In Aditi Brennan Kapil‘s Orange (Mixed Blood, through Dec 4) Leela (the wonderful Annelyse Ahmad) is having an “adventure.” Her well-meaning albeit scattered and goofily irresponsible cousin (played by the even wonderfuller Lipica Shah) has taken her off into the…
Author: John Olive
The Oldest Boy at the Jungle Theater
In Sarah Ruhl‘s The Oldest Boy (at the Jungle, through Dec 18) culture and religion trump (Lord forgive me for using the t-word) the unselfishness, the pure life-focus, the power of parenthood. In the play, two friendly but very serious-minded…
The Good Person Of Setzuan by Frank Theatre, performing in the Rainbow Foods space on Minnehaha Avenue
Another of Frank Theatre‘s brilliant “found spaces”: the back room of the old Rainbow Foods. A gorgeous steel stairway, the “meat cooler,” the “sorting table” (whatever that is), an enormous ventilation pipe, weird platforms, a view out to the store…
Cabaret by Hennepin Theatre Trust, performing at the Orpheum Theatre
They’re all there, the famous and iconic Cabaret songs: “Willkommen,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” the anthemic “Cabaret.” John Kander (still with us) and Fred Ebb (who died in 2004) are/were masters of American musical theater. Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Chicago…
The Parchman Hour at the Guthrie Theatre
It’s no accident that the program for Mike Wiley‘s Civil Rights drama The Parchman Hour (at the Guthrie, through November 6) references books for elementary and middle school students. These are the folks who most need to see The Parchman…
The Realistic Joneses at Park Square Theatre
Jane Froiland is in The Realistic Joneses (Park Square Theatre, through October 16). As always, she delights. She projects catchy breeziness, with a goofy smile and an energetic friendliness. All underlaid with real pain, loneliness and a shaky bitterness which…
Barbecue at Mixed Blood Theatre
Robert O’Hara‘s clutch-popping Barbecue (Mixed Blood Theater, through October 16) is gimmicky. Nothing in the play is what it seems to be, character motivations change with breathtaking quickness, abrupt discoveries are made about characters really are and it would be…
Elephant & Piggie’s We Are In A Play! at the Children’s Theatre Co.
Elephant & Piggie’s We Are In A Play! (at Childrens Theatre Co., though October 23) is for the youngest children. Keep this is mind when you confront the relentless shallowness, the repetition, the wimpy characterizations, the pointless energy, the predictability,…
The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up by Mu Performing Arts, performing in the Kilburn Arena at Rarig Center
The play has a clever title: The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up (Mu Performing Arts, performing in the Kilburn Arena at Rarig Center, through 9/18). What better response to life in an insane world? Let’s blow some shit up!…
The River by Walking Shadow Theatre Co. performing at Open Eye Theatre
One encounters: poetry in the theater, and poetry of the theater. In Jez Butterworth‘s The River (Walking Shadow Theatre Co., performing at Open Eye Theatre) there is a lot of the former. Pretty writing. Long set speeches. Memories, spun out…