Matthew Gasda’s Tech Titans Clash in San Francisco by Kim Waldron I can’t remember the last time I was so exhilarated listening to dialogue—in this case, a fight by the tech elite over who gets to sit on an AI company throne. The fast-paced wordplay of Act One flies by. Characters know what they…
Reed Flores’ Comic Heroes Fight Apocalypse on BART by Barry David Horwitz When three dancing rice cookers in their white sacks take over the stage, you may just fall off your chair. Good friends Ren (Dom Refuerzo) and Mai (Nicole Apostol Bruno) get into a hot argument about using “instant” rice instead of real…
Robert Townsend Delivers Tales & Truths, Honestly by Robert M. Gardner When co-producer Don Reed steps forward to introduce Robert Townsend, enthusiasm for the show immediately energizes us. For 90 joyful minutes, Townsend astounds, confides, and reveals the challenges and triumphs of a remarkable life in show business. The common note through his…
Anton Chekhov’s Doctor Astrov Unfurls the Future Onstage by Barry David Horwitz Berkeley Rep’s sparkling production of Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” highlights a perennial question: Do we want more exploitation of land and people, or shall we plan for a better, more humane future? Director Simon Godwin sets Chekhov’s 1899 masterpiece in a comfortable, shabby…