theater review

The California Girl is Still Clueless

by Bruce Chadwick

Catch the play, "Clueless." You will have a good time and be clueless no more.

Jealousy Fuels a Hot Winter’s Tale

by Bruce Chadwick

William Shakespeare’s "The Winter’s Tale" is getting a spirited and admirable revival at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Drew University.

Crusty Old Ebenezer Scrooge Rides Again

by Bruce Chadwick

A great big warm chestnut of a production that is guaranteed to make you weep deeply and laugh heartily about London life in 1843.

Holidays Start with the Magical "Holiday Inn"

by Bruce Chadwick

This year the holidays got off to a booming start with a magical production of Irving Berlin’s "Holiday Inn," a musical based on the 1942 Bing Crosby movie.

The First Asian Woman Immigrant Dazzles America

by Bruce Chadwick

Afong Moy arrived in America in 1834, when she was fourteen, as an entertainment act.  Her story is told in this wonderful two-character play.

The Few. The Proud. The Marines. The Murderers?

by Bruce Chadwick

"The Trial of Donna Caine," reviewed here, takes a long, hard look at military justice, chicanery and duplicity. 

Charley and His Wacky Cross-Dressing Aunt Startle Merry Old England

by Bruce Chadwick

"Charley’s Aunt," a drawing room comedy, is for lack of a better word a real hoot.

Little Wanda June and the 1960s Tough Guy

by Bruce Chadwick

A review of a production of Kurt Vonnegut's "Happy Birthday, Wanda June." It is daffy, absurd, eclectic, bawdy and just wonderful.

Remembering the Dreadful 1967 Detroit Race Riots

by Bruce Chadwick

A riveting play – "Detroit ‘67" – not only tells a story but sends a loud message.

Midnight for New York’s 1960s Gay Community?

by Bruce Chadwick

A review of "Midnight at the Never Get," a play with a lot of history.

Grab Your Hat and Stomp Your Feet – "The Color Purple" Is Back in All of Its Glory

by Bruce Chadwick

"The Color Purple" is not only a terrific show, it is a bold historical look at the oppression of women in America and how, in Georgia at least, and in this story, they triumphed.

There Is Buried Treasure in the Brilliant Revival of Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child”

by Bruce Chadwick

The play is set in the 1970s, but the family at the heart of the drama faces challenges that seem familiar to people now.

A Gilded Age Chapter in History’s Sometimes Dreary War of Husbands and Wives

by Bruce Chadwick

The love triangle story in "The Age of Innocence" is as old as ancient Rome and yet, under the wondrous literary powers of novelist Wharton, as fresh as a new tale on Netflix.

Political Humor: From Nixon to Trump

by Bruce Chadwick

For 35 years, the Capitol Steps comedy troupe has been making fun of America’s public officials, bringing howls of laughter from coast to coast, and now they are at it again.

Yet Another School Sex Scandal: Review of the Newest Production of "The Children's Hour"

by Bruce Chadwick

The play is ripped right out of the morning headlines. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Ibsen's "A Doll’s House" Gets New Lease

by Bruce Chadwick

Do these spouses need a new Norwegian marriage manual or a chat with Dr. Phil?

A Play About Senior Citizens Coming to Terms with Their Pasts

by Bruce Chadwick

"Good Morning After Grace," by Carey Crim, is one of the funniest and most charming plays our reviewer says he's seen in years. 

A New Macbeth Stumbles to the Top

by Bruce Chadwick

This play's Lady Macbeth looks and acts more like June Cleaver from the old "Leave It to Beaver" television series. She is not plotting treason and murder, but Tuesday’s Tupperware party.

Christmas 1956: Who’ll Stop Elvis?

by Bruce Chadwick

Review of  "Coming Back Like a Song: A Play About Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen and Jimmy Van Heusen."

You Think Your Boss Is Bad?

by Bruce Chadwick

A review of the play, “The Servant of Two Masters,” a giddy, hilarious romp through 18th century Italy.