Seattle Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 30

BWW Review: Theatre22's WATER BY THE SPOONFUL Fails to Quench Thirst
by Amelia Reynolds - October 26, 2015

I am a sucker for multimedia storytelling, so when Theatre22's Water by the Spoonful advertised their play to have a jazz structure, I could not wait to see how director Julie Beckman interpreted the rhythm and dissonance of jazz into a narrative arc. Confusingly, Water by the Spoonful's storylines ...

BWW Review: SSR's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is Anything but a Horror
by Jay Irwin - October 26, 2015

Let me start by saying, Dear Readers, that "Little Shop of Horrors" is one of my all time favorite shows. In fact I was fortunate enough to see the incredible Encore's version with Ellen Greene back in July. In my opinion, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's show is one of those near perfect musicals....

BWW Review: ACT's MR. BURNS - Funny but Doesn't Payoff Completely
by Jay Irwin - October 23, 2015

Anne Washburn's hit play "Mr. Burns, a post-electric play", currently playing at ACT, does a fine job at exploring the genesis of mythology and still keeps itself very funny. But that exploration tends to draw itself out a little too long with too little payoff for the time spent....

BWW Review: Cafe Nordo's SAUCED is a Delectable Feast in Many Ways
by Jay Irwin - October 19, 2015

From the moment you set foot into Cafe Nordo for their current production of "Sauced" you're struck with the wonderful sense of being transported back to the 1930's. But then, with all their ambience and commitment to tone you're no longer in Cafe Nordo but in the Diamond Club. And once there you ...

BWW Review: Village's SNAPSHOTS is Cute but is it Necessary?
by Jay Irwin - October 17, 2015

I'm all for a tribute to a wonderful composer such as Stephen Schwartz. But the new musical 'Snapshots' currently playing at Village Theatre feels less like a tribute and more like theft. OK, maybe theft is too strong of a word since Schwartz is aware of the show and has given his blessing but it'...

BWW Review: Heavy Handed WATERFALL at 5th Avenue a Cliché Mess
by Jay Irwin - October 16, 2015

With the creative team of Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire at the helm, I had high hopes for the new musical 'Waterfall' currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre. With a pedigree like those two have there would have to be something to grab onto in the show, right? Unfortunately this adaptati...

BWW Review: SPT's BAD JEWS - Deliciously Vicious But With Heart
by Jay Irwin - October 05, 2015

There's a reason why Joshua Harmon's play "Bad Jews", currently playing at Seattle Public Theater, has been such a hit all over the country. Because it manages a trifecta with its wonderful script as it takes a sensitive subject of religion and infuses it with rich characters, hilarious language an...

BWW Review: Book-It's WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE Elicits No Love
by Jay Irwin - October 02, 2015

From the title of Book-It Repertory Theatre's current production, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, you might think this could be a lovely and romantic date night possibility. Well, nothing could be further from the truth as this collection of four Raymond Carver stories seem to focus o...

BWW Review: Heartfelt and Stirring A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at Seattle Rep
by Jay Irwin - October 01, 2015

Arguably one of the greatest American playwrights, Arthur Miller rarely goes in for the flash or quirky with his works but simply tells a story. And those stories, such as 'A View From the Bridge' currently performing at the Seattle Rep, build with a sublime slow burn and sneak up on you until, bef...

BWW Review: WET's Bizarre and Beautiful 99 WAYS TO F**K A SWAN
by Jay Irwin - September 28, 2015

Kim Rosenstock's play "99 Ways to F**k a Swan" currently being offered from Washington Ensemble Theatre is not going to be everyone's cup of tea with its outrageously bizarre themes and extremely dark and twisted humor. But if you can see your way past its surreal nature, the language, the nudity a...

BWW Review: MAP Theatre's THE ART OF BAD MEN – Touching but a Bit Unfocused
by Jay Irwin - September 28, 2015

World War II soldiers trying to survive in a POW camp, we've seen this story many times before. But in Vincent Delaney's "The Art of Bad Men", currently being offered from MAP Theatre, we see a different side of the POW experience, from the point of view of the German soldiers being held in America...

BWW Review: Tragic and Twisted SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER at Schmeater
by Jay Irwin - September 25, 2015

Tennessee Williams' 'Suddenly Last Summer', currently performing at Theater Schmeater, is not often produced, but why? Maybe because it's a one-act or maybe because it feels like it lacks an ending or maybe because it's even a little too dark and twisted for fans of Williams. Whatever the case, Sc...

BWW Review: ANNIE at the Paramount Brings Old Broadway Classic Charm
by Jay Irwin - September 23, 2015

No hip hop remixes, no ridiculous stunt casting, just good old fashioned Broadway caliber talent putting on a classic musical, that's what you get when you go see "Annie" currently playing at the Paramount Theatre. And there's a reason it's a classic, it's just that good....

