration of the delicate nature of dreams and a fascinating escape from reality. Aside from Boston Ballet’s traditional Nutcracker in December, Mikko Nissinen’s DREAMstate is the first live and in person return to Boston Ballet’s regular season since the pandemic. Excitement was in the air and the Boston Opera House was full.

Boston Ballet in George Balanchine’s Chaconne © The George Balanchine Trust; photo by Liza Voll; courtesy of Boston Balle

Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate continues through Sunday, March 27 at live and in person at the Citizen’s Bank Opera House in Boston, MA. The show is approximately two hours with two intermissions and the final piece contains partial nudity. Click here for more information and tickets.

Rolling Stones tribute DEVIL’s/eye Photo credit to Boston Ballet

Though all three Boston Ballet pieces had its highlights, the stellar world premiere of Boston Ballet’s tribute to the Rolling Stones, DEVIL’S/eye was the most uniquely compelling. Weaving in live concert elements and classic hits such as Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, Paint it Black and much more, dancers take the stage in shadow bathed in purple, red, yellow, pink, and blue glimmering from an incredible, multi-functional sound system lit by Brandon Stirling Baker. With exhilarating choreography and edgy and exotic costume design both by Stephen Galloway, lively dancers in silk, sequins, fishnets and windswept hair complete the full glamour of a rock and roll concert showing off thrilling, contemporary freestyle moves. The entire performance is an electrifying spectacle as dancers let loose to the Stones concert footage with epic alicicone spins, but a brief pause in the guitar-tinged, horn-infused rhythms showing off each dancer’s glowing silhouette cannot be properly conveyed here and those sensational moments are best witnessed in person.

George Balanchine’s Chaconne brings to life a regal and fanciful daydream to the heavenly sounds of the Christoph Willibald von Gluck opera, Orfeo ed Euridice. Elegantly adorned in a flowing and ethereal skirt and crown by Barbara Karinska in front of tranquil green blue backdrop, the always fresh-faced and charming Viktorina Kapitonova performed a beautiful and romantic pas de deux with Lasha Khozashvili, dressed in white. Khozashvili lifts and leads Kapitonova delicately as they sporadically intertwine. The piece is primarily playful as dancers bow and sway in gleaming, royal costumes as they float along this lighthearted daydream, the flutter of slippers sweeping across the stage.

Misa Kuranaga and Patrick Yocum in George Balanchine’s Chaconne © The George Balanchine Trust; photo by Liza Voll; courtesy of Boston Ballet

The final piece is probably one of the most unconventional performances the Sleepless Critic has ever witnessed with the Boston Ballet because after a brief intermission, the piece begins before the music starts and dancers are already in motion as the rehearsal blurs into the performance.

Altan Dugaraa, Sarah Wroth, Yury Yanowsky in Jiří Kylián’s Bella Figura; photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Jiri Kylian’s Bella Figura, a fan favorite, often departs from reality and the structure of how a performance would normally flow. In many ways, it bucks tradition as the dancers float and slide between closing curtains as Seo Hye Han, topless, wraps herself in only a black stage curtain. Bella Figura has some captivating choreographed indignation and intensity as Ji Young Chae struggles not to be held or controlled by Paul Craig, shaking Craig away. Bella Figura seems an abstract piece with haunting and mysterious elements as female dancers are manipulated in sharp, robotic movements. It seems Bella Figura represents the vision of a perfect female specimen as women bend under the intensity and pressure to be perfect. In gathering rich red skirts, men and women, all topless and all looking the same, glide along the stage. It is a memorable, distinctive performance as the piece continues even as the music concludes.

Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate continues through Sunday, March 27 at live and in person at the Citizen’s Bank Boston Opera House. Click here for more information and tickets.