The Anthem

I can now say I've seen two radically different stage adaptations of Ayn Rand's 1938 novella, Anthem: a straightforward play and an '80s-flavored musical featuring the cowboy from Village People. My review of the latter -- which is even worse than you can imagine -- is here.

American Hero

Modest of scope and big of heart, Bess Wohl's new play at Second Stage Uptown gets a topnotch production and excellent cast. My review's here.

battle of the songs at World Cup 2014

It's 2014, which means World Cup, which means Official Song. This year, it turns out the unofficial one is better than the FIFA-sanctioned one. Of course I had to compare them.

Is it miscasting when the age difference is too small?

People always gripe about the age difference between men and women in some movies -- as in, what's that old dude doing with that young chick? But what about a movie in which a parent (usually a mother) must have had her child (usually a son) when she was, like, 12? Click here for a gallery I had fun working on.

Preview of Early Shaker Spirituals

Totally psyched about the Wooster Group's latest project, Early Shaker Spirituals! My preview of this "record album interpretation" is here.

More Shakespeare this summer

Non-newsflash: Shakespeare dominates our outdoor stages. I have no idea on how it started but that's just the way it is. Click here for my piece on what's coming up this summer.

The Few

Samuel D. Hunter's latest, The Few, doesn't go anywhere, which is ironic for a show using trucking as a background. My review's here.

Rosemary's Baby

What's worse, snooty French people or Satanists? What if they're both?!? My review of the Rosemary's Baby remake is here.

Irma la Douce

At long last Encores! does a non-American musical — and a French one to boot! — and it's a disappointment. At last I got to hear Marguerite Monnot's score live. Click here for my review.

The Lovesong of Alfred J. Hitchcock

I could hear about Hitchcock for hours but this play is an unconvincing Freudian omelette. My review's here.

Under My Skin

The curse of the Little Shubert Theatre strikes again! Thataway for my pan.

The City of Conversation

Some are wondering if The City of Conversation could transfer to Broadway. The show's quite involving but needs the antagonist, a raging Republican named Anna, to be better written. My review of the current Lincoln Center production is here.

An Octoroon

Loved Branden Jabobs-Jenkins' riff on the old chestnut The Octoroon — even if I'm not entirely sure what he's trying to say. Soho Rep delivers yet another good one. My review's here.

Red-Eye to Havre de Grace

Sadly this show about Edgar Allan Poe's last days isn't as good as its title. My review's here.

Peddling

Full disclosure: I've never been able to watch an entire Harry Potter movie. Still, I do know Harry Melling was in some of them. And now he's in a tight little solo show he's written himself, called Peddling. My review's here.