BWW Review: Intiman's Disjointed BOOTYCANDY Ends with Power
by Jay Irwin - September 21, 2015

I'll admit that during Act One of the final show for this year's Intiman Theatre Festival, "Bootycandy", I kept thinking, "What the hell am I watching?" It was interesting and funny but felt disjointed with so many disconnected scenes. But by the end when they pulled them all together and I saw wh...

BWW Review: Double the Fun with Seattle Shakes THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
by Jay Irwin - September 21, 2015

It's one of Shakespeare's more raucous comedies so in order to do it right it's best to just let it happen and not get in its way too much. Luckily director Jane Nichols and the folks at Seattle Shakespeare Company understand that about "The Comedy of Errors" but that didn't stop them from adding i...

BWW Review: Impactful SOUND from Azeotrope Has Potential but Lacks Resolution
by Jay Irwin - September 20, 2015

As hearing people we may think that the advancement and availability of cochlear implants would be welcomed with open arms by the deaf community. But what Don Nguyen's play "Sound", getting its world premiere production from Azeotrope at ACT, points out to us, the cultural effects of suddenly being...

BWW Review: ACT's BLOOMSDAY is Filled with Sweet Charm
by Jay Irwin - September 18, 2015

In our jaded and cynical world sometimes our inner cup of hope and romance can get a little low and we can use something to refill it. Well never fear romance seekers as ACT's World Premiere production of Steven Dietz's "Bloomsday" is here. This sweet little charmer is bound to fill up the romance...

BWW Review: Risky and Innovative AMERICAN IDIOT at ArtsWest Pays Off
by Jay Irwin - September 14, 2015

ArtsWest has taken on a huge risk by putting up the Green Day musical 'American Idiot' on their intimate stage. Not only by trying to fit this large spectacle in their space but also literally reconfiguring their floor plan and utilizing multiple areas within their theater to create an immersive ex...

BWW Review: SMT's High Energy JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Lacks Depth
by Jay Irwin - September 14, 2015

Let me start out by saying I do not like "Jesus Christ Superstar". I think it is a completely overrated show. Repeating the same lyric 50 times does not make a song! So it's more than an annoyance that every few years someone feels the need to resurrect it (pun intended). I mean in the past eigh...

BWW Review: Intiman's THE CHILDREN'S HOUR Builds Beautifully
by Jay Irwin - September 13, 2015

The tragic circumstances and attitudes of Lillian Hellman's "The Children's Hour" may still have some resonance in today's more accepting world but the power and stakes of the piece when set in the unforgiving 1930's feels so much greater than the more progressive 1980's as the current production fr...

BWW Review: Sweet Fairytale from New Alchemists' EATEN VOICES
by Jay Irwin - August 31, 2015

Sometimes we forget with all the flashy shows out there what can be done with a minimal bit of stage wizardry and a whole lot of talent. But then a new company comes along just starting out and they remind us. The New Alchemists may be brand new and small but they know how to tell a good little st...

BWW Review: Chandelier's SPRING AWAKENING Lacks Depth and Pitch
by Jay Irwin - August 30, 2015

If you're a company thinking of doing the rock musical of 'Spring Awakening' you need to be ready for it, not only as it's such a difficult show but since it was just done in the area a few years ago and to such acclaim. And while I applaud fledgling company Chandelier Production's courage in takin...

BWW Review: INDIAN INK from STC and Pratidhwani Blends History and Heart
by Jay Irwin - August 24, 2015

When you go to see a Tom Stoppard play such as "Indian Ink", currently playing at Center Theatre from Sound Theatre Company and Pratidhwani, you can expect to be immersed in whatever subject Stoppard has chosen, whether that be literature, history, math, music or landscape architecture, along with a...

BWW Review: MATILDA at the 5th Ave is Anything but R-E-V-O-L-T-I-N-G
by Jay Irwin - August 23, 2015

I'm going to confess that I am in love with 'Matilda, The Musical'. I have been ever since I first heard the cast album. What I feared would be another bland attempt at putting a beloved children's classic on stage turned out to be a treasure trove of clever lyrics and great storytelling. And so ...

BWW Review: Cliché Identity Crisis from JOHN BAXTER IS A SWITCH HITTER at Intiman
by Jay Irwin - August 21, 2015

If you're going to tell a story, especially one based on a real event, you need to decide who the story is about, what you are trying to tell and why are you trying to tell it. And those are just a few of the downfalls with the new play from Ana Brown and Andrew Russell "John Baxter is a Switch Hit...